Arts and Humanities Commons^™

‘Perfect’ In Matt 5:48: A Case For Mandatory Retirement, Kent Yinger

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

The English gloss “perfect” is used less and less to translate Heb tam and Gk teleios in biblical texts referring to human beings (e.g., Noah, Job). Understandably so, since it strikes most readers (and exegetes) as out of place to refer to flawed human beings as “perfect.” In one place, however, this gloss stubbornly persists; namely, in Matt 5:48 (“be ye therefore perfect”). This paper will examine the interpretive background to this translation, possible reasons for its persistence in Matt 5:48, and will suggest alternatives for future translators.

Vacario's "100 Illustrated Bible Verses: Inspiring Words. Beautiful Art" (Book Review), Cynorra Jackson

The Christian Librarian

A review of Vicario, J. (2015). 100 illustrated Bible verses: Inspiring words. Beautiful art. New York: Workman Publishing. 206 pp. ISBN 9780761185666

A Northwest Semitic Curse Formula: The Sefire Treaty And Deuteronomy 28, Melissa Ramos

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

While a great deal of scholarly investigation has focused on parallels between biblical curses and imprecations found in Neo-Assyrian Treaties, the curses in the Aramaic treaty of Sefire have garnered relatively less attention.¹ In recent years there has been renewed interest in the Sefire treaty, the role of Aramaic, and its use and influence during the Neo-Assyrian period.² Since the publication of the Succession Treaty of Esarhaddon (STE) by Donald John Wiseman in 1958 studies have abounded that examine its parallels with Deut 13 and 28.³ While some scholars posit a direct dependence of Deuteronomy on the cuneiform text of …

Contributions Of This Volume And The De-Johannification Of Jesus (Chapter In John, Jesus, And History, Volume 3), Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Excerpt: "As the essays in this volume demonstrate, the evidentiary basis for excluding the Gospel of John from the historical quest for Jesus is extensively flawed, critically. Many dozens, perhaps hundreds, of instances in which the Fourth Gospel arguably contributes to a fuller understanding of the life and ministry of the prophetic figure from Nazareth require renewed consideration if the fuller database of historical information about Jesus is to be consulted. The question, of course, is how to do so. While it might be safer and less likely to err to exclude John from the quest, such a conservatively reductionistic …

Reading Ceremonies In The Hebrew Bible: Ideologies Of Textual Authority In Joshua 8, 2 Kings 22-23, And Nehemiah 8, Lisa Joann Cleath

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The covenant reading ceremonies in Joshua 8:30-35, 2 Kings 22-23, and Nehemiah 7:72b-8:18 betray a developing interplay between the people of Israel and the book of the law. These narratives are unique in the Hebrew Bible in presenting the oralization of a covenant document to a specific audience. Previous scholarship on these narratives has focused on reconstructing the source-critical history of each account and the historicity of the reported events. For the following study, Joshua 8:30-35 and 2 Kings 22-23 represent earlier pre-exilic and exilic traditions, while 2 Chronicles 34-35 and Nehemiah 8 illustrate later post-exilic perspectives. However, supplementing source-critical …

The Giant In A Thousand Years: Tracing Narratives Of Gigantism In The Hebrew Bible And Beyond, Brian R. Doak

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

"This essay is an attempt to organize the Bible’s giants by category and to continue to elevate these figures as a rightful object of scholarly attention."

Smith's "Poetic Heroes: Literary Commemorations Of Warriors And Warrior Culture In The Early Biblical World" (Book Review), Brian R. Doak

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

A review of Smith, Mark S. Poetic Heroes: Literary Commemorations of Warriors and Warrior Culture in the Early Biblical World. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2014. xxiv1636 pp. ISBN-13: ‎978-0802867926

An Other-Typological Illustration Of The Exodus Story According To Dr. King’S Perception Of Universal Reconciliation In His Sermon On Exodus 14:30, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The article contends that Dr King makes an other-typological illustrative use of the Exodus story in his preaching – one of the most significant biblical narratives that the Black church in the US holds dear. This peculiar use of the Exodus story differentiates itself from the conventional typological understanding and use of the same story in the Black church’s history. While in the latter the Exodus story has a symbolic meaning of the irreconcilable conflict between the oppressed and the oppressing reality, in the former the same story contains a spiritual lesson that what is really hoped for in the …

Deut 27 And Ancient Media: The Torah Stones And The Meaning Of Covenant, Melissa Ramos

