Matthew Poole on Chronicles

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dildaysc

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I am beginning a translation of Matthew Poole's "Synopsis of Biblical Interpreters" (a verse-by-verse history of interpretation) on the Book of 1 & 2 Chronicles.

It might be helpful to get acquainted with Matthew Poole (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Poole).

Now, about Poole's "Synopsis"...

Matthew Poole’s Synopsis Criticorum (Synopsis of Interpreters) is nothing less than a verse-by-verse summary of the history of interpretation. Poole covers the entire gamut: the old Jewish doctors, the early Church Fathers, Medieval Rabbis, Reformation-era Romanists, Lutherans, and the Reformed. But this raises a question: Why should I exert so much effort in the study of the history of interpretation?

It seems that many in Evangelicalism have adopted the “me-and-my Bible” approach to the study of the Word of God. The general idea seems to be that, if I spend time reading my Bible, the Spirit of God will help me to interpret it correctly. I am not in need of the help of human teachers. Consequently, the preaching of the Word of God is held in little regard (a mere formality) and the great commentary books are largely neglected. Ironically, this is not a Biblical approach to the study of the Scriptures. God has super-abounded to His people in blessing them with the Word and the Spirit, blessings surpassing sublimity. But God has also blessed His people with faithful preachers and teachers, and that in all ages.

Under the Mosaic administration, the priests and Levites were set apart to teach God’s people. This was their commission and charge from the Lord; Deuteronomy 33:10a: “They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law.” During the time of Malachi, the priests had been unfaithful in this their sacred charge; but their duty remained the same. Malachi 2:7: “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.” There are actually two duties here expressed: 1. the priest’s duty, his lips should preserve and dispense the knowledge of the Law of God; 2. the people’s duty, they should seek instruction in the Law from the priest’s mouth. So, we see that God set apart teachers and instructed the people to have recourse unto them to the end that they might learn the Scriptures.

This situation has not changed under the new administration. We find the Lord Jesus Himself and His apostles preaching and teaching. This was the charge given to the apostles and to all of those succeeding them in the teaching office until the end of the world. Matthew 28:18-20: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” It is not surprising then to find Paul, as He discusses the gifts that the ascended Christ has given to His Church, focusing upon the teaching offices. Ephesians 4:11-13: “And he [the ascended Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ…” Three of these teaching offices were extraordinary for that first age of the Church, namely, apostles, prophets, and evangelists; but the offices of the pastor and teacher continue and will continue “till we all come in the unity of the faith…unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Here, the Church is likened unto a man advancing from infancy unto maturity. Pastors and teachers have a God-ordained role in pressing the Church forward in growth. This process will not be complete until the Church is perfected by Christ at His return.

What does this have to do with the study of the history of interpretation and reading Poole’s Synopsis? Everything. Poole’s Synopsis is a verse-by-verse record of what these teachers, the gift of our ascended Lord, believed and taught. It only remains for us tolle, lege, to take up and read.

If there is to be another Reformation of the doctrine and practice of the Church, and a spiritual revival in the hearts of God’s people, there must first be an increase in Biblical knowledge, the means by which these things are accomplished. It is our hope and prayer that many Christians, longing for Reformation, revival, and greater intimacy with the Lord Jesus, will join us in the study of the Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, with the learned Matthew Poole as our guide through the history of interpretation. (The reader should be able to keep up with only a little reading each day.)

Class page: www.fromreformationtoreformation.com/1-2-chronicles
 
Poole's Prolegomena.

Matthew Henry sounding the right note: "In common things repetition is thought needless and nauseous; but, in sacred things, precept must be upon precept and line upon line. To me, says the apostle, to write the same things is not grievous, but for you it is safe, Philippians 3:1. These books of Chronicles are in a great measure repetition; so are much of the second and third of the four evangelists: and yet there are no tautologies either here or there no vain repetitions. We may be ready to think that of all the books of holy scripture we could best spare these two books of Chronicles. Perhaps we might, and yet we could ill spare them: for there are many most excellent useful things in them, which we find not elsewhere."
 
"And since the wise God has thought fit to write these things to us, we should not pass them over unread. All scripture is profitable, though not all alike profitable; and we may take occasion for good thoughts and meditations even from those parts of scripture that do not furnish so much matter for profitable remarks as some other parts." -Matthew Henry

Poole on 1 Chronicles 1:1-3.
 
Have you ever wondered about the genealogies in the Bible?

Check out Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "The Importance of Biblical Genealogy, Part 1" (in the "Comments").

 
Have you ever wondered about the genealogies in the Bible?

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "The Importance of Biblical Genealogy, Part 2" (in the "Comments").

 
1 Chronicles begins with almost 10 chapters of genealogies? Why? What role do they serve in the book?

See Dr. Dilday's sermon: "Functions of Genealogies in Chronicles" (in the "Comments").

 
Adam's historical and theological importance can scarcely be over-estimated.

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "The Importance of Adam" (in the "Comments").

 
"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you" (1 John 3:13).

John fetches his illustration from the beginning, from Cain's hatred of Abel. 6000 years later, it still matters.

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "The Seed of the Woman" (in the "Comments".

