Free Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis

  
Logos is offering a free pre-publication special for Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis. Here is the description from Logos.

Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis—also known by the designated siglum D and 05—is one of the five most important early uncial manuscripts that contain part of the Greek New Testament. Dating from the fifth century, this bilingual (Greek and Latin) manuscript includes the complete Gospel of Luke, along with portions of Matthew, John, Mark, Acts, and a small fragment from 3 John. It was rediscovered in the sixteenth century and came into the hands of Theodore Beza, one of Calvin’s successors, who gifted it to the University of Cambridge in 1581.

Among the major manuscript witnesses of the New Testament, Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis is perhaps the most enigmatic. The Gospels are organized in the “Western” order, with Matthew and John coming first, followed by Luke and Mark. Perhaps the most intriguing features of Bezae are the significant additions and omissions, seen most prominently in the book of Acts.

Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis is referenced in numerous grammars, lexicons, critical apparatuses, commentaries, journal articles, and monographs. The Logos edition of these transcriptions will be of great benefit to students, scholars, pastors, and laypeople interested in New Testament textual criticism.

You can pre-order 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.


Martin Bauspieß
Geschichte und Erkenntnis im lukanischen Doppelwerk: Eine exegetische Untersuchung zu einer christlichen Perspektive auf Geschichte
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8614
Reviewed by Nils Neumann

Darrell L. Bock
A Theology of Luke and Acts: God's Promised Program, Realized for All Nations
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8593
Reviewed by Ulrich Busse

Aaron Demsky
Literacy in Ancient Israel [Hebrew]
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9052
Reviewed by David A. Glatt-Gilad

Daniel Durken, ed.
The New Collegeville Bible Commentary: New Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7030
Reviewed by Ernest Van Eck

Daniel K. Falk, Sarianna Metso, Donald W. Parry, and Eibert J. C. Tigchelaar, eds.
Qumran Cave 1 Revisited: Texts from Cave 1 Sixty Years after Their Discovery: Proceedings of the Sixth Meeting of the IOQS in Ljubljana
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7783
Reviewed by Samuel Thomas

Lars Hartman
Mark for the Nations: A Text- and Reader-Oriented Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8050
Reviewed by Robert M. Fowler

Benedikt Hensel
Die Vertauschung des Erstgeburtssegens in der Genesis: Eine Analyse der narrativ-theologischen Grundstruktur des ersten Buches der Tora
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8256
Reviewed by Michael S. Moore

Rainer Metzner
Kaiphas. Der Hohepriester jenes Jahres: Geschichte und Deutung
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7791
Reviewed by Thomas Bergholz

Stanley E. Porter and Jason C. Robinson
Hermeneutics: An Introduction to Interpretive Theory
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8480
Reviewed by Anthony C. Thiselton

Allen P. Ross
Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 1: 1-41
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8490
Reviewed by Leonard Mare

This issue also includes a response to a previous review.

Simon P. Stocks has commented on the December 2012 review of his The Form and Function of the Tricolon in the Psalms of Ascents. See http://rblnewsletter.blogspot.com/2012/12/20121227-stocks-form-and-function-of.html#comment-form

  

Preaching Thoughts on Numbers

  
Peter Mead continues his series of posts related to preaching on different biblical books. In this post he offers some insights on preaching the book of Numbers.
 

Six Holy Land Blogs You Should Follow

  
Wayne Stiles has posted on "5 Holy Land Blogs You Should Follow" here. I would add Wayne's own blog to bring the number to 6. Wayne's blogging interests are broader than the Holy Land but he posts frequently enough on the Land to make it worth checking out if your interests lie there.
 

New Baker Academic Blog

  
Baker Academic has a new blog. Check it out here.
 

The Archaeology of Lachish

  
In case you missed it, Wayne Stiles has a very nice post on Tel Lachish here.
  

Muzzling the Ox

  
Michael Vlach has a nice post on the much discussed use by Paul of Deuteronomy 25:4 in 1 Corinthians 9:9-10. You can read the post here.
 

Momentous Moments in Exodus

  
See Peter Mead's post on "Three Momentous Moments Preaching Exodus."
 

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.


