Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews that may be of interest from a Bible Exposition perspective include:

François Bovon
L'Evangile selon saint Luc 19,28-24,53
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7257
Reviewed by Richard I. Pervo

Robin Gallaher Branch
Jeroboam's Wife: The Enduring Contributions of the Old Testament's Lesser-Known Women
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7166
Reviewed by Wil Gafney

Jean-Marie van Cangh
Les sources Judaïques du nouveau testament: Recueil d'essais
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6693
Reviewed by Peter Tomson

Shawna Dolansky, ed.
Sacred History, Sacred Literature: Essays on Ancient Israel, the Bible, and Religion in Honor of R. E. Friedman on His Sixtieth Birthday
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6941
Reviewed by Bob Becking

Pamela Eisenbaum
Paul Was Not a Christian: The Original Message of a Misunderstood Apostle
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7327
Reviewed by Yung Suk Kim

Dirk Hartwig, Walter Homolka, Michael J. Marx, and Angelika Neuwirth, eds.
"Im vollen Licht der Geschichte": Die Wissenschaft des Judentums und die Anfänge der kritischen Koranforschung
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6632
Reviewed by Ernst Axel Knauf

Bernard M. Levinson
Legal Revision and Religious Renewal in Ancient Israel
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6786
Reviewed by Bruce Wells

Lee Martin McDonald
Forgotten Scriptures: The Selection and Rejection of Early Religious Writings
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7205
Reviewed by Francis Dalrymple-Hamilton

Paul Middleton, Angus Paddison, and Karen Wenell, eds.
Paul, Grace and Freedom: Essays in Honour of John K. Riches
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7199
Reviewed by Michael J. Lakey

Mogens Müller
The Expression 'Son of Man' and the Development of Christology: A History of Interpretation
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7145
Reviewed by Rollin Kearns

Eckart Otto
Die Tora: Studien zum Pentateuch: Gesammelte Schriften
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7226
Reviewed by Trent C. Butler

C. Kavin Rowe
World Upside Down: Reading Acts in the Graeco-Roman Age
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7214
Reviewed by V. Henry Nguyen

Karel van der Toorn
Scribal Culture and the Making of the Hebrew Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6755
Reviewed by Richard Weis

Alexander Tsutserov
Glory, Grace, and Truth: Ratification of the Sinaitic Covenant according to the Gospel of John
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7157
Reviewed by Christopher W. Skinner

Paul's Parallels

One of the books that I want to get soon is Paul's Parallels, edited by Patricia Elyse Terrell and published by T & T Clark. The publisher's description states:

Paul's Parallels is the first and only New Testament resource text in tables format presenting Paul's verses in column one, next to a row of parallels, echoes, or like-minded quotes from Old and New Testament resources as well as other extant biblical materials. The passages are cited in full.

This master of the epistolary writings, gives a verse by verse demonstration of Paul's thoughts, his ethic, and his actions that were picked-up by later Christian writers, copied by pseudo-Pauline admirers. It delineates some as distinctively Christian while others remained only in Paul's writing.

In addition, Luke's history about Paul in Acts is presented using the same format so the reader can easily cross-reference each epistle to its chronological setting. Documenting the history of Paul’s ministry in the same text allows the reader to instantly turn to the time and place in which Paul wrote that particular message. While investigating serious textual, literary, genre, and other theological characteristics, the reader has the opportunity of simultaneously locating Acts in its historical context.

The book is a bit pricey at $225 ($205 at Amazon), but a fifty-five page section can be seen in this pdf.

Comparing Preachers

Peter Mead provides some helpful insight into the problems associated with comparing preachers. Since such comparisons are practically unavoidable he offers three suggestions.

1. Don’t try to copy another preacher, but do learn from them.
2. Don’t be intimidated by other preachers.
3. Be wary of inter-church competition, esteem God’s work elsewhere.

Read the entire post here.

Interpreting Ecclesiastes

"Of no book of the Bible is it more true than of Ecclesiastes that people have tended to read into it what they want to hear, and to get out of it what agrees with their own prejudices and convictions."

Robert Davidson, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon, DSB (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1986), 3.

E. Earle Ellis (1926–2010)

It is being reported that E. Earle Ellis, the well-respected New Testament scholar, has gone to be with the Lord. Although, I cannot say that I knew Dr. Ellis well, I did have the privilege of meeting him on several occasions and found him to be gracious in answering questions and discussing issues.

Witherington on Jesus' Narrative Thought World and Message

See this post from Ben Witherington III on Jesus' Narrative Thought World and Message here.

