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Urban Legends of the Old Testament: 40 Common Misconceptions

Publisher:
, 2019
ISBN: 9781430077794
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Overview

Urban Legends of the Old Testament surveys forty of the most commonly misinterpreted passages in the Old Testament. These “urban legends” often arise because interpreters neglect a passage’s context, misuse historical background information, or misunderstand the original language of the text.

With a pastoral tone and helpful explanations of where the error originally occurred, authors David A. Croteau and Gary E. Yates tackle legendary biblical misinterpretations of topics like the origin of evil or the purpose of Mosaic food laws, as well as common misconceptions about dinosaurs, or NASA discovering Joshua’s long day. Urban Legends of the Old Testament will help readers avoid missteps in the interpretation of key biblical texts while modeling interpretative techniques that can also be applied to other Old Testament passages.

  • Surveys forty of the most commonly misinterpreted passages in the Old Testament
  • Models interpretative techniques that can also be applied to other Old Testament passages
  • Provides helpful explanations of where the error originally occurred

Top Highlights

“Names of gods were also used for invoking magic spells to try to get the god to do the bidding of the one praying (see Jer 28:2). Knowing that this was common, God gives this command in Exod 20:7, at least in part, to warn the Israelites against using his name (Yahweh) to give authority to their words (when he has not actually given them the words to say) or to try to manipulate him to meet their request.” (Page 38)

“Individuals, rather than their parents, bear ultimate responsibility for their choices.” (Page 162)

“Proverbial sayings teach general principles about how life works, but they are not promises or absolute guarantees” (Page 161)

“When read in its context, Jer 29:11 is clearly not a promise of personal prosperity or an assurance that everyone who knows the Lord has the prospect of a bright and rosy future without difficulty or hardship in front of them. The people who were the recipients of the promise in 29:10–11 were already living under the harsh conditions of exile as a result of divine discipline for their sins, and most of them would remain in that situation for the rest of their lives. The words well-being (CSB), welfare (NASB, JPS), to prosper you (NIV, NET), and peace (KJV, NKJV) translate the Hebrew shalom, which refers to a wholeness and peace much broader than financial blessing or prosperity.” (Page 214)

“The common cultural conception of ceremonial purity in the ancient Near East was the Lord’s way of teaching Israel both the blessings and responsibilities of living in his presence. The Lord required the priests and people to constantly distinguish between the holy and the common and the clean and the unclean as a way of teaching that every part of their lives was sacred to God (Lev 10:10; 11:44–45). The Lord required ceremonial purity of his people as they lived before him and came into his presence because of his actual physical presence among them.” (Page 59)

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  1. Gary Shogren

    Gary Shogren

    1/13/2021

    This treatment, while of great value, completely misuses the term "urban legend." An urban legend is a story that is passed from person to person about some supposed event, one which occurred to a person whom the teller does not know, often a FOAF (friend of a friend). An urben legend is characterized by its rootlessness (it happened last year in the South! a missionary to Africa said he heard it!), and by its longevity. Urban legends usually have an ironic twist, often either frightening or humorous. "Did you hear about the woman who put her cat in the microwave to dry it off?" is an urban legend. (We cannot determine: When and where did this happen? What woman? Is there a link to a newspaper account?) "Did you hear about the missionary's kid in Africa who played rock music, and the 'natives' told them, 'This is the exact music we play to summon demons!'?" Christian urban legend. The unbelieving professor who drops a piece of chalk to see if God can make it not shatter? Christian urban legend. The hitchhiker that says Jesus is about to return, and then disappears from the car - Christian urban legend that has circulated for many decades. The instances in this book are not urban legends at all, but "common exegetical misperceptions" (this correct noun is used in the subtitle) which are passed along from person to person." That the Mosaic food laws were about healthy living; that the tithe was 10% of one's income. Misinterpretations. Chapter 17, a section about how NASA supposedly proved Joshua's long day, is closer to this genre, but it's more myth than urban legend, since it gives names and dates. Given that it is the title of the book, some fact-checker should have caught this error! The companion New Testament volume is based on the same misdefinition.
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