Mobile Ed: Michael Heiser Master Course Collection (16 courses)

by Michael S. Heiser; Logos Mobile Education

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2014–2020

Overview

Discover the rich, challenging teaching of Dr. Michael S. Heiser. In this sixteen-course bundle, you’ll learn the art and science of Bible interpretation and how to grapple with difficult passages. Consider different positions on controversial topics like baptism, inspiration, inerrancy, and the end times and get the tools to support what you believe. Learn how to use Hebrew in Logos Bible Software. Explore the process of inspiration as it applies to New Testament manuscripts as well as the Hebrew Bible’s writing, composition, canonicity, and transmission through the ages. Dive into Old Testament theology and discover foundational truths for apologetics and Jewish evangelism. Learn how to understand the Bible in its ancient context. See how the worldview of the paranormal television series Stranger Things can help us think about the story of Jesus and discover glimpses of the gospel.

Product Details

• Title: Michael Heiser Master Course Collection
• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education
• Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources
• Courses: 16
• Video Hours: 61.5

BI101 Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 5

The Bible is a vast, complex book, and while some of its contents can be understood by a child, much of it requires careful thought. How do we interpret the Bible correctly? Why do biblical scholars disagree on interpretation?

Dr. Mike Heiser introduces students to the science and art of Bible interpretation. The Bible is a book written for us but not to us, so accurate interpretation needs to be informed by the ancient worldview of the biblical writers, their historical circumstances, cultural and religious beliefs of their day, literary genre, and the original languages of the Bible. Learn the necessary tools for accurate and meaningful biblical interpretation.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and Course
• My Task

Unit 1: Obstacles to Interpretation

• Meaning Is Not Self-Evident
• Obstacle #1: Presuppositions
• Obstacle #2: Author
• Obstacle #3: Reader
• Obstacle #4: Medium
• Obstacle #5: Meaning
• Obstacle #6: Translation
• Obstacle #7: Precedent
• Obstacle #8: Context
• Obstacle #9: Relevance
• Obstacle #10: Validation

Unit 2: Seeing the Bible in Context

• Reading Isn’t Seeing
• Three Biblical Contexts

Unit 3: Worldview Context

• Introduction to Worldview Context
• Historical Context
• Cultural Context
• Religious Context
• Tools for Worldview Context
• Primary Sources
• Reference Works
• Academic Monographs
• Bible Commentaries
• Devotional or Popular Commentaries
• Expositional Commentaries
• Scholarly Commentaries
• Journal Articles
• Digital Resources

Unit 4: Literary Context

• Introduction to Literary Context
• Genre
• How Genre Influences Meaning
• Genre and Structure

Unit 5: Literary Context: Old Testament Genres

• Old Testament Narratives
• Genealogies
• Legal Texts
• Psalms and Prayers
• Types of Psalms
• Psalm Interpretation
• Wisdom Literature
• Proverbs
• Old Testament Prophecy and Apocalyptic
• Interpreting Prophetic Literature

Unit 6: Literary Context: New Testament Genres

• New Testament Narrative
• Gospels
• Epistles
• New Testament Hymns
• Domestic Codes
• Virtue/Vice Lists
• New Testament Apocalyptic

Unit 7: Literary Context: Understanding Prophecy

• Fulfillment
• Literalism and Single Intent
• Amos 9 and Acts 15: Part 1
• Amos 9 and Acts 15: Part 2
• Sensus Plenior: Part 1
• Sensus Plenior: Part 2
• Analogical Fulfillment
• Typological Fulfillment

Unit 8: Literary Context: Literary Devices

• Chiasm
• Gematria
• Hyperbole
• Imagery
• Metaphor
• Merism
• Parallelism

Unit 9: Linguistic Context

• Introduction to Linguistic Context
• Word Level
• Working at the Word Level
• Word-Level Analysis
• Summary of Three Competencies

Unit 10: Application and Conclusion

• Individual and Pastoral Application
• Conclusion to the Course

LA171 Learn to Use Biblical Hebrew in Logos (12 hour course)

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2020
• Video Hours: 12

Using a practical approach, Dr. Michael Heiser shows you how to use biblical Hebrew to become a competent interpreter of the Old Testament. Perform word studies alongside an expert and learn to avoid common mistakes. Learn grammatical terminology used in commentaries and journal articles so you can follow the discussion. Dr. Heiser teaches you the concepts and introduces you to the tools, and then walks you through each step of interpretation.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and Course

Unit 1: Preliminary Matters

• Conceptual Introduction
• Payoff of This Course
• Reverse Interlinear: Primary Tool
• Why the Centerpiece?
• Roadmap for the Course

Unit 2: Tools for Word Studies

• Some Common Tools
• Dictionaries and Lexicons
• Types of Lexicons
• Theological Lexicons
• Lexicons’ Use of Strong’s Numbers
• Lexical Tools That Use Strong’s Numbers
• Limitations of Strong’s Dictionary

Unit 3: English Words and Word Meanings

• How Do Words “Mean”?
• Polysemy
• Contexts
• Relationships to Other Words
• Synonyms
• Antonyms
• Homographs
• How Words Don’t “Mean”
• English Words and Meanings: Summary

