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.


Reinhard G. Kratz and Hermann Spieckermann, eds.
One God-One Cult-One Nation: Archaeological and Biblical Perspectives
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8250
Reviewed by Aren Maeir

Matthew Morgenstern
Studies in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic Based Upon Early Eastern Manuscripts
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8288
Reviewed by Aaron Koller

T. Muraoka
A Grammar of Qumran Aramaic
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8451
Reviewed by Adam McCollum

Raj Nadella
Dialogue Not Dogma: Many Voices in the Gospel of Luke
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8164
Reviewed by Jean-François Racine

Bezalel Porten
The Elephantine Papyri in English: Three Millennia of Cross-Cultural Continuity and Change
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8368
Reviewed by Jeremy Hutton
Reviewed by Jerome A. Lund

Seth D. Postell
Adam as Israel: Genesis 1-3 as the Introduction to the Torah and Tanakh
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8562
Reviewed by L. Michael Morales

Armand Puig I Tàrrech
Jesus: A Biography
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8318
Reviewed by V. George Shillington

Gordon J. Wenham
Psalms as Torah: Reading Biblical Song Ethically
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8429
Reviewed by Joseph R. Kelly

Anne-Laure Zwilling
Frères et sours dans la Bible: Les relations fraternelles mises en récit dans l'Ancien et le Nouveau Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8125
Reviewed by Jean-Paul Michaud
 

Lecture Series on Bible History and Archeology

  
Fellow blogger and Holy Land tour guide Ferrell Jenkins is featured in this article highlighting an upcoming six-part lecture series on “Bible History and Archeology.” If you are Murfreesboro, TN you might want to check it out. 
  

More on Genre

  
I recently posted a quote on genre here. Michael Jensen has now posted a nice discussion on the topic here.
 

Keener's Acts Commentary

  

I recently posted on sale prices for Criag Keener's brand new Acts commentary (see here). But both Amazon (now $34.87) and Westminster (now $35.99) have raised their prices. The best deal right now is Christian Book Distributor's "academic deal of the day" which has the commentary at $31.99 (go here). But keep in mind that the price is only good for today.
 

Free Logos Book for October: The Christian Doctrine on Prayer

  
The free Logos Book for October is James Hastings' The Christian Doctrine on Prayer. You can also enter to win the 20 volume Great Texts of the Bible . Go the Logos' Free Book of Month page to enter and download your free book today!
  

Ebook Specials from Baker Academic

  
Baker Academic & Brazos Press are offering some Ebook discounts for the month of October. For example, they have:

Jo-Ann Brant's John commentary in the Paideia series for $4.99 or 83% off the retail price of $29.99.

Thomas Stegman's 2 Corinthians commentary in the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series for $4.99 or 75% off the retail price of $19.99.

Paul J. Griffiths' Song of Songs commentary in the Brazos Theological Commentary series for $4.99 or 85% off the retail price of $32.99 

There other books as well. Go to this link for other titles and links to purchase.
 
HT: Joseph Abraham

Free Audio of How Should Christians Vote? by Tony Evans

  
Christianaudio.com's free audiobook download for the month of October is How Should Christians Vote? by Tony Evans. Here is the publisher's description:

"Christians are a large and influential voting block today. But as each governmental election approaches, an increasing polarity occurs within those claiming the Christian faith. This comes as a result of party-voting rather than voting according to Biblical mandates and authority. To refocus correctly, Dr. Tony Evans goes back to the basics and teaches on how God established government as a divine institution whose tasks include promoting the well-being of those within its realm and protection from evil.

"Scripture trumps all political alliances making the voting decision a critical opportunity for Christians to promote God's Word and His values through whom they elect. In the face of increasing emotions the Christians representing God's kingdom values should communicate His truths in a manner reflective of the King - in a gracious and strategic way. Dr. Evans also looks at the necessary qualities in a good candidate which include intellect, education, competency, skill and spiritual beliefs - whether certain issues are non-negotiables, and how a responsible citizen is to research a candidates' position in order to evaluate it against God's Word."

For more information or to get your download 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.

