The Better Way to Read the Bible

  

“There are differences of opinion among scholars about whether being aloof and detached is a better way to read ancient texts without bias, or whether being profoundly interested and passionate about getting at the truth about a text better propels one toward the goal of understanding the Bible. In my view, as long as you can take into account your own predilections, the latter orientation is more likely to produce an accurate result, not least because the person actually cares about the outcome and is willing to go the extra mile to get to the bottom of things. I like the dictum of Johannes Bengel that John Wesley was prone to cite: ‘Apply the whole of yourself to the text; apply the whole of the text to yourself.’ This latter phrase brings us to my next crucial point.”

Ben Witherington III, Is There a Doctor in the House? An Insider's Story and Advice on Becoming a Biblical Scholar (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 128. 
  

How to Half Preach the Text

Peter Mead has four excellent posts entitled "10 Ways to Half Preach the Text" here, here, here and here.Make sure to read Peter's entire posts, but here are the ten.

1. Say just enough about the text to introduce what you want to say.
2. Preach from the details, but don’t figure out how they work together to give the main idea.
3. Preach a generic message or idea from what could be any text.
4. Use the content, but ignore the context.
5. Use the context, but ignore the content.
6. Impose a sermon structure instead of letting the text’s structure influence your message.
7. Preach a preferred cross-reference.
8. Preach a plethora of cross-references.
9. Explain it, but don’t apply it.
10. Commentary it, but don’t proclaim it.
  

The Challenge of Interpreting Ecclesiastes

  
I haven't had the chance to dip to deeply into Peter Enns' new commentary on Ecclesaistes, but he does sum up nicely some of the interpretive challenges that I have sensed in studying this book. Enns writes,

"There is . . . a vicious circle in interpreting Ecclesiastes. How one understands the overarching message of Ecclesiastes as a whole will affect how one handles the details of the book itself, yet the book's overall message cannot be determined apart from the book's details. Of course, on one level, this circle is operative with any biblical book, but the problems are augmented in the case of Ecclesiastes: it is not only the introductory questions that prove elusive, but the very details of the book, the data by which a plausible model of the whole must be constructed, likewise suffer from difficulties and ambiguities, and thus challenge any attempt to harness its overall message. It is a common experience when reading Ecclesiastes that, just when it seems the book's train of thought has been apprehended and some firm conclusion is forthcoming, a verse or two later the author says something that turns it all on its head. One begins to suspect that this is precisely what he has in mind . . . ."

Peter Enns, Ecclesiastes, Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011), 1. 

Two Free Audio Downloads for December

  

Christianaudio.com is offering two free audio books in December  through December 31.

The first free audio book is From Pearl Harbor to Calvary by Mitsuo Fuchida. According to the website,

"Mitsuo Fuchida was a Captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service who is perhaps best known for leading the first air wave attacks on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Fuchida was responsible for the coordination of the entire aerial attack working under the overall fleet commander Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo.

"After World War II ended, Fuchida became an evangelist, Christian preacher and frequently traveled to the United States to minister to the Japanese expatriate community. He became a United States citizen in 1966. His autobiography was originally released in 1953, and this edition will be published to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 2011."

The second free audio book really needs no introduction. It is Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. 
  

The Reality Check of the Word

  

"In our world of virtual reality it is the Word of the Lord that brings realism. This is the 'reality check' that dispels illusions with the sunlight of truth. In our lives and in our ministries we must hear him, Jesus Christ, the living Word."

Edmund P. Clowney, Preaching Christ in All of Scripture (Wheaton: Crossway, 2003), 175.
  

On Translating from Some Translators

  

Andy Naselli has some links here to a a symposium held at Liberty University involving Doug Moo, Wayne Grudem, and Ray Clendenen discussing the NIV, ESV, and the HCSB respectively.

  

A Meal Setting for James 2:1-9?

  
Daniel Streett has an interesting take on James 2:1-9 which places the passage in the context of an early Christian meal. You can read more about his argument on his blog here. I have to think a bit more about it, but it does seem to be a plausible explanation.
  

Some Explanations for Daniel's Decision to Avoid Defilement (Daniel 1)

  

Anne Gardner has an interesting article in the Australian Biblical Review in which she surveys various explanations and then offers her own take on the matter. Gardner lists the following explanations which I have summarized and modified somewhat. 

• The king’s food would have been defiling because foreigners made no distinction between clean and unclean animals.
• The king’s food had been offered to idols.
• Daniel and his friends did not want to put themselves under obligation to Nebuchadnezzar.
• Daniel and his friends desired to live austerely.
• Daniel and his friends had an aversion to foreign food.
• Daniel and his friends were fasting as a sign of mourning.
• Daniel and his friends did not want to be defiled generally.
• Daniel's refusal of the king's food is a refusal of part of the indoctrination process which occurred when the youths entered the king's court.
• Daniel and his friends wanted to eat “seeds” because dry seeds were considered “clean” (Lev 11:37–38)

I have summarized Gardner's solution as follows.

Daniel and his friends reject the king’s portion of prey because it is morally tainted and and wish to live according to God’s first mandate concerning food (Gen 1:29–30). It is also possible that Daniel and his friends had taken a Nazirite vow and the consumption of “seeds” and “water” may also mirror Ezekiel’s prophetic sign in Ezekiel 4:1–15. 

See Anne E.Gardner, "The Eating of Seeds and Drinking Water by Daniel and Friends: An Intimation of Holiness," Australian Biblical Review 59 (2011): 53-63.
  

The Need for Patience in Biblical Study

  

"There is a different side to character that a Bible scholar needs to develop-virtues. For one thing a Bible teacher or scholar needs lots and lots of patience. Despite the fact that our culture suggests we can have everything quickly, getting at the meaning of ancient texts in their original contexts is, or can be, a slow process. Sometimes the outcomes of a detailed and intense study of the Bible in its culture can be disappointing. It's precisely when the text does not cough up the results you were expecting or wanting that you find out what sort of Bible teacher or scholar you actually are."

Ben Witherington III, Is There a Doctor in the House? An Insider's Story and Advice on Becoming a Biblical Scholar (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 127. 
  

Ulrich Luz's Matthew 21–28 Commentary

  
Luz, Ulrich. Matthew 21–28: A Commentary. Edited by Helmut Koester. Translated by James E. Crouch. Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2005.

This is the third and final volume of Luz’s three volume Matthew commentary. This three volume series is based on Luz’s original German four-volume commentary. It is technical in content and critical in methodology. For information on the first volume, Matthew 1–7, see here and for information on the second volume, Matthew 8–20 see here. For more information on the Hermeneia series see here.

Publisher's Description:

In this third volume, Luz brings his superlative analysis of Matthew's Gospel to a close. He is renowned for both his discerning exegetical insights as well as his tracing of the effects the text has had throughout history — in theological argument, art, and literature. This final section provides in-depth treatment of Jesus' final days — his entry into Jerusalem, the Passion Narrative, and post-resurrection appearances..

Abbreviated Table of Contents:

Foreword to Hermeneia
Editor's Note
Preface
Translator's Preface
Reference Codes

Commentary

V Jesus in Jerusalem (21:1–25:46)

A Jesus’ Reckoning with His Opponents (21:1–24:2)
B The Judgment Discourse (24:3–25:46)

VI Passion and Easter (26:1–28:20)

A Introduction
B Commentary

Indices
1. Passages
2. Greek Words
3. Subjects
4. Medieval Commentators and Modern Authors

The Monoethnic Mosaic Covenant

  
Steven Coxhead has an interesting post on the monoethnic nature of the Mosaic Covenant.
 

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.

Ovidiu Creanga, ed.
Men and Masculinity in the Hebrew Bible and Beyond
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8008
Reviewed by Stuart Macwilliam

Katharine J. Dell, Graham Davies, and Yee Von Koh, eds.
Genesis, Isaiah and Psalms: A Festschrift to Honour Professor John Emerton for His Eightieth Birthday
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7895
Reviewed by Jeffery M. Leonard

Helen Leneman
Love, Lust, and Lunacy: The Stories of Saul and David in Music
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8012
Reviewed by Christina Landman

Amy-Jill Levine, ed.
A Feminist Companion to the Apocalypse of John
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7870
Reviewed by Renate Viveen Hood

Joseph F. Mali
The Christian Gospel and Its Jewish Roots: A Redaction-Critical Study of Mark 2:21-22 in Context
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7951
Reviewed by Tom Shepherd

Hugh R. Page Jr., ed.
The Africana Bible: Reading Israel's Scriptures from Africa and the African Diaspora
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7357
Reviewed by Gerald O. West

Emanuel Pfoh
The Emergence of Israel in Ancient Palestine: Historical and Anthropological Perspectives
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7586
Reviewed by Jeremy Hutton

Pekka M. A. Pitkänen
Joshua
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7886
Reviewed by Thomas B. Dozeman

Alf H. Walle
Pagans and Practitioners: Expanding Biblical Scholarship
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7808
Reviewed by Daniel K. Darko

John Walliss and Lee Quinby, eds.
Reel Revelations: Apocalypse and Film
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8002
Reviewed by T. Michael W. Halcomb 

The Five Love Languages of Leviticus

  
See this post.
 

