BibleX

Preaching from an iPad

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:32:00 +0000

Some of you might be interested in this article from Christian Computing Magazine.

Interview with Todd Bolen

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:05:00 +0000

Many readers are likely familiar with Todd Bolen, although some of you may not know it. His pictures have appeared in numerous publications including the Archaeological Study Bible and the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary on the Old Testament. Todd has lived and taught in Israel and led numerous tours there (including one that I was on). He runs the BiblePlaces.com website, is a fellow blogger and a Ph.D. candidate at Dallas Theological Seminary. His most recent project is the revised and updated photo resource, Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. I am very thankful to Todd for taking the time to answer a few questions.

1. How does understanding the geography and archaeology of the Holy Lands contribute to the practice of Bible exposition?

Bible exposition is the practice of explaining a portion of Scripture, and to do correctly that one needs to know as much as possible about the text and the backgrounds of that text. The authors wrote to contemporaries who knew their land and their culture. Because we live thousands of years and thousands of miles away, we study geography and archaeology in order to try to reduce the distance between them and us. The more that we can “get into their world,” the more likely we will correctly understand what they wrote.

2. You have just released a revised and expanded edition of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands (PLBL). How have you used pictures like those in the PLBL in your own teaching and preaching ministry?

I started creating the Pictorial Library for my use. I was teaching college courses in Israel and while I often had the sites themselves as backdrops, I needed visual aids for the classroom lectures. Initially I used a slide projector and dreamed of a day when I wouldn’t have to sort slides for each lecture. I completed the first, rather modest, edition of the Pictorial Library in the year 2000 and I’ve been working on this new edition for the last 9 years. I taught a new course at church this spring and having the (almost finished) Pictorial Library available saved me a lot of time. Having a library of digital images allows me to illustrate sites, scenes, and cultural activities with ease.

3. The Pictorial Library of Bible Lands contains more than 17,500 images. Do you have any suggestions for relatively new Bible teachers on how best to use these images without getting overwhelmed?

I would suggest using the collection as a library, drawing out whatever images are useful for the situation. I recommend copying the disks to the hard drive and using a search program such as Picasa to quickly identify images by location and keyword. The PowerPoint presentations are easy to access as well, and you can open up the desired presentation and copy whatever slides you need into your own teaching PowerPoint.

4. How can a Bible teacher be more effective by using the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands?

Photos can help teachers in so many ways. They can help to create an atmosphere, such as what the Sea of Galilee looked like before and during a storm. They can communicate a concept better than words, such as revealing the size of the enormous Temple Mount instead of stating that it is 300 meters long or the size of 24 football fields. They can transport the viewer to the site itself, such as the Elah Valley where David confronted Goliath. They can demonstrate a practice, such as how a shepherd would shear his sheep. They can also correct misperceptions, such as what the Judean wilderness looks like where Jesus fasted and was tempted.

Witherington: A Week in the Life of Corinth

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Mon, 28 May 2012 21:13:00 +0000

The nice folks at IVP Academic have sent me a copy of Ben Witherington III's latest book, A Week in the Life of Corinth. I have not read any of Witherington's fictional works, but this looks intriguing. According to the publisher, A Week in the Life of Corinth is about,"a fictitious Corinthian man named Nicanor through an eventful week of business dealings and conflict, you will encounter life at various levels of Roman society--eventually meeting Paul himself and gaining entrance into the Christian community there." The book also contains, "Numerous full-page text boxes expand on a variety of aspects of life and culture as we encounter them in the narrative."

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Sun, 27 May 2012 06:51:00 +0000

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.

Mary Dove, ed.
The Earliest Advocates of the English Bible: The Texts of the Medieval Debate
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7946
Reviewed by David G. Burke

Yitzhaq Feder
Blood Expiation in Hittite and Biblical Ritual: Origins, Context, and Meaning
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8282
Reviewed by Pekka Pitkänen

David Frankel
The Land of Canaan and the Destiny of Israel: Theologies of Territory in the Hebrew Bible
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7922
Reviewed by Phillip Sherman

Lisbeth S. Fried, ed.
Was 1 Esdras First? An Investigation into the Priority and Nature of 1 Esdras
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8187
Reviewed by Erik Eynikel

Dennis J. Horton
Death and Resurrection: The Shape and Function of a Literary Motif in the Book of Acts
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8085
Reviewed by Arie W. Zwiep

Elizabeth A. McCabe, ed.
Women in the Biblical World: A Survey of Old and New Testament Perspectives
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8138
Reviewed by Joseph Oryshak

Joshua N. Moon
Jeremiah's New Covenant: An Augustinian Reading
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7926
Reviewed by Bob Becking

Luis Sánchez Navarro
Testimonios del Reino: Evangelios Sinópticos y Hechos los Apóstoles
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7773
Reviewed by David E. C. Ford

Antoinette Clark Wire
The Case for Mark Composed in Performance
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8392
Reviewed by Larry W. Hurtado

Ben Witherington III
What's in the Word: Rethinking the Socio-rhetorical Character of the New Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8066
Reviewed by Richard L. Rohrbaugh

Journal for the Study of the New Testament 34:4

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Sat, 26 May 2012 06:21:00 +0000

The latest issue of the Journal for the Study of the New Testament is out. Here is a list of the articles and links to abstracts.