Peter H. Davids
2 Peter and Jude: A Handbook on the Greek Text
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8308
Reviewed by Terrance D. Callan
 
Lisbeth S. Fried, ed.
Was 1 Esdras First? An Investigation into the Priority and Nature of 1 Esdras
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8187
Reviewed by Andrew Steinmann
 
Detlef Jericke
Regionaler Kult und lokaler Kult: Studien zur Kult- und Religionsgeschichte Israels und Judas im 9. und 8. Jahrhundert v. Chr.
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8046
Reviewed by John Engle
 
Vadim Jigoulov
The Social History of Achaemenid Phoenicia: Being a Phoenician, Negotiating Empires
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7634
Reviewed by S. Rebecca Martin
 
Karen H. Jobes
Letters to the Church: A Survey of Hebrews and the General Epistles
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8374
Reviewed by Peter H. Davids
 
Joel S. Kaminsky and Joel N. Lohr
The Torah: A Beginner's Guide
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8402
Reviewed by Rachel S. Mikva
 
William Loader
The Pseudepigrapha on Sexuality: Attitudes towards Sexuality in Apocalypses, Testaments, Legends, Wisdom, and Related Literature
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7977
Reviewed by Françoise Mirguet
 
Barry Smith
Jesus' Twofold Teaching about the Kingdom of God
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7500
Reviewed by Daniel A. Smith
 
Daniel F. Stramara Jr.
God's Timetable: The Book of Revelation and the Feast of Seven Weeks
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8058
Reviewed by Daniel Streett

Mapping Archeological Sites in Israel

  
The Israel Antiquities Authority has been working on a project since 1964 to map every historical and archaeological site west of the Jordan. The project may take decades to complete. You can read about the project in this story.
 

A Spectrum of Views on the Gender Debate

  
Adrian Warnock has posted a helpful discussion of the spectrum of views in the gender debate between complementarians and egalitarians here.
 

Genre as Family Resemblance

  
Jonathan Pennington has a helpful explanation of genre in his new book, Reading the Gospels Wisely. Pennington writes:

“When we use the word ‘genre’ top describe a recognizable type of writing with a certain style, purpose, and identifiable features. Genres are neither purely prescriptive nor descriptive. That is, there are no concrete, unbreakable rules for a genre, or even a set number of genres that exist (such as in a classical prescriptive view). However, this does mean that genre is a useless term that has as many meanings as there are different works of literature (thus only descriptive). Rather, a genre is an overall term that we can use to describe a grouping of literary works that share a set of common characteristics, allowing flexibility for any particular work to manifest or omit some of these characteristics or to emphasize others. A genre is a matter of culturally understood conventions. The best analogy to describe this is that of ‘family resemblance.’ Even as the various members of the family might share identifiable characteristics, such as height or shape of cheekbone or nose, yet remain distinct people, so too we can note that the members of a family of literary works—or genre—clearly overlap with one another yet are not identical. Thus we can speak of a genre we are discussing certain characteristics that are identifiable as overlapping between different pieces of literature. These are conventional and may vary by culture.”

Jonathan T. Pennington, Reading the Gospels Wisely: A Narrative and Theological Introduction (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012), 19.
 

Keener on the Message and Historicity of Acts

I just received my copy of Craig Keener's brand new commentary on the first two chapters in Acts. My initial impressions are very positive. Here is a quote from the prolegomenon that I appreciated.

"Although my interests lie more in Luke's message than in questions of historical reconstruction, these subjects are not as readily separated as some modern writers assume. In addition to its moralistic and propagandistic value, ancient historiography also made claims about past events that differentiated it from other genres that communicated ideas differently."

Craig S. Keener, Acts an Exegetical Commentary: Volume1: Introduction and 1:1–2:47 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012), 24.
  

Bethsaida Photo Book

  
Mark Hoffman has posted a twenty page photo book on "et-tell," the possible site of ancient Bethsaida. There are real questions about the identification of et-tell with Bethsaida (see here). Bethsaida is mentioned about seven times in the Gospels and is identified as the hometown of Philip, Andrew, and Peter. Mark has done a nice job with the photo-book and you can access it here. 
 

The Circumcised Walls of Jericho!

  
I had a good chuckle when I read Chuck Swindoll illustrate the dangers of using words in preaching that are easily mispronounced. He writes, "When I preached on the Hebrew conquest of Canaan, I described how Joshua and the people of Israel 'circumcised the walls of Jericho.' Why I had chosen to use the word 'circumscribed' I don't know. At first I didn't realize what I had said, but the congregation kept laughing. Finally, I got it. Oh my!"

Charles R. Swindoll, Saying It Well: Touching Others with Your Words (New York: Faith Words, 2012), 190.
 

Abortion and Early Christian Writings

  
See this post by John Aloisi.
 

Thinking About Psalm 2

While teaching recently on Psalm 2, I was struck with verse 8. But before I state what I found so interesting in this verse, let me step back and talk about the psalm for a moment.

