I think I might start posting short videos of political, social, and theological commentary under the title “Bird on a Wire.” Here is my comical attempt to identify the depth of the GOP’s blunder in nominating Donald Trump as its candidate for president. Goes for 4:00 mins. Read more

Okay, I’m gonna throw down at Jarvis Williams and challenge him to a St. Paul Hip Hop Contest. Jarvis is working on the Galatians volume for the NCCS (Wipf & Stock) and is threatening to insert some hip hop lyrics into his . However, I already did this in my Romans commentary for the SGBC series (Zondervan), by adding some freestyle rhymes about Romans 6. So I’m challenging Jarvis to see if he can do better and I’ll invite people... Read more

Bo H. Lim and Daniel Castelo  Hosea  Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2015. Available at Amazon.com By Jill Firth This interdisciplinary work is the fruit of collaboration between Bo H. Lim and Daniel Castelo, who are associate professors at Seattle Pacific University and Seminary. Lim teaches Old Testament and Castelo works in dogmatic and constructive theology. The authors offer an even richer blend of perspectives as Lim is interested in missional hermeneutics and Asian American biblical interpretation,... Read more

Hi folks, in celebration of Zondervan’s epic Gospel commentary eBook sale with 80% off, I’m giving away a free hard copy of Mark L. Strauss’s  commentary on the Gospel of Mark (ZECNT) to the person who: (A) Purchases one of the Gospel commentaries (I’d go for McKnight on Sermon on the Mount or Garland on Mark) and (B) Answers in 140 characters this question: “The Gospel of Mark is gospel because …” To win, post your proof of purchase and answer... Read more

Okay, here is the most recent episode of Ridley College’s The Now and the Net Yet vodcast featuring Mike Bird and Scott Harrower. Before you watch it, first watch the Dos Equis beer commercial about The Most Interesting Man in the World (at least the first couple of minutes). In this video, we cover: – Who is the Most Interesting Theologian in the World? – A book review of Preston Sprinkle (ed.) on Four Views of Hell. – 5 Tips on How to Survive a... Read more

The good folks at Zondervan are having an epic sale on ebooks with an astounding 80% off Gospel commentaries. This commentary sale features 17 eBooks on Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Do you know what that means? It means books by people like McKnight, Bock, Garland, Strauss and a whole lot more, cheap as chips! This is the biggest sale on eBooks gospel commentaries that Zondervan Academic has ever hosted. You’ll find volumes from several series. Here’s a quick summary... Read more

Ernest C. Lucas  Proverbs  Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2015. Available on Amazon.com By Jill Firth Ernest C. Lucas is author of Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Psalms & Wisdom Literature, and has written the Apollos commentary on Daniel and several articles on Daniel. He is vice-principal and tutor in biblical studies at Bristol Baptist College in England. Lucas considers that the wisdom books of the Old Testament (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes) teach the skill... Read more

Herman J. Selderhuis (ed) Psalms 1-72. Old Testament Volume 7, Reformation Commentary on Scripture. Downers Grove, IVP Academic, 2015. Available at Amazon.com By Jill Firth Herman Selderhuis is a leading Reformation historian who is President of the International Calvin Congress. He is professor of Church History at the Theological University Apeldoorn (The Netherlands) and director of Refo500, the international platform on projects relating to the 16th Century. Selderhuis is the author and editor of several books, including John Calvin: A... Read more

Wesley Hill is Assistant Professor of NT at Trinity School for Ministry in Pittsburgh. In addition to being a brilliant young NT scholar, he also writes on issues related to same-sex attraction, singleness, and spirituality. Ridley College has been fortunate to be able to host Wes for two weeks and during that time he has given a number of amazing talks. The audio and some video of these talks is available here. They are probably the best presentations I’ve ever heard on the subject... Read more

J. Todd Billings  Rejoicing in Lament: Wrestling with Incurable Cancer & Life in Christ  Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2015 Available at Amazon.com By Jill Firth Reformation scholar Todd Billings was diagnosed with a rare form of incurable blood cancer in 2012 at age 39. With his wife, he decided to share his journey openly, and this book is the result. Billings grapples with the book of Job and the Psalms and with the theologies of Calvin and Luther as he engages... Read more