Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey by Craig Blomberg

This is a useful resource for the pastor or lay reader.  While expansive in its breadth, it is suggestive in its depth.  Blomberg does not (or better, could not have in a single volume) delve deeply into any of the topics covered in "Jesus and the Gospels", but his bibliographies at the end of each chapter and the excellent footnotes give the curious reader a very firm direction to head in for further study.

The book is divided into five parts.  The first two are largely historical in nature covering the world of the first century (political, social, and religious climate), and the historical/critical approach to the Gospels themselves.  Part three is an overview of each of the Gospels highlighting their themes and structure.  Part four reads like a cross between the notes one would find in a study Bible and popular level commentary, but arranged more or less chronologically across all the Gospels (almost like a commentary on the Diatessaron?).  This is an excellent section, to be sure, and he well highlights (or reminds the reader) of the distinct approach of each Gospel writer.  The book concludes with two shorter chapters addressing the historical reliability of the Gospels and the Theology of Jesus.

This is really an excellent book, and I'm sure I will be pulling it off of my shelf as a reference tool.  Perhaps only the serious student or most voracious of lay leaders will plow through it cover to cover, but it is a great starting place for almost any topic related to the Gospels.  Again, the bibliography and foot notes give solid direction for further study from a wide range of scholars in the field.  All of the information in the book can be found in other places, but Blomberg has done anyone interested in Jesus, Christian or not, a great service by pulling it all together into a coherent, (relatively) concise (it is a 500 page book), readable volume.  For anyone interested in the study of Jesus, I say "tolle lege."

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."

Reading the Old Testament: Method In Biblical Study by John Barton

This book is a useful and beneficial read, but for a relatively specialized audience. I would not recommend this book to anyone who does not have a solid background in hermeneutics. I certainly would not recommend it for a lay reader. It will make little sense without some background in Biblical interpretation. Taken straight and without a context, it will prove ponderous at best, and damaging to one's faith at worst. Without a background in some of the issues and history, it can feel as if reading the Bible to gain any insight is a hopeless pursuit.

I would definitely recommend it for the seminary student who is looking for a solid introduction to the various methods of Biblical, and specifically, Old Testament, criticism. The book is, to be generous, uninterested in what we might call a conservative hermeneutic. While Barton does not land on a specific method and seeks to demonstrate the options, a conservative view of, say, Mosaic authorship is, for Barton, not possible. Where Barton is helpful is in taking us through the development of various methods of reading the Bible. For each, he suggests some background reading on the subject. After a discussion of each method, he applies these methods to a specific text (Ecclesiastes) to show how each works in practice. The methods he works with include Form, Redaction, Canonical, Structuralists, "New," and Reader Response Criticism.

What, you may ask, is the benefit for the conservative pastor or seminary student to be gained from reading a book that is somewhat antagonistic to the way we read the Scriptures while being agnostic on the rest? First, it helps one to see how the various methods of reading the Scripture developed. Secondly, it helps prevent a straw-man view of the various approaches. Given the presuppositions and what each movement is reacting against, one can see why and how they developed. Third, it makes one think about how the various methods can be appropriated in positive ways while rejecting the negative outcomes. This, of course, will take some serious engagement and thought, but if conservative Christians are to have a voice in the Scholarly world of Biblical Studies (which, I submit, we must), it is incumbent on us to understand the discussion and the methods applied to the Bible. This is hard work, and there will be much temptation to compromise, but we must be involved in these discussions, even if our voice largely falls on deaf ears. Fourth, it helps in engaging commentaries from a wide variety of perspectives. One could, of course, only read conservative commentaries, but there are excellent exegetes and linguists outside of Evangelical realm. This book gives one categories with which to engage such works and better helps the Evangelical pastor or student sift through the chaff to find the wheat. Finally, knowing the ways of reading the Bible that are current in scholarship will help us to engage those in our congregations who come from outside of Evangelicalism, and our children who engage these issues in university settings.

For some, Barton's book will be frustrating, but if the purpose of the book is kept in mind, I think it will prove beneficial. This is not meant to propose a method of biblical study, but to provide a survey of current opinion. For the student or pastor familiar with the issues and who would like to get a feel for the development, method, and application of the various approaches, Barton's book will prove beneficial and helpful.

Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere.

How a Book Ends Up on My Shelf

While my sister was here at Christmas she mentioned that she told a friend of hers at work about how I catalog and manage my books.  Her friend, a librarian, thought it was a pretty cool.  I thought I'd write a pictorial blog about how I go about cataloging and arranging my books, as it could potentially be a help for those with moderate to large libraries (mine is about 900 volumes).  (n.b. I realize that the "screenshots" are pretty poor.  I took them with my cellphone instead of doing a real screenshot and re-sizing it, mostly due to ignorance).

