The Literary Integrity of Philippians
The Literary Integrity and Purpose(s) of PhilippiansThe literary integrity of Philippians is suspect. Many scholars, according to Stanley Porter, claim that Paul’s letter to the Philippians was not originally a single letter, but instead, a composite of several...Historicity of the Speeches in Acts
The Historical Credibility of the Speeches in ActsIn order to assess the historical accuracy of the speeches contained in the book of Acts, it is necessary to compare Luke’s speeches with the standards of ancient speech writing rather than attempting to force...Judaism in the Book of Acts
The Depiction of Judaism in ActsThe relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament and, more specifically, between Judaism and Christianity has been debated since the time of Christ. Donald Hagner recognizes that the emphasis between continuity versus...Were Paul’s Letters Politically Subversive?
Paul and the Roman EmpireA running debate between scholars exists regarding the influence of the Roman Empire on Pauline thought and, specifically, regarding the influence of the emperor cult. Not surprisingly, N. T. Wright emphasizes the religious and historical...Baptized for the Dead in 1 Cor. 15:29
Paul and the Practice of BaptismExplaining Paul’s reference to those who were baptized for the dead in 1 Corinthians 15:29 is a conundrum that has faced interpreters for centuries. 1 Corinthians 15:29 states, “For otherwise, what will those do who are...Perfect in 1 Corinthians 13:9-10
Paul and Spiritual GiftsIn the middle of the famous love chapter, an interesting interpretive conundrum arises within 1 Corinthians 13:9-10: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away” (ESV). The...Is Acts Dependable History?
Luke as a HistorianThe question of whether the book of Acts is dependable history has come under fire in the modern era. Osvaldo Padilla asserts that Luke was a theological historian who utilized narrative to write responsible history.[1] Padilla partially relies upon...Luke as the Author of Acts
How important is it that we accurately identify the author of Acts? Is the subject of authorship merely of historical interest, or would you argue that there are implications for interpretation and/or the role that the text plays in the formation of Christian...The Use of Biblical Scribes
According to Porter, “The scribal hypothesis is a very attractive one to explain a number of the issues regarding Pauline authorship, but it cannot be used uncritically because of the lack of proof and the lack of means for verifying (pp. 153-154).”...The Historicity of Jesus
It would be difficult to address the topic of a historical Jesus without first providing a very brief synopsis of the history of scholarship often called the quests, which are the quests to identify the real Jesus of history. Darrell Bock explains that the first quest...A Basic Understanding the Gospels
With regards to my current level of knowledge of the Gospels, I would not say that I am highly confident in my understanding. Dr. Rusty Small mentioned in this week’s video that Paul receives much more attention than the Gospels especially in Protestantism. I...Narrative Criticism
A literary-theological reading of Scripture, which is often referred to as narrative criticism, focuses primarily on the text. Although possibly surprising to the modern layperson, for several centuries, biblical scholars have not focused on the text as much as the...Pseudepigraphy
The accusation that a significant portion of ancient Christian writings consist of forgeries has led to a longstanding debate among modern scholars. David Brakke insists that a minimum of ten of the New Testament books are forgeries because they are writings with...Messianic Expectations of Ancient Jews
It is not uncommon to hear modern psychologists refer to a diagnosis called the messiah complex disorder. The ancient historian, Josephus, documented several individuals who would possibly fit the modern malady where selflessness is manifested in extreme narcissism...Jews and Hellenism in Scripture
The ultimate result of the conquests of Alexander the Great went far beyond the expansion of geographical boundaries and invaded the core of culture and society through the process of Hellenization. Leonard Greenspoon succinctly defines Hellenism as “the spread...Jewish Religious Thought
After reading the primary sources pertaining to the first-century Jewish groups, I agree with Derek Dodson and Katherine Smith’s assertion that it is misleading to suggest that first-century Judaism promoted a legalistic perspective of religion. It appears that...Biblical Household Codes
The instructions related to slaves, women, and children in the New Testament might be characterized by the concept of mutual submission in Christ. The authors of the New Testament were certainly products of their time, while simultaneously promoting a strong...Virtue and Biblical Exegesis
In some ways, engaging the topic of virtue in a Christian context seems simple and obvious, so obvious that Christians should not encounter much disagreement and may even question its relevance. However, when the news headlines feature Christian rock-stars such as...Spiritual Interpretation of the Bible
Although an argument may be made that all spiritual meaning should be excluded from biblical interpretation in favor of a literal meaning, I do not. Accordingly, the following post presupposes the validity of spiritual interpretation, and I will yield arguments to the...
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