50 Biblical People Confirmed Archaeologically

Biblical Archaeology Review has posted a web-exclusive supplement to Lawrence Mykytiuk's “Archaeology Confirms 50 Real People in the Bible” feature from the March/April 2014 issue of BAR here. This supplement includes a helpful table and listing of the people, the biblical references, and the archaeological evidence.

Free Logos Book for March: Bonhoeffer for Armchair Theologians

The free Logos Book for March is Bonhoeffer for Armchair Theologians. You can also enter to win the entire 13-volume Armchair Theologian series. Go the Logos' Free Book of Month page to enter and download your free book today!

Andrew Lincoln Interview

The Eerdman's blog has a fairly extensive interview with Andrew Lincoln related to his recent book on the virgin birth. Whether one agrees with Lincoln or not, he is a careful scholar and his work will likely need to be addressed by those interested in the topic.

Mac Apps for Pastors

I don't use a Mac, but those that do might be interested in this post identifying the best Mac apps for pastors.

Jephthah's Vow

David Murray has a good defense of a positive reading of Jephthah's vow in Judges 11 here. I remain less than convinced but I appreciate David's argument.

Expository Preaching Workshop Focusing on 1 John

You can still sign up to attend the 2014 Expository Preaching Workshop held at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The workshop will take place next week on March 3-4, 2014. Registration for the workshop is $25 for students and $50 for non-students. The workshop will run from 4:00-9:00 pm on Monday and 8:00 am-4:00 pm on Tuesday. You can get more information here.

Philosophy Humor

I saw this picture on Facebook (HT: Abraham Joseph). Although this is not my usual biblical fare, it was too funny not to share.

DIY Mud Bricks

The Biblical Archaeology Society's Bible History Daily has an interesting slide show here on how to make mud brick. This might be a project to consider when teaching Exodus 5:6-21.

The link above also includes the following instructions.

Their efforts produced great results, and although time-consuming, their procedures can be followed to create mudbricks of your own:

1. Mix topsoil and water to create a thick mud.
2. Add straw. While the composition of the mud will affect the exact proportions, as a general rule, add a half pound of straw for every cubic foot of mud mixture. If you have access to grain chaff (a byproduct of threshing), you can use that as temper. If not, chop straw into very small pieces—called straw chaff—and use that.
3. Knead the mud mixture with your bare feet for four days.
4. Once it has fermented (after four days of kneading), leave the mixture alone for a few days.
5. Knead the mixture again on the day you plan to form your mudbricks.
6. Pour the mud mixture into molds (the shape of your choosing) and let them solidify in the molds for at least 20 minutes.
7. Remove from molds and deposit on a drying floor layered with sand and straw to prevent the bricks from sticking to the floor itself.
8. Let the bricks dry for a week. After the bricks have dried, they are ready to be used—whether to build something new or to reconstruct ancient walls!

Two New Books on the Psalms

See this article on two new books written from a Jewish perspective by Conservative rabbis: A New Psalm: The Psalms as Literature, by Rabbi Benjamin Segal and Joy, Despair and Hope: Reading Psalms, by Rabbi Edward Feld.

The Debate about Sodom

Christianity Today has brief summary of the debate regarding Steven Collins' identification of Tall el-Hammam with the biblical Sodom. You can access the article here.

Exodus Videos

The Biblical Archaeology Society’s Bible History Today website has added over a dozen new full-length free lecture videos from the recent Out of Egypt Conference. You can access links to the videos here.

Leadership and Authority

Shane Lems, interacting with Timothy Witmer's book The Shepherd Leader, has enumerated five observations concerning the authority of elders (and I would suggest all church-based leadership). Lems distilled list is further summarized below. See his entire post here.

1. All human authority is derived. 

2. The exercise of authority is designed to serve the well-being of those under its care. 

3. This authority is to be directed by God’s Word. 

4. All who hold derived authority are ultimately accountable to the One who gave that authority. 

5. The flock is called to submit to the authority of the elders.

Camels and the Bible

I have refrained from getting into the recent flood of reports related to camel domestication, archaeology, and the accuracy of the Bible. A great irony here is that many of the same folks who criticize so-called fundamentalist Christians for misusing archaeological evidence (and often rightly so) are doing much the same in this case. The claims have well-exceeded the evidence. Thankfully, Todd Bolen, although not the first, has provided a nice response with a number of links here. To paraphrase and adapt something Mark Twain once said, "the reports of the death of the Bible's accuracy have been greatly exaggerated."

Beyond the River Chebar

I just received a review copy of Daniel Block's Beyond the River Chebar: Studies in Kingship and Eschatology in the Book of Ezekiel. This volume consists of a collection of essays from Ezekiel 25-40 and is a companion to Block's By the River Chebar which I reviewed here. I am looking forward to digging into this volume.

Top Ten Books from Dr. J. Carl Laney

Those who appreciate the work of J. Carl Laney might also appreciate this list of his recommended books.

Simply the Bible

Nick Page. Simply the Bible. Oxford: Lion Books, 2013. 

Kregel recently sent me a copy of Simply the Bible by Nick Page. The publisher describes the book as follows.

“For those who find the Bible a bit daunting, or those who require a quick, pithy overview, Simply the Bible provides an instant introduction. Arranged in canonical order, each chapter contains a 500-word summary that conveys the essential facts and meaning for each book of the Bible. In addition to the summary, each chapter has a bulleted overview and a listing of the key characters. “Lavishly illustrated throughout in full color, Simply the Bible is an excellent and affordable guide to accompany a program of daily Bible reading, and the ideal starting point for anyone who wants to get better acquainted with the world's best-selling book. It also includes an introduction to each book of the Apocrypha and a "Surprise Me!" fact in each chapter.”

