Hard Sayings of the Bible

Rating:
Summary: Lacks Scholarship
Review: HARD SAYINGS OF THE BIBLE by Kaiser, Davids, Bruce, and Brauch -- who are billed as "four seasoned scholars" on the flyleaf.

I bought this book in order understand what Biblical Apologists have to say in response to the literally hundreds of Biblical errors and inconsistencies that have been documented and are widely available on the Internet. Unfortunately I'll have to give them an "A" for effort, and a D for scholarly content.

On the plus side they do tackle the tough sayings in the Bible, and when confronted with a puzzlement (e.g. the "missing" day in history that stems from the tale in tenth chapter of Joshua ) they review the subject and have the courage to say that no adequate physical explanation has been substantiated.

On the minus side the assumption that underlies this entire book is that of Biblical Inerrancy. So, rather than admit that just possible old myth could have made its way into the scriptures, the authors have to spend much space scratching around to find an explanation, no matter how improbable. This is particularly evident when they discuss Noah's flood. They fail mention all the difficulties - such as the fact that the ark was simply not large enough to hold representations of all animals, not to mention how Noah managed to get kangaroos from and back to Australia, etc. Here as elsewhere they must fall back on faith in miracles to explain the difficult portions of the Bible. God could have done this or that if he so desired. Only trouble is, Divine Miracles will not do for and explanation of non-existent prophecies mentioned in Matthew, or the differences in Jesus' geneology between Luke and Matthew.

Finally the authors get around other difficulties by the simple expedient of omission. Example: Jonah 3:3's statement that Ninevah was so large that it would take 3 days to walk across the city is not even mentioned.

A scholarly treatment of the Pentateuch should at least cover the Documentary Hypothesis (which makes understanding the scriptures so much clearer). The fact that there are two separate Creation Myths is just barely mentioned in passing.

I could list dozens of other examples, but you get the idea.

Funny that many theologians have no trouble admitting that there are myths in the Bible, without that admission destroying their faith.

Peter G. Roode, M.D. Gainesville, FL [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: A great tool to have on hand
Review: I don't think there is any mystery to the fact that some biblical passages are tougher to interpret than others. This is why I so appreciate this book. In fact, I had bought the individual IVP books that were later compiled into Hard Sayings of the Bible, and I spent the money for this because it's nice having it all in one bound volume. I have used this many times to see if a particular passage is talked about, and probably half of the time it's in there. (I consider this to be a pretty high percentage.) While I may not always agree with the assessment, it is nice to get other perspectives, and more than once they have convinced me of their position on very difficult passages.

So, for the person who honestly struggles with interpreting the scripture for himself, I would say this is a good book to have as a reference tool. The authors are certainly scholars who are worth, at the very least, a consideration.

Rating:
Summary: Possibly The Best
Review: I find three books that tackle Bible difficulties stand out above all others. Gleason Archer's "Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties", Norman Geisler's and Ron Brooks' "When Skeptics Ask...", and this one. Out of those three this is probably my favorite. This one seems to go into deeper historical setting information. And as one who questions constantly, I am finding better answers here. That is not to say that the three books disagree, for they do agree with each other. This one seems to always anticipate the extra question someone would ask. And now to alienate at least 50% of you... The one disagreement between the books is that this one has an egalitarian stance while the other two hold the traditional view regarding the role of women in the church. Holding one view or the other on this topic will neither send someone to heaven nor hell, yet often emotion takes over this debate. As a former traditionalist I was surprised at how the biblical (as opposed to liberal) view of egalitarianism seemed to answer my questions in harmonizing scripture on this topic far better than the traditional view. Even though I am egalitarian, I am one by the smallest of margins which in my view is not enough to make wholesale changes to the role of women in being pastors. If you are a traditionalist do not discount this book solely based on it's egalitarian stance. As I've said earlier it does agree with the excellent traditionalist books I've mentioned, it just seems to go a little further in explaining the same answer as the other two books give. The only disagreement between these books is regarding the role of women.

Update:
Wow here I am a couple of years later and I'm even more impressed, as this book continues to tackle the harder issues that the other ones just touch on or avoid altogether Like Mark 1:2 which attributes a passage in Malachi 3:1 to Isaiah. I'm not going to try to give their answer here, so buy the book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Guide for Hard to Address Issues in the Bible!
Review: In my humble opinion, the authors have produced an excellent guide for anyone who has honest intellectual questions about seeming contracdictions or hard-to-address issues in the Bible.

Before addressing the issues, the authors first establish the Bible as God's Word, how arcaheology supports the Bible, accuracy of Old Testament prophecies, and other biblically-based questions. Afterwards, the authors then address specific issues and seemingly contradictory statements in the Bible.