Unit 4: Hebrew Words and English Translations

• Polysemy and Translation
• One English Word Translating Different Hebrew Words
• About Hebrew Words
• Root Fallacy
• Sound Fallacy
• Homograph Fallacy
• Core Meaning Fallacy
• “Hebrew Thought” versus “Greek Thought” Fallacy
• Hebrew Words: Summary and Review

Unit 5: Methods for Studying Hebrew Words

• Previewing the Methods
• Inadequate versus Sound Methods
• Gathering Data: Occurrences
• Gathering Data: Glosses
• Thinking about the Data
• Word Distribution
• Semantic Range
• Thinking about Distribution
• Grammar and Syntax
• Meaning of עַלְמָה (ʿalmâ): Tentative Conclusions
• Checking Your Conclusions: Loaded Terms
• Checking Your Conclusions: Metaphorical Sense
• Word Studies: Summary

Unit 6: Nouns

• Previewing Morphology, Syntax, and Meaning
• Nouns: Terms and Concepts
• Nouns: Gender and Number
• Nouns: Definiteness and Relationship
• Construct Relationship: Definition
• Construct State: Classes
• Construct Nouns: Interpretive Examples
• Construct Relationship: Noun and Its Suffix
• Construct Noun and Suffix: Interpretive Examples
• Nouns: Appositional Relationship
• Nouns: Definiteness and the Definite Article
• Definite Article and Uniqueness: “The River” = “Nile”
• Definite Article: Uniqueness or Demonstrative Force
• Definite Article: Species or Class
• Definite Article: Functioning Like a Relative Pronoun
• Definite Article: Substitute for Possessive Pronoun
• Definite Article: Signaling a Vocative
• Definite Article: Interesting Cases of Presence or Absence
• Definite Article: Advice and Discovery

Unit 7: Prepositions

• Previewing Prepositions
• Preposition אֶל (ʾel)
• Preposition אֵת (ʾēt)
• Preposition בְּ (b): Locative Use
• Preposition בְּ (b): Other Uses
• Preposition בֵּין (bên)
• Preposition כְּ (k)
• Preposition לְ (l), Part 1
• Preposition לְ (l), Part 2
• Preposition לִפְנֵי (lip̄nê)
• Preposition מִן (min), Part 1
• Preposition מִן (min), Part 2
• Preposition עַד (ʿaḏ)
• Preposition עַל (ʿal), Part 1
• Preposition עַל (ʿal), Part 2
• Preposition עִם (ʿim), Part 1
• Preposition עִם (ʿim), Part 2
• Prepositions: Summary
• Focus on Prepositions

Unit 8: Conjunctions

• Previewing Conjunctions
• Conjunction אִם (ʾim)
• Conjunction אֲשֶׁר (ʾăšer)
• Conjunction כִּי (kî)
• Conjunctions לוּ and לוּלֵא (lû and lûlēʾ)
• Conjunction לְמַעַן (lĕmaʿan)
• Conjunction פֶּן (pen)
• Conjunctions עַל־כֵּן and לָכֵן (ʿal-kēn and lāḵēn)
• Conjunction וְ (w, waw or vav)
• Conjunctions: Advice and Summary

Unit 9: Verbs: Terminology

• Previewing Terminology
• Verbal Tense, Aspect, Voice, and Mood
• Verbal Types
• Verbal Person, Gender, and Number
• Verbal Conjugations
• Verbal Parsing and Morphology

Unit 10: Verbal Tense, Aspect, and Mood

• Previewing Verbal Forms and Stems
• Verbal Tense, Aspect, and Mood: Summary
• Perfect/Suffixed Conjugation (qātal)
• Imperfect/Prefixed Conjugation (yiqtōl)
• Summary of Perfect (qātal) and Imperfect (yiqtōl) Forms
• Perfect (qātal) and Imperfect (yiqtōl) Forms: Examples
• Interpreting the Use of Perfect and Imperfect Conjugations
• Volitional Conjugations
• Volitional Forms: Discovering Examples
• Interpreting the Use of Volitional Forms
• Participles: Functions
• Participles: Tense, Aspect, and Mood
• Participles: Discovering Examples
• Interpreting the Use of Participles
• Infinitives: Functions
• Infinitive Constructs: Discovering Examples
• Interpreting the Use of Infinitive Absolute Constructions

Unit 11: Verbal Stems

• Introducing Verbal Stems
• Eight Major Verbal Stems
• Identifying Verbal Stems and Conjugations
• Rare Stems and Stems in LHB
• Verbal Stem Terminology
• Qal/G Stem
• Discovering Occurrences of the Qal
• Qal Passive/Gp Stem
• Niphal/N Stem
• Discovering Occurrences of the Niphal
• Interpreting the Use of the Niphal
• Piel/D Stem
• Meaning Nuances of the Piel
• Discovering Occurrences of the Piel
• Interpreting the Use of the Piel
• Pual/Dp Stem
• Meaning Nuances of the Pual
• Discovering Occurrences of the Pual
• Interpreting the Use of the Pual
• Hitpael/HtD Stem
• Meaning Nuances of the Hitpael
• Discovering Occurrences of the Hitpael
• Interpreting the Use of the Hitpael
• Hiphil/H Stem
• Meaning Nuances of the Hiphil
• Discovering Occurrences of the Hiphil
• Interpreting the Use of the Hiphil
• Hophal/Hp Stem
• Meaning Nuances of the Hophal
• Discovering Occurrences of the Hophal
• Interpreting the Use of the Hophal
• Rare Verbal Stems
• Verbal Stems: Summary

