Sunday's Hymn: Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
where the blood of Christ was shed,
perfect Man on thee did suffer,
perfect God on thee has bled!

Here the King of all the ages,
throned in light ere worlds could be,
robed in mortal flesh is dying,
crucified by sin for me.

O mysterious condescending!
O abandonment sublime!
Very God Himself is bearing
all the sufferings of time!

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
where the blood of Christ was shed,
perfect Man on thee did suffer,
perfect God on thee has bled!

—William John Sparrow-Simpson

Theological Term of the Week: Exegesis

exegesis

The process of analyzing a text of scripture to draw out its author-intended meaning.

• From scripture:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV). 

• From What Does It Mean? by F. F. Bruce:

The question, ‘What does it mean?’, may be understood in more ways than one. It may imply, ‘What does it mean for me, or for us, today?’ Or it may imply, ‘What did it mean when it was first said? What did the speaker or writer intend to convey by this, and how was it understood by those for whom it was first designed?’ When we have found the answer to the last question (or set of three questions), we have found the primary interpretation. We have to do more thinking if we are to discover what it means for us today, but if its meaning for us today is to have any validity it must arise out of its primary meaning. The plenary sense of Scripture consists of its primary meaning plus whatever further meaning has been validly discerned in it by the people of God in succeeding generations. The plenary interpretation of Scripture in the church, it has been said, accrues like compound interest, but there must be a secure relationship between the compound interest and the primary deposit.

Learn more:

1. Simply Put: Exegesis and Eisegesis
2. Kevin Gardner: What Is Exegesis?
3. Daniel Doriani: The Importance of Sound Exegesis
4. J. I. Packer: The Interpretation of Scripture
5. Kevin DeYoung: Your Theological System Should Tell You How to Exegete

Related terms:

• analogy of faith
• biblical hermeneutics
• eisegesis
• literary genres of the Bible

Filed under Scripture

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Sunday Hymn: O Christ What Burdens Bowed Thy Head

O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head!
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
Didst bear all ill for me.
A Victim led, Thy blood was shed;
Now there’s no load for me.

Death and the curse were in our cup:
O Christ, ’twas full for Thee;
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
’Tis empty now for me.
That bitter cup, love drank it up;
Now blessing’s draught for me.

Jehovah lifted up His rod;
O Christ, it fell on Thee!
Thou wast sore stricken of Thy God;
There’s not one stroke for me.
Thy tears, Thy blood, beneath it flowed;
Thy bruising healeth me.

The tempest’s awful voice was heard,
O Christ, it broke on Thee!
Thy open bosom was my ward,
It braved the storm for me.
Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred;
Now cloudless peace for me.

Jehovah bade His sword awake;
O Christ, it woke ’gainst Thee!
Thy blood the flaming blade must slake;
Thine heart its sheath must be;
All for my sake, my peace to make;
Now sleeps that sword for me.

For me, Lord Je­sus, Thou hast died,
And I have died in Thee!
Thou’rt ris’n—my hands are all untied,
And now Thou liv’st in me.
When purified, made white and tried,
Thy glo­ry then for me!

—Anne R. Cou­sin