Feb 20, 2021

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. 

Delbert Burkett, An Introduction to the New Testament and the Origins of Christianity
Reviewed by Susan E. Myers

Mordechai Z. Cohen, The Rule of Peshat: Jewish Constructions of the Plain Sense of Scripture and Their Christian and Muslim Contexts, 900–1270
Reviewed by Michael Carasik

David N. Gottlieb, Second Slayings: The Binding of Isaac and the Formation of Jewish Memory
Reviewed by Charles Hughes Huff

Brandon R. Grafius, Reading the Bible with Horror
Reviewed by Carl S. Ehrlich

Matthew J. Lynch, Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary and Cultural Study
Reviewed by Joel Kaminsky

Paul McKechnie, Christianizing Asia Minor: Conversion, Communities, and Social Change in the Pre-Constantinian Era
Reviewed by Richard Last

James Chukwuma Okoye, Genesis 12–50: A Narrative-Theological Commentary
Reviewed by R. W. L. Moberly

Brian Rainey, Religion, Ethnicity and Xenophobia in the Bible: A Theoretical, Exegetical and Theological Survey
Reviewed by Arthur Jan Keefer

Mark Sameth, The Name: A History of the Dual-Gendered Hebrew Name for God
Reviewed by Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos

John Van Seters, My Life and Career as a Biblical Scholar
Reviewed by Jennifer M. Matheny

Ian G. Wallis, The Galilean Wonderworker: Reassessing Jesus’ Reputation for Healing and Exorcism
Reviewed by David A. Fiensy

Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos, The Land and Its Kings: 1–2 Kings
Reviewed by Bob Becking

Feb 19, 2021

Preaching and "Low Fences"

Peter Mead has some good thoughts here on what he calls "low fences" in preaching.

Feb 18, 2021

Three Lessons from the Book of Numbers

There are at least a three lessons that I have observed while revisiting the book of Numbers. 

First, past preparation is no guarantee of future success. The Israelites made extensive preparations to enter the Promised Land in 1:1–10:10 and yet they failed to do so by making a forty-year mistake at Kadesh Barnea (13:1–14:45). This is a point that I try to drive home to my seminary students. All their ministerial preparation could be brought to nothing by failing to trust the Lord.

Second, yesterday's obedience no matter how frequent can be nullified by today's disobedience no matter how rare. I count over fifteen statements in Numbers 1–10 related to the obedience of either of Moses, Aaron, the Levites, or Israel (e.g., 1:17-19, 54; 2:34; 3:16, 42, 49-51; 4:34-37, 41, 45, 49; 8:3, 20, 22; 9:5, 19-23; 10:13) and yet a disastrous decision at Kadesh Barnea made all that obedience for naught. 

Third, God's purposes will prevail whether in the current generation or the next. In Numbers 26, we begin the preparation for the next generation, the generation that will enter the Promised Land. This is both solemn reminder and spiritual goad.  

Feb 17, 2021

Piper on Baptism

John Piper has a succinct and spot-on post here on the importance of baptism.

Feb 16, 2021

Psalm 40 Links

 I have been working on a commentary on the Psalms. I have decided to compile some helpful links that I discovered during my research. It includes a mix of exegetical and sermonic links and in this case a song by the band U2. Here is what I have for Psalm 40 (in no particular order). Feel free to mention any that you find helpful in the comments section.

Literary analysis of Psalm 40: http://psalmsstudy.com/psalms-literary-analysis-by-chapter/literary-analysis-psalm-40-urgently-hoped-god-bent-heard-voice

Ray Stedman., “Lo, I Come,” Psalm 40: https://www.raystedman.org/old-testament/psalms/lo-i-come

Analysis by C. J. Labuschagne: https://www.labuschagne.nl/ps040.pdf

William Barrick’s notes: https://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_040.pdf

U2 song "40": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z_LBNF_-xI