A Greek Ditty from the Second Century AD

Last Wednesday I spoke at Liberty University on (among other things) the Greek poetry we find in the New Testament. In the ISV, we actually sought to render these poems as poetry instead of as prose. Often we resorted to rhyme and syllabic stress to do this. But was stress important in the New Testament era? This poem seems to indicate such:

In English:

They say

What they want to.

Let them say it.

Doesn't matter to me.

You love me. 

Good for you! 

The idea is basically, "Say whatever you like about us. I don't really care." Anyhoo, read the Greek text out loud (be sure to accent the accented syllables) and you'll see (or hear) what I mean about the Greek accents losing their length and gaining stress in its place. 

P.S. Here's my Mickey Mouse attempt to render the Greek as English poetry:

Say what they will

Words tossed in the breeze.

Talk to your full

My heart is at ease.

You love me, I hear.

My heart holds you dear! 

Koineisation

 Turns out Modern Greek is also a type of Koine! 

Have We Forgotten the Father in Our Theology?

I'm currently writing the foreword to a new book on the doctrine of the Trinity in the New Testament. One thing that's always troubled me is how we seem to have forgotten the Father in our theology textbooks. Oh, there's a chapter on Christology. And there's one on Pneumatology. But the doctrine of God's Fatherhood (Patrology we might call it) is rarely treated as a topic on its own and is instead thought of as belonging to the broader category of "Theology Proper." Perhaps this neglect is due to liberal interpretations that emphasize God's Fatherhood of all mankind while ignoring the necessity of salvation through Christ. Perhaps the doctrine has been ignored because it hasn't been as hotly debated as the doctrines of Christ and the Spirit in church history. Whatever the reason, this is truly a sad state of affairs. You know the church is in trouble when terms like "Father" are being replaced with terms like "Creator" or "Source" in liturgy and theological study. God is not our "Father-Mother." The only God who deserves our worship is "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:3). 

Ultra Prep Day

The Lord blessed me with a great strength training session at the gym today. 

Only 69 days till my ultra. Resistance training is crucial for improving body proportions and preventing muscle loss during a training phase. While any type of resistance training is effective if you stick to it, bodybuilding style training is recommended for maximizing your overall fitness level. You need to maintain full range of motion, good form, and increasing weight and reps over time. To ensure adherence, it's important to have a strong "why" for getting in shape. Focus on training close to failure and progressively overloading your lifts. Practice mindful lifting with controlled movements, especially during the eccentric or lowering phase. There isn't a "special" training plan for an ultra. It's about doing the basics well, training hard enough, sufficient volume, working each muscle group at least twice a week, and consistency. 

Yes, You Can Do a Body Recomp!

This is me after undergoing a year long body recomp. 

A body recomp is simply the simultaneous recomposition of building muscle and losing body fat at the same time. It is possible under certain specific conditions. For experienced lifters, the process requires:

• consistent progressive resistance training
• adequate protein intake
• sufficient sleep and stress management
• a realistic timeline (not months but years)
• tracking progress effectively (with regular progress photos)

Eventually you will reach a weight loss plateau. To break through a plateau, all you need to do is reduce your daily caloric intake by 100-150 calories and gradually introduce more physical exercise to your routine. This helps to burn calories and contributes to a calorie deficit. Don't rush the experience. It's crucial to be patient and to trust the process. Reduce high-processed foods. Incorporate high-volume, low-calories foods. Optimize hydration. Incorporate regular strength training. Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Most of all, accept that weight loss is not a linear process and will have both slow and fast weeks as your body adapts. 

God bless,

Dave 

On Language Learning

When it comes to languages, they say there are three kinds of people:

• Trilinguals -- people who can speak three languages.
• Bilinguals -- people who can speak two languages.
• Americans -- people who can speak only their own language.

Clearly this is false. If you speak "American," you might also be fluent in British, Canadian, Cockney, and Hawaiian Pidgin (which is actually its own language and not simply a dialect of English). I'd guess that in most of the classes I teach there are at last two people who speak a language other than English. These include speakers of Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, Mandarin, and Amharic. I myself can get by in a number of other languages, some better than others. 

I can't promise you this, but maybe, just maybe, you'll fall in love with another language. Knowing that language might even allow you to study in a foreign land for your doctorate as I did. Given the fact that English is essentially a Germanic language, and that Koine Greek grammar and modern German grammar have many similarities, it really shouldn't be that hard for a Greek prof to learn how to speak German. For example, English has only one word for "the," but German has 24, just like Koine Greek. In order to master the language, just decide to make it yours. 

