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Here are a few recommendations on books for the Old Testament Bible Exposition class.

Books

Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, by Gleason Archer
A Survey of Israel’s History, by Leon Wood

Commentaries

Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament and New Testament
Edited by John F. Walvoord
Victor

Expositor’s Bible Commentary
Edited by Kenneth L. Barker and John R. Kohlenberger III
Available in 12 volumes in print or on CD, and 2 vol abridged edition
Zondervan

Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries
Edited by Donald J. Wiseman
IVP
We will be going through Genesis and Exodus this spring and Leviticus through Numbers next fall. The individual books are available in this series.

Translations

Any of the following translations are also recommended for the class.

Ryrie Study Bible (NASB)
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSV)
English Standard Version Bible (ESV)
The NET Bible with translation notes (NET)
New International Version (NIV)
KJV/NKJV

© 2007, Scott Branyan

H. H. Rowley, one of the world’s most respected 20th century archaeologists, wrote, “it is not because scholars of today begin with more conservative presuppositions than their predecessors that they have a much greater respect for the patriarchal stories than was formerly common, but because the evidence warrants it” [quoted in "Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament" by Donald J. Wiseman, in Revelation and the Bible, edited by Carl F. H. Henry, p. 305].

The discovery of the Nuzi tablets in central Iraq and the Alalakh and Mari tablets in Syria are examples of important finds in the mid-20th century which give historical evidence supporting the Patriarchal stories of Genesis.

Indeed, even the early narratives of Genesis have taken on much greater significance in scholarship with important finds like the discovery of a fragment of the Gilgamesh Epic at Megiddo, a northern Canaanite city dating from the fourth millennium (3500 B.C.) and regarded as one of the most important biblical period sites in Israel. The existence of such an early fragment in Israel has challenged the critic’s assumption that the Sumerian flood narrative was borrowed by the Hebrews in 9th to 7th centuries B.C. when Assyrian influence was at its greatest. Some have even suggested the account is indigenous to northern Semites who had an influence on Babylonian development–a west to east influence instead of the other way around. Other Sumerian text parallels with Genesis narratives have also been discovered.

One cannot however use archaeological evidence to “prove” the scriptures. Yet, it certainly attests to their authenticity when discoveries come to light. Biblical scholarship, like much of science, continues to change and move around the landscape; and the only thing certain is that the evidence itself will sooner or later be reinterpreted. This is why believers should not be swayed in their faith in the scriptures by the abundance or lack of archaeological evidence.

A recent discovery of part of Nehemiah’s wall in Jerusalem is an example of how scholars go back and forth over evidence. Believers in the scripture should not think the unbeliever will capitulate because of irrefutable evidence when finds such as these become known. This is spiritual warfare. We do not rest our faith in evidence, but rejoice when it speaks for the truth. Yes, we expect it to concur with scriptures. See the Snippet on Starting Point.

See the article in the Jerusalem Post.

See another Associated Press report.

© 2007, Scott Branyan

The question of presuppositions, or one’s starting point, continues to be the question of importance for modern Christianity. Fifty years ago Edward J. Young, Professor of Old Testament at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, framed the question of starting point in this way, “What is the particular choice of route which faces the Church at the present time? It is, we confidently assert, the old one between supernatural and man-made religion. Shall the Church follow God, or shall it follow man? ” [Thy Word Is Truth, p. 14] As Young says in his book, Jesus promised the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church, but he did not deny they would try.

Arguments against divine revelation continue in modern times, and these arguments have gotten sophisticated in their deception. It is suggested that the Bible can be one’s rule of faith and practice and yet contain error, that it may contain the word of God without being the word of God, and that it is reliable in teaching faith towards God but unreliable in what it says that touches on science and history. Such are flat out contradictory and teach the Bible is a strange mixture of truth and error.

As Kenneth Kantzer notes, “…evangelical inerrantists have no quarrel with radicals who reject Jesus Christ as their religious guide. But for those who accept Jesus Christ as their divine Lord, the teaching of Jesus Christ must be taken with dreadful seriousness. It is consistent to deny Jesus Christ as Lord and also to reject the full authority of the Bible, but it is inconsistent to confess him as Lord and then reject His teaching. On this matter, the evangelical seeks only to be consistent. Jesus is Lord, and the evangelical believes what He taught about the full truthfulness of the Old Testament” [From the Forward to Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, by Gleason Archer].

As we begin our study in Genesis in a few weeks, I would have you begin reading the Old Testament as the Old Testament itself reads. It does not seek proofs of God’s existence or his creative ability, but assumes it. It does not give proofs of its divine authority, but assumes it.

It does matter how we approach the Bible. If we approach it in unbelief and skepticism, we miss the heart of its message. God is God and has spoken. Are we listening?

© 2007, Scott Branyan