Exegetically Speaking

Prof. N. T. "Tom" Wright returns to our podcast to discuss Eph. 3:10 and its vision for the church in the present age: God's "intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known." God created us so that through us he could show the world who he is, in particular, by a community of all races and nations drawn together in love. Rev. Dr. N. T. Wright  is Research...

Dr. Nancy Dawson holds a M.S. in plant taxonomy and Ph. D. in biology/cell biology. After teaching in that field at Western Kentucky University and Texas A&M, she attended Duke Divinity School. She now works as an independent scholar in theology and has published  All the Genealogies of the Bible: Visual Charts and Exegetical Commentary (Zondervan, 2023). In this episode she draws upon that resear...

Eve's words about her newborn son, Seth, which are her last recorded words, echo the Hebrew words to the serpent in Gen. 3:15, signaling Eve's persevering hope in God's deliverance. Dr. Ingrid Faro, who has contributed to this podcastbefore, is Professor of Old Testament at Northern Seminary in Lisle, IL. Among other things, she is the author of  Evil in Genesis: A Contextual Analysis of Hebrew Le...

Some claim that John 1:1 states that Jesus is 'a god.' Others claim that it states that Jesus is God. What is in fact the best way of understanding the Greek language employed? Grammatical parallels can shed some light. Dr. Michael Licona is Professor of New Testament at Houston Christian University. His publications include  Why Are There Differences in the Gospels?: What We Can Learn from Ancien...

In his previous conversation centered on Rom. 1:16-17, Roy Ciampa contextualized the unique phrase  ἐ κ   πίστεως  (translated there as, "through faith") in Greek writings generally and Romans in particular. He now studies this phrase throughout Galatians, with special reference to Gal. 2:16. In addition to his posts at Samford University and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary mentioned in the no...

Nowhere in all known Greek writings is the precise phrase  ἐ κ   πίστεως  ("out of" or "from faith") found until the Greek version of Habakkuk 2:4, and some of the scribes transmitting that text altered it. It is this phrasing that Paul adopts in the crucial lines of Roman 1:16-17, and rewords elsewhere. What, then, was the intended sense of this unique wording? Dr. Roy E. Ciampa recently retired...

The Greek language Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 15 to convey the gospel's teaching of Jesus' resurrection lodges this in authoritative tradition dating back to months after the events. The center of God's self-revelation and salvation is more firmly attested than anything else in Scripture. Dr. Gary Habermas is Distinguished Research Professor in the School of Divinity, Liberty University, Virginia....

What happens when your modern English translation renders the meaning of biblical names, connecting this with the practices of the ancient Hebrews and traditional Native Americans? Terry M. Wildman , of Ojibwe and Yaqui ancestry, is the Lead Translator, Editor, and Project Manager of the  First Nations Version . He is the Director of Spiritual Growth and Leadership Development for Native InterVars...

An important verb in Gal. 5:2 could be either passive voice or middle voice. It is translated, " if you accept circumcision" (ESV) or "if ye be circumcised" (KJV) or "if you have yourselves circumcised" (NAB). Verse 4 is sometimes translated, "You are severed from Christ" (ESV) or "You . . . have been alienated from Christ" (NIV). Consideration of the Greek wording is critical for our understandin...

Does Rom. 13:1 leave room for sanctioned rebellion against a government? Take 1775 for example. Dr. Michael Bird is Deputy Principal and Lecturer in New Testament at Ridley College (Melbourne, Australia). His many publications include Romans: Greek-English Interlinear | Paraphrase | Study Notes , Jesus among the gods: Early Christology in the Greco-Roman World , and (with N. T. Wright) Jesus and t...

In Jesus' prayer of John 17 he prays for future generations of believers with special emphasis on their oneness. Karen Jobes provides a close reading of the Greek of this astonishing and vital passage. Dr. Karen Jobes is Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis, Emerita , at Wheaton College & Graduate School. She has authored many books and articles, including John Through...

Greek verbs have been traditionally labeled "tenses," but many grammarians have for some time argued that "tense" is not the best way to explain what is going on. The linguistic category of "aspect" is a more powerful theoretical explanation. But what is "verbal aspect" and how does this theory affect the reading of Greek texts? Dr. Constantine Campbell is Professor and Research Director at the Sy...

