Threads from Henry's Web

Category: Book Reviews

  • Holy Bible: Mosaic NLT

    Note: I am participating in a blog tour for the release of this Bible on my Participatory Bible Study blog. Please go there for more information on the Mosaic Bible giveaway.  There are more details on the tour at the HolyBibleMosaic.com site.

    I was very excited to receive a copy of The Mosaic Bible from the folks at Tyndale House, because I had great hopes for this devotional and study Bible.

    It’s very hard to get me excited about study Bibles, because I see so much abuse. I can cover most of that abuse under two headings:

    1. Readers who treat study notes as equal to or sometimes superior to the text itself. Nobody actually says this, but they often act as though they believe it.

    2. Study Bibles with notes that are so narrowly based as to slant one’s Bible reading in favor of a particular tradition. Now I don’t expect Bible editors to cover all perspectives, but when the view of a particular tradition or even of an individual theologian is stated authoritatively in the notes as the one interpretation, it’s possible for the inexperienced reader to become confused.

    With that, enter The Mosaic Bible. I must admit to starting with a bit of bias. I have a strong appreciation for the NLT, and that is the chosen Biblical text. That text is particularly appropriate to a Bible that aims primarily at devotional or liturgical study and reading. The clarity of the translation text is too often neglected in liturgical use. Yes, we want accuracy. Yes, we want a decent literary sound for the scripture reading. But in addition, clarity is particularly important in public reading. The NLT is quite good in that area.

    But from that good foundation, it is possible still to construct a Bible edition that detracts from the excellent text. That is not the case here.

    Most importantly, in my view, the study and devotional notes are separated from the Biblical text. Instead of breaking up the flow of the Biblical text, thus suggesting that they are almost part of it, the notes and meditations are placed in the front of the Bible and then crossreferenced from the text.

    Of almost equal importance is the variety of materials included. The claim of the preface is that this Bible is intended “… to provide a way to encounter Christ on every continent and in every cenury of Christian history.” And it does precisely that. We have readings ranging from the 1 Clement and the Didache to writers of today, and they come from different tradition streams as well as different geographical locations.

    In teaching on how to study the Bible for laypeople, I emphasize sharing. By sharing I mean not just telling others what you have learned, but also listening to the broader community, in time, in space, and in tradition, so as to hear possible corrections of your own eccentricities. Often people come and ask me where they can find such things. Of course there are numerous reference sources one can use, but many are not easily accessible outside of an academic environment.

    I can now recommend using this Bible for a year as a way to introduce yourself to the variety of resources and authors that are available. It will provide you with places to start in many areas.

    I attend a more liturgical church, and hear preaching from the lectionary. But I didn’t grow up with that. The church year was pretty much a mystery to me. The Mosaic Bible divides its notes into 53 weekly readings (the extra week helps deal with different dates for certain church days), each of which includes four scriptures patterned after the lectionary (Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, Gospel), and at least one additional suggested reading. In addition, there is an introductory note on the topic, readings, a medition, a prayer, and some white space to use in taking notes.

    The obvious approach to this Bible is either liturgical or devotional. Follow the Christian year with this Bible, do the readings, and watch your devotional life grow, or alternatively, use them in church liturgy. I am a strong advocate of more scripture reading in our worship services. We have little tolerance for listening to substantial passages of scripture, but I would suggest we would do well to develop a spiritual discipline of just plain listening to scripture.

    With the crossreferences, however, you can choose instead to follow your own plan of reading, and use this Bible as a supplement. Clearly marked references indicate what scriptures are used in the weekly studies, so you can use them in reverse as well. The Bible text portion of the book will serve quite well as a Bible you can carry to church with you, or use for other reading and study.

    Having listed all these strengths, let me note a couple of weaknesses. The difficulty with the word “weakness” is that it needs to be interpreted with reference to a goal. I think this Bible accomplishes what the editors set out in the introduction or “Mosaic User’s Guide.” Nonetheless I think I need to point out what the Bible is not.

    First, it is not a technical study Bible. The introductions to the Bible books are basic, not detailed. The notes are not about historical background or technicalities of language, but are instead devotional (this is, of course a strength as well). You will not find discussion of historical-critical questions. For example, the introduction to Genesis gives the date of writing as “Uncertain, perhaps 1450-1410 BC.” You could generate decades of arguments over that, but you won’t find any of them here.

    Second, it is not a guide to any particular tradition. It is not surprising that often Catholics would like a Catholic study Bible, protestants a protestant Bible, evangelicals an evangelical Bible, Methodists a Methodist Bible (sort of!), and so forth. Those groups overlap, of course. This Bible isn’t designed to address the most controversial issues, at least as I read it. It is, instead, to take elements from all the traditions that point to Christ as the center.