The Circumcision of Christ: Romans 15.7-13

Joshua D. Garroway

pp. 303-322
http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/4/303

Hellenistic Greek and the New Testament: A Stylometric Perspective

David L. Mealand

pp. 323-345
http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/4/323

The Righteousness of God (Dikaiosune Theou) and Verbal Genitives: A Grammatical Clarification

Denny Burk

pp. 346-360
http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/4/346

Mirror-Reading Moral Issues in Paul’s Letters

Nijay K. Gupta

pp. 361-381
http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/4/361

The Warning against Idolatry: An Intertextual Examination of Septuagintal Warnings in Hebrews

Jason Whitlark

pp. 382-401
http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/4/382

The New Evangelization and Seminaries

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:13:00 +0000

This is an interesting article written from a Catholic perspective but one in which Evangelicals ought to hear.

Learning Hebrew Prepositions

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:24:00 +0000

Chris Heard has some resources for learning Hebrew prepositions here.

Upcoming Advanced Expository Preaching Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:23:00 +0000

The Advanced Expository Preaching Workshop is designed to assist pastors in mastering the techniques of preaching. This year will focus on preaching the Sermon on the Mount.

The workshop will take place on Monday, October 8, 2012 in The Riley Center on the campus of Southwestern Seminary. Registration is $25 for all participants and includes lunch. For more information, please call 1-877-474-4769 or email RileyCenterCalendar@swbts.edu.

For overnight guest accommodations, please call 817-921-8800. For more information go here.

The New Dictionary of the Old Testament: Prophets on Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:29:00 +0000

The last volume in the IVP dictionary series, the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Prophets is now on sale for up to 60% off ($24) at the Westminster Bookstore if you buy two or more. Single copies are at 50% off ($30). If you spend at least $49 you also qualify for free postage.

The other volumes in the Old Testament and New Testament series are also on sale at 50% off. Go here for the OT and here for the NT..

Note that this sale is only good for 72 hours.

Geography and Effective Bible Teaching

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:03:00 +0000

Peter Mead touches upon the importance of geography for effective Bible teaching here.

Some Good Advice on Using Commentaries

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:02:00 +0000

Phillip Long has some good advice on using commentaries here.

A Seminarian's Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Sun, 20 May 2012 22:23:00 +0000

See this post by Trevin Wax.

The Self-Induced Pressures of Preaching

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Sat, 19 May 2012 12:55:00 +0000

“Many preachers are tired; they are worn out from the pressure of trying to be interesting and trying to be God for the people. In the past, people might have been willing to grant the preacher that privilege, but no more. People know us better than that. Too many of us have failed, and few people are willing to give us the benefit of the doubt. It is hard to stand in the pulpit and claim to speak for God—especially when our stomach sticks out over our belt and our breath smells funny and our breakfast is stuck between our teeth. It is difficult to speak for God when we are so obviously flawed. Just trying will wear a person out.

“We can find courage in the knowledge that preaching doesn’t depend on the preacher’s cleverness. Our task is simply to help people hear from God. Once the preacher understands that God has already promised to make himself known in his Word, the pressure lifts. Surprisingly, we then find ourselves motivated to deeper and more faithful engagement with the text.”

Kenton C. Anderson, Choosing to Preach (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), 40.

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Fri, 18 May 2012 06:05:00 +0000

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.

Philip F. Esler
Sex, Wives, and Warriors: Reading Biblical Narrative with Its Ancient Audience
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8195
Reviewed by Brian Peterson

John Paul Heil
Hebrews: Chiastic Structures and Audience Response
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8146
Reviewed by Philip Church

Richard A. Horsley
Jesus and the Powers: Conflict, Covenant, and the Hope of the Poor
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7797
Reviewed by Kevin B. McCruden

Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan and Tina Pippin, eds.
Mother Goose, Mother Jones, Mommie Dearest: Biblical Mothers and Their Children
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7579
Reviewed by Melanie Howard

Thomas E. Phillips
Acts within Diverse Frames of Reference
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8068
Reviewed by Arie W. Zwiep

Tammi J. Schneider
An Introduction to Ancient Mesopotamian Religion
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8222
Reviewed by Andrew Riley

Hershel Shanks
Freeing the Dead Sea Scrolls: And Other Adventures of an Archaeology Outsider
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7807
Reviewed by Matthew A. Collins

Andrew E. Steinmann
Ezra and Nehemiah
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7795
Reviewed by Antje Labahn

Michael E. Stone
Ancient Judaism: New Visions and Views
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8112
Reviewed by Joseph Angel

James Riley Strange
The Moral World of James: Setting the Epistle in Its Greco-Roman and Judaic Environments
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8137
Reviewed by John S. Kloppenborg

This issue also contains the following two responses to previous reviews.

