N. T. Wright at Samford University

You can access five videos of N. T. Wright's different talks when he recently visited Samford University here. 

HT: Roy Ciampa

Egypt and Israel in Genesis 47

The reason for the inclusion of Joseph's economic policy in Genesis 47:13-26 is debated. But one likely explanation is that it is included to portray a contrast between Egypt and Israel as a way of highlighting the covenantal faithfulness of the Lord to his people. Egypt then is functioning as a literary foil. In fact, both Egypt (where Israel is) and Canaan (where Israel was) are described as languishing or wasting away (v. 13) while Israel prospers (v. 27). I recently shared the following table with one of my classes.

 

The Contrasting Situations of the Egyptians Versus Israel
Egypt	Israel
Situation presented negatively (e.g. draught)	Situation presented positively (i.e., fruitful and multiplying, v. 27)
Egyptians lose possessions	Israel gains possessions (v. 27)
Priests were exempted	Israel seems exempted (foreshadowing a priestly status, see Exodus 19:6?)

Teaching When You Are Preaching

See Matt Beasley's post entitled, "Teaching How to Interpret in the Sermon." I often tell my students that you will do at least two things when you preach or teach. (1) You will communicate content. That is, you will have something to say.  (2) You will communicate method. This is typically less direct and obvious but you will teach how one is to handle the text by how you handle it. You may do more than these two but you will not do less.

Teaching Micah

Nancy Guthries talks to Stephen Um about teaching Micah here.

The Latest Issue of the Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below but unfortunately you must be a SBL member.

Jeremy W. Barrier, Jan N. Bremmer, Tobias Nicklas, and Armand Puig I Tàrrech, eds., Thecla: Paul’s Disciple and Saint in the East and West
Reviewed by Jade Weimer

Alma Brodersen, The End of the Psalter: Psalms 146–150 in the Masoretic Text, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Septuagint
Reviewed by John Screnock

Bogdan Burtea, “Die Geheimnisse der Vorväter”: Edition, Übersetzung und Kommentierung einer esoterischen mandäischen Handschrift aus der Bodleian Library Oxford
Reviewed by James F. McGrath

Peter Gemeinhardt, Olga Lorgeoux, and Maria Munkholt Christensen, eds., Teachers in Late Antique Christianity
Reviewed by Benjamin A. Edsall

Michael J. Gorman, Abide and Go: Missional Theosis in the Gospel of John
Reviewed by Dorothy A. Lee

Nijay K. Gupta, The Lord’s Prayer
Reviewed by Torrey Seland

Matthias Konradt, Das Evangelium nach Matthäus
Reviewed by Susanne Luther

F. Dorie Mansen, The Unremembered Dead: The Non-burial Motif in the Hebrew Bible
Reviewed by Byron R. McCane

Takamitsu Muraoka, Jacob of Serugh’s Hexaemeron
Reviewed by Robert A. Kitchen

Johannes Unsok Ro, Poverty, Law, and Divine Justice in Persian and Hellenistic Judah
Reviewed by Phillip Michael Lasater

R. S. Sugirtharajah, Jesus in Asia
Reviewed by D. N. Premnath

The Three Parables in Luke 15

Ian Paul has a helpful discussion here on certain elements and features of the three parables in Luke 15.

The Rod in Proverbs

Eric Davis has a post here discussing whether the rod in Proverbs is literal or metaphorical.

Walton on Sharing Possessions in Acts

Steve Walton has made his paper and PowerPoint presentation on the idea of sharing possessions in Acts which he gave at the recent British New Testament Society meeting. You can access the paper here and the PowerPoint here.

Designer Shoes and Ministry

Ramesh Richard has some helpful thoughts here on the tension between material possessions and ministry.

Christians and the Book of Leviticus?

Clark Bates asks and answers the question, "What’s a Christian to do With Leviticus?" here.

Samson, the Gates of Gaza, and Exposition

William Barrick provides three links here providing an article, notes, and a PowerPoint addressing Samson and the gates of Gaza and and the expository method.

The Latest Issue of the Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below but unfortunately you must be a SBL member.

Jione Havea, ed., Sea of Readings: The Bible in the South Pacific
Reviewed by Rhiannon Graybill

Adam D. Hensley, Covenant Relationships and the Editing of the Hebrew Psalter
Reviewed by David Cohen

Jennifer Knust and Tommy Wasserman, To Cast the First Stone: The Transmission of a Gospel Story
Reviewed by Stephen Carlson

Yitz Landes, Studies in the Development of Birkat Ha-Avodah [Hebrew]
Reviewed by Joshua Schwartz

Matthew D. C. Larsen, Gospels before the Book
Reviewed by Nicholas A. Elder

Jongkyung Lee, A Redactional Study of the Book of Isaiah 13–23
Reviewed by Jacob Stromberg

Christoph Levin, Das Alte Testament
Reviewed by Wilson de Angelo Cunha

Luke Macnamara, My Chosen Instrument: The Characterisation of Paul in Acts 7:58–15:41
Reviewed by Joshua W. Jipp

Harry O. Maier, New Testament Christianity in the Roman World
Reviewed by G. Anthony Keddie

Jean-Louis Roura Monserrat, La conception paulinienne de la foi en Romains 4
Reviewed by Kirby Applegate

Stefan Schorch, ed., The Samaritan Pentateuch: Leviticus
Reviewed by James W. Watts

Joseph Verheyden, Reimund Bieringer, Jens Schröter, and Ines Jäger, eds., Docetism in the Early Church: The Quest for an Elusive Phenomenon
Reviewed by Charles E. Hill