My initial and cursory impressions are positive. Simply the Bible provides a succinct and helpful overview of each biblical book. One might disagree here and there with what the author has chosen to spotlight but such is expected in a work like this. Novice Bible readers will find help in getting the big picture and more advanced teachers and preachers can find material to incorporate into lessons and sermons. One final note: the advice of not judging a book by its cover might apply here. I found the cover a bit “cheesy” for my tastes, but one of my daughters noted that the style was common among younger readers. 

You can access an excerpt 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.

Rainer Albertz and Jakob Wöhrle, eds.
Between Cooperation and Hostility: Multiple Identities in Ancient Judaism and the Interaction with Foreign Powers
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9290
Reviewed by Michael L. Satlow

Greg Carey
The Gospel according to Luke: All Flesh Shall See God’s Salvation
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9082
Reviewed by Ernest van Eck

Bruce Chilton, Anthony Le Donne, and Jacob Neusner, eds.
Soundings in the Religion of Jesus: Perspectives and Methods in Jewish and Christian Scholarship
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8556
Reviewed by Benjamin I. Simpson
Reviewed by Peter-Ben Smit

David A. deSilva
Global Readings: A Sri Lankan Commentary on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8900
Reviewed by David S. Harvey

Craig A. Evans
Matthew
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8907
Reviewed by Donald A. Hagner

Rivka Nir
Joseph and Aseneth: A Christian Book
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9056
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus

Peter Yaw Oppong-Kumi
Matthean Sets of Parables
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9097
Reviewed by J. R. C. Cousland

Christopher A. Richardson
Pioneer and Perfecter of Faith: Jesus’ Faith as the Climax of Israel’s History in the Epistle to the Hebrews
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9096
Reviewed by Philip Church

C. A. Strine
Sworn Enemies: The Divine Oath, the Book of Ezekiel, and the Polemics of Exile
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9420
Reviewed by John T. Strong

Heath A. Thomas, Jeremy Evans, and Paul Copan, eds.
Holy War in the Bible: Christian Morality and an Old Testament Problem
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9270
Reviewed by Guenther Haas

Amram Tropper
Simeon the Righteous in Rabbinic Literature: A Legend Reinvented
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9168
Reviewed by Joshua Schwartz

Robert Wafawanaka
Am I Still My Brother’s Keeper? Biblical Perspectives on Poverty
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8925
Reviewed by Timothy J. Sandoval

N. T. Wright Videos

Fortress Press has posted three 30 minute videos of N. T. Wright with Ronald Allen, Michael Gorman, and Richard Hays on Paul and the Faithfulness of God. You can access all the videos here.

The Church and Social Media

Brandon Cox's article in Christian Media Magazine entitled "5 Reasons Why the Church Must Engage the World with Social Media" is worth considering.

Using the Old Testament for Counseling

David Murray has a nice post here on the use of the Old Testament in counseling.

Innovation in Theological Education

Some might be interested in this article in Christian Century.

Sermon Ownership

Dave Miller has some interesting thoughts and helpful advice on sermons and copyright issues here. I wonder if and how this might relate to materials created in an academic setting.

Handling Distractions

Brandon offers some common-sense advice about handling distractions when preaching. If you preach regularly, distractions are not an if but a when. Check out Brandon's advice here.

Is French Still an Important Language?

I am not trying to be controversial here but this New Republic article offers a provocative challenge related to the traditional study of French. While the article is not specifically concerned with academic biblical studies, I think that there might be some applicability. In my own doctoral work, German was more significant and fruitful by far than French.

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, ed.
Infancy Gospels: Stories and Identities
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8991
Reviewed by Tony Burke

John J. Collins
The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Biography
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8718
Reviewed by Eileen Schuller

John J. Collins and Daniel C. Harlow, eds.
Early Judaism: A Comprehensive Overview
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8786
Reviewed by David M. Maas

J. Cheryl Exum
Plotted, Shot, and Painted: Cultural Representations of Biblical Women
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9080
Reviewed by Ginny Brewer-Boydston

Karin Finsterbusch and Armin Lange, eds.
What Is Bible?
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9165
Reviewed by Shraga Bar-On

Nijay K. Gupta
Colossians
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9182
Reviewed by Brian C. Small

Donald A. Hagner
The New Testament: A Historical and Theological Introduction
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8798
Reviewed by Moschos Goutzioudis
Reviewed by Nils Neumann

Yongbom Lee
The Son of Man as the Last Adam: The Early Church Tradition as a Source of Paul’s Adam Christology
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8875
Reviewed by Haley Goranson

Robin A. Parry and Heath A. Thomas, eds.
Great Is Thy Faithfulness? Reading Lamentations as Sacred Scripture
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8988
Reviewed by Charles Miller

Annette Schellenberg
Der Mensch, das Bild Gottes? Zum Gedanken einer Sonderstellung des Menschen im Alten Testament und in weiteren altorientalischen Quellen
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9008
Reviewed by Bob Becking

Eric W. Scherbenske
Canonizing Paul: Ancient Editorial Practice and the Corpus Paulinum
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9105
Reviewed by David Trobisch

Hayim Tadmor and Shigeo Yamada
The Royal Inscriptions of Tiglath-Pileser III (744-727 BC) and Shalmaneser V (726-722 BC), Kings of Assyria
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8930
Reviewed by Michael S. Moore