This book falls squarely in the history genre, and it is straightforward, plausible, and well-documented history at that. The basic narrative is simply the return of Jewish exiles after the Babylonian captivity, their rebuilding the temple, and the rejection of intermarriage — nothing supernatural. A number of official decrees are quoted at length, and … [Read more…]
I’m writing something on each book of the Bible, and for some books this is easier than for others. Genesis definitely falls in the more difficult category. It’s a relatively long book (the third longest or so, there being different translations and ways to count), and can’t really be summarized, and the stories in it … [Read more…]
This book is a mixture of verse and prose, of history, poetry, and biography. Sometimes the prophecy is woven directly into the historical narrative. And speaking of historical narrative, here’s a timeline of the major prophets that might be useful: Isaiah’s ministry, 740-681 B.C. Israel (northern kingdom) falls, 722 B.C. Jeremiah’ ministry, 627-586 B.C. Judah … [Read more…]
Walker Percy is one of my favorite authors, and this book was given to me by Professor Michael DeBow, one of my favorite people, who picked it up in St. Francisville, Louisiana, at the annual Walker Percy Weekend there. Percy is a Southern Catholic existentialist — an interesting combination. This book devotes a chapter each … [Read more…]
Ezekiel is a younger contemporary, if that’s not an oxymoron, of Jeremiah; Ezekiel was preaching to Babylonian Jews while Jeremiah was preaching to Jerusalem Jews (prior to its fall). Presumably some parts of the book were written — or at least delivered orally — before, and some after, the fall of Jerusalem: That is, it would … [Read more…]
I generally like N.T. Wright — I have favorable posts on other books he’s written on this blogsite — and I enjoyed his biography here of St. Paul. The book is readable and of manageable length (432 pages plus notes). It’s straightforward in its organization, basically following Paul’s life, and necessarily discusses Paul’s letters and … [Read more…]
The book of Daniel is the last and, next to Lamentations, the shortest of the major prophets’ books. It is also, to my mind, the most distinctive. It does not focus on warning of destruction to Israel or lamenting it, as the other major prophets do. It contains instead a narrative of six more … [Read more…]
This is a book of prayers, and it is fitting that it should be literally in center of the Bible and is one of its longest books (with its longest (119) as well as its shortest (117) “chapter”), since what is more important to a believer than prayer, and what can be more valuable to … [Read more…]
Lamentations is a book of five poems, each a chapter and the first four of which are acrostics (a typical form of poetry in Hebrew — see also Psalms 37, 119, and 145, and Proverbs 31:10-31). The author is Jeremiah: Having unsuccessfully warned his people in the book of Jeremiah to turn back to God … [Read more…]
Overview: Solomon — the king with great wisdom who also wrote two other Wisdom books, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs — is the principal author. Indeed, he wrote every chapter of Proverbs except the last two, which were written by Ajur and Lemuel, respectively. I’ll note at the outset that Psalms and Proverbs are … [Read more…]