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 is found in Prov. 12:17. A word traditionally parsed as a verb in a context that seemed to call for a noun was confirmed to be a noun when Ugaritic parallels were uncovered. Some English translations are still catching up. Dr. Andrew Burlingame, a prior contributor to this podcast, is a Wheaton College Classical Languages program alumnus and is now Assistant Professor of Hebrew at the same. He specializes in Northwest Semitic languages, including Hebrew, Aramaic, Phoenician, and Ugaritic, along with their history and texts. Some of his recent publications are featured here.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4dbosJz M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4nb1vKP

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 metaphor is that of cultural "backpacks." Dr. John Walton, Old Testament Professor Emeritus at Wheaton Graduate School, is a frequent contributor to this podcast. He has many volumes in his "Lost World" series along with many other publications, including (with Andrew Hill), A Survey of the Old Testament (4th ed.). He is currently collaborating with Dr. Aubrey Buster in preparing a major commentary on Daniel (NICOT). The first volume on Daniel 1-6 is already available, and the second volume on Daniel 7-12 is on the way.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4daJ6cH M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3OYI4bK

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 Odyssey. Dr. Alexander Loney is Associate Professor of Classical Languages and the Coordinator of the Classical Languages program at Wheaton College. His publications include The Ethics of Revenge and the Meanings of the Odyssey and (co-editor) The Oxford Handbook of Hesiod. He has contributed several episodes to our podcast.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4er2T9Y M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4d1iSJD

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 suggests that the key difference between Job and his friends lies in the direction of their speaking: To God about Job or to Job about God? Dr. Paley has taught courses at Duke Divinity School and Jerusalem University College, and is transitioning to a postdoctoral position at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv. Her doctoral research on Divine-Human Dialogue and Resolution in the Book of Job is forthcoming with Brill.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/48GQoDD M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3RjAzww

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 Faith, Dallas Baptist University. He wrote the column "Baptists Ask," for the Arkansas Baptist News from October 2001 to March 2020, and recently contributed a series of articles on The Psalms for GC2 Press.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4cFzZld M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4t3bZ04

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 terminology express what John is teaching? Dr. Bird is Deputy Principal and Academic Lecturer in Theology at Ridley College (Melbourne, Australia). His many publications include What Christians Ought to Believe: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine through the Apostles' Creed and Jesus among the gods: Early Christology in the Greco-Roman World.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4mAwEY0 M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/41Duai0

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 emerged from his long-awaited encounter with God. Dr. Ellie Paley has taught courses at Duke Divinity School and Jerusalem University College, and is transitioning to a postdoctoral position at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv. Her doctoral research on Divine-Human Dialogue and Resolution in the Book of Job is forthcoming with Brill.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4vrZZaV M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/480BQ1j

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 "without ceasing." Concretely, what was Paul asking the recipients of his letter to do? Dr. Jeff Peterson is Professor of New Testament at Harding School of Theology, Harding University. His publications include (co-editor), Marcan Priority Without Q: Explorations in the Farrer Hypothesis. Check out related programs at Wheaton College:

B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3NUCXJ0 M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4diWywK

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 Gospel as a whole? In this episode, David Ritsema discusses the grammatical question behind this translation and its implications for John's presentation of Jesus as the Messiah. Dr. David Ritsema is Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor of New Testament at B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary, East Texas Baptist University. His book, The Divine Messiah: A Portrait of Jesus in the Johannine Literature, is forthcoming with Wipf & Stock. Check out related programs at Wheaton College:

B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4tfjeTr M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4lYiJuC

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 "I" in 7:14-25? Prof. Witherington, who has been on this podcast before, is the Jean R. Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and is an emeritus professor of New Testament at St. Andrews University, Scotland. He has published widely, including commentaries on every book of the New Testament; of relevance to this episode is Paul's Letter to the Romans: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. His most recent book is Rethinking Biblical and Systematic Theology.

Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4uziQR4 M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4sP9NJY