Step 1:

Step 1, for me, is to use the immensely cool book seal that my good friend bought me as a groomsman's gift.  You may skip this step, but your books will be much less cool than mine are.


Step 2:

This is a wonderful app for managing one's library with a program called Zotero (zotero.org). it is a free program, and this app saves, quite literally, hours.  I didn't start cataloging my library until it was already pretty big, so the initial set up took awhile (it was a summer project), but this app made the process very easy.  Basically, for $1.99, you get a tool that scans the bar code on your book, searches Worldcat or Google books and fetches the information then sends it to your Zotero database.  Really a must have.


 Step 3:

This is a look at my Zotero home page.  The column on the left is your "libraries."  You can place books (as well as articles, websites, pictures, etc.) in different categories.  Items can be in more than one category as well.  The center column is sortable by title, author, type, call number, etc.  The column on the left will display information about the selected book.  You can add "notes" and "tags" to each book (more on that in a second).  One of the really neat features of Zotero is its bibliography creator.  Basically, select your book you want to cite, and it will export the info into the desired format (Turabian, MLA, APA, etc.)


Step 4:

Once a book is scanned and sent to Zotero, it goes in the "unfiled items" section.  Once it is there, I go to loc.gov (the Library of Congress website), copy the ISBN, and search for the book in the LOC catalog.  There are two pieces of information that I grab from LOC (or worldcat, if LOC doesn't have an entry).  The first is the call number, found on the "Brief Record" page seen above.  LOC call numbers are extremely handy because professional librarians have already thought through where to put a book on your shelf.  My shelves are well organized with similar books in close proximity to others because of the LOC call numbers.  Before deciding to do this, I had rearranged my shelves twice because I didn't like the order they were in.  Now, I don't even have to think about it.

Step 5:

The other tab that I look at on the LOC website is the "subjects" tab.  From here I add the LOC subjects as tags in Zotero.  Zotero has a good search feature, and the LOC tags let me quickly see books from similar categories (say, for instance,  "Theology, Doctrinal").  Selecting that tag will bring up all the books in that category.  Pretty nifty.  You can, of course,search for title, author, ISBN and other things as well.  Tags can be used for things other than LOC subjects.  I tag books that are gifts and add another tag with the name of the person who gave it to me.  You can tag books for certain classes or semesters, or books that are on your "to read" list.  I also use tags to keep track of the books which I lend out.  If I lend a book I add the tag "checked out."  Next, I add a "note" with the name of the person I lent it to.  A very handy thing for me.  Once I get the book back, I just delete the note and tag.


Step 6:

After all of the data is in Zotero, it's time to actually tag the book with its LOC call number.  I use mailing address labels cut into thirds.  For cloth bound books, packing tape may be necessary to keep the tag from falling of.  That was honestly a tough decision to come to, as I like to keep my books "clean."  But, books are to be read and used, and I have no qualms with outlining or note taking in a book, so why would I have a problem with making it easy to find?  This may be the single most time consuming part of the whole process at the outset.  As I was getting starting, I would put on a movie or podcast and get down to it.  Now, I just do it for each new book, and it takes very little time.


Step 7:

Once the call number is attached to the book, it's ready to go up on the shelf.  This book, which is for a class I'm taking in the Spring semester, is labeled BR.  B is the general category for religion and philosophy, BR is "Christianity," and 115 is "Christianity in relation to special subjects."  You don't have to know all of that, of course, and when you see the book on the shelves it makes good sense.

Step 8:

The only thing left to do is put the book up on the shelf.  Back in November, we moved across town.  Taking the time during the summer to label my books was a huge blessing.  I was able to pack them in order and know exactly where they went when we got to the new house.  My "office" is quite a bit smaller than our previous house (where I basically had the entire basement), so quite a few book stayed boxed up.  This system is great for that as well, though, because on the outside side of each box I wrote the call number range (say D805-E302.6).  Now, if I need a book from that section, I just look up the call number, head to the storage room, and I know just which box to look in.



So that's it.  It really has been a great system.  It takes seconds to find a book I'm looking for, and it helps me to stay organized.  I know exactly which books I have, I can easily keep track of books I've lent to others, I can create quick bibliographies, and it saved a lot of time unpacking from our move.  I'm sure other ways to set up a library, and I'd love to hear them in the comments below.

The Message of Acts in the History of Redemption by Dennis E. Johnson

This was my favorite book that I read for class in the Fall semester this year (2012).  If you are teaching or preaching on Acts, stop reading and go buy it now.  It really is worth having, and at 250 pages, it won't take you too long to read.  If that wasn't convincing...

