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Waltke, Bruce K., and Charles Yu.An Old Testament Theology: A Exegetical, Canonical and Thematic Approach. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007.

I have been neglecting this review series the last couple of weeks as I have been trying to get ahead on some reading for school.  Here’s to hoping it was worth it and that I can keep up on this now.

Chapter 2: The Task of Old Testament Theology

The second chapter continues Waltke’s discussion of methodology moving from the basis in chapter 1 to task in chapter 2.  After some preliminary comment on the necessity of the text in doing theology, Waltke recognizes the diversity of view points in the OT writing, while also contending that such diversity is not contradictory and quite compatible.  He then moves to distinguish his methodology of Biblical theology from dogmatics noting that Biblical theology gives prime place the trajectory of themes throughout the canon.  After this, Waltke recounts the four common historical approaches and their historical  to writing an OT theology: ANE history, Heilsgechichte, Historical Criticism and Compositional theology.

In the second major section, Waltke sets out his approach as one that reads the texts and looks for the aforementioned trajectories in what he calls “Blocks of Writing.”  Waltke’s blocks of writing are a fitting designation for his five main division of the OT: Primary History, the Chronicler/Ezra Nehemiah, Hymnic writings, Wisdom, and the Prophets (with Ruth, Esther and Song of Songs not fitting neatly into any category).  Even though he seeks to the read the OT in these blocks, he still stresses the common inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  The fourth major section summarizes his described approach to Biblical theology.

The fourth major section Waltke describes and contrasts his approach with others: Natural theology, Systematic theology and History of Religion.  He then describes the approaches of other OT theologies including Walter Bruggemann and James Barr.  In the final section, Waltke discusses the different approaches to the authority of the Bible: “Liberal Theologians Stand above the Bible”, “Neoorthodox Theologians Stand before the Bible”, “Traditionalists Place Traditions/Confessions alongside the Bible”, “Fundamentalists Stand on the Bible” and finally his approach “Evangelicals Stand under the Bible”.

Matthew Burgess is running a contest for Bart Ehrman’s The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings.

Here’s how to enter:

“To enter, merely place a link to this post on your blog before Saturday afternoon (and be sure to trackback so that I can make sure your name is in the drawing).  Good luck to everyone!”

Go at it!

Lincoln, Andrew T. The Gospel According to Saint John. Vol. IV Black’s New Testament Commentary, ed. Morna D. Hooker. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2005.

I would like to thank Kathy Russ at Hendrickson for sending this review copy.

Andrew Lincoln’s is also the author of the excellent WBC Ephesians volume. The Black’s New Testament Commentary series is a high-level expositional commentary series and Lincoln’s volume on the Gospel of John certainly continues that tradition.

The Introduction is certainly adequate at 92 pages to the 445 pages of commentary.  This is quite encouraging as I often find that expositional or lay commentaries do not include enough introduction to inform the reader of many of the necessary background and theological issued faced in the NT, especially in the Gospels (and especially in the Gospel of John).  However, Lincoln offers a good treatment of subjects such as “Narrative Outline, Shape and Plot”, “Date and Authorship”, “Historicity and Truth” and “Setting and Purposes”.  The commentary begins with Lincoln’s translation with his comments to follow.  His comments do not seek to explain too many critical problems but he does use historical critical analysis and techniques to arrive at his reading of the text.  In terms of discussing historicity, Lincoln does not discuss the issue too much throughout the text, but when he does he acknowledges his view in the primacy of the Synoptics for history and chronology.  In addition, the most conservative readers may take offense with how he handles some of the more difficult historical issues, yet nothing presented here would be outside a generally high view of Scripture.  However, those looking for volume employing current literary analysis will not find much.  Lincoln follows the plot presented by the Beloved Disciple quite closely.  Following the commentary Lincoln includes a bibliography of English resources, showing a wide diversity of views, an index of Scripture and modern authors and also a subject index.

