"Elements of Biblical Exegesis" (Michael J. Gorman)

TITLE: Elements of Biblical Exegesis
AUTHOR: Michael J. Gorman
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (352 Pages).

One of the first things I learned in Bible School is the danger of reading our thoughts into the text, a process called eisegesis. The solution: Exegesis. This is about reading the Bible for what it is, reading in the context of the passages concerned, and appreciating the original cultural and historical contexts. In many seminaries, bible exegesis is a core curriculum for all students. By helping students engage the text for what it says instead of reverting to what we feel or want it to say, we will be better expositors and teachers of the Bible. Books like this form an important part of the learning of exegesis. In this third edition, the author has included a new emphasis on interpretation from present social and ecclesiastical contexts, especially from the indigenous and Majority World. He provides additional material from both the interpreter's as well as the text's canonical contexts.  Part One of the book sets the stage by explaining to readers the basics and tools of exegesis. Gorman explains that exegesis is essentially an investigation or scholarly reading. This process includes examining the text for authorial intent, for contextual meaning, for genre awareness, and for details on meaning. It is also an opportunity for conversation. This reminder is important so that students will not see the study of the Bible too individualistically, but to be aware that the Holy Spirit illuminates God's Word in more ways than one. Exegesis is also more an art rather than mere science. That is because while we can learn of all the methodologies, content, and techniques, it takes art to put them all together. Gorman is also convinced that any exegesis needs to consider the readers' context too. That is why this third edition includes additional material on the four contexts: historical, literary, theological, and contemporary. He also helps us look at exegesis from diachronic and more so on synchronic approaches. The former examines the world behind the text while the latter on the world within the text. Gorman does a good job in describing many of the basic terms which makes this book not only a primer but a refresher for those who had previously done exegesis. Some of the key features here are:

"John Through Old Testament Eyes" (Karen H. Jobes)

TITLE: John Through Old Testament Eyes: A Background and Application Commentary
AUTHOR: Karen H. Jobes
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2021, (376 pages).

How do we read and interpret the gospel of John? Some recommend that for beginners, it is the best gospel to read first due to the simplicity of language. For theologians, that is not so. The gospel of John has been said to be shallow enough for one to wade in and also deep enough to drown an elephant. Simply put, the language in the fourth gospel is simple but theologically profound.  Many commentaries work on an inductive verse-by-verse format, exegeting the Greek to find out the key meaning of the text. This has been one of the most popular formats because it lets Scripture speak for itself. Other commentaries adopt the deductive format to guide us through themes such as the seven signs, the seven I AM's, and other prominent symbolism mentioned in the gospel. As the gospel contains many Old Testament allusions, why not let the Old Testament guide our reading and interpretation? This is exactly what this new addition to the "Through Old Testament Eyes" series seeks to do. Readers not only get to understand the background of John with new insights from the Old Testament, but they also have a competent Bible Professor who had spent many years marinating in the gospel of John to guide us. The central conviction is that the gospel writer is steeped in Old Testament literature. When we understand the contexts of John, we see the Truth according to what the original author sees. Readers would then be able to appreciate the deeper meaning of the gospel with Old Testament "eyes." From feasts to festivals, rituals to religious teachings, the author's singular concern is to use the Old Testament lens as her interpretive framework. She leaves the literary analysis, the Johannine tradition, the extra exegetical work aside so that she could focus on the parts that relate to the Old Testament and Second Temple Jerusalem. The general framework comprises four key segments:

"Covenant" (Daniel I. Block)

TITLE: Covenant: The Framework of God's Grand Plan of Redemption
AUTHOR: Daniel I. Block
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (656 Pages).
 

How do we understand the Bible from Genesis to Revelation? Is there a common theme throughout the two testaments? How do we understand God's will in the Bible for mankind? How do we read the Old Testament in a New Testament era? Answer: We understand God's revelation via a series of covenants. In fact, there is great value in understanding biblical theology that is grounded in the Old Testament (or in the author's view, First Testament). Unlike typical conventions by many biblical scholars, Canadian/American theologian and Professor Daniel Block adopts several unique terms in this expression of covenant theology:

• Consistent use of YHWH as the personal name of God;
• Using First Testament instead of the conventional term Old Testament;
• Using his own translations instead of relying on the readily available published ones;
• Avoiding the use of conditional/unconditional covenants in favour of the missional-communal and administrative covenants.
• Understanding the historical and literary background of how the biblical authors developed this covenance.

