John H. Walton at Lubbock Christian University

Back on September 23rd of this year, I traveled down to Lubbock with my good friend and my preacher, Bret McCasland. We enjoyed a nice dinner at Lubbock Christian University. But we didn't go for the dinner. We went to hear the presentation afterwards.

John H. Walton, a renowned and prolific Old Testament scholar, was there to present a lecture titled, "Genesis One in the Context of the Ancient Near East." This is one of several topics for which Walton has become well-known. During the lecture, I took a few notes. Walton said things like,

"Scripture was written for us. But it was not written to us."

He explained. The most obvious evidence of this relates to the fact that virtually all of the of the Old Testament was written in ancient Hebrew, and all of the New Testament was written in Koine Greek. Therefore, even if we assume that the Almighty intends the Bible as a revelation to humanity, people like us are not the original audience of the Bible. It was initially written to other people. 

"Culture is the silent partner in every conversation."

In other words, nothing is ever said or written that does not have a cultural background. In human experience, culture is pervasive. It's always present.

"To read the text of Scripture literally means to read it as it was intended."

Here, Walton was referring to factors like literary form. For example, a parable of Jesus should be read as a parable. A psalm should be read as a psalm. An allegory should be read as an allegory. Etc.

Walton made these points in order to raise the following questions: What cultural assumptions stand behind Genesis Chapter One? For that matter, what sort of text is Genesis One? What kinds of questions does it answer? How does the chapter address those questions. Etc.

I made notes like this hoping I'd be able to put together a summary of Walton's excellent presentation. Then, I discovered that the lecture had been taped and uploaded. So, here's the video if you're interested. It's very much worth a look and listen.

The Book of Isaiah: A Working Outline

These days I'm thinking about the Book of Isaiah. Most of this relates to a series of lessons I'm preparing to teach at church.

It's been a long time since I engaged this behemoth of a book. Isaiah is vast. Vast in its time scale, its place in Judaism and in the life of Jesus, and its influence in the New Testament and in the history of the Christianity. It would be hard to find another piece of literature comparable in size that has made such an impact.

Trying to get some idea of the broad contours of Isaiah, I recently consulted my own notes and then took a look at the outlines found in various commentaries. Here's what I've settled on, for now, as a good working outline of the entire book.

The most basic way to think about the outline of Isaiah is to divide the 66 chapters of the book like this:

1-39

40-66

Anyone who reads Isaiah all the way through will notice the difference in tone from one section to the next, a shift often described as a change from judgment and condemnation to hope and comfort. Beyond that, Isaiah can be further divided into the following seven sections:

1-12
13-23

24-27

28-35

36-39

40-55

56-66

For what it's worth, the foregoing corresponds to the outline found in Isaiah: A Commentary, written by Brevard S. Childs, and first published in 2000. Most of today's scholars divide it similarly with only a few variations.

Popular Sports in America during the 1920s

I put this post together for my HIST 1302 course. It explains how in the 1920s the United States started becoming more and more the sports-crazy nation it is today.

The 1920s, often referred to as the Roaring Twenties, was a decade marked by significant economic growth, cultural change, and the rise of mass entertainment. Sports became a major part of American popular culture during this period. In fact, the current sports craziness of American society really began in the 1920s, with several sports gaining widespread popularity.

1. Baseball

Baseball was undoubtedly the most popular sport of the decade, often called “America’s Pastime.” The 1920s is considered the Golden Age of Baseball, with legendary players like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig making headlines. Babe Ruth’s power-hitting prowess changed the game forever, especially after joining the New York Yankees in 1920. Yankee Stadium, dubbed "The House That Ruth Built," opened in 1923, further cementing baseball’s dominance in American sports culture.

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig at West Point, NY, 1927 (Click on photo for a better view)

2. Boxing

Boxing, sometimes called prize fighting, was immensely popular throughout the 1920s, particularly due to the charismatic Jack Dempsey, who held the heavyweight championship from 1919 to 1926. His fights attracted enormous audiences both in person and via radio broadcasts. The match between Dempsey and Gene Tunney in 1927, remains one of the most famous boxing events in history.

