Introduction – exegetical.tools

Interview with Andreas Kostenberger on Approaching New Testament Introduction

August 16, 2016

New Testament introduction is an area that every seminary student must wade through because it is foundational to how we understand our Scriptures. Textbooks must therefore address the most critical issues, but Evangelical textbooks have an additional task of promoting the spiritual growth of students. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (2nd ed.) is a textbook that strikes an elegant balance, about which you can read more here. Andreas Köstenberger, co-author along with Scott Kellum and Chuck Quarles, was kind enough to…

Revelation: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, by Craig R. Koester

January 13, 2016

Paul Hoskins

His preteristic leanings are clear, but his desire to provide a close reading of the text is equally clear.

Endangered Languages: An Introduction, by Sarah Thomason

September 28, 2015

Todd Scacewater

“According to most experts’ estimates, at least half of the world’s seven thousand languages will vanish before the end of this century” (2). What an amazing statistic! Those of us interested in biblical languages have felt the sting of this statistic recently, as we heard news about the last of native Aramaic speakers dying out. What is it that leads to language “death,” and how can languages be revitalized? Or should they be? The purpose of this book is “to introduce the general topic of language endangerment…and to describe some methods designed to prevent endangerment from leading to the disappearance of a threatened language” (2)….

Philosophy Before Socrates: An Introduction with Texts and Commentaries, 2nd ed., by Richard D. McKirahan

August 17, 2015

Todd Scacewater

This work contains the primary texts containing information about the presocratic philosophers, with introductory notes and commentary on the texts. He organizes the material by topic to attempt to present each thinker in an organized fashion. The beauty of this book, as opposed to other “readers,” is that McKirahan presents “most, and in many cases all, of the fragments of the philosophers discussed, as well as other important evidence on their thought” (ix). There are cases where he cannot do this, for example, Hesiod’s Theogony, which is too long for full inclusion….

Reading the Old Testament by Lawrence Boadt and Historical Criticism

June 11, 2015

Todd Scacewater

I would classify this work as first Christian, second critical, and third Catholic. While I’m not Catholic, the benefit of a Catholic textbook on the OT is that it includes discussion of the other seven Greek intertestamental works that are important for NT backgrounds (and, of course, for seeing to where the stream(s) of the OT flow). Moreoever, Boadt enlists Pope Pius XII’s support for a critical approach to the OT based on his Divino Afflante Spiritu (1943). More recently in 1989, Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) called for a “criticism of criticism”….

Doing Philosophy as a Christian, by Garrett DeWeese

April 30, 2015

Todd Scacewater

If you are a Christian academic, pastor, or scholar, and you have always felt intimidated or daunted by philosophy (or the prospect of learning philosophy), look no further. Garrett DeWeese had you in mind. This is not a history of philosophy (on which, see W. T. Jones’ History of Philosophy), but an overview of the various realms within philosophy. Anyone wishing to become acquainted with philosophy must become acquainted with at least the main areas of metaphysics (the nature of reality), epistemology (the nature of knowledge), and ethics. One could do this by surveying histories of philosophy to see how each branch developed diachronically, but one would be better served to get the philosophical categories in mind before trodding through Plato’s dialogues….

Book Giveaway, Enter Now

April 21, 2015

Todd Scacewater

To celebrate a successful month this March, we’ve decided to create a book giveaway contest. We’re giving away one free, new copy of Paul Glenn’s Introduction to Philosophy (Catholic Way, 2014). We here at Exegetical Tools want to bring you the latest resources for biblical studies, but we’re also bringing on another contributor (to be announced soon) to help educate about basic resources in different areas of philosophy. Many biblical scholars, pastors, and students feel daunted by the thought of learning…