Ten Tips for Reading Scripture in Public

  

I have been trying to improve my public reading of Scripture and I found these ten tips helpful.

1. Acknowledge that the public reading of the Scriptures is important.

2. See for yourself how interpretation and verbal nuances makes a difference.

3. Make sure you understand the meaning of the passage.

4. Become comfortable with expressing a wide range of emotions.

5. Read some children's book aloud.

6. Use the very effective communication device called the pause.

7. Look up from your reading only to reinforce the message.

8. Read; do not act.

9. Prepare ahead of time by reading aloud.

10. Be open to critique.

Daniel L. Akin, Bill Curtis, and Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition (Nashville: B & H Academic, 2011), 156-57.

   

Clowney on Study and Sermon Preparation

  
Edmund Clowney in discussing the sermon preparation process, reminds us that preparation in God's Word is not merely an academic exercise but rather a spiritual one.

"Do you need reminding to be aware of the presence of the Lord as you study His Word? Of course, reading his Word is also the prime way of seeking his presence. How do we ever manage to forget that it is the Lord who addresses us?"

Edmund P. Clowney, Preaching Christ in All of Scripture (Wheaton: Crossway, 2003), 46.
  

The Task of Old Testament Theology

  
“This is a theology of the Old Testament. The Theology of the Old Testament will never be written. Each generation sees new vistas within the Scriptures of which earlier generations were unaware. Thus the Theology of the Old Testament has to be represented to each generation in the language and thought of that new generation. He who seeks to represent it thus must also take into account the ever-growing heritage both of the world of science and of the world of biblical studies.”

George A. F. Knight, A Christian Theology of the Old Testament (London: SCM, 1959), viii.
   

Witherington on the Kind of Bible Teachers We Don't Need

  

"There's hardly anything sadder than to run into a teacher of the Bible who does not believe the Bible and may even have a guilty conscience about making a living from teaching the Bible. I have known a few such folk, and they, perhaps above all Bible teachers, need our prayers. It is true, of course, that God can write straight with a crooked stick. We all know the story of God's using not only Balaam, but Balaam's donkey to convey the truth. But these examples are far from ideal. Jesus wanted disciples, not mere marionettes that he could manipulate to talk for him.

"The warning that "not many of you (Christians) should presume to be teachers" could be further amplified if we are talking about people who are not even inclined to believe the Bible, or even worse are prepared to caricature, ridicule, and stereotype the Bible, or use it to pursue their own unbiblical agendas. We don't need Bible teachers like that, especially in a biblically illiterate culture already prone to dismiss the Bible as a relic of the past."  

Ben Witherington III, Is There a Doctor in the House? An Insider's Story and Advice on Becoming a Biblical Scholar (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 126. 
  

The Limitations of Wisdom in Ecclesiastes 1:12–18

  

How does Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 relate to Ecclesiastes 1:1-11? I suggest that in 1:12-18 Qohelet anticipates someone who might wonder whether the meaninglessness and frustration expressed in 1:1–11 could be attributed to failing to apply wisdom to the observations made in these verses. Perhaps if one could understand life then such an understanding would result in significance and meaning. However, Qohelet puts an end to such speculation in 1:12-18 with his comments concerning the limitations if wisdom. As one author suggests, Qohelet is shutting off all escape routes.[1]

[1] Michael A. Eaton, Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, ed. D. J. Wiseman, vol. 16 (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity , 1983), 61.

  

Wisdom as a Way of Doing Things

  

"Wisdom is not something to do; rather it is a way of doing things. This is borne out by the bewildering variety of human endeavors mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with wisdom."

William E. Mouser, Jr., Walking in Wisdom: Studying the Proverbs of Solomon (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1983), 125.

  

Preaching Christ from the Old Testament

"Preaching Christ from the Old Testament means that we preach, not synagogue sermons, but sermons that take account of the full drama of redemption, and its realization in Christ. To see the text in relation to Christ is to see it in its larger context, the context of God's purpose in revelation. We do not ignore the specific message of the text, nor will it do to write an all-purpose Christocentric sermon finale and tag it for weekly use.

