Keeping Your Hebrew 2: Setting Goals

I did well in first-year Hebrew, so I had a fair amount of self-confidence at the end of that year. I set myself the goal of reading in the Psalms that summer. I mentioned this to my professor, and he told me that the Psalms were a difficult place to start. I found out that summer that he was right. A little bit of practice in Hebrew narrative does not leave you prepared for Hebrew poetry.

One man I know set himself the goal of reading through the Hebrew Bible. He did, but it took him seven years. That works out to about nine verses per day, though I'm sure there were some day he did many more, and some days he did fewer.

The points from these two stories are: 1) make your goals reasonable. It was not reasonable for me to attempt Hebrew poetry after only first-year Hebrew; 2) set intermediate goals, even if your eventual goal is to read through the whole Hebrew Bible. Seven years is a long time, and most people do not have the persistence to stick with such a long-term goal.

My recommendation is that you begin by setting a daily goal of time--say ten to fifteen minutes. Anyone, no matter how busy, can find ten to fifteen minutes per day. Second, I would recommend that you try to do that ten to fifteen minutes every day. Don't beat yourself up if you miss a day or two, but get back on track. It is harder to keep the habit than it is to break it. With this time goal, set a timer. When the time is over, you can quit (for the day). That way, if you're in the middle of a frustrating verse, you can come back the next day with a fresh look. The timer gives you the freedom to quit. On the other hand, if you're moving along quickly, you have the freedom to continue.

As to where to begin your reading, Campbell ( in Keep Your Greek) recommends the Gospel of John. For Hebrew, any of the narrative books will do, though Ruth and Jonah (excepting chapter 2) are often used as introductory texts, because the narrative is straightforward and the vocabulary is simple. Further, both books are short, and you get a sense of accomplishment quickly.

Keeping Your Hebrew 1: Great Expectations.

This is the first in a series on keeping up your Hebrew after seminary (or even while in seminary).

My first recommendation is that you buy and read Con Campbell's book Keep Your Greek, as most of what he suggests works for Hebrew as well. That being said, I don't intend to repeat what he has already said so well.

My first recommendation is that you not expect more from your first-year Hebrew class than it can actually deliver. In some seminaries, first-year Hebrew is intended only to give you enough Hebrew so that you you can make reasonable use of the electronic resources. Such a course is not designed to enable you to begin learning to read Hebrew.

Assuming that your Hebrew course is intended to help you begin the process of learning to read Hebrew, keep some things in mind.

First, remember first grade? When you learned the alphabet, and began to learn how to sound out words, and spell? In first-year Hebrew, you're back in first grade all over again. At the end of your first year, you'll have a modicum of vocabulary (usually around 400 words--everything that occurs more than 100 times in the OT). You'll also have a modicum of grammar and syntax; enough to help you make sense of most narrative sentences. That would be great if the OT were written in first-grade Hebrew, like those old Dick and Jane books were written in first-grade English.

Second, remember that you did not, at the end of first grade, begin reading Great Expectations. However, many people who want to use their Hebrew after finishing first-year Hebrew have great expectations about reading the Hebrew Bible. It's an understatement to say that such expectations are unreasonable. It is like setting a second-grader to reading Dickens. He might be able to do it, but it would happen very slowly, with frequent reference to a dictionary, and there would be many passages that he would be uncertain about. And that's "reading" a book written in his native language.

So. You have finished first-year Hebrew and you pick a passage, maybe a favorite passage in Isaiah, and you realize you have no idea what it says. You look up all the words and you still don't know what it says. Don't blame your first-year course. You're just not ready for Isaiah yet.

JETS Vol. 53 No. 1 March 2010

Article 1: "The Man Christ Jesus," by Bruce Ware. Very fine reminder of the necessity of remembering, and being exegetically aware of, the two natures of Christ.

Article 2: "An Overlooked Scriptural Paradox: The Pseudosorites," by Richard D. Patterson. You don't know what a pseudosorites is? You probably won't after reading this article either. Patterson's definitions and his presentation are unclear. Ultimately unhelpful.

Article 3: "Deuteronomy 6-8 and the History of Interpretation: An Exposition of the First Two Commandments," by Justin M. Fuhrmann. This focuses on understanding Deut 6-8 as a way of dealing with the arguments for a late date for Deuteronomy. Probably will not convince anyone already convinced of the Documentary Hypothesis, but useful. Unfortunately written in a turgid style that makes it hard to read. Probably a dissertation chapter.

Article 4: "What Does Theology Have to Do with the Bible? A Call for the Expansion of the Doctrine of Inspiration," by Norris C. Grubbs & Curtis Scott Drumm. Interesting, but overstates the problem. Seems to imply that the theologians don;t deal sufficiently with the problems raised by such things as the use of an amanuensis (secretary) in the writing of Paul's letters, and such. Also seems to assume that the biblical scholars are absolutely right in all their proposals. ultimately unhelpful.

Article 5: "Jesus is Our Jubilee" . . . But How? The OT Background and Lukan Fulfillment of the Ethics of Jubilee," by Christopher R. Bruno. Good biblical theology of the Jubilee, though I think he misses the context of the Ezekiel passage. Demonstrates that most modern attempts to "apply" the Jubilee are no doubt well-intentioned, but theologically unsound.

Article 6: "'Men of Galilee, Why Stand Gazing Up Into Heaven': Revisiting Galileo, Astronomy, and the Authority of the Bible," by H. J. Lee. Don't be misled by the title. This is really a discussion of the doctrine of accommodation as it applied to Galileo, Generally helpful, with some careful definitions. Especially helpful with regard to the modern misuse of the doctrine of accommodation by Peter Enns and others.

