How to Read Genesis

How to Read Genesis
Tremper Longman
InterVarsity Press
Published in 2005

Review by Kevin Stern

How to Read Genesis by Tremper Longman sheds light on some tough questions. Longman begins with fourteen questions as to how to approach Genesis. In trying to understand what the book said to the original audience, it’s helpful to note what it isn’t speaking about as well. In asking who wrote the Pentateuch, Longman engages critical scholarship with reasonable explanations. He also does an effective job of explaining how Genesis should be seen in comparison with Ancient Near Eastern texts.

The second half of the book provided an interpretive reading of Genesis. This distillation of the story of Genesis was very helpful in understanding the big picture. Longman ends with a look at how Christ and a New Testament understanding impacts Genesis. This book helped me think through some critical issues in new ways and helped me understand that many of the questions we want Genesis to answer aren’t what the book is trying to address. More importantly, I felt that it gave me a handle on what Genesis was trying to communicate both to the original readers and to me.

Tremper also has How to Read Psalms and How to Read Proverbs in this series.

 

Revolve 2008

Revolve New Testament Biblezine 2008
Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Published in 2008
ISBN: 9780718019754

Review by Laura Ho

No matter how teenage girls are raised, they all struggle with the insecurities that accompany their age. When I was 15, my parents did the best they could to encourage me to live by the Word of God. To me, however, the Bible was something I just couldn’t understand–I thought of it only as an overwhelming list of demands that I could never live up to.

Today there is a Bible published by Nelson called Revolve 2008. Although the Bible contains the complete New Testament of the New Century Version translation, it’s look is not like your conventional Bible’s. Nelson released it to look like a magazine rather than a typical book. While Revolve 2008 follows the New Testament book by book,  it also adds articles, devotionals, pictures, and question/answer letters that are all very applicable to its audience. Revolve 2008 is a positive way to bring Scripture into the thoughtful, searching mind of a teenage girl.

I recommend Revolve 2008 to any parent, teacher, or friend wanting to encourage a teenage girl to delve into God’s Word.

 

ESV Study Bible

ESV Study Bible
Good News Publishers
(To Be) Published in 2008
ISBN: 9781433502415 (Hardback)
9781433502453 (Black Bonded Leather)
9781433502439 (Black Calfskin)

Review by Kevin Stern

The ESV Study Bible launches October 15, 2008. Edited by J. I. Packer and a team of 93 evangelical scholars, this study Bible has a number of clever features that got my attention.

Full color maps are embedded in the notes, so you don’t keep flipping to the back of your Bible. There are 50 articles written on topics such as: Reading the Bible Theologically (Packer), Reading the Bible with the Church (John Hannah), the New Testament and Critical Scholarship (Darrell Bock) and the Reliability of the New Testament Manuscripts (Dan Wallace).

The illustrations in the Bible are gorgeous–I’m just hoping they’ll be available on computer soon for presentations. You can check out sample chapters and features on www.esv.org.

One last note: the bindings are all sewn, which is a rarity these days, and will mean that they will be more durable. And for those bibliophiles among us, there is a beautiful calfskin that retails at $239.99 (but sells on our site at $143.99). We can all dream, can’t we?

Update 10.16.08

Now with the whole Bible in hand, I’m impressed. It’s rare to have a product deliver more than its hype, but this delivers way more. The articles are better than I imagined–there is a mini systematic theology, apologetics, and ethics course that would be great for group study. Charts including Old and New Testament timelines, millennial views, key themes, etc. are clearly presented and fair. The notes are more thorough than I’ve seen in other study Bibles-Ezekiel 40 presents four views on the interpretation, a Temple plan, a Temple tour, and a diagram. Discussions of Biblical languages would be really helpful to lay leaders.

It would be tough to get much more Bible in one cover. Crossway has set a new standard in study Bibles.

 

Being Well When We’re Ill

Being Well When We’re Ill: Wholeness and Hope in Spite of Infirmity
Marva J. Dawn
Augsburg Books
Published in 2008

Review by Kelly Stern

Over the last twenty years, I’ve started to read several books on physical suffering, but this book by Marva Dawn is the only one I’ve finished.  I highly recommend it for two reasons. One is that Marva Dawn knows suffering. She has had far more serious physical ailments than I’ve suffered with my chronic muscle disease. Marva knows pain and disability from the inside. The second reason is that she is a theologian. The Bible has been her textbook on suffering and the Triune God has been her guide. Her life and her theology give me hope that I really can be well even when I’m ill.

Each of the twenty-one chapters in Being Well When We’re Ill begins with a passage of Scripture and ends with a prayer. The pages in between are full of Marva Dawn’s losses and her finds. For example, part of Marva’s suffering results from being physically crippled eighteen years ago by the misdiagnosis of a break in her left leg, As she tried to make sense of her loss, she came to understand that “the harder we try intellectually to create some meaning, the more emotionally exhausted we become because our desire is set on making sense.” She goes on to explain that the search for meaning “escalates the spiritual danger because the more we long to make sense of things the more our desire is for meaning rather than for God in all God’s mystery”. Rather than asking “Why?” Marva has learned to ask “What is God doing in the midst of this?” and “Where do I catch glimpses of the Trinity’s grace?”

I have caught many glimpses of the grace of God in the pages of Marva Dawn’s book. I believe this title will not only help those who suffer, but the loved ones and even the professionals who care for them.

