Dr Nathan Lovell is Director of Research at George Whitefield College, Cape Town, South Africa. He has published The Book of Kings and Exilic Identity along with several articles, and is he currently writing commentaries on Kings (Hodder Bible Commentary) and Chronicles (The Bible in God’s world). In a previous episode he joined Dr. Capes to talk about 1 Kings 3. In this new episode he addresses a listener’s question about the creature that tempted Eve in Genesis 3. In that context it is a talking snake. Close attention to the language of later biblical passages sheds light on how it happens that Revelation finally refers to this creature as a dragon, indeed, as Satan.
They wrote their book to promote the study of the Biblical languages. These days it has become less common for seminarians to study Biblical languages. Many seminaries and graduate schools do not require the languages any longer. Also, they do not offer enough courses so people can actually use the language after graduation. Forty to fifty years ago that was not the case.
Why the change? McDowell thinks the root is money. Enrollment is down, and schools are making their degrees shorter and easier. To be honest, the language courses are some of the most difficult.
Many popular ministers today do not focus on expository preaching. When they did, they talked about the Greek and the Hebrew in their sermons. So younger people are not being exposed to these insights in sermons. Another factor. The advances in computer technology cause Bible students to imagine they can avoid the hard work of language learning.
At the Lanier Theological Library we are interested in teaching people Greek and Hebrew. That is why we regularly offer Greek classes at the library.
Keep watching the Library website because soon we are going to teach Hebrew too.
Catherine McDowell is associate professor of Old Testament at Gordon Conwell Seminary in Charlotte, NC.
The Rev’d Dr. Philip H. Towner is a professor at Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, where he teaches translation studies. He is also a visiting professor of New Testament exegesis and translation at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome.
Dr. Catherine McDowell is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, having previously taught at Wheaton College. She also serves part-time as a professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Séminaire Théologique Mondelus in Milot, Haiti. Among other things, she has authored, The Image of God in the Garden of Eden: The Creation of Humankind in Genesis 2:5-3:24 in Light of the mīs pî, pīt pî, and wpt-r Rituals of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. Today’s topic: Though some English translations have failed to convey this, the author of Ruth 3:17 was using word order to emphasize both Boaz’s excessive generosity and God’s care for the poor and marginalized.
Danny Carroll Rodas is an Old Testament ethicist who serves as the Scripture Press Ministries Professor of Biblical Studies and Pedagogy at Wheaton College and Graduate School in Wheaton.
He has been to the Lanier Theological Library on a couple of occasions, most recently to give a lecture in Spanish to members of our community. You can watch the lecture here.
In today’s podcast Dr. Carroll R. discusses the work of three Old Tesatament prophets: Isaiah, Amos, and Micah. He does an artful job explaining the history, culture, and poetry behind these prophets whose oracles were recorded a brief time after they were delivered.
The words of the Lord came to Hebrew prophets in their day but they continue to speak in ours.
Among other things, the Hebrew prophets were cultural critics in their time and can be in ours when our values and practices violate the decent and reasonable laws of God.
Questions emerge today about immigration, the environment, and our polarized rhetoric and politics. Does God have anything to say on these challenging topics.
Here is what Dennis Edwards of North Park Theological Seminary said about the book:
“Perhaps some of us employ the adjective prophetic hastily or uncritically, but many more of us are reluctant to heed the words of prophets–even the prophets identified in the Bible. Carroll demonstrates why and how biblical prophets speak to a myriad of social issues, including many that we presently face. His rigorous exegesis, historical analysis, and cultural awareness converge to give Bible readers a better understanding of Scripture’s prophetic tradition and how it applies right now.”
Danny joined us on the podcast a few months ago to discuss the Bible and immigration. Click here to listen to the podcast.
Dr. Randy Hatchett is Professor of Theology and Program Coordinator for Theological Studies and for Christianity at Houston Baptist University. Among other things, he has written Engaging Theology: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Introduction. In this conversation with Dr. Capes he reminds us that at every step the study of biblical languages is crucial for reading the unfolding story of our texts (economy) and the necessary theologizing upon these texts (theology).
“Exegetically Speaking” is a weekly podcast of the friends and faculty of Wheaton College, IL and The Lanier Theological Library. Hosted by Dr. David Capes, it features language experts who discuss the importance of learning the biblical languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—and show how reading the Bible in the original languages “pays off.” Each podcast lasts between seven and eleven minutes and covers a different topic for those who want to read the Bible for all it is worth.
A Word in Edgewise 
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