Exegetically Speaking
by Wheaton College
"Exegetically Speaking" is a weekly podcast of the friends and faculty of Wheaton College, IL and The Lanier Theological Library. Hosted by Dr. David Capes, it features language experts who discuss the importance of learning the biblical languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—and show how reading the Bible in the original languages "pays off." Each podcast lasts between seven and eleven minutes and covers a different topic for those who want to read the Bible for all it is worth. Click on the ⓘ symbol below for each episode to read the description.If you're interested in going deeper, learn more about Wheaton's undergraduate degree in Classical Languages (Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) and our MA in Biblical Exegesis.
Episodes
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The Unmissing Generation, with Andrew Gabriel Roth: Matthew 1:16-17
Matthew's genealogy promises 42 names but seemingly has only 41. Unless, that is, the text is read with an Aramaic background in mind. Andrew Gabriel Roth's publications include The Apostolic Writings: A Translation from Aramaic to English of the Divinely Inspired Words of the Messiah and His...
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Being a Good Host to the Word, with J. D. Atkins: James 1:21-25
The combined imagery used by James when telling us how to "receive" God's word suggests a good (humble, non-narcissistic) host welcoming a new guest with genuine interest in that person. Dr. J. D. Atkins is Associate Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, and Chair of the Department…
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Follow God's (Not Your) Heart, with Ben Johnson: 2 Samuel 7:3, 21, 27
The Hebrew word for heart, lev/levav, is often appropriately translated with words like "mind," "will," or others. Such is the case in the three instances of this word in 2 Samuel 7 (vv. 3, 21, 27). However, even though there are good translational reasons to render the Hebrew word this way, it...
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Well Versed in the Teaching of Moses, with Rabbi Steven Bob: Ezra 7:6
When the man Ezra is introduced in the book of Ezra, he is identified as "a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses" (NIV). The word translated as "law" there is torah, frequently translated as "law," but is "law" the best way to represent its meaning here? Rabbi Steven Bob, who has contributed...
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Savvy Involvement in a Social Context, with Ron Lindo Jr.: Esther 4:14
One of the most memorable lines of Esther comes in 4:14, where Mordecai cautions Esther that if she is unwilling to involve herself in the plight of her fellow Jews, "deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place." What other "place" is in mind? Dr. Lindo is Assistant Professor of...
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A Would-Be Solomonic Ruler, with Ron Lindo Jr.: Esther 1
The first chapter of Esther impresses many readers as simple background information for the following story. Taking a hint from the Jewish Targums (Aramaic translations of the OT), Ron Lindo found that there are many allusions to 1 Kings 1-10, suggesting parallels between the Persian king,...
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Seeing is Not Believing, Part III, with J. D. Atkins: Acts 1:3
Luke reports that Jesus, in the days following his resurrection but before his ascension, "presented himself alive... by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God" (ESV). Grammatically and contextually, it turns out, the "proofs" do not merely refer to...
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The Church of God, the Continuation of Israel, with G. K. Beale: 1 Corinthians 1:2 and Nehemiah 13:1
The phrase, "the church of God," is used only by Paul in the NT, and occurs only once in the OT, in Nehemiah 13:1. Is Paul's use of the phrase under the influence of this OT passage, and, if so, what would the connection entail? Dr. Gregory Beale, long time Professor of New Testament at Wheaton...
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The Logos as Locus for God's Glory, with Denis Salgado: John 1:14
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14, NIV). The verb (σκηνόω) translated as "made his dwelling" occurs in the NT also in Rev. 7:15; 12:12; 13:6; and 21:3. It turns out to be a suggestive verb with a strong history in the OT connected with Moses' tabernacle. Dr. Denis…
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So Many Days Till Judgment, with Milton Acosta: Jonah 3:4
In the Hebrew of Jonah 3:4, the prophet announces a forty day delay before judgment falls on the Assyrian city of Nineveh. In the Greek version (LXX) of the same passage, the period allowed is just three days. Sometimes the Greek version is a more reliable witness to the original than the Hebrew,...