Article 7: "The Origins and Limitations of Pannenberg's Eschatology," by David J. Zehnder. I assume it is a fair presentation of Pannenberg, but I don't really see any usefulness of P. for evangelical theology. Is this perhaps a dissertation chapter?

Article 8: "Review Article: Locating Udo Schnelle's Theology of the New Testament in the Contemporary Discussion," by D. A. Carson. This is Carson at his best. In nine pages he not only gives a summary and substantive critique of Schnelle, he also surveys the current state of New Testament Theology. Highly recommended.

Article 9: "Review Article: The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Reading of Justification in Paul by Douglas A. Campbell," by Douglas J. Moo. A must-read. The discussion of justification in Paul is moving beyond the New Perspectives, and Campbell's critique of traditional Protestant exegesis is one of the directions. Moo provides a careful and substantive response to Campbell. One wonders in our circles how quickly some of Campbell will show up Federal Vision theology.

JBL Spring 2010

Welcome to my journal review (and other more technical works) blog. My intent is to post critical summaries of the journals I read for the help of others. I begin with the Spring 2010 issue of the Journal of Biblical Literature

Article 1: "Learning, Teaching, and Researching Biblical Studies, Today and Tomorrow," David J. A. Clines.

This article is the Presidential Address from the 2009 national meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. In it, he addresses the issue of teaching biblical studies. I have no doubt that Clines is an excellent teacher. He also gives some good advice here that many struggling with teaching would do well to consider. However, most of the article reads like it was cribbed from a first-semester "Education Philosophy" class in an American university education department. Take what you can use, and ignore the rest.

Article 2: "The Function of the Chronicler's Temple Despoliation Notices in Light of Imperial Realities in Yehud," by Paul S. Evans.

This article deals with the issue of temple despoliation (that is, the giving away of temple treasures) by some of the kings of Judah, as it affects the evaluation of those kings in both Kings and Chronicles. There may be some useful information here, but mostly not worth the time.

Article 3: "Death, Disinheritance, and Job's Kinsman-Redeemer," by Matthew S. Suriano.

This article speculates that the kinsman-redeemer in Job refers to a member of Job's extended family who would be responsible for seeing that he was properly buried, and thus that his name lived beyond his own time. Admittedly speculative, and blind to the theology of Job in its larger biblical context.

Article 4: "Gog's Grave and the Use and Abuse of Corpses in Ezekiel 39:11-20," by Francesca Stavrakopoulou.

Argues that the "corpse abuse" in Ezek 39 is intended to display Yhwh's ownership of the land as well as his defeat of Israel's enemies. This, coupled with the resurrection of the people in Ezek 37, validates Israel's ownership of the land. Helpful in its way, but seems to think that the meaning of the text is determined by what we know about burial practices in the ANE.

Article 5: "Jewish Identity Under Foreign Rule: Daniel 2 as a Reconfiguration of Genesis 41," by Matthew Rindge.

Posits that Daniel reworks (or at least reflects off of) Gen 41 in such a way as to show Daniel as exemplifying a middle way between the cultural accommodation of Joseph and cultural rejection of the Maccabees. Maybe.

Article 6: "Donkey Domain: Zechariah 9:9 and Lexical Semantics," by Kenneth C. Way.

This is apparently part of Way's dissertation. A useful discussion of the various words translated "donkey" in the Bible, and their significance.

Article 7: "The Gospel of John and the Five Senses," by Dorothy Lee.

Demonstrates the significance of the five senses in the Gospel of John, tying in the significance for the incarnation. Has to stretch a bit for the sense of smell, perhaps, but it also makes the opening of 1 John all the more important.

Article 8: "Spirit and Covenant Renewal: A Theologoumenon of Paul's Opponents in 2 Corinthians," by Thomas R. Blanton, IV.

Rightly sees covenant renewal in 2 Cor 3-4, but misreads the OT "new covenant" passages in a legalistic way, and contrasts Paul's "law-free" gospel with the legalistic "new covenant" of his opponents. Manages to misunderstand new covenant and Paul in the same article.

Article 9: "Why Is There No Thanksgiving Period in Galatians? An Assessment of an Exegetical Commonplace," by Robert E. Van Voorst

Revisits the question of why there is no "I give thanks for you all" following Paul's initial greeting in Gal 1:1-5. Shows that such a thanksgiving period was not (contrary to common opinion) a regular part of comparable letters. Further, the reason for the absence is found in Paul's greeting, which prepares the reader for Paul's "I am amazed" in Gal 1:6ff. Useful reading of the opening section of Galatians.

Article 10: P.Oxy 2949--Its Transcription and Significance: A Response to Thomas Wayment," by Paul Foster.

A small discussion over the reading in one of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri. Useful for those who follow such things.

Article 11: "How Accurate Are Eyewitnesses? Bauckham and the Eyewitnesses in the Light of Psychological Research," by Judith C. H. Redman.

Part of the continuing response to Bauckham's Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Casts doubt on the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Posits that some of the differences among the gospels may be accounted for by what we have learned about eyewitness testimony, rather than assuming redactional intent. Having not read Bauckham's work, I don't know what he said. But Redman herself fails to take two things into account. First, the role of inspiration and the work of the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26, especially the part about "bring to your remembrance"). Second, the likelihood that Jesus, in his three plus years of itinerant ministry, spoke on the same topics more than once, and that gospel differences may also be accounted for distinct events.