Unit 12: Verb Changes with Vav Conjunction

• Previewing Verb Sequences
• Wayyiqtōl: Consecutive-Sequential
• Discovering Occurrences of Wayyiqtōl
• Wĕqātal: Conjunctive and Sequential
• Other Verb Chains

Unit 13: Aramaic and Transliteration

• Interpretive Overlaps with Aramaic
• Aramaic and Word Studies
• Aramaic Overlaps and Parallels to Hebrew Stems
• Hebrew Alphabet and Transliteration: א to ל
• Hebrew Alphabet and Transliteration: מ to ת

Conclusion

• Quick Review
• Appendix: The Lexham Discourse Hebrew Bible and the High Definition Old Testament
• Assumptions behind the Resources
• Introducing Discourse
• Choice and Meaning
• Introducing the Lexham Discourse Hebrew Bible and the High Definition Old Testament
• Grammatical Labels and Propositional Outlines
• Using the Lexham Discourse Hebrew Bible and the High Definition Old Testament
• Grammatical Categories: Forward-Pointing Devices
• Studying Tail-Head Linkage
• Grammatical Categories: Thematic Highlighting Devices
• Studying Overspecification
• Grammatical Categories: Word Order Devices
• Studying Fronting
• Key Discourse Resources in Logos

BI161 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages I

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2016
• Video Hours: 3

Believe it or not, not everything in the Bible can be understood by children; many passages are not even easy to understand for adults. Delve into a number of difficult passages with Dr. Heiser as he introduces key interpretive issues and the problems that are lurking in the background of these verses. He guides you through what needs the most attention and introduces you to several options for interpretation for each passage. Dr. Heiser focuses on the importance of being able to wrap our minds around and navigate through the difficult passages of Scripture, because although they may be challenging, they are still significant for theology. How you understand these verses will have an important ripple effect on the interpretation of other passages you will encounter in the course of your own personal Bible study.

Contents:

Unit 1: Genesis 1:1-3

• Why Worth Discussing?
• Types of Clauses?
• Clause Functions
• Introducing Gen 1:1–3
• Traditional View of Clauses and a Hidden Factor, Alternate View
• Importance and Ramifications

Unit 2: 1 Samuel 13:1

• Why Worth Discussing? The Problems Introduced
• Problems #1 and #2 Discussed
• Resolution

Unit 3: Exodus 4:21-26

• Why Worth Discussing?
• The Context and Why the Confusion?
• Bridegroom of Blood Phrase

Unit 4: Genesis 9:20-25

• Why Worth Discussing?
• Historical Explanations
• Maternal Incest

Unit 5: Deuteronomy 32:8-9

• Why Worth Discussing?
• The Issue: Out of Date Translations
• The Meaning

Unit 6: John 1:1-2

• Why John 1:1–2 Is Worth Discussing
• Explaining the Issue
• GONG
• Summary of What We Found

Unit 7: Acts 2:42-46

• Why Worth Discussing?
• Modern Perspective
• Immediate Context
• Wider Context

Unit 8: 1 Peter 3:14-22

• Why Worth Discussing?
• The Passage and Its Difficulties
• Explanation
• 1 Enoch, Enoch, and Typology
• Baptism Element

Unit 9: 1 Corinthians 15:29

• Why Worth Discussing?
• Focus of Interpretation
• Select Proposed Interpretations

Unit 10: Romans 6:1-14

• Why Worth Discussing?
• Analysis
• Practical Note
• Conclusion

BI162 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages II

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2017
• Video Hours: 3

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.

Contents:

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

BI163 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages III

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2018
• Video Hours: 2.5

Join Dr. Michael Heiser as he explores some challenging passages of Scripture. In this course Dr. Heiser looks at ten different passages—five in the Old Testament and five in the New Testament. He identifies the key issues and walks through different ways of understanding them. The course will help equip you to better interpret challenging passages yourself and encourage you to study God’s Word more deeply.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and Course

Unit 1: Deuteronomy 21:15–17

• “If a Man Has Two Wives …”
• Cultural Status Quo
• What Does Scripture Actually Present?

Unit 2: Deuteronomy 25:11–12

• Unreasonable Punishment?
• Another Proposal
• Context of Deuteronomy 25:11–12

Unit 3: Exodus 21:22–25

• The Meaning of “Harm”
• Does the Law Devalue the Fetus?
• Hammurabi’s Code

Unit 4: 1 Samuel 19:11–17

• Was David an Idolater?
• Insight into the Teraphim
• Teraphim as Ancestor Figurines

Unit 5: Numbers 5:11–22

• The Test for Adultery
• God Is a Witness

Unit 6: Matthew 1:5b–7a vs. Luke 3:31b–32a

• Different Genealogies?
• Davidic Blood
• Jeconiah
• Lines of Descent
• Solomon in Matthew’s Genealogy

Unit 7: John 9:1–3

• Sin and the Man Born Blind
• Greek Grammar
• Fallacious Reasoning

Unit 8: John 9:6–7

• Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind
• The Unusual Means of Jesus’s Healing
• Echoes of Creating Adam
• Jesus as Creator-Potter

Unit 9: Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 11:3

• Creating the World or Worlds?
• Several Possible Responses

Unit 10: Romans 10:13–18

• The Issue in Romans 10:18
• What Is Paul Quoting and Saying?
• Paul’s Thinking
• What’s Going On?

