Exegetically Speaking

James 5:11 refers to the “patience of Job” (KJV). If we take a detour through the book of Job and notice how the Greek vocabulary of perseverance (the KJV’s “patience”) is used in James’ letter, we gain insight into human suffering as something properly to lament. Dr. Grant Flynn is Visiting Assistant Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. His Ph.D. (Wheaton Graduate School) dealt with lament in the Epistle of James. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3TeXZAD M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4ceHg9q

Dr. Andrew Abernethy, an expert in Old Testament studies, discusses the compelling theme of 'calling out' in the book of Jonah. They examine Jonah's disobedience contrasted against the pagan sailors' faith, highlighting the ironic struggle between fleeing from God and his omnipresence. Abernethy also explores Jonah's transformation from despair to boldly proclaiming mercy and encourages reflections on divine grace. This dynamic conversation brings new insights into a familiar biblical narrative.

In the greeting of his letter to Philemon (v. 2), Paul calls Archippus a “fellow soldier.” Roman soldiers were often involved in the capturing and returning of runaway slaves, a function that may explain why Paul characterizes Archippus like so in this letter. Dr. Seth Ehorn is guest faculty at Wheaton College currently teaching Greek. His publications include 2 Maccabees 1-7: A Handbook on the Greek Text and 2 Maccabees 8-15: A Handbook on the Greek Text. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3T5SK6f M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4a2Tr78 

Peter, along with other NT writers, uses a term (ὑποτάσσω, hypotasso) which related to the idea of subordination, or being sub-ordered, whether in the society, household, church, or in cosmic terms. While Peter calls Christians to live out the faith under the hierarchies or “orders” of ancient Roman society, may the church be an agent in society which helps change the “orders”? In this episode, Dr. Green refers to Mark Noll’s book The Civil War as a Theological Crisis which describes how Christians brought about such change through the abolition of slavery. Dr. Gene Green is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School. He has published widely, including Jude and 2 Peter and Vox Petri: A Theology of Peter. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3URAPmn M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/48teK0F

The very first words of the Hebrew Bible, usually translated as “In the beginning God created…”  can also be translated, “In the beginning when God created . . . God said . . . .” What is the basis for this rendition? Dr. Emanuel Tov, the J. L. Magnes Professor of Bible Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, recounts his learning of the biblical languages and illustrates the importance of that learning for interpretation. Among his earlier 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/48AaFrH M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4bC3W2V

The Hebrew term yehudim in modern Hebrew can be straightforwardly translated as “Jews,” but when it occurs in the Hebrew Bible this is not the best translation. Remarkably, more than half the occurrences in the OT are in one book: Esther. The question can be extended into the NT as well. Rabbi Steven Bob, who has contributed several episodes to this podcast series, is Rabbi Emeritus at Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard, Il and guest faculty at Wheaton College. He is currently working on a commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3uyqT6B M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/48hluhX

In Acts 2:33 there is a completely new thing: Whereas in the OT and everywhere in Judaism it is God, Yahweh, who sends the Holy Spirit, in Acts 2 Jesus has ascended to the right hand of God, received the Spirit from his Father, and himself performs the act of pouring out the Spirit. This should provoke reflection on both Jesus and the Spirit. 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. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3uLWMIK M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/48Aa6y5

In his lecture to philosophers in Acts 17, Paul declares that God has so ordered human history that people “would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us” (NIV). The verb translated “reach out for” (ψηλαφάω) can be illuminated by the blinded Cyclops in Homer’s Odyssey or by the biblical Isaac trying to identify which of his sons was talking to him. Dr. Jones is the Teaching & Training Pastor at Kingsland Baptist Church, Katy, TX, a Greek instructor at Lanier Theological Library (which sponsors this podcast along with Wheaton College), and is currently teaching Greek, Latin, and Medical Terminology at Rice University. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3I3fUVG M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3OMWS9X

The spiritual gift of “tongues” in 1 Cor. 12-14 was evidently by itself unintelligible, requiring that someone render what was being said in plain Greek if the Corinthian church was to benefit from it. When discussing the negative effect the utterance would have if left unintelligible, Paul calls a part of the audience the ἰδιῶται (idiotai). Are these believers, unbelievers, Christian catechumens, or what? 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/3I3fUVG M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3OMWS9X

The Greek of the New Testament writers is known as Koiné Greek. What did it sound like? Some recent research has aided our hearing. Dr. Alexander Loney is Associate Professor of Classical Languages and the Coordinator of the Classical Languages program at Wheaton College. His publications include The Ethics of Revenge and the Meanings of the Odyssey and (co-editor) The Oxford Handbook of Hesiod. In this conversation, Dr. Loney makes reference to the book of Benjamin Kantor, The Pronunciation of New Testament Greek. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4283x3T M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3OawE0E