I have been teaching Bible for forty years. I love to read the Bible, study the Bible, teach the Bible, and write about the Bible. My favorite chapter in the Bible, at least when it comes to what the Bible says about the Bible, is Psalm 119. In almost every “letter” or paragraph in Psalm 119 – the longest chapter in the Bible – eight different words are used for what we would call the Bible. For the author of that psalm the words pointed to God’s revelation or communication to God’s people, Israel and Judah.
These are great and I have purchased every single one. Began reading the John one yesterday and likely will use it for a small group I lead at my church since we are almost done with our current resource. I really believe what Gordon Fee did for his generation in helping them fall in love with Bible reading you are going to do for yours. You are gift to the Church! Keep writing.
I have enjoyed each one of these and John arrived yesterday.
And you're right - the questions by Becky Castle Miller contribute mightily to the value.
I've tended away from books with commentary and then questions at the end of the chapter because the questions tend to be inane, but I write out my answers to Becky's questions because I want (need?) to wrestle with them.
Thank you for this post. I am in the throws of finishing my dissertation and teaching my first class as an adjunct faculty member -- Biblical Hermeneutics. We are starting to get deep in the weeds of the intricacies of biblical interpretation, so I shared the first part of your post - the meditation on Ps 119 - with them to remind them of why we do this. One of my goals with this class is to keep the local church in the foreground. Not only how do (or will) our interpretative practices help build the church, but how can they take what they are learning about reading the Bible and translate it for their current (future) congregations.
What you are doing reminds me of how I used to rely on Dr. William Barclay's Daily Study Bible to help me understand scripture and to prepare sermons, Bible studies, and for personal enrichment. I am sure that many people will be blessed by your efforts to make the Bible understandable and accessible to as wide an audience as possible will bless others in the same way that Dr. Barclay's writings blessed me. If I were not 75 years old and retired (almost) from ministry, I would be placing an order for a copy of each of these books today.
Scot, do you know the work of Donald Sheehan? He was a scholar/poet/translator and wrote extensively on the Psalms, esp 118/119. He also emphasized those eight words, and the depth and illumination of Scripture they provide.
From this side of the Cross looking back to the Psalm, those words are terrific indicators/prefigurements of what Christ the Word of God does for us as well.
These are great and I have purchased every single one. Began reading the John one yesterday and likely will use it for a small group I lead at my church since we are almost done with our current resource. I really believe what Gordon Fee did for his generation in helping them fall in love with Bible reading you are going to do for yours. You are gift to the Church! Keep writing.
I have enjoyed each one of these and John arrived yesterday.
And you're right - the questions by Becky Castle Miller contribute mightily to the value.
I've tended away from books with commentary and then questions at the end of the chapter because the questions tend to be inane, but I write out my answers to Becky's questions because I want (need?) to wrestle with them.
Thanks, Scot.
If these are anything like your Story of God Sermon in the Mount, commentary, they will be very worthwhile.
Thank you for this post. I am in the throws of finishing my dissertation and teaching my first class as an adjunct faculty member -- Biblical Hermeneutics. We are starting to get deep in the weeds of the intricacies of biblical interpretation, so I shared the first part of your post - the meditation on Ps 119 - with them to remind them of why we do this. One of my goals with this class is to keep the local church in the foreground. Not only how do (or will) our interpretative practices help build the church, but how can they take what they are learning about reading the Bible and translate it for their current (future) congregations.
What you are doing reminds me of how I used to rely on Dr. William Barclay's Daily Study Bible to help me understand scripture and to prepare sermons, Bible studies, and for personal enrichment. I am sure that many people will be blessed by your efforts to make the Bible understandable and accessible to as wide an audience as possible will bless others in the same way that Dr. Barclay's writings blessed me. If I were not 75 years old and retired (almost) from ministry, I would be placing an order for a copy of each of these books today.
Scot, do you know the work of Donald Sheehan? He was a scholar/poet/translator and wrote extensively on the Psalms, esp 118/119. He also emphasized those eight words, and the depth and illumination of Scripture they provide.
From this side of the Cross looking back to the Psalm, those words are terrific indicators/prefigurements of what Christ the Word of God does for us as well.
Dana