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.

Hannes Bezzel and Reinhard G. Kratz, eds., David in the Desert: Tradition and Redaction in the “History of David’s Rise”
David G. Firth

Christa Gray and James Corke-Webster, eds., The Hagiographical Experiment: Developing Discourses of Sainthood
Jennifer Barry

Daniel M. Gurtner, Introducing the Pseudepigrapha of Second Temple Judaism: Message, Context, and Significance
Lydia Gore-Jones

Johan Leemans, Geert Roskam, and Josien Segers, eds., John Chrysostom and Severian of Gabala: Homilists, Exegetes and Theologians
Robert Edwards

Tobias Nicklas, Karl-Wilhelm Niebuhr, and Mikhail Seleznev, eds., History and Theology in the Gospels: Seventh International East–West Symposium of New Testament Scholars, Moscow, September 26 to October 1, 2016
Andrew McGowan

Wesley G. Olmstead, Matthew: A Handbook on the Greek Text
Olegs Andrejevs

Aaron Ricker, Ancient Letters and the Purpose of Romans: The Law of the Membrane
William Horst

Dalit Rom-Shiloni, Voices from the Ruins: Theodicy and the Fall of Jerusalem in the Hebrew Bible
Jina Kang

Loren R. Spielman, Jews and Entertainment in the Ancient World
Joshua Schwartz

Bruce K. Waltke and Ivan D. V. De Silva, Proverbs: A Shorter Commentary
David Penchansky

Deborah, Jael and Sisera’s Mother, Themech

This is an interesting post that looks at the retelling of the story of Jael (or Yael) in Judges 4 and 5 in the first century AD document Biblical Antiquities. Even though I I am  not convinced by some of the article's conclusions, there are lessons to be learned about what happens when we as preachers and teachers retell biblical stories.

Most Embarrassing Pastoral Wedding Mistakes

Ed Stetzer asked pastors to share their most embarrassing wedding mistakes and this article shares some of the responses.

Free Tutku Webinar

Tutku, and education travel company is hosting a free webinar via Zoom on Bible and Holy Land related topics. Here are the details.

Date and Time: January 16, 2022, 14:00 - 17:45 (Turkey time)
Zoom link:https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6297308579...
Meeting ID: 629 730 8579
Passcode: tutku

 

Six Stone Water Jars in John 2

Ian Paul has a good post here related to interpreting the six water jars in the water to wine sign of John 2:6. I especially appreciate his recognition of the historical veracity of John's Gospel. 

But I would add that one needs to wrestle with why the author mentions that the jars were made of stone and why there were six of them. If one simply wanted to relay the miracle of water to wine, then the author could have said there were several water jars and still conveyed the basic essence of the story. As good writers know, the inclusion or exclusion of details can make or break a story. Too many or too few can have a negative impact on the story. 

The details for me echo creation and Genesis 1–2. For example, the similarity of John 1:1 to Genesis 1:1 sets things up, the reference to “day” (2:1), the reference to water (Gen 1:2), the number six (six days of creation), the stone vessels representing purity echoing the repeated refrain of “good” or “very good,” the presence of God implied in the first “marriage” (Gen 2:22-24), the fact that speech is involved in the creative act (2:5, 7, 8) as it is in Genesis (“and God said,” ) suggest to me that there are intended allusions to creation and Genesis 1–2. And creation is a divine prerogative. As such, this dovetails with the author stated purpose that his readers might know that Jesus is “the Son of God” (20:31).

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.

Lisa M. Bowens, African American Readings of Paul: Reception, Resistance, and Transformation
Neil Elliott

Walter Brueggemann and Tod Linafelt, An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination
Jordan M. Scheetz

Nikolaos Domazakis, The Neologisms in 2 Maccabees
Joshua Alfaro

Amiel Drimbe, The Church of Antioch and the Eucharistic Traditions (ca. 35–130 CE)
H. H. Drake Williams III

Sandra Huebenthal, Reading Mark’s Gospel as a Text from Collective Memory
Richard Horsley

Libor Marek, A Star from Jacob, a Sceptre from Israel: Balaam’s Oracle as Rewritten Scripture in the Dead Sea Scrolls
Franziska Ede

Eric F. Mason and Darian R. Lockett, eds., Reading the Epistle of James: A Resource for Students
Wesley H. Wachob

Christina Petterson, Acts of Empire: The Acts of the Apostles and Imperial Ideology
Steve Walton

Christopher R. Seitz, Convergences: Canon and Catholicity
Rick Wadholm Jr.

Bruce K. Waltke and Ivan D. V. De Silva, Proverbs: A Shorter Commentary
Mark Sneed

What the Prophets Might Say To Us

Peter Mead identifies the following seven. Make sure to read his explanation here.

1. Get something from God and give it to others.
2. Why don’t you grab attention and hold it?
3. When did popularity become the measure of success in ministry?
4. When did now become God’s timeframe?
5. Why are you so afraid of speaking to the specific issues of today’s culture?
6. Where is your confidence in what you are saying?
7. Keep going!