Craig L. BlombergAnmeldelser

I liked the exegesis and teaching

Recommended by Dr. Myatt

Deals with the question of textual accuracy, and the selection of the canon in a thorough way, then to my surprise gets on to the problem of multiple translations, commenting that there are so many of them that people are beginning to ask whether anyone really knows what it means? In fact he says many modern translations fundamentally agree, and there is no point in the continuing quarrels about the details.
Then he gets into inerrancy, and its alternatives. Here he is very helpful and it seems to me reasonable. i.e. he does not push the idea too far! Throughout the book are detailed references in which he vigorously defends his ideas and complains about some of his critics. In fact the book is at all times outspoken and vigorous which makes for an enjoyable read. Next he tackles the possibility of different genres in the OT, coming to conservative conclusions but open to liberal interpretations in a refreshing way. As to miracles he feels we dismiss them too easily, and in fact they are still going on so what's the problem with them in the NT?
It is shocking to see the toxic atmosphere he seems to have to live in and he complains that this stringency is putting many people, especially the young, off the whole Christian scene. he wishes everybody would be much calmer and more polite.
Most chapters spend most of the time dealing with doubters but each chapter also has a section addressing the hypercritical, or ultrasound, pointing out how bad tempered they can be.½

Summary: A New Testament Introduction covering Acts through Revelation, with introductory material and commentary, review questions and bibliography for each book, useful as a textbook or reference.

Some of the introductory New Testament texts for college or seminary that I have read are dense and turgid reads. Not this new edition in which Craig L. Blomberg and Darlene M. Seal combine up to date scholarship with a highly readable text. The text for each book of scripture includes some of the standard introduction sections including discussions of authorship, date, audience, purpose, genre, and structure. Where relevant, as in Acts, material on textual criticism, sources, and chronology vis a vis Paul are included. A commentary summarizing the text and dealing with textual and interpretive questions follows organized on the basis of the structure provided. Review questions are included for students as well as concluding applications. A select bibliography offers recommendations of advanced, intermediate, and introductory commentaries, as well as other relevant scholarly works on the book in question.

A fifty-eight page introductory article to the Pauline epistles is also included. The first portion covers the life of Paul including the question of the nature of the Damascus road encounter–conversion, call, or commission–or perhaps all three? Then the authors turn to epistolary writing, uses of rhetoric, genres, literary forms, their occasional nature, and the mechanics of letter writing. This part includes with questions about pseudonymity (they judge this lacking acceptance in the first century) and the collection and canonization of Paul’s epistles. They then turn to Paul’s theology, summarizing contemporary discussions of the New Perspective, the question of Paul and Jesus, Paul and the Old Testament and recent scholarship seeing apocalyptic and empire themes in Paul. I thought this an excellent, succinct discussion of Pauline scholarship with all the key figures appearing in the bibliography.

A few highlights of the authors’ discussion of various books may give a flavor of this introduction:

*While noting the boundary marker treatment of “works of the law” they see a more general reference to Torah-obedience, and justification referring to imputed righteousness–though relational and transformative rather than “impersonal and transactional.”
*They argue for the unity of 2 Corinthians (an A-B-A structure) with a lost letter between it and 1 Corinthians.
*They foresee a large scale turning of Jews to Christ foretold in Romans 11 but that this does not require repatriation.
*They favor the Pauline authorship of Ephesians, with Paul giving an amanuensis greater liberty in writing within directions on topics to address, and that the letter was likely intended to be a circular letter.
*They survey the discussion of the authorship of the pastorals, often thought to be pseudonymous works. They go with the unanimity of the church fathers and attribute these to Paul, allowing for an amanuensis, perhaps Luke, to account for the stylistic differences.
*On 1 Timothy 2:11-15, they offer a helpful chart of the interpretive decisions involved in this passage. They do not commit to a view, suggesting the need to hold views tentatively. They propose that even within more traditional interpretations, there are not constraints on women serving on pastoral teams or as part of church leadership. This seems like an attempt to find a via media between complementarian and egalitarian position with a complementarian flavor that will probably satisfy few.
*I found the outline of James structuring it around three iterations of three key themes quite helpful: trials in the Christian life, wisdom, and riches and poverty. Similarly, seeing Hebrews structured around five warnings was a rubric that seems to arise from the text.
*Perhaps the most difficult book to square with traditional claims of authorship is 2 Peter, which much of modern scholarship considers late, and pseudonymous, noting the dependence on Jude, and significant stylistic differences. They note the claim of the author to have witnessed the transfiguration, that the stylistic differences argue against pseudonymity, that Symeon Petros in 1:1 is elsewhere used only in Acts 15:14 and sounds like a signature.
*The treatment of Revelation takes a premillenial, though not dispensational reading.

