"How to Read the Psalms" Revised (Tremper Longman III)

TITLE: How to Read the Psalms (How to Read Series)
AUTHOR:Tremper Longman III
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2025, (168 pages).
 

What are the biblical psalms about? Is Jesus referred to in the poetry? What does the repetitive verses mean? How do we read the Psalms? These are common questions asked by those who read the book of Psalms. For modern readers, the Bible is not easy to read simply because it has different genres. In the Old Testament, there are the historical books, narratives, poetry, and the prophetic books. The New Testament books contain the gospels, history, letters, and apocalyptic literature. Thus, there is no one set way to read and understand the Bible. The  "How To Read" series of books by IVP is intended to help readers learn to read the books in their different genres. One of the most popular books of the Bible is the Psalms. First published in 1988, the author helps us through the different literary devices of the 150 Psalms. While he does not go through every Psalm, he shows us how to build three bridges to understand them: Historical, Cultural, and Theological. The motivation behind these bridges is to deepen our love for God through reading the Psalms. The first part of this book looks at the historical contexts, asking questions about how the Psalms were understood and used in the ancient era. The second part zooms in on the art and use of literary devices. The third part demonstrates how we can bring all of this learning together and apply it to three psalms (30, 69, and 98). 

"The New Testament in Color" (Esau McCaulley, Janette H. Ok, Osvaldo Padilla, & Amy Peeler)

TITLE: The New Testament in Color - A Multiethnic Bible Commentary
AUTHOR: Esau McCaulley, Janette H. Ok, Osvaldo Padilla, & Amy Peeler
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2024, (792 pages).
 

There are many commentaries out there in the market. Most are written by scholars and theologians who are male, white and live in the North Western Hemisphere. Contributions from women are just becoming more regular. Those from Asian, African, and non-white backgrounds are also appearing. We have all been shaped by commentaries from the Majority-White cultural backgrounds. For all their good intent, there is a danger of mainstream commentaries that lack diversity in biblical interpretation. All commentaries are interpretations from a specific background. They are influenced by culture, historical contexts, and to some extent, ethnic backgrounds. How can we present a more holistic commentary that encompasses a wider representation of the human race? This book is an attempt to do just that. With esteemed scholars from all over the Christian world, this "Multiethnic Bible Commentary" brings together a host of scholars from different ethnic groups. The African-American section interprets from the lens of slavery and the quest for fuller acceptance in society. The Asian-American chapter interprets from an immigrant's perspective while the Hispanic-American views Scriptures from a marginalized position. For the Native-American, they see things from the goodness of their culture. Writing on the White-Majority perspective, the starting point is "repentance, humility, unity, and communion."

Following that are commentaries by a multiethnic community on every book of the New Testament.

"The Lost World of the Prophets" (John H. Walton)

TITLE: The Lost World of the Prophets: Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature in Ancient Context
AUTHOR: John H. Walton
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2024, (192 pages).
 

What comes to mind when we hear the words, "prophets," "prophecies," and "prophetic word?" For many, prophets are seen as "predictors" of the future, and "prophecies" are like future events waiting to be fulfilled. Such an understanding has unfortunately crippled the original meaning of what biblical prophecies mean. Calling this situation a "lost world of the prophets," esteemed author-professor John Walton helps us to recover the original meaning according to the Bible and to rediscover a deeper understanding of the different types and forms of prophecies. The author laments how prophetic books have been misunderstood by so many people. The "potential misuse" includes the unhealthy focus on end times (eschatology) and the use of prophetic texts merely to prove Jesus' deity (apologetics). He says that both of these are paths toward "fulfillment" theology. Using "cultural rivers" as a metaphor, he reminds us that if we want to understand the biblical prophecies, we need to soak ourselves in the biblical cultural river. At the same time, we need to avoid superimposing our modern cultural rivers on the Bible. This book is essentially about helping us swim and rediscover the lost world of the prophets. Walton guides us through five parts, each part leading us through the history, the process, and the ways to interpret the events based on the original authorial intent. The whole process is detailed and informative. Each part delineates various aspects of understanding the ancient cultural rivers. Using sixteen propositions as titles, Walton supports each proposition with examples and alternative readings. 

"Numbers" (Mark A. Awabdy)

TITLE: Numbers (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Pentateuch)
AUTHOR: Mark A. Awabdy
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2023, (672 pages).
 

