The Book of Hebrews: A Star Wars MashUp

A creative way to introduce Hebrews 1.



HT: Claude Mariottini

Translating Romans 1:17: εκ πιστεως εις πιστιν

See Alan Bandy's helpful discussion on the challenges of, and options for, translating the Greek phrase εκ πιστεως εις πιστιν.

Resources for the Gospel of John

See this very helpful list of books and sermon resources for preaching and teaching the Gospel of John.

Debunking the Documentary Hypothesis

See John Anderson's helpful summary of R. N. Whybray's eleven reasons for rejecting the Documentary Hypothesis which has long been the standard critical explanation for the composition of the Pentateuch.

20 Non-Preaching Websites for Better Preaching

See this article on "20 Non-Preaching Websites for Better Preaching" from SermonCentral.com.

The Kingdom of God

See this short video on the much discussed topic of Jesus and the kingdom of God. Both Graham Stanton and James D. G. Dunn appear in the video.



HT: Matthew D. Montonini

Bad News and Good News from Jesus’ Genealogy

Genealogies are not normally considered fruitful fields for spiritual edification. Nonetheless, God has chosen to include a number of these lists in sacred Scripture. So it is always interesting to me when I come across an interpreter who is able to draw out spiritual truths from these oft ignored sections of the Bible. Thomas Fuller (1608–1661) an Anglican priest noted the following in his study of Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1.

“Lord, I find the genealogy of my Saviour strangely chequered, with four remarkable changes in four generations
Rehoboam begat Abijah: (A bad father begat a bad son)
Abijah begat Asa: (A bad father and a good son)
Asa begat Jehoshaphat: (A good father and a good son)
Jehoshaphat begat Jehorom: (A good father and a bad son).

I see Lord, from hence,
That my Father’s piety cannot be handed on:
That is bad news for me.
I see also that actual impiety is not hereditary,
That is good news for my son!”

Thomas, Fuller, Good Thoughts in Bad Times, Good Thoughts in Worst Times, Mixt Contemplations in Better Times (Liverpool: Edward Howell, 1863), 44.

Acts and the Mission to the World

Emphasis on the mission to the world in Acts does not begin in Acts 1:8. Hints of the universal spread of the gospel are found already in the Gospel of Luke. Brian Rosner has noted the following six hints to the universal gospel in Luke’s narrative.

(1) The prophecy of Simon in 2:32, a quotation of Isaiah 42:6 (cf., Acts 13:47), which indicates that salvation is in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles.
(2) John the Baptist’s ministry to Roman soldiers in 2:1; 3:1,14.
(3) Jesus’ reading of Isaiah 61 in the synagogue in Nazareth and his commendation of the Gentiles in Luke 4:16-30 . . .
(4) The portrayal of Jesus as the ‘Friend of tax collectors and sinners’ (7:34), those on the edge of Jewish society (cf.,esp. 5:27-39; 19:5-7).
(5) The prominence of women in Jesus’ ministry, from Elizabeth and Mary, through Mary and Martha, to the women witnesses of the resurrection
(6) The response of Samaritans to Jesus which forms a focus of interest of Luke (9:51-56; 10:25-37; cf., Acts 8:4-24), more so than for the other Gospels.

Brian J. Rosner, “The Progress of the Word,” in Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts, ed. I. Howard Marshall and David Peterson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 220.

The Limitations of Archaeology

Regular readers of this blog know of my interests in archaeology and the Bible. But it is also important to keep in mind the inherent limitations of archaeology as it relates to biblical studies. Victor Matthews provides the following helpful list of the limitations of archaeology:

-The material remains uncovered by archaeologists are always incomplete.
-Interpretation of artifacts and excavation sites, like interpretation of the biblical text, involves subjective judgements that are vulnerable to revision or being discredited.
-Archaeology cannot prove or disprove the truth of the biblical narrative or its theological statements.
-Archaeological evidence cannot and should not be the only data used to interpret the Bible or the world of ancient Israel.
-Because scientific methods are constantly being improved, archaeological data is subject to reexamination. But even this is not always possible if previous excavators have destroyed data by trying to "get down" to biblical levels or have failed to adequately record and publish the results of their work.

Victor H. Matthews, Studying the Ancient Israelites: A Guide to Sources and Methods (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007), 90.

Interpreting Symbols in Revelation

See Alan Bandy's brief, but helpful, post on interpreting symbols in Revelation here.