"You must preach Christ as the text presents him. If you are tempted to think that most Old Testament texts do not present Christ, reflect on both the unity of Scripture and the fullness of Jesus Christ. Christ is present in the Bible as the Lord and as the Servant."

Edmund P. Clowney, Preaching Christ in All of Scripture (Wheaton: Crossway, 2003), 11.

Five Crucial Sermon Questions

  

These are five crucial quiestions for every sermon to raise and answer.

1. What does this text teach about God and his character and ways?

2. What does the text teach about fallen humanity?

3. How does this text point to Christ?

4. What does God want my people to know?

5. What does God want my people to do?

Daniel L. Akin, Bill Curtis, and Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition (Nashville: B & H Academic, 2011), 133-34..

Hagner on Resurrection in the New Testament

  
Donald Hagner has a good general article on resurrection in the New Testament ("The Resurrection of the Body in the New Testament," Australian Biblical Review 59 [2011], 64-80). Among other things Hagner points out that all the miraculous raisings of the dead in the Bible except for Christ are better called resuscitations. That is, "Those who were raised still belonged to the first creation, and had to die a second time." Hagner of course, is correct. In discussing the difference between resuscitation and resurrection I have found that if you use the term resuscitation, many have the impression that the person was not really dead. On the other hand, resurrection cannot be used for the reason Hagner has noted. So I have coined the term "resusurrection" (at least I have never heard anyone else use it). The idea is that resuscitation is too weak a term since it might convey the idea of something short of death and resurrection too strong because it belongs to the new creation. 
 

Witherington on the Role of Faith in Knowing and Teaching the Bible

  

"If it sounds as if I am suggesting that one has to be a genuine Christian or devout Jew to properly teach, preach, or write about the Bible, I am indeed suggesting that that should be the desideratum. If teaching is going to glorify God, edify the saints, and even educate, intrigue, and influence the lost, then, yes, that is what is most needed. It is true that some non-Christians can put Christians to shame with their biblical knowledge. If we are just talking about understanding biblical texts and ideas, it is indeed possible for a secular person to teach the Bible well at the level of information. But just as it is one thing to know the Bible, another to know the God of the Bible, it is also one thing to know the Bible and another thing to know the Bible is true, and God's Word.

"The Bible is not just intended for information and education. It’s not intended to be just a great piece of literature that merely intrigues or mildly inspires. It's intended for human transformation, and a teacher who cannot help an audience with the latter is handicapped. Indeed, a teacher who has not personally been transformed by the text cannot properly embody it, embrace it, model it, call for emulation of it, and the like. The Jewish or Christian teacher who is constantly coming to grips with the text will be constantly challenged to live it."

Ben Witherington III, Is There a Doctor in the House? An Insider's Story and Advice on Becoming a Biblical Scholar (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 125. 
  

Themelios 36.3 is Out

The latest edition of Themelios, a 238 page PDF, is now available as as a free download here. Individual articles and features with links are as follows:

1. D. A. Carson | Editorial: Spiritual Disciplines
2. Jonathan Gibson | Jonathan Edwards: A Missionary?
3. Andrew Moody | That All May Honour the Son: Holding Out for a Deeper Christocentrism
4. Rodney J. Decker | An Evaluation of the 2011 Edition of the New International Version
5. Melvin Tinker | Friends: The One with Jesus, Martha, and Mary;  An Answer to Kierkegaard
6. 71 Book Reviews

The New Covenant

  

I had recently been working through Jeremiah and thinking about the New Covenant when I came across this statement from H. L. Ellison. Unfortunately, Ellison does not further unpack the statement, but that being said, there is a lot here that resonates with me.

It is one thing to say that Jeremiah was not given to see what the new covenant would mean for the world, it is entirely another to say that by Israel and Judah he really meant the Church. So to understand Jer. 31:23–40; 33:14–26 is to make all sane Bible interpretation impossible. On the other hand, we must not fall into the opposite error of supposing that the new covenant will mean something else for ‘all Israel’ than it does for the Church, that saved Israel will be saved in some other way than is the Church. God does not abolish physical Israel, but in saving it transcends it, just as He does not scrap this earth but renews it.”

H. L. Ellison, Men Spake from God: Studies in the Hebrew Prophets (Carlisle: Paternoster, 1968), 92.