"Exegetically Speaking" is a weekly podcast of the friends and faculty of Wheaton College, IL and The Lanier Theological Library. Hosted by Dr. David Capes, it features language experts who discuss the importance of learning the biblical languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—and show how reading the Bible in the original languages "pays off." Each podcast lasts between seven and eleven minutes and covers a different topic for those who want to read the Bible for all it is worth. Click on the ⓘ…
In the Hebrew of Jonah 3:4, the prophet announces a forty day delay before judgment falls on the Assyrian city of Nineveh. In the Greek version (LXX) of the same passage, the period allowed is just three days. Sometimes the Greek version is a more reliable witness to the original than the Hebrew, since the Hebrew may exist only in later copies. So did Jonah announce a deadline of three days or…
In a passage closely paralleled in Micah 4, the entire book of Isaiah is anticipated. A Hebrew particle in Isa. 2:3, the meaning of which is debated, hints at the scope of the inclusion of the nations (Gentiles) in God's dealings with Israel and the nations' own misgivings about the extent of their inclusion. Will they experience partial or full participation? Dr. David Baer, a Wheaton College…
Dr. David Baer, a Wheaton College alum and a missionary with Mesa Global, is Director of Mesa Scholars and Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages at Medellín's Biblical Seminary of Colombia. In this episode he announces and explains a planned Erasmus Academy of Biblical Languages, which will be a Spanish language institution, based in Colombia, serving as a platform for learning the…
Prof. George Kalantzis returns for a third comment on one of the Bible's most well-known verses, John 3:16. A seemingly small question – should the English pronoun 'his' be inserted where the Greek has only the article 'the'? – swells with importance when viewed through the lens of the church's theological growth over the centuries following the apostles. Dr. George Kalantzis is Professor of…
The KJV of 2 Sam. 17:3 reads in part, "And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace," whereas the ESV reads, "and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace." Behind this difference is a fascinating story…
Paul writes to the Philippian believers, "if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love . . . ." Does he doubt that they do? How do conditional sentences work on occasions like this? Dr. Phil Ryken , who has been a regular on our podcast, is the President of Wheaton College , 8 th in the college's history. His most recent book is I Have My Doubts: How…
In the hevel-ridden world of Ecclesiastes the writer is asking whether it is all worth it for human beings. These reflections resonate with a modern audience, but what can be hard to grasp in translation is the sound of the Hebrew sentences, which itself assists in conveying the intended meaning. Bradley Cameron (PhD, Wheaton), who has been on the podcast before, is Visiting Assistant Professor of…
In Luke 19:3, Zacchaeus is unable to see Jesus because he is short. Is it possible that the short person in question is Jesus? Jon C. Laansma is Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek & Exegesis and the Director of the Classical Languages program at Wheaton College, and also the Wheaton-based director of this podcast series. Some of his publications may be found here . He is…
The traditional translations of Gen. 2:24 have the man "leaving his father and mother," "clinging to his wife," and "becoming one flesh." The assumed frame of reference is that of marriage and sexual union. Yet situating that language in its cultural context and noting a Babylonian parallel to one of those phrases points to a corporate frame of reference. Dr. John Walton , Old Testament Professor…
When Noah ( Noach ) is first introduced in Genesis 5, it is said that "he will bring us relief ( nacham )." This and other wordplays will feature significantly throughout the entire story of the flood, not least in Gen. 6:6-8. Dr. Adam E. Miglio , a frequent contributor to our podcast, is Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College . His publications include The Gilgamesh Epic in Genesis 1-11:…
In a Trinitarian passage, Jesus (the Son) declares, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another παράκλητος ( parakletos ), to be with you forever." The understanding of that Greek designation of the Holy Spirit is critical for grasping the promise of Jesus, the assurance it contains, and the marks of its fulfillment. Dr. Phil Ryken , who has been a regular on our podcast, is the President…