Claire Clivaz and Jean Zumstein, eds.
Reading New Testament Papyri in Context - Lire des papyrus du Nouveau Testament dans leur contexte
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8548
Reviewed by Peter Arzt-Grabner

Tobias Hägerland
Jesus and the Forgiveness of Sins: An Aspect of his Prophetic Mission
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8467
Reviewed by William R. G. Loader

Craig S. Keener
Romans
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8082
Reviewed by Peter W. Gosnell

Francis Landy
Hosea
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8471
Reviewed by Gert T. M. Prinsloo

B. H. McLean
Biblical Interpretation and Philosophical Hermeneutics
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8599
Reviewed by Richard S. Briggs

Frederick J. Murphy
Apocalypticism in the Bible and Its World: A Comprehensive Introduction
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8638
Reviewed by Adela Yarbro Collins
Reviewed by Marius Nel

Angela R. Roskop
The Wilderness Itineraries: Genre, Geography, and the Growth of Torah
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8283
Reviewed by Nathan MacDonald

Mark R. Sneed
The Politics of Pessimism in Ecclesiastes: A Social-Science Perspective
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8450
Reviewed by Robert Williamson Jr.

Pablo A. Torijano Morales and Andrés Piquer Otero, eds.
Textual Criticism and Dead Sea Scrolls Studies in Honour of Julio Trebolle Barrera: Florilegium Complutense
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8546
Reviewed by Andrea Ravasco
 

Three Posts Related to the Book of Hebrews

  
Fred Sanders provides three links related to the book of Hebrews here.
 

A Word to Seminary Students

  
Michael Kruger has good and balanced advice for seminary students here.
 

Free Audio of God's Smuggler

Christianaudio.com's free audiobook download for the month of February is God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew and John and Elizabeth Sherrill. This is a 35th anniversary revised edition of a much read story of one man's efforts to smuggle Bibles into closed countries.

For more information or to get your download go here. 
 

Interview with Kenneth Bailey

The Christian Post has an interview with Kenneth Bailey concerning Bible Interpretation here. Bailey is probably best known for his book Jesus Through Middle-Eastern Eyes.

Common Mistakes in Preaching Genesis

  
Peter Mead has a brief but helpful discussion of three common mistakes in preaching Genesis here.
 

"Bible-Minded" Cities In The United States

  
See this Huffington Post article and slide show on the most And least "Bible-minded" Cities in the United States.
  

Review of Contextualization in World Missions

A. Scot Moreau, Contextualization in World Missions: Mapping and Assessing Evangelical Models (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2012). A. Scot Moreau is Professor of Intercultural Studies at Wheaton College, a former missionary in Africa, and the author of numerous articles on missions in journals and books.

Moreau’s book might be better titled “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Contextualization but Were Afraid to Ask.” Contextualization, a term which entered the missional context in 1972, is defined by Moreau as “the process whereby Christians adapt the whole of the Christian faith (forms, content, and praxis) in diverse cultural settings” (p. 46).

By way of overview, this book consists of 14 chapters and six appendices. The major content is divided into two major sections. The first section addresses the foundations for evangelical contextualization. The second, and larger, section maps out evangelical models for contextualization. The book is not light reading and clocks in at 429 pages. Each chapter is helpfully organized with an overview, chapter outline, main body, definitions of keywords, and questions for reflection. There are also numerous charts and diagrams. Moreau’s attention to detail is obvious. There is much to like and to learn here.

The challenge for many readers not already familiar with missiology in general and contextualization in particular is the breadth and depth of this work. As already noted, Moreau tries to make this work reader-friendly, but although I have a working familiarity with the issues, I still found it a bit overwhelming at times. I also wish that there had been more interaction with the Bible and theology, but the author makes it clear that he has taken a different approach. So this is more of an expression of personal preference than a criticism.

Overall, Contextualization in World Missions provides a major contribution to the study of missiology and contextualization. If either is one’s area of study or interest, then there is a wealth of information to be found here. Readers with less interest or exposure to the discussion will likely find the book a bit much. In any case, you can read an excerpt here.

Thanks to Kregel for providing this free review copy.

New Bible Atlas Resource

  

Todd Bolen has announced a new Bible atlas resource produced by Bill Schlegel. Read more about it here.
 

Follow-Up on Picture Taking Tips

I have received some very positive feedback related to my recent series on picture taking tips for the Holy Land which can be found here, here, and here. I am especially grateful to Todd Bolen who offered some encouragement and sage advice early on. Mark Hoffman also has some helpful responses and additions to my posts here and 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.