Conclusion

• Conclusion to the Course

Mobile Ed: BI164 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages IV

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: (Forthcoming) 2020
• Video Hours: 2

In Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages IV (BI164) Dr. Mike Heiser addresses five Old Testament and five New Testament passages that challenge readers of the Bible. Old Testament topics include (1) tattoos, (2) the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, (3) the “strange” fire of Nadab and Abihu, (4) whether God causes people to sin, and (5) the “secret things” of God. New Testament topics include (1) guardian angels, (2) Jesus as “firstborn,” (3) Paul’s use of Psalm 68:18, (4) unworthy participation in the Lord’s Supper, and (5) Jude quoting Enoch. The course will help equip you to better interpret these challenging passages yourself and encourage you to study God’s Word deeper.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and Course

Unit 1: Tattoos (Lev 19:28)

• Interpretative Issue (Lev 19:28)
• Immediate Literary Context (Lev 19:28)
• Expanded Literary Context (Lev 19:28)
• Conclusion (Lev 19:28)

Unit 2: Take not Your Holy Spirit from Me (Psa 51:10–11)

• Interpretive Issue (Psa 51:10–11)
• New Testament Literary Context (Rom 5:5; 8:9–11)
• Promise of a New Covenant (Jer 31:31–33)
• Promise of Holy Spirit (Ezek 36:24–27; Joel 2:28–29)
• Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
• Conclusion (Psa 51:10–11)

Unit 3: “Foreign” Fire (Lev 10:1–3)

• Interpretive Issue (Lev 10:1–3)
• “Unauthorized” Fire?
• Sacred Space

Unit 4: Samson’s Plans vis-à-vis God’s Will (Judg 14:1–4)

• Interpretive Issue (Judg 14:1–4)
• Interpretive Pointer (Judg 14:4)
• Man’s Plans vis-à-vis God’s Will
• Joseph’s Story

Unit 5: Secrets vis-à-vis Revelation (Deut 29:29)

• Interpretive Issue (Deut 29:29)
• Importance of Context (Deut 29:29)
• Historical and Literary Context (Deut 29:29)

Unit 6: “Guardian Angels”? (Matt 18:10)

• Interpretive Issue (Matt 18:10)
• Angelic Protection (Psa 91:11–12)
• Angelic Mediation
• Heavenly Council
• Heavenly Books

Unit 7: Firstborn of Creation (Col 1:15)

• Interpretive Issue (Col 1:13–17)
• Israel as “Firstborn” (Exod 4:21–23)
• David as “Firstborn” (Psa 89:20–29)
• “Firstborn” Indicating Preeminence
• Literary Context (Col 1:15, 19)
• Conclusion: Preeminence not Chronology

Unit 8: Ascending, Descending, Captives, and Gifts (Eph 4:8–9)

• Interpretive Issue (Eph 4:8–9)
• Old Testament Context (Psa 68:18)
• Paul, Jesus, and the Old Testament
• Ascending and Descending (Eph 4:9–10)
• Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Unit 9: Unworthy Approach to the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11:27–30)

• Interpretive Issue (1 Cor 11:27–30)
• Three Key Questions
• Mistreating the Poor
• Correcting Behavior
• Conclusion (1 Cor 11:33–34)

Unit 10: Enoch Prophesied (Jude 14–15)

• Interpretive Issue (Jude 14–15)
• What Makes a Prophet?
• Value of Extrabiblical Texts

Conclusion

• Continuing to Learn with Logos

BI165 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Difficult Passages V

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: (Forthcoming) 2020
• Video Hours: 2

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.

Contents:

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

BI171 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Why Do Christians Disagree about End Times?

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2016
• Video Hours: 4

Why do Christians disagree over interpretations of the end times? If you have ever wondered this, or if you are struggling to understand a fellow Christian’s point-of-view, this course will give you the insight you desire. Scripture addressing the end times include a number of difficult passages, which Dr. Heiser unpacks with faithfulness and wisdom. He guides you through assumptions inherent in various interpretations of end-times events and introduces you to several options for interpreting each passage. Dr. Heiser focuses on the importance of being able to understand various points of view and gives you tools to support why you believe what you believe.

Contents:

Unit 1: Understanding the Kingdom of God

• Why Do Christians Disagree About End Times?
• The Nature of the Kingdom of God
• Introducing the Abrahamic Covenant
• Conditional or Unconditional Promises
• The Nature of Salvation for Jews and Gentiles
• Discussing the Boundaries of the Promised Land
• The Present or Future Kingdom of God
• Summarizing the Nature of the Kingdom of God

Unit 2: Rapture or Not?

