Category Archives: scripture study

Cunning punning in Genesis 3

By ElShaddai Edwards | Published: October 18, 2008
The value of a historical-critical study Bible does show itself from time to time. I was reading through the early chapters of Genesis, looking for more “once upon a time…” campfire stories, when I happened upon the study notes in my REB Study Bible for Genesis 3:1: 3.1: Serpent: an ancient extrabiblical story tells how a [...]
Also posted in bible translation, idioms | 14 Comments

Thrown out of the throne room

By ElShaddai Edwards | Published: October 18, 2008
The relationship between Satan and Heaven is an interesting one to dig into. One popular view is that Satan led a revolt of angels in pre-history and was in opposition to the Creator from the start, such that the serpent in Eden was the physical embodiment of Satan. Yet throughout the Old Testament, we see [...]
Also posted in eschatology, kingdom living | 3 Comments

Ambiguous grasping in John 1:5

By ElShaddai Edwards | Published: October 9, 2008
I am continuing my survey of Bible Translation books, now reading Donald Kraus’ volume, Choosing a Bible For Worship, Teaching, Study, Preaching, and Prayer. Kraus is Executive Editor for Bibles at Oxford University Press and presents a fairly even-handed review of translation philosophies, from strict interlinear to cultural paraphrase, though most of his time is [...]
Also posted in bible translation, books, quotes | 7 Comments

Pondering Peleg and the partions of the earth

By ElShaddai Edwards | Published: October 5, 2008
Opening my Bible to First Chronicles, I began perusing the listing of the generations of mankind. Mostly my eyes glaze over when confronted with these tables, but there are narrative fragments in there like Nimrod (1.10), Archar (2.7) and the infamous Jabez (3.9-10) that hint at broader stories not more explicitly told to us in [...]
Posted in scripture study | 3 Comments

Wisdom: craftsman, child or companion?

By ElShaddai Edwards | Published: September 24, 2008
I’m continuing to look at the portrayal of Wisdom in Proverbs 8. Several Bibles have noted that the translation of 8.30 has significant theological importance in our understanding of who and how God created the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1-2. There seem to be three main views: that (a) Wisdom was God’s companion, [...]
Also posted in bible translation, wisdom | 6 Comments