Rob Dalrymple responds to the review of his Revelation and the Two Witnesses at: http://rblnewsletter.blogspot.com/2012/04/20120423-dalrymple-revelation-and-two.html

Brian Abasciano responds to the review of his Paul's Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9.10-18 at: http://rblnewsletter.blogspot.com/2012/04/20120421-abasciano-pauls-use-of-old.html

Buy One, Get One Free Sale at Baylor University Press

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:16:00 +0000

Baylor University Press is having a buy one, get one free sale through May 31. For more details go here. Their biblical studies titles can be found here.

Anthropological Versus Theological Preaching

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:09:00 +0000

"Much preaching today is anthropological rather than theological. In an anthropological sermon, the acting subject is the human being with his hopes, needs, wishes, and religious longings, rather than the God who moves in on human beings whether they have spiritual inclinations or not. In an anthropological sermon, the central appeal is is made to the human decision. More and more, the central theological divide in the churches has to do with the matter of the acting subject: is it us, or is it God?"

Fleming Rutledge, And God Spoke to Abraham: Preaching from the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011), 8.

Varner on the Red Heifer

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:51:00 +0000

The ritual of the red heifer found in Numbers 19 and referred to in Hebrews 9 is one of the more obscure and mysterious rituals in the Old Testament. But William Varner has a good succinct explanation of it here.

E-Book Infographic

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:31:00 +0000

This is an interesting e-book infographic. To see a full size version go here.

The New Pictorial Library of Bible Lands

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:17:00 +0000

I am excited to read that Todd Bolen has now rolled out a new and improved version of his Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. The original version was been a great asset to my teaching ministry since I first started using it in 1999. The Pictorial Library of Bible Lands is the best resource, hands down, for pictures related to the Holy Lands. Although I have not personally seen this new version (over 17,500 images!), I am confident that this will be a top-notch resource as well. You can read all about it here.

Some Challenges and Trends for Seminaries

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Mon, 14 May 2012 06:41:00 +0000

The Chronicle of Higher Education has this article on some of the challenges facing seminaries and some trends related to addressing the challenges.

On the Writing of Commentaries

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:59:00 +0000

I was recently looking through Thomas Manton’s classic commentary on James and came upon the following statement concerning the canonical status of James (which students of James know has been disputed by some).

“Concerning the divine authority of this epistle, I desire to discuss it with reverence and trembling. It is dangerous to loosen foundation stones. I should wholly have omitted this part of my work, but that the difference is so famous; and to conceal known adversaries is an argument of fear and distrust. The Lord grant that the cure be not turned into a snare, and that vain men may not unsettle themselves by what is intended for an establishment!” (James Manton, A Practical Commentary or an Exposition with Notes on the Epistle of James [London: John Gladding, 1840], iii).

I find Manton’s words refreshing for three reasons. First, he recognizes that there are consequences (intended and unintended to what we write) and therefore care should be exercised. Second, even with the possibility of “loosing foundation stones,” Manton realizes that he has a responsibility to address controversial issues rather than operating out of “fear and distrust.” Third, Manton is prayerful that his discussion would ultimately be edifying. I know that Manton’s sentiments might sound rather quaint, but should not a similar attitude characterize Christian interpreters today?

By the way, you can download a free e-book copy of Manton’s commentary here.

Free Audio of 2012 Expository Preaching Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Sat, 12 May 2012 14:37:00 +0000

You can access free audio from the 2012 Expository Preaching Workshop held at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in March here.

A Bible Lover's Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:47:00 +0000

Clifford Kvidahl notes that the German Bible Society has made NA27, UBS GNT, LXX, BHS, and the Vulgate available and in unicode.I may have noted this before, but a reminder wouldn't hurt.

Psalm 119 Chart

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:04:00 +0000

This is a nice diglot of Psalm 119.

HT: Todd Bolen

Christian Exclusivity

noreply@blogger.com (Charles) — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:14:00 +0000

This is an interesting infographic from Lifeway Research. You can read the accompanying article here.