 
What are we to make of the great ages of the ancients? What is the significance of the name "Enos"?

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon, "The Sons of God" (in the "Comments").

 
I am beginning a translation of Matthew Poole's "Synopsis of Biblical Interpreters" (a verse-by-verse history of interpretation) on the Book of 1 & 2 Chronicles.

It might be helpful to get acquainted with Matthew Poole (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Poole).

Now, about Poole's "Synopsis"...

Matthew Poole’s Synopsis Criticorum (Synopsis of Interpreters) is nothing less than a verse-by-verse summary of the history of interpretation. Poole covers the entire gamut: the old Jewish doctors, the early Church Fathers, Medieval Rabbis, Reformation-era Romanists, Lutherans, and the Reformed. But this raises a question: Why should I exert so much effort in the study of the history of interpretation?

It seems that many in Evangelicalism have adopted the “me-and-my Bible” approach to the study of the Word of God. The general idea seems to be that, if I spend time reading my Bible, the Spirit of God will help me to interpret it correctly. I am not in need of the help of human teachers. Consequently, the preaching of the Word of God is held in little regard (a mere formality) and the great commentary books are largely neglected. Ironically, this is not a Biblical approach to the study of the Scriptures. God has super-abounded to His people in blessing them with the Word and the Spirit, blessings surpassing sublimity. But God has also blessed His people with faithful preachers and teachers, and that in all ages.

Under the Mosaic administration, the priests and Levites were set apart to teach God’s people. This was their commission and charge from the Lord; Deuteronomy 33:10a: “They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law.” During the time of Malachi, the priests had been unfaithful in this their sacred charge; but their duty remained the same. Malachi 2:7: “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.” There are actually two duties here expressed: 1. the priest’s duty, his lips should preserve and dispense the knowledge of the Law of God; 2. the people’s duty, they should seek instruction in the Law from the priest’s mouth. So, we see that God set apart teachers and instructed the people to have recourse unto them to the end that they might learn the Scriptures.

This situation has not changed under the new administration. We find the Lord Jesus Himself and His apostles preaching and teaching. This was the charge given to the apostles and to all of those succeeding them in the teaching office until the end of the world. Matthew 28:18-20: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” It is not surprising then to find Paul, as He discusses the gifts that the ascended Christ has given to His Church, focusing upon the teaching offices. Ephesians 4:11-13: “And he [the ascended Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ…” Three of these teaching offices were extraordinary for that first age of the Church, namely, apostles, prophets, and evangelists; but the offices of the pastor and teacher continue and will continue “till we all come in the unity of the faith…unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Here, the Church is likened unto a man advancing from infancy unto maturity. Pastors and teachers have a God-ordained role in pressing the Church forward in growth. This process will not be complete until the Church is perfected by Christ at His return.

What does this have to do with the study of the history of interpretation and reading Poole’s Synopsis? Everything. Poole’s Synopsis is a verse-by-verse record of what these teachers, the gift of our ascended Lord, believed and taught. It only remains for us tolle, lege, to take up and read.

If there is to be another Reformation of the doctrine and practice of the Church, and a spiritual revival in the hearts of God’s people, there must first be an increase in Biblical knowledge, the means by which these things are accomplished. It is our hope and prayer that many Christians, longing for Reformation, revival, and greater intimacy with the Lord Jesus, will join us in the study of the Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, with the learned Matthew Poole as our guide through the history of interpretation. (The reader should be able to keep up with only a little reading each day.)

Class page: www.fromreformationtoreformation.com/1-2-chronicles

Dr. Dilday, I just can't wait. I've already purchased everything you have available. You're doing the church a tremendous work!
 
Even as the present generation has been shaped by preceding generations, it will in turn shape what comes. What we do now in our families matters! and will matter long after we are gone.

Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "A Generational View" (in the Comments)

 
Do you hunger and thirst after a deeper relationship with the Savior Christ?

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "Enoch" (in the Comments)

 
The responsibility of the believer, both to prepare for coming judgment, and to warn others of it...

See Dr Dilday's Sermon: "The Coming Flood" (in the "Comments").

 
Here, we have the sons of Japheth, and their spread to the North and West (Europe-ward).

 
Have you ever wondered where the Greco-Roman myths came from?

See Matthew Poole's treatment of Genesis 9:19 in the "Comments"!

 
Poole provides a more detailed account of the Genealogy of Japheth in Genesis 10:1-5.

See his account in the "Comments" section.

 
What was the state of Religion before the Flood? How advanced was their understanding of Theology? of Messiah?

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "The State of Antediluvian Religion, Part 1" (in the "Comments").

 
What was the state of Religion before the Flood? How advanced was their understanding of Theology? of Messiah?

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "The State of Antediluvian Religion, Part 2" (in the "Comments").

 
What was the state of Religion before the Flood? How advanced was their understanding of Theology? of Messiah?

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "The State of Antediluvian Religion, Part 3" (in the "Comments").

 
The sins of the Antediluvian world look much like the sins of our day. "Like sins can expect like plagues." Let us be watchful...

See Dr. Dilday's Sermon: "As in the Days of Noah..." (in the "Comments")

 
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