Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages II (3 hour course)
by Heiser, Michael S., Logos Mobile Education • Lexham Press, 2017
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Overview
In Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages II (BI162), Dr. Michael Heiser discusses several challenging Scripture passages. He covers some passages that pose ethical problems like God telling Samuel to lie, David asking God to kill his enemies, and Jesus telling His disciples to buy swords or to eat His flesh and drink His blood. He also examines several places where New Testament authors use Old Testament passages.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion you should be able to:
- Identify the interpretative difficulties of the ten passages discussed
- Discuss significant contextual details and explain how they influence interpretation
- Explain the debated grammatical elements of each passage
- Evaluate a variety of interpretations for each passage
- Gain skill in how to resolve difficult Scripture passages on your own
Course Outline
Introduction
- Introducing the Speaker and the Course
Unit 1: 1 Samuel 16:1–5
- God and Samuel
- The Problem with 1 Samuel 16:1–5
- What Is a Lie?
- Context of the Ninth Commandment
- Acceptable Uses of Deception
- Contemporary Application of Ninth Commandment
Unit 2: Ezekiel 1
- Ezekiel 1: Capturing the Imagination
- Ezekiel’s Vision of God’s Throne
- Elements of Ezekiel 1 and Their Context
- Meaning of Ezekiel 1
Unit 3: Psalm 137:8–9
- Asking God for Vengeance
- Understanding Imprecatory Prayer
- Christian Imprecatory Prayers
Unit 4: 1 Chronicles 21 / 2 Samuel 24
- God or Satan?
- “The Devil” Is in the Grammar
- Angel of the Lord
- David as Pharaoh
Unit 5: Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34
- Jesus’ Use of Psalm 82:6
- Gods or People?
- Mortal View #1
- Mortal View #2
- Divine View: Part 1
- Divine View: Part 2
Unit 6: Matthew 2:15
- Out of Egypt
- Problems with Hosea 11:1
- Hosea 11:1 Woven into Fabric of Messianic Prophecy
Unit 7: Matthew 1:23
- The Virgin Shall Conceive …
- Context of Isaiah 7:14
- Why Isaiah 7:14 Is Controversial
- Hebrew Words for “Virgin”: Part 1
- Hebrew Words for “Virgin”: Part 2
- Connecting More Messianic Threads
Unit 8: Matthew 10:34
- Does Jesus Encourage Violence?
- Division and Persecution
Unit 9: John 6
- Eat My Flesh, Drink My Blood
- Bread as an Analogy
- Disconnecting John 6
Conclusion
- Springboard for Further Study
About the Instructor
Dr. Michael S. Heiser is a Scholar-in-Residence for Faithlife, the makers of Logos Bible Software. His varied academic background enables him to operate in the realm of critical scholarship and the wider Christian community. His experience in teaching at the undergraduate level and writing for the layperson both directly contribute to Logos’ goal of adapting scholarly tools for nonspecialists.
Dr. Heiser earned his PhD in Hebrew Bible and Semitic languages and holds and MA in ancient history and Hebrew studies. He is the co-editor of Old Testament Greek Pseudepigrapha with Morphology and Semitic Inscriptions: Analyzed Texts and English Translations, and can do translation work in roughly a dozen ancient languages, including Biblical Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Ugaritic cuneiform. He also specializes in Israelite religion (especially Israel’s divine council), contextualizing biblical theology with Israelite and ancient Near Eastern religion, Jewish binitarianism, biblical languages, ancient Semitic languages, textual criticism, comparative philology, and Second Temple period Jewish literature. In addition, he was named the 2007 Pacific Northwest Regional Scholar by the Society of Biblical Literature.
Add on Bundles
Expand your study with resources referenced in the course.
Small Book Bundle
Further your study with this bundle of supplemental reading. The Small Book Bundle includes a few key resources referenced in the course, making it the perfect starting point for further study.
 Small Book Bundle (5)
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Value if sold separately |
|---|---|
Faithlife Study Bible
The Faithlife Study Bible is the world’s largest study Bible, designed for digital with multiple layers of notes. It includes infographics, videos, tables, timelines, and over a hundred articles written by scholars and pastors across the world. Three layers of notes allow you to dig deeper in the text as you find answers to your biblical questions. Based on the original languages of the Bible, it is translation independent, with seven supported English translations in the notes.
