Book Review : Jesus, the Middle Eastern Storyteller (Ancient Context, Ancient Faith) : Gary Burge

The broader series objective remains the same for this second book in the "Ancient Context, Ancient Faith" series, released by Zondervan.  Attempting to address deficiencies in Bible background held commonly by Christians without formal biblical training or sustained interest in issues of biblical culture and history, Gary Burge provides this second entry, Jesus, the Middle Eastern Storyteller, in order to meet what is a sure need in the evangelical church at large.  My earlier review of The Bible and the Land explains a bit more concerning the series, so the review for this and the remaining titles in the "Ancient Context, Ancient Faith" series will be much more brief and address the merits of the book individually and their value as an entry in the series.

Dr. Burge supplies fairly straightforward analyses of various story-types throughout this book, drawing primarily from the middle of Luke's Gospel, while also addressing Matthew's account of the parable of the unforgiving servant and a general introduction to the place of stories as a didactic method in first century Israel.  Overall, the book meets a place of need so far as the general topic of the book is concerned.  Sadly, many are easily persuaded to hold to some unhelpful cultural reinterpretations of Scripture, whether it be the vogue theologies of the day or outright liberal understandings of doctrine and Christology.  Because of this, to have a scholar like Burge provide an entry that would appeal to the desire for "unlocking hidden meanings" while supplying orthodox backgrounds to ground the reader is of great value.  Whether the reader is coming from a perspective needing significant correction or just wants to fill in some gaps, this book does a fine job serving the purpose of painting a helpful, biblical, and accurate picture concerning some of the central stories employed as teaching tools by the Savior.

The popularity of the stories addressed by Dr. Burge lends a particular degree of helpfulness to the level of applicability owned by the book.  Addressing parables from Luke 15 and the Good Samaritan has tremendous potential benefit because they are among the most (American) culturally popular passages to be found in the Gospels.  Because each chapter is under 20 pages in length, one sitting can yield a helpful amount of information without a great degree of time commitment on the part of the reader.  And, because Dr. Burge provides background without delving into bizarre assumptions or assessments found among other books attempting to account for the cultural context of Scripture, the content is orthodox.

By and large, this book would be a fine, inexpensive, and helpful addition to the library of any Christian wanting to squeeze a bit more out of some significant parable/story passages found in the Gospels.  My only complaint with the book is that it doesn't broaden its scope to include more from the other Gospels, particularly Matthew, which is, like Luke, heavily stocked with content that would fit the bill for Burge's stated aim of contextualizing the story content of the Gospels.  Nevertheless, the book does its job and does so in manageable, engaging, and helpful chapters that are accessible to a wide audience.

Book Review : A Theology of Luke and Acts (Biblical Theology of the New Testament) : Darrell Bock

When associating biblical scholars with their area of specialty, the realm of Lucan studies (at least in my mind) belongs to Darrell Bock.  His two volume commentaries on Luke and one volume on Acts in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series are commonly regarded by conservative evangelical scholars as close to, if not the best available.  Bock's acquaintance with the Lucan material is unquestionably deep and his work on the material will most likely be, taken together, his magnum opus contribution to the field of biblical studies.  For depth of treatment and faithfulness in scholarship to Luke-Acts as the very Word of God, Bock is arguably the number one draft pick to take if treating the inspired physician's New Testament contributions is your priority.

In 2009, Andreas Kostenberger published the inaugural volume of a series plainly called Biblical Theology of the New Testament.  His contribution, which I have not finished reading, addresses a theology of John's Gospel and letters.  I found the portion of the book I've read to be helpful.  When I saw that Bock would be releasing the next volume in the series on Luke-Acts, I was excited and looked forward to reading a biblical theological treatment of Luke's NT contribution.