• Interpreting the Concept of a “Rapture”
• End Times Events: The Hermeneutics of Harmonization
• Distinguishing Between Israel and the Church
• The Timing of Jesus’s Return
• Does Scripture Teach a Rapture?

Unit 3: The 70th Week of Daniel

• Daniel 9 and Premillennialism
• Reconstructing End Times Chronology
• Is Jesus “the Anointed One” in Daniel 9?
• Two Assumptions in Daniel 9
• Understanding the “Anointed One”
• Summarizing the 70th Week Issues

Unit 4: Has the Church Replaced Israel?

• The Church and Israel: End Times Prophecy
• Who Are the People of God?
• The Abrahamic Covenant and the Salvation of Israel
• The Salvation of Israel and the Second Coming
• Summarizing the Discussion

Unit 5: Literal vs. Nonliteral Interpretation

• Considering the Interpretation of Prophecy
• Example of Non-Literal Interpretation
• A Christological Interpretation of Amos 9
• Summarizing the Discussion

BI172 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Why Do Christians Disagree about Baptism?

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2017
• Video Hours: 3

In Problems in Bible Interpretation: Why Do Christians Disagree on Baptism? (BI172), Dr. Michael Heiser highlights the fundamental areas of debate concerning an important rite of the church. Then he identifies a common cause for these disagreements—namely, unclear language regarding the relationship between baptism and salvation. He examines three of the most prominent historic confessions of the Reformed tradition in order to understand where the confusion originates from. To help us sort through these issues, Dr. Heiser offers a key hermeneutical principle, which can enable us to better articulate a clear and biblical defense of baptism (infant or adult) as well as justify a particular mode of baptism—whether sprinkling, pouring, or immersion—without violating the purity of the gospel of Jesus.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Issues Related to the Recipients

• Reasons for Disagreements
• Infant Baptism in the Reformed Tradition
• Problems with the Reformed View of Baptism
• The Belgic Confession: Part One
• The Belgic Confession: Part Two
• The Belgic Confession: Part Three
• The Heidelberg Catechism: Part One
• The Heidelberg Catechism: Part Two
• The Heidelberg Catechism: Part Three
• The Westminster Confession

Unit 2: Solutions to the Problem of Recipient and Rationale

• Framing the Discussion in Light of Colossians 2:8–12
• The Fundamental Question
• What Circumcision Did Not Accomplish
• What Circumcision Did Accomplish
• Membership in the Covenant Community
• Implications for the Church

Unit 3: Issues Related to the Mode of Baptism

• Overview of the Argument
• Other Meanings for Baptizō
• What’s More Important—Motion or Result?

Unit 4: Application to Controversial Passages

• The Hermeneutical Key
• Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16

Conclusion

• Course Summary

BI173 Problems in Bible Interpretation: Why Do Christians Disagree about the Bible?

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser with Joshua R. Westbury
• Publication Date: 2017
• Video Hours: 4

Christians believe the Bible is God’s Word, but the specific implications behind what that means are debated. In Problems in Bible Interpretation: Why Do Christians Disagree about the Bible? (BI173), Dr. Michael Heiser examines the issues of inspiration, inerrancy, and the canon. He explores different views on what role human authors played in the writings found in the Bible and how they were inspired by God. Then he moves on to address several questions surrounding the doctrine of inerrancy: What does the term mean? How have Christians understood it historically? What constitutes an “error”? Finally, he looks at the books included in the Bible, or the canon, and how it came to be. Through a discussion of the historical development of the Christian canon, he explains the reasons why various traditions regard different books as authoritative.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Inspiration

• Millard Erickson’s Five Categories
• Dynamic, Verbal, Dictation
• Human and Divine Element of Inspiration

Unit 2: Inerrancy

• What Does Inerrancy Mean?
• Historical Positions: Part 1
• Historical Positions: Part 2
• Inerrancy: Part 1
• Inerrancy: Part 2
• Historical Positions
• Struggle

Unit 3: What Is an Error?

• Specific Difficulties
• Israelite Cosmology
• The Waters above and below the Heavens
• “God’s Eye” View of the Created World
• Point
• Primitive Conception of Conception: Part 1
• Primitive Conception of Conception: Part 2
• Prophecies that Don’t Happen
• Number Discrepancies: Part 1
• Number Discrepancies: Part 2
• Number Discrepancies: Part 3
• New Testament Citation of Old Testament
• Differences in Gospels: Dialogue
• Differences in Gospels: Narrative Elements
• Editorial Hands
• How Do We Define Inspiration and Inerrancy?

