Jeff's Thoughts

ESV Updated (Again)

Jeff — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:16:23 +0000

There have been some (fairly minor) changes to the English Standard Version (ESV) at the end of 2011. You can read about this on The Gospel Coalition blog. This article contains a letter from the President of Crossway about these changes. It also provides a link to a complete listing of changes to the ESV. I do see these as fairly minor revisions. Many of the changes make the English read more naturally, which I view as a good thing.

The most potentially significant changes to the ESV concern the reduction of the usage is the word ‘slave’ in the New Testament in passages such as 1 Corinthians 7. But it should be noted that the word ‘slave’ is still used in a number of other passages in the ESV. The Gospel Coalition blog article also includes a video of a discussion by the ESV Translation Committee on the word ‘slave’.

Bible Translation Discussion & Analysis [Updated]

Jeff — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:58:03 +0000

There are a couple of excellent resources on Bible translations over at the blog Slave of the Word by David Croteau. He has put together an excellent analysis comparing six Bible translations: the ESV, NIV84, NIV(2011), HCSB, NASB, and NET. David takes a look at about 50 passages and gives them each a score. The first article in the series explains his approach. And the final article in the series provides a link to a pdf of the entire series. I have found this to be a terrific series and highly recommend looking at it.

Slave of the Word also has an article providing links to a series of talks given at a symposium at Liberty University. There are talks by supporters for the NIV, ESV, and HCSB. While I have not found time yet to listen to all of these, what I have listen to so far is well worth the time.

Updated Info:

The Slave of the Word blog has also provided a link to the symposium lectures on the Liberty University web site.

Rob Bell Moving to LA

Jeff — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 22:59:19 +0000

In my previous post, I mentioned that Rob Bell was moving on from serving as pastor at Mars Hill, the church in Michigan that he founded. Well now there is information about where he is moving on to – California, LA to be more exact.

Rob Bell is working on a new television show, Stronger, for ABC with Carlton Cuse. Carlton Cuse was the executive producer and screenwriter for the TV series Lost. You can read more about this Scot McKnight’s blog Jesus Creed.

Rob Bell Leaves Mars Hill

Jeff — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:18:10 +0000

Rob Bell has stepped down from serving as pastor at Mars Hill. Mars Hill is a large church in Michigan founded by Rob Bell in 1999. This was announced on the Mars Hill web site.

The book Love Wins created a lot of controversy when it was published earlier this year. In Love Wins, Rob Bell questiones the traditional Christian teachings about hell.

The SBC on the NIV

Jeff — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:25:40 +0000

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has passed a resolution on the 2011 revised New International Version (NIV2011). And not surprisingly they do not recommend that SBC churches use this translation. Also they do not want LifeWay to offer this translation for sale. This is similar to the position they took concerning the Today’s New International Version (TNIV) in the past.

Already the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) has issued a statement not recommending use of the NIV2011. The other significant group to issue an official statement against use of the TNIV was the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA). I do not believe that they have passed any official resolutions concerning the NIV2011. But this something to keep an eye on.

The Committee on Bible Translations (CBT) is the committee of translators responsible for the changes to the NIV. The CBT has issues responses to both the SBC and the CBMW.

You can find some additional information about the revisions made in the NIV2011 in this past post.

Scholarship From Logos Bible Software

Jeff — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:08:44 +0000

Logos Bible Software will be awarding a couple of scholarships for seminary or Bible college. These are $1000 scholarships plus free Logos Bible Software. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, May 10.

For more information please see this post on the Logos blog which includes links to the applications.

Logos March Madness 2011

Jeff — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 01:43:37 +0000

Logos Bible Software has had their March Madness tournament for 2011. All of the books can be purchased at their discounted price until April 15. There are not any must have books in my opinion (that have not been discounted before) but it is still worth taking a look.

Here is the link to the resources and their sale prices.

Some Roman Catholic Resources for Logos Bible Software

Jeff — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:43:29 +0000

There are two excellent Roman Catholic resources currently available as pre-pubs for Logos Bible Software. One is the Catholic Theology and Dogma Collection. This is an excellent collection of pre-Vatican II documents inculding documents from the Council of Trent, documents from Vatican I and Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott.

The second resource is a collection of Vatican II documents. This will provide a more recent statement on Catholic beliefs.

Together these two resources make a great library of Catholic theology. You can read more about these and some other Catholic resources in this article on the Logos blog.

Some Thoughts Galatians 6:1-10

Jeff — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:27:05 +0000

I am currently in a group that is working through Leadership Essentials: Shaping Vision, Multiplying Influence, Defining Character by Greg Ogden. Last week we were looking at Galatians 6:9 as a verse for encouragement when discouraged. I was not happy with my limited understanding of this verse, so I did a little digging over the past week. Below is an outline of my understanding of Galatians 6:1-10.

o The context for Galatians 6:9 is 6:1-10

o In this passage Paul is addressing people in a position to help

o As opposed to the person who needs help

¹Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (NIV)

o 6:1 addresses the one who can help restore another

²Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, ⁵for each one should carry his own load. (NIV)

o 6:2-5 addresses the one who can help another with their burden

o 6:6-10 is all one paragraph in most translations (ESV, HCSB, NET)

o The focus of this paragraph is on giving

o Paul is addressing people who are in a position to give

⁶Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. (NIV)

o 6:6 is about financial giving to Christian teachers

⁷Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature^a will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (NIV)

o 6:7 & 8 uses sowing to represent giving

o Sowing may still refer to financial giving

o In 2 Corinthians 9:6 Paul discusses sowing & reaping in reference to the collection of money for the Christians in Jerusalem

o Or sowing may include giving of time & talents

o Either way sowing is giving to support others & their ministries

o Reaping is discussed as an encouragement to sow

⁹Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (NIV)

o 6:9 & 10 are closely linked

o They form a chiasm (an A, B, B’, A’ pattern)

o A – ‘Let us not become weary in doing good’ (6:9)

o B – ‘for at the proper time’ (6:9)

o ‘time’ is a translation of the Greek work kairos

o B’ – ‘as we have opportunity’ (6:10)

o ‘opportunity’ is a translation of the Greek word kairos

o A’ – ‘let us do good’ (6:10)

o Sowing is now extended to doing good

o To all people but especially other believers

o At the proper time (as we have opportunity)

o We will reap & we should do good (sow)

o And since this entire passage is addressed to people in a position to help – now is a time to do good

o Chris asked ‘Based on this passage what would you say to someone who is discouraged?’

o The answer from this passage is – ask them ‘How can I help you?’

o We are to help restore others

o We are to carry each other’s burdens

o We are to give to others

^a Or his flesh, from the flesh

Free Logos Book on Robert Murray McCheyne

Jeff — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 16:29:05 +0000

You can download a free copy of the book Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne for Logos Bible Software until February 4, 2011. You can read more aout this on the Logos blog.