Mobile Ed: BI165 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages V (2 hour course)
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
In Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages V (BI165) Dr. Mike Heiser presents ten Scripture passages that challenge readers of the Bible. Old Testament topics include (1) the question of Cain’s marriage and cultural contribution (Gen 4:10–17); (2) the note that David’s prayers are ended (Psa 72:20), although other prayers follow in the Psalter; (3) the Day of Atonement’s goat for Azazel (Lev 16:6–22); (4) the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart (Exod 7:3–4); and (5) an apparent efficacious pagan sacrifice (2 Kgs 3:27). New Testament texts include (1) the missing verse that mentions an angel troubling the water (John 5:3b–4); (2) handing the sinner over to Satan (1 Cor 15:1–5); (3) the sin unto death (1 John 5:16–17); (4) the New Testament’s varied use of the title “apostle” (1 Cor 15:3–9); and (5) Jesus comparing Himself to a serpent (John 3:13–15). The course will help equip you to better interpret these challenging passages yourself and encourage you to study God’s Word deeper.
- Explain where Cain got his wife and how he founded a city
- Explain how the following subscription is accurate: “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended” (Psa 72:20)
- Describe the cosmology behind the Day of Atonement ritual
- Refute the idea that God was unfair to Pharaoh when God hardened Pharaoh’s heart
- Explain the cause of Israel’s withdrawal from battle in 2 Kgs 3
- Explain why the verse about angels troubling waters doesn’t appear in most new English translations of John 5:1–9
- Understand Paul’s command to deliver a sinful church member to Satan
- Explain what it means to speak of a sin unto death
- Explain the various ways the New Testament applies “apostle” to different categories of people
- Explain why Jesus compared Himself to a serpent
Introduction
- Introducing the Speaker and Course
Unit 1: Cain’s Offspring and Heritage (Gen 4:10–17)
- Literary Context (Gen 4:10–17)
- Non-Biblical People?
- Problems in Genesis 4:10–17
- Explaining Cain
Unit 2: Prayers of David Completed (Psa 72:20)
- Interpretive Issue (Psa 72:20)
- Book of Psalms: Compilation and Structure
- Nature of Superscriptions
- Summary (Psa 72:20)
Unit 3: Scapegoat (Lev 16:6–22)
- Interpretive Issues (Lev 16:6–22)
- Azazel and the Wilderness
- Where Sin Belongs
Unit 4: Hardening Pharaoh’s Heart (Exod 7:3–4)
- Interpretive Issue (Exod 7:3–4)
- The Order of the Hardening Pharaoh’s Heart
- Background to the Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart
- Wilfull Pharaoh and Sovereign God
Unit 5: Efficacious Pagan Sacrifice? (2 Kgs 3)
- Interpretive Issue (1 Kgs 3:27)
Invasion of Moab
- Pagan Sacrifice and Victory
- Consequences of Unbelief
Unit 6: Troubling Text: Troubling the Water (John 5:1–9)
- Interpretive Issue (John 5:1–9)
- The Missing Verse
- Contemporary Reasons to Omit
- First-Century Reasons to Omit
Unit 7: Handing over to Satan (1 Cor 5:1–5)
- Interpretive Issues (1 Cor 5:1–5)
- Delivered unto Satan
- Destruction of the Flesh
Unit 8: Sin that Leads to Death (1 John 5:16–17)
- Interpretive Issue (1 John 5:16–17)
- Which Sins Lead to Death?
- God’s Right to Judge
- Physical Death
Unit 9: “To all the apostles” (1 Cor 15:3–9)
- Interpretive Issue (1 Cor 15:3–9)
- To Cephas, and then to “the Twelve”
- Four Types of Apostles
- Today’s Apostles
Unit 10: Jesus and the Serpent in the Wilderness (John 3:13–15)
- Interpretive Issue (John 3:13–15)
- Serpent Symbolism
Conclusion
- Enhancing Your Study of Scripture with Logos
- Title: BI165 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages V
- Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
- Publisher: Lexham Press
- Publication Date: 2020
- Product Type: Logos Mobile Education
- Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources
- Courses: 1
- Video Hours: 2
Dr. Michael S. Heiser is a Scholar-in-Residence for Faithlife Corporation, 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 coeditor 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.