Like the other volumes in this series Lincoln treats the text on a high level, and while it is clear from his discussion of exegetical problems faced throughout the Fourth Gospel that Lincoln has based his interpretations on the Greek text, the commentary is based around the English translation.  The series is not meant to be overly critical but to give a thoroughly engaged explanation of the text.  Lincoln however, does engage some critical issues throughout his commentary, even discussing textual critical materials in footnotes.   His engagement is done in a way that a reader would almost not notice.  When discussed, OT terms are explained.  Biblical and theological arguments are used for certain exegetical decisions and explained so that a Biblically literate reader could understand.  The strength of this commentary lies where the strength of all the Black’s NT Commentaries lies, in expositing the text and reflecting upon its Biblical-theology.  This commentary does not break any new ground in the research of the Fourth Gospel, but it does provide a solid explanation on the text.  Scholars, pastors, students and well-read lay people can benefit greatly from Lincoln’s engagement.  However, the discussion may be beyond the bounds of lesser-informed lay people who might prefer the NIVAC or TNTC.

So far I have discussed two great features of Logos, the ability to have an immense portable library on your computer hard-drive (with search ability) and the ability to do simple Greek and Hebrew morphological searches quickly and with great ease.  Both of these features in Logos are very helpful for doing Biblical and theological research, however you can still buy books in print and you can do morphological searches on Bibleworks and Accordance.  But there is one area where Logos really shines above the rest: producing original material.  Discourse analysis is a burgeoning and important field in both Koine Greek and NT exegesis.  Here Logos is leading the way, not only in the digital publishing realm, but also in publishing as a whole.  The Lexham Discourse GNT and the Lexham Discourse Grammar of the Greek New Testament (with a similar Hebrew OT coming) are both original productions from Logos’ Scholar-in-Residence Steve Runge.  In addition to this original material, the JSNTS and Studies in New Testament Greek many of which discuss discourse, have recently become available (for the incredible price of $240 for 17 volumes).

So what is my final assessment of Logos?  First of all the conversion of the Logos/Libronix platform from Windows to Mac seems to have gone very smoothly.  As I said in previous posts, I have now been running Logos Mac daily for three months and have not experienced one technical problem.  In addition, Logos has produced a set of Bible software that can service people on many different levels.  Not just in the different packages that are offered, but also in the additional packages and products offered.  If you plan on working overseas or in a position that requires constant travel or relocation, then the Logos system is nothing short of a miracle, and will continue to be more valuable as they add more and more books to the available library.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, someone like me, who is interested in a high level of Biblical scholarship, still loves print books but recognizes that some area of the discipline are best resourced by electronic elements.  Again, the icing on the cake with all of these areas is search structure of Librinox system.

My biggest concern about Logos is the future of digital publishing.  With all the different forms of digital books right now (Amazon Kindle, iPhone, PDF, Libronix) what if one of these becomes the absolute standard?  What if another format comes around and it becomes the standard?  I hope that whatever happens everybody’s books in all the different formats will some how be compatible to whatever becomes the eventual standard.

Waltke, Bruce K., and Charles Yu.An Old Testament Theology: A Exegetical, Canonical and Thematic Approach. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007.

Chapter 1: The Basis of Old Testament Theology

The foundation (of the Christian religion) is admirable; it is the most ancient book in the world and the most authentic.

The heretical books in the beginning of the Church serve to prove the canonical.

-Pensees 9.601; 8.569

Chapter 1 begins the first part of OTT where Waltke lays out his presuppositions and methodology.

As a OT work of Biblical theology Waltke recognizes the vast array of different types and methodologies that claim to be Biblical theology.  In order to set his place in this continuum he notes that he neither seeks to confuse a history of Israelite religion or a work on ancient Hebrew spirituality with his task of OT Biblical theology.

The structure of this first chapter is quite simple.  First, four foundational theological presuppositions: Revelation (God reveals Himself both to the original hearers and the future people of God in the text), Inspiration (God spoke through the writers of the text to communicate his message complementing their human agency with His divine agency), Illumination (God completes His self-revelation through the Holy Spirit’s personal work) and Narrow Canon (66 books of the Protestant Bible).

These four presuppositions lead to four implications for reading the text and developing a Biblical theology of the OT: Biblical Theology is Branch of Theology, Not History (The Bible is not simply man’s thoughts and words about God, but God’s words and thoughts about God), The Bible is Authoritative and Infallible for Faith (The OT, though understood through a redemptive historical approach, is authoritative for the Church), Locus of Revelation for Theological Reflection is Text, Not Event (We have no access to the event except through the text and the text itself gives the proper theological interpretation of the event) and finally The Bible is Unity (The unifying ideology of the Bible is that “God is establishing his kingship over a hostile world to establish his glory”).  Finally there are some additional notes on genre and interpretation (Genre determines the method of intepretation).

Waltke’s introduction to his Christian presuppositions is common to most confessional theological writers.  I found the section explaining the emphasis of text over event to be the most informative of the lot.

Here is a list of YouTube Resources, either channels or play lists, of Biblical scholarship available on YouTube.  I’m sure there are tons that I do not have so let me know what I missed.

Publishing Companies

InterVarsity Press

Zondervan

Westminster John Know Press

Logos Bible Software

Accordance Bible Software

Seminaries

Reformed Theological Seminary

Dallas Theological Seminary

Westminster Theological Seminary

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Lectures

Open Theology

Historical Jesus – Craig Blomberg (also 3 William Lane Craig videos)

Michael Bird

Waltke, Bruce K., and Charles Yu. An Old Testament Theology: A Exegetical, Canonical and Thematic Approach. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007.

Introduction & Preface:

I would like to thank Jesse Hillman at Zondervan for the gracious provision of this review copy!

As I begin this volume I assume that it will make a significant contribution to the study of OT theology.  Waltke is one of the best known and well respected OT theologians and exegetes in the discipline.  His other works include: Genesis: A Commentary, NICOT Proverbs V. 1 & V. 2, Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, and A Commentary on Micah.

Each chapter of Waltke’s work begins with a quote from Pascal’s Pensees.  The Preface appropraitely includes “The last thing one settles in writing a book i what one should put first” Pensees, 1.19.  The Preface is divided into fives sections.  This is indicative of the very organized and throughly methodological way in which Waltke structures his writing.  In the first section Waltke discusses the title.  He first recognizes that this work is An theology not the theology of the OT.  He then stresses the necessity for exegesis when forming any type of Biblical theology, but also that it is canonical and thematic since, for Waltke OT theology must interact with the NT.

The book’s objective is discusses next.  Waltke lists six reasons: “To Know God Personally”, “To Understand the Nature of God’s Revelation”, “To Know Self”, “To Understand the Old Testament”, “To Understand the New Testament” and “To Contribute to Spiritual Formation”.  In this section, Waltke explains why he uses I AM instead of YHWH, Lord or Jehovah for God’s name in the OT.

The next section states the book’s audience as people of God.  Waltke again describes some of his other terms including Israel of God, Israel, true Israel, Jews, and the Church.

The book’s organization is discussed next.  There are three sections: Introduction (laying out Waltke’s presuppositions and methodology), Primary History (Genesis-Nehemiah) and Other Writings.

The final sections discusses how Waltke came to write this book as a necessity for his classroom teaching.

Next: Chapter 1: The Basis of Old Testament Theology

Matt is giving away a copy of Interpretation commentary on Exodus. Check it out!

It has been raining all day here and the garbage trucks have been going past our house all morning too.  A number of times I thought I heard someone at the door, hoping that there was a delivery, I even checked three times to no avail.  But just a couple of minutes ago I look again and there was box from IVP with New Testament Theology by I. Howard Marshall, Old Testament Theology Volume 1: Israel’s Gospel and Old Testament Theology: Volume 2 Israel’s Faith by John Goldingay.  I can not wait to dig into these!