Dennis Johnson's The Message of Acts in the History of Redemption is a bit tough to pigeon hole.  It's not really a commentary, though it is quite valuable exegetically.  Nor is it an introduction, as it goes deeper into the text than such a book would.  I think it is best to view it as a theology of Acts.  It looks at the major themes and traces those through the book by means of detailed and learned exegesis.  In short, it is an excellent work.  It is relatively short, and not an ounce of ink was wasted in its production.  Every page contains insightful and valuable observations.  

It is in the pastor or seminary student's hand that this will be most beneficial.  There is a fair amount of discussion of the original language (though, annoyingly, without accents in Greek or pointing in Hebrew).  The (must read) end-notes are a cornucopia of historical, grammatical, and referential information.  Johnson uses the Septuagint extensively, placing Acts firmly in "the History of Redemption."  The amount and profundity of Luke's Old Testament references was something I gleaned from reading this book.   His applications and pastoral challenges are insightful and clearly derived from the text.  His hermeneutic is also instructive.  It is easy to over or under apply Acts, and the nature of the apostolic calling makes application to today tricky.  Johnson navigates these waters well, and is lucid as he discusses issues of interpretation and application.  Given the books length, he does not interact too extensively with scholarly opinion as a commentary would, but this serves the pastor well.  You need not wade through this text to find the meat, because all of the fat has been trimmed.

I am less inclined to recommend this book outright for the lay person.  Each chapter is framed with probing application questions and contextualization that will prove helpful in thinking through Acts, and Johnson's discussion of how Acts relates to the present day is one of the valuable contributions of this work.  However, the fine detail and work in the original languages makes this less likely to be a home run as an introductory work, even if much of this detail is buried in the end-notes   Each chapter is well organized, though, and will benefit all readers in some way.  If you know Acts well and are looking to dig deeper, this is a good book, but it is not a good introduction.  Let me put it this way, I would not use this as a book to read together in a Bible study on Acts, but I would not go without it as a reference if I were teaching such a Bible study.

There are a few drawbacks to this work.  While there is an extensive Scripture index, I do wish a subject index would have been included (but that is something every book of this sort needs).  The editorial decision regarding the original language font (see above) is truly regrettable, and will likely cause some to take this work less seriously than they should.  It feels to me as though the book was written to a seminary level, then edited to be accessible to a wider audience by placing much of the detail work in the end-notes.  The chapters also feel a bit disconnected from each other.  It reads like 13 essays on different aspects of Acts.  By the end, you gain a full understanding of Luke's second letter to Theophilus, but the major themes (or "bridges" as he refers to them) of promise leading to fulfillment, Jew and Gentile relations, and the Apostolic events and our day are mentioned in the in preface, but don't form the organizing structure of the book. Indeed, he begins with the last and these themes are often mixed together within the chapters themselves.  A clearer meta-structure would be appreciated.  Finally, the cover is hideous.

Those drawbacks, though, do not detract from the benefit one will gain in reading this book.  Acts is not just a history lesson of how the Gospel expanded after Jesus left town.  It is a theologically deep explanation of the place of the Church in "the History of Redemption."  At under $15, Johnson's book is well worth a purchase.

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."

Not the Way It's Supposed To Be by Cornelius Plantinga

This is a bit longer than the average book review on this site.  It is also a little more "academic" (with page citations and such).  This is because it was written for a class I took last Spring.  If you want the short answer: read this book.  It is written on a very accessible, popular level, but the theology contained therein is profound.  This is in no way "ivory tower" theology.  It is a boots on the ground, down and dirty discussion of a doctrine that we tend to ignore.

Sin is the constant companion that we all too often choose to ignore. Every person who lives or has lived on this earth has experienced the tragic effects of sin. It has ravaged our world and our interactions with each other. It has harmed everyone and all aspects of life, from the youngest person to the largest institutions, but, for the most part, we do not talk about it. In Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be, Cornelius Plantinga seeks to remedy that situation. He is “Trying to retrieve an old awareness that has slipped and changed in recent decades. The awareness of sin…” (ix), because today “where sin is concerned, people mumble now” (x). 

In Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be, Plantinga tells a story. This world is supposed to be peaceful, just, and good (8). God created it that way, and He created humanity for relationship with Him. However, we don’t experience life this way. A problem was introduced, the problem of sin. Sin is not just a moral problem, it is a relational problem. “Sin is the smearing of a relationship, the grieving of one’s divine parent and benefactor, a betrayal of the partner to whom one is joined by a holy bond” (12). 

Plantinga wants us to realize that sin has a history, a past. The world was not always this way. If we fail to see sin as part of a story, as something within the story and not transcendent over it, we cannot really understand sin. If we do not understand what the world was like before sin, and what it will be like after its removal, we will not properly understand the tragedy of sin. 