Overall, the approach is theologically conservative and evangelical, though nuanced and appreciative of other scholarship. Reflective of the publisher, it seems its target audience would be Baptists schools and seminaries and educated pastors and laity. Yet the engagement with other scholarship and views makes it representative of the best of this tradition. It is an introduction where a committed evangelical is able to read with, rather than against, the grain of one’s convictions as it were, while being introduced to the range of scholarship. And as observed earlier, one of the great strengths of this work is the readable, flowing text that one needn’t fight with to understand. It’s greatest challenge comes in the trenchant applications that question how one will live and act on truth outside the study and classroom.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

This Book is a gem!! Now out in a 2nd edition I find the organization well done. Can be read alone or using a copy of the synoptic gospels.

Neither Poverty nor Riches is the best book about wealth I have ever read. It is practical, comprehensive, scholarly, balanced and thoroughly biblical. Blomberg’s central point is a simple one: that extreme poverty and extreme wealth are not to be tolerated – hence the title which is drawn from Proverbs 30:8, ‘Give me neither poverty nor riches’.

To give an indication of the challenge of the book, Blomberg argues that the rich should give more than 10% (perhaps many times that amount), to enable the poor to give less. But he takes a global perspective, reminding Western readers that the vast majority of us are firmly in the ‘rich’ side of the scales. And he reminds us that spiritual growth in the area of stewardship is ‘a necessary sign of [spiritual] life’.

Thankfully, Blomberg never falls into the trap of declaring all riches as evil, or advocating asceticism. God’s gifts are to be enjoyed, he reminds us, but they are also to be shared.

If I have one criticism it would be that in the chapter with application there is an emphasis on the relief of material poverty in the world that was not apparent in the earlier exegesis. As I read the New Testament (or the Old for that matter) I see a wide concern for the spiritual well-being of all people, and a narrower concern for the material well-being of believers. That is not to say we should be callous towards the non-Christian poor, or that we should only bring Bibles and not bring bread. But it is to say that when it comes to loving our neighbour, the Bible seems to make our two priorities the sharing of the gospel with the world, and caring for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

That, however, is a relatively minor criticism. If you want to think about the Bible’s teaching on wealth and poverty I know of no better book.

Starting with the preface of the book, I saw something I resonated with greatly in Blomberg. He talks about devouring literature and other forms of content to get to the bottom of questions that bothered him. I recall doing the same. I’ve read book after book, watched debates, lectures, listen to podcasts, and read many blogs. All of this was in an effort to come to a conclusion that satisfied me. I was never a fan of uncertainty.

In the introduction, Blomberg goes over the various ways communication as evolved in the social media age. A particular quote stood out to me.

“…we must exercise even more critical care in separating fact from fiction, event from interpretation, and scholarship from rant.”

Fake news is a common phrase you might hear today. We are in a time where anyone can claim anything and it can go viral and if people don’t do their research, it will be believed. When it comes to religion, Blomberg argues, this is especially important because the stakes at hand. It reminds me a bit of Pascal’s wager, where when it comes to atheism, what am I losing? If I’m not an atheist and they’re right, I will end up six feet in the ground and that’s it. Perhaps someone would argue that well I’ve wasted my life by living life according to a Christian ethic, but I don’t think this is a wasted life. I prefer a live by a Christian ethic than my previously natural disposition. When it comes to other religions, however, we need to be very careful. There really shouldn’t be so much apologetic focus on atheism, you’re more likely to encounter a Christian who doesn’t take their faith seriously or a member of another religion than an atheist. Because other religious such as Islam also have consequences for not believing in their conception of God, we should take their claims more seriously as we understand what that’s like within our own worldview.

Blomberg goes through ten key questions that he found the most pressing to respond to while searching the internet. In specific, he was seeing what people were saying about why they were not a Christian. I think this is a good method because we can often get stuck on theoretical issues such as a supposed biblical contradiction when most of the time these are just red herrings to real issues.

I was going to go through all ten questions but I don’t want to spoil the entire book for you. You should get it yourself. I think it’s an accessible introduction to many of the key questions that skeptics will ask of you as a Christian. It is your duty and honor to contend for the Faith (Jude 1:3)

I was given an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Similar ground to Witherington's Jesus & Money but more expansive. Blomberg reviews what the Bible says on a number of money related issues, including prosperity preaching, asceticism, giving, tithing and taxes, and idolatry. Blomberg and Lunde also discuss individual stewardship, corporate stewardship (in the realm of business and government) and church stewardship.

This is a great resource to have when pressing into what the Bible has to say about money.

