The message of the story is the message of beauty, as effective as that message in marble or paint. Its part in the economy of life is to give joy. . . . To give joy; in and through the joy to stir and feed the life of the spirit: is not this the legitimate function of the story and education?

Sara Cone Bryant, How to Tell Stories to Children, 3.

[A repeated theme in The Spreading Flame is F. F. Bruce’s contention that “Christianity was organized for catastrophe” Bruce notes:] The story of the Christian Church of the first three centuries is largely a commentary on this [Christ’s promise of triumph to those who persevere]. In the fiercest of tribulations Christianity proved its capacity for survival, and not for mere survival but for actual victory. And the victory was won by spiritual weapons alone. . . . We review the history of Christianity up to the year 313 with no sense of shame, but with a sense that here is something to evoke gratitude and inspire courage. The qualities that triumphed then are the qualities which still transmute disaster into victory.

F. F. Bruce, The Spreading Flame, 288-289.

I, do hereby declare, that I do sincerely own and believe the whole doctrine contained in the Confession of Faith, approved by the General Assemblies of this National Church, and ratified by law, in the year 1690, and frequently confirmed by divers Acts of Parliament since that time, to be the truths of God; and I do own the same as the confession of my faith; As likewise, I do own the purity of government and discipline now so happily established therein; which doctrine, worship, and Church government I am persuaded is founded on the Word of God, and agreeable thereto; And I promise that through the grace of God, I shall firmly and constantly adhere to the same, and to the utmost of my power, shall in my station assert, maintain, and defend the said doctrine, worship, discipline, and government . . . I shall in my practice conform myself to the said worship, and submit to the said discipline and government, and never endeavor, directly nor indirectly, the prejudice or subversion of the same; and I promise, that I shall follow no divisive course from the present establishment in this Church, renouncing all doctrines, tenets, or opinions whatsoever, contrary to or inconsistent with the said doctrine, worship, and government of this Church.

DAVID HALL, ED., THE PRACTICE OF CONFESSIONAL SUBSCRIPTION, LOC. 486-487.

Every year at the opening of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, the wife of the moderator is presented a silver brooch that was created in 1843 to commemorate the Disruption, which gave birth to the Free Church [see images below]. Fashioned into a wreath of thistles, a central section depicts the burning bush, a symbol of the Church of Scotland, and it has five tombstones etched on it with the names of those the founders believed were important historical figures. The brooch heralds Andrew Melville, John Knox, David Welsh, James Renwick, and Alexander Henderson, and it is symbolic in multiple ways. The passing of history has dulled Henderson’s name, which is barely visible even with a magnifying glass, and it is time to revive his memory. With his image fading even among small groups of those who cherish his memory, my hope is that this updated biography will help to revive an interest in Alexander Henderson and the covenanting movement he led.

L. Charles Jackson, Riots, Revolutions, and the Scottish Covenanters: The Work of Alexander Henderson, 256.

His last statement to the Glasgow Assembly indicated his high degree of hope in the peace and harmony that presbyterian ecclesiology would bring to Scotland and perhaps even the world. . . . Henderson must be studied with a careful and nuanced reading of his view of covenant theology as well as an understanding of how he connected eschatology with presbyterian ecclesiology. A closer look at the relationship of eschatology and ecclesiology in early modern Scotland ought to encourage more fruitful inquiries and foster scholarly conversation in this often-overlooked area of modern theology.

L. Charles Jackson, Riots, Revolutions, and the Scottish Covenanters: The Work of Alexander Henderson, 173.

As a presbyterian, Henderson believed that his mission in guiding the kirk to classical presbyterian ecclesiology was like that of Athanasius, who stood at times against the world. He believed that godly polity provided not merely ecclesiastical order but the eschatological hope of entering a new stage of redemptive history that would usher peace and security into the world as Antichrist fell in defeat.

L. Charles Jackson, Riots, Revolutions, and the Scottish Covenanters: The Work of Alexander Henderson, 253.

The grammar of this last statement [Titus 2:13] clearly demonstrates that Jesus Christ is God. We have what is called the Granville Sharp rule, named after the person who first proposed it. When there are two singular personal nouns that are not proper nouns, and there is one article with the two nouns that are joined by the word “and,” then the two nouns refer to the same entity. We have this construction in verse 13, and thus it is clear that Jesus Christ is identified as God and Savior.

Thomas R. Schreiner, Handbook on Acts and Paul’s Letters, 415.

Not counting the christologically significant passages, there are 80 constructions in the NT that fit the requirements for Sharp’s rule. But do they all fit the semantics of the rule — that is, do the substantives always refer to one and the same person? In a word, yes. Even Sharp’s opponents could not find any exceptions; all had to admit that the rule was valid in the NT

Below are listed several representative passages of Sharp’s rule, including nouns, participles, and adjectives. [Mark 6:3; John 20:17; Acts 3:14; Ephesians 2:14; Philippians 2:25; Hebrews 3:1; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 22:8]

For Christologically Significant Texts [Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1]

Daniel B. Wallace, The Basics of New Testament Syntax, 120-122.

Some public recognition of sound doctrine was already presupposed in the church prior to 65 AD. That maturity and ability is also set forth as a pre-requisite for Elders (1 Tim. 3:9). Officers of Christ’s church cannot fulfill this mandate if doctrine is not fixed, set, and recognized.

David Hall, ed., The Practice of Confessional Subscription, Loc. 124.

Many of us learn the hard way that the most damning laws and standards are those unwritten ones. The Pharisees, ancient and modern, are masters of using the unwritten standards to club the uninitiated into a coma. An explicit, biblical confession, on the other hand, does not subject the believing community to these secret laws; instead, it liberates us from self-standards and also makes the church open to all under the same standards. Thus a solid confession cleanses from disease and bolsters the immune system with a salutary unity.

David Hall, ed., The Practice of Confessional Subscription, Loc. 112.

[T]he believers were also devoted “to prayer” (Acts 2:24). . . . Prayer signified the community’s dependence upon God for maintaining their life together in truth and love.

Thomas R. Schreiner, Handbook on Acts and Paul’s Letters, 16.

Mercifully, the resurrection of Jesus wasn’t followed by immediate judgment for those who condemned him, but forgiveness was offered to those who turned from evil (Acts 3:26).

Thomas R. Schreiner, Handbook on Acts and Paul’s Letters, 14.