This link from the Ancient World Online (AWOL) will take you to a few dozen SBL seminar papers that have been made available for free. These were all SBL conference papers. Some that I downloaded: Michael Pietsch, University of Hamburg Prophetess of Doom:...
Biblical Theology
Thoughts on Signs and Wonders: Part 2: What’s An Apostle?
The title of this post probably makes it clear that by “signs and wonders” I’m sort of picking off various topics that have something to do with sign gifts. Yes, it’s a bit random in terms of approach, but I’m setting the stage for future blogging. It will make sense...
Thoughts on Signs and Wonders: Part 3: Are We Supposed to Be Raising the Dead?
Let me start by saying (to your relief no doubt) that this Part will be shorter than the previous two. It was prompted some time ago, when I read the tragic news that the folks at Bethel Church in Redding were praying for the resurrection of a deceased little girl....
Abortion, Luke 1:15, and Syntactical Databases
A couple months ago a friend sent me a link to a New Testament study that was apparently being popularized within certain segments of the Church to legitimize abortion. The argument is patently illogical, but that isn't why I'm blogging about it. There's more to it...
On Using Rabbinic Material to Interpret the New Testament
I'm still in the process of getting things together for the posting of my ETS papers (both of which were well received). I'll have that ready by the end of the weekend. However, I decided to post something else that I have recently run into. I'm not sure why it hasn't...
Genesis 1 and Its ANE Polemic, Part 2
Here's a recent article by John Walton on this issue. it is more up-to-date than Hasel. You'll notice that he cites Tsumura and others in objection to seeing tehom as the primeval opponent. Tsumura favors a Genesis polemic that more or less has Canaanite, not...
Like Jesus and Paul Before Me, I Love Israel and Its People
I know … not the sort of “academic” title you’re used to seeing here. It’s prompted by some recent feedback I’ve gotten for my post “Can We Please Stop Appealing to Rabbis for Biblical and Ancient Text Interpretation?” You guessed it. There's fear that my words (in...
Ever Heard a Sermon on Numbers 5?
Me neither. I just got an email at work letting me know that an old Bible Study Magazine (BSM) article I wrote on the ritual for detecting adultery was re-run on the BSM blog today. It's entitled, "Love Potion: Numbers 5." Yes, it's a cheesy title. But BSM pieces are...
Math and Genesis 5’s Genealogies
In view of the recent post on the antediluvian genealogies, I thought some readers might be interested in mathematical attempts to decipher them. Here is a summary of the numbers in the genealogies in Genesis 5, excerpted from the Word Biblical Commentary (vol 1) by...
Interpreting Genesis 1: Who’s the Literalist Now?
I appreciated this post from James McGrath, whose short essay was stimulated by Robin Parry's post, to whom James directs his readers. The issue is how "literal creationists" are actually only selective literalists (or, as I would call them, "inconsistent...
How Mike Approaches the Bible
Walton and Van Wolde: Hebrew Bara’ Does Not Mean “To Create”
John Hobbins has a helpful post offering links to the critiques of the thesis of Ellen Van Wolde that Hebrew bara' does not mean "create". John Walton's recent book The Lost World of Genesis 1, positively reviewed by me here and (soon) in print, has popularized this...
Where Did the NT Writers Get the Idea of Jesus as Co-Creator?
Last Sunday I gave a talk at church on Jesus as co-creator. Specifically, the discussion focused on the embodied "Word" idea and "Wisdom" in the Old Testament. Here it is: Editor's note: broken video removed. Michael Heiser December 6, 2009 from Grace Church...
The Biblical Prohibition of Intermarriage
I came across the article below today. It's on a site for an old journal -- all the issues are freely accessible. Here's the article, but check out the site! Cohen From the Bible to the Talmud-The Prohibition of Intermarriage Note: The Old Testament does not prohibit...
Genesis 1-2 as Polemic
Cris Putnam, the force behind the Logos Apologia website, has recently blogged about how the creation stories of Genesis 1-2 target ancient Egyptian creation myths. The impetus behind Cris' efforts is a recent book entitled, In the Beginning... We Misunderstood:...