I began reading Bock's book, A Theology of Luke and Acts: God's Promised Program, Realized for All Nations, with high hopes.  And, altogether, the book doesn't disappoint in providing an encyclopedic treatment of the themes Dr. Bock writes about in his contribution to the BTNT series.  The book is, above all things, informative.  If you have a question about how Luke addresses a particular matter, consulting this volume could be a first stop for you.  That being said, I have to say I found it difficult to make it through the book for the following reasons:

1)  As noted, the book is informative.  It reads more as a reference volume and less as a contribution to a series that seeks to connect biblical theological dots.  This isn't a knock on the book as a matter of content, necessarily.  However, it is to say that it's not as engaging as I expected and doesn't provide as many new angles on biblical theology as I expected.  I'm certainly not looking for bizarre interpretations of texts, but I was hoping to be helped by a Lucan scholar to string things together in a more memorable way.  This, I suggest, is the primary weakness I found with the book.

2)  I was hoping to find Bock addressing some of the more controversial issues that find justification in Acts, particularly, from a solid biblical perspective.  The explosion of the charismatic movement over the past hundred years has given rise to a generation of Christians who have an understanding of Acts that is largely deficient.  It would have been very helpful for Bock to write more (as he does address it somewhat, though, in my opinion, not nearly enough) on the way that Acts functions as a descriptive/prescriptive book in relation to other portions of the Scriptures.  That would have probably been the most needed thing to take away from a book like this and I'm disappointed that it wasn't addressed, seeing as there is both a deep pastoral need and it fits within the parameters of a book devoted to addressing Luke's relationship to biblical theology.  After reading the book, this would be my primary request for something that wasn't handled and could/should have been.

These things being said, Bock does a fine job of presenting the material and staying in bounds with Luke-Acts.  His integrity as a Lucan scholar is clear throughout the book and he doesn't wander into unnecessary territory.  Apart from the above, there's not much one can find fault with in this book and it would do any man well who has a responsibility to preach or teach Luke and Acts to get a copy of this book to support that work.

Altogether, Dr. Bock's contribution to the Biblical Theology of the New Testament series was not as enjoyable as I expected, though it wasn't because the book veers off a cliff anywhere.  It just wasn't as readable.  As a reference volume, the book does a fine job (with the primary exception of my concern regarding the normative nature of Acts, particularly).  I would not recommend it as a book to "read through," but rather as a book to "consult," in order to give a healthier perspective on themes in Luke and Acts.  Thank you to the folks at Zondervan for providing a complimentary copy without expectation of a positive review.

Book Review : The Bible and the Land (Ancient Context, Ancient Faith) : Gary Burge

If you've ever seen an illustration of "How to Prioritize Your Time" that involves big rocks, little rocks, and sand, you'll appreciate what Gary Burge sought to do with the Ancient Context, Ancient Faith series.  And if you're not familiar with that illustration, here's a quick catch-up: the gist of it is that if you have a jar and want to fit in all three components discussed above, there is really only one best way to do it and that's by getting the biggest things in first and working your way down to the fine grain sand that ends up filling in all the gaps.  Once you get the main priorities taken care of, you can keep working down until you get to work on finer details.  The same can be said for how we relate to our knowledge of Scripture: we start out with the big rocks of the gospel itself and the gospel's implications for living as the set apart people of the Triune God and continue having the gaps filled in with broader and deeper knowledge of the things of God.

Dr. Burge has provided, in a series of short and engaging books released over the past few years, some great pebbles to help fill in gaps of understanding that are naturally present for those living outside the time and culture in which the Scriptures were first penned.  This series of books, spanning six volumes, is written by Drs. Burge, Timothy Laniak, and Bradley Nassif with the goal of exploring "themes from the biblical world that are often misunderstood."  Think of the books as literary tour guides that have the benefit of being well-researched and written by men with years of study informing what they're passing along to you.  That's at the heart of this series, Ancient Context, Ancient Faith, published by Zondervan.

The first book released in this series is titled The Bible and the Land.  Don't look for any hidden meanings in the title.  Though you'll be helped to better understand the "lay of the land," you won't find it wrapped up in flashy wrapping paper.  In that sense, the title of the book communicates fairly clearly the content you'll find: how the land informs the imagery of the Scriptures and the experience of the folks you'll find throughout the Bible.  And, frankly, that's right on par with what a series like this should be getting across.  With far too many people making bizarre claims that misinform the genuine believers looking for more helpful Bible background, this book camps out on appropriate themes and treats them solidly.

