Interview with Mark Keown on Philippians

Todd Scacewater has a pretty interesting interview here with Mark Keown on Philippians. Keown has written a two-volume commentary on Philippians in the Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series.

Questioning Apocalyptic

I have long struggled with apocalyptic both as a phenomenon and as a genre. It is not so much that I don't understand what is said about these but rather how the term apocalyptic and the baggage that comes with it is applied to books in the Bible (e.g., Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Revelation). Too often it seems that the label is used much like a hermeneutical trump card. Merely playing the card means this or that. But labeling a text is not interpreting it. There also seems to be a fair amount of circularity in the process. Certain texts are determined to be apocalyptic and therefore we derive a definition of apocalyptic based on characteristics noted in the books. In turn we say that a certain book is apocalyptic because it fits a definition that we derived from books we have already determined were apocalyptic. I hope that makes sense. In any case, Paul Henenbury raises some issues here that resonate with me. But I will have to wait until his forthcoming fuller discussion is available to assess his critique overall. 

Christianity Today's Top Ten Biblical Archaeology Discoveries of 2017

Gordon Govier enumerates and discusses them here.

Todd Bolen's List of Top 10 Discoveries in Biblical Archaeology from 2017

Check Todd's list out here. And if you don't already have Todd's resources or his Photo Companion to the Bible and/or his Pictorial Library of Bible Lands were left out of your stocking, you might want to check them out here.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

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 but unfortunately you must be a SBL member. 

Robert Karl Gnuse
The Elohist: A Seventh-Century Theological Tradition
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11643
Reviewed by Philip Y. Yoo

Esther J. Hamori
Women’s Divination in Biblical Literature: Prophecy, Necromancy, and Other Arts of Knowledge
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11500
Reviewed by Gerhard Karner

Lanuwabang Jamir
Exclusion and Judgment in Fellowship Meals: The Socio-historical Background of 1 Corinthians 11:17–34
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11262
Reviewed by Valeriy Alikin

Yigal Levin
The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah: 2 Chronicles 10–36
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11641
Reviewed by Ralph W. Klein

Richard D. Nelson
Judges: A Critical and Rhetorical Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11639
Reviewed by Keith Bodner

Frederick S. Tappenden
Resurrection in Paul: Cognition, Metaphor, and Transformation
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11335
Reviewed by John Granger Cook
Reviewed by Robert H. von Thaden Jr.

James W. Voelz
Mark 1:1–8:26
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10070
Reviewed by Hallur Mortensen

Sarah Whittle
Covenant Renewal and the Consecration of the Gentiles in Romans
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10408
Reviewed by Ryan Heinsch
Reviewed by Janelle Peters

Paul on the Road to Assos (Acts 20)

I like the book of Acts and dabble in Bible geography so I enjoyed this post by Carl Rasmussen on Paul's trip to Assos from Troas and his companions trip by sea to Assos (Acts 20:13–14). So good so far. But trying to determine why two different routes were taken is difficult because the text simply does not tell us. But Mark Wilson offers some suggestions that are then challenged and defended in the comments. Good stuff.

Should Christmas Carols Be Biblically Accurate?

Ian Paul seeks to answer that question here.

Biblical Archaeology Related Finds of 2017

Live Science has their list of the most significant biblical archaeology related finds of the year here.

Köstenberger's List of 2017's Best Books in Biblical Studies

You can see his top ten here.

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 but unfortunately you must be a SBL member. 

Donald L. Berry
Glory in Romans and the Unified Purpose of God in Redemptive History
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11212
Reviewed by Jeffrey L. Cockrell

C. L. Crouch
An Introduction to the Study of Jeremiah
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11633
Reviewed by Marvin A. Sweeney

A. Andrew Das
Paul and the Stories of Israel: Grand Thematic Narratives in Galatians
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11318
Reviewed by Bart J. Koet and Jaap F. van der Meij

Torleif Elgvin, Kipp Davis, and Michael Langlois, eds.
Gleanings from the Caves: Dead Sea Scrolls and Artefacts from the Schoyen Collection
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11370
Reviewed by Peter Porzig

Garrett Galvin
David’s Successors: Kingship in the Old Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11421
Reviewed by David G. Firth

John Goldingay
An Introduction to the Old Testament: Exploring Text, Approaches and Issues
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11499
Reviewed by Bálint Károly Zabán

