Sep 4, 2021

Editing Tips

I know this a bit nerdy but I really enjoyed this post by Jacob Cerone on editing tips for biblical studies.

Sep 3, 2021

Free eBook: Reading Romans within Judaism

Wipf and Stock is offering a free eBook copy of Mark Nanos' Reading Romans within Judaism. The offer is only available until September 15. Here are the instructions to get your copy.

1. Click on this link
2. Click "ADD TO CART" on the eBook option
3. Use the code "
NANOS21"
4. Upon checkout completion, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions of how to download your free eBook

Sep 2, 2021

Ruth’s Literary Low Points and High Points

A number of interpreters of the book of Ruth have rightly noted that although it is named after Ruth, Naomi is the main character. It is Naomi whose life is emptied and then filled. This can be seen in part in the following table.

Naomi Emptied and Filled:

Ruth’s Literary Low Points and High Points

(Modified from Boyd Luter & Barry C. Davis, God Behind the Seen, pp. 80-81)

 

Ruth 1:1-5

Point of Comparison

Ruth 4:13-17

Famine in Bethlehem

Initial Circumstances

Wedding in Bethlehem

Marriages and then deaths

Family Events

Back in the land:

land reestablished

Blessing of children withheld

Blessing

Blessing of Children bestowed

No help in sight

Possibility of Help

Redeemers:

Boaz and Obed

Widow of deceased son

Status of Ruth/Significance to Ruth

Better than seven sons

Emptiness/grief from loss of family

Naomi’s Emotions

Joy at Obed’s birth

Introductory “bookend”

Literary Function

Concluding “bookend”

Sep 1, 2021

Free Logos Resources for September

Logos is offering Walt Kaiser's Recovering the Unity of the Bible and Bernard of Clairvaux's Steps of Humility and Pride as their September freebies. You can also purchase other books at significant discounts and enter to win a copy of the 35-colume Zondervan Counterpoints series. These offers can be accessed here and here.

Aug 31, 2021

Psalm 53 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. Here is what I have for Psalm 53 (in no particular order). Feel free to mention any that you find helpful in the comments section.

Into the Word with Paul Carter: https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/into-the-word/psalms-52-54

Analysis by C. J. Labuschagne: https://www.labuschagne.nl/ps053.pdf

William Barrick’s notes: https://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_053.pdf

Psalm 53 devotional: https://www.generations.org/devotionals/66 

Psalm 53 in canonical perspective: http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1010-99192013000300004

Aug 30, 2021

David Klingler

Texas Monthly has a nice write-up here on David Klingler, a friend, former fellow student, and colleague. David is more popularly known as a former college and pro athlete but what he is most passionate about is the Bible. I am grateful for his ministry.

Aug 29, 2021

Proverbs and Civil Discourse

Dan Hawk posted the following on his Facebook page.

The Book of Proverbs, among other things, is concerned with commending and cultivating those practices that enable people to live in peace with God and with each other. Wise people enhance communal wellbeing. Stupid people ruin it.

Few things build up or tear down community more than the ways people talk to each other. The Sage, therefore, devotes considerable attention to the way stupid people and wise people express their opinions. Viewing today's polarized Christian speech through his eyes, we see a church awash in a tsunami of stupidity.

The Sage would insist that we can turn back the tide only by recognizing and rejecting stupid ways of speaking and intentionally practicing wise ones. So, here’s the Sages challenge to us, transposed into the cadence of an old Jeff Foxworthy routine:

"You might be a stupid speaker if”:

You don’t care about understanding an issue but only about expressing your opinion (18:2).
Your argument is hot with emotion but short on knowledge (19:2).
You are quick to express how someone has offended you (12:16).
You just spew your thoughts as they come to you (12:23; 15:2).
You feed on and applaud stupid arguments (15:14, 21).
You step on others while they’re speaking, rather than listening to what they’re saying (18:13).
You feel angrily secure in your opinion (14:16; 29:11).
You mock reasonable arguments (23:9).

On the other hand, “You might be a wise speaker if”:

You hold your tongue when stupid people are ranting (10:19).
You overlook insults and ad hominem attacks (11:12; 12:16; 19:11).
You try to bring healing rather than strife (12:18).
You resist ranting and keep a cool head (17:27).
You support your arguments with sound knowledge (15:2).
You value education (15:7; 16:23).
You are patient and don’t let anger get the best of you (14:29; 29:8).
You try to scale down strife and to bring calm (29:11).

We Christians can model civil discussion to a watching world. All it takes is for those who claim to take the Bible seriously to actually take the Bible seriously.