Title: The Historical Reliability of the New Testament
Author: Craig L. Blomberg
Pages: 816
Year: 2016
Publisher: B & H Academics
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Perhaps readers will wonder why someone would want a book of this nature in their book collection or maybe some think they couldn’t understand it or haven’t a desire to peruse such a massive book. There are multiple reasons why people do or don’t pick up a book to read, so I won’t attempt to recite the unending list. What I can share is this is the type of book I enjoy because it stretches my understanding, and in my family brings about some great conversations.
I also want to encourage readers to read with discernment and view what is offered through the lens of Scripture not vice versa. Why? Because the only infallible book on earth is the Bible. I appreciate the length an author must go to as he puts together his research, thoughts, findings and his faith. While it may not be stated out rightly what this author believes, one cannot help but see a glimpse in the pages.
The book is written for the academia avenue. I found the writing easy to follow and at times very thought provoking. Did I agree with everything stated? No. What I did though was look for the nuggets of truth that helped deepen my faith, understanding and cause me to wrestle with knowledge. I am not one who is easily impressed or intimated by questioning an author regardless of the number of degrees they have attained. I commend their study and pursuits, but I have learned to read with discernment. If I don’t understand something, it is okay; I simply continue to move forward in the pages.
Recently, my oldest son was home along with his girlfriend and we had a very enjoyable time discussing some of the topics in the book. My husband brought his knowledge and understanding into the discussion and at times my youngest son did as well. We, as a family, hadn’t done something like that in a long time and each person contributed to the discussion, which drew us closer together. We weren’t drawn closer because we agreed on everything, but because we were talking about God and His Word.
In my youth, the push to learn was always there. It wasn’t formal education; it was learning for the joy of it. The joy of learning has now been passed down to another generation. Each one brings a unique aspect, heart and mind when we gather and enjoy conversations about what the Lord is teaching us through reading, movies, sermons, etc. As a mother, I know of no greater joy than to know that my sons walk in the truth. Maybe next year your family can enjoy such conversations about books such as this one by Craig L. Blomberg and other authors.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

When I returned to Seminary in the fall of 1999, my first professor assigned Blomberg's Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey. I was hooked. Blomberg pulled me into the world of the Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John with his knack for explaining details without needless complexity.

That book on the Gospels evolved from a set of lecture notes Blomberg used to teach undergraduate and graduate students. In 2006, Blomberg's lecture notes on the rest of the New Testament received similar treatment resulting in From Pentecost to Patmos. The two volumes together take you through the entire New Testament.

Some features of the classroom lectures make their way into the book. There are a scattering of very helpful charts for understanding key ideas. Also, each section ends with a series of thoughtful questions to help students process the material more thoroughly.

Blomberg's approach to the New Testament is thoroughly conservative. In the introduction to each book he always affirms traditional authorship, although dissenting views are surveyed.

The best quality of this book is Blomberg's respect for the biblical text itself. He dedicates the bulk of his writing to bringing out the structure and content of the text.

"I spend most of my time, ... surveying the actual structure and contents of each book, the main points in each section, the distinctive exegetical cruxes, and several key items for contemporary application" (3).

From Pentecost to Patmos is a textbook for seminarians. However, any thoughtful Christian would benefit greatly from reading Blomberg's book alongside the New Testament during morning devotions.

Disclaimer: B&H Academic provided me a review copy of this text free of charge.½

The format of Zondervan's new commentary series fits my personality well. As the book marches through the text, there are introductory comments, outlines, and the particular passage's relation to the rest of the book. Then there is a verse-by-verse marching through the book. How this differs from other commentaries is that at the beginning of each verse there is both the English and Greek text. This is helpful in not having to flip back and look at the text or have another reference handy.

Overall, I think Blomberg handles the text well. The commentary is well-written, and he deals thoroughly with many issues in the text. It is not overly technical, but enough. The text itself is uncluttered, but adequate footnotes are provided. At the end of each section is a theological discussion separate from the exegetical discussion.

One note of disagreement: what Blomberg calls an exegetical outline, I would call a theological outline. The greatest jewel I found: In a footnote at the end of the commentary when Blomberg was discussing major theological themes (a novel idea to do this at the end of the book instead of the beginning as most commentaries do), he notes that the :best apparatus of OT quotations and allusions in the NT is the bottommost segment of footnotes on each page of the UBS editions of the Greek NT." What? Did I sleep through that class in seminary? Why had I not known that? Truly a gold mine of information and that alone is worth the price of the book.

The format of Zondervan's new commentary series fits my personality well. As the book marches through the text, there are introductory comments, outlines, and the particular passage's relation to the rest of the book. Then there is a verse-by-verse marching through the book. How this differs from other commentaries is that at the beginning of each verse there is both the English and Greek text. This is helpful in not having to flip back and look at the text or have another reference handy.