    Before I make a final point about the Bible I want to expand on that point. I don’t think we are used to christocentric study notes. Some evangelical study Bibles point to prophecy and fulfillment. Those interested in historical interpretation look more at an isolated meaning at a particular place and time. But as the scriptures of the Christian faith, the books of the Bible can and should be read as centering around the one greatest revelation, Jesus the incarnate Son of God.

    I do not intend to deny historical-critical methodologies. I use them myself. But that is just one way of looking at the Bible—important, but not exclusive. It contributes to our other understandings. But if we see Jesus as the primary revelation of God, then I think we must look at the rest of God’s action in the world through that lens. This Bible will help you look at the whole in that fashion.

    My final point has to do with book design. It’s easy to criticize book design formt he cheap seats. I handed this to my wife and she said it wouldn’t work for her, largely because of the print size. Be aware that the print is small. At the same time, I’m not sure how one would change the design to satisfy everyone. If the print were substantially larger, the whole volume would become too large to carry.

    Book design is a collection of compromises. So a compromise must be struck, and I’m personally not unhappy with the result. For me, the text is large enough, though I need my reading glasses, while the book remains small enough for me to carry to church or a small group study.

    Overall, I give this Bible five out of five stars, and thank Tyndale House for the opportunity to review it.

    (Please see my previous post for an announcement of the Mosaic Bible giveaway. This review has also been crossposted to the Energion.com Book Blog.)

  • Book: Collapse of Distinction

    I review Scott McKain’s The Collapse of Distinction on my computer services blog.

  • Book: Odd Girl Out

    In this continuation of the Quadrail series, Timothy Zahn is in his normal fun and action form as he keeps Frank Compton and Bayta in a great deal of trouble. We learn new things about the ongoing war against the group-mind Modhri, and also about the Chahwyn who are Compton’s employers.

    Once one gets past the extreme difficulty of conceiving of the interstellar railroad, one can enjoy the background created by that odd system and just have fun with the stories and the characters. The background isn’t really all that deep, however. Largely this is action-adventure fun. I like to try to imagine ahead of time just how much twisted nastiness Zahn has planned for his characters. I never quite imagine it all.

    It’s either “nonetheless” or “because of this” that I really enjoy these books. Those who have read my fiction reviews will know by now that while I like deep, serious fiction under certain circumstances, I’m a bit of an escapist at heart, and if you keep me entertained, I’ll go ahead and enjoy any number of things that one might criticize otherwise.

    Zahn is a good provider for all of that.

  • Cornerstone Biblical Commentary on Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy: A First Look

    This is a first look, before I have read or used the book extensively.  I have simply looked through it, read the preface and some introductions, and laid out a plan for reading and study using the volume.  I intend to “blog through” rather than simply read and review this volume.  See the end of the post for how I will proceed.

    Those who know me will be completely unsurprised that, when I was given the opportunity to review a volume in this commentary series, I chose this one.  There are two interlocking reasons:  1)  I love studying the Torah from every perspective I can manage, and 2) I believe Christians who neglect this part of the Bible also miss some of the depth of their own theology and tradition.

    Yet few Christians are really interested in Torah, and it is difficult to get them to study it.  So while I have studied from much more complex commentaries on the topic, such as Jacob Milgrom’s three volume commentary on Leviticus (here is my review), I can’t pass those on to Sunday School classes or to pastors I’m encouraging to get started in preaching or teaching from these books.

    Thus I am very much attracted to the basic idea of this commentary series, starting with its use of the NLT second edition text, which is an excellent foundation on which to build a commentary for everyone.  Too frequently commentary translations are done in a technical fashion, designed to illustrate the commentator’s points.  This is not a bad thing for a scholarly audience, or even for those past the first stages of study.  Indeed it is necessary.  But it doesn’t help much with that first study.

    I’m encouraged by the ambitious goal set forth in the General Editor’s preface:  “… the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary aims at helping teachers, pastors, students, and laypeople understand every thought contained in the Bible.”  Yes, it’s ambitious, but it is aimed at the right group of people.  If one doesn’t keep one’s eye on the goal, then one will never get anywhere.

    So how is this volume laid out?

    First, it includes the full scriptural text from the NLT second edition.  That’s a highlight.  I’ve already read that part, though not from this volume.  It is a good translation to use in accomplishing the goals of the commentary.

    Second, it includes notes on textual, translational, and interpretational details.  For example, looking at notes from Leviticus 4:1-5:13, I see explanations of the Hebrew word behind the English translation “commands” along with references.  We’re provided with word numbers in both the Tyndale and the Zondervan numbering system (Kudos to Tyndale for including the latter), along with references to selected works.  There’s a discussion of the phrase “ceremonially clean” and “an offering for their sin” amongst many others.  In scanning through the volume I also saw notes on various textual issues, but written in minimally technical language.