Michael Avioz
"I Sat Alone": Jeremiah among the Prophets
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7959
Reviewed by Wilhelm Wessels

Steed Vernyl Davidson
Empire and Exile: Postcolonial Readings of the Book of Jeremiah
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8345
Reviewed by Bob Becking

Joëlle Ferry
Isaïe: "Comme les mots d'un livre scellé."
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6571
Reviewed by Wilson de Angelo Cunha

Andrés García Serrano
The Presentation in the Temple: The Narrative Function of Lk 2:22-39 in Luke-Acts
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8566
Reviewed by Sean Adams

Jean-Daniel Macchi, Christophe Nihan, Thomas Römer, and Jan Rückl, eds.
Les recueils prophétiques de la Bible: Origines, milieux, et contexte proche-oriental
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8514
Reviewed by James M. Bos

Shalom M. Paul
Isaiah 40-66: Translation and Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8528
Reviewed by Roy E. Gane

Deborah W. Rooke
Handel's Israelite Oratorio Libretti: Sacred Drama and Biblical Exegesis
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8489
Reviewed by Helen Leneman

Allen Verhey and Joseph S. Harvard
Ephesians
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8122
Reviewed by Earl Kellett

Duane F. Watson and Terrance Callan
First and Second Peter
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8601
Reviewed by Travis B. Williams

Robb Andrew Young
Hezekiah in History and Tradition
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8532
Reviewed by Ibolya Balla
 

Picture Taking Tips for the Holy Land: Part 3

This is the third and final installment of my series on picture taking tips for taking pictures in the Holy Land.

7. Have your camera ready and not tucked in your backpack. This includes even your time on the bus. You have probably paid quite a bit for the trip and quite a bit for the camera, so don’t pack your camera away just because you think that there might not be anything of interest. I have missed a number of shots simply because I either was not paying sufficient attention or I did not have my camera ready. While I am on the topic, keep in mind that taking a decent shot out of a moving bus window is a bit of a challenge. You might have to contend with glare off of the glass, dirty windows, and the difficulty of trying to capture a still object while moving. So it might be worth learning about shutter speed and even practicing at home (in the car) in order to improve one’s chances of a better shot.

8. Don’t forget to think small. Holy Land trips are basically large-scale affairs. You are taking pictures of buildings, ruins, bodies of waters, mountains and valleys, etc. But sometimes thinking small and getting up close can make for an interesting picture. For example, many take pictures of the Western Wall in general of men and women praying at the Wall. But you might be able to get an interesting shot by focusing on an individual prayer stuffed into one of the wall cracks.

9. Take more rather than fewer pictures. As I noted previously, digital photography is relatively inexpensive. You might pay quite a bit for your camera, but after that the costs of actually taking pictures is minimal. I don’t know if there is a name for this rule, but the more pictures you take, the better chance you have of taking a really nice picture. The worst picture that you ever take is the picture that you never take. Bad photos can always be deleted later, but in many cases you won’t be able to go back to take more. So fire away.

10. Download and review your photos each night on a computer (if you bring one). Not only will this free up memory on you camera but this will also help you see what you did right and how you can do better the next day. Back in the film days this was not possible, but today we have near immediate feedback to learn from our mistakes.

I would add two more tips that are not directly related to how to take photos, but might be of some help nonetheless.

11. Consider what you will do if your camera breaks on the trip. Unfortunately, it happens all too often. Cameras get dropped, left behind, and sometimes even stolen. I usually take two cameras. I take my best camera and then a more basic camera.

12. If you’re traveling with a spouse, consider sharing duties. It is difficult to be both the note-taker and the photographer. Perhaps one can manage the camera and the other can write down the explanations.

It is my hope that you have found something of value in these suggestions. Feel free to leave your tips in the comments.

Picture Taking Tips for the Holy Land: Part 2

Yesterday I introduced a three part series offering tips on taking pictures in the Holy Land. Here are the next three tips.

4. Decide why you are taking pictures. I know that this may be basic, but my pictures are primarily for me. I take pictures of what I am interested in, namely, photos tied to the Bible and archaeology. Most travelers do not have as much interest in these as I do. That’s fine. I am not nearly as interested in camel pictures that others seem to covet. I also take pictures to use in my teaching ministry. So I try to take pictures that I think will be helpful in the classroom. Such shots are not usually the postcard-like shots. But if you know that you are going to give a presentation of your trip to your church when you get back, then you might have to take some basic shots so that you can show something other than 50 shots of the ruins at ancient Jericho. In any case, it is helpful for you to decide what kinds of pictures you want to bring back before you go.

5. Study what others have done. Before you go, look through the pictures in the myriad of books and guides on the Holy Land. Look at the pictures you see these books and decide what you might want to take and where by comparing the photos you like with your itinerary. You can even start making a list. For example, you might decide that you want a picture looking through the picturesque window at the Dominus Flevit Church. Another helpful resource is Todd Bolen’s Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. Todd has chosen some of the best pictures of practically all, if not all, the sites that most travelers will ever see. This Pictorial Library has helped me (see here).