Unit 4: Canon

• Disagreement over What Books Should Be Recognized as Inspired
• Complicating Factors
• Protestant, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Canon
• New Testament Canon
• 1 Enoch—Special Case: Part 1
• 1 Enoch—Special Case: Part 2

Conclusion

• Conclusion to the Course

NT281 How We Got the New Testament

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 4

In this course, Dr. Michael Heiser explains the story of how we got the New Testament—he guides you from the process of inspiration to the discovery and transmission of manuscripts. Dr. Heiser describes the role of scribes throughout time and discusses significant Greek New Testament manuscripts upon which modern translations are based. Because most students of the Bible read it in their own language, he also examines translation philosophies and controversies.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Preliminary Issues

• What Is the New Testament?
• The Term “New Testament”
• Exploring “Covenant” Using the Topic Guide
• The Scope of the New Testament
• Number of New Testament Books
• Order and Structure of New Testament Books
• Titles of New Testament Books
• The Authority of the Testaments
• Creating a Custom Guide to Study 2 Timothy 3:16
• Road Map for this Course

Unit 2: Inspiration

• Two Sides to Inspiration
• Flawed Conception of Inspiration
• Coherent Conception: Major Verses
• Coherent Conception: Textual Phenomena

Unit 3: The Composition of the New Testament Books

• Preview
• Researching Important Dates with the Timeline Tool
• The Language of the New Testament
• Defining “Autograph”
• Producing Documents in a Graeco-Roman World
• Understanding Technical Terms
• Amanuenses
• Use of External Source Material
• Exploring Ancient Texts Relevant to the Text of the New Testament
• Literary Intent and Occasion

Unit 4: Canonical Recognition of the New Testament Books

• Concept of Canon
• Early Development
• The Impact of Canon on Copying and Transmission

Unit 5: Manuscripts of the New Testament

• The Copying Enterprise
• The Innovation of the Codex
• Manuscript Types and Discoveries
• Papyri
• Uncials and Sinaiticus
• Using Textual Apparatuses in Logos
• Uncials: Alexandrinus
• Viewing Codex Sinaiticus in Logos
• Uncials: Vaticanus
• Uncials: Codex Bezae
• Minuscules
• Lectionaries
• Quotations from the Fathers
• Searching for New Testament Citations in the Early Church Fathers
• Early Versions of the New Testament
• Archaeological Factors in Dating Manuscripts
• Dating and the Forms of Manuscripts
• Dating and Paleography
• Carbon-14 Dating
• Manuscript Families
• Alexandrian Family
• Byzantine Family

Unit 6: The History of the Text’s Transmission

• The Early Centuries (1st–4th)
• The Byzantine Era (400–1516)
• The “Received Text” (1516–1633)
• Erasmus’ First Edition (1516)
• Erasmus’ First and Third Editions
• Later Editions of Erasmus’ Text
• The Period of Critical Research (1633–1881)
• Important Scholarly Work
• Westcott and Hort
• Positive Reaction to Westcott and Hort
• Negative Reaction to Westcott and Hort
• H. von Soden’s Text (1913)
• Eberhard Nestle (1898–1963)
• UBS First Edition
• UBS Third Edition and Nestle-Aland Edition
• Modern Majority Text Editions
• SBL Greek New Testament
• Comparing Major Editions of the Greek New Testament

Unit 7: The Impact of Textual History

• Pre-20th Century
• Evaluating Modern Translations
• The American Standard Version
• The Revised Standard Version
• The New American Standard Bible
• The New International Version
• The New King James Version
• The New Revised Standard Version
• The New English Translation
• The English Standard Version

Unit 8: Textual Criticism of the New Testament

• Preview of the Process
• Determining Variants
• Gathering Evidence: The Specialist
• Gathering Evidence: The Nonspecialist
• Using Digital Tools for Conducting Text-Critical Research
• Evaluating Evidence: Types of Variants
• Unintentional Variants: Word Division
• Unintentional Variants: Letter Confusion
• Unintentional Variants: Eye Skipping
• Unintentional Variants: Haplography
• Unintentional Variants: Dittography
• Unintentional Variants: Transposition
• Unintentional Variants: Faulty Hearing
• Intentional Variants: Clarifying the Text
• Intentional Variants: Conflation
• Intentional Variants: Harmonization and Smoothing
• Evaluating Variants
• Evaluating Variants: Internal Considerations
• Evaluating Variants: External Considerations
• Evaluating Variants: Logical Considerations
• Investigating the “Johannine Comma” with Various Tools
• Textual Criticism, Inspiration, and Inerrancy

Unit 9: The “King James Only” Controversy

• Preview of the Issue
• The Merit Argument
• The Providence Argument
• The Satanic Argument
• The Heresy Argument
• A Personal Note

Conclusion

• Course Summary

OT281 How We Got the Old Testament

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 5

In this course, ancient-language expert Dr. Michael Heiser gives a thorough background of the Hebrew Bible’s writing, composition, canonicity, and transmission through the ages. This course also surveys text criticism—what are Hebrew scholars today doing with these ancient manuscripts? How does their work affect English translations of the Bible? By understanding criticism, your personal Bible study will be richer, even with little knowledge of the Hebrew language.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker
• Introducing the Course

Unit 1: Preliminary Issues

• The Term “Old Testament”
• The Scope of the Old Testament
• The Number of Old Testament Books
• The Order and Structure of Old Testament Books
• Titles of Old Testament Books
• The Authority of the Old Testament
• A Roadmap for the Course

Unit 2: Inspiration

• Two Sides to Inspiration
• A Flawed Conception of Inspiration
• A Coherent Conception of Inspiration
• Inspiration Is Not Dictation: Ezekiel
• Inspiration Is Not Dictation: The Synoptic Gospels
• Inspiration Is Not Dictation: Borrowed Material
• Searching Ancient Near Eastern Literature for Old Testament References
• Inspiration Is Not Dictation: Changing Laws
• Summary of Inspiration