"Opening to God" (David G. Benner)

TITLE: Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer
AUTHOR: David G. Benner
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (208 pages).

Prayer is more than conversation or communication. It is more than simply words uttered out from our mouths. Prayer is a deep relationship with God toward communion. At the heart of prayer is love and longing to be with God more. For many of us, prayer is has been reduced to merely asking for things. If prayer is a relationship of longing, surely we need to learn to listen first. For prayer is much less about doing and more about being. It is about an encounter with Love. Prayer is that journey into Love. In describing this journey, author and psychologist David Benner reminds us that listening is a big part of prayer. It is in fact a crucial part of prayer that many of us had unwittingly left out. Benner makes several poignant observations about the conventional prayer practices many of us do. 

• Seeing prayer as an obligation rather than spontaneous desire;
• Observing spiritual discipline instead of earnest devotion;
• Prayer as doing instead of being;
• One-way instead of bi-directional;
• Prayer beginning with mouth instead of from the heart;
• Monologue instead of dialogue.

"Rich Thanks to Racism" (Jim Freeman)

TITLE: Rich Thanks to Racism: How the Ultra-Wealthy Profit from Racial Injustice
AUTHOR: Jim Freeman
PUBLISHER: Ithica, NY: Cornell University Press, 2021, (308 pages).

Mention the name "George Floyd" and immediately people would think of systemic racism, social injustice, Black Lives Matter, and protests against any form of inequality and inequity. The trouble is, when the demonstrations are active and widespread, public media pay attention and join in the chorus against hate and systemic inequity. Once the demonstrations die down, many revert to the "normal" they are used to. So, what is the point of protesting if the results are mere short-term? Is it even possible to eradicate systemic racism? Can BLM provide enough impetus to ensure all races and all ethnic groups can be treated fairly? This book aims to look at how we can join in this long-term effort at rebuilding society into a fair and just one. The phrase "systemic racism" cannot simply be left to anybody's imagination. It needs to be defined clearly and that expectations are communicated justly. More importantly, we need to know the root of it all. As a justice advocate and a long-time civil rights lawyer, author Jim Freeman learns that systemic racism that most of us are saying comes from something far more sinister: "Strategic racism." Many of the efforts to bring about greater equality and eradication of poverty fail eventually. That is because programs alone are never bigger than policies. Solutions alone are not any bigger than strategies. If reforms are only made after vigorous demonstrations and protests, such reforms too are not sustainable. The Freeman starts noticing several patterns. Behind the bad policies are the same few hands that feed the problem. These organizations are profiting from the policies that are encouraging systemic racism in the first place! These are the ultra-wealthy, the powerful, the influencers, and the profiteers. Seeing such things made the author reconsider the words of the late civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr who famously said that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." After examining the contexts of systemic racism, Freeman laments that current contexts point to this moral "was being forcibly bent toward injustice." Strong words. How could that be? How is that so? What could one do about it? These questions are dealt with in this remarkable book about a perennial problem in American society, and maybe many others too. 

"Free to Believe" (Luke W. Goodrich)

TITLE: Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America
AUTHOR: Luke W. Goodrich
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2019, (288 pages).

Religious Freedom is not something to be taken for granted. We see it in some communist countries where governments persecute religious people. We see it in secular states that continue to jettison matters of faith outside public circles. We are seeing religion being pushed to the margins in many parts of the world, including the traditionally religious West. With Western Europe mostly secular today, the issue of religious freedom is becoming more urgent each day. The interesting question is this: If the freedom of religion has already been enshrined in the constitution, why do we still need to battle over religious liberty? In order to deal with this question, author and senior counsel Luke Goodrich explains why this problem has become more acute over the years. Beginning with a real case of a Christian School Teacher suing the Church affiliated with the school over wrongful dismissal, we see how secular civil law meets with a Church claiming to follow religious instruction. Can a Church be sued for discrimination if she was just observing their religious obligations? What about gender selection that pits biblical obedience against secular laws? Then there is the baker refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. These are some of the examples of how religious freedom as we have known from the past is no longer the same in the present and the foreseeable future. In writing this book, the author aims to answer three key questions:

1. What is Religious Freedom?
2. What are the Most Serious Threats to Religious Freedom?
3. What Can We Do About It?