An Outline of Acts 15:1–16:5

F. Scott Spencer has suggested an alliterative problem to solution outline for Acts 15:1–16:5: (1) Dissension (Acts 15:1–5); (2) Discussion (Acts 15:6–18); (3) Decision (Acts 15:19–29); (4) Dissemination (Acts 15:30–16:5). Spencer also sees an A-B-A chiasm in each section.

F. Scott Spencer, Journeying through Acts (Peabody: Hendrickson, 2004), 163–64.

  

Dr. Flunk

   

"When a preacher is in a slump, or when preaching has no power, this is the time one becomes acquainted with Dr. Flunk. Dr. Flunk, in my cultural tradition, is one with whom all preachers are intimately acquainted. Dr. Flunk visits all of us, usually on Sunday mornings, but sometimes he comes even when we are studying or writing our sermons. His presence can be recognized when everything we say falls on deaf ears, no one says 'amen,' no one even nods silent approval, and everyone from the choir loft to the door becomes comatose. Dr. Flunk disregards our degrees and ignores every one of our academic achievements. He sees to it that the sermon over which we have worked long and hard comes out sounding like theological drivel and biblical nonsense. There is no way to avoid him. He comes when he will. He is designed to keep the preacher humble, to help the preacher keep his preaching in perspective, and above all, to help the preacher refrain from taking himself too seriously. He is a master at his work. Yet we are called to preach in spite of the presence of Dr. Flunk."

H. Beecher Hicks, "Bones, Sinews, Flesh and Blood Coming to Life," in Inside the Sermon, ed. Richard Allen Bodey (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990), 114. 

  

The Minor Prophets and the Epistle of James

  

"The teaching of James is strongly influenced by the message of the twelve, especially by Hosea, Amos and Malachi. The first book of the twelve, Hosea challenges God’s people to return to the covenant faithfulness by asking, ‘who is wise and will understand these things, or prudent and will comprehend them? For the ways of the Lord are upright, and the just will walk in them, but the impious will be weak in them’ (Hos.14.10 NETS; ET 14.9). Jas 3.13 asks the same question, ‘who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born wisdom.’ This may suggest that the well-recognized wisdom motif in James is mediated more through the prophetic message of the Greek Old Testament than through the wisdom literature of Second Temple Judaism. God’s wisdom (Jas 3.13) makes peacemakers (Jas 3.17) in a community where fighting and quarrelling (Jas 4.1) come from those who want more than they have (Jas 4.2) and are drawn to spiritual adultery by becoming friends with the world to get it (Jas 4.4). Some will even forget God in their quest for the wealth that comes from being friends with the world (Jas 4.13–17: cf. Hos. 13.6) and be driven even to the dishonest gain of exploiting and oppressing others, bringing themselves to a miserable end under God's judgement (Jas 5.1–6)."

Karen H. Jobes, "The Minor Prophets in James, 1 & 2 Peter and Jude," in The Minor Prophets in the New Testament, ed. Maarten J. J. Menken and Steve Moyise (New York: T & T Clark, 2009), 141-42,

 

Lexicography

  
"How is the meaning of a word to be described? If one is waiting a lexicon, a tool whose basic function is to indicate meanings of words, how is it done? Today when we have learnt how difficult it is to say even what "meaning" is, we may be unsure. But for lexicographers of the past, from antiquity onwards, an answer was ready to hand: use another word, a word equivalent in meaning . . . 

"This is definition by gloss. That is, the offering of another word that is more or less equivalent in meaning in the same language, or, in a bilingual context, a word felt to be equivalent in another language. Such a method not only indicates meaning, but also, in the case of bilingual lexicography, offers a translation. The gloss is the way one can translate the word into one's own language; it is a translation equivalent."

John A. L. Lee, A History of New Testament Lexicography, Studies in Biblical Greek 8, ed. D. A. Carson (New York: Peter Lang, 2003), 15-6.

  

Ciampa And Rosner's New 1 Corinthians Commentary on Sale (50% off)

  
Roy E. Ciampa and Brian Rosners' new 1 Corinthians commentary in the Pillar series is now on sale at Westminster Bookstore for 50% off or $32.50. The sale is only good until 11/22. If you spend another $2.50 you will qualify for $1 shipping.

The Genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1–9

“Understandably, modern readers find ancient genealogies—especially one of this length and detail—difficult to appreciate and often skip over them. After all, we do not have any personal family stake in them, so that the names, many of which seem unpronounceable, are meaningless. But a genealogy can be a powerful literary and theological tool, both in the ‘big picture’ that it provides about the group of people who, as a whole, are its subject, and in the specific details.”

Steven L. McKenzie, 1–2 Chronicles, Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries (Nashville: Abingdon, 2004), 59. 

For other posts on genealogies see here.

"Keeping" in Jude

  
Careful students of the Epistle of Jude have noted the "keeping" motif in the epistle. Deek Dubberly has a nice discussion of this motif here.
 

In Conclusion

  

“Good conclusions require careful craftsmanship. G. Campbell Morgan said, ‘Every conclusion must conclude, include, and preclude.’ To conclude the conclusion must truly end the message. To do this well the conclusion must include what had been previously said and preclude the possibility that the implications and the consequences of the message will escape the listeners.”

Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), 245.
  

Review of Why Four Gospels?

   

Black, David Allen. Why Four Gospels? The Historical Origins of the Gospels. 2nd ed. Gonzalez, FL: Energion, 2010. Pp. 120. $11.99 paper.

Whenever one is reviewing a revised edition, it can be helpful to begin with noting the nature and extent of the revision. According to the author, this edition has an expanded postscript (pp. 75–78) and updated bibliography and some overall rewriting and/or editing. A cursory comparison between the first and second editions does suggest a significant expansion of several pages to the postscript and an expanded bibliography which includes work dated even into 2010. I did not notice any significant changes however to the main body of the work, but my examination of this was fairly cursory. Both editions have about the same number of pages (118 vs. 120 pp.) but this might be a bit misleading since the second edition has a slightly larger format size (8.3 x 5.4 vs. 8.9 x 5.8 inches).
 

Now concerning the contents of the book itself, I would first begin by noting that I think a more apt title would have been How Four Gospels?, since much of the book explains how the four canonical Gospels came to be. Nonetheless, Black has written a readable and thoughtful presentation of his view of the origins of the Gospels (the Fourfold-Gospel Hypothesis). This view is predicated on Matthean (contra the more popular Markan) priority, a healthy appreciation for the statements on Gospel origins for the Church Fathers, and a brief, but coherent, argument based on the contents of the Gospels themselves and the growth and development of the early church.

Here are a few things that I liked about the book. First and foremost, this book is easy to read. It is simple and yet not simplistic. In my opinion, too many books in biblical studies are unnecessarily obtuse. The bibliography is solid and I always appreciate the inclusion of a subject index.

Let me also suggest two minor critiques. I would have liked to see Black address what he thinks are the weakest points in his view. I would also like to see a Scripture index to go along with the subject index.

It remains to be seen whether Black’s presentation of the Fourfold-Gospel Hypothesis is successful in convincing the vast majority of New Testament interpreters or even in generating more discussion about the disputed issues. That being said, those interested in the origins of the Gospels should take careful look at the case being presented in this book. 

  

The Longest Walk

  
“The longest walk that any preacher takes is the one from his study to the steps of his pulpit. Arrogance is no longer present. There will be no thought of any personal achievement which may have brought him to this hour. The authentic preacher comes to the pulpit unsure if the bones can live. He can only respond to the question by saying, ‘Lord God, thou knowest!’" 


H. Beecher Hicks, “Bones, Sinews, Flesh and Blood coming to Life,” in Inside the Sermon, ed. Richard Allen Bodey (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990), 116.
    

The Theology of Chronicles

“It is easy for modern readers to get lost in the repetitiveness of Chronicles’s lists and genealogies and fail to appreciate its theological nature. But Chronicles is, above all, a theological work. The interest in presenting a theological interpretation of history somewhat different from that already available in the Deuteronomistic History is what drove the Chronicler to write this work in the first place. There are four widely recognized theological emphases in Chronicles. They are: Davidic-Solomonic kingship, the temple, ‘all Israel,’ and divine retribution and reward.”

Steven L. McKenzie, 1-2 Chronicles, Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries (Nashville: Abingdon, 2004), 47.
  

