An Introduction to James B. Jordan
One strong emphasis James Jordan has made over the years is that reading the Bible is not enough.
I have been a disciple of Jim Jordan for over 20 years. I recommend his magnum opus, Through New Eyes, to virtually everyone I know who is fond of biblical interpretation and is tired of staring at word studies. Nowadays, more and more people are eager to see the Bible anew. I believe the hermeneutical landscape is changing from a more encyclopedic look at the text to a biblical theological model that gives attention to the flow of the Scriptures.
Jim is a dear friend, and though we only see each other once a year—due to his health and distance—I had the joy of working with him for three years (09-11) here in Pensacola, FL.
I have read and listened to hundreds of articles, sermons, & lessons. When I worked for wordmp3, I assembled the essay collection, which you can purchase even today. When Jim published something in his prolific days, my eyes would scan it if not entirely consume it. When we met at Cracker Barrell or his BH home once a month, he often brought a large manilla envelope with some manuscript recently published or written in the 80s. He was trying to teach that young seminary grad catechized in systematics alone how to undo some of my training or at least rethink how I was taught to read the Bible. In many ways, he has taught me to love the text in a more profound way than before.
Even though my seminary days were beautiful, I can speak of my love for Jim as a superior teacher—didactically and rhetorically. I was privileged to sit under some of the most renowned Reformed theologians alive. My training was filled with excitement and theological epiphanies. Richard Pratt enchanted me with his Old Testament knowledge. Simon Kistemaker enamored me with his acute Dutch accent and astute knowledge of the New Testament corpus. John Frame did more for my charitable theology than any other. To this day, I carry those men in my heart and mind.
But none of these men came near to the theological revivals that James Jordan caused in my own thinking. Jordan enabled me to appreciate the Bible on its own terms. He caused me to love the Bible for its structure, poetry, cadence, rhythm, and music. Yes, the Bible is a beautiful song sung by Yahweh Himself in Genesis 1 and closes with the eternal song of eternity in Revelation 22.
In TNE, Jordan observes:
…the universe and everything in it reveals the character of its Creator. God designed the universe to reveal Himself and to instruct us. The problem we have is that sin has made us deaf and blind. We need new eyes and ears, and the Scriptures can help us get them (13).
These new eyes and ears are only re-shaped and re-designed as we allow the Scriptures to do so. The Bible shapes us as a people. The Word of the Lord re-orients our minds to see God’s instruction in everything. The world, and in particular, the Scriptures, communicate to us through vast symbols. The revelation of Yahweh contains a specific language that we need to master. And the only way of mastering it is by seeking its guidance day and night.
Hear the Bible
One strong emphasis James Jordan has made over the years is that reading the Bible is not enough. This may appear quite uncomfortable to American ears. But it is as old a revealed truth. We have assumed pietistic tendencies when, in reality, most of redemptive history only heard the word. Listening is fundamental to biblical understanding. The ancients did not have manuscript copies available as we do, yet the language of the Scriptures saturated their minds. Their minds delved deeply into the rich types and symbols of the Old Covenant Scriptures. They heard it read and began to make connections with their themes. They did not only accept explicit types and symbols, but they saw that the entire Bible was one story pictured in symbols and types. Since this is the case, every narrative is connected to the previous and the one after.
Hearing the Bible, especially in a community setting, takes us away from our natural tendency to isolate ourselves. The isolation of evangelicalism is due to hermeneutical individualism. Individuals are delighted to pietize the Bible. And as they do so, they turn their individualism into a standard for others. But when we hear the Bible, listen to one another in our communities, and allow the Church to speak–as she should–we become part of a greater hermeneutical project.
Hear the Bible, but don’t hear it alone. Hear it, and then contextualize it in this grand story of redemption. When this is done, sin’s hermeneutical effects begin to fade away, and our eyes and ears will be able to do those things they were created to do.
Resources
My interview on Canon Calls discussing Jim Jordan, the theologian
My oldest interview with James B. Jordan on the Book of Revelation at Trinity Talk
My subscription-only for $1 a month as I review each chapter of James B. Jordan’s Through New Eyes
JBJ lecture on Introduction to Symbolism and Typology
Sincerely,
Uriesou Brito