Elliott Johnson

Elliott Johnson

Role: Conference speaker

Elliott Johnson (B.S., Northwestern University, 1959; Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1964; Th.D., 1968.) is Senior Professor of Bible ­Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Johnson is the founder of the Asian Theological Seminary and has taught extensively overseas, including the Philippines, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia, ­Romania, and Russia. He also has ministered in Austria, Brazil, England, Germany, Israel, and Scotland. Dr. Johnson joined DTS as a faculty member in 1972 and became a pastor of a Dallas-area church the same year. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS).

Latest sermons by
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Series: 2014 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference
Duration: 1 hr 41 mins 56 secs
The distinction between Israel and the church is the theological sine qua non of Dispensationalism. Yet in recent Progressive Dispensational writings, this distinction has become less clear. This is because they claim that the church is fulfilling promises made to Israel or at least they have argued for partial fulfillment. This claim is problematic for two reasons. First, the claim is not clear. Does it mean that a promise is fulfilled in part? The Davidic covenant is fulfilled in part since Jesus was born and anointed the Davidic heir. But neither the leaders accepted Jesus’ claim to be king at the triumphal entry nor was he enthroned on the Davidic throne by Israel (Deut. 17:15). Thus the promised Davidic heir came but neither the kingdom nor the throne appeared. The other possibility is that there is partial fulfillment. But was Jesus partially the Davidic heir? Was Jesus partially enthroned? This seems unlikely. So neither option is a valid alternative of fulfillment.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Series: 2014 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference
Duration: 1 hr 47 mins 48 secs

The maxim of literal interpretation has a noble heritage reaching back to the Reformation, even though it has fallen into disuse among contemporary scholars. Part of the problem is its negative associations. It seems archaic and passé because its concerns are no longer the primary concerns of a contemporary culture. In addition, few can agree on the meaning of “literal.”

In this essay, I agree in part with the criticism of the use of “literal.” But I also believe that correctly understood it specifies a primary concern for biblical interpretation.

First, I agree that in biblical interpretation, we do not begin with a modern or postmodern worldview. Rather, we begin with a worldview expressed by Augustine: we believe to know. As Christians we believe the Gospel to know ourselves and to come to know God. When we turn to Scripture, we believe what the Scripture claims to be true of itself: God speaks and what He says is truth (John 17:17). Of course, interpretation is necessary to know the meaning of that truth.

Within this pre-modern worldview, there are two qualifications. First, textual criticism is essential to know what God has written. In addition, where historical-critical problems remain unresolved, these problems need to be addressed. Yet the claim of Scripture to be true remains a viable premise in textual interpretation.

Monday, March 10, 2014
Passage: Psalm 8
Series: 2014 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference
Duration: 1 hr 38 mins 14 secs
A narrative biblical theology necessarily features the glory of God. From the outset of Israel’s history, without any direct appearance of God (Deut. 5:4, 5; Exod. 33:18-23), his glory proceeded from him to appear in various expressions (Heb. 1:1). As an example, Moses stood in the presence of God’s glory when he saw the burning bush and spoke with God (Exod. 3:1-19). At the end, God’s glory most vividly and dramatically appeared in the First Advent (Heb. 1:2) and will appear in the Second Advent of the Son of God. Ryrie identified the revelation as a sine qua non of Dispensationalism yet called it “a rather technical matter.” This is the case because all biblical theologies feature God and his glory. But Ryrie’s viewpoint more specifically related to “the ultimate purpose of God” in biblical history. “The Bible itself clearly teaches that salvation, important and wonderful as it is, is not an end in itself, but is rather a means to the end of glorifying God (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14).” John F. Walvoord shared the same conviction: “The larger purpose of God is the manifestation of His own glory. To this end, each dispensation, each successive revelation of God’s plan for the ages, His dealing with the non-elect as well as the elect . . . combine to manifest divine glory.” Thus Dispensationalism is a narrative biblical theology in which God determines to ultimately reveal his glory for the good of those he chooses, for those who love him. Thus the title we’ve chosen for this overall narrative theology is “Drawn by God’s Glory.”
Monday, March 10, 2014
Series: 2014 Chafer Theological Seminary Bible Conference
Duration: 1 hr 12 mins 4 secs

We in the Dispensational tradition have received a rich heritage in Bible Exposition, yet in recent year’s evangelicalism as a whole has not acknowledged its contribution. Thus it is my desire to develop the foundation laid and in so doing highlight features in biblical interpretation that will enhance an expository ministry.

Lewis Sperry Chafer produced a classic multivolume Dispensational systematic theology. Building upon what is distinctive, I want to propose a narrative form of this biblical theology. It is my conviction that a historic-narrative form is to be preferred over the systematic form to highlight what is distinctive in dispensationalism. That distinctive contribution rests in God’s progressive revelation. As God spoke creation into existence, so God speaks to his chosen partners in history as his goals are fulfilled in the progress of revelation. The narrative features God’s governance through his Word and his chosen stewards who manage his revelation in the sequence of dispensations.