Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Exegesis

Is ‘Background Information’ Ever Necessary to Understand the Bible?

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I attempt to answer that question on TGC’s blog.

Outline:

  1. Dangers If You Answer Yes
  2. Dangers If You Answer No
  3. Illustration: Wayne Grudem Answers No
  4. Does that Mean that the Bible Isn’t Sufficiently Clear?

Update:

  1. Mike Bird reflects on the question.
  2. Don Carson and John Piper discuss the merits of studying hermeneutics and how much time teachers should spend investigating extrabiblical sources:

My Second-Favorite All-Around Book on Bible Translation

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BrunnMy favorite all-around book on Bible translation is a general introduction to the issue.

This more focused book is now my second favorite:

Dave Brunn. One Bible, Many Versions: Are All Translations Created Equal? Downers Grove: IVP, 2013. 205 pp.

Here’s what D. A. Carson says about it: [Read more…] about My Second-Favorite All-Around Book on Bible Translation

12 Terms for How Christians Participate with Christ

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Lars Kierspel, Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul (Kregel Charts of the Bible; Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2012), 167:

union

(This is from a helpful book of charts. It’s endorsed by Stan Porter, Mark Seifrid, John Polhill, and others.)

Related:

  1. The most comprehensive online bibliography on union with Christ that I’m aware of
  2. The most comprehensive book on union with Christ = Constantine R. Campbell, Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012). Though one might quibble with some of the use-labels Campbell applies to prepositions in particular passages, the overall theological method and synthesis is robust.

Two New Booklets by Rob Plummer

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40_questionsThis book came out in 2010:

Robert L. Plummer. 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible. 40 Questions Series. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2010.

Rob has prepared two short, lay-friendly booklets (under 100 pages) that derive from his 40 Questions book:

1. The Story of Scripture: How We Got Our Bible and Why We Can Trust It. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2013. [Read more…] about Two New Booklets by Rob Plummer

The Handy Guide to New Testament Greek: Grammar, Syntax, and Diagramming

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HuffmanThis little book’s title sums it up:

Douglas S. Huffman. The Handy Guide to New Testament Greek: Grammar, Syntax, and Diagramming. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2012. 112 pp.

This 13-page PDF excerpt includes the table of contents.

Part 3 (pp. 83-106) is by far the most helpful section of the book.

Outline of part 3: [Read more…] about The Handy Guide to New Testament Greek: Grammar, Syntax, and Diagramming

The History of the NIV Translation Controversy

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Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary recently released the seventeenth volume of their journal, and one of the articles is available as a PDF:

William W. Combs, “The History of the NIV Translation Controversy,” Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal 17 (2012): 3–34.

Outline:

  1. Translation History of the NIV
  2. Reception of the NIV
  3. Continued Controversy over Translation Philosophy
  4. The Gender-Inclusive Language Controversy
  5. Today’s New International Version
  6. New International Version 2011
  7. Conclusion

It’s an informative survey.

Update on 3/31/2017: In my latest attempt to explain how to interpret and apply the Bible, I include a chapter on Bible translation (pp. 50–81).

James: The Latest Volume in B&H’s Exegetical Guide to the Greek NT Series

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VlachosIn 2010 I shared my top five books on the letter of James and interviewed Chris Morgan on the theology of James.

Now I’d add this book to that top-tier list:

Chris A. Vlachos. James. Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2013. 225 pages.

This sample 53-page PDF includes

  • Endorsements by Craig Blomberg, Darrell Bock, Peter Davids, Rob Plummer, Tom Schreiner, and Bob Yarbrough
  • The table of contents
  • Doug Moo’s foreword
  • Other front matter
  • The introduction and notes on James 1:1–4