Introducing Aufria As some of you know, I am intensively researching for a book on women in the New Testament and women in the Roman world. Recently, I was delighted to come across a small, and not well-known, inscription of an ancient woman named Aufria (2nd century CE). Apparently, she travelled to Delphi as a guest speaker at their Pythian games (kind of like our “state fair” but with more competitive sports). She was an educated woman. Classicists Mary Lefkowitz... Read more
Oxford Bibliographies Online I can’t believe I just discovered “Oxford Bibliographies Online” (OBO). From the title of this resource, it doesn’t sound too exciting, but now that I have looked at some of the entries, I can’t believe I hadn’t utilized this sooner. What is OBO? These are articles on a given topic that list academic bibliographies. But here’s the kicker: the entries are heavily annotated. Expert scholars are chosen to curate a master list of bibliographic items and the expert gives... Read more
PHILEMON: Check out these recommended resources for pastors and Bible study. John M.G. Barclay, Colossians and Philemon This short introduction is remarkably insightful regarding how academics approach the background and situation of Paul’s letter to Philemon. John Byron, A Week in the Life of a Slave My friend John Byron has written a stimulating “historical fiction” account of Philemon’s church and the life of Onesimus. This is a must-read resource! Onesimus Our Brother: Reading Religion, Race, and Slavery in Philemon African... Read more
The Philippians were Roman Citizens, Right? I often hear preachers and Bible teachers say these things: Philippi was a Roman colony in Paul’s time (which is true) The colony was established in large part by Roman veterans who were given Roman citizenship (also true) Therefore, the inhabitants were Roman citizens (not so fast…) That (3) statement is not a foregone conclusion however. You see, in 2020 USA, we can assume that most residents of a town are citizens. But it... Read more
There were several good reasons for me to study at the University of Durham for my PhD (2006-2009), but one of the prominent attractions was getting a chance to meet James D.G. Dunn (aka “Jimmy”). He was retired by the time I arrived in Durham, but he would present in the NT seminar once in a while. At one point in my second year, a request was put out for some students to help Jimmy move some heavy items... Read more
On June 24, 2020, I gave a FB Live Public Lecture on Women in the New Testament. “Did Paul Forbid Women from Being Church Leaders? 1 Tim 2:8-15 in Context” Thank you for all those who attended live and who engaged with great questions! Please feel free to share this recording with anyone you think would be interested in this subject. Reading Recommendations Resources on Ancient Ephesus (*) next to top resources Hooker, Morna D. “Artemis of Ephesus.” The Journal of... Read more
1-2 Timothy, Titus It is a sad reality that there actually isn’t much recent scholarship (other than in commentary form, and affordable) that is geared towards the pastor on these letters. This reflects the guild’s marginalization of these important texts. I hope this “gap” is filled and this trio is given fresh attention. George Wieland, The Significance of Salvation: A Study of Salvation Language in the Pastoral Epistles This is a comprehensive and insightful study of, you guessed it, salvation... Read more
The Spring 2020 Word & World issue is available for free now The theme is JERUSALEM ARTICLES I am especially interested in Koester’s article in Jerusalem and the Book of Revelation. Read more
1-2 Thessalonians A lot of the “heavy lifting” of study of the Thessalonian correspondence has taken place in thick academic commentaries and select dissertations. But here I offer studies that can be read with profit by pastors and seminaries. Karl P. Donfried, Paul, Thessalonica, and Early Christianity This is an affordable collection of Donfried’s excellent and influential essays on 1-2 Thessalonians. Colin Nicholl, From Hope to Despair: Situating 1 and 2 Thessalonians This is a compelling study of how these... Read more
In the 1990s, it became popular to classify Philippians as a “letter of friendship” as this genre was outlined by ancient epistolary theorists. Gordon Fee was a strong advocate for this and the idea received additional support by a number of recognized biblical scholars and historians in a Brill volume edited by John Fitzgerald called Friendship, Flattery, and Frankness of Speech: Studies on Friendship in the New Testament World. Much good came out of academic study of the nature of friendship... Read more
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