Being Human, Becoming Christian: An Embodied Reconciliation of

Heaven and Earth

Cherith Fee-Nordling, Alan Hirsch, Deb Hirsch and Tory Baucum

What Are Humans For?

A Nuptial Biblical Theology

What Are Humans For?

Starting our theology where the Bible does

What Are Humans For?

Bible does not start with original sin (Genesis 3)

but rather with original design (Genesis 1-2).

What Are Humans For?

Genesis 1-3 is the grammar – building blocks of meaning - for reading the rest of the Bible.

What Are Humans For?Canonical Book Ends:1st Human Words are words of

the Bridegroom: “This is now bone of my bones

and flesh of flesh” (Gen 2:23).

Canonical Book Ends:Last Human Words are words of

the Bride: “Come Lord Jesus, Come!” (Rev

22:17, 21)

What Are Humans For?

The story of “Man and Woman in the Garden of God” is the story of the Bible in miniature.

What Are Humans For?The Bible begins and ends with

a wedding in a garden. The center piece of the Bible is a wedding song – “Song of Songs.” This is the soundtrack of the Bible.

What Are Humans For?

We will utilize this “grammar” towards the reading of

John’s Gospel.

What Are Humans For?John the Baptist’s introduction

of Jesus:“the strap of whose sandal I am

not worthy to untie” (1:27).

What Are Human’s Form

“Untying the sandal strap” was the role of a kinsman redeemer who sought to marry the widow of a close relative. (Deut. 25:9 & Ruth 4:1-7)

What Are Humans For?

Is this “untying the strap” phrase really a reference to

Israel’s marital customs? Maybe I’m straining the soup

to thin?

What Are Humans For?

John 2 – Jesus begins the redemption of the world at a Wedding. Another hint?

What Are Humans For?John 3:29 – John the Baptist is now

explicit:“The one who has the bride is the

bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.”

What Are Humans For?John 4: Samaritan Woman at

the Well – or – How does Jesus woo his bride?

John 4 Con’t.Key motifs – Well scenes are type scenes – how

women are wooed. See Rebekah, Rachel and Zipporah

(Genesis 24:12-14, 29:10-12 and Exodus 2:16-20)

John 4 Con’t.Theology as Deflection – “You

Jews, We Samaritans” Different Torah, Temple and

Territory3 Pillars of Judaism Altered

John 4 Con’t.Heart of the Issue is the Human Heart• “Go call your husband?” v16• 5 husbands, 1 partner.Jesus is the seventh man and the one

she had always been looking for?

What Are Humans For?First comes love, then marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. This is the image Jesus’ uses to predict his passion.

John 16 Con’t. “When a woman is giving birth, she

has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anquish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world” (v. 21)

What Are Humans For?

After the resurrection, Jesus is initially confused as a gardener. This is in response to his query to Mary: “Whom are you seeking?” (20:15-16)

Where Does this Story End?“The climax of the story of redemption is the

marriage supper of the lamb (Rev. 19:9-10). If history began with a wedding in Eden and closes with one in the New Jerusalem, the biblical story runs from wedding to wedding, from temporal symbol to eternal reality”-Dennis Kinlaw, “Let’s Start with Jesus”, p 64.

What Are Humans For?1. Design (Sexual Difference) + Desire

(Union) = Destiny 2. Marriage is God’s “pedagogy” for

our ultimate union with God3. Disordered desire (lust, etc) must

not be repressed but redeemed

Next Steps?Do the “Our Bodies Proclaim the

Gospel” seminar:

http://www.christopherwest.com/shop/standard-product/our-bodies-proclaim-the-gospel-4-cds-study-guide/

Jesus of Nazareth

Image of the Invisible God...

Son of the Father

Born of the Spirit and of Mary

Jesus of Nazareth

Obedient Spirit-anointed ‘Israel’

‘New Adam’ resurrected by Father & Spirit

Firstborn from ... the dead … over all creation.

Jewish Eschatological Expectations Present Age:

Broken CreationComing Age: New Creation

SinSickness

DeathChaos

No Spirit

RighteousnessWholeness

Life/ResurrectionShalom

Holy Spirit

Jesus’/NT Eschatological Expectations:

Present Age: Broken Creation

Between Times: The Church

Coming Age:New Creation

SinSickness

DeathChaos

No Spirit

Future existence

ALREADY by the Spirit

RighteousnessWholeness

Life/ResurrectionShalom

Holy Spirit

Begun → → → Consummated

“Walking” by the Spirit =

Embodied

Empowered

Cruciform

Preview of New Creation