New Books in Biblical Studies

Gabriella Gelardini, a Professor of Christian Religion at Nord University, delves into her book, exploring the Epistle to the Hebrews within the rich context of Second Temple Judaism. She discusses its intricate structure and themes like sin, faith, and atonement. Gelardini connects Hebrews with ancient texts such as Psalm 95 and examines its role in Jewish worship, particularly during Tisha B'Av. Additionally, she highlights the metaphor of 'going outside' as a form of resistance and the ongoing relevance of covenant renewal in contemporary faith practices.

Explore the metaphor of Jesus as king in the Gospel of John and how it shapes the narrative's message. Discover the just kingship of Jesus and its contrast to traditional power dynamics, especially in his crucified form. The discussion also reveals connections between Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament, emphasizing the richness of metaphorical language. Dive into Jesus' identity as the Good Shepherd and how these themes culminate in his royal identity during pivotal moments, like his interaction with Pontius Pilate.

In this engaging discussion, Daniel C. Matt, a leading authority on Jewish mysticism and former professor at prestigious institutions, dives into the life of the biblical prophet Elijah. He explores Elijah's transformation from a fierce zealot to a compassionate leader, shedding light on his pivotal role in Jewish tradition. Topics include Elijah's miraculous feats, his mysterious departure, and his ongoing presence during Passover, symbolizing redemption and messianic expectations. Discover how Elijah's legacy continues to inspire spiritual leadership and kindness in the modern world.

In this engaging discussion, Daniel I. Block, a respected Old Testament professor and author, dives into his latest commentary on Deuteronomy. He emphasizes how responding to God's grace leads to righteous living without succumbing to legalism. Block highlights the compassionate heart behind the laws, showcasing their role in fostering community with Yahweh. He explores the clarity of God's worship invitation versus pagan uncertainty, and shares insights on the moral responsibilities of leaders in Israelite kingship, connecting historical practices to modern leadership.

Joseph and Aseneth: A Study in Manuscript Transmission (de Gruyter, 2025) expands a few verses from the book of Genesis into a novella-length work. It is increasingly used as a source for Judaism and Christianity at the turn of the Common Era. Scholarly attention has largely focused the work's provenance, the priority of a longer or shorter text version, and the implications for interpretation. But few have engaged with the work's manuscript witness and transmission. This study returns to the sources. It considers how the redaction and translation of Joseph and Aseneth affected its interpretation, and looks at the interests of the redactors and copyists. Its findings warn against placing too much weight on details that lack such an importance in the manuscript tradition. Important contributions made in this monograph include: a detailed study of the two earliest versions, the Syriac and Armenian translations; focus on the Greek manuscripts of the three longest families (f, Mc, a); analysis of four abridged versions (family d, E, Latin 1 and so-called "early modern Greek"); the first available synoptic edition of the Greek versions of the story, including the first edition of manuscript E. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

For centuries, Jewish thinkers have asked two parallel questions. First, what is the reasoning behind an individual commandment and second, why bother heeding a command at all, something Dr. Brafman terms “reasons for” vs “reasons of” the commandments. In his newest book, Critique of Halakhic Reason: Divine Commandments and Social Normativity (Oxford UP, 2024), Dr. Brafman looks closely at the second of these questions. After considering answers from some of the most important Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, Joseph Soloveitchik, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, and Eliezer Berkovits, Dr. Brafman introduces his own system of thought. For him, the reasons for the commandments depend on a number of factors. We don’t follow them blindly. And they don’t always have to adhere to perfect and pure reason. Instead they are, to use a term he employs throughout is book, “constructed” based on any number of factors including our relationship with God and the norms that exist within our society. In conversation with some of the most important secular legal theorist and philosophers of the past 100 years, Dr Brafman charts a new course in Jewish theology, both defending and reimagining the place of our obligation to halakhah, Jewish law, for the 21st century. Professor Yonatan Brafman is Associate Professor of Modern Judaism in the Department of Religion, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Literary and Cultural Studies at Tufts University. Rabbi Marc Katz is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, NJ. He is most recently the author of Yochanan’s Gamble: Judaism’s Pragmatic Approach to Life (JPS) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

While books on a New Testament theology of mission abound, most of them focus on tried-and-true Scripture passages from the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles while ignoring the contribution of the General Epistles. Reading James Missiologically: The Missionary Motive, Message, and Methods of James (William Carey, 2025) addresses this gap in missiological and biblical scholarship. Eighteen scholars and practitioners from a variety of nations and cultural backgrounds give a global perspective to James’s call to action among the poor. Their writing aims to inspire the church toward holistic engagement with the world as “doers of the word, not hearers only.” Reading James Missiologically is part of a series that includes Reading Hebrews Missiologically, Reading 1 Peter Missiologically, soon-to-be-released Reading Revelation Missiologically and other projected volumes. Dave Broucek is a lifelong student of and participant in the global mission of the church. He values research into the lesser-understood aspects of mission (singular) and missions (plural) as well as scholarship that addresses the big questions of mission theory and practice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

In response to the Lutheran Formula of Concord, representatives of Reformed churches commissioned Girolamo Zanchi to draft a confession of faith acceptable to all Reformed churches. Zanchi patterned his Confession of the Christian Religion after the Apostles' Creed, giving it a broadly Trinitarian and redemptive-historical structure that emphasizes God's saving work for His people in His incarnate Son. It is a synthesis of his exegetical, doctrinal, and pastoral interests and stands out among his numerous publications as a useful and accessible overview of the entire Reformed theological system of doctrine. Although the project never attained confessional status at the ecclesiastical level as was planned, Zanchi's Confession proved influential in both the Reformed theological tradition generally and the development of Reformed dogmatics in particular. Patrick J. O’Banion (PhD, Saint Louis University) is a historian, translator, and author of several books, most recently Girolamo Zanchi’s The Spiritual Marriage between Christ and His Church and Every One of the Faithful (Reformation Heritage Books, 2021). He teaches with Training Leaders International. Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

he Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, set within the midst of the garden of Eden, is a longstanding enigma. What does it represent? How best to translate the Hebrew? What was gained and/or lost when the primal couple took of its fruit? Tune in as we speak with Nathan French about his book, A Theocentric Interpretation of HaDa’at Tov VeRa: The Knowledge of Good and Evil as the Knowledge for Administering Reward and Punishment. Nathan S. French teaches Biblical Studies and Theology at Colorado Christian University and Oral Roberts University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

Early modernity has long been seen as a crucial period in the history of biblical scholarship, witnessing rapid advances in studies of Hebrew, Greek, and the ancient Jewish and Christian past. Historians have devoted much attention to how these developments were received by the academic and clerical elite, and yet there is little research on their reception beyond such exclusive circles. Some have even argued that ordinary believers had no interest in the demanding world of elite scholarship. According to current narratives, the Protestant laity were preoccupied by practical piety, scripture-reading, and devotional exercises, all of which were far removed from the dazzling polyglot erudition of the scholar.  Lay Learning and the Bible in the Seventeenth-Century Atlantic World (Oxford University Press, 2024) offers an alternative account of popular religion in early modernity by reconstructing a striking and unstudied community of seventeenth-century puritan immigrants to North America. Composed of tradespeople without a university education, this community offers unparalleled evidence for lay engagement with even the most abstruse and challenging concerns of contemporaneous biblical scholarship. Drawing on whatever resources they could find, this group taught themselves the languages of biblical criticism; immersed themselves in the most specialized questions of controversial theology; and then promulgated, through their hard-earned learning, an unprecedentedly inclusive vision of education, society, and the church. By recovering their lives and interests, this book presents a new vision of lay puritanism in the Atlantic world, one marked by far greater ambition, critical thought, and intellectual boldness than ever before suspected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies