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.

Robert B. Coote and Keith W. Whitelam
The Emergence of Early Israel in Historical Perspective
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8006
Reviewed by Aren M. Maeir
 
Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Tikva Frymer-Kensky
Ruth
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8327
Reviewed by Peter H. W. Lau
 
Zev Garber, ed.
The Jewish Jesus: Revelation, Reflection, Reclamation
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7963
Reviewed by Walter Brueggemann
 
Jason B. Hood
The Messiah, His Brothers, and the Nations: (Matthew 1.1-17)
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8335
Reviewed by M. Eugene Boring
 
Kelly R. Iverson and Christopher W. Skinner, eds.
Mark as Story: Retrospect and Prospect
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8165
Reviewed by Adam Winn
 
John Kampen
Wisdom Literature
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7970
Reviewed by Devorah Dimant
 
Brent Landau
Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7944
Reviewed by Craig A. Evans
 
Cotton Mather; ed. Reiner Smolinski
Biblia Americana, Volume 1: Genesis
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8097
Reviewed by Mark Elliott
 
Roland Meynet
A New Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8151
Reviewed by Tobias Hägerland
 
Stanley E. Porter and Cynthia Long Westfall, eds.
Empire in the New Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8054
Reviewed by Torrey Seland

  

Currents in Biblical Research 10.3

  

The June 2012 issue Currents in Biblical Research contains the following main articles.

Continuing the Engagement: Psalms Research Since the Early 1990s
J. Kenneth Kuntz

Recent Challenges to the communis opinio on 1 Corinthians 15.29
Joel R. White

The Second-Century Reception of John: A Survey of Methodologies
Dan Batovici

Kerygma, Catechesis and Other Things We Used to Find: Twentieth-Century Research on Early Christian Teaching since Alfred
Benjamin Edsall

Current Trends in Targum Research
Simon Lasair   
  

The Limits of General Revelation

I was recently teaching about the difference between general and special revelation and came upon this helpful statement from Robert Lightner.

“God’s revelation in the world does not possess power to alter man’s conduct. Also, it is very limited and restricted in its extent and purpose. God did not give it to correct man but to communicate to him his need for correction. Neither does the revelation of God in the world include the cure or the basis for cleansing man’s sin. Only God’s revelation in the Word provides these necessities. Furthermore, the revelation God gave of Himself in nature and in the conscience of man is limited. Man’s lost condition, his need of a substitute for his sin, and Jesus Christ as the only Saviour from sin are only revealed in Scripture. Neither does general revelation tell man how to live. Even to our first parents God had to speak before they knew what to do and how to live. The beauty and splendor of the garden did not communicate such knowledge to them.”

Robert P. Lightner, The God of the Bible: An Introduction to the Doctrine of God (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973), 53.
  

The Israel Collection Giveaway

  

Todd Bolen at BiblePlaces.com is giving away two copies of the Israel Collection (volumes 1-5) from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands.You really should enter this contest and hope/pray that you win. You can read more about the contest here.

I have been having fun going through Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. I have been to Israel five times and I am still seeing things in these pictures that I have not seen or noticed before. If you teach the Bible you really need to get the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands.
  

Hamilton on His First Pastorate

  
James Hamilton has a post worth reading on some lessons he learned from his first pastorate here.
  

Bulletin for Biblical Research 22:2

  

The latest issue of the Bulletin for Biblical Research is out. Here is a list of the articles.

 

Toward a Theory of the Poetry of the Hebrew Bible: The Poetry of the Psalms as a Test Case
Beat Weber

The Book as Specimen, Talisman, and Dragoman in Africa: A Look at Some African Uses of the Psalms and 1 Corinthians 12–14
Grant LeMarquand

Paul and Sedition: Pauline Apologetic in Acts
Craig S. Keener

Rewriting Prophets in the Corinthian Correspondence: A Window on Paul’s Hermeneutic
J. David Stark

The Spiritual Powers of Ephesians 6:10–18 in the Light of African Pentecostal Spirituality
J. Ayodeji Adewuya

Fortress Press Sale

  
Fortress Press has a number of their titles on sale 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.

 

Brian Britt
Biblical Curses and the Displacement of Tradition
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8014
Reviewed by Brian Doak
 
Sherri Brown
Gift upon Gift: Covenant through Word in the Gospel of John
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8061
Reviewed by Dirk van der Merwe
 
David M. Carr
The Formation of the Hebrew Bible: A New Reconstruction
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8325
Reviewed by Christoph Berner
 
Colin J. Humphreys
The Mystery of the Last Supper: Reconstructing the Final Days of Jesus
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8000
Reviewed by David A. Fiensy
Reviewed by Mary J. Marshall
 
Marjo Korpel and Johannes de Moor
The Silent God
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8140
Reviewed by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer
 
Eric F. Mason and Kevin B. McCruden, eds.
Reading the Epistle to the Hebrews: A Resource for Students
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8328
Reviewed by Scott D. Mackie
 
Robert K. McIver
Memory, Jesus, and the Synoptic Gospels
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8260
Reviewed by Alan Kirk
 
Michael S. Moore
WealthWatch: A Study of Socioeconomic Conflict in the Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8233
Reviewed by Matthew Coomber
 
Janet Smith
Dust or Dew: Immortality in the Ancient Near East and in Psalm 49
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8084
Reviewed by Philippus J. Botha

John the Baptist in the News

  
This story has all the earmarks of conclusions exceeding the evidence, but some might be interested in this story about the possible finding of John the Baptist's bones.
  

