Background

Biblical Exegesis

Background

My name is Wayne. Join me in my verse-by-verse exploration of the Bible. If you have questions or edifying comments, I'd like to hear from you! You can email me from the HOME page.

I've been sending my work in Microsoft Word documents to various individuals over the past couple of decades. Cyberspace is a much better way to share my efforts.

No two theologians have ever agreed on everything in Scripture, so don't be surprised if you find something here that upsets your theological applecart. Relax. He will straighten me out when I get to heaven!

You're probably wondering if you can trust my exegesis. Of course you can! I obtained my exegetical training from professors at Western Theological Seminary, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Regents College. Do I have any theological beliefs that color my work? Like every other student of the Word, of course I do! In case you want to know what some of them are, I'm going to share a few of them with you (briefly) after this engaging quote from the Pulpit Commentary:

"The existence of parties and differing schools of thought in the apostolic churches leads us to search for some root in human nature whence they spring, and this we find in the limitations and varieties of mental constitution. No single mind can take in the whole of Divine truth so as to hold it in proper balance. There is sure to be a projection of one portion to the comparative obscuring of others, a looking only at one side of the sphere while the other is out of view. Witness the variety to be found among the apostles. While there is no contradiction in the views of truth presented in their writings - all teaching the same fundamental doctrines - we cannot read them without observing that each lays stress on a different portion of the truth from the others. The difference between Paul and James, for example, is so evident that not a few shallow readers have pronounced them irreconcilable; while a comparison of both with John reveals other characteristics equally peculiar. And what is true of these inspired teachers is true of the Church in all ages.

Christianity does not obliterate individuality. The Holy Spirit works on the lines already laid in nature, and thus the foundation is prepared for varying types of doctrine and life. This diversity is not a thing to be deplored, but rather to be rejoiced in. How high a purpose it is fitted to serve, our Lord showed in selecting apostles, each one of whom was different from his fellows. It needed minds of different hues to transmit the different rays of which the pure light is composed. And God still makes use of the many types of mind to hold up before the Church the many aspects of truth, thus enriching the general body of Christ and preventing it from becoming narrow and one-sided. This is the use of different schools and parties in the Church. They serve to give expression to the many-sidedness of the Christian faith and life.

But how readily does this natural and useful diversity give rise to hurtful divisions in the body of Christ! We must not confound the factious spirit which Paul denounces with an enlightened attachment to one particular branch of the Church. We may prefer that branch to others because it appears to us the most scriptural in doctrine, government, and worship, without denying to other branches the marks of a true Church, or overlooking the part they play as members of the one body. The spirit that wrought such mischief at Corinth has been busy in the Church ever since. Men glory in their distinctive shibboleths more than in the great doctrines of grace which are our common heritage. The guns of one division of Christ's army are too often directed against another division, instead of being turned against the foe." (H. Bremner)

There is no price on verse-by-verse
materials at this time.

If you wish to contribute to doctrinal
communication,

Feel free to donate below!

My theological training has come from a wide variety of "schools of thought." It has been my experience that no existing denomination has all truth in proper perspective, so I have borrowed what I consider "the Best of the Best" in theology from whatever quarter possible. Here's a sample:

Protestant
Non-denominational
Trinitarian
Deity of Christ
5-point Calvinist
Dispensationalist (Traditional)

Non-ceremonial

Non-ritual
Premillenialist
Pre-trib rapture
Non-charismatic
Sovereignist (positional truth)
Free Moral Agent (experiential truth)
Efficacious non-face-to-face teaching

Verbal Plenary Inspiration

Gap Creationist (excluding evolutionary theory)

You might wonder why I would tell you up front what my theological tendencies are. Well, in case you hang around this site for awhile, and begin wondering where on earth I came up with a particular translation of some passage in Scripture, you now have a frame-of-reference to work from!

My interest is primarily in verse-by-verse exegesis. By sticking to this approach, I believe Scripture itself will teach us what we need to know as often as we need to know it. This approach prevents me from getting on a soapbox and running some pet theology into the ground. There are already many systematic theology texts available, so my motivation is not geared towards creating another.

I'm also short-tempered when it comes to apologetics, especially debating cultists who do not have the (prerequisite) teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. There are a host of experts in the ministry who specialize in that gift or ministerial leaning. If you don't see something my way, it is probably because (a) as a believer you don't adhere to one or more of the above categories of doctrine, (b) you are an unbeliever with no affiliations with any type of theology or philosophy on religion, or (c) you are knowingly or unknowingly involved in a cult.

If you don't adhere to the Deity of Christ and its closely-related doctrine of the Trinity, you are not a Christian. I believe this constitutes the "lowest common denominator" to enable a person to call himself/herself a Christian. The death, burial, resurrection, ascension and session of Christ is of paramount importance. If you have a problem with this fact, the issue for you is to "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Apart from this, most of what you encounter in this website will be clear as mud.

Dedication

It is fitting and proper as the author of this web site, that I should dedicate its contents to a few of the outstanding men of grace and learning that have prepared me for the ministry. Each of them provided me with a degree of proficiency in an important area of theological training above and beyond the basic classroom experience. Any deficiency I may have in their field of expertise is, of course, my fault - for not metabolizing everything they had to offer! What I did learn from them, however, I pray the Lord will use in some degree to the benefit of His unseen, internet church.

When I first enrolled in a Bible college, Dr. Keith Lamb taught me the essentials of dispensational theology, typology and the doctrines of grace. I still have many of his lectures on cassette tape and listen to them once a year for good measure. Keith, it was a privilege having you as my professor for those first few years.

I read a pamphlet on the 5 points of Calvinism in 1981 and knew immediately that all 5 points were absolute truth. True Calvinist mentors in Austin were hard to find back then! Jackson Boyett taught me Reformed Theology both in the classroom and in his home. Jackson, thank you for your wonderful library, radio humor, and open-door policy.

Two pastors who influenced my thinking in those early days were Dr. Sid Buzzell and Ralph Braun. It was an honor having you both as pastors. Little did you know that I was attending both of your churches at the same time – learning eschatology from Sid and Greek from Ralph.

My love for the original languages of Scripture was greatly influenced by Dr. Dennis Wretlind. I prayed for a Greek & Hebrew professor to be brought to my geographical location, and he was soon hired as an answer to that prayer. Dennis, thank you for reviewing my classroom exegesis and asking me, “Are you sure you want to go there?”

My favorite theological book (Reign of the Servant Kings) was written by Dr. Joseph Dillow, who visited my Greek, Hebrew and Hermeneutics classes. Jody, our after-class conversations were an inspiration. I still read your book once a year just to make sure I don’t forget about the rewards which are accruing for the metachoi.

My pastor in Phoenix for several years, John Miller, pounded the mechanics of the Christian way of life into me six days a week. It was the kindness of God to bring me to John’s church during a difficult time in my life.

I have obtained more training, in person and by tape ministry, from Robert B. Thieme, Jr. than all other pastors and teachers combined. I acknowledge my indebtedness to Bob for any progress I have made on the road to supergrace. Much of my exegetical, analytical thinking originates to a significant degree from the Colonel.

Providence has also given me three good friends whom I have ‘studied with’ and ‘learned from’ over the years. Miles McKee keeps me focused on evangelism and the centrality of Christ and the cross. Danny Williams keeps me focused on experiential sanctification and Berachah happenings. Peter Osterhus keeps me on my toes, reviewing nearly everything on this site with his finely-tuned theological radar.

What a magnificent list of benefactors for one person to know!

##################################################################

I use a lot of creative terminology and concepts taught by Robert B. Thieme, Jr. of Berachah Church, Houston, Texas. I consider his vocabulary and teaching aids superior to what I learned in seminary. This vocabulary is especially significant in what is known as "experiential sanctification," or how to live the Christian way of life. I consider his teaching in this area of theology to be numero uno, second to none.

This does not mean Colonel Thieme endorses anything in this web site, nor does it mean I agree with him on every category of theology. We have differences of opinion in several areas, but that fact does not diminish my respect for his profound contributions to Christian theology. "Te salutem dicit."