I particulary appreciated the book's format - the questions and issues are arranged in order according to the Bible's organization - starting with Genesis and ending with Revelation.
While some books are addressed in more detail than others, much information is included for the reader.

While you may not agree with all of authors' conclusions, you will certainly be challenged to think about particular issues in the Bible.

Read and enjoy! Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Reader from Israel
Review: Not a bad book , however it picks and chooses its fights much to my disappointment . The book of Revelation itself could fill a volume of this side but unfortunately it is skimmed through vastly much to my surprise.

Rating:
Summary: Good overview, but many hard sayings unfairly simplified
Review: Overall, a well researched volume which maintains a high regard for scripture. I appreciated many of the insights offered, particularly the treatment of many of the difficult passages in the Old Testament. However, I do have a serious complaint. The book seems to trivialize a number of hard teachings in the Bible either by skirting around the issue, or by interpreting them in such a way as to remove any possible offense, thus making them easy for anyone to accept. For example, whether or not you believe in predestination, the serious reader will find it somewhat suspect that the book deals with the entire issue by demonstrating how one particular passage really does not address predestination at all, then refering back to the commentary on that passage every time the issue reemerges.

Rating:
Summary: Logical answers well written and explained
Review: The fact of the matter is that these are top notch scholars and they are sharing what they believe the passages to mean. I found each to be logical and sound with a few minor points here and there to be arguable... but still helpful never-the-less.
Though some people will argue against the standpoint of certain authors' positions on minor points, I would suggest picking up this title for yourself for quick reference anyway. After all no matter what book you turn to concerning the Bible, discernment is necessary. It seems the more popular titles (including the dispensational pop theology in most "study bibles") available today are much worse for your spiritual life than this helpful answer book. As for the "New Perspective" comment from another reviewer, I would hardly give it a wink. The fact of the matter is that this is a "splitting hairs" ... unless you're a hair splitter don't be too concerned, Davids is a good exegete. Read it for yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Logical answers well written and explained
Review: The fact of the matter is that these are top notch scholars and they are sharing what they believe the passages to mean. I found each to be logical and sound with a few minor points here and there to be arguable... but still helpful never-the-less.
Though some people will argue against the standpoint of certain authors' positions on minor points, I would suggest picking up this title for yourself for quick reference anyway. After all no matter what book you turn to concerning the Bible, discernment is necessary. It seems the more popular titles (including the dispensational pop theology in most "study bibles") available today are much worse for your spiritual life than this helpful answer book. As for the "New Perspective" comment from another reviewer, I would hardly give it a wink. The fact of the matter is that this is a "splitting hairs" ... unless you're a hair splitter don't be too concerned, Davids is a good exegete. Read it for yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Helpful introductory text
Review: The short answer: Helpful answers to the most commonly asked questions about difficult texts of Scripture. Only Brauch's section on Paul is occasionally unsatisfactory.

It may not be a tome of resolutions for those with the a priori commitment to the Bible being inaccurate, but it is helpful in presenting feasible answers to many misunderstood texts of Scripture.

Also helpful is the notion that the Bible is largely written to Hebrews and not to linear-reasoned Greco-Roman philosophers. It just doesn't fit many folks grids because it is not necessarily written to the atomistic thinker (i.e., it's not a text on science).

All in all, this text is an easy to use reference to commonly misunderstood texts of Scripture.

Rating:
Summary: evangelical contortions
Review: This book reminded me of why i am no longer a christian. The depressing and often ridiculous rationalizations offered in this volume for everything from the flood of noah to the slaughter of the caananites demonstrates the precarious dilemma evangelical christianity is in today. Evangelical scholars are put in the impossible position of defending the bible against justified scepticism concerning its inerrancy and in the process are made to appear utterly foolish, capable of believing not just a few improbabilities, but a string of them long enough to fill a thick volume. An example (to offer just one) is the defense of the killing of a group of children for teasing Elijah's baldness in the book of Kings. The authors go through a tortured explanation about the word children potentially referring to teenagers and attempts from there to justify God killing people. The cumulative effect of such rationalizations, one after another after another, is not the bolstering of faith in the bible, but its undermining. I'm glad I'm no longer a christian putting myself through such exhausting and torturous "logic" to maintain a wavering belief. My theory about those who write such books and those who read them is that they are defending not the bible but themselves against the anxiety of uncertainty (an uncertainty they can never quite keep down). This is what sartre called "bad faith"--pretending to know things you really can't. That, to me, is christian apologetics in a nutshell.