Jack Dempsey, c. 1921

3. College Football

College football was more popular than professional football during this era. Teams like Notre Dame, led by the iconic coach Knute Rockne and star player George Gipp, captured the nation’s attention. The use of radio broadcasts to cover games significantly increased the sport’s popularity, making it accessible to a nationwide audience.

4. Horse Racing

Horse racing continued to draw large crowds throughout the decade. The Kentucky Derby, in particular, was a highlight of the sporting calendar, with fans flocking to the tracks and placing bets. The excitement of betting on races contributed to the sport’s immense popularity.

Helen Wills, 1926

5. Tennis

Tennis saw considerable growth during the 1920s, especially thanks to players like Bill Tilden, who dominated the sport throughout the decade. Women’s tennis also gained attention, with stars like Helen Wills Moody emerging as champions.

6. Golf

Golf’s popularity soared, largely due to the success of outstanding players like Bobby Jones. Jones became the first golfer to win all four major championships in a single year (1930), an achievement known as the Grand Slam. The sport became more accessible to the general public during this time.

7. Basketball

Though not as popular as baseball or football, basketball was growing in popularity, particularly at the college level and within industrial leagues. The sport was still developing but laid the groundwork for its eventual rise to prominence.

8. Ice Hockey

Ice hockey began to gain traction, particularly in northern cities. The National Hockey League (NHL), founded in 1917, expanded its reach in the U.S. during the 1920s.

Conclusion

The 1920s saw sports become a central aspect of American culture, with advancements in radio broadcasting and media coverage helping to spread their appeal. Figures like Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, and Bobby Jones became national heroes, showcasing how sports could captivate the public’s imagination.

Some Sources:

Davies, Richard O. Sports in American Life: A History. 3rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.

Guttmann, Allen. Sports: The First Five Millennia. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2005.

Good Quotes for Introducing the Parables of Jesus

Several months ago, I was asked to teach a Bible class at the Polk Street United Methodist Church here in Amarillo. The class wanted me to introduce the parables of Jesus. As I prepared for the class, I happened upon a couple of good statements. Here's how the class began:

One of the best-known Bible scholars of the twentieth century was a man named William Barclay. In one of his many books, Barclay wrote:

There are certain stories which are not so much the heritage of the scholar, or the material of the theologian as [they are] the possession of every person: and such are the parables of Jesus. Even in an age when people know less and less of the Bible, and care less [about] it, it remains true that the stories Jesus told are the best known stories in the world. (Barclay, And Jesus Said, p. 9).

More recently, Neil Lightfoot, a New Testament scholar who taught for many years at Abilene Christian University, said this:

The parables of Jesus will always remain the very center and heart of the teachings of Christ. They summarize what Jesus thought and taught and lived. They tell us what the good life is, and what the real values of life are. They speak to people and bind principles upon them, in terms they can understand. They are plain, practical lessons for all ages, [depicting an approach to life that is universal]. (Lightfoot, The Parables of Jesus, Vol. 1, Preface)

It's no wonder we keep coming back to the parables of Jesus.

Peggy Noonan's Takedown of Kamala's New Book

Last weekend's Wall Street Journal contains the regular column by Peggy Noonan, one of my favorite opinion writers. Her most recent is titled "What Do Mainstream Democrats Stand For?"

The piece includes Noonan's comments on Kamala Harris's recent book. Here are some of the more trenchant ones:

"In Ms. Harris's memoir any guiding political philosophy is absent, which is odd in someone who wished to occupy the nation's highest office. You should at least go through the motions."

"Ms. Harris's book is insistently shallow, almost as if that were a virtue, a sign of authenticity."

Referring to the light tone of Harris's book: "I think she was trying to signal there will be no intellectual heavy lifting, but do readers need that warning?"

"The closest she comes to a political philosophy, a driving force that explains her career, is 'I want to keep people safe and help them thrive.' But few enter politics to see constituents endangered and withering. She sees herself as generous in her concern for others--'I've always been a protector'--and loyal. But these are personal qualities, not beliefs."

Is anyone really buying the idea that Harris lost the 2024 presidential election due to misogyny and racism? The political left in America has to figure out, if nothing else, that drivel doesn't energize anyone.