Imprecations in Lament Psalms

Gordon Wenham addresses the problem of imprecations within the lament psalms by making the following three points (with some modification).

1. It is surely better to pray for God to punish the wicked than do it yourself.
2. These prayers for God to punish the wicked are expressions of hope in God’s justice.
3. Imprecations can be prayerful expressions of sensitivity for the suffering of fellow Christians.

Wenham, Gordon. The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 49.

Online Resources for Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Michael Kok has a brief but helpful list of resources here.

The Latest Issue of the Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below but unfortunately you must be a SBL member. 

Adolf von Harnack; Johann Anselm Steiger, ed.
Einleitung in das Neue Testament: Berliner Vorlesung im Wintersemester 1899/1900
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10833
Reviewed by David Lincicum

David Bentley Hart
The New Testament: A Translation
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11853
Reviewed by Andrew R. Guffey

Katrin Juschka
“Geheiligt werde dein Name!”: Eine auslegungsgeschichtliche Untersuchung zur Namensheiligung im Vaterunser
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10683
Reviewed by Susanne Luther

Joshua E. Leim
Matthew’s Theological Grammar: The Father and the Son
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10898
Reviewed by Steven M. Bryan

Clive Marsh and Steve Moyise
Jesus and the Gospels
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10864
Reviewed by Eve-Marie Becker

Mark A. Seifrid
The Second Letter to the Corinthians
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10006
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus

Mitzi J. Smith
Insights from African American Interpretation
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11781
Reviewed by Esau McCaulley

Hermann-Josef Stipp
Studien zum Jeremiabuch: Text und Redaktion
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10377
Reviewed by Andrew Shead

Charlie Trimm
Fighting for the King and the Gods: A Survey of Warfare in the Ancient Near East
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11906
Reviewed by Brad E. Kelle

Ben Witherington III
Psalms Old and New: Exegesis, Intertextuality, and Hermeneutics
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11777
Reviewed by David G. Firth

Psalms as a Source of Ethics

When considering the ethical texts in the Bible, one does not normally think of the Psalms. But Gordon Wenham does a nice job of bringing out the ethical elements in the book. One way he does this is by showing that parts of the psalms deal with each "command" of the Decalogue. There are too many texts to deal with here but check out Wenham's discussion if you are interested

Gordon Wenham, The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 107-115.

The Assyrians

Here is a pretty good article on the Assyrians.

Galatians 2 and Acts 15

Michael Kok has a brief but fair post here addressing the issue of Galatians 2 and Acts 15.

The Latest Issue of the Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below but unfortunately you must be a SBL member. 

Peter Arzt-Grabner
2. Korinther: Papyrologische Kommentare zum Neuen Testament
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10015
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus

Jens Gillner
Gericht bei Lukas
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11064
Reviewed by Nils Neumann

John Goldingay
Do We Need the New Testament? Letting the Old Testament Speak for Itself
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11482
Reviewed by Joseph Cathey

Alan T. Levenson
Joseph: Portraits through the Ages
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11346
Reviewed by John R. Huddlestun

Benjamin L. Merkle; Andreas J. Köstenberger and Robert W. Yarbrough, eds.
Ephesians
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11349
Reviewed by Eric Covington

Steve Moyise
The Old Testament in the New: An Introduction
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10863
Reviewed by Edmon L. Gallagher


Todd Penner and Davina C. Lopez
De-introducing the New Testament: Texts, Worlds, Methods, Stories
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10853
Reviewed by Juan Hernández Jr.

Anders Runesson
Divine Wrath and Salvation in Matthew: The Narrative World of the First Gospel
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11595
Reviewed by David J. Neville

Henrietta L. Wiley and Christian A. Eberhart, eds.
Sacrifice, Cult, and Atonement in Early Judaism and Christianity: Constituents and Critique
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11850
Reviewed by Joshua Schwartz

Ben Witherington III and Todd D. Still, eds.
The Acts of the Apostles: A Newly Discovered Commentary
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10152
Reviewed by D. A. Carson

Route of the Exodus and the Location of Mount Sinai

Ferrell Jenkins has a nice post here which helpfully indexes his articles related to the route of the Exodus and the location of Mount Sinai.

Abbott and Costello Do 2 Kings 17:4

With apologies to Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First."

Abbott: We're in 2 Kings 17:4. Let's go over the story. Hoshea quit paying tribute to the king of Assyria and sent envoys to Egypt. I forget the King of Egypt's name.

Costello: So. 

Abbott: Huh?

Costello: So.

Abbott: You're right, it's not important, we'll let it go for now.

So, the king of Assyria ...

Costello: So the king of Egypt.

Abbott: I was gonna say the king of Assyria arrested Hoshea.

Costello: That's right.

Abbott: So, the king of Assyria ...

Costello: No, So the king of Egypt.

Abbott: Let me tell the story!

Costello: Well, then, tell it right!

Abbott: Who arrested Hoshea?

Costello: The king of Assyria.

Abbott: Is that so?

