Whenever I read a book, I like to try and ascertain what the take-away ideas of the book are. Wright, though he obviously has a brilliant mind, does not always make this crystal clear. He writes like he lectures – it is fascinating, but in the end, I am not exactly sure what I learned. This could be my own poverty of mind, but it is my impression. So, I spent some time trying to reflect on what Wright spends... Read more

In this new work from N.T. Wright (HarperOne, 2011), he tries to articulate his vision of who Jesus was and is and what he was all about according to the Gospels (and somewhat from the rest of the NT). In this initial post, my goal is simply (!) to summarize, briefly, the shape of Wright’s story of Jesus and his significance. In later posts I will offer more critical analysis. For Wright, there is so much confusion today over Jesus,... Read more

A series of explanatory and introductory videos on the Common English Bible translation is online, and one explains their choice of translating the tradition literal phrase “Son of Man” with “The Human One.” The explanation is helpful, especially for anyone who thinks it is a distortion of the meaning of the phrase. Check it out here. Other videos available as well. Read more

At some point when you decide to do advanced study in the New Testament (esp at the PhD level), you realize that you have signed on to study at least half a dozen languages. Its not just Greek. It is also Hebrew (to engage with the OT and do OT/LXX comparison in questions regarding, e.g., the vorlage of a NT quotation/allusion), Latin (to work in textual criticism, history of interpretation, and to make sense of phrases like curriculum vitae and imago or... Read more

I have had a chance, in the past few years, to get my hands on most of the new Paideia commentaries (Baker), which seek to give “contemporary students a basic grounding in academic NT studies by guiding their engagement with NT texts” (xi). The series tends to have a literary-analytical focus, and also an ultimate interest in theological and moral formation. They have existing volumes on Hebrews, Acts, Matthew, Romans (Matera), and Ephesians/Colossians (Talbert). I have read those on Romans... Read more

The Oct ’11 issue of Interpretation is on climate change. Sounds interesting.The first article, by Theodore Hiebert, is called “Reclaiming the World: Biblical Resources for the Ecological Crisis.“ Read more

IVP’s Ancient Commentary on Scripture series has gained widespread praise for making Patristic reflections on Scripture accessible for academic, pastoral, and devotional use. Now, IVP has begun publishing a new series of a similar kind called the Reformation Commentary on Scripture with Gerald Bray as the editor of the first volume (and Timothy George and Scott Manetsch as “general editors” for the series). The launch volume is actually “volume 10” on Galatians and Ephesians. It is a sizable volume of over 450... Read more

With Gordon Fee and Robert Hubbard at the editorial helm, I was anxiously looking forward to the release of The Eerdmans Companion to the Bible. At over 800 pages, it is definitely a “reference” resource, though it does contain a basic commentary on the whole Biblical text by Connie Gundry Tappy. A number of other scholars have contributed to this resource including Desmond Alexander, Joel Green, Richard Longenecker, Tremper Longman, Marianne Meye Thompson, Bill Arnold, Daniel Block, Craig Blomberg, Craig... Read more

See Here. Some good-looking articles, esp on Matthew and Galatians. Read more

Jesus recognizes as disciples those who have the courage to march open eyed into the terra incognita of Jesus’ glory, to get sucked into the vortex of really Real Kingdom coming, so as never to come out on the other side. — M. McCord Adams From “Mark 9:2-9” Fasting on the Word (2008), 456. Read more