Sunday's Hymn: Lead On, O King Eternal

Lead on, O King eternal,
The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest
Thy tents shall be our home:
Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong,
And now, O King eternal,
We lift our battle song.

Lead on, O King eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And Holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace;
For not with swords loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums,
But deeds of love and mercy,
The heav’nly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King eternal,
We follow, not with fears;
For gladness breaks like morning
Where’er thy face appears;
Thy cross is lifted o’er us;
We journey in its light:
The crown awaits the conquest;
Lead on, O God of might.

—Ernest W. Shurtleff

 Other hymns, worship songs, or quotes for this Sunday:

• All the Ransomed Church of God at The Outspoken Tulip
• Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare at The Happy Wonderer
• When Rising From the Bed of Death at The Upward Call
• The Lord will perfect at Tried With Fire
• Lord’s Day 17, 2019 at The Thirsty Theologian

Selected Reading

I read or listened to these recently and recommend them to you.

Theology

Simply Put: Original Sin
Simply Put is a new podcast from Ligonier Ministries. Here’s how they introduce it: “Simply Put is a podcast to help you build your Christian vocabulary. Each week, Barry Cooper explains a different theological term in clear, concise language and shares stories and illustrations that apply it to your life.”

On this first episode, Barry Cooper defines the term “original sin” and explains how it became our natural state. Take a listen. Barry Cooper’s narration skills would make even the driest theological explanation interesting.

Church History

The Four-Hundred-Year Flower: Arminius, Dort, and the Battle for Grace
A short history of the Canons of Dort by Kevin DeYoung: “At its very heart, the Canons of Dort are about the nature of grace — supernatural, unilateral, sovereign, effecting, redeeming, resurrecting grace, with all of its angularity, all of its offense to human pride, and all of its comfort for the weary soul. That’s what Dort wanted to settle. That’s what they were jealous to protect. Some words are worth the most careful definitions, just as some truths are too precious not to defend.”

Scripture

When Is the First Time We See a New Testament Book Used as Scripture?
“When were Christian writings first regarded as ‘Scripture’? When was the first time we can see that happening?”

 It might be earlier than you think (Michael Kruger). 

Gospel

What the Gospel Is
“If your gospel proclamation does not contain at its heart the announcement of Jesus Christ crucified and raised for sinners, then it is not gospel proclamation. And if it’s not gospel proclamation, then no one will be saved. And there’s no consequence more grave than that” (Denny Burk).

Fiction

Virgil Wander
I don’t read tons of fiction, but I do like Leif Enger, who is a fellow Minnesota native. I enjoyed his latest novel a whole lot, and you might, too, especially if you like small towns and quirky characters. This is one to be read slowly and savoured.

Theological Term of the Week: Comma Johanneum

 

Comma Johanneum
A sequence of words which appear in 1 John 5:7-8 in four late Greek manuscripts; also called the Johannine Comma. (Four other manuscripts include the words as a marginal note rather than part of the text.) The Comma Johanneum was almost certainly not originally included in 1 John. However, a translation of the comma is included the King James Version of the Bible. 

• 1 John 5:7-8 from the KJV, which includes a translation of the Comma Johanneum. (The words that translate the Comma are italicized.):

7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

• I John 5:7-8 from the ESV, which does not include a translation of the Comma Johanneum:

7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.

• From The Johannine Comma (Bible Research):

These extra words are generally absent from the Greek manuscripts. In fact, they only appear in the text of four late medieval manuscripts. They seem to have originated as a marginal note added to certain Latin manuscripts during the middle ages, which was eventually incorporated into the text of most of the later Vulgate manuscripts.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: What is the Comma Johannine (1 John 5:7-8)?
2. Theopedia: Johannine Comma
3. Daniel Wallace: The Textual Problem in 1 John 5:7-8
4. Bible Research: The Johaninne Comma
5. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: 1 John 5:7-8 and King James Onlyism

Related terms:

• autographs
• inerrancy of scripture
• inspiration of scripture
• KJV Onlyism
• manuscripts
• pericope adulterae
• text criticism

Filed under Scripture

---

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button will take you to an alphabetical list of all the previous theological terms.