Despite its dated content, the Old Testament continues to be revered and cherished by many people, especially believers. The challenge for modern readers is how such ancient writings relate to contemporary times. Most people would know Genesis as the first book of the Bible. Many might also know about Exodus, given the popularity of the classic movie "The Ten Commandments" usually screened during the Easter and Christmas seasons. As one moves further down the Pentateuch, so does familiarity. This series of Baker commentaries focuses on the Pentateuch of which the book of Numbers is the fourth. The intent is to provide a reliable resource for modern readers to understand "the nature of God, creation, humankind, sin, salvation, atonement, sacrifice, holiness, and righteousness." This is done through multiple bridging of the old and the new. The author helps bring to life the ancient meaning and contemporary relevance of the texts; to help modern readers dialogue through themes that flow consistently throughout the Bible. One important aspect of this commentary is how the author addresses the issue of reader boredom or reader confusion when reading Numbers.  Sharing the "grief" that many people might have experienced in this fourth book of the Pentateuch, author-professor Mark Awabdy guides us through each chapter with the help of primary Hebrew manuscripts, Qumran/Dead Sea scrolls, Samaritan fragments, Early and Modern Translations, and many other exegetical tools. He laments how the title Numbers is a misnomer which often misleads readers into downplaying its importance. After all, only four out of 36 chapters contain statistics. Instead, he prefers the Jewish title "In the Wilderness." I concur as that is a lot more representative than mere "Numbers." Why the misleading label? The reason is partly historical reliance on the translators of the Septuagint which results in a literal translation of the Greek word "Arithmoi" into its title. That said, the numerical sections of the book are deemed "theological," not simply statistical facts. He calls the book an "unfolding story" of literary forms that consists of one whole story and a series of individual units embedded within it. The challenge is to try to interpret it as coherent as possible, according to the literary Hebrew narratives and cultural uniqueness. 

"40 Questions About Bible Translation" (Mark L. Strauss)

TITLE: 40 Questions About Bible Translation
AUTHOR: Mark L. Strauss
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2023, (352 pages).
 

The Bible is the bestselling book in the world. It is one of the most read, studied, referred to, quoted, and translated works in history. The originals were all written in ancient Aramaic/Hebrew and koine Greek. Since the rest of the world doesn't generally know these biblical languages, translations are needed. This book looks at many aspects of Bible Translation, focusing mainly on English translations. The questions start from the basic like, "Why do we need Bible Translation?" strengths and weaknesses of literal, formal equivalence, functional equivalence, and philosophies used in translation.  It then moves toward a more technical area to help readers appreciate the challenges of Bible translation. Toward the end, we get a survey of modern English translations and the many different revisions. The 40 questions are divided into six parts:

1. Necessity, Goals, and Methods of Bible Translation
2. Preparing to Translate
3. Challenges for Translators
4. History of English Bible Translations
5. Contemporary English Versions
6. International Bible Translation

"Dictionary of the New Testament Use of the Old Testament" (G.K. Beale, D.A. Carson, Benjamin L. Gladd, and Andrew David Naselli)

TITLE: Dictionary of the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
AUTHOR: G.K. Beale, D.A. Carson, Benjamin L. Gladd, and Andrew David Naselli
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2023, (992 pages)

The Old Testament and the New Testament are related in more than verbatim references by Jesus or any NT writers. Philip Yancey calls the Old Testament the Bible that Jesus read. The Scriptures pointed out in the New Testament are all (if not most) from the Old Testament.  Jesus too quotes regularly from the Old Testament during his ministry on earth. It is quite surprising that only in recent years do we hear more about scholarship that examines the New Testament use of the Old Testament. Better late than never. According to the editors, this field of study is "blossoming." Following the highly successful commentary as well as the handbook, author GK Beale has teamed up with prominent Old and New Testament scholars, theologians, and researchers to compile a dictionary of terms used in this field.  The editors anticipate greater interest in this area of study and research. Written to complement the commentary edition (CNTUOT), this specialized dictionary consists of entries that focus on five categories:

1. Surveys of Biblical Books (55 entries)
2. Biblical-Theological Topical Essays (54 essays)
3. Jewish Exegetical-Traditions Essays (25 entries)
4. Inner-Biblical Exegesis (26 essays)
5. Systematic Theology (5 essays)

"Eve Isn't Evil" (Julie Faith Parker)

TITLE: Eve Isn't Evil: Feminist Readings of the Bible to Upend Our Assumptions
AUTHOR: Julie Faith Parker
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2023, (224 pages).
 

