Even in his nineties (maybe 95-6), Prof. Cranfield is apparently still thinking through Romans and re-working his understanding of the text… See HERE. Read more

As I have been working through the OT, I have already written lectures for Genesis and Exodus (only 64 books to go!).  Now I have just completed my lecture on Leviticus. Once again, I am not providing an exhaustive list of resources for you, but a short list of ones I felt were particularly useful, and especially insightful for big-picture stuff. GENERAL RESOURCES One can hardly do better than dig into Mary Douglas’ ground-breaking Purity and Danger which outlines her... Read more

I am doing some lecture prep and research on early Jewish conceptions of the Messiah. 1. Can anyone recommend good resources (preferably not too monograph-y) on early Jewish concepts of the Messiah?  Is there a classic that is still accurate?  Who are the movers and shakers in this area? 2. Was the Messiah ever called or linked to the ‘image of God’ in early Jewish texts? Thanks! Read more

Michael Gorman has commented on the fact that 1100 people are registered for the Wheaton Theology conference that will take place next week and involves a theological dialogue with N.T. Wright.  Why all the fuss?  If SBL draws about 6000 people for the national conference, why would about 1/6 of these kinds of folks turn up for this?  Gorman has some very important answers.  Here are some of mine: – He thinks big picture while still paying close attention to... Read more

We had a half-day yesterday which was mostly just one long session of papers.  My paper was on how Romans 1:18-32 is often connected to other parts of the letter looking forward (ch 2, chs 6-8, ch 12, ch 15), but there are enough verbal and thematic links to 1:8-15 that we should not ignore how Paul sets himself up as the faithful worshipper over and against the wicked idolaters.  I argue that this is meant to set himself as... Read more

I have been slowly working through Levison’s Filled with the Spirit (Eerdmans) – a fascinating study of ancient Jewish and early Christian pneumatology.  When you pick up the book, you are immediately struck by the excessive language in the endorsements: ‘Anyone writing seriously on the spirit in the biblical literature needs now to start with this book — and will probably keep it as a constant dialogue partner’ (Max Turner); ‘[A] scholarly tour de force – breathtaking in its scope,... Read more

Not a whole lot to report on this meeting, but I did enjoy seeing some friends – Matt Montonini and Mike Halcolb.  Loren Stuckenbruck and John Byron gave plenary addresses – I could only make it for John’s, but it was an excellent reflection on the social, political, and economic aspects of what it meant to be childless for a woman in antiquity. As for the papers in the NT group, it was a pretty good group.  A few things... Read more

Next year I will be teaching Exegesis of the Gospel of John at the seminary level.  My focus will be on the theological, literary, and social dimensions of the text.  And, of course, we will be talking considerably about the ethics of the text. This has led me into the “Johannine” academic world- a land strange and confusing to Paulinists!  I am trying to get a lay of the land and it is difficult because so many elements are still... Read more

I just finished reading Walter Moberly’s excellent Theology of the Book of Genesis (Cambridge).  It is not a systematic approach to the theology of Genesis, but has more of the style of a series of lectures that think with the text and explore the ways in which one can articulate and practice the ‘enduring significance [of the text] for human life under God’  (see p. 17).  Moberly obviously endorses a canonical approach and one that does not ignore reception history... Read more

The latest (April 2010) issue of JTS is online now and there are some very interesting items.  Note these: ‘Genesis 1:26-27 as a statement of humanity’s divine parentage’ (C.L. Crouch) ‘After pistis Christou: Neglected Evidence from the Apostolic Fathers’ (M. Whitenton) ‘Beyond Suspicion: on the Authorship of the Mar Saba Letter and the Secret Gospel of Mark’ (F. Watson) — There are also a number of good reviews: Moberly reviews Rogerson’s OT theology Larry Hurtado reviews Hays and Gaventa’s Seeking... Read more