Exegetically Speaking Wheaton College

Romans 3:21-26 is a critical biblical passage, and it has naturally been read in conflicting ways. Can insights of modern linguistics wed with conventional exegesis to clarify the choices to be made in interpreting a key Greek word in v. 24? Dr. Kevin Grasso (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) is co-founder and CEO of Biblingo, which exists “to advance God’s Word in the world by making the biblical languages more accessible and easier to learn through technology.” He is currently working on a revision of his dissertation on verbs of judgment in Biblical Hebrew as well as linguistic introductions to both Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Greek. Check out their podcast.

Dr. Samuel Pagán has spent years working in biblical scholarship and translation. He discusses the expertise that is required for good translation work, the joy of that work, and the unending need of fresh or refreshed translations. Dr. Pagán is the Dean of Hispanic Programs at The Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies (Jerusalem and Lakeland, FL). In addition to thousands of articles he has published over 70 books, including Introducción a la Biblia hebrea and Pablo: El apóstol en su context, and has edited over ten Study Editions of the Bible.

A translator of the Bible into English must possess a sensitivity to the possible meanings of Greek words and grammar used by (or possibly not used by) the original author, and an equally sensitive awareness of how the English word choices of other translators have aided or hindered understanding. Prof. McKnight puts forward fruitfully provocative English renditions of Revelation 1:1. Dr. Scot McKnight is Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lisle, IL. He has authored numerous books and articles, among which are Revelation for the Rest of Us: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple and (forthcoming) The Second Testament: A New Translation. Prof. McKnight blogs regularly at Scot’s Newsletter.

In the NIV of Hosea 1:2, the prophet is told to “marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her.” The Hebrew wording arguably intends the idea, “and adopt her [already born] children.” The larger concern is less with marriage than with household. Dr. Andrew M. King is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College, and co-director of Every Voice: A Center for Kingdom Diversity in Christian Theological Education. In addition to other things he has published Social Identity and the Book of Amos and he is currently writing a commentary on Hosea in the Pillar Old Testament Commentary series (Eerdmans, forthcoming).

How does Gen. 22:12 in its context of God’s promises to Abraham answer the question of why God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? Hint: There are parallels with Job. Dr. John Walton, Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton Graduate School, is a frequent contributor to this podcast. His many publications concentrate especially in the backgrounds, language, and thought of the Old Testament world.

It is possible for a small Greek word to lift a great weight of misunderstanding from one’s heart. In 1 Cor. 12:30 Paul’s question about the gift of tongues is marked as rhetorical, expecting a negative answer, by just such a word. Christopher M. Hays is the president of Scholar Leaders. Among his publications are When the Son of Man Didn't Come: A Constructive Proposal on the Delay of the Parousia and Renouncing Everything: Money and Discipleship in Luke.