PARTNER CONTENT

Kingdom Books and Notes on Biblical Studies

Marlin asked Paul Lamicela a few bonus questions before we tackled two episodes for our main podcast.  What’s your favorite book related to the New Testament? (Paul gave two recommendations, I immediately ordered the first book, and can attest…

The Inside-out Sandwich: An Approach to Studying and Teaching the Bible

Are commentaries cheating? Or do we need commentaries and study helps to understand and teach the scripture?  I believe using commentaries and study helps is important. Even more important, though, is keeping our primary attention on scripture…

PARTNER CONTENT

What Bible Translation Should I Use? – Ask Anabaptist Perspectives Anything – Episode 29

What is the best bible translation? We refuse to identify one as the best but list several good ones. It’s good to use different translations for different purposes. Join Marlin and Jaran as they share some practical advice for deciding how to…

Transmitting the Old Testament: Adventures of the Hebrew Text – Part 3

This is Part Three in a series of essays about ancient Hebrew text and manuscripts. Read Part 1 and Part 2. 6. The Masoretic Text  In prior posts we touched on some developments of the Hebrew Bible over the course of its 3,000 plus year…

Transmitting the Old Testament: Adventures of the Hebrew Text – Part 2

In a prior essay, we discussed how the (Hebrew) Bible gradually went from a scattered compilation of scrolls to being considered a single entity. We also discussed how the careful preservation of specific Hebrew word forms allow us to date parts of…

Making Use of Bible Translations

Why do we need so many Bible translations? How can we take advantage of this broad variety? Marlin Sommers, Kyle Stoltzfus, and Reagan Schrock discuss two essays about translations that Marlin wrote. Read the first essay: Why New Bible Translations…

Transmitting the Old Testament: Adventures of the Hebrew Text – Part 1

1. Introduction  We are all familiar with family heirlooms. An object, usually of significant sentimental value, is handed down from one generation to the next. The Bible is a little like that heirloom. Successive generations of scribes…

Choosing Translations for Bible Study

A preacher should have as much money in his library as in his pickup truck, or so says a pastoral advisor to my church. Those charged to regularly teach the scriptures need good tools for study. So do the rest of us. Not all of us will spend…

Why New Bible Translations Matter: An Example

A Christian magazine recently asked readers to comment on why we need new translations of the Bible from time to time. English Bible translations are a subject dear to my heart, and I shared a brief response for that magazine. Here on the blog I…

Studying the Word of God

The Bible waits to be mined for its treasure. God intentionally hid some of these treasures so that they are only obtained by those who really desire Him and seek  His truth. Those who seek, find; to those who knock, the door to the Scriptures…