Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Exegesis

Is Every Sin Outside the Body except Immoral Sex? Weighing Whether 1 Corinthians 6:18b Is Paul’s Statement or a Corinthian Slogan

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I may now share a PDF of this article that released eighteen months ago in the Journal of Biblical Literature:

Andrew David Naselli. “Is Every Sin Outside the Body except Immoral Sex? Weighing Whether 1 Corinthians 6:18b Is Paul’s Statement or a Corinthian Slogan.” JBL 136 (2017): 969–87.

Here’s the abstract:

In 1 Cor 6:18b–c, Paul writes, “Every sin, whatever a person commits, is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” This essay weighs whether 1 Cor 6:18b is Paul’s statement or whether Paul is quoting a Corinthian slogan, and it concludes that the second view is more plausible.

Update: 

  1. My Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians (August 28, 2020)
  2. Tracing the Argument of 1 Corinthians: A Phrase Diagram (April 28, 2023)
  3. John Piper agrees that 1 Cor 6:18b is a Corinthian slogan (April 6, 2026).

Evaluating Theological Interpretation of Scripture: An Interview with Brian Collins

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I recently micro-read this revised PhD dissertation:

Brian C. Collins. Scripture, Hermeneutics, and Theology: Evaluating Theological Interpretation of Scripture. Greenville, SC: Exegesis & Theology, 2012.

It’s outstanding. You can download a free PDF of the book here.

Brian Collins and I were PhD students together and were members of the same church. We used to spend the first half of each Saturday morning doing our Hebrew exegesis homework together for the upcoming week. Of all the students I took courses with, Brian is probably the most well-read.

Brian kindly agreed to answer some questions about his PhD dissertation. [Read more…] about Evaluating Theological Interpretation of Scripture: An Interview with Brian Collins

Three Views on Israel and the Church: Perspectives on Romans 9–11

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This debate-book releases this week:

Jared M. Compton and Andrew David Naselli, eds. Three Views on Israel and the Church: Perspectives on Romans 9–11. Viewpoints. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2019.

You can preview the book with Amazon’s “Look inside” feature. [Read more…] about Three Views on Israel and the Church: Perspectives on Romans 9–11

The Structure and Theological Message of 1 Corinthians

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My family is spending the first half of 2018 at Tyndale House in Cambridge, England, while I spend a research sabbatical drafting a commentary on 1 Corinthians for Crossway’s new ESV Bible Expository Commentary series.

The theological journal Presbyterion just published a 17-page article I wrote that is a more detailed version of part of my commentary’s introduction:

Andrew David Naselli. “The Structure and Theological Message of 1 Corinthians.” Presbyterion 44.1 (2018): 98–114.

My conclusion:

  • The most plausible structure for 1 Corinthians is that the letter addresses a string of ten parallel controversial issues in the church.
  • The letter’s theological message is that the gospel requires God’s holy people to mature in purity and unity.

Was It Always Idolatrous for Corinthian Christians to Eat Εἰδωλόθυτα (Food Offered to Idols) in an Idol’s Temple? (1 Corinthians 8–10)

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The latest issue of Southeastern Theological Review just released (9.1), and it includes an article I wrote on 1 Corinthians 8–10:

“Was It Always Idolatrous for Corinthian Christians to Eat Εἰδωλόθυτα in an Idol’s Temple? (1 Cor 8–10).” Southeastern Theological Review 9 (2018): 23–45.

Here’s the abstract:

Does Paul teach in 1 Cor 8–10 that it was always idolatrous for Corinthian Christians to eat εἰδωλόθυτα [eidōlothuta] in an idol’s temple?

Gordon Fee and other exegetes present three interrelated arguments that the answer is yes:

(1) eating εἰδωλόθυτα in an idol’s temple was an inherently religious event;

(2) εἰδωλόθυτος means meat sacrificed to idols that one eats in an idol’s temple; and

(3) 1 Cor 8 parallels 10:14–22.

But the more plausible answer is no:

(1) eating εἰδωλόθυτα in an idol’s temple could be a non-idolatrous social event—like eating in a restaurant;

(2) εἰδωλόθυτος means meat sacrificed to idols—whether one eats it in an idol’s temple or at home; and

(3) 1 Cor 8 differs significantly from 10:14–22.

What motivated me to study this issue in the first place was not primarily the historical-cultural context but the literary context. I cannot harmonize 1 Cor 8:9–10 with 10:14–22 unless what Paul describes in 8:9–10 is actually a disputable matter and not always idolatry.

Authorized: The Use and Misuse of the King James Bible

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This book releases today:

Mark L. Ward Jr. Authorized: The Use and Misuse of the King James Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2018. [Available from Amazon and Logos Bible Software.]

My endorsement:

Ward combines good writing and common sense to explain why English speakers today should both appreciate the KJV and benefit from excellent modern translations.

Other endorsements come from historic fundamentalists (Mark Minnick, Kevin Bauder), conservative evangelicals (Don Carson, Tom Schreiner, John Frame, Mark Strauss), and from an influential linguist (John McWhorter).

John McWhorter is one of Mark Ward’s heroes, so it was an honor for Ward when McWhorter interviewed him on his podcast for Slate.

Mark and I were in the PhD program together at Bob Jones University (I was there 2002–2006), and we’ve stayed in contact ever since. Most recently we roomed together at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in Providence, Rhode Island, last November. I think I’ve read everything he has written on his website as he has released it. He’s a sharp thinker and witty writer.

Update: Mark Ward turned his book into an entertaining 45-minute documentary. My family enjoyed watching it together last night. Who knew Mark could be so witty and slapstick on camera?

Con Campbell’s Video Series on Paul

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I recently purchased and watched Con Campbell’s seven episodes in his video series In Pursuit of Paul the Apostle.

Here’s a one-minute preview:

New Testament scholars know of Con as an expert on the ancient Greek language. He’s also skilled at presenting the historical-cultural context of the New Testament in an interesting and accessible way.

I look forward to his forthcoming videos series on Peter (2018) and John (2019).

(I just returned home from a trip to Israel, and I enjoyed visiting several of the sites Con features in these videos.)

Eureka! Discovering Gold in God’s Word

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That was the title of a conference Bethlehem College & Seminary hosted last month. It featured new books on how to read the Bible by three of our professors.

Here are the five videos from the conference (three talks, two Q&As): [Read more…] about Eureka! Discovering Gold in God’s Word