    Finally, there is commentary on the passage as a whole, dealing more with themes, theology, and application.  In the case of Leviticus 4:1-5:13, there is about a page of notes followed by nearly five pages of commentary.  The scriptural text itself occupies very nearly two pages.  This will give you an idea of how space is proportioned.  (The introduction and outline of the book is 10 pages.)

    Overall, the book is 679 pages + 14 pages of front matter.  The main section uses 214 pages for Leviticus, 229 for Numbers, and 236 for Deuteronomy.

    So let’s compare bulk as a sort of “intimidation factor.”  The NLT Study Bible uses 65 pages for the book of Numbers.  The New International Commentary on the Old Testament volume on Numbers uses 667.  I don’t have a good intermediate number on Leviticus, but I would note that Migrom’s commentary is over 2700 pages.  I would say this commentary is well-placed then to draw people beyond the study Bible stage and on to the more serious study.

    As for perspective, the authors (David W. Baker, Dale A. Brueggemann, and Eugene H. Merrill) and editors are all unsurprisingly evangelical, and fairly conservative at that.  I don’t intend to criticize the commentary for its stated perspective.  I will note just how much each author interacts with opposing viewpoints.  In a commentary such as this, there is a balance.  Too much discussion of every idea out there means that one can’t get to the basic work necessary; too little tends to limit the usefulness of the work to broader audiences.

    As I mentioned in the initial note, it is not my intent to read through this book and then publish a review.  Rather, after publishing these initial notes, I am going to use it as my secondary devotional study, after my time spent on the week’s lectionary passages, and then blog about the experience, finally wrapping everything up when I have read the entire volume.  While I will, as always, be studying and comparing with many sources, my primary question in this case will be just how valuable and accessible the material is to someone preparing a Sunday School lesson or a sermon for their congregation that would draw from this material.

    In terms of overall theme, I’ll be asking myself how well the volume will link the theological themes to Christian theology and tradition, and of course ultimately to Christian living.  Then I will rate the book as to how well it accomplished the stated goal I quoted above, with due consideration for how ambitious a goal it is.

    You will be able to follow my study on my Participatory Bible Study blog.  There will be a final wrap-up post here.

  • Reviews Posted on Two Books from Tyndale

    These reviews are on the New Life Application Bible Studies volume on Acts, and the 24/7 Chronological Study Bible.  Both of these are excellent resources for particular needs in Bible Study.

  • Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God?

    When I teach people about how to study the Bible, and especially when I talk to them about handling difficult passages, there is one category of passage that dominates:  Violent and sometimes difficult to understand passages from the Old Testament.  How can a God of love command the slaughter of thousands, even women and children?

    Christians have many different ways of handling these passages.  Some will say that we live in the New Testament era, and that things are different now, which both tends to dismiss the Jewish scriptures as a poorer set of writings, and also to leave open the question of why God would have behaved so poorly then.  It’s comforting to think he doesn’t do it now, but does that really answer the question?
    Others positively revel in the violence, joyful that not only is God a powerful God, but he’s willing to exercise that power and wipe out the bad guys.  Fortunately for the world, most of these people are far less violent in reality than they sound when preaching.  Doubtless most would be horrified to see some of these stories actually take place.
    There was one book that was critical when I was developing my view  of scripture, and especially of the difficult passages:   Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God? by Dr. Alden Thompson.   I generally find that Alden’s views are a bit more conservative than mine, and also that he is usually a bit more gentle in presenting them, which is not a bad thing.

    I was Alden’s student at Walla Walla University, then just a college,  in the years before he first published the book, but we dealt with a number of the same issues in his classes. The book is now in its 4th edition, and I’m now the publisher as the sole owner of  Energion Publications.  There have been few changes through the editions, except for some adjustments of style and language. I find that new readers find it as relevant today as its first readers did in the early 1980s. Christians have struggled with these types of issues for a long time, and many have either been told not to question or have been given pat answers. Sometimes these answers are given as “offers you can’t refuse.” The attitude is “who are you to question God?” and thus if you don’t accept the explanation your faith is weak, or you may even be an infidel.

    Alden takes these issues head on, and finds grace in the Old Testament where others find anger. He doesn’t tell you that you shouldn’t ask such impious questions.

