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  The tedium of switching from text to lexicon has disappeared and been replaced by the ability to read the text at length with little interruption.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."

Translating the Bible

It was not that long ago that I would joke about the abbreviation of the New International Version of the Bible (NIV) standing for "Nearly Inspired Version."  Funny, that, but I was certainly speaking from ignorance (and arrogance?).  The theory behind the joke is that the NIV's dynamic equivalent translation philosophy was by default inferior to the English Standard Version's (ESV)- aka "English Superior Version"- formal equivalence translation philosophy.  The first tries to capture idea for idea what the text says, while the latter tries to capture the meaning word for word.  What I've discovered in the last two weeks of translating 1 John is that these categories, while helpful, are not absolute, and the idea that the formally equivalent versions are always and in toto superior for every purpose is a fallacy.  (As an aside, I've not yet read any of the 2011 NIV, but that is somewhat beside the point).

During our two week class Dr. Agan tried to drill into our heads that the question, "What is the best version of the Bible?" should be met with the answer, "For what purpose?"  Are you hoping to look into the sentence structure of the Greek, but don't know Greek?  The NASB might be a good bet. Are you hoping to read the Bible publicly, but leave some exegetical questions ambiguous (perhaps ones you plan to address in Sunday School or a Bible study)?  Give the ESV a turn.  Do you want to have some insight into the differences in different Greek manuscripts, but don't know how to use the apparatus in a Greek text?  Try one of the two just mentioned and a NKJV.  Do you want to read large passages of Scripture and have more of the interpretive issues answered for you?  The NIV is great for that.

There are many other variables as well.  The sorts of questions that I just reviewed would likely be issues that a person who is a fairly serious student of the Bible might ask.  But different versions work well for different types of people.  The best version for Jr. High student is probably (though not necessarily) different from the version a college student would use.  A child will use a different version from her parents.  An older person, especially in the South, will likely prefer a KJV.

Jorge Luis Borges once quipped, "The original is unfaithful to the translation."  George Borrow said, "Translation is at best an echo."  The author Umberto Eco said of translation that "Translation is the art of failure."  What these men are getting at is that you always loose something in the translation.  If you a capture a verbs aspect well, you may loose its tense.  If you get its tense, you may loose mood.  When writing a simple translation (non-annotated) it is difficult to convey every single thing that the original says in every instance.  It just cannot be done.

But what is lost in translation?  Without getting into modern language theory, the simple answer is nuance.  It is like a piece of music.  Whoever can read music is able to play a song if they have a notes on a page.  Think of a hymnal.  It's just a key signature, notes, and words.  If you can read music, your in good shape.  But in truly excellent music played by competent musicians there will be more on the page than just notes.  The music contains something called dynamic marks.  These tell the musician or conductor how loudly to play, how quickly to play, and the style in which to play.  It is the nuance of the music.  This last bit is what is lost in translation.

Obviously, you can understand a piece of music without the dynamics.  Our English Bible's capture the meaning of the Bible, and capture it rather brilliantly.  In fact, this was one of the major themes of the Protestant Reformation.  In my own church's confession this is made explicit.  In Chapter 1 section 8 the Assembly at Westminster wrote, "...because these original tongues [languages] are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar [common] language of every nation unto which they come that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner; and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope."

We are fortunate to speak one of the world's most used languages.  The number and quality of our English language translations is enviable.  There have been many faithful and careful translators who have made the Bible accessible.  But if we do not understand how difficult it is to translate anything from one language to another, we will fail to be generous to these outstanding translations.  Some people fall into the arrogant, ignorant attitude that I embraced all too recently.  We as Christians should never give someone reason to doubt that the Bible they hold is the Word of God.  If they are using a faithful translation (which would exclude things like the New World Translation) we should encourage others to read it and receive the Spirit through it.

May we all take the advice of the childlike voice that lead to Augustine's conversion, "take up and read" in whichever version you prefer.

(In the next few days or so, I plan to look into this topic again, namely to evaluate the question, "should pastors take the time and money to learn the original languages if our English translations are so good?"  In that post I will write a few more details about how some of these Bibles translate the same Greek passage in different ways).

Some of the Bibles laying around the house: ESV, NEB, Living Bible, NASB, KJV, NKJV, NIV,  USB4, NA27

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

Competition at Seminary

It was an odd way to begin an academic career.  Almost from kindergarten, school has been a competition.  But when Dr. Guthrie addressed the incoming class at Covenant Seminary at the beginning of this past semester, the tone was markedly different.

He stood up before a room of eager incoming students and told us that our career in seminary was not about us.  It isn't about us looking good.  It isn't about us looking smart.  It isn't about having our intellectual itch scratched.  It is about the people that we would be pastoring when we leave seminary.  It is about our brothers that we will minister with.  It is about growing in our love of the Lord.

Because of these things, our experience at Covenant  is to be an experience of community.  Instead of competing with each other, we support, love, and care for each other.  The professors intentionally give us group assignments, and even finals, because it's not about us, but about the community of believers called the church.  If we do not learn this here, we may never do so.  If we don't learn this at seminary, we will do damage to our churches when we leave.

It is a lesson that is hard to learn.  Most of us at seminary have a certain type-A personality and a drive to learn.  It can be hard to take an exam and not wonder how you measure up.  It is difficult to unlearn what our educational and cultural institutions have taught us for so long.  But it is an important message.  It is something that, once grasped, will benefit others.  And that is a good thing, because, after all, it's not about me.

"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."  

Finals Week

Things have been a bit stressful around here.  The pace of life has been relentless for the last month.  The last couple of weeks have seen a couple papers, a final project, and four final exams due in quick succession.  It has been some time since I have had to wrestle with this kind of stress.  I graduated from college in 2003 and I did not have children then.  These past few weeks have been a real learning experience in several ways.


First, and most obviously, I've learned and consolidated a lot of information during my preparation for finals.  My professors did an excellent job of choosing exam questions and assigning papers that underscored the major aspects of the lectures and readings that we had this semester.  


Secondly, I learned a lot about working in community (a big focus at the seminary).  In my beginning homiletics class, we had to write a sermon in a group of six.  The goal of this assignment was that we would teach each other, help each other understand more of the material, and to show us how to work together and compromise.  It was a good experience.  Our finished project is an interesting collection of different styles and diverse backgrounds.  Then, in my Introduction to Covenant Theology class, we took an oral exam as a group of three.  We learned to rely on and support each other, and to work for the benefit of the others in the group.  Both of these exercises help to prepare us for ministry.  In the future, as a member of a session, I must know how to work with others to lead the church.  These assignments are designed to begin to teach me these valuable skills.


Finally, I learned that my grades are not the only, or even most important thing.  There is certainly enough to do during finals that one could easily spend every waking moment studying, preparing for exams, and working on papers.  But, as a father and husband who is preparing for ministry, acing my exams while failing as a father and husband is not really preparation for ministry.  The qualification for being an elder is not academic brilliance, but faithfulness to one's calling, both as a Christian and as a husband or father (cf. 1 Timothy 3.1-7).  Not that I should be lazy and fail to work in my studies, but I should not study to the detriment of my family.  I am certainly not sure that I succeeded in living this out, but it is certainly a lesson for life in ministry that I will take out of the process.


As my first full-time semester at Covenant Theological Seminary comes to a close, I am thankful for all my professors and classmates who helped me learn these valuable lessons.  I am grateful to be at a place where teaching does not only occur in the classroom. I am thankful that the school is so focused on practical preparation for ministry and not just academic ability, while simultaneously pushing us to be scholars.  I am thankful that my family is patient with me as a learn to balance academics, family, and preparation for ministry.  Mostly, though, I'm thankful that my true worth is found in Christ, and not in my own efforts.

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