Robert Alter on the King James Bible

Students of the Hebrew Bible are familiar with Robert Alter’s contribution to the study of the Hebrew Bible. He has published many influential studies and translations of the Hebrew Bible. All of Alter’s books deal with the literary artistry of the Biblical texts.

Robert Alter has applied his skills in the areas of Biblical narrative and Biblical poetry and written an article in which he evaluates the literary features of the King James Bible and the contribution it has made to the English language and to religious life in general. I am encouraging you to read this article. I truly enjoyed reading Alter’s evaluation of the King James Bible. Read Alter’s article. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/iS7Ho7

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog to read recent posts and to subscribe to my blog. My new site is Dr. Mariottini.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Robert Alter, King James Bible, Psalm 23, Job

The Wild Goats of the Bible

When the prophet Habakkuk had his encounter with God, Habakkuk was in such awe of God that he composed one of the most beautiful declarations of trust to be found in the Hebrew Bible. Habakkuk wrote:

“Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights” (Habakkuk 3:17-19).


To watch a video that shows a vivid demonstration of the surefootedness of the wild goats of the Bible visit my blog. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/mouO1V

Topics: Hebrew Bible, Habakkuk, Trust, Faith, Wild Goats, Deer

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary


Tags: Hebrew Bible , Habakkuk, Trust, Faith, Wild Goats, Deer

Habakkuk’s Trust in God

The book of the prophet Habakkuk is not well known by many Christians because a large number of them have never taken the time to read the book in its entirety and meditate on its message. After God answered Habakkuk’s questions, that he, God, was in charge of history and that what was happening was his doing, Habakkuk was in such awe of God that he composed one of the most beautiful declarations of trust to be found in the Hebrew Bible.

Read more about Habakkuk’s trust in God.

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/mvbyL4

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts as they are published.

Topics: Hebrew Bible, Habakkuk, Trust, Faith, Wild Goats, Deer

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Hebrew Bible , Habakkuk, Trust, Faith, Wild Goats, Deer

John Calvin on Genesis 3:15

John Calvin was a great exegete of the Biblical text and yet he refused to interpret the seed of the woman as a reference to Christ. His understanding of Genesis 3:15 is not a liberal interpretation of the text. Rather, Calvin was looking at the plain meaning of the text and arrived at the correct interpretation of the text. Read Calvin’s interpretation of Genesis 3:15 by viting my blog today.

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/jCZBVK

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts as they are published.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Hebrew Bible, Protoevangelium, Genesis 3, Seed of the Woman, Seed of the Serpent, Serpent, John Calvin

Translating Genesis 3:15 - Part 2

My post today continues my study of Genesis 3:15. In this post I deal with the following questions:

Should Christians interpret Genesis 3:15 Messianicly?
Is Genesis 3:15 a prophecy of Christ?

The answers to these questions are in my post today.

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/krvOXa

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Hebrew Bible, Protoevangelium, Genesis 3, Seed of the Woman, Seed of the Serpent, Serpent

Translating Genesis 3:15 - Part 1

Genesis 3:15 has been considered by many Christians to be the first Messianic prophecy of the Old Testament. The Christological interpretation of this verse has been accepted by most Catholics and evangelical Christians as a word of the promise in which the seed of Satan (the demons and the rebellious angels) would strike at human beings and the seed of the woman, Christ, would deliver the fatal blow by crushing the head of Satan.

Read more about the Messianic interpretation of Genesis 3:15. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/jshYB7

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Hebrew Bible, Protoevangelium, Genesis 3, Seed of the Woman, Seed of the Serpent, Serpent,

May 22, 2011: Left Behind

Nothing happened! May 21, 2011 came and went and the rapture did not occur. There was no blast of the trumpet, there was no voice of the archangel, no one was taken up in the air. In short, there was no second coming on May 21.

Now, what?

Read my post today and read my thoughts on this issue.

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/l6rGqy

By blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post, then subscribe to my blog and receive my post regularly.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary


Tags: Harold Camping, Judgment Day, Rapture

Will Judgement Day Happen on May 21, 2011?

How do we know that judgment day will occur on May 21, 2011? Who has set that date? The euphoria that has caught thousands of people and has resulted in billboards across the nation proclaiming the date of the coming judgment is the result of the work of Harold Camping, a civil engineer turned preacher.

So many people have asked me what I think about this prediction of what will happen on May 21 and the coming judgment that I decided to read some of Camping’s works and ascertain whether his conclusions have any merit and whether judgment day will happen on May 21, 2011.

Read more about judgment day will be on May 21, 2011 by reading my post today. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/jbwB2n

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Harold Camping, Judgment Day, May 21, 2011, Biblical Chronology, Chronology, Rapture,

Biblical Revelation and the Secular Society

In studying the theology of the Old Testament, one of the primary tasks of the instructor is to affirm that the teaching of the Old Testament is the result of revelation. That which the Biblical writers tried to express in human language was the result of that which was revealed to them through revelation.

God entered human history and acted redemptively for the salvation of humanity. The redemptive acts of God in history were interpreted by the people who experienced the work of God in their history. The meaning of what God did and said has been recorded in writings and eventually those writings became sacred scriptures.

