Free Daniel and Romans Commentaries

You can download a free 84-page PDF copy of the Daniel and Romans commentaries from the forthcoming Moody Bible Commentary (release date: Feb. 1, 2014). The Daniel commentary is written by Michael Rydelnik and Romans is written by Michael Vanlaningham. You can get the PDF here.

SBL Job Report

The Society of Biblical Literature has released its "second Jobs Report, tracking employment listing data in biblical, religious, and theological studies from 2011 through 2012. This report, which you can view and download from this link, adds to the report released in November 2012 on data from 2001 through 2010."

Teaching the Bible

The Atlantic Monthly recently posted an interview with the historian Eric Foner entitled, "You Have to Know History to Actually Teach It." At the end of the interview Foner states in response to the qiuuestion, "Do you have other specific advice for what teachers can do to more effectively instruct history students?"

"The first thing I would say is that we have to get away from the idea that any old person can teach history. A lot of the history teachers in this country are actually athletic coaches. I mention this in class, and students always say, 'Oh yeah, Coach Smith, he taught my history course.' Why? Well, Coach Smith is the football coach, and in the spring he's not doing much, and they say, 'Well, put him in the history course, he can do that.'

"They wouldn't put him in a French course, or a physics course. The number-one thing is, you have to know history to actually teach it. That seems like an obvious point, but sometimes it's ignored in schools. Even more than that, I think it's important that people who are teaching history do have training in history. A lot of times people have education degrees, which have not actually provided them with a lot of training in the subject. They know a lot about methodology. [That’s] important, but as I say, the key thing is really to love the subject, to be able to convey that to your students, and if you can do that, I think you'll be a great teacher."

I think that what Foner states about history could also be stated about teaching the Bible. To borrow and modify Foner's words, we have to get away from the idea that any old person can teach Bible. For one to teach the Bible they have to first know the Bible. I am not trying to be elitist here. Nor am I arguing that people must have Bible college and/or seminary training order to qualify. (In fact, some of these institutions major on teaching about the Bible and not the Bible itself.) I am also not arguing that one must know the Bible perfectly in order to teach it. If that were the case, then no one would qualify. What I am asserting is that not everyone is qualified to teach it. I take seriously Ephesians 4:11 that teaching is the gifting and responsibility of some and not all. My admonition is simple. If you teach the Bible then know it and if you know the Bible then teach it.

Crazy Pastoral Stunts

See this Huffington Post article entitled, "12 Craziest Stunts Pulled By Pastors." I just have to shake my head. Yes, the world may be watching but is also must be laughing. I also wonder how these stunts relate to a passage like 2 Timothy 4:5. 

G. K. Beale Books on Sale

The Westminster Bookstore is offering some good deals on G. K. Beale books. You can buy a 4-volume set consisting of Temple and the Church's Mission: Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God, We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry, The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism: Responding to New Challenges to Biblical Authority, A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New for $64 (52% off) here. And since this is over $49 you score free shipping as well.

You can also order individual volumes at 40-50% off. Here are some options.


Temple and the Church's Mission: Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God at $15 (50% 0ff) here.

We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry at $13 (50% off) here.


The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism: Responding to New Challenges to Biblical Authority at $11 (50% off) here.


A New Testament Biblical Theology at $30.24 (45% off) here.

Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (ed. with D. A. Carson) at $32.99 (45% off) here.

Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament: Exegesis and Interpretation at $10.79 (40% off) here.

Daniel Infographic

Readers might be interested in this infographic introducing the Book of Daniel.

New Website: Biblical Studies Online

The new Biblical Studies Online website looks interesting. It seems that they have a little bit of everything. Check it out here.

HT: Mark Goodacre

Cover-to-Cover Contest

I don't mention very many contests or promotions on this blog but readers might be interested in this one by Moody Publishers. Five people will win a library package—more than 80 books over the course of 2014! Not only that but everyone who enters can choose a free e-book download from four of Moody Publishers' best titles in 2013.Check it out here.

What Is Expository Preaching?

Peter Cockrell identifies seven qualities here to help answer this question.

Best iPhone Apps for Pastors

Pastors who own an iPhone might be interested in this.

Maximizing Your Seminary Experience

Recent graduates from seminary or those who are about to graduate might want to read this post.

Pragmatic Textual Analysis

Dr. David Allen has a good post discussing text-driven preaching and pragmatic textual analysis here. Make sure to read the entire post but see the conclusion below to whet your appetite.

"In summary, text-driven preachers will do their exegetical homework to determine what the text means. Text-driven preachers will engage in creative exposition to explain the meaning of the text to a contemporary audience. Text-driven preachers will seek to become master communicators with an understanding of their audience and communication techniques that will make for the most effective preaching of Scripture with the goal of life transformation effected by the Holy Spirit."

God's Hiddeness as Self-Revelation

I have been making my way through a set of essays on the Psalms and was struck by the following comment made by Allen Ross concerning lament psalms (my bold).

“All of this recognition that God’s hiddenness is a part of his self-revelation. Since only a God who reveals himself can hide himself, hiddenness is an important aspect of divine revelation. The reports of the psalmists’ struggles with a hidden God remind us that God is not predictably accessible, that his self-disclosure is the result of his free and sovereign self-determination. He is not at the ‘beck and call’ of people; neither is he automatically accessible through the sanctuary ritual. Rather, God’s promise of making his presence known to the afflicted is a call for faith (Pss. 34:18; 145:18).”

Allen P. Ross, “The ‘Thou’ Sections of Laments,” in The Psalms: Language for All Seasons of the Soul, ed. Andrew J. Schmutzer and David M. Howard Jr. (Chicago: Moody, 2013), 137.