Judgment as a Theme in the Gospel of John

  
See Steven Coxhead's post on judgment as a theme in the Gospel of John.
  

Upcoming: Journal for the Study of Paul and His Letters

   

See this announcement of a new journal published through Eisenbrauns focusing on Paul and his letters. According to the announcement,

"The JSPL will present cutting-edge research for scholars, teachers, postgraduate students, and advanced undergraduates related specifically to study of the Apostle Paul and cognate areas. It is proposed that the many and diverse aspects of Pauline studies be represented and promoted by the journal. The purpose of the journal is to advance discussion on these areas of Pauline research. As such we invite submissions on the above mentioned topics that make a significant and original contribution to the field of Pauline studies." 

Hebrews 1:1-3

   

God has spoken.[1] Here the author both indicates the continuity of divine revelation through the ages and also the contrast between the Old Testament prophets and Jesus.[2] This contrast involves at least three points of comparison: (1). “long ago” vs. “last days;” (2). “in the prophets” (plural) vs. “in a Son” (singular); 3. “many portions and ways” vs. “in a Son (qualitatively).” Furthermore, the first three verses introduce three functions of Christ (prophet [1:2]; priest [1:3]; king [1:3]), which, will be emphasized later in the book. Additionally, this introductory section functions as a precursor to the discussion on angels, since angels were regarded as mediators of divine revelation, namely the Mosaic Law.

[1] Morris notes that, “It is significant that the subject of the first verb is ‘God,’ for God is constantly before the author; he uses the word sixty-eight times, an average of about once every seventy-three words all through his epistle. Few NT books speak of God so often” (Leon Morris, “Hebrews” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol 12., ed. Frank E. Gaebelein [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981], 12).

[2] “Hebrews gathers all its leading ideas around two great themes, revelation and redemption, the word of God and the work of Christ” (Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews, Bible Speaks Today [Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1982], 17).
  

Mark Goodacre Articles

   
Mark Goodacre has posted three of his recent articles at his blog. Check it out here.
   

Teaching Imputed Righteousness to a Child

  

Check out Brian Croft's post "How do you teach a child about Christ’s imputed righteousness?"

  

Preaching and the Two-Edged Sword

"It took me a little while as a preacher to appreciate the significance of the fact that God’s Word is a two-edged sword. It wounds the listener, in order to heal him; but it also wounds the preacher. I believe this is the ultimate explanation for many of the mysterious experiences we have in preaching. At times we are elated, yet the people seem not to share that elation. At other times, even while we speak we are inwardly weeping over our failures, and confessing ‘I am a man of unclean lips.’ Yet so often we discover that on such occasions God spoke with great grace and power. No one else knew what we were going through (except perhaps a fellow preacher who recognized some of the telltale signs!). Or, more accurately, no one beside the Lord. He knew, because he was speaking to us through his Word, as well as through us to others. In this intimate way, the Lord teaches us that while ours is the responsibility rightly to handle the Word of God in preparation and exposition, yet it remains the Spirit’s sword, and not ours."

Sinclair B. Ferguson, “Communion with God through Preaching,” in Inside the Sermon, ed. Richard Allen Bodey (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990), 83. 
   

The Contribution of James

  
Arguably the greatest contribution that the Epistle of James makes to the Scriptures is its insistence that faith and practice are inseparably linked. James also shatters the idea that one can separate secular practice from spiritual piety. Furthermore, the wisdom elements in James have been long recognized. Verse for verse, no book in the New Testament can match James’ pithiness. 
  

The Impact of the KJV on Our Language

  
See this article on the impact of the KJV on our language, particularly as a source of idioms. David Crystal has identified 257 idioms which are directly attributable to the KJV.
 

Ulrich Luz's Matthew 1-7 Commentary

   

Luz, Ulrich. Matthew 1–7: A Commentary. Edited by Helmut Koester. Translated by James E. Crouch. Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007.

Publisher’s Description:

The birth narrative, the baptism and temptation of Jesus, the beginnings of his Galilean ministry, and the Sermon on the Mount are all brilliantly illumined by Ulrich Luz's expert textual and historical-critical analysis and theological commentary. Luz brings special attention to the subsequent history of Christian appropriation of Matthew in homiletical and artistic interpretation, and addresses the terrible legacy of Christian anti-Judaism. This volume completes Luz's three-volume commentary on the Gospel of Matthew in the Hermeneia series. A translation of the earlier German edition of Matthew 1–7 appeared in Fortress Press's Continental Commentary series. The text has been thoroughly revised and updated.