Pillar Commentary Sale at Westminster Bookstore

Westminster Bookstore is offering a special through March 9 involving the thirteen volumes in the Pillar New Testament Commentary series, including Peter O'Brien's brand new Hebrews commentary (pictured) . These volumes are already discounted 36-45% off and buy two or more titles and you will get an additional 10% discount. You also get $1 shipping for orders over $35. The discount is automatically calculated in your cart. The following volumes are available.

The Gospel According to Matthew by Leon Morris – $30.50 - 39% Off

The Gospel According to Mark by James Edwards – $31.50 - 37% Off

The Gospel According to John by D. A. Carson – $30.72 - 36% Off

The Acts of the Apostles by David Peterson – $39.65 - 39% Off

The Epistle to the Romans by Leon Morris ­– $27.00 - 40% Off

The Letter to the Ephesians by Peter T. O’Brien – $28.16 - 36% Off

The Letter to the Philippians by Walter Hanson – $28.16 - 36% Off

The Letter to Colossians and Philemon by Doug Moo – $24.20 - 45% Off

The Letters to the Thessalonians by Gene Green – $28.80 - 36% Off

The Letter to the Hebrews by Peter O’Brien – $27.50 - 45% Off

The Letter of James by Doug Moo – $20.40 - 40% Off

The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude by Peter Davids – $23.76 - 34% Off

The Letters of John by Colin Kruse – $21.76 - 36% Off

Free Audio Downloads of Bonhoeffer and Piper

Christianaudio.com is offering two free audio downloads this month. The first is Dietrich Bonhoeffer's classic The Cost of Discipleship. The second free download is John Piper's Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. Go here and use the coupon code MAR2010.

The Noahic Covenant

“The Noahic covenant, including the various divine promises which accompany it, guarantees God's commitment to creation, and in particular, the preservation of life on the earth. It thus provides the necessary foundation for the story of redemption–life on earth is guaranteed to continue in spite of human sin.”

Aaron Chalmers, “The Importance of the Noahic Covenant to Biblical Theology,” Tyndale Bulletin 60 (2009): 209.

The Plagues of Exodus

See this post on the plagues of Exodus (Exod 7:14-10:29).

Three Ways Role Models Teach

1.Their Lips (what they say)
2.Their Life (what they do)
3.Their Love (what they value)

Acts and the Old Testament

"Thematically Acts shows a close relationship with the the OT as dealing with matters such as promise and fulfillment, Jerusalem, the law, and the Jewish people. Characters such as Peter, Stephen, and Paul are presented to some extent as prophetic figures, following OT models. Furthermore, certain narratives in Acts appear to be patterned on biblical precedents. Together these characteristics suggest that the author intended to “create a ‘biblical effect’ for those readers familiar with the Bible.”"

David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2009), 13.

Interview With David Allen on the Forthcoming Book Whosoever Will

One book that I am looking forward to reading is Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Calvinism edited by professors David Allen and Steve Lemke. The publisher is Broadman & Holman. Whosoever Will contains revised versions of papers originally presented at the John 3:16 conference, which was held November 2008 at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia.

In anticipation of the forthcoming release, David Allen one of the editors of, and contributors to, Whosoever Will graciously agreed to be interviewed for this blog.

1. How did Whosoever Will come about?

This book is the result of a conference held at the First Baptist Church of Woodstock, GA, in November, 2008, entitled “The John 3:16 Conference.” The purpose of this conference was to provide a biblical and theological evaluation and critique of Calvinism by non-Calvinists. Not a single speaker at this conference is an Arminian. Many today wrongly assume that there are only two theological positions on these issues: Calvinism and Arminianism. In fact, there are varieties within both camps. Most Southern Baptists are neither Calvinists nor Arminians, but would better be called “Calminians,” in that they affirm some aspects of each theological tradition. The book critiques Calvinism beginning with a critique of each of the so called “five points” in the TULIP acronym, followed by chapters addressing key issues such as whether Calvin himself affirmed limited atonement, the validity of the public altar call, the role of “determinism” in Calvinism, and how Calvinism handles the question of evil in the world.

2. Why did you write Whosoever Will?

We wrote the book to address the growing resurgence of Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention, especially among students on college and seminary campuses. As a result, this issue has been on the front burner for the past few years among Baptists. Often there is confusion and caricature on both sides of this issue. We felt the time had come for a scholarly presentation, irenic in spirit, that would critique the key elements of Calvinism. We have been asked by numerous students and pastors over the years to write such a book.

