Robert L. Thomas
Thomas recognizes the problem of modern exegesis; not having the ability to read the OT as did Jesus and the apostles. When you read him, you sense that he wants to see Jesus the way the apostles did, but that he is forbidden from doing so by his associates. I hope these notes will be considered a gift.
This series of articles will address his paper "The New Testament Use of the Old"
Literal fulfillment
These items Thomas labels as literal fulfillments. It is a tenuous label at best since the prophecies must be interpreted figuratively first.
- Matt 1:23 with Isa 7:14
- Acts 13:23 with Isa 11:1
- Matt 21:42 with Isa 28:16 and Ps 118:22
- Luke 3:4-6 with Isa 40:3-5
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
QUESTIONS RAISED BY ISPA-TYPE CITATIONS
Thomas answers these questions before comparing his Inspired Sensus Plenior theory to other modern writers.
- 1. "The first one is, Can the present-day interpreter assign additional and different meanings to OT passages in imitation of the applications made by the NT writers?"
- My answer: No/ The NT writers did not assign additional and different meaning... they observed them. Yes. we can also observe them.
- 2. "Does not the NT’s assigning of an application based on a second meaning to an OT passage violate that principle [of a single meaning]?"
- My answer: Yes. The principle of a single meaning is not scriptural nor historically valid. The church has believed in multiple layers of meaning.
- 3. "Did God know from the beginning that the OT passage had two meanings?"
- My answer: He wrote it. He intended to speak of Christ. And he actually did it so that there are four meanings.
- 4. "Why did the NT writers attach the sensus plenior meanings to OT passages?”
- My answer: Because Jesus did, and he taught them how to do it. Likewise, they try to teach us to do it by their examples.
See Questions raised by ISPA-type citations to see why his answers are seriously in error.
Inspired Sensus Plenior
These items Thomas has labeled as Inspired Sensus Plenior, and it will be shown that the hermeneutic used by the authors can be reproduced.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