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

The tablets of the covenant are one of the most enduring symbols of the Hebrew Bible. In Deuteronomy 27 the command is given to inscribe on stones “all the words of the this torah”: וכתבת על–האבנים את–כל–התורה הזאת . These stones are potent visual symbols in the Hebrew Bible, symbols of the enduring nature of the binding oath of the covenant made between God and the people. This paper will explore this connection between the ratification of covenant and the crafting of an iconic representation of the covenant on visual media. Special attention will be given to the command to …

Comparative Study Of Ethics In Librarianship And The Bible, Japheth Abdulazeez Yaya

The Christian Librarian

This paper is a comparative study that discusses ethical issues in librarianship and the Bible. Such issues include: Laws in librarianship vs. laws in the Bible; censorship in librarianship vs. censorship in the Bible; Bible teachings on access to information and access to information in librarianship; purification (i.e., book binding), conservation and preservation practices in the library and in the Bible; weeding of library collections and weeding practices in the Bible; privacy and confidentiality in the library and in the Bible; orderliness of the library collections and the Bible; consortium building of library collections and in the Bible; and consequences …

Vollandt's "Arabic Versions Of The Pentateuch: A Comparative Study Of Jewish, Christian, And Muslim Sources" (Book Review), Lisa Cutforth-Anderson

The Christian Librarian

A review of Vollandt, R. (2015). Arabic versions of the Pentateuch: A comparative study of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sources. Boston: Brill. 347 pp. $149.00. ISBN 9789004289918

Jeffrey And Evans' "The Bible And The University" (Book Review), Armand T. Ternak

The Christian Librarian

A review of Jeffrey, D. L., & Evans, C. S. (Eds.) (2007). The Bible and the university. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. 328 pp. ISBN 9780310234180

Bautch And Knoppers' "Covenant In The Persian Period: From Genesis To Chronicles" (Book Review), Lisa Cutforth-Anderson

The Christian Librarian

A review of Bautch, R.J., & Knoppers, G.N. (Eds.). (2015). Covenant in the Persian period: From Genesis to Chronicles. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. 452 pp. $58.05. ISBN 9781575063560

Keel And Schroer's " Creation; Biblical Theologies In The Context Of The Ancient Near East" (Book Review), Paul B. Drake

The Christian Librarian

A review of Keel, O., & Schroer, S. (2015). Creation; Biblical theologies in the context of the ancient Near East (Peter T. Daniels, Trans.). Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 244 pp. $44.99. ISBN 9781575060934

Akala's "The Son-Father Relationship And Christological Symbolism In The Gospel Of John" (Book Review), John E. Palmer

The Christian Librarian

A review of Akala, A. J. (2014). The Son-Father relationship and Christological symbolism in the Gospel of John. NY: Bloombury T&T Clark. 248 pp. $112.00 (Hardback); $39.95 (Paperback). ISBN 9780567374141

Kinesthetic Language Learning: How An Accident Led To A Revelation, Travis West, Roger S. Nam, Amanda W. Benckhuysen

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

This essay analyzes a critical incident that took place in a hybrid distancelearning Hebrew language class that was adapting interactive, immersion-style, kinesthetic pedagogy during the week-long face-to-face intensive portion of the class – including Total Physical Response techniques in which students respond to the language with whole-body actions, entering into the world created by the language and the particular biblical text. Memorization, performance, interactive games, songs, and skits also contribute to the immersion-style learning environment. A snafu on the final day of the week led to a serendipitous solution that demonstrated Parker Palmer’s idea of subject centered pedagogy. A brief …

The Spirituality Of Faith In The Gospel Of Matthew (Chapter In Matthew And Mark Across Perspectives), Nijay Gupta

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Excerpt: "In this essay, I wish to pay respect to Dr. Barton's important contribution to the theological study of the Gospels by looking at the Gospel of Matthew with a similar interest in the First Gospel's spirituality. In his chapter on Matthew, Barton rightly notes Matthew's interest in discipleship, righteousness, purity/integrity, and radical love. To this we will add Matthew's interest in 'faith'. In the study of the Synoptic Gospels in particular, despite the ubiquity of the language of faith, there has been little study of this subject. When it comes to the spirituality of the Gospels, though, there can …

Book Review: Social And Economic Life In Second Temple Judea/The Wealth Of Nations: A Tradition-Historical Study/The Sacred Economy Of Ancient Israel., Roger S. Nam

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Excerpt: "The study of Israelite economies has seen a surge of interest in recent years. Each of the three volumes under review here covers a distinct aspect of the economic world of the Hebrew Bible.

Adams provides a broad overview of social and economic life in Second Temple Judea through four chapters of descriptive themes and a cumulative ethical assessment of wealth and poverty. The book includes a bibliography and multiple indexes. A. states his hope: “By taking up topics like marriage gifts, borrowing and lending, and taxation, our discussion will provide an overview of economic life, with fresh insights …