Kostenberger, Andreas J.  “The Destruction of the Second Temple and the Composition of the Fourth Gospel.”  Trinity Journal, n.s., 26 (2005): 205-42. [Israel/Herod/Destruction]

The first eight pages of this article are an excellent review of the history of the interpretation of John.  The traditional view of apostolic authorship maintained until the Enlightenment, when from1790 to 1810, it was investigated like any other book and considerable “ferment” grew as several theories questioned the traditional view. Continue reading →

Parry, Donald W.  “Angels as Sentinels Protecting Sacred Space.”  In Angels Agents of Light, Love, and Power, 181-87.  Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2013. [Mormon/Sacred Space/Ascent/Theology]

This brief chapter is largely a collection of Brigham Young’s statements about angels acting as sentinels guarding and protecting the way of those approaching the Celestial Kingdom, arranged chronologically, followed by a similar statement from D&C 132:18. Continue reading →

Deist, F. E.  “The Implied Message of the Reference to Shiloh in Jeremiah 7:12.”  Journal for Semitics 5, no. 1 (1993): 57-67.

According to Deist, Shiloh is used as a precedent in Jeremiah 7:12 and it renders the initial warning given in the passage and the ensuing argument valid and conclusive, so it is crucial to grasp the implication of the reference to Shiloh in verse 12. Continue reading →

Strange, John.  “The Idea of Afterlife in Ancient Israel: Some Remarks on the Iconography of Solomon’s Temple.”  Palestine Exploration Quarterly 117 (January 1985): 35-40. [Near East/Egypt/Israel/Solomon/Symbolism/Furnishings/Tree of Life/Kingship]

Strange begins his examination of some of the iconography of Solomon’s Temple with the underlying assumption that the temple itself “is derived from the Syrian-Phoenician ‘Langhaus-temple.’” (p. 35)  Therefore, it is not surprising that his explanation of four symbols found on and in the temple according to 1 Kgs. 6:18-34–buds, cherubim, palmettes, and calyxes–are derived from Near Eastern religious symbolism in general and Egyptian religion in particular.  The connections are both fascinating and illuminating. Continue reading →

Bennett, Richard E.  “‘Which Is the Wisest Course?’: The Transformation in Mormon Temple Consciousness, 1870-1898.”  Brigham Young University Studies 52, no. 2  (2013): 4-43. [Mormon/St. George/Salvation of the Dead/Ritual/Liturgy/Worship]

If not creating a paradigm shift, this article is certainly path breaking.  Its thesis places many important elements of LDS Church History between the Martyrdom and the death of Brigham Young, indeed, to the end of his century, in an completely new light. Continue reading →

Johns, Loren L.  “Atonement and Sacrifice in the Book of Revelation.”  In The Work of Jesus in Anabaptist Perspective: Essays in Honor of J. Denny Weaver, edited by Alain Epp Weaver and Gerald J. Mast, 124-46.  Telford, PA: Cascadia Publishing House, 2008.  Book 38. [Israel/Christian/Sacrifice/Offerings/Theology]

This essay examines atonement and sacrifice in the book of Revelation, seeking to uncover the primary theological significance of Christ’s death in the book.  Johns discovers that it is not as is commonly thought. Continue reading →

Hayward, C. T. Robert.  “Understandings of the Temple Service in the Septuagint Pentateuch.”   In Temple and Worship in Biblical Israel.  Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar, edited by John Day, 385-400.  London: T&T Clark, 2007. [Israel/Canaan/Priesthood]

Hayward examines the differences between the LXX and the MT regarding temple service in books of Pentateuch.  In general the LXX translators lavished a great deal of work on the portions of the Pentateuch relating to Temple service.  Moreover, they rendered many passages relating to the temple differently than in the MT, showing they were either using a different Vorlage, made mistakes, or took translator liberty to include their own view of things.  In any case, they viewed the temple as equivalent to Sinai and Bethel, sacred space where God may be seen, his name invoked, and he is made known to Israel.  They also emphasized the importance of prayer in the daily Tamid sacrifice, something surprisingly not given attention in the MT Pentateuch, but which is also stressed in Sirach 50.  Moreover, the priest blessed the people and their prayer was a petition that the face of the Lord be revealed.  The LXX also shows that the Temple was a place prepared by God on earth, patterned after the heavenly sanctuary, and thus merited being referred to as hagiasma, a word restricted to things of the highest degree of sanctity.

Parry, Donald W.  “Key to Detecting False Spirits.”  In Angels Agents of Light, Love, and Power, 188-96.  Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2013. [Mormon/Priesthood/Ritual/Liturgy/Worship]

This chapter begins with a discussion of the deceptive nature of Satan, especially his ability to appear to some people as an angel of light. Continue reading →

Avi-Yonah, Michael.  “Editor’s Note.”  Israel Exploration Journal 20, nos. 1-2 (1970): 73-74. [Israel/Herod/Synagogue/Architecture]

In an article in the Israel Exploration Journal I. Renov argues that the so-called “Aaron panel” of the Dura-Europos synagogue depicts Herod’s Temple.  As editor of the journal, Avi-Yonah attached a two page “Editor’s Note” in which he pointed out five major flaws, including glaring misreadings of Rabbinical literature, in Renov’s analysis.