Feb 27, 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 to read them.

Johannes U. Beck, Verstehen als Aneignung: Hermeneutik im Markusevangelium
Reviewed by Kari Syreeni

Mark G. Brett, Locations of God: Political Theology in the Hebrew Bible
Reviewed by Joseph McDonald

Nicola Crusemann, Margarete van Ess, Markus Hilgert, Beate Salje, and Timothy Potts, eds., Uruk: First City of the Ancient World
Reviewed by Mitchell Rothman

Georg Fischer, Jeremiah Studies: From Text and Contexts to Theology
Reviewed by Marvin A. Sweeney

Michael Flexsenhar III, Christians in Caesar’s Household: The Emperors’ Slaves in the Makings of Christianity
Reviewed by Catherine Hezser

Helen C. John, Biblical Interpretation and African Traditional Religion: Cross-Cultural and Community Readings in Owamboland, Namibia
Reviewed by Theodore W. Burgh

Jonathan Klawans, Heresy, Forgery, Novelty: Condemning, Denying, and Asserting Innovation in Ancient Judaism
Reviewed by Brandon R. Grafius

Craig R. Koester, Revelation and the End of All Things
Reviewed by Michael Naylor

Jeremy D. Lyon, The Genesis Creation Account in the Dead Sea Scrolls
Reviewed by Eric R. Montgomery

Susanne Rudnig-Zelt, Glaube im Alten Testament: Eine begriffsgeschichtliche Untersuchung unter besonderer Berücksichtung von Jes 7,17; Dtn 1–3; Num 13–14 und Gen 22,1–19
Reviewed by Samuel Hildebrandt

Thomas B. Slater, Revelation as Civil Disobedience: Witnesses Not Warriors in John’s Apocalypse
Reviewed by Gregory L. Linton

Gerald L. Stevens, Acts: A New Vision of the People of God
Reviewed by Ross D. Harmon

Konrad F. Zawadzki, Der Kommentar Cyrills von Alexandrien zum 2. Korintherbrief: Einleitung, kritischer Text, Übersetzung, Einzelanalyse
Reviewed by David Kneip

Christopher B. Zeichmann, ed., Essential Essays for the Study of the Military in First-Century Palestine: Soldiers and the New Testament Context
Reviewed by Gwyn Davies

Feb 26, 2021

Tyrian Shekels and Graven Images

David Hendin, an expert in coins of the biblical era, has a good article here in Coin Week discussing the Tyrian shekel. This shekel or half-shekel was used to pay the temple tax and likely ties into several stories in the Gospel. 

Feb 25, 2021

Writing "God" in Jewish Tradition

This is an interesting post discussing whether one should use G-d rather than completely spelling out God in English.

HT: Marc Brettler

Feb 24, 2021

Song: "Girls Like You - Purim Parody"

Those looking for something different to illustrate their Esther lessons or sermons might be interested in the song "Girls Like You - Purim Parody" by the group Rabotai. It is a "parody" of the Maroon 5 song "Girls Like You." You can check out this article which discusses the song and also contains a music video of the song.

Feb 23, 2021

Cancel Culture

I don't know whether to laugh or cry over this list of biblical characters that Mira Fox suggests ought to be cancelled. One problem with a cancel culture is that it is cannibalistic. Sooner or later every eater deserves to get eaten.

Feb 22, 2021

New Website on the New Testament

I have used earlier editions of the Exploring the New Testament series. The third edition of these books will now be accompanied by a website that looks quite promising. You can check it out here.