My first exposure to The Greek New Testament published jointly by Cambridge University Press and Crossway was at the recent SBL conference in Boston (if you’re interested in all of its unique features, methodology, rationale, etc, you can check out a little explanation here; similarly, here is a detailed blog that addresses several issues surrounding the new edition written by the editors). I purchased my copy and went straight to my next session. As I was...
The Text that Started It All I received this text message from a friend: “Quick…need a translation/explanation of Luke 2:49.” I found the necessity of a hurried response to be a bit peculiar. Who would need a translation of a verse so promptly? Nevertheless, I supplied my quick, and rather ‘wooden’, translation from the Greek (καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· τί ὅτι ἐζητεῖτέ με; οὐκ ᾔδειτε ὅτι ἐν τοῖς τοῦ πατρός μου δεῖ εἶναί με;): “And...
J. Ross Wagner. Reading the Sealed Book: Old Greek Isaiah and the Problem of Septuagint Hermeneutics. Waco, Tex.: Baylor University Press, 2014. 308 pages. Softcover. Retail: $49.95. Reading the Sealed Book is a work concerned with Septuagint hermeneutics, especially as it pertains to Isaiah. For those not familiar with Septuagint hermeneutics, the first chapter alone is worth the price of the book. It begins with a discussion of the two major centers of controversy with...
The September 2013 issue of the Journal for the Study of the New Testament is now available online and will be in print shortly. My article on the meaning of the Greek word ΠΑΣΧΩ in Galatians 3.4 is included in the volume (“Suffering In Vain: A Study on the Interpretation of ΠΑΣΧΩ in Galatians 3.4,” JSNT 36.1 [2013]: 3-16). If your College/University/Seminary has access to JSNT then you can download the .pdf file by navigating this link...
One of the most difficult tasks of the serious Bible student is to read the Bible as the word of God and not as an assignment. Like most people, I changed major three times during my first year of college. First, I was an engineering major. This was, without doubt, the result of knowing very little about myself – something I am still guilty of. It was during the first few sessions of my Introduction...
My friend, Aaron, and I walked into a Mosque on a Sunday afternoon looking for a fight. Or at least I was. Aaron was just being nice by going with me. I was in a class that required me to dialogue with Muslims about their faith and my faith with a slant towards apologetics. As an American, my first thought was a real live Muslim? If you’re not from here (America) you probably don’t know...
Yesterday was a somber day for every student of New Testament Greek. Arguably the world’s foremost Greek lexicographer, Frederick W. Danker, passed away at the age of 91. In the world of New Testament studies there are a number of “giants” who stand shoulders above their peers. Professor Danker was one of those giants. For many, he will forever be known as the “D” in the acronym BDAG: Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich. Published in...
[Update (2/14/2014)—My new book Esther and Her Elusive God: How A Secular Story Functions As Scripture is now available. My posts on this site represent stages in the development of my thinking about Esther. For the full argument check out the book]. Over the last three weeks I’ve been looking at the book of Esther. In post #1 I addressed the book’s canonicity. In post #2 I looked at evidence of impiety (compromise). And last week in...
There is love, in the red letters There is truth, in the red letters There is hope for the hopeless, peace and forgiveness There is life, in the red letters These lyrics come from the song Red Letters sung by dc Talk in their album, Supernatural, released in 1998. For some, this song is undoubtedly very encouraging (that is, if you’re still listening to dc Talk). The Red Letters contain love, truth, hope, peace, forgiveness,...
Recent Comments