And another interesting offering from Zondervan [catalog, p. 48]

Three prominent scholars — Darrell L. Bock, Walter C. Kaiser, and Peter Enns — detail their positions on how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament, a topic of significant interest today. This includes substantial discussion of instances where the New Testament authors discern the fulfillment of a prophetic element in the Old Testament text. The book also incorporates questions about the nature of fulfillment and typology as aspects of this seminal issue.

Here’s another interesting offering from Zondervan [catalog, p. 40]

The Biblical Theology of the New Testament (BTNT) series aims at providing textbooks in the areas of New Testament theology, interpretation, and exegesis at the highest level of academic excellence. A multivolume work, its eight volumes will cover the entire New Testament and include Matthean, Markan, Lukan, Johannine, and Pauline theologies as well as works on the theology of Hebrews;
Peter, Jude, and James; and the Book of Revelation. Each volume is written by a recognized expert in the field who has written one or several major commentaries or monographs on the subject. This exciting new series is designed both for use in the classroom and seeks to make a significant contribution to the burgeoning field of biblical studies.

The theology of Matthew—Michael J. Wilkins
The theology of Mark—David E. Garland
The theology of Luke & Acts—Darrell L. Bock
The theology of John—Andreas J. Köstenberger
The theology of Paul—Douglas J. Moo
The theology of Hebrews—George H. Guthrie
The theology of Peter, James, and Jude—Thomas R. Schreiner
The theology of Revelation—Andreas J. Köstenberger and Alan S. Bandy

Here’s another forthcoming work form Zondervan that looks good:

The Bible among Other Myths
Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature?
John N. Oswalt

Sixty years ago, biblical scholars typically maintained that Israel’s religion was unique, that it stood in marked contrast to the faiths of its ancient Near Eastern neighbors. But nowadays it is widely affirmed that Israelite religion mirrors that of other West Semitic societies. What accounts for this radical change, and what are its implications for our understanding of the Old Testament?

Dr. John N. Oswalt says theological and philosophical convictions account for this new attitude among scholars, rather than a revision to the data itself. Its roots lie in the Western world’s increasing hostility to the idea of revelation. Revelation, which presupposes a reality that transcends the world of the senses, is objectionable to people because it assumes the existence of a realm over which they have no control.

Oswalt makes a detailed comparison of the Old Testament and the other ancient Near Eastern religions. While not advocating a “the Bible says it, and I believe it, and that settles it” point of view, he asserts convincingly that the Bible’s historical claims cannot be disassociated from its theological claims.

This thought provoking book supplies a necessary corrective to rejecting the Old Testament’s testimony about a transcendent God who breaks into time and space and reveals himself in and through human activity. Instructors will find it to be an ideal supplemental textbook for courses covering the Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern backgrounds.

[see 2008 catalog, p. 16]

Zondervan announced today the availability of their Fall Academic Catalog.

Once of the more interesting features the description of the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament [see p. 6-7 of the catalog].

“This generation has been blessed with an abundance of excellent
commentaries. The key question to ask is, what are you looking for in
a commentary? This commentary series might be for you if
• you have taken Greek and would like a commentary that would
help you apply what you have learned without assuming you are
a well-trained scholar;
• you would find it useful to see a concise, one- or two- sentence
statement of what the commentator thinks the main point of
each passage is;
• you would like help interpreting the words of Scripture without
getting bogged down in scholarly issues that seem irrelevant to
the life of the church;
• you would like to see a visual representation (a graphical display)
of the flow of thought in each passage;
• you would like expert guidance from solid Evangelical scholars
who set out to explain the meaning of the original text in the
clearest way possible and to help you navigate through the main
interpretive issues;
• you want to benefit from the results of the latest and best scholarly
studies and historical information that helps to illuminate
the meaning of the text;
• you would find it useful to see a brief summary of the key theological
insights that can be gleaned from each passage and some
discussion of the relevance of these for Christians today.”

Key Features and Distinctives
• A graphical display of each passage enables the reader to grasp quickly and accurately the main idea of the
text, its development, and supporting ideas.
• “Theology in Application” section follows the commentary proper and reflects on the overall theological
message of the passage and its function in the biblical book and biblical theology as a whole. Further, discussion
of how the passage should be understood and applied in the church today is also included.
• Identification and discussion of the main idea of each passage occurs in the graphical display, the introduction
to the passage, and the “Theology in Application” section. Few commentaries do this consistently.
• Responsible interaction with the Greek text ensures that the commentary remains understandable to pastors,
teachers, and students.
• Scholarly, yet accessible. Though certainly familiar with the best scholarly literature on their book, contributors
only present the most important findings when appropriate for their church-serving readers.

List of ZECNT Volumes
Matthew—Grant R. Osborne
Mark—Mark L. Strauss
Luke—David E. Garland
John—I . Howard Marshall
Acts—Eckhard J. Schnabel
Romans—Frank Thielman
1 Corinthians—Paul Gardner
2 Corinthians—Bruce W. Winter
Galatians—Thomas R. Schreiner
Ephesians—Clinton E. Arnold
Philippians—George H. Guthrie
Colossians & Philemon—David W. Pao
1 & 2 Thessalonians—Gary S. Shogren
1 &2 Timothy and Titus—Gregory K. Beale
Hebrews—Douglas J. Moo
James—Craig L. Blomberg & Mariam J. Kamell
1 Peter—Michael J. Wilkins
2 Peter & Jude—Robert W. Yarbrough
1–3 John—Karen H. Jobes
Revelation—Buist M. Fanning II

Based on the author several of these look to be worth getting. Schreiner on Galatians (along with proposed commentaries by Carson [PNTC] and Moo [BECNT]) should be good. I’ve liked most everything I’ve read by Theilman so far. Moo on Hebews is also exciting. And Fanning on Revelation means a new dispensationalist treatment of that book (does anyone know if he is Traditional or Progressive?).