This is one of several things that Plantinga does well in his book. Sin is never portrayed as normal. It is always something that distorts. Sin is “anti-creation” (29). “Nothing about sin is its own; all its power, persistence, and plausibility are stolen goods” (89). Sin is does not have its own existence. It is merely a corruptor of what is good, a “Parasite,” as Plantinga calls it. It is a spoiler of the good, but because its existence is not its own, it is ultimately powerless over the original creation or God’s re-creational intention (88). Yet, in our fallen state the scope of sin is pervasive. It touches everything. “Evil perverts religion as well as everything else that is vital and momentous” (108). 

Evil disguises itself well. It often appears good (98). We see this in culture. Entire countries can be deceived into following an evil dictator’s scheme (107), but this is not a sin that is somewhere out there. This is a sin that we all participate in for we all deceive ourselves (112). We tell ourselves lies, and then start to believe them. We allow sin to corrupt our hearts. This deception that we take part in is attractive because we know that there is a better way than sin. As Plantinga says, “Remarkably, the phenomenon of self-deception testifies that we human beings…are incorrigibly sold on goodness” (112). We wish for our evil to appear good. 

It is in places like this where Plantinga’s book is at its best. He skillfully convinces the reader of what he is arguing for, and then takes that truth and places it before us as a mirror into our own hearts. Just when we begin to think; “Yes, that is true of our culture and it is truly terrible” on the next page he places the sin that he has been discussing before the reader and causes us to realize that this is true of ourselves. No one slips through the cracks in Plantinga’s thorough and descriptive evaluation of sin. 

Yet, he does this carefully and honestly. Plantinga writes well, and the reader never feels that he is being talked down to. Sin is taken seriously, and its grave effects are described with gravity and sorrow in some detail. Sin is always described as something evil and terrible, but the sinner, while not seen as a mere victim (105), is treated as a person who must deal with the evil in the world and in himself. Because of this, here is a book to be read by Christian and non-Christian alike. It is psychological, gritty, and real. It is a book that meets us where we are. It is a book that makes us feel in our conscience what we have lost in our consciousness. It recognizes that we are all in this together; we are all part of this story (161). There are many touchstones in this book. Whatever the religious persuasion of the reader, the examples from our culture, society, and selves will be easily recognizable and identified with. 

Over the course of the book, Plantinga not only discusses various kinds of sin, but also various characteristics of sin. As mentioned, sin is parasitic in nature and tries to appear good. Sin is also foolishness. While wisdom is “the knowledge of God’s world and the knack of fitting oneself into it” sin is a corruption of that (115). Sin is “wrong,” “dumb,” and “futile” (121). 

Plantinga sees sin appearing in two basic postures, attack or flight (153). Sometimes, we attack others (or God) in word or deed. At other times we flee from what we should do or from recognizing that we are doing is wrong. But again, Plantinga does not pretend that this is just something that others do. He does not place these actions only at the feet of non-Christians. In one of his more striking passages Plantinga says to those of us in the church; “Claiming allegiance to the Christ who speaks in active imperatives…, we Christians nonetheless prefer to keep the bread of life in our own cupboard and to speak of it only to those who already have it” (189). Once again, Plantinga is refreshingly and starkly frank. 

Here is yet another strength of this book. Plantinga pulls no punches. He does not shrink away from asking the hard questions. He does not ignore critiques of the Christian doctrine of sin (cf. his excellent chapter on addiction), nor does he shy away from challenging our cultures treasured beliefs (cf. 100). He can do this because he is convinced that there is an existential disconnect between what should be and what we experience. We all know that things just are not as they should be. 

Ultimately, the problem with sin is that it always fails to satisfy. “Why is it not only wrong but also foolish to offend God? God is our final good, our maker and savior, the one in whom alone our restless hearts come to rest. To rebel against God is to saw off the branch that supports us” (123). Human nature “with its vast and mysterious amalgam of capacities to think, feel, supervise, love, create, respond, and act virtuously—that is, with its capacities for imaging God—has become the main carrier and exhibit of corruption” (30-31). 

This is the story. Humans, created to image God in the world, have failed to do this due to our rebellion against God. All that we do is tainted with this rebellion, and it affects everything. Yet there is good news. Because this is “not the way it’s supposed to be,” it is not the way that it will be. There is hope for Shalom in the resurrection of Jesus (199), but without a proper understanding of the problem, we will not cling to the solution. 

This is not a book to be read quickly. It is a book that you must digest, must think about, must consider. If we take sin seriously, as Plantinga suggests we should, we should not plow through this book as if it were a dime store novel. Instead, the reader must carefully consider what he is saying and what the implications are. Here is a book that recognizes, above all else, that our main problem is our failure to relate to God as we should. Things are not right because we are not oriented properly towards God. 