Unit 3: Scripts and Writing

• Summary and Preview
• The Development of Writing
• Scripts
• Early Alphabets
• The Semitic Alphabet
• Writing Materials
• Writing Instruments
• Searching Images for Information on Ancient Writing

Unit 4: The Process of Composition

• Preview of the Composition Process
• Oral Tradition
• Literary Techniques
• Known Sources
• Lost Sources
• Speculative Sources
• Original Material
• Collecting Material
• Editing
• Inspiration as a Process
• Inspiration and Inerrancy

Unit 5: Canon and Canonicity

• The Concept of Canon
• Complicating Factors for the Canon
• The Canon through History

Unit 6: Early Transmission of the Hebrew Bible

• Manuscript Evidence Prior to 1947
• The Aleppo Codex
• The Leningrad Codex
• Exploring the Leningrad Codex
• The Cairo Genizah
• Summary of Manuscript Evidence Prior to 1947
• The Dead Sea Scrolls
• Textual Evidence from Qumran
• The Hebrew Bible in the Exile
• The Old Testament from 586–400 BC
• A Book in Transition
• The Old Testament from 400 BC to AD 100
• The Rise of a Scribal Class
• The Rise of Multiple Textual Traditions
• The Local Texts Theory
• The Masoretic Text in the Local Text Theory
• The Surviving Texts Theory
• Scribal Practices at Qumran, Part 1
• Scribal Practices at Qumran, Part 2
• Viewing Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls in Logos and Online

Unit 7: A Period of Ancient Translations

• The Septuagint
• Comparing the Septuagint and the Hebrew Bible
• Aramaic Targums
• Later Translations
• Creating a Layout of Ancient Translations

Unit 8: The Hebrew Bible from AD 100–1000

• The Importance of AD 100
• The Role of the Scribes
• Scribal Innovations
• Marking Problems in the Text
• The Masorah
• Viewing and Searching for Ketiv-Qere Readings
• Vocalization System
• Variation in the Masoretic Tradition
• Important Manuscripts

Unit 9: The Hebrew Bible since AD 1000

• Transition to Modern Editions
• Pre-Reformational Editions of the Old Testament
• Editions of the Old Testament from the 1500s
• Editions of the Old Testament from the 18th and 19th Centuries
• Editions of the Old Testament from the 20th Century
• Editions of the Old Testament in the 21st Century

Unit 10: Textual Criticism of the Old Testament: Overview

• Preview of the Process
• Determining Variants
• Gathering Evidence: The Specialist
• Gathering Evidence: The Non-Specialist
• Examining Textual Variants with the NET Bible
• Evaluating Evidence

Unit 11: Textual Criticism of the Old Testament: Variant Types

• Unintentional Variants: Letter Confusion
• Unintentional Variants: Word Division
• Unintentional Variants: Vowel Pointing
• Unintentional Variants: Eye Skipping
• Unintentional Variants: Haplography
• Unintentional Variants: Dittography
• Unintentional Variants: Graphic Transposition
• Unintentional Variants: Faulty Hearing
• Intentional Variants

Unit 12: Principles for Evaluating Variants

• Determining the Best Reading
• Internal Considerations
• External Considerations
• Using Favorites to Collect Key Resources on Textual Criticism
• An Example
• Studying a Text Critical Problem in Isaiah 8:11
• Revisiting Inspiration and Inerrancy

Unit 13: The Hebrew Bible and English Translations

• English Translations
• Evaluating English Translations

Conclusion

• Summary of the Course

OT291 The Jewish Trinity: How the Old Testament Reveals the Christian Godhead

• Instructor: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2014
• Video Hours: 4

In this revealing course, Dr. Michael Heiser illuminates the Old Testament basis for the Christian Godhead. Dr. Heiser, academic editor at Logos Bible Software, reveals how God was cast as more than one person in the Old Testament, and how New Testament writers applied those descriptions to Jesus. Dive into Old Testament theology and powerful descriptions of God, and discover foundational truths for apologetics and Jewish evangelism. Dr. Heiser holds a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Semitic languages, making him an excellent Old Testament guide.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and Coruse

Unit 1: How Do I Respond to a Jewish Objection to the Christian Trinity?

• The Core Beliefs of Judaism
• Accessing and Using Hebrew Dictionaries
• The First Problem with Understanding Monotheism
• Comparing English Translations with the Text Comparison Tool
• The Second Problem with Understanding Monotheism
• Searching English Bibles for the Words of Christ
• Understanding Elohimand the Implications for the Godhead

Unit 2: What Is Yahweh’s Council?

• The Divine Council in Psalm 82
• The Role of the Divine Council
• Using the NET Bible Notes to Find Manuscript Differences

Unit 3: Doesn’t the Old Testament Deny the Existence of Other Gods?

• No God Besides Yahweh
• Searching for Different Forms of a Phrase from Isaiah 47:8
• The Logic of Idolatry in the Ancient World
• Idols in Psalm 115
• Idols in 1 Corinthians 8
• “Elemental Spirits” in Galatians 4
• Using the BDAG Greek Lexicon to Determine a Word’s Meaning

Unit 4: Aren’t the Host of Heaven Just Celestial Objects Rather Than Actual Beings?