Because he was known for his baptisms, and because English transliterates the Greek words, John's nickname as "the Baptist" provokes little thought. It ought to. Dr. James F. McGrath is Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University. His publications include Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist and (forthcoming), John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Qu...

Phil. 1:27 is translated by the NIV as, "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel," while the NLT translates it as, "you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News." Here and in 3:20 Paul is using a Greek verb and noun that he uses nowhere else in his letters, aside from a related word in Eph. 2:12. What is the implied message in using thi...

The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 reads in the NIV: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." In the Greek wording, the first occurrence of the word 'heaven' is plural in form, but the second is singular. Close attention to this difference across the Greek OT and NT reveals a difference in meaning between those forms of the same...

Prof. N. T. "Tom" Wright returns to our podcast to discuss Eph. 3:10 and its vision for the church in the present age: God's "intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known." God created us so that through us he could show the world who he is, in particular, by a community of all races and nations drawn together in love. Rev. Dr. N. T. Wright  is Research...

The Gospels tell us the story of John the Baptist and Jesus in distinct ways. Mark's narrative is a fast-moving action story, comparable in some ways to John Grisham's style. Attention to Mark's use of the aorist tense in particular helps us appreciate where the real action is. Michael Kibbe earned his Ph. D. at Wheaton Graduate School , and is Associate Professor of Bible at Great Northern Univer...

Psalm 46 is a psalm for our moment, and its encouraging message is amplified when read in Hebrew. The psalm reminds us that amidst the nations in uproar, and battles, and devastations, and mountains falling into the sea, the God of Jacob is our high fortress, lifting us above the chaos. Our instinct in turmoil is to tighten our grip on things. The psalmist advises us to let go and know that the Lo...

1 Peter 2:23 is translated in the NIV as, "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats." Close attention to the Greek grammar can illuminate that Christ's non-retaliation was an enduring one, outlasting the repeated attacks made on him. Dr. Darian Lockett is Professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and a teachi...

In Daniel 12:2-3 the dead awake, some to life, some to shame and contempt. This has long been understood to refer to bodily resurrection, one of a few such OT passages. But there are indications in the text's language that its intended sense is otherwise. John Walton, Old Testament Professor Emeritus at  Wheaton Graduate School , is a frequent contributor to this podcast. One of his most recent pu...

1 Timothy 4:1 is translated by the NLT, "Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith." Some take the Greek behind "the last times" to mean "the last days," the extreme end of history. But is that Paul's meaning? Dr. Jermo van Nes is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, Leuven, Belgium. Among his publica...

Proverbs 15:12 is translated, "mockers resent correction" (NIV), "scoffers do not like to be rebuked" (NRSV), "mockers hate to be corrected" (NLT), and in other ways. Close attention to the Hebrew wording enhances our awareness of the character type (the scoffer) and the response to reproof (does not love it). Dr. Arthur Keefer is a Presbyterian Minister at the Scots' Church in Melbourne and an Ho...

A close and careful reading of the words and grammatical constructions of Revelation 3:20 will clarify at whose door the Lord stands, and the strong encouragement of what he is doing there. Dr. Scott Duvall is Fuller Professor of New Testament at Ouachita Baptist University. Among his publications are (with J. Daniel Hays), Grasping God's Word, Fourth Edition: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Inter...

When an OT character is first introduced in narrative literature, we are typically given important clues about who they are and what they are going to do. So it is with Elijah, a foreigner who would seem to be an unlikely opponent of Baal worship. Dr. David Firth is Old Testament Lecturer at Trinity College, Bristol, UK. Among his publications are, Including the Stranger: Foreigners in the Former...

Among the spiritual gifts Paul lists in Romans 12 is diakonia , often translated simply as "ministry" or "service." The social context of the Greek speaking world can assist us in understanding more fully what this term signified for them. Dr. Teresa McCaskill is an independent researcher who resides in central Florida. She has authored Gifts and Ritual: The Charismata of Romans 12: 6-8 in the Con...