Category: Peter Leithart

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The Baptized Body by Peter Leithart

In light of current debates of Leithart’s Baptismal theology, here’s his latest work free on-line.

What does baptism do to the baptized? Nothing? Something? In this study, Peter Leithart examines this single question of baptismal efficacy. He challenges several common but false assumptions about God, man, the church, salvation, and more that confuse discussions about baptism. He aims to offer a careful and simple discussion of all the central biblical texts that speak to us about baptism, the nature of signs and rites, the character of the church as the body of Christ, and the possibility of apostasy. In the end, the author urges us to face up to the wonderful conclusion that Scripture attributes an astonishing power to the initiation rite of baptism.

{HT: Mark Horne}

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Numbers in Luke 3

Leithart writes:

The genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3 contains 77 names. Several commentators suggest that the names are arranged in 11 groups of 7, and that there is a pattern of 7s (groups of 2 and 3 7s) that provides an overview of history from Adam to Jesus. If this is the case, then Jesus is the first in the 12th group of 7, beginning the completion of Israel (a 12).

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Why Celebrate Pentecost? By Peter Leithart

Why celebrate Pentecost?

Because the Spirit is the hovering wind that forms the formlessness, fills the void, brightens the darkness.

Because the Spirit is the breath that gives Adam life.

Because the Lord comes into the garden in the Spirit of the day to breathe out judgment to Adam and Eve.

Because the Spirit strives with flesh.

Because the Spirit equips Bezalel and Oholiab with wisdom to make furnishings for the tabernacle.

Because the Spirit blows back the waters of the flood, and the waters of the Red Sea, and the nations of Canaan.

Because the Spirit is the armor of Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, Saul, David, and Jesus.

Because the Spirit was not taken from David.

Because the Spirit filled Solomon’s temple so that the priests could not stand.

Because the Spirit of Elijah came upon Elisha, and lifted Ezekiel to carry him to the temple in Jerusalem.

Because the Spirit renews the face of the ground, and makes dry bones live.

Because God has put His Spirit in us so that we can walk in His statutes, commandments, and laws.

Because the Spirit descends like a dove, and He is the finger of God that casts out demons.

Because the Spirit brings good news to the poor.

Because the Spirit enables sons and daughters to prophecy, see visions, and dream dreams.

Because it is by one Spirit that we have access to the one Father.

Because the law of the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death.

Because we are baptized and sealed by one Spirit into one body, to produce His fruits.

Because the seven Spirits are the eyes of the Lord that range to and fro throughout the earth.

Because the Spirit and bride say, Come.

Lest we grieve the Spirit.

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Leithart and John 7:39

…”The Spirit was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

Some have made a sharp distinction between the Spirit’s work in the Older Covenant and His work in the New. John seems to make that clear when he writes that the Spririt was not yet until Jesus was glorified.  But as Leithart observes, the difference is not so much between the earthly/functional work of the Older Testament and the spiritual/heavenly work of the New Testament, rather the point is that the Spirit’s presence is more enhanced by “the ‘glorification’ of the Son in His death and resurrection that John can comment that the Spirit “was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified” (Jn. 7:39).

Leithart concludes brilliantly:

Still, it is a basic error to introduce too sharp an historical discontinuity in the work of the Spirit. A covenantal approach insists, on the contrary, that the pattern of His working in the Old Covenant provides the framework for understanding His working now.

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I Kings 16:34

In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

Leithart finds Charles Conroy’s structural analysis of I Kings 16:34 convincing. Conroy sees a parallel between Hiel and Ahab. Leithart summarizes:

Both are said to be builders and both are subjects of 3 separate verbs of construction: Ahab “erected” an altar to Baal, “built” a house for Baal in Samaria, and “made” an Asherah (vv. 32-33). Hiel “built” Jericho, “laid its foundations” and “set up its gates” (v. 34).

There is also a connection of Hiel (and Ahab) to Solomon who is the great builder in I Kings. Further, there is a reversal of the conquest. While Joshua destroyed Baal worship, Hiel restores Baal worship. The unrighteous build the foundation of the polis on the basis of death and idolatry. The righteous are to build the city on the basis of life and worship.

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Leithart on Luke 24

But Word by itself is not enough. Even after Jesus has explained everything about Himself in the Scriptures, the two disciples still don’t recognize Him. That occurs only when He breaks bread with them It is the same for the church throughout the ages: The Word without the Bread is merely intellectual, detached from the things of real life; the Bread without the Word turns into a magic act. When the Scriptures are taught and the Bread is broken, then Jesus can be known.

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Between Common and Special Grace

In that same panel discussion, Leithart adds a category in the discussion of grace. For instance, if one asserts that the glory and advances of Western Society is simply a result of common grace, one would miss the immesuarable influence of Christianity in Western Society. In other words, it is not just common to all. One society is influenced by the work of Christianity and others have no such grace. The fact that the rain falls on the just and unjust seems to be a matter of “common life,” as Leithart asserts, not “common grace.”

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Prayers and Politics

In a recent panel discussion with Darryl Hart and Michael Horton, Peter Leithart argued persuasively for a liturgy that includes politics. The prayers of the saints are inherently political. When we pray the Psalms, we pray that God would act on our behalf and defend us from our enemies. When we pray for kings and other leaders, we are bringing the secular into the sacred. These prayers, in turn, shape our understanding of politics. We pray not only as sojourners, but also as rulers of the earth. We pray not only for the world to come, but for the transformation of this present world.

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Leithart on the Book of Signs

The first 12 chapters of John are commonly seen as John’s “book of signs.”  There are seven signs, which may suggest a connection with the creation week. Some starting thoughts:

1. Water to wine, ch 2: Jesus’ manifests His glory, His light in the darkness of Israel.

2. Child raised from deathbed, ch 4: second sign (4:54; again in Cana)

3. Paralytic in Jerusalem, ch 5: Water plays a prominent role in the story.

4. Feeding of 5000, ch 6: They want to make Jesus king (6:15), like the luminaries.

5. Crossing the sea, ch 6: Water again prominent, and the fifth day is the day for sea creature.

6. Blind man receives sight, ch 9: Jesus makes a man new with clay, as in Genesis 2:7.

7. Lazarus raised from the dead, ch 11: Resurrection, new life, Sabbath.

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Leithart on Lent

Lent is a season for taking stock and cleaning house, a time of self-examination, confession and repentance. But we need to remind ourselves constantly what true repentance looks like. “Giving up” something for Lent is fine, but you keep Lent best by making war on all the evil habits and sinful desires that prevent you from running the race with patience.

Going through the motions of Lent without turning to God and putting our sins to death is hypocrisy, and few things rile our God so much as hypocrisy. “Rend your hearts and not your garments,” Joel says.

So: During this season, don’t just give up soft drinks; mount a concerted campaign against impatience. Don’t just put aside your favorite TV show; subdue your anger. Don’t just fast; kill your self-centeredness.

This doesn’t make Lent a season for gloominess and defeat. On the contrary, during this season we celebrate the victorious suffering and death of Jesus, and we should enter the season trusting in the Spirit of Jesus, who subdues our flesh and molds us to the image of Christ.

Lent is a season for joy also because it is a motif in a larger composition. The rhythm of the church year follows the rhythm of the Lord’s day service. Each week, we pass through a small “Lenten” moment in our liturgy, as we kneel for confession. But we don’t kneel through the whole service, and in the same way we don’t observe the fast forever.

Jesus tells us to fast with washed faces and anointed heads, that is, to fast as if prepared for a feast. We fast properly when we fast not only in humility but in hope; we keep the fast when we fall before God full of repentance but also full of confidence that our Great King will raise us up.