Typology In Hebrews: A Response To Buist Fanning -- By: James M. Hamilton, Jr.
Journal: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
Volume: SBJT 24:1 (Spring 2020)
Article: Typology In Hebrews: A Response To Buist Fanning
Author: James M. Hamilton, Jr.
SBJT 24:1 (Spring 2020) p. 125
Typology In Hebrews: A Response To Buist Fanning1
James M. Hamilton, Jr. is Professor of Biblical Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky and Senior Pastor of Kenwood Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky. He earned his PhD from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Hamilton has written numerous books, including God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology (Crossway, 2010); Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches (Crossway, 2012); What is Biblical Theology? A Guide to the Bible’s Story, Symbolism, and Patterns (Crossway, 2013); and With the Clouds of Heaven: The Book of Daniel in Biblical Theology (IVP, 2014). He has recently completed a commentary on Psalms and is currently writing a book on typology. You can follow him on Twitter @DrJimHamilton.
Introduction
I am deeply grateful for Buist M. Fanning, not least because of what I learned in his second semester Greek class in the spring of 1997 when I was a student at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). Over the years Professor Fanning’s words of encouragement to me, his affectionate way of telling me he appreciated the work I was doing or something I had written, has meant a great deal. My enormous respect for him gave weight to his kind words.
I agree with and appreciate the way Dr. Fanning describes and defines typology, and I find the examples he discusses stimulating and insightful. Dr. Fanning’s discussion exhibits the care and exegetical acumen that I have admired since I first sat in his class over twenty years ago.
Being so much in agreement with what he has done makes it difficult for me to know exactly how to respond. What I would like to do by way of response should not be understood as a critique but as an attempt to supplement the argument.
SBJT 24:1 (Spring 2020) p. 126
If I can adapt Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 3, like a skilled master builder Dr. Fanning has laid a foundation. I am going to attempt to build on it with gold, silver, and precious stones, but I’m glad for this opportunity for Dr. Fanning to let me know if he thinks I’m using wood, hay, and stubble! That is to say, I take it upon myself to add to what Dr. Fanning has done, recognizing that he may or may not appreciate these additions.
Dr. Fanning has mined diamonds from the letter to the Hebrews. He has done so with skill and care. What I would like to do is place a black cloth under the diamonds he worked so hard to find and remove from the mine, then turn a bright spotlight on them to hi...
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