Reflections of the Kingdom

Dictionary of the New Testament Use of the Old Testament by G.K. Beale My rating: 4 of 5 stars Written as companion for the “Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament” (CNTUOT), this work takes a more synchronic and holistic approach as it examines links between the Books of the Bible (including how the OT books reference other OT books). As such, this fills a notable dearth of such works at this perspective/level (with most covering language evolution and/or concordance). Each essay may have a different author, so the structure may vary somewhat, but most topics are arranged similarly … for example, most essays on the Books will include an analysis of Composition, Structure and Context. General topics, such a Covenant, will examine OT and then NT usages. Given the extensive length on many of the entries, while organized to facility research, it really is more a collection of biblical essays on a specific topic … such as Abraham, Idola...

Revelation: (A Paragraph-by-Paragraph Exegetical Evangelical Bible Commentary - BECNT) by Thomas R. Schreiner My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a new addition to the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (BECNT) series and will eventually end up replacing Osborne’s 2002 contribution. It weighs in at a hefty 896 pages; although less that Osborne’s commentary of 1536 pages, it still represent approximately 30 pages or so of commentary for each page in the Book of Revelation. By design, this is supposed to be a serious exegesis for “busy” pastors and in general keeps it short enough to accomplish that. Given the extensive amount of symbolism and other literary devices within Revelations, it is not surprising that they can be a lot more that what is covered here, so as expected, there is not a lot of exploration of heterodox positions or interpretations. There are ten (10) parts that each over a small section of Revelation, with the extensive op...

Angels and Saints: Who They Are and Why They Matter by Elizabeth Klein My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a short (160 pg.) book that is part of an expanding series to provide clarification to the rich traditions found within the Catholic Church. Here we get an overview of what the Church teaches about Angels and Saints is a way that should be interesting to both Catholics and those interested in understanding more about Catholicism.   The book itself is divided into [the expected] two (2) parts to cover Angels and Saints separately with each very short chapter designed to address a common question (in that respect, this is very much like an FAQ).  Each question provides a basic and easy to follow answer with a few relevant sources, but it really serves as a starting point for anybody who wants a more detailed understanding beyond the casual.    you already have a solid understanding of these concepts, there isn’t much here for you...

Let There Be Light-Genesis by Richard Rinberg My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a commentary (peshat) on the grammar and words found within the Book of Genesis the seeks to understand the some of the more difficult and at times unique usage of many of the words found in the text be looking at etymology and potential antecedents outside of the biblical corpus (primarily Akkadian and Babylonian sources) as well as context of use within. As might be expected, there are areas where the authors find modern interpretations difficult or problematic where they attempt to introduce another interpretation that appears to be a better fit. Few, if any, change much of the over all meaning or intent of the text, avoiding any significant controversy while providing helpful nuance towards a better understanding for the reader. Each chapter provides an analysis of a specific pericope taken in order, with subsections highlighting a particular term or phrase that starts ...

Why the Bible Began: An Alternative History of Scripture and its Origins by Jacob L. Wright My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is one of the foundational sacred scriptures for three (3) [Abrahamic] religions. Each tradition takes a slightly different approach to interpreting what it actually says (exegesis), but few commentaries explore why each story is told the way it is told … perhaps because of a presumption that because they were inspired by God, they did not actually change or evolve … a presumption that is no longer the general consensus of biblical scholars. In fact, there is a significant wing that promotes the exact opposite supported by recent discoveries of ancient versions of the text that appear to illustrate how they evolved over time for different jewish communities. Stepping into that academic line of questioning, Why the Bible Began begins with accepting this evolution as fact and then takes it one step further...