Category: Bible Backgrounds

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH New Testament Studies NT's Use of the OT Old Testament Studies Society

The Foundation of Beautiful Society: Genesis 9 and Natural Rights

October 24, 2016 Andrew Sargent

While foolishly engaging a Twitter troll the other day, as this egomaniacal barbarian cursed the idea of God and Scripture, declaring Christianity and all other religion the source of all…

Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies

Genesis as Ancestor Epic Part III: The First Law as the Seed of All Just Law

October 21, 2016 Andrew Sargent

In two recent posts we began to discuss the implication of reading Genesis as an Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) Ancestor Epic, a collection of stories that a people tell themselves…

Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies

Genesis as Ancestor Epic, Part II: What is an Ancient Creation Story?

October 19, 2016 Andrew Sargent

In a recent post we began discussing the nature of Genesis as an ancestor epic—the stories that a people tell themselves about how they almost weren’t a people. Crises have…

Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies

Genesis as Ancestor Epic, Part I: Getting with the Program

October 17, 2016 Andrew Sargent

When reading any document it helps to know what you are reading. Is this document a comic meant to be funny, mocking or otherwise derisive? Is this document a fiction…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods New Testament Studies NT's Use of the OT

He’s No Idiot: Peter’s Interpretation of the Vision of the Sheet in Acts 10

September 28, 2016 Andrew Sargent

In an earlier post, we discussed how common interpretations of the words spoken from heaven to Peter in Acts 10:13, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat” and in Acts 10:15, “What…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods New Testament Studies NT's Use of the OT

Peter & Ezekiel Argue with God and Win: Acts 10 in Light of Ezekiel 4

September 26, 2016 Andrew Sargent

We’ve been discussing the Traditions of the Elders, Halakah and food laws in Mark 7. Convinced that the Christian church is not responsible to keep Torah food laws (And rightly…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Intertestamental History & Literature New Testament Studies NT's Use of the OT

Some Traditions Deserve to Die: The Traditions of the Elders in Mark 7

September 23, 2016 Andrew Sargent

In previous posts, we’ve discussed the misconception that many people have about the discussion that Jesus has with the Pharisees over “The Traditions of the Elders” in Mark 7. That’s…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Language Issues Biblical Studies HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods New Testament Studies NT's Use of the OT

Mark 7:19 and the Little Participle that Could

September 21, 2016 Andrew Sargent

Recently, we’ve discussed the controversial aside which Mark seems to have added in Mark 7:19 to the effect that Jesus’ debate with the Pharisees over the “Traditions of the Elders”…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH New Testament Studies NT's Use of the OT

Jesus vs. the Law: Torah, Halakah, and Jesus’ Declaration of Dietary Deliverance in Mark 7:19

September 19, 2016 Andrew Sargent

Anyone who knows me knows that I enjoy the gastric freedom of gentile existence. Whether my arteries enjoy it is another discussion altogether. I love lobster, shrimp, and bacon, and…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Language Issues Biblical Studies HAGALAH Meeting the Jesus of Mark New Testament Studies

Jesus May Have Declared All Foods Clean But I Still Won’t Eat Chilled Monkey Brains

September 16, 2016 Andrew Sargent

I learned Hebrew from a Rabbi. Then I had to re-learn it from other sources. The Rabbi, you see, had a rather relaxed philosophy of language learning. He immersed our…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Language Issues

Though Your Sins be Made White as Snow, You Still Might Goof Isaiah 1:18: Part 1—Red to White

September 12, 2016 Andrew Sargent

Isaiah 1:18—almost every Christian I know can quote it. It is a common favorite of preachers who see in this verse a solid Old Testament promise of forgiveness in Jesus,…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Language Issues HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies

Though Your Sins be Made White as Snow, You Still Might Goof Isaiah 1:18: Part 2—Nasty Grammar Questions

September 9, 2016 Andrew Sargent

In part 1 of this series, I focused on the tendency to make too many assumptions about color terms in the Bible. The dilemma is that while we have no…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies

Though Your Sins be Made White as Snow, You Still Might Goof Isaiah 1:18: Part 3—Context

September 7, 2016 Andrew Sargent

In parts 1 & 2 we discussed the wide range of possibilities available to us for Isaiah 1:18 in keeping with both the flexibility of dye/color imagery in the Biblical…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies Old Testament Studies Text Criticism Issues

Re-imagining David and Goliath—Hey Big Boy?

August 31, 2016 Andrew Sargent

We’ve been discussing the puzzle of David’s assault on Goliath, whether David hit Goliath in the head or the leg, given that the Hebrew terms for forehead and grieve are…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies

Re-imagining David and Goliath—Slings of Outrageous Proportion

August 29, 2016 Andrew Sargent

In our last David and Goliath post, we considered the puzzle regarding David’s defeat of Goliath. The place where David struck Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:49 is the same Hebrew…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Language Issues Biblical Theology HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies

Re-imagining David and Goliath: Foreheads, Legs, and Sling Stones

August 26, 2016 Andrew Sargent

Imagination has a good deal to do with how the story of David & Goliath is used in modern times, even among scholars and in commentaries. Given its status as…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Language Issues Old Testament Studies

Becoming Like our Idols in Isaiah 44:18

August 8, 2016 Andrew Sargent

We’ve been considering the identity of the grand “HE” in Isaiah 44:18. Speaking of those who make and worship idols, Isaiah says, “They do not know; they do not understand…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies Biblical Theology Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies Theology

Take My Daughters, Please!—The Righteous Offering of Lot’s Daughters

August 3, 2016 Andrew Sargent

Yes, you read that title correctly, but don’t throw stones, yet. There are things to be discovered in this event that our modern gender issues, word meanings and culture may…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Studies Biblical Theology HAGALAH Inductive Study Methods Old Testament Studies Theology

Getting out the Pagan Within Part 5: The Significance of the Central Saying—A Biblical Theology of I Samuel 15:27-31

July 25, 2016 Andrew Sargent

Samuel’s speech to Saul in 1 Samuel 15:28-29 contains an important theological message for both Saul and the reader. It’s meaning, however, has been concealed within rather strange cultural practices…

101 Most Misunderstood Verses Bible Backgrounds Biblical Language Issues Biblical Studies Biblical Theology Old Testament Studies

Psst…. Yahweh Doesn’t Mean “I AM”

July 18, 2016 Andrew Sargent

In a place like the world of the Bible where people were given names like “Festive” (2 Samuel 3:4~ Haggith), “Hot” (Genesis 10:1 Ham), and “Wild Goat” (Nehemiah 7:58~Jaala), you…