3. What is the main thesis of the book?

The main thesis of this book is to provide a scholarly critique of the five points of Calvinistic soteriology and then to address key issues in the debate between Calvinists and non-Calvinists.

4. Who should read this book?

Anyone interested in this issue should read this book, especially pastors, church staff members, lay leaders and teachers in local churches, along with current college and seminary students. Regardless of which side of the issue one may fall, this book should be helpful.

5. What do you hope to accomplish through this book?

My goal would be four-fold: 1) to assist all with a greater understanding of the differences between Calvinism and non-Calvinism; 2) to provide non-Calvinists with an understanding of the problems with Calvinism from a non-Calvinist perspective; and 3) to promote the overall edification of the church; and 4) to bring glory to God by attempting to fulfill that part of the Great Commandment which says “to love God with all of your mind.”

For further information see this interview from Broadman & Holman which includes both Allen and Lemke.

Resources on Baptism

Deek Dubberly has provided a number of links related to water baptism that he found helpful, Check it out here.

Does the World Need More Theology/Bible Professors??

Nijay Gupta has a thoughtful post which asks and answers the question. "Does the world need more theology/Bible professors??" Read the post here.

Characterization in New Testament Narrative

Paul Lamey continues his series on preaching New Testament narratives. In this post he discusses characterization.

Varner on Influential Books

See this post for Wiliam Varner's list of the books that influenced him the most.

Free Interactive Materials From Bible Study Magazine

See this link for free interactive materials From Bible Study magazine.

HT: MIchael Heiser

Learning From Paul's Personal Testimony in 1 Timothy

See Deek Dubberly's thoughts on what can be learned from Paul's personal testimony in 1 Timothy and a few other texts.

Ancient Wall Found in Jerusalem

From an article published at the Trumpet.com:

"A section of an ancient city wall of Jerusalem from the 10th century bce—possibly built by King Solomon—has been revealed in archaeological excavations directed by Dr. Eilat Mazar and conducted under the auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The wall, 70 meters long and 6 meters high, is located in the area known as the Ophel, between the City of David and the southern wall of the Temple Mount."

Read the rest of the article here. There is also an article in Hebrew that has more pictures than here.

HT: Yitzhak Sapir

Parallels Between Melchizedek and Jethro

William Varner has an interesting post on some of the possible parallels between Melchizedek in Genesis and Jethro in Exodus, both righteous Gentiles.

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews that may be of interest from a Bible Exposition perspective include:

Izak Cornelius and Louis Jonker, eds.
"From Ebla to Stellenbosch": Syro-Palestinian Religions and the Hebrew Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6894
Reviewed by Friedrich T. Schipper

Ellen F. Davis
Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6922
Reviewed by Robin Gallaher Branch

Luke Gärtner-Brereton
The Ontology of Space in Biblical Hebrew Narrative: The Determinate Function of Narrative 'Space' within the Biblical Hebrew Aesthetic
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7185
Reviewed by Frank H. Polak

Michael Fox
Proverbs 10-31: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7219
Reviewed by Bruce K. Waltke

Philip McCosker, ed.
What Is It That the Scripture Says? Essays in Biblical Interpretation, Translation and Reception in Honour of Henry Wansbrough OSB
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6558
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus

John Van Seters
The Biblical Saga of King David
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7252
Reviewed by Walter Dietrich

John Fleter Tipei
The Laying on of Hands in the New Testament: Its Significance, Techniques, and Effects
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7121
Reviewed by Everett Ferguson

Timo Veijola; Walter Dietrich, ed.
Leben nach der Weisung: Exegetisch-historische Studien zum Alten Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6738
Reviewed by Thomas Römer

Chris A. Vlachos
The Law and the Knowledge of Good and Evil: The Edenic Background of the Catalytic Operation of the Law in Paul
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7020
Reviewed by James M. Howard

Norman Whybray
Job
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7184
Reviewed by F. Rachel Magdalene

Marguerite Yon
The City of Ugarit at Tell Ras Shamra
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6743
Reviewed by Dirk Paul Mielke

Magnus Zetterholm
Approaches to Paul: A Student's Guide to Recent Scholarship
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7196
Reviewed by David G. Horrell

Interview With Dan Wallace

See this interview with Dan Wallace.

Hebrews 2:1-4

See this post by Clifford Kvidahl's post on the connection of Hebrews 2:1-4, the first "Warning Passage," and Hebrews 1.

Humorous Calvinistic Definitions

See this totally irreverent dictionary to help Arminians better understand Calvinist.

HT: J. W. Kenne