Psalm 2 is typically classified as a royal psalm, that is, a psalm that focuses on the anointed king. There are three commonly identified criteria for royal psalms: “(1) refer to the ‘king,’ (2) mention the ‘anointed’ one as a noun or make use of the verb, and (3) they refer to David by name” (C. Hassell Bullock, Encountering the Book of Psalms, Encountering Biblical Studies, ed. Eugene H. Merrill [Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001], 178). Psalm 2 meets two of these three criteria (absent is David’s name). I would sum up the message of this royal psalm as rebellion against the Lord and His mediated rule through His Anointed King is doomed to fail because the Lord is sovereign and so the only appropriate response is not rebellion but subservience.

For many Christian interpreters, Psalm 2 is also either a messianic psalm or perhaps a psalm with messianic elements. Such a reading is consistent with the fact that the psalm is quoted four times (Acts 4:25–26; 13:33; Heb 1:5; 5:5) and alluded to fourteen times in the New Testament (according to the index in UBS4), most often in connection with Jesus the Messiah. The lion’s share of attention for this messianic connection is given to verse 7.
 
He said to me, “You are my Son;
     today I have become your Father.”
 
This focused attention is probably merited, but I was drawn to verse 8, where the Anointed King is quoting the Lord’s decree (see v. 7a).

“Ask of me,
     and I will make the nations your inheritance,
     the ends of the earth your possession.”

What interests me iss that many interpreters do not adequately explain how this psalm could be royal and not Messianic. Which Davidic descendent ever enjoyed this kind of dominion? Surely, Goldingay is incorrect in suggesting that “apparently an Israelite king never took up the invitation to ‘ask of me . . .’” (John Goldingay, Psalms, vol. Volume 1: Psalms 1:41, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms, ed. Tremper Longman III [Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006], 105). If this psalm was indeed part of some royal coronation ritual (as many interpreters suggest), then it seems quite unlikely that no king would have ever thought to actually take the Lord up on His offer and simply “ask.” The inconvenient truth of Israel’s history is that they have never enjoyed the kind of dominion alluded to in verse 8 under David or one of his descendants. One might suggest that perhaps some kings did ask, but they did not enjoy the promised dominion because they failed to meet certain conditions. Of course the problem with this explanation is that no conditions are actually stated other than to “ask.” Another solution might be that the promise is conveyed in hyperbolic poetry and thus perhaps Israel under David or Solomon did enjoy such hegemony. But this also seems unlikely, for even if the promise were poetic and hyperbolic, surely the “nations” and “the ends of the earth” would have been understood then, and should be understood now, as being more than even Solomon’s empire. For me then, I see verse 8 as finding its fulfillment in the coming kingdom of Jesus the Messiah.
  

Reminder: Advanced Expository Preaching Workshop

This year's Advanced Expository Preaching Workshop is about two weeks away. This year the workshop will focus on the Sermon on the Mount.

The workshop will take place on Monday, October 8, 2012 in The Riley Center on the campus of Southwestern Seminary. Registration is $25 for all participants and includes lunch. For more information, call 1-877-474-4769 or email RileyCenterCalendar@swbts.edu.

For overnight guest accommodations, please call 817-921-8800. For more information 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.

François Bovon; Glenn E. Snyder, ed.
New Testament and Christian Apocrypha
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8350
Reviewed by Christopher Tuckett
 
Stanislas Breton
A Radical Philosophy of Saint Paul
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8301
Reviewed by Halvor Moxnes and Ole Jakob Løland
 
Mark Forman
The Politics of Inheritance in Romans
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8174
Reviewed by David J. Downs
 
Anselm Hagedorn and Henrik Pfeiffer, eds.
Die Erzväter in der biblischen Tradition: Festschrift für Matthias Köckert
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7191
Reviewed by Cynthia Edenburg
 
Martin Hengel
Saint Peter: The Underestimated Apostle
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8109
Reviewed by Timothy P. Henderson
 
Kelly R. Iverson and Christopher W. Skinner, eds.
Mark as Story: Retrospect and Prospect
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8165
Reviewed by Cornelis Bennema
 
James A. Kelhoffer
Persecution, Persuasion and Power: Readiness to Withstand Hardship as a Corroboration of Legitimacy in the New Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8391
Reviewed by Brian J. Tabb
 
Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan and Tina Pippin, eds.
Mother Goose, Mother Jones, Mommie Dearest: Biblical Mothers and Their Children
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7579
Reviewed by Vicki Phillips
 
Allan J. McNicol
The Conversion of the Nations in Revelation
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8337
Reviewed by Peter S. Perry
 