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A Vision of Visions for Israel and the Self-Doubting Nations, with David Baer: Isaiah 2:3
In a passage closely paralleled in Micah 4, the entire book of Isaiah is anticipated. A Hebrew particle in Isa. 2:3, the meaning of which is debated, hints at the scope of the inclusion of the nations (Gentiles) in God's dealings with Israel and the nations' own misgivings about the extent of…
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Erasmus Vision, with David Baer
Dr. David Baer, a Wheaton College alum and a missionary with Mesa Global, is Director of Mesa Scholars and Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages at Medellín's Biblical Seminary of Colombia. In this episode he announces and explains a planned Erasmus Academy of Biblical Languages…
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God Gave the One Named Son, with George Kalantzis: John 3:16
Prof. George Kalantzis returns for a third comment on one of the Bible's most well-known verses, John 3:16. A seemingly small question – should the English pronoun 'his' be inserted where the Greek has only the article 'the'? – swells with importance when viewed through the lens of the church's...
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The Masoretes, the LXX, the Scrolls, and Modern Translations, with Michael Graves: 2 Samuel 17:3
The KJV of 2 Sam. 17:3 reads in part, "And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace," whereas the ESV reads, "and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life...
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Nothing Iffy About It, with Philip Graham Ryken: Philippians 2:1
Paul writes to the Philippian believers, "if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love . . . ." Does he doubt that they do? How do conditional sentences work on occasions like this? Dr. Phil Ryken, who has been a regular on our podcast, is the…
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Assonance, Burning Brush, and Consonance, with Bradley Cameron: Ecclesiastes 7:5
In the hevel-ridden world of Ecclesiastes the writer is asking whether it is all worth it for human beings. These reflections resonate with a modern audience, but what can be hard to grasp in translation is the sound of the Hebrew sentences, which itself assists in conveying the intended meaning....
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A Wee Little Man, with Jon Laansma: Luke 19:3
In Luke 19:3, Zacchaeus is unable to see Jesus because he is short. Is it possible that the short person in question is Jesus? Jon C. Laansma is Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek & Exegesis and the Director of the Classical Languages program at Wheaton College, and also the...
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Finding Community in a New Social Unit, with John Walton: Genesis 2:24
The traditional translations of Gen. 2:24 have the man "leaving his father and mother," "clinging to his wife," and "becoming one flesh." The assumed frame of reference is that of marriage and sexual union. Yet situating that language in its cultural context and noting a Babylonian parallel to…
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Noah: First Impressions as Prologue, with Adam Miglio: Genesis 5:29 and 6:6-8
When Noah (Noach) is first introduced in Genesis 5, it is said that "he will bring us relief (nacham)." This and other wordplays will feature significantly throughout the entire story of the flood, not least in Gen. 6:6-8. Dr. Adam E. Miglio, a frequent contributor to our podcast, is Professor of...
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The Divine Parakletos, with Philip Graham Ryken: John 14:16, 26
In a Trinitarian passage, Jesus (the Son) declares, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another παράκλητος (parakletos), to be with you forever." The understanding of that Greek designation of the Holy Spirit is critical for grasping the promise of Jesus, the assurance it contains, and…
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They've Taken the Lord, with Amy Peeler: John 20:2
Some modern translations of John 20:2 have Mary exclaiming, "They have taken away the Lord's body from the tomb." The word "body" is not in the Greek sentence, and its insertion might dampen our sympathy with Mary's profound grief. Dr. Amy Peeler has contributed several episodes to this podcast....
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To Breathe' or 'A Witness'? Ugaritic, Hebrew, and the Text of Proverbs 12:17, with Andrew Burlingame: Proverbs 12:17
We are approaching the centenary of the discovery of the Ugaritic language, which belongs to the same family of languages as Hebrew, Aramaic, Moabite, and others. This relationship with Hebrew permits insights to flow both from Hebrew to Ugaritic and Ugaritic to Hebrew. One illustration of this…
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Backpacks, with John Walton
Due to his extensive writing and lecturing John Walton is recognized as a leading scholar on OT backgrounds. His attempts to convey this research to varied audiences, often non-specialists, has led him to search out imagery that will make even involved ideas more intuitively accessible. One such...
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Evoking Penelope's Suitors, with Alex Loney: Luke 15:30
When, in one of Jesus' most well-known parables, the "prodigal son" returns, his older brother feels wronged by the warm reception accorded by their father. The charges he lays against his younger brother may be even stronger than often realized if we perceive echoes of a key scene in Homer's...
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A Failure to Intercede, with Ellie Paley: Job 42:7
In a recent episode, Dr. Ellie Paley walked us through Job 42:6, Job's final response to God's answer from the whirlwind. The very next verse, Job 42:7, presents the conundrum of how Job, who was just rebuked by God, is now commended by God in contrast to his three friends. The Hebrew wording...
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Not a Road Less Traveled By, with Ken Gore: Psalm 23:1-3
Though most often cited at funerals or in times of greatest difficulty, Psalm 23 has a profound message for the whole of life. A close reading of the Hebrew of the opening verses bears out some of this. Dr. Kenneth Gore is Professor of Biblical Studies at Mary C. Crowley College of Christian…
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Only Begotten God, with Michael Bird: John 1:18
For the 350th episode of this podcast, Dr Michael Bird reviews the ways in which John's Gospel presents Jesus as equal to God, and then concentrates on the language of 1:18. Is the idea that of Jesus as the "only begotten" of the Father, what would that mean, and how would later theological...
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Crushed, Contrite, Cagey, or Consoled?, with Ellie Paley: Job 42:6
Following Job's sufferings, mourning, arguments with his friends, and God's own speech to him, Job makes his final response in Job 42. But the Hebrew of Job 42:6 has been hotly contested in scholarship, with its interpretation bearing significant implications for how this afflicted God-fearer has...
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Pray Regularly, with Jeff Peterson: 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Two of the shortest verses in the Bible are 1 Thess. 5:16 and 17: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing" (NRSV). Dr. Jeff Peterson argues that that these verses are directed to leaders of the Thessalonian church, along with all of vv. 14-22, and he zeroes in on the Greek adverb translated…
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The Messiah Is Jesus, with David Ritsema: John 20:31
John 20:31 is usually translated as John's purpose statement: "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (ESV). But could the clause also be understood as, "that you may believe that the Christ, the Son of God, is Jesus"? What difference would this make for how we read John's...
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Who is I?, with Ben Witherington III: Romans 7:7-25
Rom. 7:7-25 has attracted more attention from commentators than any other biblical passage. All readers feel some sympathy with the struggle with sin that is voiced, though elements of what Paul writes make neat identifications difficult. Who is the "I" who is speaking in vv. 7-13 and then the…
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Immoral or Missionary: Perspectives on the Woman at the Well, with Benjamin Wall: John 4:16-18
A long tradition of reading John 4 has viewed the woman at the well as immoral. How was that reading established? What is its textual warrant? What are alternative traditions? What does all this tell us about the role of assumptions in exegesis? Dr. Benjamin Wall is Professor of Theology and…
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The Scope of Christ's Kingdom, with Daniel C. Fredericks: Psalm 103:17-19
Ps. 103:17-18 presents God's kingdom as the kingdom of Israel while v. 19 also mentions God's universal kingdom. In which sense did Christ bring God's kingdom to realization? Dr. Fredericks is Professor of Biblical Studies and Provost Emeritus at Belhaven University. His publications include...
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Feet Like a Deer, with Oliver Hersey: Habakkuk 3:19
Knowing that devastating judgment is descending on Israel, the prophet affirms that God is his strength. To appreciate the depth of Habakkuk's hope we must understanding the Hebrew language used in its contexts (plural), including the species of deer in Israel. Dr. Oliver Hersey, who has been on...
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In Form Like His Body of Glory, with Chris Kugler: Philippians 2:6-7 and 3:20-21
The Christ hymn of Phil. 2:6-11 is one of the most studied NT passages on Christology. When considering Paul's own study we should note 3:20-21 of the same letter, which reprises several Greek words from the hymn. Dr. Chris Kugler is Lecturer in Theology for George W. Truett Theological Seminary,...
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Grab Ahold of From Alongside From Behind, with Stephen L. Jones: Romans 8:26
Describing the Holy Spirit's work on behalf of believers in Christ, Paul employs two verbs with double prefixes. The effect is to give special stress to the Spirit's work of support and intercession. Dr. Jones, who has been on this podcast before, is the Director of Global Theological Education…
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What is Exegesis? (encore), With John Walton
This is a repeat of our very first episode: Veteran interpreter Dr. John Walton describes the process of exegesis — from choosing a text, analyzing the genre and background, and grappling with the "linguistic core" — in this step-by-step explanation of how exegesis is done. Dr. John Walton, Old...
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How God Loved the World, with George Kalantzis: John 3:16
John 3:16 is routinely translated, "For God so loved the world." The NLT translates it, "For this is how God loved the world." The difference roots in a Greek adverb, the sentence as a whole, and the theological logic employed by John. Dr. George Kalantzis, who has been on this podcast before, is...
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A Sealed Biblion, with Christian Askeland: Revelation 5:1
Rev. 5:1-14 depicts a dramatic heavenly scene in which the Lamb alone is worthy and able to take and open what is referred to as a βιβλίον (biblion) with seven seals and inscribed in a particular way. The attempt to gain a more precise mental picture of this literary object and its nature as a…
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Working Together for Good, with Joseph Dodson: Romans 8:28
Many translations render Rom. 8:28 as, "all things work together for good." The NLT renders the same words as, "God causes everything to work together," a construal that is represented in some ancient Greek manuscripts. Yet another possibility would be, "the Spirit works all things together."…
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Seeing is Not Believing, Part II, with J. D. Atkins: Luke 24:41-45
Following his resurrection in Luke 24 Jesus startles his disciples by appearing among them when they are talking about him. By v. 41, properly understood, they are still not believing. Luke's implicit argument about what finally brings them to faith requires close attention to the Greek wording…
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Seeing is Not Believing, Part I, with J. D. Atkins: Luke 24:41-45
Following his resurrection in Luke 24 Jesus startles his disciples by appearing among them when they are talking about him. By v. 41, properly understood, they are still not believing. Luke's implicit argument about what finally brings them to faith requires close attention to the Greek wording…
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The Generous Eye, with Brad H. Young: Matthew 6:22-23
In Matthew 6, is Jesus talking about "healthy" and "unhealthy" eyes, as translations sometimes have it (e.g., NIV, ESV, NLT), or is the Greek expression an idiom that Jewish listeners would have readily understood in another way? Dr. Brad H. Young is Emeritus Professor in Judaic Christian Studies...
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Creative Work and Sustaining Work, with Baruch Kvasnika: Genesis 2:1-3 and Exodus 20:8-11
What sort of work do the Scriptures forbid on the Sabbath? What sort of work is allowed? Attention to the Hebrew words used in connection with the Sabbath and in other contexts sheds some light on these questions. Dr. Baruch Kvasnika is President of Jerusalem Seminary, which equips believers to...
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Saying What is Unsaid, with Seth Ehorn: Philemon 19
Toward the close of his short letter to Philemon, Paul offers to pay any debt Onesimus may owe Philemon, and adds (ESV), "I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self." The last words are often viewed as heavy-handed, but are better...
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Superordinated Duty and the Law, with Paul Sloan: 1 Corinthians 9:21
In an important line, Paul is frequently understood to be referring to at least two laws, the law of Moses, which the apostle is no longer "under," and a law of Christ, which he is still "under" (1 Cor. 9:21). Jewish parallels and the Greek words Paul uses suggest, however, that it is Paul's...
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Jesus, Son of God, with Christopher M. Hays: Mark 1:1 and 15:39
In the opening line of Mark's Gospel Jesus is referred to as "the Son of God," except that the Greek phrasing in this instance, somewhat non-typically, lacks any definite article. That this idiom echoes imperial propaganda is seen to be likely when a Roman centurion employs the same wording as he...
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Canceling a King, with Oliver Hersey: Exodus 1:8-9
When the king of Egypt is first introduced in our OT book of Exodus he is not named, nor thereafter. But the book itself in Hebrew is called "Names," and even the midwives are named (Exod. 1:15). Egyptians tended to treat the kings of their enemies the same way. Dr. Oliver Hersey is the 11th...
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What Was From the Beginning, with Elizabeth Mburu: 1 John 1:1-4
John's longer letter begins with a series of clauses headed by neuter relative pronouns without clear antecedents. In particular, the neuter gender draws our attention. To what do they refer and how does this relate to John's larger concerns? Dr. Elizabeth Mburu, who contributed earlier to this...
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Cranky, Bald Donkeys and Textual Criticism, with Andrew Perrin: Jeremiah 14:6
Looking at ancient copies (manuscripts) of the Old Testament is necessary if we are to reconstruct the earliest wording of the texts, but the manuscripts can also shed light on the ancient scribes, their work, and perennial challenges of interpretation. For example, 4Q Jeremiah A (dates to around...
About this show
"Exegetically Speaking" is a weekly podcast of the friends and faculty of Wheaton College, IL and The Lanier Theological Library. Hosted by Dr. David Capes, it features language experts who discuss the importance of learning the biblical languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—and show how reading the Bible in the original languages "pays off." Each podcast lasts between seven and eleven minutes and covers a different topic for those who want to read the Bible for all it is worth. Click on the ⓘ symbol below for each episode to read the description.If you're interested in going deeper, learn more about Wheaton's undergraduate degree in Classical Languages (Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) and our MA in Biblical Exegesis.
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