While this book is about sin, about the problem instead of the solution, in the epilogue the story surfaces once again. Plantinga brings the story back to bear with these words; “To speak of sin by itself, to speak of it apart from the realities of creation and grace, is to forget the resolve of God. God wants shalom and will pay any price to get it back” (199). That is the story. Sin is here, and it is real, but it has not always been and will not always be. In the end, God’s purpose will be accomplished and sin will be wiped away, but for now, it is something that is with us and that is gravely serious. Plantinga’s book is the best contemporary evaluation of the problem of sin that I have read. It is an excellent work and will benefit all who read it.

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."

The Heart of Evangelism and Learning Evangelism from Jesus by Jerram Barrs

Evangelism may well be the most difficult aspect of the Christian faith.  For many of us, sharing our faith can be intimidating.  Some of that fear generates from our own shyness.  We would be just as intimidated if we were asking for directions.  Some of our fear comes from our participation in failed and insensitive "evangelistic" methodologies.  For others, the offense of the cross is an offense to the would-be evangelist, and so he neglects to share his faith.  Against these challenges, Professor Jerram Barrs lays out a Biblical approach to evangelism over the course of two books; The Heart of Evangelism and Learning Evangelism from Jesus.

In The Heart of Evangelism, Barrs lays out the foundation for this approach.  This book is divided into four major sections dealing with the "Mission to the World", "God's Kindness and Perseverance," "Barriers in the Way of Communicating the Gospel," and finally, "Making the Gospel Known."  The first lays out God's call to mission and the foundations for fulfilling this mission, things like prayer and a faithful life.  The second section deals with God's work in evangelism, and the variety of ways that God prepares people's hearts for hearing the Good News.  The following section contains an important discussion about evangelism in our time and the unique challenges that we face, both within and outside of ourselves.  Finally, the book concludes by giving the reader seven "principles" which should shape our evangelistic efforts.  These are not "steps to evangelism," but rather a philosophy of evangelism that fleshes out the implications of the previous three sections in light of the Bible.

Learning Evangelism from Jesus is a different sort of book.  Instead of developing a theology or philosophy of evangelism, this book seeks to understand evangelism as it is portrayed in the pages of Scripture.  Of the sixteen chapters in this book, fifteen of them are case studies drawn from the pages of the New Testament.  The first chapter summarizes the content of The Heart of Evangelism.  Throughout the remainder of the book, the reader is able to see how these ideas about evangelism play out in the pages of the Bible.  Over the course of this book one sees the way that Jesus shares about God with legalists, seekers, sinners, and others.  It is in this book that the compassionate method of evangelism that Barrs proposed in the previous book is demonstrated in practice.

These books read like companion volumes.  The first book gives us a skeleton, an outline of what evangelism should be.  The second book puts muscles and flesh on the bones.  It shows what the type of evangelism that Barrs proposes looks like on the ground.  These are challenging books.  In their pages one will not find a simple or formulaic approach to evangelism.  Instead, one will see what evangelism through relationship and compassion looks like.  Together, these books challenge the way that the Christian sees the unbeliever.  It challenges us to understand the difference between the Law and the Gospel.  It challenges the reader to take evangelism seriously.  

I have read a lot of good books during my first year of seminary, but none have been as challenging or, at the risk of overstatement, as life-changing as these two. It was an honor and privilege to sit in Professor Barr's class for a full semester.  Fortunately for the reader, his character and graciousness shines through the pages of both of these books. For anyone who finds evangelism difficult, or who is weary of "canned" Gospel presentations, or for those who want to be challenged and have their heart for others shaped by the Gospel, I cannot recommend these books highly enough.    

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."

The Story of Christianity (2 vols.) by Justo Gonzalez

The two volume Church History by Justo Gonzalez is a great introduction to Church History.  These thick volumes (each over 500 pages) serve as a very good orientation to the two thousand years that have transpired since the resurrection of Jesus.  After a short orientation to first century Palestine, Gonzalez moves on to the church in Jerusalem, and does not stop until the conclusion of volume two with a discussion of the church in the world today.


One of the things that the reader will come to appreciate about these books is the concerted effort on the part of the author to show not only the breadth, but the depth of the Christian story.  Gonzalez draws attention to the life of the average believer in the early church, the development of Christianity in  places outside of the empire in the early centuries of the church, and the contribution of more remote remnants of Christianity in places like Egypt and Ethiopia.  To be sure, much of the ink used in these volumes describes Western History, but that is because most of the History of the Church took place in that region or under its influence.  Throughout the book, though, wherever something is happening outside of Western Europe, or among minorities, Gonzalez calls attention to it.