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews that may be of interest from a Bible Exposition perspective include:

Bill T. Arnold
Genesis
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6973
Reviewed by Jan-Wim Wesselius

Margaret Barker
The Hidden Tradition of the Kingdom of God
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6764
Reviewed by Benedict Thomas Viviano, O.P.

Adam Green
King Saul: The True History of the First Messiah
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6779
Reviewed by Ralph K. Hawkins

Søren Holst
Verbs and War Scroll: Studies in the Hebrew Verbal System and the Qumran War Scrolls
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6895
Reviewed by Francis Dalrymple-Hamilton

Hans-Josef Klauck
The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles: An Introduction
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6992
Reviewed by Paul Dilley

Bernard M. Levinson
"The Right Chorale": Studies in Biblical Law and Interpretation
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7177
Reviewed by J. Glen Taylor

Darian Lockett
Purity and Worldview in the Epistle of James
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6668
Reviewed by John C. Poirier

Daniel Marguerat, ed.
Introduction au Nouveau Testament: Son histoire, son écriture, sa théologie
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7036
Reviewed by V. Henry T. Nguyen

Steve Mason
Flavius Josephus: Translation and Commentary: Vol. 1b: Judean War 2
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6945
Reviewed by Marcus Sigismund

Francis J. Moloney
Life of Jesus in Icons: From the "Bible of Tbilisi"
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6900
Reviewed by V. Henry T. Nguyen

Martti Nissinen and Risto Uro, eds.
Sacred Marriages: The Divine-Human Sexual Metaphor from Sumer to Early Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6704
Reviewed by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer

Jacobine G. Oudshoorn
The Relationship between Roman and Local Law in the Babatha and Salome Komaise Archives: General Analysis and Three Case Studies on Law of Succession, Guardianship and Marriage
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6863
Reviewed by Judith Evans Grubbs

Kuo-Wei Peng
Hate the Evil, Hold Fast to the Good: Structuring Romans 12.1-15.1
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6188
Reviewed by Derek R. Brown

Per Rönnegård
Threads and Images: The Use of Scripture in Apophthegmata Patrum
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6272
Reviewed by Mark DelCogliano

Eckhard J. Schnabel
Paul the Missionary: Realities, Strategies and Methods
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6977
Reviewed by Torrey Seland

Preaching and Hebrew Resources on Sale

Readers might be interested in two items Christianbook.com's mid-week mark down sale (good for today only). Just click on the links below. Price does not include postage.

John MacArthur, Preaching at 60% off = $9.99

iVocab for Biblical Hebrew at 55% off = $14.99

New Collection of Holy Land Pictures

Todd Bolen at Bibleplaces.com and Lifeintheholyland.com has produced a new set of pictures of the Holy Land. This new collection, “The American Colony and the Eric Matson Collection,” is part of the Historic Views of the Holy Land series. The entire collection was five years in the making and contains 4,300 images from 1898 to the 1940’s in jpg and PowerPoint format, spanning eight CD volumes.

After spending a good part of an afternoon (and still not looking at everything), I can commend this collection to you for at least three reasons. First, while there are a number of places where one can access recent pictures of places in Israel, it is much harder to find good older pictures. Having been to Israel twice, I am amazed at how much I recognized but also how much things have changed over the years. Second, I recommend this collection because it is so carefully and helpfully organized and labeled. This is a great time saver when you are looking for a particular image. Third, this collection is valuable because all the images have been placed into PowerPoint presentations with labeling. Once again this is a valuable time saver for those interested in teaching/presenting or merely viewing the pictures. With a few clicks of the mouse you can be good to go.

The individual CD’s will be released at the rate of one volume a month. Or you can purchase the entire collection now at the discounted price of $99 here. This month’s release is the Northern Palestine volume ($20) here.

Ministry Considerations

C. Michael Patton has identified sixteen considerations for someone who is considering ministry. You can read the post here.

Civil Submission and 1 Peter

Josh Mann has a thoughtful discussion on how to apply the submission to the government passage in 1 Peter 3:13-17. Read it here.

To Bury or Cremate

Read this interesting post on the debate concerning burial or cremation. R. Scott Clark argues,"burial is not just a cultural custom. It’s an act of faith. When there is a choice between burial and cremation, the latter isn’t just a convenience or an economy, it’s a message about the body and the nature of our humanity and our status as image-bearers."

Nahum, Nineveh, and Those Nasty Assyrians

Although this article is a few years old, Gordon Franz has a nice discussion on Nahum, Nineveh, and the Assyrians. This article provides helpful background bot only on the book of Nahum, but also Jonah as well. You can access the article at the Associates of Biblical Research website here.