    He starts by suggesting that we need to see the Old Testament for itself (Don’t let your New Testament get in the way of your Old Testament), then puts the entire discussion in a Biblical context through discussion of creation and the fall. This is a fairly traditional chapter, and evangelical Christians should find themselves quite comfortable with this outline. He points to the “very good” of Genesis 1 and the “totally evil” of Genesis 6 showing the deterioration of humanity, and then asking how God is to deal with this state of rebellion. He uses the “great controversy” or “cosmic conflict” theme as a background. Some will want to get right to chapter 3, “Whatever happened to Satan in the Old Testament?” and here there is a unique view of the role of Satan in scripture.

    Then he gets down to the meat of the problem, successively dealing with the apparently strange laws (Strange people need strange laws), relationships between Israel and the Canaanites (Could you invite a Canaanite home to lunch?), and then the worst story in the Old Testament, Judges 19-21. I’m not sure this is the worst story, but it is certainly an excellent example. Alden applies his approach to questions of why such a story is included in the Bible, why God would allow such things to take place among His people, and what it is that we are to learn from the story. If you haven’t read it, do so now, possibly even starting with Judges 17 (Micah’s Images). If you find it difficult to see God’s grace in action in those chapters, you might find it valuable to read Alden’s discussion–it might transform your view of Old Testament history.

    From there Alden turns to “The best story in the Old Testament: The Messiah.” Here he discusses the Messianic prophecies and their application to the ministry of Jesus. Both conservatives and liberals will find some things to question here, because he neither affirms every Old Testament prophecy in the way that many conservative Christians would prefer, nor does he discard the notion of fulfilled prophecy. This chapter in itself is a worthwhile study for anyone who plans to discuss these Old Testament prophecies and their application.

    Finally, he deals with the prayers in the Psalms. We tend to read the Psalms a bit selectively, sticking with thoroughly comforting passages. But what about Psalm 137:8-9? How comforting is that? Is such vengefulness Christian? He titles the chapter, “What kind of prayers would you publish if you were God?”

    A common theme throughout the book, though it is not addressed head-on, is Biblical inspiration. Why are there things that are this difficult in the Bible if God is trying to communicate with us? How can we be sure of getting truth from the Bible. Alden doesn’t address Biblical inerrancy by that title, but he does look at the process of inspiration and how it works, and helps us find an anchor in the two laws (love God, love neighbor) as presented by Jesus to help us work our way through passages that are difficult to interpret.

    I have thoroughly appreciated this book from the time I first read it. I have taught a number of classes using it. I have found that it consistenly is a faith building book. At the same time it is honest, and allows the reader to question and feel confident in doing so. I would especially recommend this to Christians who have never been able to enjoy reading the Hebrew scriptures. It will help you get comfortable reading those passages and letting them speak for themselves.

    [I am editing and adapting this review from a post on my personal blog, reviewing the same book.]

  • Review of A Reader’s Greek New Testament

    GoingtoSeminary.com has a good review of A Reader’s Greek New Testament.

    I find the concept interesting for new Greek students or those wishing to improve their skills through quantity reading. It’s often hard for new students to move from the word-by-word mode to actually reading Greek, and this is the sort of tool that can help.

  • Book: Bobby Flay’s Grill It!

    There isn’t a better grillmaster than Bobby Flay. If you like to grill or you would like some tips to better grilling, this is the book!

    The book begins by discussing grills and tools and condiments. I like Bobby’s simple and realistic recommendations. Then each chapter discusses each item that can be grilled (asparagus, beef, shrimp, chicken, etc), what to examine when shopping, and then how to basically grill the item …”perfectly”! The recipes are easy to follow and include wonderful dipping sauces. This book is definitely on my Wish List.

  • Book: Cast of Characters

    Cast of Characters is another great book by Max Lucado! This could parallel the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews except that this author did not leave out the little detail that the characters are less than perfect! Rev. Lucado calls Paul, Job, Lazarus, and the Samaritan woman “common people in the hands of an Uncommon God”.

    Each chapter ends with 4-5 questions for consideration and even space where you could write in the book. I recommend this book for small groups, personal study, or a jump start to a good sermon!

  • Book: Salvation in Death

    Once again, Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb, has hit a homerun with me in this newest installment of the In Death series. I have read the more than 30 previous Eve Dallas stories and I feel that I know the characters of Eve, Roarke, Peabody, Feeney, McNabb, and Somerset and yet Ms. Roberts continues to grow the characters through their experiences just as you and I would grow each year.

    This story has the Catholic Church and its structure and traditions transcending into the 21st century. As one who was raised Catholic, I was pleased to see that Eve is realistically portrayed realistically as not fully understanding the faith lived by the priests and people in this story but she is interested and thoughtful – even somewhat uncomfortable – by the faith. Ms. Roberts gave the element of faith weight and respect even as she mixed it with the evil of murder.

    If you are a J.D. Robb fan, you will love this book. If you have never read J.D. Robb, you can start with this book, understand it, love it, and catch up with the rest of us!