Today I received my Readers Hebrew Bible. As I was looking through it I was struck that my home contains not only multiple Bibles (I have a Bible I use for church, a Bible I use for devotions, Bibles I use at work, and a Bible I use for chapel), and not only multiple translations of God’s Word, but also multiple copies of Scripture in the original languages.

Surely many Christians in the western world have contemplated this blessing many times. It is a blessing worth thinking about, and blessing worth thanking the Lord for.

BJU Press announced today the release of two new books from professors at BJU’s seminary.

Upright Downtime: Making Wise Choices About Entertainment
by Brian Hand
Price: $9.95
ISBN: 978-1-59166-856-5
Publisher: BJU Press, 2008
Length: 116 pp.
Format: softbound

See the table of contents and first chapter here.

Christian and Drinking, The: A Biblical Perspective
by Randy Jaeggli
Price: $9.95
ISBN: 978-1-59166-919-7
Publisher: BJU Press, 2008
Length: 80 pp.
Format: softbound

See the table of contents and first chapter here.

So our life with God is in the deepest sense an enjoyment of him…. In the end, one cannot glorify God without enjoying him. The goal expressed by WSC, 1, is, in the most profound sense, not twofold, but one. God desires to share his glory with his people, his image, his sons and daughters, his bride. He is not like Molech (Lev. 18:21), the false god who demanded human sacrifice. Rather, our God delights in the fulfillment of human potential.

Grudging obedience is not what he desires of us. It may be better than no obedience at all, but it is seriously defective. We should seek, not only to obey him, but also to delight in obedience. That delight comes from prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, through immersion in the words of Scripture and the hearts of the great saints of redemptive history, and through fellowship of the church in Word and sacrament.

John Frame, The Doctrine of the Christian Life, 306.

Scripture does condemn selfishness and preoccupation with our own comfort and pleasure (Matt. 6:24-34; 1 Cor. 6:13; Phil. 3:19; 1 Tim. 5:6; James 5:5). It demands self-sacrifice, even enduring hardship (Matt. 24:13; Mark 10:29-30; 2 Tim 2:3; 4:5; Heb. 12:7; James 1:12; 1 Peter 2:19), and persecution (Matt. 5:10-12, 44; 10
:23; 13:21; John 15:20; Rom. 8:35; 12:14; 1 Cor. 4:12; 2 Cor. 12:10; 2 Thess. 1:4; 2 Tim. 3:12). But some of the passages that describe most graphically the rigors and difficulties of the Christians life also emphasize its rewards. [Frame notes Matthew 5:10-12; James 1:12; Mark 10:29-30; 2 Corinthians 12:10.] Evidently, then, the biblical principle is that the pleasures of serving God are not primarily short-term, but long term, though of course God gives us many short-term blessings as well. Note the ‘little while’ by which Peter describes the length of our hardship: [here Frame cites 1 Peter 3:1-9]. Compare with this Paul’s reference to his ‘slight momentary affliction’ that is ‘preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison’ (2 Cor. 4:17; cf. Rom. 8:18-25, 35-39). Although our suffering in the present may seem sometimes to outweigh the blessing of God, in eternity those troubles will seem tiny. And through God’s Word we are able to view the present time in the light of eternity, recognizing the true proportions of things. In that light, those like Paul are able to say, even in the midst of terrible suffering [see 2 Cor. 11:24-33], that it is light and momentary.

John Frame, Doctrine of the Christian Life, 306.

I don’t get the common evangelical impulse to find whatever good can be salvaged from the wrecks of popular culture. The most recent example I’ve stumbled across is in the September issue of CT [print edition, p. 93].

Craig Finn, lead singer and songwriter for Brooklyn’s the Hold Steady, writes about drug addiction, casual sex, and Jesus. There’s lots of debauchery as well as religious iconography in most of these songs. . . . Stay Positive is a gritty, supremely uncomfortable masterpiece, a Christ-haunted work that finds glimmers of glory even in the gutter.

Of course good can be found in many depraved people and activities. The doctrine of total depravity does not teach that all men are as bad as possible. Thus it seems as though asking "is there anything good that can be found in this?" is the wrong question to ask of popular culture. If that is the question, the answer will always be yes.

Even God’s law, which we often regard as a stern taskmaster, is a delight to the redeemed heart (Pss. 1:2; 119:97; Rom. 7:22), a gift of God’s grace (Ps. 119:29). It is our way of life, not in the sense that it brings us eternal life apart from grace, but in the sense that it brings fullness of  blessing to those who are saved by grace and walk in God’s ways (Lev. 18:5; Deut. 5:33; 8:3; 11:13-15; 28:1-4; 30:11-20). God has given the law for our good (Deut. 10:12-13; 4:40; 12:28).

John Frame, Doctrine of the Christian Life, 304.