Amateur Exegesis

In the final episode of the season, we consider the closing verses of 1 Thessalonians.

In the penultimate episode of this season, we look at 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:11, a text which describes events of the end of the world.

In episode 8, we'll look at Paul's plea to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 that they flee "porneia," as well as his exhortation to live well with one another and the outside world.

In this episode we look at 1 Thessalonians 2:17 - 3:13, the end of the letter's proem.

A look at 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 and the question of interpolation. I'll also briefly discuss the Pauline corpus and whether Paul wrote everything attributed to him in the NT.

In this episode, we'll examine 1 Thess. 2:1-12, comparing its claims about the Thessalonians mission with that of the book of Acts.

In this episode, we'll examine 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10. We'll also finish our survey of Paul's story in the book of Acts up to the mission to Thessalonica.

Who was the apostle Paul? In this episode we begin to explore that question, particularly with how the Acts of the Apostles addresses it.

In this episode we look at 1 Thessalonians 1:1 in light of its epistolary context. We'll also consider the history of Thessalonica, what little we can know about Silvanus and Timothy, and more.

What was letter writing like in the ancient world? In this episode, we will explore the subject of ancient letters and letter writing, providing context for an exploration of Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians.

Recommended Reading: Robert A. Guelich, "The Gospels: Portraits of Jesus and His Ministry," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (June 1981), vol. 24 no. 2, 117-125. Peter R. Henriques, "Don't Print the Legend," American History (December 2018), vol. 53 no. 5, 34-41. Willard Sterne Randall, George Washington: A Life (Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 1997),...... Continue Reading →

Texts discussed: Mark 7:1-23; Matthew 5:17-42, 15:1-20; Galatians 2:11-16 Recommended Reading: Darrell Bock, Mark, New Cambridge Bible Commentary (Cambridge University Press, 2015), 221.Howard Clarke, The Gospel of Matthew and Its Readers: A Historical Introduction to the First Gospel (Indiana University Press, 2003), 137.Jacob Milgrom, Leviticus 1-16, Yale Anchor Bible (Doubleday, 1991), 920. L. Michael White,...... Continue Reading →

Texts discussed: Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52 Recommended Reading: Mary Ann Beavis, Mark, Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament (Baker Academic, 2011), 107-109Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, In The Company of Jesus: Characters in Mark's Gospel (Westminster John Knox Press, 2000), 70-99.L. Michael White, Scripting Jesus: The Gospels in Rewrite (HarperOne, 2010), 182, 406-407.

Texts discussed: Mark 8:11-13; Matthew 12:38-42, 16:1-4; Luke 11:29-32. Recommended Reading: John R. Donahue and Daniel J. Harrington, The Gospel of Mark, Sacra Pagina vol. 2 (The Liturgical Press, 2002), 248-249.R.T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, NICNT (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), 490-492. Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, "Mark 8:11-12 - Did Jesus Contradict...... Continue Reading →

Texts Discussed: Mark 3:21-35; Matthew 12:22-32, 46-50; Luke 8:19-21, 11:14-23. Recommended Reading: Mary Ann Beavis, Mark, Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament (Baker Academic, 2011), 19. John R. Donahue and Daniel J. Harrington, The Gospel of Mark, Sacra Pagina vol. 2 (The Liturgical Press, 2002), 128-136.Joel Marcus, Mark 1-8, The Anchor Yale Bible (Doubleday, 2000,...... Continue Reading →

Texts Discussed: Mark 1:16-20; John 1:28-2:1. Recommended Reading George R. Beasley-Murray, John, second edition, WBC vol. 36 (Thomas Nelson, 1999), 36-38.Kyle Keefer, The New Testament as Literature: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 23-28.Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, In the Company of Jesus: Characters in Mark's Gospel (Westminster John Knox Press, 2000), 41-69.

Texts Discussed: Mark 1:16-20, Luke 4:16-30, Luke 5:1-11 Recommended Reading: Alicia J. Batten, "Fishing Economy in the Sea of Galilee," bible odyssey.org. Joel Marcus, Mark 1-8, The Anchor Yale Bible (Doubleday, 2000), 163-166, 179-186.John Nolland, Luke 1-9:20, WBC vol. 35a (Word Inc., 1989), 218-224.L. Michael White, Scripting Jesus: The Gospels in Rewrite (HarperOne, 2010), 322-327.

Texts discussed: Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2 Recommended Reading Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (Doubleday, 1993). L. Michael White, Scripting Jesus: The Gospels in Rewrite (HarperOne, 2010), 226-256.

Texts discussed: Mark 1:9-11, John 1:1-18. Recommended reading:  Paula Fredriksen, From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of the New Testament Images of Jesus (Yale University Press, 1988), 19-26, 44-52.Jon D. Levenson, Sinai & Zion: An Entry Into the Jewish Bible (HarperOne,1985), 154-156.Joel Marcus, Mark 1-8, Anchor Yale Bible (Doubleday, 2000), 158-167.John P. Meier, A Marginal Jew: Rethinking...... Continue Reading →