Feb 11, 2012

Interview with Simon Gathercole

  
This interview with Simon Gathercole is worth reading.
 

Feb 10, 2012

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

  
The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.

Michael Avioz
"I Sat Alone": Jeremiah among the Prophets
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7959
Reviewed by Jerry Hwang

Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner
The First Letter to the Corinthians
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7856
Reviewed by Korinna Zamfir

Bruce N. Fisk
A Hitchhiker's Guide to Jesus: Reading the Gospels on the Ground
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8098
Reviewed by Timothy D. Howell

Anthony J. Frendo
Pre-exilic Israel, the Hebrew Bible, and Archaeology: Integrating Text and Artefact
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8158
Reviewed by Ralph K. Hawkins

Giovanni Garbini
Introduzione all' epigrafia semitica
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5204
Reviewed by André Lemaire

Manfred Görg
Mythos und Mythologie: Studien zur Religionsgeschichte und Theologie
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7953
Reviewed by Mark W. Hamilton

Paul M. Joyce and Andrew Mein, eds.
After Ezekiel: Essays on the Reception of a Difficult Prophet
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7989
Reviewed by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer

Megan Bishop Moore and Brad E. Kelle
Biblical History and Israel's Past: The Changing Study of the Bible and History
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8180
Reviewed by Bob Becking

Anders Runesson, Birger Olsson, Donald D. Binder
The Ancient Synagogue from Its Origins to 200 C.E.: A Source Book
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7824
Reviewed by Adele Reinhartz

Marti J. Steussy
Samuel and His God
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7826
Reviewed by Johannes Klein

Feb 9, 2012

Murray on Ten Digital Commandments

  
David Murray's Ten Digital Commandments is well worth reading.
  

An Interview Worth Reading

  
I really enjoyed this interview with Dr. Brian C. Wintle at Johnson Thomaskutty's blog.I agree wholeheartedly with Dr Wintle's statement that, 

"I personally do not see much value in academics’ for its own sake. I believe that all ideology and theology must be made to serve the important task of helping the Church to become the people of God in everyday living. Christians must be challenged to think through their faith, to work out for themselves what is involved in becoming the persons God wants them to be. And that is where someone who is a sound scholar can make a contribution." 

I also appreciate what Dr. Wintle has to say about the authority of Scripture and the importance of Bible exposition. Read the entire interview here.
   

Feb 8, 2012

Dunn on Jesus and the Law

  
James Dunn has uses two interesting metaphors for Jesus’ view of the Law. Dunn asks, “Did he [Jesus] use the law to penetrate to what was of primary importance in the relationship between God and his people? Did he think of the law more as an icon than an idol – a window through which one could look to see what God really wants of his people, rather than an object on which to focus attention as the goal in itself?"
 
For Dunn, the answer is that Jesus would see the Law more as an icon. He seems to suggest that Jesus was able to maintain veneration of Torah as God’s enduring gift for his people and yet reprioritize the function of the Law in relation to the kingdom. This approach sounds promising, but Dunn does not really tease out what the reprioritizing looks like exactly and it is there that I suspect there would be significant differences of opinion.
 
James D. G. Dunn, Jesus, Paul, and the Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011), 111–12.
   

Feb 7, 2012

Believing in a Historical Adam

  
Kevin DeYoung provides ten good reasons for believing in a historical Adam here.
  

Feb 6, 2012

Israel Antiquities Authority Treasures Online

  
I am not sure how long this has been out, but being able to view the Israel Antiquities Authority treasures online is new to me. You can apparently explore the site various ways, but I have found the archaeological periods page here the easiest to navigate. Each object has a photograph and brief description.
 

Feb 5, 2012

Resources on Acts

  
Shane Lems has presented some of his favorite resources for studying Acts at his blog here. Shane lists the following resources.

Luke Timothy Johnson’s The Acts of the Apostles in the “Sacra Pagina” series.
Dennis Johnson’s The Message of Acts.
William Willimon’s Acts in the “Interpretation” series.
F. F. Bruce’s The Book of Acts in the NICNT series.
Zondervan’s “Acts” Biblical Backgrounds Commentary.
J. Fitzmyer’s The Acts of the Apostles in the Anchor Bible Commentary series.
John Calvin’s Commentary on Acts. It’s Calvin! 
Clinton Arnold’s Powers of Darkness.

The is a pretty solid list, but I think that the commentaries by Bock, Polhill, and C.K Barrett are at least as good if not better than some of the commentaries on this list. Barrett's volumes (1-14 and 15-28) are the most technical of the three, but it is well worth consulting.