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$0.00 |
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Lexham Bible Dictionary
Get the most advanced Bible dictionary in existence. The Lexham Bible Dictionary spans more than 7,000 articles, with contributions from hundreds of top scholars from around the world. Designed as a digital resource, it integrates seamlessly with the rest of your Logos library. And regular updates are applied automatically, ensuring that it never goes out of date.
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$0.00 |
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Exodus (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries | TOTC)
Exodus, Cole says, is 'the centre of the Old Testament'. It recounts the supreme Old Testament example of the saving acts of God, narrates the instituting of Passover and enshrines the giving of God's law. It portrays Moses, the prototype of all Israel's prophets, and Aaron, the first high priest.
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$19.99 |
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I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible
The Bible is filled with passages that are so baffling we tend to ignore them. Yet the passages that seem weird might be the most important. This collection of essays from Bible Study Magazine will shock you, intrigue you, and completely change the way you view the Bible.
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$11.99 |
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Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
The 'Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary' sets the standard for what a Bible dictionary should be—a vast storehouse of easy-to-find, easy-to-grasp, useful information. Completely revised and expanded, with more user-friendly features than ever, this edition of the 'Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary' is designed both for those who need information quickly and those who want in-depth treatments on hundreds of topics. Additionally, hundreds of color photographs, maps, reconstructions and charts illuminate the text in a way you never thought possible. Once you begin reading, you’ll understand why the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary has become the gold standard in Bible reference publishing!
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$20.99 |
Large Book Bundle
Explore commentaries, dictionaries, monographs, and other resources referenced throughout the course. The Large Book Bundle includes the most cited resources in the course, bundled together at a price much lower than purchasing them individually.
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Large Book Bundle (30)
|
Value if sold separately |
|---|---|
|
Faithlife Study Bible
The Faithlife Study Bible is the world’s largest study Bible, designed for digital with multiple layers of notes. It includes infographics, videos, tables, timelines, and over a hundred articles written by scholars and pastors across the world. Three layers of notes allow you to dig deeper in the text as you find answers to your biblical questions. Based on the original languages of the Bible, it is translation independent, with seven supported English translations in the notes.
|
$0.00 |
|
Lexham Bible Dictionary
Get the most advanced Bible dictionary in existence. The Lexham Bible Dictionary spans more than 7,000 articles, with contributions from hundreds of top scholars from around the world. Designed as a digital resource, it integrates seamlessly with the rest of your Logos library. And regular updates are applied automatically, ensuring that it never goes out of date.
|
$0.00 |
|
Exodus (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries | TOTC)
Exodus, Cole says, is 'the centre of the Old Testament'. It recounts the supreme Old Testament example of the saving acts of God, narrates the instituting of Passover and enshrines the giving of God's law. It portrays Moses, the prototype of all Israel's prophets, and Aaron, the first high priest.
|
$19.99 |
|
I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible
The Bible is filled with passages that are so baffling we tend to ignore them. Yet the passages that seem weird might be the most important. This collection of essays from Bible Study Magazine will shock you, intrigue you, and completely change the way you view the Bible.
|
$11.99 |
|
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
The 'Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary' sets the standard for what a Bible dictionary should be—a vast storehouse of easy-to-find, easy-to-grasp, useful information. Completely revised and expanded, with more user-friendly features than ever, this edition of the 'Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary' is designed both for those who need information quickly and those who want in-depth treatments on hundreds of topics. Additionally, hundreds of color photographs, maps, reconstructions and charts illuminate the text in a way you never thought possible. Once you begin reading, you’ll understand why the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary has become the gold standard in Bible reference publishing!
|
$20.99 |
|
Hebrew Bible Insert: A Student’s Guide to the Syntax of Biblical Hebrew
The Hebrew Bible Insert is designed to be used in conjunction with the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, as a guide to the syntax of Biblical Hebrew. Examples of virtually every major syntactic construction are available from within the text, as well as paradigms to aid in the declining of nouns and...
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$2.99 |
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The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1
Though we find the Gospel of Matthew first in the New Testament, many scholars believe that the Gospel of Mark is older. Matthew then is often seen as an expansion of Mark, incorporating most of the content of Mark while also adding sections that contain the teachings of Jesus, such as the Sermon on the Mount, and stories about the birth and infancy of Jesus. The phrase "This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet" appears sixteen times in the Gospel of Matthew, suggesting an emphasis on fulfilling the Law and the Prophets and implying that a Jewish audience may have been the first hearers of this Gospel. For them then and for us today, the Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as one who is "God with us" even until the end of time.
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1 and 2 Samuel (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries | TOTC)
The stories of Samuel, Saul, and David are among the most memorable in the Old Testament. Yet the lives of these individuals are bound up in the larger story of God's purpose for his people. Looking beyond the well-known surface of these stories, Joyce Baldwin explores the meaning of the biblical history of Israel's vital transition from a confederation of tribes to nationhood under a king. This commentary provides an excellent introduction to the critical issues of authorship, date, composition and structure of Samuel, as well as an able discussion of its theological themes.
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$12.99 |
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Matthew (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries | TNTC)
Matthew--the visit of the Magi, the Sermon on the Mount, the Great Commission: these are only a few of the well-known passages that draw readers specifically to Matthew's gospel. Yet it begins with a forbidding list of unknown names and apparently irrelevant 'begettings'. In fact, the early church may have placed Matthew first in the New Testament because it more fully than any other Gospel provides a Christian perspective on the relation between the church and the Jews, an issue that is still important today. R. T. France tackles this and other key issues in the Gospel with clarity, reliability and relevance.
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$19.99 |
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Westminster Bible Companion: John
The Gospel of John is one of the most beloved books in the Christian canon. Its stories and images have long captured the imaginations of Christians. Not only is it one of the most popular writings of the New Testament, but many aspects of its style and outlook are distinctive. In this clear, thorough, and accessible commentary on the Gospel of John, scholars Gail O'Day and Susan Hylen explore and explain this Gospel's distinctive qualities.
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$13.99 |
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Westminster Bible Companion: Matthew
The original audience for the Gospel of Matthew included converts from Judaism who wrestled with how to be faithful to Jesus Christ under difficult circumstances in a changing world. The Gospel of Matthew became a first-aid manual for this church in the midst of a struggle.
Thomas Long identifies this first audience and its faith within the social and religious context of the day and clarifies the structure of the Gospel. Providing examples of contemporary relevance, Long helps today's reader discern the significance of this guide for faithful living in today's church.
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$13.99 |
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The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible
In 'The Unseen Realm,' Michael Heiser shines a light on the supernatural world—not a new light, but rather the same light the original, ancient readers—and writers—of Scripture would have seen it in, given their historical and cultural milieu. This light allows today’s pastors and scholars to understand the biblical authors’ supernatural worldview.
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Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology | EDBT (Baker Reference Library)
This major reference volume includes over five hundred articles explaining the theological message and key themes of both Old and New Testaments. It includes articles on abortion, money, altars, pride, promise, the second coming, Jerusalem, and many others. More than 125 of the best evangelical Bible scholars provide insights from the biblical languages. Yet anyone using the volume does not need to know Hebrew or Greek. Bibliographies, indexes, and cross-references make this a useful volume for pastors, students, teachers, and lay people.
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$59.99 |
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Westminster Bible Companion: Psalms
In this insightful, informative, and easy-to-read volume, James Limburg takes us into the world of the Psalms and brings their world to us. Limburg studies each Psalm and shows how the Psalms confront the issues of our contemporary culture, transcending time, and transforming our faith and experience.
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$21.99 |
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Jesus Christ: Savior & Lord
Overview
With his customary encyclopedic reach and epigrammatic style, Donald Bloesch turns his attention to the hotly disputed, yet absolutely crucial, subject of the person and work of Jesus Christ. He brings a much–needed clarity to the current Christological debate, which, as Hans Küng noted, “has persisted since the dawn of the modern age [and] has not yet been resolved.”
Drawing on more than forty years of devoted study, Donald Bloesch now brings a much–needed clarity to the discussion. Well apprised of the most recent developments, yet grounded in his own deep Reformed faith, Bloesch goes beneath current reconstructions of the Jesus of history to probe underlying issues of theological method, models of salvation, the plausibility of miracles, the language of faith and the doctrine of sin.
As Bloesch declares, “Christology constitutes the heart of theology, since it focuses on God’s work of salvation in the historical figure Jesus of Nazareth, and the bearing that this...
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John (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries | TNTC)
Among the Gospels, John's is unique. It has a unique structure with long conversations and extended debates, and much of its content is not found elsewhere. Jesus' relationship to the Father and his teaching on the Holy Spirit are given special prominence. Ultimately, faith, believing in Jesus, is at the centre--with signs highlighted to provoke faith and stories of those who responded to Jesus as examples of faith. Colin Kruse ably shows how the Fourth Gospel weaves its themes of belief and unbelief into its rich Christology.
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Joshua (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries | TOTC)
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Psalms 73–150: (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries | TOTC)
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." "Thy word is a lamp to my feet." "Search me, O God, and know my heart!" Such phrases leap to mind each time a Christian lifts his heart to God. For many, in fact, the Psalms are the richest part of the Old Testament. Derek Kidner provides a fresh and penetrating guide to Psalms 73-150. He analyses each psalm in depth, comments on interpretative questions and brings out the universal relevance of the texts. He also gives special help on the psalmists" cries for vengeance. Together with its companion volume (Psalms 73-150) this introduction and commentary will inspire and deepen personal worship.
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$12.99 |
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Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches about the Unseen World—And Why It Matters
In Supernatural, Michael Heiser, tackles these questions and many more, based on his fifteen years of research into what the Bible really says about the unseen world. Heiser shines a light on the supernatural world—not a new light, but rather the same light the original, ancient readers and writers of Scripture would have seen it in. You may never read the Bible the same way again.
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Introduction to the Historical Books: Strategies for Reading
This fresh introduction to the Old Testament historical books explains the primary features of this literary genre and describes the books' relationship to history. Biblical scholar Steven McKenzie discusses the larger units of the Bible that the books belong to–the "Deuteronomistic History" and the "Chronicler's History–and surveys the critical methods that scholars use to study them.
These introductory matters are followed by a chapter on each of the Historical Books—Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and Ezra-Nehemiah. Each of these chapters contains a detailed outline of the book’s contents and a thorough discussion of the issues peculiar to that book— its text, composition, relationship to history, special literary features, and theology.
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Westminster Bible Companion: First and Second Samuel
The power of story as God's Word to the community of faith is never more clear than in the books of Samuel. Emotion, drama, complexity of character, and mystery fill the pages of these two biblical books. Eugene Peterson's commentary emphasizes the resonance and interplay between these stories of kings and prophets and the social and cultural issues that concern us today.
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Isaiah 1–39 (Westminster Bible Companion | WeBC)
In this volume, Walter Brueggemann writes on Isaiah 1–39, which many scholars believe had a single author, Isaiah, of the eighth century BCE, who wrote in the context of the Assyrian empire between 742 and 701.
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Foundations of the Christian Faith
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The Message of John (BST)
John the disciple of Jesus had known the Word of God incarnate. John the pastor and evangelist had contemplated the meaning of that unique person and event. Through the eyes of faith John retells the story of the Word, drawing out its meaning for his contemporaries so that they "might come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God" and "have life in his name."
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$14.99 |
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The Message of Matthew (BST)
Matthew's Gospel is the first--and perhaps the most important--single document of the New Testament. In it you will find the fullest and most systematic account of the birth, life, teaching, death and resurrection of the founder of Christianity, Jesus the Messiah. In this Bible Speaks Today volume, Michael Green shows how this very Jewish Gospel portrays the power and purpose of Jesus' life and work, which was to bring light to all nations.
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The Bible and Its Story (10 vols.)
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$10.99 |
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The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 1, A–C
The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible has been a classic Bible study resource for more than thirty years. Now thoroughly revised, this new five-volume edition provides up-to-date entries based on the latest scholarship. Beautiful full-color pictures supplement the text, which includes many new articles in addition to thorough updates and improvements of existing topics. Different viewpoints of scholarship permit a well-rounded perspective on significant issues relating to doctrines, themes, and biblical interpretation.
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Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
Every reader of the Bible has encountered the powerful, comforting, and sometimes puzzling imagery of Scripture. These concrete pictures with their hidden force have struck sharp and lasting impressions on our minds. Their imprint has etched itself on the language and grammar of Christian faith and Western culture.
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1 & 2 Samuel (NIV Application Commentary | NIVAC)
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The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 5, Q–Z
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