There is a reason that the denunciation of religious leaders at Jesus’s first coming appears so soon before Jesus’s warnings for religious leaders to be ready for him at his second coming. 1-minute video:
This is a clip excerpted from a free series on Matthew’s Gospel (face-to-face in class is best, but for people who can’t do that!) – watch it here
In this passage Jesus challenges the scribes (Bible teachers) and defends widows. This all fits Jesus’s own role as Lord.
Asbury welcomed me to give a homily today, and since I already had the outline in front of me, I wanted to make it available to anyone else who would be interested (if you have 10 minutes and 44 seconds free … otherwise, I have posted some shorter videos also 🙂 ).
Craig’s 16-minute interview with the Ancient Christian Studies podcast:
http://www.ancientchristianstudies.com/podcast/2015/7/22/an-interview-with-dr-craig-keener
In a series of roughly hour-long FREEÂ videos, Craig lectures on Matthew’s Gospel. Here is a CLIPÂ of the first couple minutes (not perfect filming conditions or the nicest-looking professor,to whom the camera turns after the opening seconds, but hey, it’s free!):
The series is available for viewing free at:Â http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/DigitalCourses/00_DigitalBiblicalStudiesCourses.html#Matthew_Keener
Ted Hildebrandt filmed me for videos on Matthew, Acts, and Romans for the purpose of making these available free for ministers in parts of the world where in-class education was unavailable. Others can watch them for free also, of course. It’s sort of like taking me for class, but with fewer jokes, no evaluated assignments, and you don’t get any class credit! It’s also harder to know in advance where to skip around on the videos than it is using my commentary. But again: the video is free, so feel free to forward it to many people’s attention.
The review appears here:
http://www.bookreviews.org/pdf/9738_10757.pdf
I haven’t previously posted or linked to reviews of my Acts commentary on this site because I have seen the commentary as serving especially technical readers, but this review by Matthew Sleeman helps give me some ideas for a broader audience. Also, its language is accessible (unlike more technical reviews) but most readers will not find it in some of the expected locations); Matthew and Oak Hill gave me permission to reproduce it here, for those who are interested in it:
Matt Sleeman commentary review-7-2015
I don’t want to set a precedent here, though, since mostly I am posting Bible studies (for edification) and seminary-related cartoons (for entertainment). And Acts is one of my more technical and expensive books. (I don’t set the prices, but as my publishers remind me, I am the one who writes the long books. With the final volume of Acts due out within the next couple months, however, I should have some shorter books coming out next year: The Mind of the Spirit (focusing on the theme of the mind in Paul’s letters); and, still shorter and less technical: Impossible Love; and the NT study notes for a Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible.)
In this nine-minute video, we look at some other verses and phrases that are often taken out of context: “seek first the kingdom, and all these things will be added to you”; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for”
The verses and phrases often taken out of context, addressed in this 8-minute video, include, “Lift Jesus higher”; “you are God’s temple”; “when the perfect has come”; “I can do all things through Christ”; “baptized in fire”
Are spiritual gifts for today? They are so closely linked with the body of Christ that if the body of Christ is for today, so are its many members and gifts. Craig addresses some of the objections to the gifts being for today in the following 11-minute video:
Christianity Today published Craig’s article, “When Jesus Wanted All my Money,” at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/may/when-jesus-wanted-all-my-money.html. It was supposed to be about a verse that impacted him, so he chose Luke 12:33 and developed it in light of a theme that runs throughout Luke’s Gospel, sharing also how it impacted him.
Later note: this article is now locked for nonsubscribers to CT, so that only the opening paragraphs are visible. For nonsubscribers, a full copy of a related article will be posted here, probably in August 2015.