Exegetically Speaking

“Train up a child in the way he should go” (KJV) is a popular proverb, but to understand what it means we have to understand what biblical proverbs are, and what key Hebrew words of this proverb likely intend. 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 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/3VjzzqN  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4ca9xgE 

Pablo Deiros is an Argentinian pastor, teacher, author, and more. He recounts his years of learning Hebrew and Greek and their importance for his work as a church historian. His publications include Historia Global del Cristianismo and Historia Del Cristianismo En America Latina.  Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4aVmlGB  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4b8N2ru 

The NIV translates part of Hebrews 2:10 as, “it was fitting that God . . . should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.” Prof. Peeler explains what is intended by the imagery of the key Greek words translated as “pioneer” and “make perfect.” Amy Peeler is the Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. Her most recent publication is Hebrews (Commentaries for Christian Formation). Another is Women and the Gender of God and she is presently working on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4aKK0sW  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3wYZig8 

In the resurrection narrative of John’s Gospel, Mary Magdelene is asked by angels within the empty tomb why she is crying. Turning from them she finds a man whom she supposes to be the gardener, but is in fact Jesus himself. This apparently mistaken understanding may in fact be pointing us to another garden and Gardener. Dr. Ruben Zimmermann is Professor of New Testament Studies at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz in Germany. His research spans such areas as ethics, hermeneutics, parables and miracles of Jesus, gender studies, and more. His publications include Puzzling the Parables of Jesus: Methods and Interpretation. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3Vb1SbT  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3yGLcjG 

2 Timothy 3:16 is commonly translated, “All Scripture is inspired” or “God-breathed.” Apart from what that metaphorical language on its own might suggest to the English reader, what observations can be made about the recorded history of God’s speech as it proceeds from God’s utterance to written Scripture? Dr. Brent Sandy taught New Testament and Greek at Wheaton College and chaired the Department of Religious Studies at Grace College, Indiana. His most recent book is Hear Ye the Word of the Lord: What We Miss If We Only Read the Bible. He is coauthor (with John Walton) of The Lost World of Scripture: Ancient Literary Culture and Biblical Authority , among other things. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3UYM2RM  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3WIs8f3 

In the first lines of Paul’s letter to the Philippian church he says he is praying in joy because of their “partnership in the gospel” (NIV). From the end of the same letter we learn what this means (material support of Paul’s mission) and its implications. Rev. Dr. John Dickson is Jean Kvamme Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies and Public Christianity at Wheaton College. He previously taught at Macquarie University, University of Sydney, and Ridley Theological College, Melbourne. Since 2015 he has held the research position of Visiting Academic in the Faculty of Classics at the University of Oxford. His many publications include Mission-Commitment in Ancient Judaism and in the Pauline Communities: the shape, extent and background of early Christian mission. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3JPabE2  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/44B8iEp 

The Church Father, Ignatius (likely died within the first two decades of the 2nd century), in his Letter to the Philadelphians, uses wording that suggests dependence on the Gospel of John (likely written in the last decade of the 1st century), and also reveals something of Ignatius’ own dependence on the Spirit in his preaching. Dr. Jonathon Lookadoo is Assistant Professor at Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary, Seoul, South Korea. His publications include The Epistle of Barnabas: A Commentary (Apostolic Fathers Commentary Series) and The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Studies in Early Christology). Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3Wc2vms M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3JRocRx 

In Gal. 3, Paul makes the grammatically singular form of the noun “seed” (σπέρμα) load bearing for his argument. But the singular form of that word doesn’t necessarily denote one individual. Paul is employing contemporary Jewish exegetical practices, and the understanding of that and Paul’s wider aims can be helpful here. Dr. Christian Brady is T. W. Lewis Dean of the Lewis Honors College and Professor of Ancient Hebrew and Jewish Literature at the University of Kentucky. He completed an M.A. degree in Biblical and Theological Studies at Wheaton College (1994), before earning his Ph.D. from the University of Oxford (2000). His publications include The Proselyte and the Prophet: Character Development in Targum Ruth and Beautiful and Terrible Things: A Christian Struggle with Suffering, Grief, and Hope. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3Wc2vms M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3W9AFr1  

Isaiah 7:14 is quoted by Matthew (1:23) in application to Mary’s pregnancy: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son.” But is Isaiah’s reference to a young woman (עַלְמָה) or a virgin (παρθένος)? The former is the Hebrew of Isaiah, and the latter is the Greek of the Septuagint and Matthew’s citation. Can Genesis 24 shed some light on this question? Dr. Emanuel Tov is the J. L. Magnes Professor of Bible Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Among his roles, he was one of the editors of the Hebrew University Bible Project and was Editor-in-Chief of the Dead Sea Scrolls Publication Project (1990-2009). His many publications include Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible: Revised and Expanded Fourth Edition and The Text-Critical Use of the Septuagint in Biblical Research. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3xE2mOx  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3TVabGY 

For the first several chapters in the book of Acts, the author, Luke, consistently speaks of one Saul, but at 13:9 Luke begins referring to him as Paul, which is also the name that this apostle uses in all his letters. Where do these two names come from? What does each mean? Why this switch in which name is used? Dr. Steve Walton is Senior Research Fellow in New Testament at Trinity College in Bristol, U.K., and former Secretary of the British New Testament Society. His many publications include (with David Wenham), Exploring the New Testament, vol. 1: The Gospels and Acts. He is currently working on a major critical commentary on Acts for the Word Biblical Commentary Series; volume 1 will appear in October 2024. He has contributed past episodes to this podcast series, and you can read an article of his on the topic of this episode here.  Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages: https://bit.ly/3xx6tfm  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3TLAvn2