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Showing posts from February, 2021
 The Christology of Jesus Ben Witherington is one of the most important New Testament scholars of our time. He is well on his way (or perhaps already completed) his goal of writing "socio-rhetorical" commentaries on all the books of the NT. Perhaps because his word processor is so productive, some of his more recent books have a rather unfinished feel. Witherington's approach is moderately conservative. He embraces many of the assumptions of centrist NT scholars, but reaches more conservative conclusions. What just did Jesus think of himself and his mission? As against the trend to make Jesus a cynic or a prophet, Witherington shows that Jesus' opinion of himself was considerably higher. Time and again the Gospels show Jesus saying and doing things that are inconsistent with being merely a prophet or religious reformer. With great skill Witherington demonstrates that much of this material likely goes back to Jesus himself.
 Context of Galatians While we know that the region of Galatia was located in north-central Asia Minor, its expansiveness and Paul’s lack of specificity means we cannot identity precisely where within Galatia his letter was sent. The occasion, however, of the letter, written in the late 40s or early 50s CE, is altogether clear. The book of Galatians is a Pauline Epistle. It was written by the Apostle Paul about 49 A.D. prior to the Jerusalem Council which had taken place in 50 A.D. This quite possibly could have been Paul’s first letter. The key personalities of this book are the Apostle Paul, Peter, Barnabas, Abraham, Titus, and false teachers. Galatians is not written to one church or an individual but to a group of Churches in the Roman province of Galatia. Galatia was a region in Asia Minor or modern-day Turkey. It was written before the council in Jerusalem spoken of in Acts 15. Galatians is sometimes called Little Romans because of the similarity of its message with the book of R
 The Social Setting of Jesus and the Gospels Editor Stegemann is to be commended for assembling a diverse and highly specialized field of writings into a survey which is about as cohesive as it can be given the few facts we have about Jesus and the vast body of Christian apologetics. This book is a compilation of essays by contemporary academic writers each of whom take a very rigorous and detailed look at a different aspect of "the historical Jesus" and the origins of "the Jesus Movement". Bring your dictionary- this is not a casual read. And while the language sometimes seems almost showy in its complexity, a majority of the contributors present their ideas in an orderly fashion, and all have important conclusions. What the editor sets out to do is ambitious: help the serious lay reader strip away the 21st century baggage we unwittingly bring to our reading of Jesus and his teachings. There are few conclusions here, and no proofs, but there are some wonderful insi
The Quest of the Historical Jesus: The First Complete Edition This is a serious, scholarly work. As such it was difficult to understand in some sections and endlessly pedantic in others. It is not a light read. For those not wishing to plumb the depths of 19th Century Higher Criticism I would suggest the biblical works of Asimov or Ehrman as a more readable alternative.  The Quest of the Historical Jesus is really historiography; that is, it reviews and provides insight into the histories of Jesus written up to the date of publication. Well, the date of publication was 1910, so most of the histories of Jesus were nineteenth century German histories. If you are into that kind of writing, it is a pretty good book. It's a "heavy" read. I saw a quote from Albert Schweitzer's first edition and thought "That can't be the Schweitzer I know." It was not. The quote was taken out of context. Schweitzer explores and evaluates the major writers that have written abo
 The Book of Job: A History of Interpretation and a Commentary The book of Job has commanded an exceptionally large space in the field of biblical scholarship and in the imagination of followers of the Abrahamic faiths. Vicchio's masterful book summarizes both the most significant textual and exegetical research and the diverse theological and philosophical interpretations of the book of Job. 
 Approaching Job By Andrew Zack Lewis The book offers much more detail than I needed on the background, languages, etc. However, it is an excellent work for exploring the lessons or us through the suffering of Job. A strong recommendation on this book. Job is proof-texted a lot and otherwise didn't seem to make much difference in my Christian walk, so I needed to see how Walton dissects the content of Job and applies it to today. He asks good questions, does a great review of the original setting, challenged me in my own faith and what I expect from the Lord, and basically helped me find good ground upon which to continue being faithful within my broken world
Who Is God?: Key Moments of Biblical Revelation Richard Bauckham is one of the foremost living NT scholars. Although retired, he continues to research and write and is a senior scholar at Ridley Hall in Cambridge, and a visiting professor at St Mellitus College in London. The author of more than 40 volumes (including approximately 30 monographs and essay collections, plus 12 others he has co-written or co-edited), he has also published more than 200 articles in journals, books, and reference works. In his very latest release, Who Is God? Key Moments of Biblical Revelation (Baker, 2020), Bauckham’s deep reservoir of biblical knowledge everywhere serves the reader but is never intrusive. On the contrary, this short work of just 120 pages (including bibliographic notes, appendices, tables and index) is a model of economy and accessibility. For the trained Bible reader keen to engage more of Bauckham’s learning, this work of honed scholarship is a masterclass in attentive, believing, inter
 Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women's Liberation This book is not for the timid, nor for blind followers. It is a brilliant book filled with creative energy and passion. Mary Daly's intellectually stimulating views and viewpoints stir the deep recesses of the mind and effectively jar the force-fed preconceptions we so meekly take for granted. This book challenges US, as readers, as thinkers, to more than anything, question outdated modes of indoctrination taught within the guise of religious belief. Mary Daly was a philosopher, a theologian, a scholar, an amazing linguist, and most of all, a thinker. One of those rarities seldom spotted during these modern times, and certainly more advanced than most of her contemporaries. She gave a voice and platform to those who had been stifled and silenced since the dark ages. 
