Just Purchased

I picked up a couple of books yesterday, one for class readings and the other because it was on sale. The first was Exploring Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period: A Guide for New Testament Students by Larry Helyer. The second was John Sailhamer’s The Pentateuch as Narrative: A Biblical-Theological Commentary, which was only $5 at a local bookstore!  While I’d love to delve into Sailhamer’s book, I am require to read all 500+ pages of Helyer’s book by the end of next week–better get to it!

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

OT Textual Criticism

Having to work through yet another set of text-critical issues for my paper, I am content to think of such exercises as providential plagues! How long, O Lord, how long?

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

Good to Know

El Bryan Libre thinks I’m an ok guy. Good to know–thanks Bryan!

“Some are definitely not jerks and are cool as heck, like Jason above.”

For the record, Bryan is a swell guy, too!

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

Quote of the Day

“The telos (end or goal) of human being is best expressed as the resurrection of the body, the ultimate divine loving of the dust we are. Human being is thus a being confronted with a telos for which it has no natural capacity” - p. 7 in Beloved Dust: Tides of the Spirit in the Christian Life by Robert Davis Hughes, III.

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

Father

A question for you all—do you have any hesitancy in calling a priest “Father”? I do. Maybe if I knew more why priests are referred to this way I could see it differently, but I can’t imagine calling anyone my “father,” except, of course, for my heavenly Father (or my real dad).

So, what do you think?

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

Call for Resources

Ok John, Jeremy, Jim, and other OTers (NT folks, too, if you’ve worked through Jeremiah)–what are the best commentaries/exegetical works on Jeremiah? I need to pick up a few for my papers this summer session (I have until the end of the first week of August to have them turned in), so I am hoping you can point me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance!

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

Happy Birthday, John Calvin!

I found this statement somewhat humorous.

Calvin, commenting on unbelievers’ confrontation with God’s revelation, said:

“Faced with God’s revelation, the unbeliever is like an ass at a concert.“

Quoted in David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians, BECNT, 100.

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

Lyrics of the Day

I was listening earlier to Becoming the Archetype’s Dichotomy, and these words I wanted to share.

“The heavens wait in silence for the coming of the end. As man perfects his own imperfection, destruction closes in.”

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

Pauline Authorship of the Pastorals

Though I don’t think all that much is affected by one’s opinions on this matter, I have no problem seeing Paul as the author of the Pastoral epistles. Many will disagree, and that’s ok. Among those who would/do, I found this quote by Vincent Taylor regarding the issue to be humorous:

“A constant embarrassment so long as we must champion the theory of Pauline authorship, they shed a welcome light upon the dark years out of which they emerge.” p. 13, The Atonement in New Testament Teaching (emphasis mine)

I wonder if many who hold to non-Pauline authorship of the pastorals would consider such a theory an embarrassment? Seems a bit much to me!

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason

Blogger’s Block

Well, it should be obvious that I’ve slacked off a bit from blogging. Aside from being gone a couple of weeks ago, I’ve just run into a wall–I have nothing of great importance to say. So, to break the blogging void, I thought I’d post something.

I am currently reading D. Brent Sandy’s Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic. It’s been a great read so far. The subject is interesting to me and Sandy is a good writer. I doubt I will post any comments or thoughts on it since I am reading it for class (which began Wednesday), but I would recommend it to you, for what that’s worth!

Αυτω η δοξα,

Jason