Reviews, Reflections, & Research on Exegesis, Theology, and Church Life
Since the gospel creates the church, a biblical understanding of the gospel is significant in the life of the church. The opposite is also true: a wrong understanding of the gospel is detrimental and could lead to the death of local churches. Thus, Greg Gilbert’s What Is the Gospel? provides a significant contribution as he clarifies and defends the biblical gospel and the centrality of the cross.
Bakit nga ba maaasahan ang Bible? Malinaw itong sinasagot ni Greg Gilbert. Hindi niya iniiwasan ang mga mahihirap na tanong kagaya ng: bakit maraming iba’t ibang translations? Bakit apat lang na Gospels ang kasama sa Bible? Ang mga sagot niya ay nagbibigay ng confidence na ang Bible ay talaga ngang Salita ng Diyos. Si Cristo talaga ay bumangon mula sa kamatayan. Kung may pagdududa ka, basahin mo ito. Kung ikaw naman ay isang Cristiano na, ang librong ito ay magpapalakas sa iyong kumpyansa sa Bible para lalo mo pang pag-aralan at sundin ang sinasabi nito para sa kaluwalhatian ng Diyos.
Spencer argues for the legitimacy of the use of imagery in teaching the Trinity. For Spencer, such complex doctrine requires natural illustration to help us understand the Triune Godhead. Spencer’s research is thorough, and the structure of his argument is well-presented. I began reading this monograph as a critic who denied any value for using images to teach the Trinity. While I remain unconvinced by Spencer’s arguments, reading Spencer made me realize one way the use of imagery in teaching the Trinity may be helpful, but it may not be in the same way intended by Spencer. Before presenting this one way that imagery could be helpful, here are three arguments against the legitimacy of the use of imagery to teach the Trinity: What then is the help of these illustrations of the Trinity? One thing that this monograph helped me realize as Spencer kept citing his students’ responses is that these illustrations could be a pedagogical tool to negatively demonstrate what the Trinity is not. In other words, since these illustrations all come short of the entire concept of the Trinity, they are helpful in so far as the teacher demonstrates how the Trinity is unlike any of these images. Once the point of distinction is made, the understanding of the biblical teaching of the Trinity becomes apparent. In this negative way—and only in this way—images and illustrations are helpful in the teaching of the Trinity.
How did we end up with 27 books in the New Testament? Are these books authoritative because they were selected as part of the NT canon, or were they selected because they were authoritative? Various groups within Christendom think about the NT canon differently. The contributors to this monograph are Darian R. Lockett (conservative evangelical), David R. Nienhuis (progressive evangelical), Jason David Beduhn (liberal Protestant), Ian Boxall (Roman Catholic), and George L. Parsenios (Eastern Orthodox). I am reading this monograph coming from a conservative evangelical viewpoint with a historic fundamentalist heritage. I am not unaware of my bias in this review, but I am not ashamed of it either. In all honesty, no one approaches the discussion with complete neutrality. So the editors, Stanley E. Porter and Benjamin P. Laird, write in the introduction, We further anticipate that many readers will be confronted with viewpoints and perspectives that they have not seriously considered and that they will be encouraged to carefully examine the merits of their own positions and to engage in further research and reflection.”
The Bible set I have dreamed about came in the mail last week. The NET Eternity Now New Testament Series Box Set is one way to read the New Testament that is fresh, illuminating, and devotional. This set divides the New Testament into five volumes.
Revelation: Through Old Testament Eyes is an insightful resource for students of Scripture doing exegetical research in Revelation. This review consists of two parts. First, I will list key contributions of this commentary. Second, I will demonstrate how I used this commentary in preparing a recent sermon. I received a free copy of this commentary from the publisher, Kregel Academic, in exchange for an honest review.
The Big Greek Idea Series is an excellent resource for preachers and Greek students. The volume on James by Hebert W. Bateman IV and William C. Varner will invigorate pastors who have forgotten their Greek and persuade Greek students that mastering Greek is not in vain. I received a free copy of this commentary from the publisher, Kregel Academic, in exchange for an honest review. In this review, I will make comments on three areas. First, I want to present four ways this volume benefits pastors and Greek students. Second, I will examine the exegetical analysis given in this commentary on selected texts. Lastly, I have two very minor quibbles I observed from this volume.
Adam Copenhaver and Jeffrey D. Arthurs have contributed a commentary designed for preachers and teachers. I received a copy of this commentary from the publisher, Kregel, in exchange for an honest review. When evaluating commentaries, I typically look at three areas: 1) key features (usually dictated by the commentary series); 2) discussion regarding introductory issues… Continue reading “Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching” (Kerux Commentaries) – A Book Review
A History of Evangelism in North America is a collection of essays by various authors edited by Thomas P. Johnston. The goal of this collection is simple: “The goal was to offer a breadth of concurrent evangelism methodologies, which in some cases includes considerable interactions between the subjects. The result portrays God’s oversight of evangelism as North American Christians sought to obey Christ’s Great Commission in their generation.” This collection of biographical sketches and historic movements rekindles one’s passion in evangelism. I received a free copy of this collection from the publisher, Kregel Publications, in exchange for an honest review.
se it well until I was 25! Dr. Frank Charles Thompson first published the cross-reference notes in the wide margin of his Bible in 1908. The TCRB is a comprehensive cross-reference tool that has been used for Bible study since then. It has more than 4,000 topical listings and 100,000 marginal references. In light of search engines and the growing use of Bible study software, is there still a void that the TCRB can fill? This is the primary question I seek to answer in this review.
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