Deep Discipleship As a lay-leader at my church, an adjunct and a researcher, I found this book to be refreshing, convicting, challenging, and inspiring. I immediately emailed my pastors and elders and encouraged them to buy the book, read it, and talk about how our church can benefit from it. I love that JT says that discipleship requires community and learning, and too often our churches focus too heavily on one or the other (usually community). You must have both! And he lays out a case for a robust learning environment that any church of any size can implement. He calls for an active learning environment (asking students to participate through homework and regurgitating what they’re learning to others), accountability (holding people to a high standard of participation), and scale/sequence (bringing people deeper and deeper, continually). The goal is fellowship with God, and as people are being discipled, they will naturally disciple others. This is NOT a book about one-on-one disci
 Ascetical Homilies of St Isaac the Syrian  I stumbled upon St. Isaac after researching Dostoevsky's life and works, finding out that St. Isaac inspired Dostoevsky's creation of Father Zosima (in The Brothers Karamazov). This is the best book representing the writings of St. Isaac when it comes to comprehensiveness. Further, this book is beautiful visually, poetically, psychologically, philosophically, and spiritually. Welcome to psychological and spiritual insight. I read a mere page a day, and even then feel inadequate to move forward as there are still gems from previous pages that I have not fully appreciated. I first learned about this book by reading Saint Paisios of Mount Athos. In that book, it said that, "The Elder had the Saint's 'Ascetical Homilies' by his pillow, and he studied them constantly. For one six-year period, it was his only spiritual reading. He would take one line and call it to mind frequently throughout the day, studying it in a deep a
The Resurrection of the Son of God Why did Christianity begin, and why did it take the shape it did? To answer this question which any historian must face renowned New Testament scholar N.T. Wright focuses on the key points: what precisely happened at Easter? What did the early Christians mean when they said that Jesus of Nazareth had been raised from the dead? What can be said today about his belief? This book, third is Wrights series Christian Origins and the Question of God, sketches a map of ancient beliefs about life after death, in both the Greco-Roman and Jewish worlds. It then highlights the fact that the early Christians belief about the afterlife belonged firmly on the Jewish spectrum while introducing several new mutations and sharper definitions. This, together with other features of early Christianity, forces the historian to read the Easter narratives in the gospels, not simply as late rationalizations of early Christian spirituality, but as accounts of two actual events:
 Resurrection of Jesus: History, Experience, Theology This is a must have book on the Resurrection.  Written in 1994 while Professor Leudemann was still a Christian, this book caused such a storm of protest in Germany that the original publisher declined to publish a second impression. But the same honesty which made the book so controversial is also what makes it so valuable. Leudemann decided to write this book because he was dissatisfied with so much of what he read, and therefore the book is a comprehensive treatment of the resurrection. He systematically surveys all of the passages in the New Testament which pertain to the Resurrection, beginning with 1 Corinthians 15 and ending with the last chapter of John. In each instance, Leudemann writes like a sober historian, carefully considering each passage from a redactional, traditional, and critical historical perspective. Leudemann argues that the tomb stories are late--Jesus may have received a dishonorable burial--and likewise the
 Palestine in the Time of Jesus: Social Structures and Social Conflicts, Second Edition Wonderful book, a ton of information, and easy to read format. Gives a lot of useful info if you're interested in the historical situation in Palestine as it's described in the Bible and other sacred writings. It explains a lot of words and relationships that show up in the Bible as they would have been understood two thousand years ago,words and concepts which may seem meaningless or incomprehensible to us without an understanding of what the society was like when the Romans occupied Palestine. This is a scholarly and interesting introduction to the social and political world in which Jesus lived and carried out his mission. It certainly increased my understanding of that world; of family relations, power structures and patronage, and political economy. I had not fully grasped the extent to which the “elite” creamed off the surplus produced by the peasants, leaving them at subsistence level
The Past as Legacy: Luke-Acts and Ancient Epic This book is a wonderful study. It is widely acknowledged that Luke-Acts, the largest single literary work in the New Testament, has incorporated a number of stylistic elements and literary motifs from the Septuagint. The precise manner and underlying significance of this appropriation of the Israelite past, however, are issues that have yet to be convincingly resolved. Indeed, although a broad consensus of current scholarship categorizes Luke-Acts as Hellenistic historiography, no major interpretive advances have developed from this hermeneutical model since the work of Hans Conzelmann in the 1950s. Conversely, more recent attempts to relate Luke- Acts to historical fiction have foundered on the problem of the inherently trivializing literary perspective of the ancient Greek novel. This study addresses the genre and interpretation of Luke-Acts in the light of its historical, social, literary, and ideological milieu
 Reading from this Place, Vols 1-2 I had vol 2 already so I requested vol 1 from Fortress. The two volumes serve to validate modern reading strategies that depart from the “standard” for Biblical studies, the historical-critical paradigm. On page four of volume one the author explains the scope of the text: “In this first part of the project, a number of participants from the broad mosaic of life in the United States were asked to reflect on the relationship between biblical interpretation and the social location of the interpreter, however defined.” Subsequently, volume two seeks to answer the same question, but from a global vantage point. Both books also attempt to address key themes in hermeneutics as it pertains to ethics and morality, society, class, philosophy, the arts, social location, gender, privilege, and literature. These books excel for the introspective mind seeking to understand how others perceive the Scriptures and a careful analysis of these volumes will guide the re
 Rejected Prophets McWhirter shows that Luke uses these biblical prophets as precedents, seeking to legitimate the things about which his audience has been instructed in the face of events that seem to contradict those teachings. By the 80s of the first century, the Romans had killed Jesus, Peter, and Paul; ravaged Jerusalem; and destroyed the temple. Many Gentiles believed in Jesus, while most Jews did not. In order to show that all this was part of God's plan, Luke - whom McWhirter, with David Tiede and others, identifies as a Diaspora Jew - compares Jesus and his witnesses to Israel's prophets who also went to the nations and were rejected by some of their own people.
 Conflict in Luke: Jesus, Authorities, Disciples Intertwined with Luke's story of Jesus are two other story lines the story of the authorities, who come into conflict with Jesus over the crucial issue of whom God has chosen to rule. After an introductory chapter giving the setting of Luke's Gospel, outlining the characters (Narrator, God, Satan, Jesus, Disciples, Religious Authorities, People, Minor Characters) and the plot, Kingsbury retells the Gospel as the story of Jesus, the story of the authorities, and the story of the disciples. This retelling emphasizes Jesus as Israel's Messiah and God's Son and reveals the religious authorities as self-righteous, while the disciples are seen as spiritually immature. This is a good book explaining the meaning of the conflicts in Luke.     
 The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts:  A Literary Interpretation: Volume One: The Gospel according to Luke I picked up this book after reading other commentaries on Luke that left me rather cold. I was interested in the literary approach because I was hoping to understand the structure of Luke (which at first seems rather disjointed). The author provided ample thematic structure to pull the book of Luke together for me and offered some significant insights. However, the prose style of the author is hard to read. He tends to jump around from idea to idea and is constantly leaping ahead of himself. I had to simple put my head down and march into the wind! While Luke identifies his purpose in the prologue (Luke 1:1-4), this work on the Gospel truly shows Luke's theme of "All flesh will see God's salvation," (Luke 3:6) - Jesus being that salvation. Luke shows an emphasis on Jesus' interaction with Jews, Samaritans, Gentiles, the rich, the poor and women. Luke is the only
ACNT: James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude The Cons: Because this commentary covers not one, but four, books of the Bible, and does so in a scant 304 pages, it simply did not have the space to carry the depth that the other commentaries did. (Granted, it does not have as much biblical text to deal with.) With some passage units only netting around 6-7 pages each, several felt far less developed and explained than I felt was appropriate, leaving a bit of an empty feeling upon finishing it. Teach the Text is by no means meant to be a in-depth technical commentary series, and I did not expect that from it, yet there was still a sense of disappointment when compared with the more robust installments in the series. I was saddened that this was not available in hardback, and hope this isn't the direction the series will take in the future. I love my other hardbacks, and while the reduced price is very nice, my OCD side is buzzing everytime I see it next to the others. The Pros: As with any
 1 & 2 Kings: Continental Commentaries This book was a waste of my time. It is terribly formatted and not researched well. This commentary is not helpful at all. I kid you not, the book consists almost entirely of a very brief, running paraphrase of the narrative ... and nothing else. This commentary gives few references to the Torah, little historical background, and spends most of the time paraphrasing narrative. 
 History of New Testament Research, Vol. 1: From Deism to Tubingen William Baird's History of New Testament Research is a three-volume series that chronologically tackles the major influencers on New Testament research throughout the course of history. This series is an underrated gem in the world of Biblical Studies. His dealing with scholars are concise, clear, and fair, making it not only easy to read through in its entirety, but also serving as a valuable resource to return back to when interested in looking at just one individual from the volume. Baird offers a way to trace major ideas and though patterns through history, watching how they influence scholars as well as their research and writing. I only have the first book so far so I will update when I get the next books. 
 Torah Old and New: Exegesis, Intertextuality, and Hermeneutics Reading the books of the Law, the Pentateuch, in their original context is the crucial prerequisite for reading their citation and use in later interpretation, including the New Testament writings, argues Ben Witherington III. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in gaining a deep understanding of the process of the formation of the biblical canon, particularly the Hebrew scriptures. it makes a great addition to my personal library in this area of study.
 The Critical Edition of Q I have heard about this Source "Q" for a long time. So it is interesting to view at least what some scholars believe was contained in the document. As always it is surprising to see long known sayings stated in very different ways. I am once again amazed at the difference between what Scholars know and think, what my conservative pastor preaches and what I believe. This is a very interesting book so far with a good discussion about the “Q” source. Students of the New Testament know that of the three Synoptic Gospels, Mark was written first and Matthew and Luke used it as the framework for their gospels. However, Matthew and Luke have over 200 parallel verses that do not appear in Mark. Through careful study, scholars have long theorized there was an even earlier gospel than these four, called The Gospel of Q. Q comes from the German word for “source.” Q, believed to have been written between 50 and 70 AD, has been reconstructed by scholars and two t
 The Sermon on the Mount: A Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount  Hans Dieter Betz's book on the Sermon on the mount is the book to end all books on the Sermon on the Mount ( and the Sermon on the Plain ). It is a must in the library of every minister, every New Testament Scholar, every teacher of the New Testament, and everyone who wants to know everything about the Sermon on the Mount. There is an extensive bibliography. There are copious notes on every verse. There are comments on exegesis which are extremely helpful. There are even comments on the social and political events which may be relevant to understand the implications of the Sermon on the Mount. The only times it does seem to fall down is his few comments on the organization of the Sermon. Sometimes he expresses a lack of comfort about how one idea relates to another. He should have paid more attention to Michael Golder's "Midrash and Lection in Matthew's Gospel," which he quotes in one or two places
A Journey Through Christian Theology: With Texts from the First to the Twenty-first Century This is a good anthology of systematic theology texts. This book contains relevant primary documents in excerpt form connected with each historical figure or movement it discusses. For that reason (along with good scholarship), this book is convenient for the home library for anyone interested in church history or historical theology.
