On Redemptive Blogging

  
Ed Cyzewski has some important reminders for Christian bloggers here.
 

The Promise in Hebrews 11:39-40

  
See Steven Coxhead's post on the promise not received in Hebrews 11:39-40.
  

The Significance of the 613 Commandments

  
Many Bible students know that there are supposedly 613 commandments in the Hebrew Scriptures. But less well known are the varied explanations (if any) for the number 613. See this article for some explanations. I am not sure I buy any of the explanations, but they were fun to read.
 

Biblical Illiteracy

  
Here is another article on the growing biblical illiteracy among Christians.
 

The Return of Christ

  

I just received a copy of The Return of Christ edited by David L. Allen and Steve W. Lemke  and published by B & H Academic. I will be doing a review in the near future, but for now here is the publisher's description.

In the study of end times (eschatology), evangelical Christians usually adhere to one of three positions. Premillennialism holds that Christ will return to earth before He reigns over an earthly kingdom for one thousand years. Postmillennialism says the kingdom of God will become realized on this earth through the church's influence, even before Christ's return. Amillennialism suggests the millennium is not a literal thousand-year reign, but that Christ's return will usher in eternity.

The Return of Christ gathers presentations from the Acts 1:11 Conference where church leaders spoke in support of the premillennial position and pre-tribulation rapture. Regardless of whether or not a reader holds this same position, the text emphasizes the deep importance of eschatology in Christ's teaching ministry and as the focus for our hope. Indeed, without the promise of Christ's return, Christianity has little to offer the unbeliever.

The book's dozen contributors include Jerry Vines, Ergun Caner, Danny Akin, Paige Patterson, David Allen, Richard Land, Junior Hill, Stanton R. Norman, Craig Blaising, Lamar Cooper, Steven Cox, and Michael Vlach.

  

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

  

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.

  

Alicia J. Batten
Friendship and Benefaction in James
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7811
Reviewed by Oda Wischmeyer
 
Michael W. Duggan
The Consuming Fire: A Christian Guide to the Old Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7754
Reviewed by Wilhelm J. Wessels
 
Steven J. Friesen, Daniel N. Schowalter, and James C. Walters, eds.
Corinth in Context: Comparative Studies on Religion and Society
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7855
Reviewed by Dennis E. Smith
 
Marianne Bjelland Kartzow
Gossip and Gender: Othering of Speech in the Pastoral Epistles
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7637
Reviewed by Korinna Zamfir
 
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor
Keys to Second Corinthians: Revisiting the Major Issues
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7776
Reviewed by Victor Paul Furnish
Reviewed by vanThanh Nguyen
 
Christopher Rollston
Writing and Literacy in the World of Ancient Israel: Epigraphic Evidence from the Iron Age
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7813
Reviewed by Johannes Schnocks
Reviewed by Ian Young
 
Robert L. Webb and Duane F. Watson, eds.
Reading Second Peter with New Eyes: Methodological Reassessments of the Letter of Second Peter
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7626
Reviewed by David K. Burge

   

The Problem With Preaching

  
See this Huffington Post article. I would suggest that a number of these problems could be addressed by solid expository preaching in that expository preaching explains, illustrates, and applies a passage of Scripture.
 

Burk on Hell

  
Denny Burk has some interesting thoughts on how Christians should feel about hell here.
 

1 Corinthians, the Early Church and Today's Church

  

"The notion that early Christianity is a perfect model that all successive followers of Jesus Christ should imitate is clearly undermined in 1 Corinthians, and elsewhere in the New Testament as well. The early church, as we shall repeatedly see, had the same frailties and difficulties as ever subsequent Christian generation. Since this is the case, the way in which such difficulties are resolved should be particularly illuminating for the contemporary church, where many of these same issues are reflected, not least of which is the problem of the disunity and fragmentation of Christianity."

Karl Paul Donfried, The Dynamic Word: New Testament Insights for Contemporary Christians (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981), 30.
  

Latest Issue of the Bulletin for Biblical Research: Vol. 21 No. 2

 

The main articles are:

Old Testament Gemstones: Philological, Geological, and Archaeological Assessment of the Septuagint

James A. Harrell

A Communion of Subjects: Zoological Classification and Human/Animal Relations in Psalm 104

Richard Whitekettle

Building House to House (Isaiah 5:8): Theological Reflection on Land Development and Creation Care

Heath A. Thomas

NT Scholars’ Use of OT Lament Terminology and Its Theological and Interdisciplinary Implications

D. Keith Campbell

Peter and the Prophetic Word: The Theology of Prophecy Traced through Peter’s Sermons and Epistles

Paul A. Himes
  

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

  

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.