The book weighs in at just over 100 pages and is populated with pictures on most every page.  This makes the book very readable and particularly readable on a casual (pick-up/put-down) basis.  The chapters address the following themes, beyond the Introduction: "The Land," "Wilderness," "Shepherds," "Rock," "Water," "Bread," and "Names."  As with the title of the book, the chapters aren't intended to grip your attention.  However, the content is very helpful and serves to fill in gaps that may exist between how you read a passage and the richer background informing it.  A good example of that background-informing helpfulness comes in Burge's comparison (with pictures) of a traditional loaf of Israeli bread and the limestone common in Israel.  He helpfully draws out the comparable appearance of the two and then draws our attention to both the wilderness temptation recorded in Matthew 4:3 and the Savior's words on the Father's graciousness toward His prayerful people in Matthew 7:9.

Altogether, the book is helpful, clear, and readable.  The presence of so many pictures helps move the background material away from remaining abstract and puts "a face to a name."  And with the relatively short length of the book, it's hard to be disinterested in finishing it.  The Bible and the Land is a useful volume for filling in the gaps and sets the tone for the rest of the series.  The book (as well as the other volumes in the series) would do well for personal Bible study, homeschooling, or even for use in mentoring/discipleship.  Thanks to the folks at Zondervan for supplying me with a complimentary copy, without the expectation of positive review.

Book Review : frameworks : Eric Larson

While I was in seminary, we were frequently assigned an Old Testament or New Testament Introduction book as a bird's eye view of the biblical books covered in the course.  My experience with these "Introductions," however, made clear to me that the introductory nature  of those volumes referred more to the relatively short treatment of each biblical book and not the quality or accessibility of the treatment.  Which means that an average OT/NT Introduction book may very well be intimidating for folks who are genuinely seeking a better understanding of Scripture, yet don't have the supporting resources provided in a seminary environment.

This presents a fairly wide gap in the literature available to the vast majority of Christians seeking help in understanding the literary background of the most important Book around.  The Bible is the very Word of God and careful handling of the Word shouldn't be alone practiced by those men called to shepherd the local church in pastoral ministry.  The Scriptures necessitate responsible handling by all, which can be helped by the responsible use of a volume that treats the big picture, background, authorship, and intent of the books comprising the Old and New Testaments.  In writing frameworks, Eric Larson seeks to fill this void with an accessible resource he labels "An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary People."

Mr. Larson's efforts are, by and large, helpful and function as they are intended.  Nowhere does he intimate that this book is intended to replace Guthrie's New Testament Introduction.  His style of writing is accessible (more on that below) and the book's structure is memorable and helpful.  Though the book's content comes in around 350 pages, it is graphically rich and presents helpful images that capture the theme he intends to communicate.  The scholarship draws water up from disputed wells so as not to confuse readers with unnecessary adventures into academia.  It is, largely, a fairly helpful resource.

There are a couple things that I would encourage future efforts in this vein to avoid.  Larson's writing, intentionally accessible, is, at times, a bit too casual.  Titus is compared to Red Adair and, while I understand his rationale, this example - along with others - displays a bit too much liberty taken in characterizing the people and literature of the New Testament.  It is memorable, but may not be helpful and accurate in its memorability.  Additionally, while I recognize the desire to avoid over-complicating issues of scholarship, there is a lack of complexity to his treatment that may oversimplify some things.  The only issue I found with the content itself was what seemed to be a portrayal of the Law and Old Testament institutions that was only abolished by Christ instead of fulfilled.  It might be me being picky, but I believe it makes a big difference when we look at the Old Testament finding its fulfillment in the Savior, rather than a sense of abandonment for the New.  Otherwise, frameworks would find a decent home in most any evangelical church.

Altogether, Mr. Larson has done a very decent job in providing a resource to Christians seeking to gain a better understanding of Scripture without the intimidating likeness belonging to a number of resources that are otherwise very helpful.  This book, with the slight reservations mentioned above, would do well for any Christian to pick up and gain a more helpful understanding of the New Testament.  Thank you to the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy, which was provided to me free from expectation of a positive review or recommendation.

Swimming Lessons, Chicken McNuggets and the Enlightenment

I really tried to come up with a catchier title than "Swimming Lessons, Chicken McNuggets and the Enlightenment," but that title alone warrants an explanation.  And you're probably wondering what that explanation is.  Well, hold tight and rest assured, there's a point to all of this.

One of my favorite memories from my childhood is the scent I'd pick up, almost without fail, every time I got into the car after swimming lessons.  Swimming lessons aren't, in themselves, a very fond memory for me.  But for some reason, almost every time I got in the car after swimming lessons, I would smell Chicken McNuggets.  I don't know if this was wishful thinking on my part or if anyone else has ever had that experience.  But whatever it was, it's one of those comforting scents that has stuck with me over the years.

Needless to say, a lot changes between your 10th trip around the sun and your 20th.  Happy Meals don't bring the promised happiness anymore.  Eating at McDonalds turns into a last ditch effort to satisfy hunger.  And, while it might be a "natural" phenomenon to find most people in their adolescent years and early twenties trying to distance themselves from things that just aren't "cool," I've noticed something: it's not just a post-adolescent issue any longer.  It's a cultural issue.

We live in a culture suspicious of the common.  I say suspicious, because it's not only passe to shop at WalMart or buy a Happy Meal for your kids, we're convinced by pop culture that it's downright dangerous.  What restaurant does your mind think about when you hear this: Do you know what they put in that stuff?  Or what store do you think about when you hear this: Do you know how much they pay their employees and where they get their products?  Without debating the merits of fried food or clothes made in China, it's fairly clear that we're supplied with reasons to be suspicious of things that aren't "specialty" or stores that help us "live our lives."  Exposing the practices at your local Burger King will land a spot in the headlines - showing up and doing the same at Qdoba?  Not so much.

All of this goes back to a revolution in our cultural thought that took place a couple hundred years back during "the Enlightenment."  The Enlightenment was helpful in some respects, encouraging a more robust use of our minds.  For the Christian, a sadly neglected venue for worship is the life of the mind.  The Great Commandment includes love of God by way of our thinking and the challenges of the Enlightenment served as a catalyst (even if it was in response to some arrogant worldviews) for the church to engage our thinking for the glory of God.  However, the cultural fallout from the Enlightenment was not so positive.  At its core, the Enlightenment championed a philosophy that was even too radical for pagan Greece and can be summed up by way of Protagoras' statement: "Man is the measure of all things."  That concept drove Enlightenment thinking and still drives popular thought about the self in relation to the world to this day.  What you feel, what you think, what you sense about the world around you is, in the final analysis, what matters most.  Objectivity and subjectivity are blurred together and we are left to ourselves to decide not only matters of right and wrong, but matters of truth and falsehood.

So how has the Enlightenment affected our view of things common?  Here's my take on it: the cultural move to (ultimately) de-objectivize everything has cheated people out of the sense of uniqueness we ought to have as beings created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  Instead of finding an identity outside of ourselves, we've been told that our identity is up to us to either realize or construct for ourselves.  Instead of understanding we were created for the purpose of glorifying God, we've been told that we are chance accidents, a collection of cells that could just as well have ended up arranged as a prairie dog.  Instead of understanding our work as a calling, we've been told it's there to pay the bills so we can spend the rest of our time trying to figure out or live out who we are.  It's a wholesale cheapening of human existence - and if that's all we are, who wants to be or be associated with something common?

When I became a dad, I renewed my license to stop at McDonalds and buy Chicken McNuggets.  And you know what?  I still like them.  Particularly with the barbecue sauce served in the containers with foil that, if you're not careful, will end up adhering to surfaces via the residual sauce.  So there's some food for thought today.  It's not deep and weighty theology.  But it's been on my mind lately.  Let me finish by saying: you can eat a Happy Meal to the glory of God.  I should be back in a day or two with more from Studies in the Sermon on the Mount.

To God Alone Be the Glory,
-Chris