Despite the length of these volumes, it still reads as a fairly high level overview.  It is rare that any one theologian gets more than a few pages.  Augustine, for instance, who is very significant, has a relatively long section of 12 pages.  One must remember that this is an overview and introduction.  It is not likely that the average reader would want or expect much more than this.  This book is here to orient you in the history of the Church.


Included in these volumes are maps and pictures which prove helpful.  For those whose interest is piqued, the end of most chapters contain sometimes lengthy bibliographies which guide you towards further investigation.  Also quite helpful are the time-lines at the beginning of each book and the beginning of each chapter.  These help you to quickly grasp where you are in human history should you decide to read a specific chapter out of order.


This is great two volume set, and well worth the time if you have any interest in Church History.  They are not perfect volumes (for instance, Gonzalez slightly misunderstands Luther's theology), but as an overview, they are great.  Both volumes read very well and integrate the Christian story into the larger political and historical narratives of the day.  The indexes and tables of contents are very useful if you want to brush up on a specific subject, like, say, German Pietism.  It is a useful and readable history, and as a bonus, it has a quite attractive cover that looks great on a bookshelf.  

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."

The UBS Greek New Testament: A Reader's Edition

I know full well that this book will be irrelevant to many who read this blog, but it is so helpful that I felt compelled to include it in my list of book reviews.  This is a very valuable tool, and one that, in the short week I have owned it, has helped me greatly.


So what, exactly, is it?  It as an edition of the New Testament based on the idea that reading a language is one of the best ways to learn it.  This edition uses the standard UBS4/NA27 text of the New Testament.  What makes this a reader's edition is what is below the text.  Any word occuring 30 times or fewer in the New Testament is defined.  Instead of giving the full range of meaning the UBSRE gives a gloss of what the editors feel is the most likely reading.  You would not want to do any exegetical with these definitions, but for reading the text this works rather well.  All odd verb forms (like strong aorists) are parsed with voice, tense, mood, person, number and lexical form.  Thus, a typical page looks something like this:  

This picture is of the bottom 2/3 of a page.  On a full page it is generally about 2/3 text, 1/3 tools.

What this edition lacks is any critical apparatus or cross-references, but there are other Greek New Testaments that give you that (NA27 probably the best).  This book's aim is not critical exegesis, it is extensive reading (ER).  I took a linguistics class at West Chester University and did a lot of work on ER.  The theory says that a reader in a second language that knows or has access to 90% of the vocabulary in a fairly long, continuous, and cohesive text will see great improvement in his language skills.  That is what makes the UBSRE such a great resource.


I have started using this little book on a daily basis, and I have already gotten a better feel for the language of the New Testament and how it works.  The tedium of switching from text to lexicon has disappeared and been replaced by the ability to read the text at length with little interruption.  This Greek New Testament does not suddenly make Greek easy, by any stretch of the imagination, but it does make the Greek text readable.  That is, after all, the goal.  Anyone who has worked through a beginning Greek grammar and wants to stay in the language should get this book.*

*The United Bible Society will be coming out with a 2nd edition of this book in the near future.  It will contain some cross-reference (most likely to direct quotations and allusions to the Old Testament) as well as limited apparatus.  This means that you can probably get this for a very cheap price (like I did).


"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere." 

Children of the Living God by Sinclair Ferguson

"Children of the Living God" is not a long book, in fact it is fairly short.  The books brevity disguises its profundity.  In 125 pages Dr. Ferguson takes us through the doctrine of adoption in a way that will leave few Christians unaffected.  Those who read this brief and thorough work will come away with a new appreciation of how the believer relates to God the Father.

The book begins with this thesis: "[God's relationship to us as our Father] is the way -- not the only way, but the fundamental way -- for the Christian to think about himself or herself" (Italics his).  A lofty claim, to be sure, but over nine chapters, he makes his case well.

Being a child of God was not something that I thought of very much as I grew up.  I prayed to God as Father, but never contemplated the ramifications of that truth for my life.  Dr. Ferguson explains the nature of relationship through a close look at what the Bible says about our New Birth and Adoption.  He expounds on what our  life in God's family is like, and what traits his children posses.  He talks about the freedom we experience as his children.  He then writes a profound chapter concerning Fatherly Discipline that, in itself, is worth the price of the book.

While this book is short, it is quite dense.  Dr. Ferguson, to his credit, uses a lot of Scripture.  He does not spend a lot of time on illustrations or stories.  This means that each paragraph is exposition or application with little time to catch ones breath.  The feeling that I had in reading this was an overwhelming sense of the truth that Dr. Ferguson was explaining coupled with the conviction that our relationship to God as children must impact us on a daily basis.