Throughout the ages, biblical interpretations are often influenced by their respective cultural changes. Such changes involve situations like new archeological discoveries, philosophical inclinations, political alignments, social norms, and religious affiliations, just to name a few. Christians too have to constantly grapple between biblical faithfulness and cultural relevance. In this day and age, several movements have taken over mainstream cultural perceptions. Movements like Black Lives Matter, Feminism, #MeToo, etc. are becoming commonplace. As far as the Bible is concerned, there has been pushback against the patriarchal culture that was so predominant in the ancient texts.  Some modern interpreters are taking the bold step to fight against any form of interpretation that leads to modern justifications for male superiority. This book is written as a way to promote an alternative interpretation to conventional patriarchal ones. Author-Professor Julie Faith Parker offers this alternative to the "traditional (read: male-centered) eurocentric" approaches we can find in many libraries. Parker is aware of the negative connotations behind the word "feminist,"  so she carefully qualifies her use right from the beginning. Her intent is to help readers understand that there are broader alternatives to the traditional views of the patriarchal nature of the Bible. She does so on the basis of helping us increase our knowledge of the Bible, appreciating "cutting-edge scholarship," and forming a less judgmental spirit in interpretation. She demonstrates this by dealing with seven Old Testament texts and one New Testament passage. 

"The Second Testament" (Scot McKnight)

TITLE: The Second Testament: A New Translation
AUTHOR: Scot McKnight
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2023, (312 pages).
 

Over the years, we have a wealth of English translations of the Bible. Whether it is a literal translation, a paraphrase, or the popular dynamic equivalence type, they have all been helpful for those of us unfamiliar with the original languages. For all the competent scholarship and attempts to update the transalations, there is a nagging concern about context. Sometimes, the translations can be so good that English speakers might have mistakenly thought that the Bible was written for the English-speaking world! What if modern readers who do not know the original languages can in some way perceive what the original hearers were hearing? What if we can get closer to Greek ears and still maintain the English text? This is precisely what author and professor, Scot McKnight is trying to do. Understanding the meaning is one thing. Locating the meaning within the original contexts is often another. Moreover, there are certain words in Greek that are hard to translate. Often, this forces translators to choose between literal and contextual. Even in the translation of meaning, too many words might muddle the interpretation. This is McKnight's attempt to help us understand the words within the Greek context. This is what I call a more contextual translation of the New Testament. He begins with a brief introduction to each book, which not only gives us an overview but also unique themes that we can connect with the rest of the Bible. For example, in the introduction to the synoptic gospels, we see clear connections to the other gospels to help us prepare for the road ahead. The same applies to the epistles of Paul. The maps also enable readers to get a feel of the geographical contexts as described in the text. Called "The Second Testament," this new translation of the New Testament complements the "First Testament" which uses similar translation principles for the Old Testament.

"Isaiah " (J. Gordon McConville)

TITLE: Isaiah (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Prophetic Books)
AUTHOR: J. Gordon McConville
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2023, (800 pages).
 

The Book of Isaiah has sometimes been called the fifth gospel. That is because of its stark references and prophecies about Jesus. Just Isaiah chapter 53 alone, with its multiple references to a servant king, can be deemed the gospel in a nutshell. It has also been called a mini-Bible because it has 66 chapters of which the first 39 chapters talk about Old Testament age while the subsequent 27 chapters point us to the New Testament era. As the largest book in the Major Prophets category, Isaiah has gained wide interest among scholars and theologians. It combines prophecy with history, narrative, poetry, and proverb. This BCOT series is written from the perspective of the book's unique rhetorical structures and historical relationships. Key to the interpretation is the text itself. Every text needs proper exegesis prior to any attempt to interpret it. Isaiah is one of the most beautiful and fascinating books in the Bible. Due to the size and the wide scope covered, commentators have adopted different ways of segmenting the book without disrupting its overall flow. It has been done chronologically, structurally, thematically, and theologically. In this new work, author and professor Gordon McConville takes the "inter-textual meaning" approach to look at patterns in the book and link them to history. For that, he considers a combination of all of these approaches before settling on the following:

"Wisdom for Faithful Reading" (John H. Walton)

TITLE: Wisdom for Faithful Reading: Principles and Practices for Old Testament Interpretation
AUTHOR: John H. Walton
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (248 pages).
 

The Bible is not simply a book of good advice. Neither is it just a book of archaeology, cultural, or historical discourse. It is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, recorded for the world through many human authors, and fully revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ. Written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the Bible has consistently been a bestseller. With modern electronic Bibles, the Word of God has also gone digital. Whatever the medium or the language used, we need wisdom in order to read, interpret, and understand the Word. With genres ranging from apologetics to history; narratives to proverbs; genealogies to parables; prose to poetry; etc, the Old Testament alone can prove challenging to interpret. We need not mere techniques or methods of interpretation. We need wisdom even to read the Old Testament properly. What better way than to learn from one whose life's work is all about learning from the Old Testament, and teaching us from the fruit of his labor. Professor Walton begins with a general overview of the interpretive process, giving us one quest, two caveats, three essential commitments, four fundamental concepts, and five principles for faithful interpretation. The "quest" is about "faithful" interpretation. The caveat explains the need for faithful rather than "absolutely right" interpretation, simply because imperfect persons cannot claim to be absolutely right. The commitment is toward basic accountability, consistency, and controls. The four concepts are about the need to recognize the four basic contexts (linguistic, literary, cultural, and theological); the need for interpretation; the awareness of gaps; and while acknowledging the complicated nature of interpretation, one also needs to see the clear big picture of the Bible. The five principles revolve around the authors' audience, background, contexts, intent, and how to find our place in God's story.

"Five Views on the NT Canon" (Stanley E. Porter and Benjamin P. Laird)

TITLE: Five Views on the New Testament Canon
AUTHOR: Stanley E. Porter and Benjamin P. Laird
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2022, (288 pages).

How was the Bible put together? What are the criteria to determine which books are legitimate? What prompted the canon process? What about authorship and apostolic authority? These are some of the critical questions dealt with in this book. The canonization of the Holy Bible has become one of the most controversial issues in modern times. With rising suspicion of the institutional church and the growing intellectual climate of mistrust, it has become increasingly necessary to re-examine old assumptions and historical evidence. In the pre-enlightenment age, societies in Christendom jurisdictions mostly accepted the authority of the Church in all things religious. Today, contemporary society does not share such trust. Instead, suspicion and skepticism tend to be the default paradigm. Who gives any human being the right to canonize anything? What about perceived and actual authority? These questions are some of the issues dealt with by five different scholars and theologians from different backgrounds. With five views, readers can get a better idea of the complex issues and why they are so controversial. The five views presented are:

1. Conservative-Evangelical (Darian R Lockett)
2. Progressive-Evangelical (David R Nienhuis)
3. Liberal-Protestant (Jason David BeDuhn)
4. Roman Catholic (Ian Boxall)
5. Orthodox (George L Parsenios)

"1 Corinthians" (Kimlyn J. Bender)

TITLE: 1 Corinthians (Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible)
AUTHOR: Kimlyn J. Bender
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2022, (320 pages).
 

Traditional apostolic interpretation examines scriptures from the mindset of doctrines with the Church leading the way in Bible interpretive matters. Modern interpreters critique the use of tradition and dogma. Postmodern interpreters criticize the critics. A lot of modern scholars understand the Bible from the perspective of a reader-response attitude. By giving us an overview of the broad strokes of biblical interpretation through the ages, we are reminded that there are still many strengths in letting these clarify rather than obstruct our interpretive paradigms. In other words, instead of adopting a hermeneutic of suspicion which many modern and postmodern scholars adopt, believe rather that "dogma clarifies rather than obscures." Recognizing the increasing secularization of Western society, and the rising fragmentation of Christendom, author and professor Kimlyn Bender seeks to bring us back to the importance of Church doctrine in interpretive matters. Instead of jettisoning historical interpretive strategies, this commentary combines the heritage of the Nicene tradition and marries them with modern biblical scholarship. Use the old to understand the new; and to use the new in the old, in the light of Christ. Theologically, Bender shows us the critical need to take every thought captive to Christ. Textually, we are called to harness the best of historical-critical studies in the past and combine them with modern exegesis. 

"Mouth of the Donkey" (Laura Duhan-Kaplan)

TITLE: Mouth of the Donkey: Re-imagining Biblical Animals
AUTHOR: Laura Duhan-Kaplan
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2021, (94 days).
 

Children are often fascinated with animals. They ask interesting questions like, "What does this animal eat?" "If this animal fights against the leopard, will it win?" "Will the deer outrun the tiger?" For Sunday School teachers and those teaching children in churches, animals in the Bible often bring out curiosity in kids. That is why animal narratives in the Bible are some of the most popular stories to tell little children. They paint Noah's Ark with glee. They imagine pairs of animals living inside the ark. They participate in plays that reenact Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt. Even the Old Testament prophecies give us images of sheep, lambs, wolves, and many others. Animals are not just the domain of children. Adults too sing the classic hymn, "All Creatures of our Lord and King," as well as the popular choruses, "As the Deer" and "Lion of Judah." How do we interpret the use of animals in the Bible? According to author and professor, Laura Duhan-Kaplan, she adopts a four-level interpretation based on Kabbalistic teachings. 

1. Plain literal (peshat)
2. Exposition of recurring ethical themes (derash)
3. Allegorical (remez)
4. Secret allusions to God's nature (sod)

"The Samaritan Woman's Story" (Caryn A. Reeder)

TITLE: The Samaritan Woman's Story: Reconsidering John 4 After ChurchToo
AUTHOR: Caryn A. Reeder
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2022, (216 pages).
 

One of the many critiques of the Bible is about the patriarchal nature of the ancient culture. Pointing to the unequal status of gender, women throughout biblical history have been painted (or interpreted) in a rather negative light. Many are victims of some male schemes, such as the maidservants of Abraham and Sarah, made to bear children for them. Others include the stories of Dinah, Tamar, Hagar, etc whose lives were either sad or tragic. With the highly male-centric cultural norms at that time, modern readers find it hard to reconcile the stories of women with the biblical truths of grace, fairness, justice, mercy, tolerance, love, etc. The famous story of the adulterous woman exposes a woman to public disgrace while the man (or men!) were nowhere to be found. Wasn't adultery a two-person affair? Why only accuse the woman? Moreover, the Old Testament laws also placed an unfair burden on women as if there was no such thing as sexual equality. Rather than simply accepting the popular cultural narrative of the Bible being sexist against females, biblical scholar Caryn Reeder offers us a new interpretation of the "intersection of women, sex, and sin" as well as an alternative interpretation of the story of the Samaritan woman. 

"Reading the Prophets as Christian Scripture" (Eric J. Tully)

TITLE: Reading the Prophets as Christian Scripture: A Literary, Canonical, and Theological Introduction (Reading Christian Scripture)
AUTHOR: Eric J. Tully
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022, (432 pages).
 

When we think of the prophets, we often think about the Old Testament and the constant refrain of powerful warnings and prophecies. Few people would think about the New Testament or the letters from the disciples of Jesus. While the Church in general professes both the Old and New Testament as the Word of God, there is a tendency for many to discard Old Testament Scriptures as ancient or irrelevant. Many scholars and theologians have tried to present the two testaments as wholly revealed Word of God authoritative and relevant for the Church today, albeit with varying levels of success. While the ancient texts apply directly to a time no longer existent, there are many principles and prophecies that are still relevant today. Author Eric Tully aims to help us "read" the ancient OT prophets as "Christian Scripture" and to equip our reading with contemporary application in mind. How do modern readers appreciate and understand the Old Testament prophets? How does God speak to us today from the prophets of old? How could the prophets speaking in an ancient context still be relevant for us today? Author-Professor Eric Tully is fully aware of the negative views of the Old Testament prophetical books.

"Colossians and Philemon" (Adam Copenhaver and Jeffrey D. Arthurs)

TITLE: Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching
AUTHOR: Adam Copenhaver and Jeffrey D. Arthurs
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2022, (336 pages).
 

The Word of God is God's Message to us, which is one reason why a popular Bible paraphrase is entitled "The Message." The Greek word, "Kerux" is translated as "messenger or herald" of the message. With this as the main theme, the Kerux Commentary series aims to help us see the big idea of God's message in each passage of the Bible text. Written by two experts in their fields, this commentary combines the best of exegesis and homiletics, so as to benefit anyone seeking to do expository preaching of Paul's letters to the Colossians and to Philemon. These are two of the most important things needed for any teacher or preacher: Bible exegesis and homiletics. The former is for diligent study while the latter is for effective delivery. The two exercises need to go hand in hand. Good delivery requires adequate study of the text. A diligent study needs to consider how to deliver the message more accurately and clearly. 

Some of the other features include:

• Overview of Preaching Passages
• Detailed Introduction and Outline
• Literary structure and themes
• Preaching Pointers linking the ancient with modern times
• A thorough exposition of the text
• Sidebars of interesting and pertinent information for further background understanding
• Appropriate charts
• Theological focus
• Contemporary ideas
• Questions for study groups
• etc.