Bernd Janowski and Enno Edzard Popkes, eds.
Das Geheimnis der Gegenwart Gottes
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10302
Reviewed by Pieter de Vries

Richard N. Longenecker
The Epistle to the Romans
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11253
Reviewed by Mark Reasoner

Anne-Françoise Loiseau
L’influence de l’araméen sur les traducteurs de la LXX principalement, sue les traducteurs grecs postérieurs, ainsi que sur les scribes de la Vorlage de la LXX
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11417
Reviewed by Theo van der Louw

Joel R. Soza
Lucifer, Leviathan, Lilith, and Other Mysterious Creatures of the Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11674
Reviewed by Robin C. McCall

Evidence for Interpreting the Temple in Ezekiel 40-48 Literally

Martin Henebury identifies 10 lines of evidence for interpreting the temple in Ezekiel 40-48 literally here.

The Temptation to Retranslate the Lord's Prayer

Many of you have probably already heard about the Pope's call for a "better translation” of one of the verses in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:13). But Anthony Esolen argues here, and rightly in my opinion, that this suggestion is misguided at best.

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 but unfortunately you must be a SBL member. 

Matthias Becker
Porphyrios, ‘Contra Christianos’: Neue Sammlung der Fragmente, Testimonien und Dubia mit Einleitung, Übersetzung und Anmerkungen
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10962
Reviewed by John Granger Cook

David Alan Black and Jacob N. Cerone, eds.
The Pericope of the Adulteress in Contemporary Research
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11269
Reviewed by Zachary J. Cole

David A. deSilva
Galatians: A Handbook on the Greek Text
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10155
Reviewed by Richard Manly Adams Jr.

Jonathan Gibson
Covenant Continuity and Fidelity: A Study of Inner-Biblical Allusion and Exegesis in Malachi
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11477
Reviewed by Pamela J. Scalise

Barbara Green
David’s Capacity for Compassion: A Literary-Hermeneutical Study of 1–2 Samuel
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11700
Reviewed by Marvin A. Sweeney

Adam Gregerman
Building on the Ruins of the Temple
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11395
Reviewed by Daniel M. Gurtner

Mercedes Navarro Puerto and Marinella Perroni, eds.
Gospels: Narrative and History
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10742
Reviewed by Glenna S. Jackson

Stanley E. Porter and Andrew W. Pitts
Fundamentals of New Testament Textual Criticism
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10967
Reviewed by S. Matthew Solomon

Keith A. Stone
Singing Moses’ Song: A Performance-Critical Analysis of Deuteronomy’s Song of Moses
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11651
Reviewed by Don C. Benjamin

Urban von Wahlde
Gnosticism, Docetism, and the Judaisms of the First Century: The Search for the Wider Context of the Johannine Literature and Why It Matters
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10425
Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt

Books: From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

Nijay Gupta discusses his favorite academic books for 2017 here. Meanwhile, Tim Challies identifies the top 5 most ridiculous Christian bestsellers here.

2017 Advanced Expository Preaching Workshop

Free video for this year's Advanced Expository Preaching Workshop featuring Philemon is now available here.

For the Bibliophiles

Jessica Stillman reminds us "Why You Should Surround Yourself With More Books Than You'll Ever Have Time to Read" here.

Favorite Biblical Studies Books of 2017

Josh Philpot has the first favorite biblical studies books of 2017 list that I have seen so far here.

The Genealogy of Jesus

Michael Kok has a collection of links related to Jesus' genealogies in Matthew and Luke here.

Seminary and Higher Education Links

David Murray has a helpful list here.

First Apocalypse of James

Apparently, a 1500-year old copy of the First Apocalypse of James has been found in the Egypt Exploration Society's archives at Oxford. This text is part of the larger Gnostic Nag Hammadi library. Here is one of several articles out there.

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 but unfortunately you must be a SBL member. 

Darrell Bock
Mark
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10973
Reviewed by Earl S. Johnson Jr.