As noted in the above description, this commentary is a significant revision and updating of the author’s 1989 commentary on Matthew 1–7 in the Continental series (see the preface to the Hermeneia edition, p. xvii). This explains in part why this volume is the last of his three volumes on Matthew to be published. The commentary is fairly standard critical fare but what makes the approach of the commentary interesting is its concern for the history of interpretation (Auslegungsgeschichte) and the history of the influence of the text (Wirkungsgeschichte), namely “how the text is received and actualized in media other than commentaries” (p. 61).

Here is a slightly simplified version of the table of contents:

Foreword
Editor’s Note
Preface to the First Edition
Preface to the Hermeneia Edition
Translator’s Preface
Reference Codes

Introduction

1 Structure and Basic Character of Matthew’s Story of Jesus
2 Genre and Intention of the Gospel
3 Sources
4 Style
5 Evangelist’s Relationship to His Sources
6 The Historical Situation of the Gospel of Matthew
7 Text
8 On the Intention of This Commentary and on the Hermeneutical Significance of the History of the Text’s Influence (Wirkungsgeschicht)

Commentary

Heading (1:1)

I Prelude (1:2–4:22)

A Infancy Narratives (1:2–2:23)

1 Genealogy (1:2–17) 

2 Birth, Endangerment, and Rescue of the Messianic Child (1:18–2:23)
Excursus: The Fulfillment Quotations

B The Beginning of Jesus’ Activity (3:1–4:22)

1 John the Baptist (3:1–17)Excursus: Righteousness (δικαιοσύνη)
Excursus: Son of God
2 The Authentication of the Son of God in Temptation (4:1–11)
3 The Beginning of the Community in Galilee (4:12–22*)
Excursus: Disciple (μαθητής)

II Jesus’ Activity in Israel in Word and Deed (4:23–11:30)

Introductory Overview (4:23–25)

Excursus: Preaching, Teaching, and Gospel in Matthew

A The Sermon on the Mount (5:1–7:29)
1 Introduction (5:1–16)
2 The Main Part (5:17–7:12)
3 Concluding Admonitions (7:13–29)
Excursus: False Prophets

Summary: The Basic Message of the Sermon on the Mount

Conclusion: Reflections on the Praxis of the Sermon on the Mount Today

Indices

1. Passages
2. Greek Words
3. Subjects
4. Authors

Thanks to Fortress Press for the review copy. 
   

Hurtado on Significant Developments for the Study of NT/Christian Origins

  
See Larry Hurtado's post on what he considers the most significant developments in the study of New Testament and Christian origins.
  

Handout on the Use of Hosea 11:1 in Matthew 2:15

   
David Murray has an excellent handout on the use of Hosea 11:1 in Matthew 2:15. You can access the handout here.
 

The People of Qumran

  
The Jerusalem Post has posted an article entitled, "Who are the people living in Qumran?" Not sure there is much new here but you can access the article here.
 

A Brief Summary of Hebrews 1:1–10:18

 

In this section, the author of Hebrews exhorts his audience by pointing to the ontological superiority that Christ has over the prophets of old (1:1–3), the angels (1:4–14; 2:5–18), Moses (3:1–6), and Aaron and the Levitical priesthood (4:14–10:18). Three stern warnings (2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:12) suggest that these facts are not merely abstract theological musing but rather the basis of and motivation for continued perseverance. The author of Hebrews is not so much making a theological statement, but using theology as a means of motivation. Because Christ is “better than” anything else He is worth persevering for.

  

Evangelical Hermeneutics

"Evangelical hermeneutics can at least be described as gospel-driven. God has spoken by his Word, the Word who became a man for us. He knows us and we know his voice so that we follow him. Any hermeneutics that loses this plot has ceased to be evangelical and is out of touch with biblical truth. The evangelical interpreter must decide what assumptions are brought to bear on the subject of understanding the Bible, and to what degree we can apply non-biblical categories to our study without compromising our principles."

Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2006), 33.