 

NLT Study Bible

NLT Study Bible

New Living Translation
Tyndale House Publishers
Published in 2008
ISBN 9781414324487

Review by Ryan Ho

Fresh off the printers at Tyndale House Publishers comes the new NLT Study Bible. The New Living Translation was initially developed “to create a text that would communicate as clearly and powerfully to today’s readers as the original texts did to the readers and listeners in the ancient biblical world.” Because of this focus on clear and easy-to-understand communication, the NLT has become one of the most popular thought-for-thought Bible translations on the market today. The newly released NLT Study Bible continues the tradition begun by those same translators, again seeking to make God’s Word clear to today’s readers.

The NLT Study Bible is the result of over seven years work by 48 scholars and editors, many of whom did the original translation work on the NLT.  Each book of the Bible is prefaced by a book introduction discussing the book’s setting, giving a summary of its literary structure, discussing historical issues such as authorship and date of writing, and explaining the meaning and message of the book for today’s readers. These introductions demonstrate a great deal of scholarly work, but communicate those truths in a simple and clear manner that anyone could understand.

The Bible text itself also includes plenty of study material. Scattered throughout the Bible are tens of thousands of visual aids including charts, maps, illustrations, timelines, and diagrams. Parallels with passages in other books are indicated, showing, for example, passages in Matthew that parallel in Mark, Luke, and John. The Bible also contains a running outline showing how sections of that book fit together, theme notes developing the main themes and topics of each book, personal profiles that describe the Biblical individuals, and study notes that focus on the meaning and message of Scriptures. Finally, the Bible includes a detailed cross-reference system that focuses on the meaning of the whole verse or passage, not simply individual words. Overall, the Bible contains plenty of useful study tools.

Although the NLT Study Bible probably won’t be the end-all resource for any Bible scholar, it’s a great starting point for someone who wants to learn more about the history, background, and meaning of the Bible without having to trudge through overly-complex or unnecessarily confusing terminology. Whether you’re new to the Bible or a veteran who’s looking for something fresh, this study Bible’s a great option.

 

Revelation

Revelation

Third Day
Provident-Integrity Distribution
Published in 2008
UPC 083061085322

Preview by Ryan Ho

One of my personal favorite bands is releasing a new CD. Third Day’s newest title, Revelation, is released on Tuesday. The Book Center is selling it for $10.99 — that’s two dollars cheaper than Amazon! If you’d like to order one, please give us a call at 800.798.3912.

 

Every Child Everywhere!

Every Child Everywhere!

Debby Anderson
Crossway Publishers
Published in 2008
ISBN 9781581348620

Review by Elizabeth Reppard

Every Child Everywhere! is an exciting book that shows God’s love for all his children around the world. Debby Anderson, an accomplished writer and kindergarten teacher, shares from her love and experience of working with children as well as her service with American Missionary Fellowship. Every Child Everywhere! takes children on a fun-filled adventure around the world with colorful pictures and truths from God’s Word. Parents are sure to find further opportunities to teach, learn, and discover with their children as they read through this book.

 

NA27 vs. UBS4

One of the most common questions that we receive here at the Book Center is this: What’s the difference between the NA27 and the UBS4 greek texts? Well, our friends over at www.logos.com have written up an excellent article explaining the two. Head over and read their article here.

While you’re there, make sure to check out all the great deals that Logos has to offer!

 

A Book You’ll Actually Read

A Book You’ll Actually Read:
On Church Leadership
On the New Testament
On the Old Testament
On Who Is God?

Mark Driscoll
Crossway Books
Published in 2008

Review by Ryan Ho

I’m excited about this new series.

For those who don’t know, Mark Driscoll is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle and the author/co-author of several books. This series, titled “A Book You’ll Actually Read,” consists of four books – On Who Is God?, On the New Testament, On the Old Testament, and On Church Leadership.

Whereas most little books lack both content and quality, these books contain lots of valuable information and insights. On Who Is God? tackles several very tough trinitarian issues, but thankfully Driscoll is both clear and orthodox in his treatment. On the New Testament and On the Old Testament both include sections that examine each biblical book and are full of helpful explanations. On Church Leadership examines each of the major roles in ministry, such as deacons, elders, etc., clarifying what the Bible has to say about each. All four books include a section dedicated to answering common questions on the topic, and each ends with an appendix list of books and magazines for those who want to do further reading.

If you don’t have trouble reading a commentary or theology dissertation from cover to cover, these books aren’t for you. If, however, you can’t remember the last time you finished a book, take a look at this series. The books are short and sweet, but at the same time jam-packed with useful knowledge. Overall, Driscoll’s new series is a great starting point for anyone wanting to learn more.

 

Discipline of Spiritual Discernment

The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment

Tim Challies
Crossway Books
Published in 2007
ISBN 9781581349092

Review by Ryan Ho

I first heard of Tim Challies while surfing through reviews on Amazon.com. His reviews stood out to me as incredibly intellectually and theologically discerning, so I decided to read his book, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, in order to discover his critical method. As I read, I sought to develop my own “discipline” of spiritual discernment further and hoped that Challies could help me in that venture. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed.

Challies views spiritual discernment as something that is not only important for Christians but absolutely necessary. The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment is divided into ten easy-to-follow chapters. In each chapter,  Challies uses a variety of means to demonstrate why we should value spiritual discernment. Throughout, Challies shows how the Bible calls believers to practice spiritual discernment in their own lives. Challies exhorts believers to treat spiritual discernment as they would any other spiritual discipline, seeking to develop it and integrate it into ministry.

Although The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment isn’t perfect – I’ll never remember all 17 actions listed in the last chapter, and I was sick of reading John MacArthur quotes by about the fourth chapter – it is a much needed book dealing with an oft-overlooked topic in today’s church. The church is indebted to individuals such as Challies who aren’t afraid to stand up for what is true and right, and I recommend The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment to anyone longing to grow in spiritual depth and maturity.