Interview with Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla on Preaching Mark

On Monday I introduced Mark: A Theological Commentary for Preachers. Today I want to share an interview with the book’s author, Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla. Abe is Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministries, at Dallas Theological Seminary and has a particular passion for the art and science of preaching. He has served as the President of the Evangelical Homiletics Society and as interim preacher of Houston International Christian Fellowship (TX), Watertown Evangelical Church (MA), Plano Bible Chapel (TX), Sherman Bible Church (TX), and Scofield Memorial Church (TX). Abe also blogs regularly at www.homiletix.com.

Question: How did Mark: A Theological Commentary for Preachers come about?

I firmly believe that biblical writers are not only giving us information, but are exhorting us to change our lives in particular ways for the glory of God. My goal in life is to grapple with the text to discover not only what is written, but how. Because the what + how combo invariably points us to the life-change intended by the author. And since I had taught Mark for several semesters and been intrigued by his style, I thought I’d give this Gospel a shot. It also helped that it was the shortest!

Question: Who do you think should read Mark: A Theological Commentary for Preachers?

It is primarily geared for preachers. But for any layperson interested in how valid application can be derived from the various portions of Mark’s Gospel—this includes Bible teachers, Sunday school teachers, and everyone keen on applying the biblical text—I think this book will prove to be helpful. Yes, it is somewhat technical, with Greek (and some Hebrew), but every foreign word is translated and transliterated, so even those without Greek/Hebrew can engage the work.

Hey, I’d love to get your readers’ feedback on it. Feel free to go to my website (www.homiletix.com) and comment, or shoot me an email.

Question:What do you hope to accomplish through this book?

I think that, unlike most commentaries, this one dissects out the how of the text—how the text is structured, how it says what it says. All to the goal of figuring out what Mark (with some help from the Holy Spirit!) is doing with what he is saying. Readers of the Gospel will note that it is a unique piece of writing, structured as a journey: Jesus and his company begin in Galilee and end in Jerusalem. It’s just one straight movement, all the way to the cross. Mark, then, is essentially a handbook of discipleship, teaching believers what it means to follow Jesus. Bit by bit, passage by passage, Mark unfolds facets of discipleship. And I’ve tried to track with Mark in the same fashion in my commentary, moving from one text to the next (or, to be technical, from one pericope to the next).

Question: Other than your book, what are some other resources that might help those who are interested in preaching or teaching Mark?

To be perfectly honest, I couldn’t find a whole lot of good resources to help me preach through Mark. That’s another reason I began this project (which will, God willing, continue on to other books; I’m already half way through the next one). One work that opened my eyes to the concepts I’ve written about was Mark As Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel by David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie. Not very theologically conservative, but in terms of looking at narrative, terrific. Of course, there are a number of commentaries on Mark to help one teach it: those by Robert Stein, R. T. France, Adela Collins, and others. Not a whole lot of help in these for those preaching pericope by pericope, though.
  

Books to Read This Summer

  
Not really related to biblical studies, but some might be interested in this infographic on summer reading recommendations.
 

Free E-Book: A Pastor's Guide to Text Driven Preaching

  

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is offering A Pastor's Guide to Text Driven Preaching as free e-book in three different formats.

A Pastor's Guide to Text-Driven Preaching - EPUB download

A Pastor's Guide to Text-Driven Preaching - Kindle download

A Pastor's Guide to Text-Driven Preaching - PDF download

Paul and the Trinity

  
See this article in First Things.
 

Latest Issue of Bibliotheca Sacra

  
The July-September 2012 issue of Bibliotheca Sacra is now out. The issue contains the following articles.

The Day of the Lord and the Rapture, part 3 of 4 parts of "The Day of the Lord"

Craig A. Blaising

Premillenialism in the Ante-Nicene Church

H. wayne House

The Believer's Intermediate State after Death

Larry J. Waters

The Conquest of Jericho: A Narrative Paradigm for Theocratic Policy

Eugene H. Merrill

An Alternate Solution to an Alleged Contradiction in the Gospels

Monte A. Shanks

What is the Meaning of "Idols" in 1 John 5:21?

Benjamin L. Merkle

Have the Prophecies in Revelation 17–18 about Babylon been Fulfilled? Part 3

Andrew M Woods
 

A New Commentary for Preachers on Mark

  
Recently the kind folks at Wipf and Stock sent me a review copy of Abraham Kuruvilla’s Mark: A Theological Commentary for Preachers. Although I am planning a more formal review for a future post, a cursory examination of the contents has really wet my appetite. 

