Biblical Studies
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Missing The Mount
We are missing our church body this morning. The family is on the road, on our way to enjoy both Christmas and the New Year with my parents, and one of my sibling’s families. I spent some time in Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, as my daughter took a turn driving. Thought I’d take a moment in the Christmas story, as I pray for safety in our travels: And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great…
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Free Book!
We interrupt this interruption in blog output to make you aware of a free book that might be of interest to you if you are interested in biblical studies and biblical languages. Browsing on facebook, I ran across the following: Enjoy!
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Origene: Commento
So, after spending a day (yesterday) in the historical center of Roma, the Forum Romano, then the Palatine Hill, and then finally the Colosseum, it was time to head to the Vatican Museum. It was decent. I mean to say, there was plenty to enjoy. They really want you to see it all, in the order they have chosen. There really isn’t a way to skip galleries, focus on a particular area or style, etc. You just have to plod through. If such thoughts points me out as unrefined, so be it. But following the museum, Kim was gracious and accepted that I might enjoy a visit to a libreria…
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Books and more books
Surprising, no? I recently started Complex Analysis from the Graduate Texts in Mathematics series. Working through some remedial lessons on complex numbers right now, though I am sure I will be under water before long! I really would like to get the matching volume, Problems and Solutions for Complex Analysis. Maybe someone wants to get me a gift? Complex Analysis was borrowed from the local university library, as was another volume I haven’t started, Mathematical Physics by Kusse and Westwig. Both are the results of struggling through Penrose’s Road to Reality. Enjoying immensely, but I have some math to “catch up” on. Additionally, I got a new book in the…
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“T”
Thought I’d share this from my preparation for tonight’s small group: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5 If you are going through a hard time at present, and this feels forced or isn’t connecting, I pray God will bring you through till this is your prayer.
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In The Mail: Small Group Edition
I am going to be co-leading a small group this spring on spiritual disciplines. A couple books were suggested to help with planning, and since I didn’t have either in my library, I decided to go ahead and grab them:
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After You Believe
I had the pleasure of preaching today, a 30,000 ft. view of discipleship. I quoted from After You Believe, and said I would post a link. Well, I will do just a bit more and provide the quote itself: Love is great-hearted; love is kind,knows no jealousy, makes no fussnot puffed up, no shameless ways,doesn’t force its rightful claim;doesn’t rage, or bear a grudge,doesn’t cheer at others’ harm,rejoices, rather, in the truth.Love bears all things, believes all things;love hopes all things, endures all things.Love never fails… Fair enough to hold before yourselves that astonishing portrait. But don’t imagine that you can just step into it on a cheerful sunny morning and stay there effortlessly forever. The last…
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Linguistics & Biblical Exegesis: Motivation
The final three chapters, chapters 6-8, were a nice bridge from the shortened specifics of linguistic study and history towards a sounder study of scripture. Six focused on issues directly relating to Hebrew, seven to Greek, with eight being a well-spoken defense, a resounding “yes” answer to the question, “Is it all worth it?” Chapter 6 focused on issues with Hebrew linguistics, and my background and grasp of Hebrew is smaller than it is for Greek (itself not all that great). I’ll admit that as the author spoke on the troubles of understanding the verbal stems and their potential relations, I was intrigued. But I also felt like I was…
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Linguistics & Biblical Exegesis: Groundwork
At this point, I am about to start Chapter 6. It’s a good breaking point to look back and review. Chapter 1 was a simple, crisp introduction, a nice chilled soup starter. Chapters 2 through 5 are more substantial, a meaty sort of entrée1. It remains to be seen if the remaining chapters are a full on main course, an entrée in the American sense, a matched course, with substance following gracefully on what has come before, or a round of dessert, potentially fruity, cake-y, dense, decadent or sugary sweet. Or maybe it will be some mixture of all of them! Now that the saliva is going, back to the…
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Linguistics & Biblical Exegesis: Suggested Reading
I started Linguistics & Biblical Exegesis yesterday. And right off the bat, I am enjoying it. In the first chapter, Wendy Widder offers a lovely introduction to the idea of linguistically informed Biblical study, and the topics the book specifically will address. Capping it is a list of resources with explanation. As much for myself as any other, here are her suggestions (from pp. 11-12): I’m particularly interested in the Silva entry… (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
