Jan 26, 2019

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.

Eberhard Bons and Patrick Pouchelle, eds., The Psalms of Solomon: Language, History, Theology
Reviewed by Felix Albrecht

David Clark, On Earth as in Heaven: The Lord’s Prayer from Jewish Prayer to Christian Ritual
Reviewed by Jeffrey Gibson

Edward M. Curtis, Interpreting the Wisdom Books: An Exegetical Handbook
Reviewed by Serena McMillllan

Nevada Levi DeLapp, Theophanic “Type-Scenes” in the Pentateuch: Visions of YHWH
Reviewed by Koowon Kim

Brad Embry, Ronald Herms, and Archie T. Wright, eds., Early Jewish Literature: An Anthology
Reviewed by Lester Grabbe

Christian Frevel, Im Lesen verstehen: Studien zu Theologie und Exegese
Reviewed by Stephen Germany

Amy-Jill Levine, Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi
Reviewed by Tobias Ålöw

Sarah J. Melcher, Mikeal C. Parsons, and Amos Yong, eds., The Bible and Disability: A Commentary
Reviewed by Hector Avalos

Roman A. Montero, All Things in Common: The Economic Practices of the Early Christians
Reviewed by Alan C. Mitchell

Lindsey M. Trozzo, Exploring Johannine Ethics: A Rhetorical Approach to Moral Efficacy in the Fourth Gospel Narrative
Reviewed by Jo-Ann A. Brant

Jan 25, 2019

The One Who Trampled Hades Underfoot

I know that the title is a mouthful but you might enjoy this talk by Matthew Emerson,"'The One Who Trampled Hades Underfoot': A Comparative Analysis of Christ's Descent to the Dead and Trinitarian Relation in Second-Century Christian Texts and Hans Urs von Balthasar."


Jan 24, 2019

The Bronze Serpent in Numbers and Idolatry

Henry Neufeld addresses the question here of whether God was commanding idolatry to look on the bronze serpent in Numbers 21:6-9.

Jan 22, 2019

Horse Figurines

Two horse figurines were recently discovered in Israel. One of the horses appears to be from the Iron Age (1200-586 BC) and the other from the Hellenistic period (332-37 BC). There is a good article with pictures here


If you are interested in horses and the Bible, a good academic resource is Deborah Cantrell's The Horsemen of Israel: Horses and Chariotry in Monarchic Israel which is currently on sale for 50%-off here.

Jan 21, 2019

Psalm 15

O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
     Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 

For many today, David’s opening question seems so antiquated, so last week. The default is, if, there is a God, he doesn’t really care how we approach him, just that we approach him. But David’s question is not what is out of touch here but rather such attitudes reveal that we are often out of touch with the holiness of God. Psalm 15 reminds us that enjoying access to God is a privilege not a right. As a privilege it is not tied to social or economic status, gender, age, or ethnicity but it is a privilege nonetheless. It is not a call to ritual, or even doctrinal formalism, but rather a call to personal integrity exercised before God and with people.

Jan 20, 2019

Preaching through Nehemiah

Timothy Raymond gives you four reasons to so here.