For starters, this work is very well laid out. The introduction clearly explains the various sections. While the sections are fairly standard, they are very well done. I really appreciate two features in particular. (1) Each pericope (or section of text) begins with a review, summary, and preview. That is, you are given a review of the theological content of the text that preceded the text at hand, a summary of the theological content of the text at hand, and a preview of the theological content of the text that follows. So right up front, the preacher is reminded of the importance of recognizing where he has been (assuming that he is preaching through a book consecutively), where he is, and where he will be going. This is an aspect of exposition that I find frequently lacking in many sermons. (2) I appreciate that the outline is in full sentence form. Phrase outlines are fine at times, but they often lack the precision that full sentence outlines have. A well written outline really takes the guesswork about what the author sees in a passage. You may disagree with the author’s description but you are less likely to have to guess at what the author meant. This feature serves as great model for preachers to create their own full sentence outlines. I could say more, but I will leave that for my forthcoming review.

Go here for to read more about the book. You can read a sample here and stay tuned for an interview with the author later this week.
  

Interview with Tom Schreiner on Biblical Law

  
Go here to listen or download Janet Mefford's interview of Tom Schreiner related to his recent book 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law.

Forthcoming Simon Gathercole and Alan Millard Lectures

  

Those who are in the Houston area might want to mark their calendars for two free upcoming lectures at the Lanier Theological Library.

A lecture by Simon Gathercole on "Jesus in the Canonical and Apocryphal Gospels" (Sept 8, 7-9 PM). You can access more details here.

A lecture by Alan Millard on "Did Moses Know the Alphabet? Was there writing in Ancient Israel?" (Nov. 3, 7-9 PM). You can access more details here.
 

Interview with Matti Friedman on the Aleppo Codex

  
You can listen to a podcast of Krys Boyd's interview of Matti Friedman and his book The Aleppo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith, and the Pursuit of an Ancient Bible here. The interview in question is dated to 6/6/2012 and entitled "The Pursuit of an Ancient Bible."
  

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.

Kenneth E. Bailey
Paul through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8357
Reviewed by Jack Barentsen
 
Katell Berthelot and Thierry Legrand, eds.
Torah: Exode, Lévitique, Nombres
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8128
Reviewed by Eibert Tigchelaar
 
Martinus C. de Boer
Galatians: A Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8373
Reviewed by James D. G. Dunn
Reviewed by Martin Meiser
 
Bruce Chilton and Deirdre J. Good
Studying the New Testament: A Fortress Introduction
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7973
Reviewed by Moschos Goutzioudis
 
Antonios Finitsis
Visions and Eschatology: A Socio-Historical Analysis of Zechariah 1-6
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8347
Reviewed by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer
 
Lester L. Grabbe, ed.
Israel in Transition 2: From Late Bronze II to Iron IIA (c. 1250-850 BCE): The Texts
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7805
Reviewed by Aren Maier
 
Timothy Jay Johnson
Now My Eye Sees You: Unveiling an Apocalyptic Job
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7514
Reviewed by Michael S. Moore
 
Richard N. Longenecker
Introducing Romans: Critical Issues in Paul's Most Famous Letter
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8110
Reviewed by Akio Ito
 
Ben Witherington III
What's in the Word: Rethinking the Socio-Rhetorical Character of the New Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8066
Reviewed by Vernon K. Robbins
 

Free Loeb Classical Library Volumes

   

Back in 2010 I noted here that some of older (i.e. out of copyright) volumes of the Loeb Classical Library were available as free downloads. Here is another site that also makes some of the volumes available for free.

HT: Stephen Cook
  

Free Downloads of the CEB

  
The full version of the Common English Bible and Common English Bible with Apocrypha will be available for free download for Kindle and Nook. This offer is for two days only, starting today. I would recommend that you get the version with the added Apocrypha since both versions are free.


Here are the links for the Common English Bible.
Kindle
Nook
Christianbook.com

Here are the links for the Common English Bible with Apocrypha.
Kindle
Nook
Christianbook.com


Note: For some reason the Nook folks haven't received the memo and still show a price for both versions, at least when I checked. UPDATE: The Nook link appears to have been corrected.
  

Free Logos Book of the Month: H. A. Ironside's Four Hundred Silent Years

  
This might be a bit late, but some of you may not have heard that the Logos free book of the month for June is H. A. Ironside's Four Hundred Silent Years. You can get the details here.
 

Introductory Issue of the Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament

  
The first issue of the Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament is now out. It looks to contain several interesting articles. You can access the journal here.
  

Scot McKnight on Attending Seminary

  
Yes Virginia, there might still be reasons to attend seminary. You can find Scot McKnight's reasons here.
 

Free Bibleworks 9 Contest

  
Jim Barr at Bibleworks is offering two copies of Bibleworks 9 to celebrate the company's 20th anniversary. Bibleworks 9 is a great Bible study resource. You can access details of the contest here.