Adrian Schenker
Anfänge der Textgeschichte des Alten Testaments: Studien zu Entstehung und Verhältnis der frühesten Textformen
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8303
Reviewed by Marjo C. A. Korpel

   

Keener's First Volume of His Acts Commentary

Craig Keener's much anticipated first volume of his Acts commentary covering the introduction and the first two chapters of Acts is available now. The Westminster Bookstore has it at 47% off or $31.65. If you spend $49 you can get free shipping. This is better than Amazon's 46% discount or $32.25 and if you live in Texas, you wont have to pay sales tax either. But keep in mind that Amazon will have automatic free shipping on this book since it is over $25. The Westminster price is also better than Christian Book Distributors which has it for $31.99. Here is a Westminster link, Amazon link, and CBD link.

UPDATE: Amazon's price has gone up to $34.87 (42%).
  

Two Go Up and One Comes Down: Genesis 22:1-19

I was recently teaching Genesis 22:1–19, the so-called Akedah passage. Verse 19 has often interested me in that it records that only Abraham returns from Mount Moriah to his servants. This stands in contrast to Abraham’s statement in verse 5 to his servants that, “We [Abraham and Isaac] will worship and then we will come back to you.” Yet verse 19 does not mention that Isaac returns with his father. Now, I think that we can assume that Isaac did indeed return with Abraham. Then what is the point of omission? I would suggest that it is possible that Isaac’s absence from the narrative is not a oversight but is rather intentional. The omission serves to highlight Abraham’s obedience. That is, from a narratival standpoint, it is as if Isaac was truly offered as a burnt offering to God even though the reader knows that a ram had taken his place. Abraham coming down alone symbolically leaves Isaac on Moriah as a picture of the Patriarch’s absolute faithfulness.

  

Recommended Reading for New Testament Textual Criticism

  
See Tommy Wasserman's very thorough recommended reading list for studying New Testament textual criticism here. The comment section is worth checking out as well.

HT: Larry Hurtado
 

The Geography of Joshua

I recently posted on the importance of understanding geography for understanding the Bible (see here). So I was delighted to see that Joseph’s Coleson’s recent commentary on Joshua for Tyndale’s Cornerstone Biblical Commentary series devotes about ten pages in the introduction to explaining the physical geography of Canaan and about four pages on the cultural geography (the problems of rainfall, forest,  terrain and roads and travel). Coleson explains and justifies this attention to geography in noting that,

“Because humans live on the surface of the earth, geography is always important. Because every ancient Israelite, humble or great, lived in close and intimate relationship with the land, if we wish to understand ancient Israel, we need to learn ancient Israel’s geography. Canaan was the Land of Promise God gave to Israel through the events recorded in Joshua; if we want to understand the message of Joshua, we need to study both the physical and the human geography of ancient Israel God’s grand plan of redemption for the human race may transcend both time and space, but God has so far worked it out in a very definite, limited place through a sequence of events in history. To understand God's plan and its fulfillment, it helps to understand the timeline and the map” (p. 33).
 
Joseph Coleson, Lawson G. Stone, and Jason Driesbach, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, ed. Philip W. Comfort (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2012), 20–33. 
  

The Focus of Acts

  
"Although many often approach the book of Acts by focusing primarily on the human participants in the narrative (such as Peter and the apostles, Paul, Stephen,  Cornelius), the focus in the book of Acts is actually on God. That Luke is highlighting the sovereignty of God in history is indicated by his use of key terms as well as the way in which he describes God's involvement in the history of Israel, the events surrounding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the subsequent developments in the history of the church that he is recounting."


Alan J. Thompson, The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus: Luke's Account of God's Unfolding Plan, New Studies in Biblical Theology 27, ed. D. A. Carson (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2011), 29.
 

Free E-Book: Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus

The Biblical Archaeology Society is offering a free e-book entitled Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus. This book is drawn from articles in the Biblical Archaeology Review magazine. Contributors include James K. Hoffmeier, Abraham Malamat and Hershel Shanks. You can get more information and access the free e-book here.
  

Messianic Psalms

  
I have been thinking about messianic psalms recently. I know that not everyone agrees that messianic psalms are a legitimate category. But without getting into that debate, what would characterize a messianic psalm if the category were valid? Here are three possibilities. Are there others?

1. Psalms utilized by New Testament authors in relation to the person and work of Christ
   

2. Psalms containing elements that do not appear to find fulfillment in a mere person or king (e.g., Ps 16)
   

3. Psalms related to a or the suffering servant (e.g., Ps 22)