I have heard from a student at another seminary that she had to read this book during her first semester as well.  I am thankful that Dr. Douglas assigned it here at Covenant.  After I read this book I realized that I need to talk about this more.  Our standing with God as children is a marvelous, gracious truth that is too often acknowledged and passed over or even ignored completely.  I pray that I don't fall victim to that temptation, and Dr. Ferguson's book has done much to prevent that outcome.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!... Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

-1 John 3:1-2

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."

The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller

Tim Keller's congregation in New York has a majority single demographic.  It is for this reason that "The Meaning of Marriage" is a book that speaks so well to an under-served demographic in the marriage resource genre.  Most books on the subject seem to focus on those already or just about to be married (like Bryan Chapell's excellent "Each for the Other*"), or focus on "biblical" courtship/dating.  Very few Christian books on a popular level, at least that I'm aware of, make a compelling case for marriage then go on to explain what a biblical marriage looks like.  Keller's book does just that and does it rather well. Like "Each for the Other," Keller's book revolves around Ephesians 5, though he focuses on verses 22 to 33.  He also goes back to creation in Genesis 2 in his exegesis of the Ephesians passage.  But before getting into the meaning and focus of Ephesians 5, he looks at much contemporary research to make a case for marriage over against cohabitation, extramarital affairs, and the prevalent "hook-up" culture of today.  He does this exceptionally well, and offers a prophetic voice against the self-centered search for the "perfect" person that so riddles our nation today.  In fact, the first chapter of the book should be required reading for any single person who is interested in marriage at some point.  (As an aside, Keller does an excellent job of recognizing that while his book focuses on marriage, there is no shame for those called to a single a life.  He includes an entire chapter dedicated to singleness). Over eight chapters, Keller addresses a range of topics concerning marriage.  From what marriage is and what it does, to pastoral help and hope for how to "make it work," Keller's experience and learning are on display throughout.  He (and his wife, Kathy) discuss topics as wide-ranging as headship, sanctification, and sex. "The Meaning of Marriage" has wide appeal.  It is useful for those who are married, those who are single, for pastors and counselors, for men and women.  It is wise and winsome, and does not pull any punches.  It certainly stands out in its ability to address single people.  It does this better than any marriage book I've yet read, though it is certainly not just written to singles.  His vision for what marriage should be, and what the church should do to support that are highlights of the book.  With "Each for the Other," it is a book that deserves to be on every married couple's bookshelf (and not just as decoration).  Would that I had read these about nine years ago.  The biblical basis and pastoral heart of these books make them so much more valuable and prophetic than the books that weigh down many a Christian bookstore shelf. Upon reading "The Meaning of Marriage," you will know better how to love your spouse, and you will understand the Gospel more fully.  Certainly a book that is worth your time.

*In contrasting these two books, "Each for the Other" addresses marriage then family.  "The Meaning of Marriage" addresses singleness then marriage.  If I had to give one to a married couple thinking of starting a family, it would be Chapell's.  If I had to give one to a single person, it would be Keller's.  If it was anyone outside of those specific circumstances, it's a real toss-up, but you can't go wrong either way.

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."

Each for the Other by Bryan Chapell

I read "Each for the Other" after a marriage seminar with Dr. and Mrs. Chapell.  More than I would have guessed going into the class, the seminar and this book have benefited my marriage greatly.  Perhaps other than the marriage retreat that my wife and I attended with Doug and Mary-jane Kittredge at New Life in Christ Church, this book has helped me understand how to relate to my wife in a more biblical and Christ-like fashion. This is book is divided into three sections, and revolves around a discussion of Ephesians 5:21-6:4.  Section one is about the husband's duty to love and care for his wife.  Section two is about the wife's responsibility to love and support her husband.  Section three is about how couples who use their resources to support each other function as parents and in society. Dr. Chapell does an excellent job of maintaining the biblical instructions for marriage without succumbing to an exegetically uninformed breed of chauvinism.  Both husband and wife are to relate to their spouse in love.  To  be sure, each has different roles in the marriage (the husband to enable his wife's flourishing through Christ-like leadership, the wife to support her husbands growth), but each does this in light of the love that they find in Christ. Dr. Chapell's sensitive writing and excellent examples make this book extremely helpful, and quite easy to read.  He does not skirt the culturally unpopular aspects of the Scripture, nor does he allow chauvinism and past abuses any leeway.  In the end, he shows how in a Gospel-centered marriage, instead of "headship" and "submission" leading to a dictatorial reign, it leads to place where not only both spouses, but children and society benefit as well. "Each for the Other" is a great book for married couples to read and digest.  Because it is based on sound exegesis, this book avoids easy yet ineffective prescriptions, and instead cuts straight to the underlying heart of Christian marriage.  Since the focus is on how couples relate, he does not address singles very much (see Tim Keller's "The Meaning of Marriage" for a helpful chapter on marriage for singles).  As such, I think this book is more beneficial to those already married (albeit, not unhelpful to those who are about to get married).  But for any married person, this is a very helpful and beneficial read. It certainly helped me in my marriage, and any book that points us back to Christ, what he did, and how that applies is certainly worth the time.

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."  

Creation Regained by Albert M. Wolters

Creation Regained by Albert M. Wolters is a short, 120 page book about the creation and how the fall affects it.  The edition that I have (pictured below) is updated with a 25 page postscript that updates this work a bit. While this book is short, it does not want for depth.  Contained in its pages are a good bit of theological and philosophical terminology.  That does not mean the book is not worth the effort, but I imagine there are better primers for those new to books on Christian worldview. The book is divided into five chapters.  Chapter one answers the question, "What is a world-view?"  Chapters 2-4 concern creation, fall, and redemption, respectively.  The final chapter is on "Structure and Direction." This last chapter was, for me, the most interesting.  Wolters considers many of the structures that we encounter.  Structures are created institutions, things like family, government, education, society and the like.  These structures, in a post fall world, are not orientated in the way that should be.  The direction of these in a post fall world is not towards God and his glory, but away from God.  In other words, after the fall, all of society, all of creation, suffers under the curse.  But what is important for Wolters is the affirmation that these things, in and of themselves, are not evil.  Their orientation is wrong because fallen humans utilize them.  In redemption, these structures are being renewed.  Ultimately, at the consummation of the Kingdom, all will be renewed and glorify God.   This short, albeit slightly technical, book is a good summary of the Dutch Neo-Calvinist/Kuyperian worldview.  I would not recommend it as an introduction to the topic, but for those interested in the subject it is a worthwhile and interesting read.  He does spend a little bit too much ink in the first few chapters fighting off a Lutheran sacred/secular dichotomy, but by the last chapter the book finds it stride and considers the subject positively instead of polemically.  Perhaps that is why the final chapter is by far the best and most interesting.  All in all, a book worth reading if your interest gravitate toward this subject.

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere." 

Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges

Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges is a relatively short, easily readable, and very clear introduction to the Doctrines of Grace.  It is written at a popular level, but its reflective character and sincere exhortation make it a valuable read for any Christian.


In Transforming Grace, Bridges starts with some of the frustrations of the Christian life (a chapter called "The Performance Treadmill"), then demonstrates how God's grace is not just for our justification, but for our sanctification and our whole life as well.  He goes on to discuss the doctrines of God's free grace against the tendencies towards legalism and anti-nomianism, and shows in concrete ways how these doctrines apply to daily living.


If someone were to ask me what book I would give a new Christian to help them understand their salvation and God's grace towards them, I would be hard pressed to find a better, simpler, and more practical book than Transforming Grace.  There are certainly more technical works that go into much great depth, but as an overview, this book is very good.  As someone who is not new to the faith, I still found this book an encouraging reminder of the great salvation that we have in Christ.  This book is at its best when it causes you to sit back and marvel at the wonderful grace that God has shown his people.  This quality alone makes this book a worthwhile read.

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere." 

Words of Life by Timothy Ward

Timothy Ward's "Words of Life" is an excellent orientation to Bibliology.  Instead of jumping straight into a discussion of the traditional labels for the Bible in Systematic Theology, Ward works from the ground up.  He discusses the Bible's view of itself, then looks at this view in light of modern speech-act theory.  Next he develops a doctrine of Scripture from a Trinitarian and theological perspective.  Only after developing a Biblical and Theological view of the Bible does he begin to discuss it doctrinally, using the traditional categories of the Bible's necessity, sufficiency, clarity, and authority.  This is an extremely helpful method.  When we begin with the doctrine first, we miss the depth and breadth of these affirmations.  Working from the ground up makes these doctrines much more visceral and causes them to land with a greater impact.


Another helpful aspect of this work is Ward's decision to place the discussion of inerrancy as a subcategory in his discussion of the Bible's authority.  Evangelicals (myself included) often miss the point of the doctrine of inerrancy because we are quick to affirm it, but do not take the time to understand it.  Ward shows us that while inerrancy is important, it is an outworking of what the Bible is and does, and not vice versa.  As I heard it explained once, we hold that the Bible is inerrant because it is true, not that it is true because it is inerrant.


This is a very good, clear summary of the doctrine of the Bible.  It places the discussion in the modern linguistic discussion without loosing any of the historic orthodox doctrine of the Scripture.  Because of its contemporary voice, we will see if it has legs to last down through the years, but now, it is an excellent and helpful work.

"Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere."