The three main Bible software programs today are Logos, BibleWorks, and Accordance. Logos and BibleWorks are mainly for the PC (though Logos now has a Macintosh version), while Accordance is exclusively a Mac product. BibleWorks and Accordance are commonly known for...
The King James-only view argues that only the 1611 KJV is the Word of God in English. All other versions or translations are so corrupt that they are not to be used, nor be appealed to as the Word of God. Most KJV-only advocates contend that the printed Greek text...
I recently worked through a new commentary, Ecclesiastes: The Philippians of the Old Testament, by William D. Barrick. Dr. Barrick is a Professor of Old Testament and Director of the Th.D. program at The Master’s Seminary. He has authored a number of books and journal...
In a previous post I noted that the Preface to the 1611 King James Version is an embarrassment to KJV-only advocates because in it the translators of the KJV make a series of statements that argue against the KJV-only position. Since KJV-only proponents insist that...
Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? (Ecc 7:16, ESV) Can “be not overly righteous” really be saying what it seems to be saying? Does God actually want us to tone down our righteousness? In order to correctly...
When the King James Version of the Bible came off the press of Robert Barker in 1611, it contained an eleven-page preface titled “The Translators to the Reader.” This preface is primarily a defense of the new translation, but it also provides important information...
Though there are a number of Christians who question a literal interpretation of the creation week, a closer look at Genesis 1:1–2:3 should challenge those who have abandoned or are uncertain about the traditional understanding of the creation days. I will give four...
In my first post on this subject, I argued that the KJV-only position believes that only the KJV of the Bible is the Word of God, and I suggested that the somewhat official beginning of this movement should be traced to the publication of the 1881 revision of the KJV,...
One of the issues that still troubles many churches today is the King James-only error. By KJV-only, I am specifically referencing the belief that only the KJV of the Bible is the Word of God. All other versions or translations are so corrupt that they are not to be...
In my previous posts, here and here, I reported on a debate between Dan Wallace and Bart Ehrman during which Wallace remarked that he had information about the discovery of a fragmentary papyrus manuscript of the Gospel of Mark that possibly may be from the 1st...
This is the title of a thought-provoking post (essay?) by Paul Rahe, Professor of History at Hillsdale College. Dr. Rahe briefly traces the history of the Roman Catholic Church's involvement in the political sphere throughout the history of Western civilization. When...
In a previous post, I noted that Dr. Dan Wallace remarked during a recent debate that he had information about the discovery of a fragmentary papyrus manuscript of the Gospel of Mark that may possibly be from the 1st century A.D. Immediately, Wallace's announcement...
Most of us are familiar with how 2 Cor 5:7 reads in the KJV, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." If you do a Google search on this verse, you will find explanations of what this means, such as, "the Bible challenges us to 'walk by faith, not by sight,'" or you...
I'm a cynic and a pessimist by nature. Usually, if "everybody is doing it," I don't. I can't tell you whether it's my sin nature, my metacultural bent, or a regenerate distrust of fads and mania in general. And maybe in this case it's my affinity for the Pittsburgh...
The parent church of DBTS, Inter-City Baptist Church, hosts a conference every second January to stimulate and cultivate interest in foreign missions. The next Student Global Impact (SGI) conference is just two weeks away. Scheduled strategically to accommodate...
Some bad effects of the pietistic heritage of fundamentalism and evangelicalism tend to make conflicts worse: An all-or-nothing view of people and ministries. A misguided view of spirituality affects how others and oneself are viewed. Being “wrong” on some issue is...
I’ve decided to start a mini-series of blogposts on historically freighted phrases/clauses/mantras that have been detached from their moorings and have become cliché in contemporary Christian-speak. Most of the time these lines are intrinsically innocuous (i.e.,...
As questions in the ongoing Trinitarian controversy become more refined, the “pieces” of the broader discussion are coming under greater scrutiny. One of these appurtenant issues is the locus of the will, that is, whether volition is seated in one’s substance (i.e.,...
Looking for a New Year's resolution? Consider working towards a Master of Theology (Th.M.) degree at DBTS. As described in our catalog, the Th.M. is "offered for those desiring advanced training beyond the Master of Divinity level." It is designed for both pastors...
Tomorrow, we will release the 100th episode of Theologically Driven. The first episode was released on October 21, 2021. Since then, we have done several series on the podcast. One that is particularly beneficial for our day is the series on Fundamentalism and issues...
Beyond doubt, the most hotly debated assertion of the Apostles’ Creed is the descent of Christ to “hell” or hades (ᾅδης/inferos/inferna). This line conjures images of Renaissance frescos and medieval ambiance. One wonders whether the tenet reflects apostolic teaching...
Just a few weeks ago, SCS Press released a new book that will likely be of interest to many of our readers. Editors Cory Marsh and James Fazio, both professors at Southern California Seminary, have brought together a group of scholars from a variety of educational...
Paul described how he ran with purpose, “Run in such a way as to get the prize….Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly….No…I make [my body] my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize“ (1 Cor...
The Greek article usually has minimal influence on the interpretation of a passage, but sometimes its presence is quite meaningful. 1 Peter 4:14 is one of those times. It is debated, however, and our goal in this short blog post is to consider the best interpretation...
Please allow me to share three anecdotes before making some comments about how our assumptions can affect our interactions. All come from the early 1990s when I was working on a DMin at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS). How Long Did It Take…? One day, during...
It is not often that I endorse a book I did not enjoy reading. Nevertheless, I heartily endorse Bully Pulpit, a book about the abusive tactics of some church leaders and the spiritual devastation left in their wake. Michael Kruger, a theologian best known for his work...
A few weeks ago I drew attention to the AI movement and its complications with education. Namely, to what degree can students use AI and still consider the product their own work. Just recently, ChatGPT launched and now has over one million users. If you try to use...
Perhaps you (like me) have had grand plans of working steadily on projects or sermons only to find that it is Saturday night, and tomorrow is the deadline. Modern ministry is full of distractions. It is challenging, perhaps now more than ever, to keep the main thing...
The words Reformed and Baptist mean something and they are and always have been mutually exclusive. So begins one of Scott Clark’s several diatribes on the paradox of Reformed Baptists, the latest of which hit the fan a couple of weeks back...
The fact that all truth is interconnected and sourced in the Triune God means that God in Christ may be rightly connected to every datum of truth in the whole universe. Many argue that faithful preaching, in fact, will make such a connection in every sermon:...
I attended Bible College in the 1980s and seminary in the 1990s. The time I spent earning my Master of Divinity at Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary still stands for me as the most grueling four years of my life. But I had accidentally prepared for it for years,...
Kyle Dunham, our OT professor, has been working on what I think will become the definitive treatment of Ecclesiastes (to be published Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series). One of the fruits of that labor is the production of many good article-length treatments of...
“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:4 As the passage quoted above indicates, pastors are called to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. The first is usually considered outward-facing (preaching), while...
One of the challenging questions that churches and biblical counselors face is, “Should we counsel an unbeliever?” Jay Adams used to call counseling an unbeliever “pre-counseling.” The reason for his clarification was that he defined biblical counseling (or nouthetic...
This article is adapted from Bryan Murawski's book, "Preaching Difficult Texts of the Old Testament" (Hendrickson, 2021). Someone once said, “The devil is in the details.” This trite idiom encourages you not to underestimate the details in a...
When we think of Jesus, what comes to mind? My thoughts immediately turn to His sacrificial love for me on the cross. I think of hymns and texts of Scripture that talk about Jesus being a friend. Hymns like: What a Friend we have in JesusJesus, Savior, blessed...
Some of my previous university students, many of them bright students, have embraced the view that homosexuality is biblically acceptable. I have seen this trend especially among those who either embraced homosexuality themselves or are close to others who have...
“Fifty years ago many colleges and universities and theological seminaries were devoted to the truth of God’s Word. But one by one they have drifted away, often with all sorts of professions of orthodoxy on the part of those who were responsible for change.” It sounds...
“The Christian does not desire going to heaven; they desire to go to Christ, and wherever He is, there is heaven.” The twitter post caught my eye, and left me perplexed. Had the statement been that the Christian does not merely desire to go to heaven,...
A few years back I made a proposal that we replace the label “literal translation” with a better one—originalism—a term that has been robustly defined away from competing hermeneutical ideas in the secular/legal sphere. For decades the dispensationalist has dealt...
No one hates grace, do they? Who would ever be offended by a free gift? After calling a tax collector to follow Him, Jesus invited tax collectors and sinners to eat a meal with him (Mark 2:15–17). Jesus was showing grace to the outcasts. Tax collectors and sinners...
I recently read Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage by Gavin Ortlund. The concept of theological triage (coined by Albert Mohler, as far as I know) concerns categorizing doctrinal matters such that some are recognized as more vital than...
In my last blog post I addressed the irrational distrust that is increasingly plaguing religious and political conservatives. Specifically, I suggested that we ask of our theories about, say, mask mandates, social distancing, and vaccines, “Why would all these people...
About 25 years ago I was privileged to take several seminary courses that focused on the science of textual criticism. Textual criticism was really important in those days because epic battles were then raging over texts and translations as the King James Version lost...
I teach a class on research and writing here at DBTS. I don’t consider myself a gifted writer, but I’ve tried to be a student of good writing, and I’ve had some draconian editors along the way who have helped me in no small measure (HT: Andy Naselli). People sometimes...
The intersection of Acts 5:29 and 1 Peter 2:13 encapsulates a tension facing many churches today. Harmonizing these texts is not a simple task. Still, it can be done. The simplest harmonization goes something like this: “We must obey the government unless the...
Dr. Dunham recently had an article published in the Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament. Here is a snapshot summary, along with a link to the article. Intertextual links between Deuteronomy and Ecclesiastes have begun only recently to garner...
I was recently reading a book designed to answer questions posed against Christianity.[1] The book is good, and I recommend it, but I want to use one of the statements in the book as a jumping pad to a point the author was not directly making. Rebecca McLaughlin was...
Over the years, dispensationalists have been called antinomian for many reasons. Mostly it’s been because of our tension with the so-called “third use” of the Mosaic Law: the appeal specifically to the Decalogue to inform Christian righteousness. Most...