Free John Piper Book from Logos

Yesterday I provided a link to an interview with John Piper's in Bible Study Magazine. What I failed to note is that Logos Bible Software is providing a free electronic version of Piper's book Finally Alive. For further information click on the picture below.

Different Kinds of Wisdom

Mart De Hann has posted a helpful piece on different kinds of wisdom. Here is an excerpted portion (see the full post here).

According to Buddhist folklore. Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him and departed. As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. “Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulders and carried her!” “Brother,” the second monk replied, “I set her down on the other side, while you are still carrying her.”

As I’ve thought about this story, I’ve been reminded of how important it is to acknowledge that, While the Bible is the measure of all moral and spiritual truth, all moral and spiritual truth is not confined to the Bible.

Four Kinds of Wisdom:

Secular wisdom (Helpful insights that can be observed without regard for God or the supernatural)

Religious Wisdom (Encompasses secular wisdom, but recognizes God and the supernatural)

Biblical Wisdom (Selectively encompasses secular and religious wisdom, while in the process providing something like an international standard of weights and measures. The combined Old and New Covenants provide an authoritative yardstick for evaluating wisdom found inside or outside of the Scriptures)

Redemptive Wisdom (the wisdom of the cross)

Sale on Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon

Christian Book Distributors has the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon on sale for $4.99 plus postage, this Friday only. The ad says "slightly imperfect." Not sure what that means, but this is a great price. Here is the link.

Piper on Transmitting the Word

See this interview with John Piper from the latest issue of Bible Study magazine.

Longenecker on the Effect of the Jerusalem Council Decision (Acts 15)

“The effect of the decision made Jerusalem was far-reaching. In the first place, it freed the Gospel from any necessary entanglement with Judaism and the institutions of Israel, though without renouncing the legitimacy of the continued Christian expression and mission within those confines. Thus, the Gentile and Jewish missions of the church were able to progress side by side in the decade to follow without any essential conflict. Secondly, reactions to Paul within the Jerusalem church were clarified. It is possible that some of the Jewish believers were even more fixed in their enmity than before. But others of the Christian community at Jerusalem came to have more positive attitudes toward him, as seems to have been the case with John Mark. And some felt themselves happier in a Gentile ministry than at Jerusalem because of the deliberations of the council, as was evidently true of Silas (Acts 15:27, 32, 34, 40). Thirdly, the decision made at the Council had the effect of permanently antagonizing the Jews. From this time forward, the Christian mission within the nation- and especially to Jew in and around Jerusalem- would face very rough sledding indeed. Paul said in Romans 11:28 to a predominantly Gentile audience, that the Jewish people, so far as concerns the Gospel, ‘are enemies of God, for your sake.’”

Richard N. Longenecker, The Ministry and Message of Paul (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971), 56–7.

McKnight Recommended Commentaries on Hebrews

See this post for Scot McKnight's recommendations concerning commentaries on Hebrews. McKnight lists:

Harold Attridge: Hebrews: A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible).

W. L. Lane: Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 47a, Hebrews 1-8 and Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 47b, Hebrews 9-13.

Craig Koester: Hebrews: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary.

Paul Ellingworth: The Epistle to the Hebrews: A Commentary on the Greek Text (New International Greek Testament Commentary).

Luke Timothy Johnson: Hebrews: A Commentary (New Testament Library)

Walton on Comparative Study

In his book Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament (pp. 26–7), John Walton identifies ten principles for doing comparative studies between ancient Near Eastern backgrounds and the Old Testament.

1. Both similarities and differences must be considered.
2. Similarities may suggest a common cultural heritage or cognitive environment rather than borrowing.
3. It is not uncommon to find similarities at the surface but differences at the conceptual level and vice versa.
4. All elements must be understood in their own context as accurately as possible before cross-cultural comparisons are made (i.e., careful background study must precede comparative study).
5. Proximity in time, geography, and spheres of cultural contact all increase the possibility of interaction leading to influence.
6. A case for literary borrowing requires identification of likely channels of transmission
7. The significance of differences between two pieces of literature is minimized if the works are not the same genre.
8. Similar functions may be performed by different genres in different cultures.
9. When literary or cultural elements are borrowed they may in turn be transformed into something quite different by those who borrowed them.
10. A single culture will rarely be monolithic, either in contemporary cross-section or in consideration of a passage of time.

Approaches to Old Testament Theology

John Anderson has a nice survey of various approaches to Old Testament theology. He examines four approaches: Eichrodt, von Rad, Childs, and Brueggemann. Read the post here.