"Manifold Beauty of Genesis 1" (Gregg Davidson and Kenneth J. Turner)

TITLE: The Manifold Beauty of Genesis One: A Multi-Layered Approach
AUTHOR: Gregg Davidson and Kenneth J. Turner
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2021, (224 pages).
 

How do we interpret the Book of Genesis? Is it more than simply a narrative of creation? Is it a literary description or can we read it literally? How can anyone in the 21st Century understand the context of such an ancient manuscript? While most Christians agree that the Bible is inspired by God, there are wide variances in terms of understanding the meaning of infallibility and the degree of inspiration. Many relationships have been sorely tested due to disagreements over interpretation. That has led to conflicts and in some cases, divorces. Often, the disputes arise from a desire to find that one-size-fits-all interpretation. Such a paradigm locks one in a win-less situation that forsakes all other perspectives for the sake of one's preferred interpretation. What if we say Genesis 1 may contain "layers of Truth" instead of a mere one layer? Every layer reveals more of the Truth in God's Word. Professors Gregg Davidson and Ken Turner come together to propose seven layers of Truth when reading Genesis 1. They admit they would not be dogmatic about it, but welcomes our consideration of the manifold beauty of the text. They urge readers to avoid mixing up our cultural norms with the ancient contexts. Readers too need to be aware that a deeper understanding of the Word comes not from random or cursory readings but from years of study and reflection.

"A More Christlike Word" (Bradley Jersak)

TITLE: A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way
AUTHOR: Bradley Jersak
PUBLISHER: New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2021, (288 pages).

How do we read the Bible? What do we mean by the Bible as the Final Authority for our faith? How do we apply the Truths revealed? These questions might seem elementary but they are important questions that need to be asked frequently. The Bible is the revealed Word of God and the more we understand the Word, the better for Bible believers and practitioners. Like the two disciples struggling to understand the Scriptures when they were on their way to Emmaus, author and professor Bradley Jersak brings us back to the Emmaus experience in Luke 24, how Jesus helped shed light on interpretation. He does this by following Peter Enns's five words for biblical interpretation. 

• Genre-Calibration: Be aware of the genre of the text concerned;
• Christotelic: Reframe the story of Israel toward the Person of Jesus Christ
• Incarnational: Read the Bible both as God's Word and Christ the Living Word;
• Ecumenical: Be open to the different readings and interpretations from the different Christian faith traditions;
• Pilgrimage: Be humble to learn on the way.

"Lies My Preacher Told Me" (Brent A. Strawn)

TITLE: Lies My Preacher told Me: An Honest Look at the Old Testament
AUTHOR: Brent A. Strawn
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2021, (128 pages).

What do you mean by "lies?" Aren't preachers supposed to be telling the Truth? How could anyone paint them as liars? Perhaps it is a marketing gimmick or a clever way to capture attention. I suppose that is so. Looking at the content, it is more about misconceptions or misinterpretations over the pulpit rather than flat-out untruths. Thankfully, the author explains right from the beginning that the title was merely to highlight ten controversial Old Testament "mistruths." Mistruths according to Strawn are about the Old Testament as:

1. Someone Else's Mail
2. Boring
3. Obsolete
4. Tales of A Mean God
5. Hyper-Violent
6. Putting David as sole author of Psalms
7. Non-Spiritually enriching
8. Non-Relevance
9. Law an Impossible to Keep type of Burden
10. That only Jesus matters

"The Big Idea Companion for Preaching and Teaching" (Matthew D. Kim and Scott M. Gibson)

TITLE: The Big Idea Companion for Preaching and Teaching: A Guide from Genesis to Revelation
AUTHOR: Matthew D. Kim and Scott M. Gibson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (640 pages).
 

One of the most popular and powerful methods for preaching is the late Dr. Haddon Robinson's "Big Idea Preaching." It is simple in its basic concept and widely applicable in communications, especially in the area of preaching and teaching. This book essentially applies the Big Idea to the whole Bible. Most of the contributors, if not all of them, have benefitted from Robinson's teachings and have applied to all 66 books of the Bible. It can be the preaching version of the abridged commentary of the whole Bible. Taking each biblical book, contributors worked through chapters, pericopes, and selected segments to give us the key exegetical idea, the subject, and the complement for each of them. On top of that, each book would come with:

1. An introduction to the major idea of the whole book
2. Tips on how to divide the segments
3. Guidance through difficult passages
4. Cultural contexts
5. Recommended resources