My post today deals with Biblical revelation. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/kSA7Wu

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read today’s post, and then subscribe to my blog to receive all my posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary


Tags: Hebrew Bible, Revelation, Inspiration

Christopher Hitchens and the Freedom of Speech

Christopher Hitchens, the man who made a name for himself by proclaiming that there is no God and who wrote a book titled god is not great, has cancer of the esophagus. According to published reports, Hitchens’ cancer had reached stage IIB or possibly stage III and for this reason he may not have many more years to live. Once a person reaches stage III, the chances of surviving five years is 15%. In an article published in Vanity Fair, Hitchens reflects on the cancer that attacked his vocal cords. Read my post on Christopher Hitchens’ condition. The Link:

http://bit.ly/ldeUW6

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read today’s post, and then subscribe to my blog and receive all mys posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Christopher Hitchens

Obi-Wan Kenobi Is Dead: “Justice Has Been Done”

The Galactic Empire Times is announcing that Obi-Wan Kenobi, the mastermind of some of the most devastating attacks on the Galactic Empire and the most hunted man in the galaxy, was killed in a firefight with Imperial forces near Alderaan, Darth Vader announced on Sunday.

To see a photo of Lord Vader making the announcement and to read more about the death of Obi-Wan Kenobi and how the Imperial forces found the compound where Obi-Wan Kenobi was hiding visit my blog today. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/kJpt1i

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read today's post, and then subscribe to my blog to receive all mys posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi

Is the God of the Old Testament a Moral Monster?

The rise of neo-atheism, that is, militant atheists who see themselves as evangelists for their cause, has generated a spate of publications that are nothing but ferocious polemic against organized religion, invectives against people of faith, and vituperation of those who acknowledge the existence of God. Atheists reject God because they believe the God of the Bible is an evil God.

But, is the God of the Old Testament a Moral Monster?. Read my blog today and read a review of the book titled Is God a Moral Monster? Making Sense of the Old Testament God by Paul Copan. The Link: http://bit.ly/iKvZlr

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read today’s post, and then subscribe to my blog to receive regular posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Evil, Theodicy, Neo-atheism, Atheism, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Paul Copan

Asaph, King of Judah - Part 3

“Abijah [was] the father of Asaph, and Asaph [was] the father of Jehoshaphat” (Matthew 1:7-8 NRSV).

Today I conclude my study of the name Asaph as it appears in Matthew 1:7-8. Read my post on this controversial topic. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/iWoX66

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog to receive all my posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Hebrew Bible, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jesus, Genealogy, Matthew 1, Asaph

Asaph, King of Judah - Part 2

Nowhere in the Hebrew Bible is Asa called Asaph. Asaph was appointed by David to serve as one of the chief musicians who would minister before the Ark of the Covenant. His descendants, “the sons of Asaph,” played an important role in the religious life of the postexilic community. Read about this controversy in the book of Matthew by reading my post today.

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/kGX2LP


My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog to receive all my posts.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Hebrew Bible, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jesus, Genealogy, Matthew 1, Asaph

The Kingdom of David and Archaeology

The article by Professor Yosef Garfinkel published in the Biblical Archeology Review is already producing some lively discussion, both in our country and in Israel.

At stake is how to interpret the results of archaeological discoveries and how these discoveries impact our understanding of the Bible. Does archeology demonstrate that David was the king of a powerful kingdom in Jerusalem? Or was David only “a sheikh in a Bedouin tent” who ruled over a small tribal group who lived in Jerusalem?

Read my post today. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/le2kJQ

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the site of my new blog, read today’s post and subscribe to my blog to receive my post regularly.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary


Tags: Archaeology, Asaf Shtull-Trauring, Minimalists, Maximalists, Yosef Garfinkel, Israel Finkelstein,

Asaph, King of Judah - Part 1

“Abijah [was] the father of Asaph, and Asaph [was] the father of Jehoshaphat” (Matthew 1:7-8 NRSV).

The gospel of Matthew begins with the genealogy of Jesus. Matthew’s genealogy presents Jesus as an heir and a legitimate successor to the throne of David. It was important for the writer of Matthew to connect Jesus with the royal house of Judah because in the first century BCE many Jews expected the Messiah to come from the house of David.

But why did Matthew include Asaph among the kings of Israel. Read my post today and find the reason for the mention of Asaph in Matthew’s genealogy of Christ.

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog and read my post today. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/lFqP4k


Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary



Tags: Asaph, Asa, Genealogy

Erkamka na Adonai

Erkamka na Adonai.

These words appear in the song by Michael Card titled “El Shaddai.”
Although Christians love and sing this song often, few Christians know the meaning of the words “Erkamka na Adonai.” Read my post today and learn the meaning of these words.

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the site of my new blog, read the post on Erkamka na Adonai and then subscribe to my blog to receive all my posts. Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/jiU9Lj

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: El Shaddai, Adonai, Erkamka na

The God Who Renews

Today I conclude my study of Psalm 103..

The final declaration of the psalmist’s praise is his gratitude for the renewal he experienced as God healed him of his disease. The psalmist said: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits–who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Read today’s study of Psalm 103 by visiting the site of my new blog.
The link: http://bit.ly/kKXFWj

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Hebrew Bible, Psalms, Psalm 103

Narmer: Pharaoh of Egypt

The Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago is presenting an exhibition titled “Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization.” The purpose of the exhibition is to illustrate the story of the emergence of Egypt as a nation-state five thousands years ago.

The exhibit highlights the reign of Narmer. Pharaoh Narmer is considered by many scholars to be the unifier of Egypt and the founder of the First Dynasty. Narmer was the first Pharaoh of unified Egypt.

To promote the exhibition, the Chicago Tribune has published an article by Toby Wilkinson titled “Egypt’s Echoes of the Ancients.” Wilkinson is an Egyptologist and a fellow of Clare College, University of Cambridge, England. He is the author of the book The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt.

Visit the site of my new blog to read the post on Narmer, Pharaoh of Egypt.
Link: http://bit.ly/jTGHEl

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary


Tags: Archaeology, Egypt, Narmer, Toby Wilkinson