  

Willis Barnstone
The Restored New Testament: A New Translation with Commentary, Including the Gnostic Gospels Thomas, Mary, and Judas
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7383
Reviewed by Marvin J. Hudson
 
Rowan A. Greer
Theodore of Mopsuestia: Commentary on the Minor Pauline Epistles
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7873
Reviewed by Frederick G. McLeod
 
David G. Horrell, Cherryl Hunt, Christopher Southgate, and Francesca Stavrakopoulou, eds.
Ecological Hermeneutics: Biblical, Historical and Theological Perspectives
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7868
Reviewed by Russell Pregeant
 
Matthew W. Mitchell
Abortion and the Apostolate: A Study in Pauline Conversion, Rhetoric, and Scholarship
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7548
Reviewed by William S. Campbell
 
John J. Ranieri
Disturbing Revelation: Leo Strauss, Eric Voegelin, and the Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7057
Reviewed by George Heyman
 
Sandra L. Richter
The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6976
Reviewed by Russell Meek
Reviewed by Stephen Moyise
 
Richard G. Smith
The Fate of Justice and Righteousness during David's Reign: Narrative Ethics and Rereading the Court History According to 2 Samuel 8:15-20:26
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7482
Reviewed by Walter Dietrich
 
Einar Thomassen, ed.
Canon and Canonicity: The Formation and Use of Scripture
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7360
Reviewed by Donatella Scaiola

Abraham's Faith in Hebrews 11

  
Steven Coxhead has a good post on Abraham's faith in Hebrews 11 here.
  

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

Jonathan Edwards preached his famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" on this day in 1741. You can read a little write up here. You can listen to an audio sample read by Max McLean here.

Are You Kidding Me?

  
See this post noting that the Vatican has advised Catholic clergy to keep their homilies to eight minutes or less.
 

New Biblical Stock Illustrations Website

  
The illustrations are not free, but some may want to take a look at Archaeology Illustrated.  
  

Three Contributions of Second Timothy

  

Second Timothy makes at least three important contributions to the New Testament. First, it provides significant insight into Paul’s final days. Second, since in many ways this is Paul’s testament, it provides important clues into issues that the apostle considered significant. Third, 2 Timothy contains an important doctrinal passage concerning the inspiration of Scripture (3:16–17) and two important prophecies concerning future threats to the church (3:1–9; 4:3–4).

 

Historic Premillennialism Versus Dispensational Premillennialism

  

Michael Vlach has a good post on some of the significantl distinctions between Historic Premillennialism and Dispensational Premillennialism here.

  

The 25 Most Influential Preaching Books of the Last 25 Years

  

Although this article has been out for a bit, some readers might be interested in Michael Dudiut's article on "The 25 Most Influential Preaching Books of the Last 25 Years." 

  

Mark Hitchcock on John Walvoord and Walvoord's Revelation Commentary

John Walvoord’s Revelation, a commentary originally published in 1966, has served pastors and Bible teachers for some forty-five years. The author went to be with the Lord in 2002, but recently Philip E. Rawley and Mark Hitchcock were tasked with revising and updating Dr. Walvoord’s commentary. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mark Hitchcock about his work with the commentary.

 

Mark Hitchcock has earned a degree from Oklahoma State University and holds a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a Th.M. and Ph.D., both from Dallas Theological Seminary. Mark has been serving as senior pastor of Faith Bible Church in Edmond, Oklahoma since October 1992. He has authored over twenty books related to end time Bible prophecy.

1. How did you first meet Dr. Walvoord and how has he most influenced your life?

I first met Dr. Walvoord as a young boy when he would come and speak at the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, OK. He would talk to me after the services. Of course, he had no idea then that someday I would be working on his commentary. Later when I became a Th.M. student at Dallas Theological Seminary I met with Dr. Walvoord several times. But it was during my years as a Ph.D. student at DTS that Dr. Walvoord and I would frequently have lunch at the Dixie House (a local restaurant).

Dr. Walvoord has influenced my life in at least three ways. He helped me to better appreciate biblical prophecy. Dr. Walvoord was also very unassuming and one of the least self-focused people I have ever met. He did not like to talk about himself. This was a great lesson for me. Dr. Walvoord was also very pragmatic and practical. Every great Christian leader that I have met has had this quality, a quality that I have tried to incorporate into my own ministry.

2. How has Dr. Walvoord’s commentary affected your own life and ministry?

For me, Walvoord’s commentary is still the standard Dispensational commentary on Revelation even though it was first published in 1966. As a pastor, I have preached through Revelation several times and Walvoord’s commentary has been my commentary of choice. I simply devoured it.

3. What was your role in the updating of this commentary?

Most of the major rewriting and editing was done by Philip Rawley. My primary role was to read the revised text to make sure it still faithfully represented the theology and interpretations of the original edition. I also added to the introductory material, especially the dating of the book (which was the subject of my Ph.D. dissertation) and the charts and diagrams throughout the book.

4. Who do you think would benefit most from use this commentary?

Pastors and teachers of the Bible would be the primary beneficiaries of this volume. But with the stylistic changes made in this volume, this work could benefit any reader interested in the book of Revelation or biblical prophecy. I believe that this commentary should really be in any pastor’s library.

5. Other than this commentary, what are some of your other favorite commentaries on Revelation?

I would probably choose Robert Thomas’ two volumes on Revelation, especially for the more technical discussions. Other pastorally friendly volumes might be the commentaries by Ryrie. MacArthur, Wiersbe, Stedman, Hindson, Phillips, and Morris.

  

Free Audio Download of The Millennials

  
Christianaudio.com is offering a free audio download of Tom S. Rainer and Jess Rainer's book The Millennials for the month of July. For more details and instructions go here.
  

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.

Jerome F. D. Creach
The Destiny of the Righteous in the Psalms
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6683
Reviewed by Johan H. Coetzee
 
Nicole Wilkinson Duran, Teresa Okure, and Daniel Patte, eds.
Mark
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7814
Reviewed by David J. Neville
Reviewed by Steve Smith
 
David G. Horrell
The Bible and the Environment: Towards a Critical Ecological Biblical Theology
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7861
Reviewed by Norman Habel
 
James L. Papandrea
The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Approach to the Book of Revelation
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7853
Reviewed by Russell Morton
 
John W. Rogerson
A Theology of the Old Testament: Cultural Memory, Communication, and Being Human
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7521
Reviewed by Robert L. Hubbard Jr.
Reviewed by Leonard Mare
 
Benjamin Edidin Scolnic
Judaism Defined: Mattathias and the Destiny of His People
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7609
Reviewed by Daniel R. Schwartz

Theological Education

  
Michael Jenson has a nice post on "Why Theological Education?" here.
 

Schreiner on Acts through Revelation

  
Biblicaltraining.org has just released of the second semester of Dr. Thomas Schreiner's New Testament Survey class that covers Acts through Revelation. For those not familiar with the program, Biblcal Training offers free online courses. Just follow the link above and check out what is available.
 

The Death of Paul

 
According to some church traditions, Paul was beheaded on on this date in AD 67. See here.
 

Galatians 2 and Acts 11

  

As some readers may be aware, I am not a proponent of the view that Galatians 2 and Acts 15 refer to the same event. I believe that Acts 11 is a better fit for Galatians 2. So I especially appreciated the following remarks from Michael Thompson.

“Those who claim that Gal 2 must be the Acts 15 visit typically observe that we have the same people in the same place for a similar issue, and in Acts 11 Luke does not mention a meeting between Paul and the apostles. But is it really credible that if that famine relief trip actually took place, the Jerusalem apostles would have been uninterested in interviewing a man who was preaching a message that did not require Gentiles to be circumcised? Barnabas, the leader of the expedition was deeply committed to the life of the church in Jerusalem, having already given much (Acts 4.36f); presumably there was some affection for him there. It would be very odd if he and the apostles did not want to see each other. Judging from what is said of Barnabas elsewhere, he would have wanted Paul to be included in any welcome (cf. Acts 9.27). The Paul who now proclaimed the same faith he once persecuted (Gal 1.23) would not simply have dropped off some money and walked away without contact with those who shared his basic allegiance to Christ.

“No, if a famine relief visit happened, the travellers would have been refreshed and thanked, and people will talk. The private conversation described in Gal 2 would not have settled the matter of the Jerusalem church’s attitude towards circumcision for the Gentiles; it would take a much larger meeting for that. When Galatians was written, the crucial council of Acts 15 was only about to take place.”

Michael B. Thompson, “Paul in the Book of Acts: Differences and Distances,” The Expository Times 122 (2011): 430–31.