Costello: No, that's the king of Egypt.

Abbott: So, the king of Egypt?

Costello: Right.

Abbott: So the king of Egypt arrested Hoshea?

Costello: No, the king of Assyria arrested Hoshea.

Abbott: But you just said the king of Egypt did.

Costello: I didn't say So.

Abbott: Oh, come on! So, the king of Assyria ...

Costello: No, he's the king of Egypt.

Abbott: How do we keep coming back to Egypt?

Costello: You said the king's name.

Abbott: What makes you think I even know his name?

Costello: You said So!

Abbott: I did not!

Costello: I heard you!

Abbott: Let me tell the story!

Costello: Then tell it right!

Credit: Jonathan E Settlemoir

Paul's Use of Deuteronomy 25:4 in 1 Corinthians 9:9

Interpreters have wrestled with how Paul is using Deuteronomy 25:4 in 1 Corinthians 9:9. Allyson Presswood Nance has created a helpful table surveying a number of the different views. I have made a few minor changes and additions.

Paul’s Use of the OT	Interpreters Supporting This View
allegorical	Hans Conzelmann
analogy/principle	Richard Hays, David Garland, Gordon Fee, Mark Taylor, Ambrosiaster, Jodie and Doug Hatlem, Wolfgang Schrage, David Prior, Craig Blomberg?
invoking context	Richard Hays, Francis Watson
literal recapitulation	Jan Verbruggen, Walter Kaiser, David Instone-Brewer
qal vahomer (lesser to the greater)	David Garland, Mark Taylor, David Instone-Brewer, Chrysostem, Ciampa and Rosner, Verlyn Verbrugge, B. J. Oropeza
sensus plenior (theological)	Joseph Fitzmyer, F. F. Bruce
transcend original context	Anthony Thiselton, Craig Blomberg?
Allyson Presswood Nance, “Paul’s Use of the Old Testament: Critical Issues and Hermeneutical Insights,” (unpublished paper) with some additions

Negative Comments on Course Evaluations

Anyone who teaches, preaches, or otherwise is involved in ministry knows that criticism is par for the course. Even the Lord was criticized. Maryellen Weimer's post here provides some good advice on dealing with critical course evaluations in an academic setting but this probably applies to criticism in general.

Free Logos Book for June: Ecclesiastes (WBC)

The free Logos Book for the Month for April is Roland Murphy's Ecclesiastes commentary in the Word Biblical Commentary series You can also purchase John Durham's Exodus for $1.99 and George Beasley-Murray's John commentary in the same series for $9.99. While you are there you can register for a chance win the seven-volume Zondervan Theology Collection. For all these offers, go to the Logos' Free Book of Month page here. Unfortunately, I already own the WBC series but hopefully others will enjoy the offer.

The Use of Lament Psalms

Gordon Wenham gives four theological reasons for using lament psalms (with slight modification).

1. The lament psalms are some of the most quoted in the New Testament.
2. Jesus prayed the lament psalms.
3.The martyr’s prayers in the book of Revelation is based on the lament psalms.
4. The early church prayed lament psalms.

Whenham also adds two practical reasons to use lament psalms.

1. Not everyone who comes to church is full of joy and happiness.
2. Praying lament psalms can help one to sympathize with those in trouble and pray for those who are suffering or persecuted.
 
Gordon Wenham, The Psalter Reclaimed: Praying and Praising with the Psalms (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 45-48.

The Latest Issue of the Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below but unfortunately you must be a SBL member. 

Stan Harstine
A History of the Two-Hundred-Year Scholarly Debate about the Purpose of the Prologue to the Gospel of John: How Does Our Understanding of the Prologue Affect Our Interpretation of the Subsequent Text?
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11007
Reviewed by Martinus C. de Boer

Leander Keck
Christ’s First Theologian: The Shape of Paul’s Thought
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=10483
Reviewed by Jeffrey L. Cockrell

Ebbe E. Knudsen
Classical Syriac Phonology
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11113
Reviewed by Jerome A. Lund

Nina E. Livesey
Galatians and the Rhetoric of Crisis: Paul – Demosthenes – Cicero
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11522
Reviewed by Rick F. Talbott

Francis J. Moloney
Johannine Studies 1975–2017
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11659
Reviewed by Stan Harstine

Ryan S. Peterson
The Imago Dei as Human Identity: A Theological Interpretation
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11229
Reviewed by Stephen Reed

Eileen Schuller and Marie-Theres Wacker, eds.
Early Jewish Writings
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11767
Reviewed by Laura Quick

James M. Scott, ed.
Exile: A Conversation with N. T. Wright
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11830
Reviewed by Nicholas G. Piotrowski

Bonnie Bowman Thurston
All the Fullness of God: The Christ of Colossians
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11793
Reviewed by Matthew S. Collins

Tommy Wasserman, Greger Andersson, and David Willgren, eds.
Studies in Isaiah: History, Theology, and Reception
https://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=11636
Reviewed by Daniel J. Stulac