6. Ask the tour guide for suggestions. Many tour guides have earned a certificate in “Been there. Done that” and, therefore, have a wealth of knowledge about what might make for the best pictures. All the tour guides that I have known have been quite willing to help out with some basic photography advice. While I don’t think you ought to bombard your guide with picture-taking questions at every stop, don’t be afraid to tap into this valuable resource. In fact, after asking a few times, they might start offering advice even before you ask or sometimes squeeze in an otherwise unplanned photo stop. Before leaving the subject of tour guides, make sure that you practice good tourist etiquette. Try to resist taking photos while the guide is talking. Listen to the guide so you know what you’re looking at. Guides get weary of having a distracted photographer ask them a question about something they just explained. 
  

Picture Taking Tips for the Holy Land: Part 1

Sometime back a reader commented on this blog that it might be helpful for me to offer some suggestions for taking pictures in the Holy Land. I will try and honor that request now but with the following caveats. First, I am not a professional photographer. I took photography in high school and have dabbled in it over the years. Second, I am not offering equipment advice other than buy or borrow the best camera you can and familiarize yourself with it before you go. That being said, I offer the following twelve suggestions (in three posts).

1. Take pictures of signage. On my first trip to Israel I took my trusty 35mm SLR and 28 rolls of film. But even with that many rolls, the number of shots was still limited and I still had to pay for developing, which was often quite expensive. So taking pictures of street signs, entrance signs, explanatory signs, and the like was a bit of a luxury then. But today, almost everyone uses digital cameras with practically no limits on the number of pictures you can take (memory cards seem to be getting cheaper and cheaper). The value of taking pictures of signs is threefold. First, it helps you to remember where you were and what you were looking at or doing. Most Holy Land tours, especially for first-timers, can be a bit of a whirlwind. You think that you will be able to remember all the details, but after a while your memories will start to blend together. Taking a picture of signage is like making a visual diary. Second, some signs are just interesting. For example, many visitors like to take photos of the entrance to Capernaum or the inside of the door of the tomb at the Garden Tomb. Third, signs can provide surprisingly rich and interesting insights into the culture. For example, you can take pictures of Shabbat elevator signs, minefield warning signs, and signs written in Hebrew and Arabic that just look cool even if you can’t read them.

2. Look behind you as well as ahead of you. Guided tours are almost always focused on what lies in front. While you have to keep up with your group, try to occasionally turn around to see whether the view behind you might make for a good photo. Sometimes when you’re walking uphill (which seems like always), a picture looking downhill will provide an interesting perspective. Pictures taken from one end of a street might look quite a bit different from the other end. Also if it is early in the morning or early in the evening, then the location of the sun might provide a different lighting perspective if you turn around.

3. Don’t be afraid of having people in the pictures. I know that you didn’t travel all that way to take a picture of someone’s fashion-challenged uncle. But the fact is, at the more popular sites it will be very hard to get a shot completely devoid of people. Furthermore, you can also spend so much time waiting to get a clear shot that you don’t have enough time to see the rest of the site. On the plus side, people can sometimes bring life to what otherwise might be a dull picture. People also add scale. That is, people in your photos will remind you (and show those who will suffer through your 3000 pictures when you get back home) of the relative size of the subject of your picture. Also you will appreciate later that you took pictures of people in your group (if you are traveling with one). I have made friends on every trip I have been on, and it’s always nice to have these friends captured for posterity.

Painting and Preaching

  
David Murray draws an insightful and helpful analogy between painting and preaching here.
 

Robert Mounce on the Seven Spirits in Revelation 1:4-5

  
Robert Mounce, filling in for his son Bill, has an interesting discussion on the seven spirits in Revelation 1:4-5 here. Unlike a number of interpreters, He sees the seven spirits as “part of a heavenly entourage that has a special ministry in connection with the Lamb.” I still understand the seven spirits as a reference to the Holy Spirit but I do not see Isaiah 11:2 as the background. I agree with Mounce's criticism of that identification. Rather, I see Zechariah 4 as a more likely background. I also agree with Mounce's caution that from an interpretive standpoint, "it is wise to begin with what is said rather than with the theological structure we are building" although I am not sure that this necessarily applies to those who identify the seven spirits with the Holy Spirit in Revelation 1:4-5. 
  

Schreiner Interview

  
See this interview with Thomas Schreiner related to his forthcoming biblical theology of the Bible, The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments.