I was at Costco getting gas. The guy across from me had a tattoo that caught my eye—it was ancient Greek: ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ.
And suddenly, the meaning of a famous saying of Jesus became clear in my mind. [Read more…]
How to See Changes in the ESV (though They Don’t Matter Much)
| Sat, February 29, 2020 | Bible Technology
The ESV came out in 2001, just as I was starting seminary. I bought one that was made of paper—the iconic black hardcover with a big white pane on the front. My roommate grabbed it and promptly spilled tea on it. [Read more…]
5 Words You’re Probably Not Getting in the Christmas Story
| Fri, December 13, 2019 | Culture and Context
Every Christmas Eve growing up, my father read the Christmas story from Luke 2 in the King James Version.
And every Christmas Eve, I thought I understood it. I largely did. But I now see little things I was missing—through no fault of my own, nor of the KJV translators, but simply because of the inevitable process of language change. The KJV is 400 years old, after all. I now see these little things because I focused hard on them while writing my book, Authorized: The Use and Misuse of the King James Bible.
Here are five things you might not have noticed you were missing in the Christmas story in Luke 2 in the King James Version. [Read more…]
3 Free Logos Features That Make Seminary Easier
| Thu, August 22, 2019 | Bible Technology
If you go to seminary, there are certain tasks you will be asked to do. I don’t have to know which school you’re going to or what classes you’re taking. You’ll be doing these things. Three of them. Promise.
I’ve used pretty much all the major tools out there to do them, and I’m going to show you the best ones—and how to get them for free.
You should also check out Logos’ back-to-school sale. You can get essential books for seminary up to 40% off.
Review: An Introduction to the Greek New Testament Produced at Tyndale House, Cambridge
| Wed, June 12, 2019 | Articles
Dirk Jongkind’s Introduction to the Greek New Testament Produced at Tyndale House, Cambridge is a short, simple, and excellent introduction to New Testament textual criticism. It has such a long title because it also tells a bit of the story behind the new Tyndale House Greek New Testament (THGNT), the goal of which is “to give the text of the original Greek as accurately as possible.” (Anyone interested in textual criticism or involved in academic biblical studies should have the new THGNT—and it happens to be on Pre-Pub in Logos right now.)
[Read more…]
Include Systematic Theology in Your Bible Exposition
| Thu, May 30, 2019 | Lexham
Remember always to go on to theology. — Mark Ward
In preaching and other Bible teaching, your big strength can become a weakness. If you are good at careful analysis of biblical texts, don’t stop there. Remember always to go on to theology. Analysis and synthesis belong together, like hot air balloons and magnifying glasses. [Read more…]
3 Sanity Checks for Odd Bible Interpretations
| Tue, March 19, 2019 | Featured
I was just having lunch with some pastors, and we were having a friendly disagreement over exegesis. One experienced expositor said, “The Holy Spirit chose precisely this word and not another, so it must have special significance.” I said, “Yes, but we can’t overinterpret: Greek is a human language; it’s not some perfectly precise mathematics problem.” [Read more…]
See How All Major Doctrines Relate to Each Other
The new Theology Guide in Logos 8 will do something most people consider it impossible to do: it will change theologians’ minds.
Theologians have long known that Logos is a good tool for the study of Scripture, but to some of them that’s all it was. Now, theologians, Logos can guide your studies, too.
Search for “Image of God,” for example, in the new Theology Guide, and you’ll get quick access to all the major tools of the Lexham Survey of Theology—and there’s a lot of them.
Let me explain how they work.
Why Luther’s 95 Theses Start with a Critique of a Bible Translation
This week we are celebrating the 501-year anniversary of the Reformation, discounting many Reformed resources and featuring Reformation excerpts and reflections on the blog.
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The first of Luther’s famous 95 Theses—whose 501st anniversary we celebrate this week—is a critique of an erroneously translated phrase in Jerome’s translation of Matthew 4:17. In English we know this as, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Luther wrote in Thesis 1: [Read more…]
Never Take a Verse Out of Context Again with the New Lexham Context Commentary
Image courtesy of Faithlife Media
I have lots of biblical commentaries. Which one do I look at first, and which one do I look at when I’m just quickly checking a cross-reference and want to make sure I’m not missing something?
[Read more…]