Bethlehem College & Seminary celebrates the rigorous life of the mind for the glory of the divine Son, by whom, through whom, and for whom all things were created (Col 1:16). Ten years ago John Piper catapulted the school into existence with his message “‘The Earth Is the Lord’s’: The Supremacy of Christ in Christian Learning,” which became Appendix 1 in Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010). At this 10th anniversary, the school recently hosted a conference titled Think Revisited, and during it I presented a message titled “Thinking How to See and Savor the Divine Son in All of Scripture.”

Video / Audio / PowerPoint

Here is the overall flow of the message:

A. Jesus’s relationship to the Old Testament (2:12)

  • The OT first promised the good news embodied in the person and work of Jesus Christ. (2:32)
  • A proper understanding of the Old Testament will move us to identify a unified message focused on the Messiah and the mission he would spark. (13:55)
  • God created all things (including the Old Testament) by the Son, through the Son, and for the Son, so the Old Testament was written for the glory of the divine Son. (16:16)

B. Seven ways to see and savor the divine Son in the Old Testament: (19:07)

  1. When you read the OT’s direct messianic predictions, see and savor the realization of the divine Son. (21:24)
  2. When you consider the OT’s salvation-historical story and trajectories, see and savor how the divine Son stands as the goal and climax of all Scripture’s progress and integration. (24:46)
  3. When you recognize similarities and contrasts between the old and new ages, creations, and covenants, see and savor how the divine Son influences all reality. (32:56)
  4. When you identify OT characters, events, and institutions or objects that clarify and anticipate the person and work of Christ, see and savor the divine Son as the substance of all earlier shadows. (38:18)
  5. When you revel in Yahweh’s identity and activity, see and savor the person of the divine Son. (44:49)
  6. When you observe how the old covenant law characterizes the nature of perfect righteousness and wisdom, see and savor the justifying work of the divine Son. (54:02)
  7. When you use the OT to instruct or guide others or when you experience the power to love and thus fulfill the law, see and savor the sanctifying work of the divine Son. (57:11)

C. Conclusion (1:03:01)

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