Exegetically Speaking

Beneath the surface of fairly stable English translations of 1 Corinthians 1:30 there flow quite varied interpretations of the Greek language Paul uses. Jon C. Laansma is the Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis in the Classical Languages program at Wheaton College, and the Wheaton-based director of this podcast series. He is currently working on a commentary on 1 Corinthians for the T&T Clark International Theological Commentary series. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3SFcxcR  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/45dIW1H 

The choice for Israel is between quiet trust and anxious haste in an important prophetic passage. Prof. Schultz explains the background, Hebrew imagery, and the NT’s interpretation of Isaiah 28:16. Dr. Richard Schultz is the Blanchard Professor of Old Testament in Wheaton College Graduate School. In addition to other publications, he has authored Out of Context: How to Avoid Misinterpreting the Bible and The Search for Quotation: Verbal Parallels in the Prophets; he has co-edited with Daniel Block, Bind Up the Testimony: Explorations in the Genesis of the Book of Isaiah. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3EWIdHE  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/42Pce5h 

Dan. 5:2, within the Aramaic portion of Daniel, has always been taken to refer to the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines, but a fresh look at the Aramaic and its context suggests that the last were female officials, not concubines. Dr. Aubrey Buster, who has been with us before, is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. Her publications include Remembering the Story of Israel: Historical Summaries and Memory Formation in Second Temple Judaism. She and John Walton are co-authoring a major commentary on Daniel (NICOT). The first volume on Daniel 1-6 is due out soon. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4m02lJy  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4jUhz0K 

The Greek word usually translated as ‘righteousness’ in the Beatitudes (and elsewhere), is closer to the concept of ‘justice,’ signaling the down-to-earth concern of a people living under an unjust regime. Dr. George Kalantzis grew up in Athens, Greece, and has been at Wheaton College since 2007, where he is Professor of Theology and the Director of The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies. Among his publications are Theodore of Mopsuestia: The Gospel of John and Caesar and the Lamb. He has co-authored, Evangelicals and the Early Church. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3EDw2zf  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4lLI2zm. 

The M.A. in Biblical Exegesis at Wheaton has been running for about a quarter of a century and it recently broadened its mission to enroll remote learners. Prof. Abernethy explains this transition, along with the program’s resolute commitment to the acquisition and use of the original languages. Dr. Andrew Abernethy, a frequent contributor to this podcast, is Professor of Old Testament, Assistant Dean of Biblical and Theological Studies in the Litfin Divinity School, and Program Director of the M.A. in Biblical Exegesisat Wheaton Graduate School. He is currently President of the Institute of Biblical Literature.  Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4jwANK8  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4cYI6Ic 

In this 300th episode of Exegetically Speaking, we hear once again from Dr. Michael Bird. This time he is highlighting how the knowledge of Greek enables us to understand alternative interpretations of a critical Pauline passage. What do Paul’s uses of the perfect tense and genitive case convey in speaking of participation in Christ’s crucifixion and the life of faith? Prof. Bird is Deputy Principal and Lecturer in New Testament at Ridley College (Melbourne, Australia). His many publications include Romans: Greek-English Interlinear | Paraphrase | Study Notes, Jesus among the gods: Early Christology in the Greco-Roman World, and (with N. T. Wright) Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3Y07pTQ  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/44qhNrW 

The poem in Nahum 1 breaks its stride in 1:7, in terms of both the Hebrew poetic structure and thematic emphasis. In part by this means, it implicitly asks its Israelite readers, some of whom may have been collaborators with Assyria, whether they side with the Lord or the Lord’s enemies. Dr. Mario Tafferner is Assistant Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Tyndale Theological Seminary, in Badhoevedorp, The Netherlands. His two most recent publications deal with "The Question of Future Hope in 2 Kgs 25.27–30" in Journal for the Study of the Old Testament (2024) and the translation of "Line 12 of the Mesha Inscription in Light of Shared Scribal Practices in Moab and Ancient South Arabia" in MAARAV (2024). Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3Rbjzpd  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3Rgdnwe 

Dr. Gisela Kreglinger, who grew up on a family-owned winery in Franconia, Germany, is an independent researcher who long ago noticed the peculiar prominence of wine and vineyards in both the Old and New Testaments. In this episode she talks about learning the biblical languages in preparation for her work and their contribution to a sound understanding of the Bible’s topics. In doing so, she highlights some key lessons taught through the agricultural theme of wine and vineyards in the Bible. Dr. Kreglinger has published Cup Overflowing: Wine’s Place in Faith, Feasting, and Fellowship and The Spirituality of Wine, among other things. She also contributed articles to The Oxford Companion to Wine. In a different vein, she wrote, Storied Revelations: Parables, Imagination, and George MacDonald's Christian Fiction.  Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4lg6oB2  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3Yh1ud6 

Jennifer Powell McNutt, PhD, is the Franklin S. Dyrness Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies, Professor of Theology and History of Christianity, Director of M.A. in History of Christianity, and Director of M.A. in Theology at Wheaton Graduate School. She talks about how the biblical languages played a part in her preparation for her work as a church historian, how these languages catalyzed other learning, how they have fueled her scholarship, and also the part that the biblical languages played in the Reformation itself. Some of Prof. McNutt’s recent research concentrates on the biblical personage, Mary Magdalene. Prof. McNutt has co-edited The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and the Reformationand authored The Mary We Forgot: What the Apostle to the Apostles Teaches the Church Today, among other things.  Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4bQP4OX  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/41NzGhF 

Mike Woodruff is the lead pastor at Christ Church (Chicago) and chairs the board for the Lakelight Institute. In this episode, he talks about taking Greek and Hebrew as a student preparing for ministry, and the continuing value of the languages for his teaching. Pastor Woodruff’s publications include, The Life of Jesus Christ,  FutureView: Gaining Perspective on the Rising Waves of Change, Broken and On the News. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4iKSnt4  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4hx1cWt