 2 Chronicles: A Commentary---Hermeneia This commentary does a good job of explaining the critical scholarship on the 2nd Chronicles. I suspect that this was intended to be a one-volume commentary, as the Samuel and Kings commentaries are each one volume, but it got a bit longer than intended. Because of this, there seem to be volumes with and without the introduction which covers both books. Since the best part of these volumes is the excellent introductions, it is hard to know exactly how to rate these books. Overall this is an uneven work, but if you stick with it you will find that you learn about the purposes and times of the Chronicler and walk away with a decent understanding of Chronicles.
 One God, One People, One Future: Essays In Honor Of N. T. Wright This book is a festschrift in honor of NT Wright. These essays focus on N. T. Wright's contribution to New Testament theology and interpretation over the past four decades. The structure is three-fold, corresponding to the three areas of classic Jewish biblical and systematic theology that Wright views as starting points for discerning the shape of New Testament theology: monotheism, election, and eschatology. Working within these broad categories, the contributors critically engage with Wright's work from both biblical and theological perspectives.
Matthew (Fortress Biblical Preaching Commentaries) This is helpful for preaching and preparing sermons. I liked the way it helps connect the world to the context of the passage. Allen draws together the strengths of these two approaches into a new genre of homiletical and teaching resource with a focus on the Gospel according to Matthew. Matthew will not only be an essential classroom resource to help students learn to link text and sermon, it will also help congregational leaders develop exegetically informed cumulative preaching and educational experiences focused on but not limited to the lections in Matthew.
 Jesus and the Victory of God Wright focuses on the Historical Jesus in this book. Who was he? What did he say? And what did he mean by it? These are some of the questions he answers. Wright argues that Jesus was immersed in the texts of the Hebrew Bible. He then offered a unique interpretation in which all the institutions of the Jewish people are seen to be fulfilled in him. Jesus, Wright argues, used the three years of his mission to impart an exegesis that is by no means surpassed even by the rabbis of the Talmud. Whether one agrees that Jesus truly interpreted the Hebrew Scriptures with the profound understanding Wright imparts to him is up to the judgment of every reader. But it is a perspective that deserves a hearing. With Jesus remaining at the center of much of Western religious culture, it’s interesting to view him as a creative genius—albeit one whose mind was shaped by his particular place and time. Well worth reading by all who find the man from Nazareth a person of peren
 The Will of God as a Way of Life Jerry Sittser has a remarkable gift for taking complex theology and applying it to everyday life. Many people are good at telling you how to live a Christian life, but their theology may be weak. Sittser is a theologian, and he supports his points with numerous scripture references. In his book, The Will of God as a Way of Life: How to Make Every Decision with Peace and Confidence, the only thing not to like is the title. The subtitle makes it sound like a self-help book. While you will walk away with a new insight, this is no simple, "follow these three steps to better decisions" book. Instead, Sittser dives head on into the theological issues surrounding the will of God. God's sovereignty, our free will, calling, and the role of suffering in our lives, all get ample attention. But what grabs me the most is his opening conversation about God's will for our life. What do we mean we say "it is God's will?" And how about f
 Systematic Theology: Roman Catholic Perspectives  I am not a Catholic and decided this would be a great way for me to understand how Catholics view systematic theology. After using the book extensively, I can say I was pleasantly surprised. I have many Catholic friends, colleagues, and family members but I have identified with Protestant traditions and theology. That being said, I admire the liturgical and historical nature behind the Catholic tradition, one which I found I can learn from extensively. This systematic is set up more like a history lesson of systematic theology from a Catholic perspective than anything else. From each section and subsection, topics are covered by various Catholic scholars who offer historical insights while drawing out minor theological implications from the topic (such as the Holy Spirit or justification).  The strength of this systematic theology is that it offers solid historical backing for various Catholic thought on theological ideas and topics, b
Genesis 1-11 Contiental Commentaries  Westermann presents exhaustive bibliographies and wide-ranging summaries of various interpretations. As such, it is an invaluable reference for work on Genesis 1-11, especially German scholarship, until the early 1970s. Unfortunately, the discussions often jump around from topic to topic and back again, and the author seems to contradict himself frequently. His translations are very traditional, even where he offers better renderings in the commentary. His emphasis on traditional history can be distracting. His bibliographies are scattered throughout the text, and are arranged chronologically rather than by author so that tracking back references in the text is difficult. I bought this as an essential reference for a scholarly study of the stories in Gen. 1-11, and that purpose it rates four stars, but it requires more work than it should.
 Leviticus: A Book of Ritual and Ethics: Continental Commentaries This more modest volume, issued by Fortress Press, can best be described as a condensation of Milgrom's Anchor Bible commentary. Milgrom eliminates almost all his discussion of the dating of the text, arcane questions of etymology, syntax and grammar, and his thorough reviews of scholarly opinions, both modern and ancient, on various issues. Instead, Milgrom concentrates on explaining the basics of Leviticus when viewed within the context of the ancient world. Milgrom argues that the authors of Leviticus, which he identifies as "P" (Priestly source, chiefly Lev. 1-16) and "H" (Holiness source, chiefly Lev. 17-27), while preserving many rituals and customs that Israel shared with its neighbors, infused them with a profound theology unique to Israel, a theology founded upon a radical monotheism that banished demons from the world and posited man's choices as the chief source of good and evil. Mi
 From Genesis to Chronicles: Explorations in Old Testament Theology This book is a great read for anyone wanting to know God better. This is a great read if you are pursuing of a deeper knowledge of God's word. I am reading this having recently finished Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine by Wayne Grudem. I highly recommend both books.
 Sowing the Gospel  This commentary is precisely written and in depth. In this excellent commentary on the Gospel of Mark, Professor Tolbert takes the "Parable of the Sower" and uses it as an interpretive tool to understand the story and meaning of the Gospel text. This method helps the reader of the Markan story interpret the many characters within the Gospel narrative. Highly recommended.
 Matthew in History by Luz Luz here details his use of the "effective history" of Matthean texts as a central feature of his approach to this Gospel, which reaches its full flowering in his massive three-volume commentary in the Hermenia series. Luz's intention is to show how Christians through the centuries have engaged with Matthew's text and how this engagement has affected the life of the church. In this way, Luz demonstrates what is now commonly-agreed hermeneutical theory, namely, that we are always "interested" readers of the Bible - "interested", that is, in the sense of having pre-understandings that influence the way we understand the biblical text, in this case Matthew's Gospel. To achieve his purpose Luz takes us through the way specific Matthean texts have been read through history, with illuminating results. With regard to Matthew chapter 10, for example, Luz shows that while for Matthew's Jesus healing was as key an activity
 The Bible, in both Testaments, provides a fascinating and intriguing mosaic depicting the contours of a biblical theology of the Spirit. D. A. Carson has rightly said that the measure of any biblical-theological proposal is the way in which it deals with the question of the Bible’s unity and diversity. Regarding a biblical theology of the Spirit, one detects a measure of unity as well as diversity, continuity as well as discontinuity. On the one hand, the same Spirit is at work throughout the full orbit and canvass of Scripture. On the other hand, Pentecost marks a crucial watershed with the outpouring of the Spirit on all believers. The NT writers thus provide a multi-faceted portrait of the roles and ministries of the Spirit. He regenerates, renews, transforms, guides, convicts, teaches, sovereignly distributes spiritual gifts, and fulfills many other functions in the corporate life of the church and in the lives of individual believers. He also sustains an intimate and integral rel
John by RC Sproul This commentary by Dr. Sproul is fantastic. Dr. R.C. Sproul was the top-of-the-line and main line theologian of our day, an extraordinary instrument in the hand of the Lord. Possessed with penetrating insight into the text of Scripture, Dr. Sproul was a gifted expositor and world-class teacher, endowed with a strategic grasp and command of the inspired Word. When he stepped into the pulpit of St. Andrew’s and committed himself to the weekly discipline of biblical exposition, this noted preacher demonstrated a rare ability to explicate and apply God’s Word. I recommend Dr. Sproul’s expositional commentaries to all who long to know the truth better and experience it more deeply in a life-changing fashion. Here is an indispensable tool for digging deeper into God’s Word. This is a must-read for every Christian.
 Three Worlds in Conflict: The High Drama of Biblical Prophecy  The book is laid out in a manner to help the reader understand Biblical prophesy and the manner in which God is dealing with the Jews and the Gentiles. Ellison clearly lays out the sources (verses) for his teachings and identifies why he believes the verses support his views. Readers should constantly check the verses to verify what they are reading and to lock in the truths presented there.
 The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy A real achievement among the works concerning Messianic prophecy. Many books on the subject are very limited in scope and scholarship, but this is a giant step on the subject. Each author knows the focused subject of each essay, presents reasoned and convincing support from Scripture, and fits the specific topic into an overall and deep exploration of the prophecy of Jesus. Many essays are very detailed, but all present evidence to support the view that the entire Bible is Messianic Prophecy. Highly recommended as a serious study.
Acts of the Apostles---Hermeneia Beginning with the Ascension of Christ into heaven, and ending with Paul proclaiming the kingdom of God from a prison in Rome, this New Testament narrative picks up where the Gospel of Luke left off. The Acts of the Apostles is indeed a journey of nearly epic proportions--and one that requires a guide to push the reader forward. Since Acts was most likely written by the same person who composed the Gospel of Luke, it is only fitting that the Anchor Bible Commentaries on these New Testament books should be written by the same author. With The Acts of the Apostles, The author gives readers the long-awaited companion to his two-volume commentary on the Gospel of Luke. The Four Gospels recount the life and teachings of Jesus, but only the book of the Acts of the Apostles tells the story of what happened after Jesus’ departure. In this second of St. Luke’s two-volume work, he picks up with Jesus saying farewell to his followers; then Luke tells the fast-pace
Deutero-Isaiah---Hermeneia This book is well written and provides a consensus of biblical scholarship on Deutero-Isaiah. This book represents a highly original, major new contribution to one of the most important and hotly contested issues concerning the book of Isaiah: who wrote it. The author's provocative and important conclusions point to the key role from beginning to end of the so-called "Deutero-Isaiah," hitherto believed to have been merely the author of chapters 40-50. This book sheds much new light on many passages of Isaiah, and is certain to have a significant influence on all future work on the subject.
 Yahweh Is Exalted in Justice: Solidarity and Conflict in Isaiah This book is poorly written. The thesis of the book is that Isaiah’s vision of the 'fullness of the whole earth’ as the glory of a holy God (Isaiah 6:3) requires that Yahweh’s people live consistently with Yahweh’s holiness; that mišpāṭ and ṣĕdāqȃ characterize their lives also. If they do not so live, they will face Yahweh’s judgment (1:27-28). I would not recommend this book.
 The Writings of the NT by Luke Johnson This physical edition is a disaster - paper so shiny you can't see the print, book so heavy and floppy you cannot hold it, binding so tight the pages don't stay open (and I rented it so did not want to crack the binding), size odd and heavy so does not fit in carrying bags, on small tables. I actually gave up trying to read it and bought another edition, used, much more readable. Total waste. The actual text itself, by Johnson, is authoritative, well researched, and profoundly thought through covering of the New Testament. Hard to know where to begin with this supreme topic. Johnson covers exegetical and historical information without letting it drown the spiritual meanings. His thinking is far-ranging, deep, multilayered, and his facility with writing keeps the book as alive as its topic through many areas and chapters. I highly recommend.
Social Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels For instance, in ancient Palestine compliments were enviously aggressive. They implicitly accused a person of rising above others at their expense. Thus, when a man challenges Jesus by calling him a "good teacher" (Mk. 10:17/Mt. 19:16/Lk. 18:18), Jesus fends off the accusation with a counterquestion: "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone?" (Mk. 10:18/Mt. 19:17/Lk. 18:19). In the Middle East, honorable men did not defend themselves when challenged -- for that would only concede ground to their opponents -- instead, they counterattacked. In the Synoptic Gospels Jesus proves himself an honorable man time and time again. He never answers accusatory questions directly; he is always able to change the terms of a debate and shift its ground. In Mk. 11:27-33/Mt. 21:23-27/Lk. 20:1-8, a group of temple authorities confront Jesus and demand to know by what authority he made his prophetic demonstration in the t
 What is Narrative Criticism? By Mark Powell This book is the first nontechnical description of the principles and procedures of narrative criticism. Mark Allan Powell distinguishes literary criticism from various modes of historical criticism--source, form, and redaction--and also delineates several types of literary criticism--structuralist, rhetorical, reader-response, and narrative. The first thing to keep in mind is that this excellent volume by Mark Allan Powell, despite its inclusive title, really deals with narrative criticism as applied to the canonical gospels, mainly the synoptic gospels. Powell briefly brings secular literary scholarship into the discussion, but always as background to the development of narrative criticism by biblical scholars and its comparison with other literary critical movements. The second thing is that this is a non-technical, introductory work in which the concepts used by narrative critics are explained simply and clearly, making the book accessib
 Mark in Hermeneia  This commentary provides structure to the Gospel of Mark. Overall, this is a fantastic and thought-provoking commentary that outpaces its peers because of its willingness to ask difficult yet relevant questions and provide a comprehensive view into the cultural context to which it was written. This is a must-read for the serious student of Mark's Gospel and gives invaluable insight into themes that affect all the Synoptics. PROS: -Collins does a masterful job of incorporating relevant biblical and extra-biblical manuscripts into her observations. Her willingness to create thought-provoking conversations in place of dogmatic conclusions is what sets her apart from other quality commentaries on Mark. Her observations are of the highest quality and, for the most part, are presented without an observable bias. -An especially noteworthy addition to the body of work done on Mark is Collins' technical contribution, which consistently reveals unifying elements in a
 Mark as Story David Rhoads’ book, Mark as Story: an Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel takes a unique approach to the Gospel of Mark through what the book calls “narrative analysis.” What Rhoads does in his book is to contextualize not only the historical and social context of the writing of Mark’s gospel account, but also the narrative writing of Mark’s author. Rhoads makes it plain that his approach analyses Mark as a story, rather than an historic accounting of Jesus’ life by Mark’s author. Rhoads examines storytelling culture in first century Mediterranean culture, which he notes was primarily done by oral composition. The Gospel of Mark, he argues, is not only intended to be read, but also performed. By this, Rhoads means that the story told in Mark was to be told in a “lively and meaningful” way. In this sense, Mark is filled with all the necessary attributes of storytelling such as tone, voice, volume, body language, etc, all designed to evoke a response from its intende
 Matthew in Hermeneia Commentary Series by Luz Few have offered a more thorough commentary on the first gospel than Dr. Ulrich Luz. It is clearly a labor of love over many years. The layout of the Hermeneia series is outstanding, but the content of some of the early volumes on some books was frankly disappointing and less than helpful to the pastor and teacher. But Dr. Ulrich offers us a treasure of thoughtful exposition based on a careful study of the Greek text, the historical background, the relevant literature, the contribution of different traditions, and his special attention to the history of interpretation. While not agreeing with every assumption or conclusion of the author, the commentary does not disappoint. It will add real value to anyone undertaking a serious study of Matthew's gospel. The three volumes are expensive, but I judge them to be worth every penny. Davies and Allison in the ICC is similar in scope; Morris, France, and Blomberg provide a more condensed exege
  The New Testament and the People of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God series Book 1)  I have always said that I believe N.T. Wright is probably the most sensible theologian I have ever read or listened to. In the field of NT surveys, his is a true masterpiece. Wright has such confidence in how he deals with the material available to him. His methods constantly prove extremely effective, even if they aren't always predictable. When he sets out to paint a picture of the first century world of Christians and Jews, one wonders if he has enough material to present a convincing argument; but by the time he's done, it almost feels as though he has transported the reader right into the events, not only into the midst of them but "inside" of them. I have not only learned many new things about the NT world from this book but have gained (or reinforced) knowledge in many other fields as well. If one will take the time to read this, I believe it will be very benefi
 The historical setting of the Farewell Discourse is the preparation of Jesus’s followers for the time following his departure. References to the Spirit in chapters 14–16 are numerous, with Jesus envisioning the giving of the Spirit following his exaltation. Contrary to the disciples’ sentiments at the time, Jesus’s departure will benefit them in several ways. Most important, Jesus will petition the Father to send the paraklētos, “another helping presence” like Jesus. The term paraklētos does not occur in the LXX and is found elsewhere in the NT only at 1 John 2:1, which describes Jesus as believers’ “advocate” with God the Father. Jesus’s reference to the Spirit as “another paraklētos” in 14:16 indicates that the Spirit’s presence with the disciples will replace Jesus’s encouraging and strengthening presence with them while on earth (cf. 14:17). When the Spirit comes to indwell believers, it will be as if Jesus himself is taking up residence in them. Thus Jesus can refer to the Spirit
 In the 19th century, a somewhat obscure Danish philosopher named Søren Kierkegaard wrote on the concept of the Absurd. Later, in the 20th century,  Albert Camus took the idea and gave it his own spin. For Kierkegaard, the Absurd is taking the Truth as it is even when reason, logic, rationality, and all such human things resist Truth. For Kierkegaard, faith is an absurdity that makes a human being capable of being authentically him or herself before God. For Camus, the Absurd is a human being’s desire to have meaning and purpose, to define the universe and bring it under human dominion, when all that the universe offers is meaninglessness and lifelessness. Camus thought the human condition was absurd; that is, our desire for meaning in this world is a very strange thing indeed when all the world defies meaning.In both cases, the Absurd can be understood as a determined desire to move forward in the face of futility. This, I think, is the core notion of the Absurd. It is the defiance of
 Theology of Life John 10.10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 5.39-40: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. Hebrews 2.9: But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. The Didache 1.1: There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and great is the difference between the two ways. 1 Clement 50.3: All the generations from Adam to this day passed away, but those who are perfected in love on the basis of the grace of God have a place among the godly, who will be revealed at the visitation of the kingdom of God.
 We need to slow down through this part of John’s Gospel. Jesus is trying to get the disciples, and us, to see our connection with God and God’s world. John’s Gospel is about us meeting, believing in, and following, Jesus. Many of us struggle with the person of Jesus and the idea of God, because we move too fast. We move too fast as we read Jesus saying: “TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME WILL ALSO DO THE WORKS THAT I DO; AND GREATER WORKS THAN THESE WILL HE DO, BECAUSE I AM GOING TO THE FATHER. WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME, THIS I WILL DO, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON. IF YOU ASK ME ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT.” — JOHN 14:12-14 Can I tell you how conscious I am right now of the challenge to come across in a way that leaves you believing in Jesus and the Bible? This is one of those sections were preachers and teachers, in an effort to explain, do such crazy mental gymnastics that they look like a twisted-up Gumby – and people walk away thinking they
 A characteristic of John’s gospel is the proclamation of Jesus as the incarnate Son of God. From its magnificent prologue whose opening words match the opening words of the Pentateuch to its concluding words urging faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, the Gospel of John has as its central focus the revelation that in Christ, the Maker of the Universe, YHWH, the great ‘I Am’ takes flesh and lives among us.
 The Holy Spirit in John's Gospel. The Gospel of John is evidently quite different from the Synoptic Gospels in its presentation of the Son of God, although each of the Synoptic Gospels has its own peculiar presentation of Jesus; and it can be added that the presentation of the Holy Spirit in John is different, in the main, from that of any other writing. Apart from the first mention of the Spirit in chapter 1, every other remark concerning the Holy Spirit is from the lips of the Son of God Himself, although there is the comment of the Evangelist on the words of Jesus in chapter 7:39. The Spirit … abode upon Him As in Luke, the Spirit of God descends from heaven like a dove, but here it is the testimony of John Baptist who says. "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him" (John 1:32). It is not merely the record of the event, but the witness of John concerning it: he tells us what he saw. Here also are added the words "it abode upon H
 Jesus washing the disciples' feet is found in John 13:1-7.  It happened on the night before the crucifixion - the very night of His betrayal (v2).  Although the Lord was well aware of all the suffering that lay before Him (v1, 3),  He spent this last evening serving His short-sighted followers.  Although He was looking beyond the cross with great anticipation to a joyful reunion with the Father (vs1, 3), He was concerned (as always) about meeting the needs of others around Him.  Although He knew that all things were “given into His hand,”  the Lord of all things used those hands to serve the disciples who would soon desert Him!  No wonder the Scripture says that “He loved them to the end” - to the fullest possible extent (v1).  This great love was demonstrated in the act of washing their feet.   But this was not only an act of love and concern and humility - it was also an act of teaching.  All of our Lord's actions (His works) as recorded in Scripture portray or dramatize His
 One of the most overlooked failures of evangelical (and mainline to a certain extent) theology in the last century is its inability to connect people with the world they live in. For the most part, it has built its main argument on the premise that we live in a fallen world beyond hope of repair. It does that so in the second breath, it can say that God is the only solution. In other words, it exacerbates the problem so it can better sell a solution. After all, a world that is intrinsically good needs no saving. By building its argument as a sales pitch for the salvation of the soul, Christian theology left a legacy of disengagement. It has often produced disciples as the saying goes: ‘too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.’ It is great for filling stadiums and auditoriums but terrible for producing civic engagement. This is not to say that Christians in general, and evangelicals more in specific, have not engaged in productive action to help the common good. It is, however, to r
There is actually no Greek manuscript that explicitly states what the NIV implies in Matthew 7:11: "how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts ...". The Greek simply contains the adjective "good" by itself, which most versions translate as "good things". The NIV is one of the few versions that imputes a meaning of "good gifts" to the verse. Furthermore, "Holy Spirit" in Luke 11:13 is not what appears in all manuscripts; there are some manuscripts which refer to "a good spirit" (πνεῦμα ἀγαθὸν) rather than "the Holy Spirit" (πνεῦμα ἅγιον), including one papyrus1 that dates back to the 3rd century.2 The oldest complete commentary on Luke, undertaken by Cyril of Alexandria in the late 4th/early 5th century, shows "good spirit" rather than "Holy Spirit" when it quotes this verse (see below). Metzger's Textual Commentary assigns πνεῦμα ἅγιον ("Holy Spirit") as the reading in
  The work and person of the Holy Spirit in John’s Gospel is grounded in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit is the One who convicts of sin, glorifies the person of Jesus, and transforms believers into the Lord Jesus Christ's image. The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sin and points them towards Jesus in order that they may with confidence “draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace in time of need” ( Hebrews 4:16 ). The Holy Spirit acts sovereignly to gives life, indwells and teaches the elect in order to deepen their understanding of the work of Jesus and then sends them out to testify about the glory of Jesus. John has intentionally demonstrated in his Gospel a view of the Holy Spirit that is relational, personal, and intimate: One who longs to breathe new life into those who come to Jesus and to sanctify the Beloved in the Word by washing them with the sanctifying power of the Word of God. For further study in John's Gospel, one should consider exp
 Love is Patient and Kind, 1 Corinthians 13. Patience is not a characteristic that is natural to us; we live in an impetuous culture. Everything is right at our fingertips. Love is Patient and Kind Jesus told a story about a man who lacked both patience and kindness. One day, a king decided to settle his accounts with his servants. One by one each servant was brought before the king. One particular servant owed the king ten thousand talents. A talent is equivalent to about 20 years of wages; in other words, this man would never be able to repay his debt in his lifetime! Knowing that he would be thrown into debtor's prison for the rest of his life, he fell before the king begging him to be patient until he could pay the debt. The king, realizing the hopeless situation this man was in, forgave him the entire debt. Not long after this, this same servant found out that another fellow servant owed him a hundred denarii; one denarius is worth the equivalent of one day's wage. He grab
God has displayed His love, grace, and mercy throughout the Bible. God is not a “respecter of persons,” (Act:10:24). He has made salvation available to every man that believes in His son Jesus (John 3:16). The believers are to follow the Great Commission which is to make disciples throughout the nations (Matthew 28:19). Jesus gave the key in Acts 1:8 for missions which is receiving the power of the Holy Ghost. It is the Holy Ghost that will teach and bring things back to memory according to John 14:26. 
One of the more intriguing stories in the Old Testament involves an inter-tribal battle in the days of the Judges. Judges 12 records how the tribe of Ephraim (west of the Jordan) picked a fight with the Gileadites (east of the Jordan). Under Jephthah's able leadership, the Gileadites routed the Ephraimites and took control of the river fords. Whenever Ephraimites tried to cross the river, the border guards asked their identity. Of course, they each denied being an Ephraimite, so the guards put them to the test: pronounce the term shibboleth (which means “ear of grain”). Unfortunately for the Ephraimites, their Hebrew dialect did not allow them to make the "sh" sound. They were only able to say shibboleth, and, thus, their accent led to their early demise. Hebrew has several different "s" letters (sibilants). One of them has two different pronunciations. When this letter has an “s” sound, it is labeled as sin (pronounced “seen”). When it has an “sh” sound, it is
The Many Facets of Miriam Caregiver Miriam was born in Egypt. Her parents, Amram and Jochebed, were Hebrew slaves in Pharaoh’s workforce. Miriam was the oldest of their children, and she helped care for her younger siblings. As a child, she was responsible, nurturing, and assertive. Sometime after Amram and Jochebed married, Pharaoh ordered the massive infanticide. He intended to control the slave population by systematically killing Hebrew male infants. Amram’s second child, Aaron, may have been born before the edict went into effect because he was already three years old when the story begins.  The edict was in force, however, when the second son was born. Sympathetic midwives did what they could to save the infants, but Pharaoh eventually required all Egyptians to take part in the killings. When all Egyptians were on the lookout, it was difficult to conceal any boys the midwives saved. Amram and Jochebed were able to hide their son until he was three months old. What made it impossi