Review of Apostle for the Last Days: The Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul

C. Marvin Pate, Apostle for the Last Days: The Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2013).

C. Marvin Pate is professor of Christian theology at Ouachita Baptist University and an author and editor of a number of books related to biblical studies including Four Views on the Book of Revelation, The Writings of John, Romans, and From Plato to Jesus. In this present work, Pate argues that, “Paul’s life, letters, and theology are unified by the theme of the overlapping of two ages—this age and the age to come.” The book is divided into two unequal parts. The first and larger part relates to the life and letters of Paul. The second and smaller part draws conclusions from the first part in an attempt to outline Paul’s theology. The book is well organized and there are numerous helpful tables and lists.

There are several reasons that I like this book. First, I appreciate the fact that this work seeks to understand Paul in both a Jewish and Greco-Roman context. While Pate often shows how Paul differed from both Jewish and Greco-Roman positions, his treatment frequently identifies the contingent links in Paul’s epistles. Second, Pate does not follow the critical tendency to pit the epistles of Paul against Acts. He tends to view Acts as a complimentary, rather than competitive, source for understanding Paul. Third and similarly, Pate rejects the typical critical position that there are only seven genuinely Pauline epistles. This is refreshing and of course affects the conclusions that one draws about Paul’s theology.

By way of critique, several points could be made. First, this is not an easy read. This is not exactly a criticism, but one should know that it is probably beyond the comfortable reach of most lay-readers. Second, the subtitle (The Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul) seems a bit misleading. There is comparatively little about the life of Paul and those seeking a discussion of Paul’s theology outside of eschatology will likely be frustrated. Third, and again not necessarily a critique, but I am not sure that eschatology is the center of Paul’s theology. Fourth, while this work is clearly well-researched, there are no indices or even a bibliography. Finally, there are a number of typos in the work. The most obvious one is the repetition of the author’s summary of his final chapter in the introduction (see pp. 31-34)

However, these critiques do not rob the book of its value. Those who have some academic training in biblical studies and an interest in Paul or eschatology will likely benefit from Pate’s treatment.

You can read an excerpt of the book here.

Thanks to folks at Kregel for providing the review copy utilized in this unbiased review.

ELearning Trends That Dominated 2013

See this article on eLearning trends that dominated 2013.

Preaching and Authorial Intention

Ben Simpson has a good post here about respecting authorial intention. Too often it seems that we are willing to sacrifice what a passage means contextually for what we might wish it to mean pastorally or communicatively. A great illustration, poem, song, video, etc. should not be allowed to trump the contextual meaning of a text. I am thankful that Ben knows that.

Free Audio: Bruce Waltke on Psalm 131

Regent Audio is offering a free audio download of a presentation by Bruce Waltke entitled "The Problem of Evil: An Exposition of Psalm 131." Note that the offer ends at midnight on January 5. Details can be found here.

Free Logos Book for January: Hebrews by Farrar

The free Logos Book for January is Frederic Farrar’s commentary on Hebrews in the Cambridge Greek Testament series. You can also enter to win the entire 21-volume Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges. Go the Logos' Free Book of Month page to enter and download your free book today!

Teaching with Twitter

Patrick Schreiner has an interesting post on using Twitter in teaching. As a teacher, I want to find ways of using technology without the exercise descending into gimmickry. I think that some of the suggestions that are made in this post could also apply to other social media.

Seminaries and Online Degrees

See this article discussing the expansion of online degrees is seminary education.

Free ESV Audio Bible Download

Christianaudio.com is offering the Hear the Word ESV Audio Bible as their free download of the month. To get your free audio download go here. Listening your way through the Bible might make for a great New Year's resolution.

Top Ten Biblical Archaeology Discoveries of 2013

See this article by Gordon Govier on "Biblical Archaeology's Top Ten Discoveries of 2013." I have posted his list below. See his article for additional explanation.

1. The Egyptian Scarab of Khirbet el-Maqatir
2. Jezreel Winepress
3. The Wine Cellar of Tel Kabri
4. Royal Public Buildings at Khirbet Qeiyafa
5. The Sphinx of Hazor
6. Gold Hoard Found Near the Temple Mount
7. Roman Legion Base in Galilee
8. Mt. Zion Priestly Mansion
9. An Extra Destruction Level at Gezer 
10. Stone pyramid under the Sea of Galilee 

One could debate how biblically relevant some of these are since some post-date the biblical period. But I enjoy lists like this.

A Goal for Teaching Romans

“We need to show people that profitable Bible reading begins with careful Bible reading, reading the letter attentively as it stands. We want to show people that the youngest Christian can read Romans and profit by it. Of course we thank God for those who translate it reliably and for those who as it were, take us by the hand and guide us through the letter and link it to the other parts of Scripture. But the aim of scholars who do this is to put the Bible into the hands of the ordinary Christian reader. In this we are the heirs of the great Bible translators, whose aim was famously put by William Tyndale when he said to smug cleric that before long he would make the ploughman know more of the Bible than the clergyman. In our Bible teaching we are to continue what Tyndale began, putting the Bible into the hands of those who teach so that they may read it for themselves and be blessed in their reading.”

Christopher Ash, Teaching Romans: Volume One-Unlocking Romans 1–8 for the Bible Teacher (Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2009, 19–20.

Free Audio: Grace and the Book of James

Regent Audio is offering a presentation by Miriam Kamell entitled "Surprised By Grace: The Overlooked Foundation of the Letter of James" for free download but the offer ends at midnight on December 30. Check it out here.

Are Learning Styles a Myth?

This article thinks so.