Alan Millard, “Literacy in the Time of Jesus” Biblical Archaeology Review (July/Aug 2003 Vol 29 No 4), pages 36-45. Several lines of evidence can be presented to argue that it is quite probable that someone could have written down the sayings of Jesus during His ministry in Israel. The idea that Jesus’ Galilean…
The Spring 2004 issue continues the study of Biblical interpretation with Professor Craig Keener. “Whole-Book Context,” Part 2 is a lesson about connecting the immediate context with the overall context of the book the passage is part of. Messianic teacher Kevin M. Williams continues his Messianic Foundations Series with the thirteenth chapter…
Part of the Rightly Understanding God’s Word series by Craig S. Keener. As appearing in Pneuma Review Winter 2004. Whole-Book Context While it is important to read each passage in the context that immediately surrounds it, it is also important to read it in the context of the entire book in which it appears—whether John…
Journey through the Gospel to the Hebrews with Kevin Williams as he unveils rich Hebraisms and prophetic Messianic insights. From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on…
The seventh chapter from Professor Williams’ book, The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today, about the greatest reality of our time. Chapter Seven: Context The matter before us next is that of the context in which the Holy Spirit is given. Already we have emphasized that the gift of the Holy Spirit comes to…
An Introduction to Ecclesiology: Ecumenical, Historical & Global Perspectives. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen. InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, Ill., 2002), 238 pages, ISBN 9780830826889. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen is a Finnish Pentecostal who teaches systematic theology both in Europe and at Fuller Theological Seminary. He brings to his writing his vast ecumenical and extensive missionary experiences of worldwide Christianity. And…
Adrienne S. Gaines, “Punching Prejudice” Ministries Today (July/August 2003), pages 30-34. When Scott Hagan became pastor Grand Rapids First Assembly of God (Grand Rapids, Michigan) he was aware of the city’s racially troubled past. It was in that same city in 1947 that “the Assemblies of God General Council made an infamous decision against…
First Nations leader Richard Twiss reports on a powerful Urbana conference he was part of in December. Urbana is the largest missions conference in the world. It is convened every three years in Urbana, IL, on the campus of University of Illinois. It is a ministry of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. This past December, at Urbana…
Leland Ryken, The Word of God in English: Criteria for Excellence in Bible Translation (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2002), 336 pages. When reviews are written of new books, there is often a temptation to use such phrases as “ground-breaking” or “most important book of the year/decade/century.” At the risk of adding yet another such…
Leona Choy, Andrew & Emma Murray: An Intimate Portrait of Their Marriage and Ministry (Winchester, Virginia: Golden Morning Publishing, 2000), 269 pages. This book did not disappoint me. Historical biographies that are both easy reading and entertaining are, after a hard day’s work, to be valued. This is one such biography. Written in a…
Darrell L. Bock, Purpose-Directed Theology: Getting Our Priorities Right in Evangelical Controversies (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002), 114 pages. Darrell Bock’s Purpose-Directed Theology calls for a biblically grounded, theologically focused and culturally engaged evangelicalism. This work seeks to address both theological scholarship and a wider evangelical public. The back cover of the book…
T. Desmond Alexander and David W. Baker, eds., Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch, A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship series (InterVarsity Press, 2003) 954 pages, ISBN 9780830817818. As an avid reader and owner of IVP’s New Testament Dictionaries (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Dictionary of New Testament Background,…
Timothy Larsen, ed., Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), xvii + 789 pages. Ever come across the name of an evangelical leader, like Lesslie Newbigin or Oswald Chambers, and wondered who they were or what they taught? This dictionary is a great solution for quickly finding a sketch on the…
I have heard it said that motivation can be generated in people by offering to meet an unmet need. This maxim is true. On a recent rafting trip with our church youth group, I fell out of our raft into a set of class 4 rapids. As the current spun me around and flipped…