• The “Host of Heaven” in the Old Testament
• Summary of Divine Plurality in the Old Testament

Unit 5: What Other Being Was Identified with Yahweh?

• The Godhead in Ancient Judaism
• The Biblical Evidence for Two Powers in Heaven
• The Second Yahweh of the Old Testament
• Yahweh and the Angel of Yahweh
• Yahweh and “The Word”
• Yahweh and the “Cloud Rider”

Unit 6: Did Jews Really Believe in Two Powers?

• The Jewish Belief in a Second Yahweh Figure
• Jewish Interpretations of the Second Power: Exalted Humans
• Jewish Interpretations of the Second Power: Important Angels
• Finding and Understanding Early Jewish Writings
• Jewish Interpretations of the Second Power: The Logos

Unit 7: How Did the New Testament Writers Understand the Second Yahweh Figure?

• The Second Yahweh and “The Word”
• The Second Yahweh and “The Angel”
• The Second Yahweh and “The Name”
• Finding where “The Name” Refers to God
• The Second Yahweh and the “Rider on the Clouds”
• Jesus as the Second Yahweh

Unit 8: How Does the Language of Divine Plurality Relate to Jesus as God’s “Only Begotten” Son?

• Jesus as God’s “Only Begotten” Son
• Understanding the Greek Term Monogenēs
• Using the Bible Word Study to Explore the Meaning of Monogenēs

Unit 9: How Did New Testament Writers Express Belief that Jesus Was Unique among the Sons of God?

• Review of Divine Plurality in Psalm 82
• Jesus’ Quotation of Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34
• Interpreting Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34 (Part One)
• Interpreting Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34 (Part Two)
• Creating Collections of Commentaries to Study Psalm 82
• Understanding Jesus’ Use of Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34

Unit 10: Can Seeds of a Christian Trinity Be Found in the Old Testament?

• Seeds of a Christian Trinity in Isaiah 63 and Psalm 78
• Seeds of a Christian Trinity in Ezekiel 8
• New Testament Use of Old Testament Godhead Language
• Summary of Old Testament Godhead Language

Unit 11: How Does an Old Testament Godhead Address the Claims of other Religions?

• The Old Testament Godhead and Jehovah’s Witnesses
• The Old Testament Godhead and Mormonism
• The Old Testament Godhead and Academic Skepticism
• The Old Testament Godhead and Jewish Evangelism

Conclusion

• Summary of the Course

The Cosmic Mountain: Intersection of Heaven and Earth

• Instructors: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2018
• Video Hours: 2

The cosmic mountain is an important metaphor in the Old Testament. People in the ancient Near East thought of mountains as the home of the gods and the place from which the gods issued decrees. The biblical writers shared this worldview but had the cosmos run by the lone, incomparable God of Israel and had human beings, the terrestrial children of God, involved in that activity. Learn how Eden, Sinai, the Tabernacle, the Temple, Zion, and the Church are interconnected by conceptual threads that derive from the cosmic mountain idea.

Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny

• Instructors: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2018
• Video Hours: 2.5

Believers are children of God—a phrase that presumes family. The “children of God” are also called “holy ones” (“saints” in most translations). But these familiar New Testament terms have an Old Testament context that is largely overlooked—the spiritual world of God and his supernatural children. In the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out his will. Learn where the metaphor of being in God’s family comes from in the Old Testament and how that informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.

Divine Rebellions

• Instructors: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2018
• Video Hours: 3

Most Bible students presume that the evil and depravity of our world is to be explained exclusively by the Fall in Genesis 3. An Old Testament Israelite or Jew of Jesus’ day would not share that perspective. They would affirm the Fall as one of three reasons why the world is permeated by evil and sin. Learn about the three divine rebellions of the Old Testament and how a person from the ancient biblical world would understand their impact on the human condition, the work of the messiah, and the struggle of the kingdom of God against the powers of darkness.

The World Turned Upside Down: Finding the Gospel in Stranger Things

• Instructors: Michael S. Heiser
• Publication Date: 2019
• Video Hours: .5

The paranormal television series Stranger Things taps into the mysterious elements that have fueled spiritual questions for millennia. The otherworldly manifestations in Hawkins, Indiana offer compelling portrayals of important spiritual truths--and many of these truths are echoed in the supernatural worldview of the Bible. In The World Turned Upside Down, Dr. Michael Heiser draws on this supernatural worldview to help us think about the story of Jesus and discover glimpses of the gospel in the Upside Down. He argues that this celebrated series helps us understand the gospel in unique and overlooked ways. The spiritual questions and crises raised by Stranger Things are addressed the same way they are in the gospel, with mystery and transcendent power.

About Michael Heiser

Michael S. Heiser is a former Scholar-in-Residence for Faithlife Corporation, the makers of Logos Bible Software. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Awakening School of Theology and Ministry at Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida. 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 have both directly contributed to Logos’ goal of adapting scholarly tools for nonspecialists. 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. He earned his PhD in Hebrew Bible and Semitic languages and holds an MA in ancient history and Hebrew studies. In addition, he was named the 2007 Pacific Northwest Regional Scholar by the Society of Biblical Literature.