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 to read them.

Patricia D. Ahearne-Kroll, Aseneth of Egypt: The Composition of a Jewish Narrative
Reviewed by Maria Brutti

Jennifer Barry, Bishops in Flight: Exile and Displacement in Late Antiquity
Reviewed by Ritva H. Williams

Martin Brons, Augustins Trinitätslehre praktisch: Katechese, Liturgie, Predigt: Ritual und Unterweisungauf dem Weg der Taufe
Reviewed by Alexander H. Pierce

M. Daniel Carroll R., The Book of Amos
Reviewed by Jason Radine

Philip Michael Forness, Preaching Christology in the Roman Near East: A Study of Jacob of Serugh
Reviewed by Anuj M. Amin

Robert P. Gordon, trans.; George A. Kiraz and Joseph Bali, eds., The Syriac Peshitta Bible with English Translation: Chronicles
Reviewed by Robert J. Owens

Judith Herrin, Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe
Reviewed by Lee M. Jefferson

Hilary Lipka and Bruce Wells, eds., Sexuality and Law in the Torah
Reviewed by Ilan Peled

Daniel DeForest London, Theodicy and Spirituality in the Fourth Gospel: A Girardian Perspective
Reviewed by Russell Morton

Blossom Stefaniw, Christian Reading: Language, Ethics, and the Order of Things
Reviewed by H. Gregory Snyder

Biblical Geography Interview

B. J. Oropeza has a nice interview with Robert Mullins on the topic of biblical geography here.

New Testanent Greek Comics

This looks like a fun and helpful resource when it is done. You can download a sample here.

 

Sermon Conclusions

As part of a class on preaching that I am teaching, I was reminded of this helpful list from Akin, Curtis, and Rummage on the purposes of sermon conclusions.

• The conclusion should conclude and bring the message to a timely and appropriate end.
• The conclusion should restate the major idea and minor points of your message.
• The conclusion is where you make your final appeal to encourage your people to action.
• The conclusion should engage the mind, elevate the emotions, and excite the will.
• The conclusion is to ask for a verdict.
• The conclusion is tied to the introduction and helps answer the question, “So what?”
• The conclusion intends to encourage and challenge, as well as comfort and guide.

Engaging Exposition (Nashville B&H Academic, 2011), 199-200 (with some very slight changes).

Daily Dose of Aramaic

Some of you are probably already familiar with the Daily Dose of Hebrew and the Daily Dose of Greek. Both of these free video subscriptions are helpful ways of learning and keeping up with the languages. Starting November 1, there will now be a Daily Dose of Aramaic. You can sign up for free here.

Tattoos and Biblical Languages

Ken Berding has a fair and thoughtful post here on tattoos and his role as a Greek professor. I relate and agree with the post. I have been asked on more than one occasion to check or provide the correct spelling of a Greek or Hebrew word. I actually have had more questions about Hebrew than Greek. I suspect that is because Hebrew is so different from English. And Hebrew is trickier especially if you are going to add vowels. I also agree with Berding's understanding of tattoos in general.

Philippians 4:13

Ben Merkle has a nice post here on unpacking Philippians 4:13, a frequently quoted but often misunderstood verse.

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 to read them.

Zhodi Angami, Tribals, Empire and God: A Tribal Reading of the Birth of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel
Reviewed by Derek S. Dodson

Leonard Greenspoon, Jewish Bible Translations: Personalities, Passions, Politics, Progress
Reviewed by Marvin A. Sweeney

Eva Günther, Wisdom as a Model for Jesus’ Ministry: A Study on the “Lament over Jerusalem” in Matt 23:37–39 Par. Luke 13:34–35
Reviewed by Kai Akagi

Innocent Himbaza, ed., The Text of Leviticus: Proceedings of the Third International Colloquium of the Dominique Barthélemy Institute, Held in Fribourg (October 2015)
Reviewed by Theo A. W. van der Louw

Magnar Kartveit and Gary N. Knoppers, eds., The Bible, Qumran, and the Samaritans
Reviewed by Christian Stadel

Jon C. Laansma and Randall X. Gauthier, The Handy Guide to Difficult and Irregular Greek Verbs: Aids for Readers of the Greek New Testament
Reviewed by Sung Cho

Sarianna Metso,The Community Rule: A Critical Edition with Translation
Reviewed by Rob Kugler

Barbara A. Richter, The Theology of Hathor of Dendera: Aural and Visual Scribal Techniques in the Per-Wer Sanctuary
Reviewed by J. G. Manning

Daniel S. Robinson, Fate, Freedom, and Happiness: Clement and Alexander on the Dignity of Human Responsibility
Reviewed by Frédérique Dantonel

Buyoung Son, The Subversive Chronicler: Narrative Film Theory and Canon Criticism Refocus His Intention
Reviewed by D. Allen Hutchison