John H. Elliott
Beware the Evil Eye: The Evil Eye in the Bible and the Ancient World, volume 3: The Bible and Related Sources
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11352
Reviewed by Nicole Tilford

Peeter Espak
The God Enki in Sumerian Royal Ideology and Mythology
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10913
Reviewed by Michael S. Moore

Duane A. Garrett
A Commentary on Exodus
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11462
Reviewed by Pieter de Vries

Raimo Hakola, Jutta Maria Jokiranta, and Samuel Byrskog, eds.
Social Memory and Social Identity in the Study of Early Judaism and Early Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11453
Reviewed by Jonathan Draper

J. Gordon McConville
Being Human in God’s World: An Old Testament Theology of Humanity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11488
Reviewed by Andrea Saner

Brian Neil Peterson
John’s Use of Ezekiel: Understanding the Unique Perspective of the Fourth Gospel
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11199
Reviewed by William Rogan

Stanley E. Porter and Sean A. Adams, eds.
Pillars in the History of Biblical Interpretation, volume 1: Prevailing Methods before 1980; volume 2: Prevailing Methods after 1980
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11371
Volume 1 reviewed by Jeffrey L. Morrow
Volumes 1 and 2 reviewed by Thomas H. Olbricht

Michael Vicko Zolondek
We Have Found the Messiah: How the Disciples Help Us Answer the Davidic Messianic Question
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11422
Reviewed by David S. Ritsema

Free Audio Book of the Month: Why the Reformation Still Matters

Christianaudio.com is offering Why the Reformation Still Matters by Michael Reeves and Tim Chester as their free audio download for the month of December. To read more about this resource and to get your free audio download in either MP3 or M4B formats go here.

Free Logos Book for December: Psalms, Vol. 1

The free Logos Book of the Month for December is James Montgomery Boice's commentary on Psalms 1-41. There are three volumes covering all 150 psalms and you can purchase the other two volumes for $1.99 and $2.99 respectively. You can also enter to win the 15 volume Baker D. A. Carson collection. For all these offers, go to the Logos' Free Book of Month page here.

Making Time for Learning

Bernie Klinder provides some solid advice here.

Strategies for Minimizing Plagiarism

Wayne Stauffer provides some helpful anti-plagiarism tactics here. Although I already employ several of these suggestions, all of then look worthy of consideration. Feel free to add your own strategies in the comments below.

PhD Programs in Bible and Theology

Pete Enns posts here about what he sees as the moral irresponsibility of PhD programs in Bible and theology. He makes some points worth considering but I am not as jaded as Enns. Are the numerical odds stacked against a newly minted PhD, "yes," but the Lord is not daunted by the odds. One needs to be realistic, wise, and prudent but also trust in the Lord's calling and leading.

The 1 Sentence That Will Make You a More Effective Speaker Every Time

Brenda Barbosa talks about it here. But preachers and teachers who understand the value of a message statement or central idea of the text already know this.

Dating the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

National Geographic has an article related to the recent repairs performed on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Some mortar samples were collected during the restoration and "the new test results have revealed that the lower slab can be dated to Roman times and was "likely mortared in place in the mid-fourth century under the orders of Emperor Constantine." You can access the complete article here.

Free Biblical Greek and Hebrew Resources for Laypersons

Dave Armstrong provides a brief discussion and listing here. Christians are indebted to many of these resources but great care must be exercised in order not to abuse them. Accessing one of these resources does not make one proficient in Hebrew or Greek, a gloss is not a definition, etc.

Updated Top 10 Books on Christ in the Old Testament

David Murray provides an updated list of his top 10 books on Christ in the Old Testament here.

What Is a Professor?

Some of my academic friends might appreciate this post.

Time Management Tips

Kevin Orner has some here. But I cant't help but think that #2 might be problematic unless you have the Lord's priorities instead of yours or the world's.

Biblical Archaeology and World Toilet Day

This article merges biblical archaeology with World Toilet Day by looking at ancient toilets found in the Holy Land.

Online Bibliographies for Jesus and the Gospels

Michael Kok has a helpful list of links to online bibliographies for studying Jesus and the Gospels here.

Teaching Professionalism

Angela Keaton has a good word here about teaching our students professionalism. But I would also hasten to add that teachers should model that same professionalism.

A Coin Related to Acts 19

I recently saw this silver Cistophorus listed for sale at a coin-selling site. The reverse has a nice image and inscription related to Diana of Ephesus. The obverse is not too bad with images of Claudius and Agrippina. This coin provides a nice background illustration to Acts 19. The price is a bit out of my budget but as a friend of mine says, "I wouldn't mind if I found it under my Christmas tree!"

HT: Russell Atherton