Overall, I think Blomberg handles the text well. The commentary is well-written, and he deals thoroughly with many issues in the text. It is not overly technical, but enough. The text itself is uncluttered, but adequate footnotes are provided. At the end of each section is a theological discussion separate from the exegetical discussion.

One note of disagreement: what Blomberg calls an exegetical outline, I would call a theological outline. The greatest jewel I found: In a footnote at the end of the commentary when Blomberg was discussing major theological themes (a novel idea to do this at the end of the book instead of the beginning as most commentaries do), he notes that the :best apparatus of OT quotations and allusions in the NT is the bottommost segment of footnotes on each page of the UBS editions of the Greek NT." What? Did I sleep through that class in seminary? Why had I not known that? Truly a gold mine of information and that alone is worth the price of the book.

This collection of essays from professors at Denver Seminary defend the view of historic premillennialism. I found the essays by Weber, Blomberg, and Fairbairn to be especially informative.

A thorough analysis of both critical and conservative scholarship relative to the historical reliability of the Gospel of John. Many scholars, like the members of the Jesus Seminar, largely dismiss this Gospel as unreliable. Many critical scholars like Maurice Casey vigorously attack more traditional studies, trying to demonsrate that there is precious little historical accuracy in John. Blomberg accurately presents the viewpoints and evidence of such scholars, while also presenting solid evidence for the historical reliability of the Gospel of John. He points out that many critical scholars continue simply to ignore most conservative scholarship.

The Bible does not address the 'why' of suffering but the 'how'. No empirical studies have ever demonstrated that Christians are less likely than others to be the victims of a natural disaster or a painful terminal illness. We suffer certain things simply because we live in a fallen world.

Examines the four main myths that cast doubt on Jesus' identity today, and five elements of Jesus in the Gospels. He argues that evangelical Christians must look at their own snapshots of jesus to make sure they are not creating their own modern myth

God thinks continuously of each one of us as if He had no one but ourselves.

In an era when it’s trendy to question everything written in the Bible, here’s a scholarly exception. Blomberg is a conservative who isn’t content to found his faith on faith alone. After a run-down of the latest methods of Biblical analysis, he tackles three primary “problems” for scholarly believers:

[1] Miracles, and the problem of credibility. This may be Blomberg’s weakest argument, where he is reduced to concluding that if the resurrection really happened, then surely none of the other stories are that incredible!

[2] Contradictions within the three Synoptic Gospels. Perfect harmonization is an unreasonable expectation, and even if errors do exist (Blomberg does not admit to any, but confesses the possibility) then that may explain some of the apparent contradictions.

[3] The problem of John’s Gospel. What are we to make of this maverick writing? It seems to argue against the Synoptics at every turn, and repeatedly insists upon eyewitness testimony. Blomberg’s take (which I’m oversimplifying) is basically, “Let John be John;” the apparent contradictions are not severe enough to discredit either John or the Synoptics.

Blomberg then discusses the Jesus tradition outside the Gospels. What do the remaining books in the New Testament say about Jesus? What do the extra-canonical writings say? What do non-Christians say? He concludes that they reinforce the Gospel story.

So are the Gospels reliable history? Some Christians would affirm this merely because their doctrine of the inspiration of scripture requires them to, but Blomberg believes the Gospel story can stand on its own. He finds it neither a slam-dunk for or against historical reliability, but rather a topic deserving of serious scholarship, and certainly not a barrier to conservative Christian faith.

NO OF PAGES: 346 SUB CAT I: Apostolic Writings SUB CAT II: SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: The detailed results of Craig Blomberg's groundbreaking study of the historical reliability of John's Gospel are largely presented in commentary form, following the principle scenes of the Gospel. An introduction frames the pathway into the discussion, taking up critical issues. In his commentary examining the text of the Fourth Gospel, Blomberg asks two essential questions. First, using the recently nuanced criteria of authenticity, :What positive evidence do we have that the actions or words of the characters in John's narrative are indeed historical?" Second, "Is there anything in the text?that is implausible within the historical context to which it is attributed, particularly if we assume the general historical trustworthiness of the Synoptics?" The result is a seminal work for our day, one that affirms the historical reliability of John's Gospel with intelligence and sure-footed care.NOTES: Purchased from CBD. SUBTITLE: Issues and Commentary

The first to come out in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary series, which has a lot of features that are very helpful: a syntactical diagram, a clear exegetical outline, summary of the passage and literary context at the start of each chapter, along with a theological conclusion / application at the end of the chapter.

I would always consult here first. It had the most information in the least amount of words, and showed good judgment in making decisions.

Compared w/ Martin, Davids and Adamson, this gets rank 1.

I found this book to be very helpful in understanding some of the movements that are occurring in Hermeneutics. The author gives a very general and concise summary of many of the major movements. This has also sparked my interest to read the book of which this is a summary, mainly the Gospel Perspectives.