I'm currently doing this with Spanish, a language I used to speak quite a bit when I lived in Southern California. That was 28 years ago. Still, there are plenty of Mexican restaurants around where I can try to speak Spanish with my server, make mistakes, and learn from them. The more motivated you are, the quicker you will succeed. Some tips:

• Enjoy the process. 
• Speak fearlessly (no one is perfect so feel free to make mistakes). 
• Make it a part of your daily life (I read the Bible in Spanish every day). 
• Narrate your daily actions ("Heute gehe ich zur Schule") out loud in the target language to bridge the gap between thinking and speaking. 
• Use apps or websites to consume authentic content (Easy German on Youtube is a good resource). 
• Shift from treating a foreign language (say, Spanish) like a "subject" to a distant cousin you're meeting for the first time. 

Happy language learning! 

When You Preach, Be Sure to Land the Plane

When Abraham Lincoln traveled to New York City he would often visit the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. 

He often chose to sit in a private room. The Civil War was still raging, and the last thing he wanted was to cause a distraction. One Sunday when pastor Phineas Gurley had wrapped up his sermon, Lincoln continued to sit there, pondering what he had heard.

His aid eventually broke the silence and whispered into the president's ear, "Well, what did you think of the sermon?" Lincoln paused, thought for a few moments, and then responded bluntly, "I think it was a failure." "A failure?" said his aid. "But why?" Lincoln replied, "Because he did not ask of us anything great."

Preacher friend, never allow a sermon to end without your congregation being asked to do something great. Conclude every message with a challenge -- a challenge that invites people to reflect on the message and take active steps in their lives. Jesus did this all the time. Nothing less can foster a sense of responsibility among your listeners. You are like a pilot landing a plane. Be concise. You've only got about 90 seconds to engage your audience. Be careful to ensure that the challenge is aligned closely with the sermon's main text for maximum impact. Be specific. Trust your conclusion and let it stand. Don't circle the airport. Just land the plane and then stop talking.

A sermon is a failure if it has no call to action.

Everyone Surfed in Kailua!

I guess I was meant to become a surfer. I mean, how could you avoid it if you went to Kainalu Elementary School? Kainalu literally means "ocean wave." And get this -- the school's mascot is the dolphin. 

Its official colors are blue and green. Harold K. L. Castle was the primary donor of the land for my elementary school. The initial "K" stand for "Kainalu." 

Kailua is often described as a "paradise within a paradise." It's famous for its oceanside culture. It is wetter and lusher than the leeward side (Honolulu). Constant trade winds meant that air conditioners were deemed superfluous. For us keiki who grew up there, the beach was our whole world -- reef break, island break, point break, and, of course, a fantastic shorebreak. 

Every evening we played tennis, volleyball, or basketball at Kailua Regional Park. Even today it has a laid-back lifestyle.

Visiting Oahu? Don't forget a day trip to Kailua. 

Is Exercise "Worth It"?

If you're wondering whether exercise is "worth it," simply ask yourself if you want to be able to pick up your grandchild with strength and stability. 

New Tank Tops

Just got some new tank tops in! The fit is superb and it feels so cool to be able to work out in them at the gym! 

Register Now!

It's only a month away! 

To My Fellow Teachers

Teaching may not be the best paid profession. But the joy of teaching is unsurpassed. 

Fellow teachers, as you engage with students and facilitate their learning, never forget that you have a significant long-term impact on their lives as you influence not only their academic achievements but also their social, intellectual, and spiritual well being. You are fostering skills and creating an environment that will remain with them long after they leave your classroom. Good teachers affect students much more broadly than through their impact on grades and achievement tests. People overwhelmingly say that great teachers help their students achieve their full potential in life. 

I am so grateful for all all those memorable experiences I had during my own studies. Brilliant teachers that I encountered left a profound impact on me, inspiring me to the values and principles by which I live today. These teachers were characterized by their:

• devotion to the task of teaching
• eternal positivity
• genuine caring for their students

They created a learning environment where their students could thrive. Christa McAuliffe said it well: "I touch the future. I teach." 

May I add one more positive quality I've seen in great teachers? You can understand what they're saying. "A good teacher," wrote Louis Berman, "is a master of simplification and an enemy of simplism." 

So ... 

• Keep investing in your students' lives.
• Keep inspiring them to go for their dreams.
• Keep being role models, inspirers, influencers. and touchstones in education.

The generation you shape will make a difference. 

I'm Not Special

I worked out today. I'm not special. I'm just consistent. 

This year you can break the fat cycle. At a certain point being fat gets tiring. Don't go through another year being a worse version of yourself. 

One day your fit self will thank you for not giving up.

A Visit to Liberty University

I want to thank Dr. Thomas Hudgins of Liberty University for his invitation to speak in three of his New Testament classes today. 

I thoroughly enjoyed discussing the topics and was incredibly impressed by the thoughtful questions from the students. 

The energy in each classroom was fantastic, and I appreciate the warm welcome. 

It was truly a pleasure connecting with your students again, Thomas. Thank you.

From the Archives

This one was really fun.

Will Varner on the Great Commission in Matthew

Will Varner's magnificent book on Matthew continues to bless me. 

Here's what he writes about Jesus' Great Commission in Matt. 28:19-20 (p. 354):

The "go" that begins these clauses is not a standalone imperative, but a supporting participle. It is better, therefore, to regard "make disciples" not as the second of two commands or the first in a series of four but as the general imperative which is filled out by the previous and following participles. In other words, it is assumed that we should "go" before we make disciples. It is best then to regard "make disciples" not as the first in a series but as the general imperative which is explained by what follows. In other words, baptism and instruction in obedience belong to discipleship. "This commission is not so much fulfilled in going but in the disciple-making" (Evans, 484). 

Please don't listen to those who insist that the Greek HAS to be rendered as "Go" (imperativally) in English. True, we can't make disciples if we're not going. But as a matter of fact, we can go and still not make disciples! Also, please stop telling me that if we translate the Greek as "As you go" you are reducing Jesus' Great Commission to "The Great Suggestion." That's silly. Jesus is not suggesting that we're going. He's assuming that we're going somewhere. And wherever that "somewhere is," we had better be about the business of disciple-making above everything else! 

Here, by the way, is how I paraphrased Matt. 28:19-20 in my book Seven Marks of a New Testament Church:

So wherever you go, train everyone you meet -- the people in every nation -- how to be my followers. Mark them publicly by baptism in the triune name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them not just in knowledge but in the practice of everything I've commanded you. And as you do this, remember: I will be with you, day after day after day, until the very end of the age.

Jesus' words "day after day after day" is literally "all the days" in both the Greek and the Hebrew. 

If disciple-making is to be daily (and it is), the fabulous news is that Christ's presence is with us daily to enable us for the task. 

Amen and amen! 

No Words

 

Hope in Preaching

Beginning a 3 part series on Jesus at a local church this Sunday. If preaching depends on my ability, I'm sunk. But if the power of preaching depends on the One who delights in using weak but yielded vessels, and if that One is my Daddy, then I have hope. 

Someday

"One day, you're 17 and you're planning for someday. 

And then quietly, without you ever really noticing, someday is today.

And then someday is yesterday. 

And this is your life." -- John Green.

Zurich German Happiness

Enjoying my Zurich German New Testament tonight. 

Well, "enjoy" might be too strong a term. Zurich German is REALLY hard. And it's SO different from Basel German. But it's still fun! 

The Via Ferrata Experience: Clip in for the Adventure of a Lifetime!

Guess what? You don't have to go to Switzerland to climb a via ferrata -- Italian for "way of iron." What makes climbing a via ferrata so appealing is that it opens up jaw-dropping terrain to people who want a climbing experience without years of training. You follow a protected climbing route built into mountain rock faces. The resulting experience is unforgettable. It includes a special harness and carabiner system to clip and unclip into the fixed cables. You experience the thrill of climbing in a safe and controlled manner.

Guess what else? There are via ferratas all over North America, including one fairly close to my farm in Virginia. It's called the NROCKS and you'll find it in the mountains of West Virginia. Here's a video of what it's like to experience this route.

Check out the unique panoramic views these climbers are getting while being securely anchored. I can attest from personal experience that this via ferrata is physically challenging but very rewarding. Every step forward takes you on an unforgettable journey. Here's a GoPro video of my climb here 8 years ago:

If you're the adventurous type, I think this would make a great honeymoon excursion or a climb you could do on an anniversary trip. Take your youth group there. Of you can climb it alone with your guide. Mine (Matthew) was amazing. This particular via ferrata includes an extra thrill in the form of a suspension bridge. 

Clip in. 

Climb high. 

And soak in every moment. 

Yes, We Love Hawaii

Early morning bodysurfing at Makapu'u back in July.

Waves weren't too bad :-) 

Then it was off to the big city for some surfing at Publics. Oahu has the best of both worlds -- laid-back breaches like Makapu'u and bustling, high-energy beaches like Waikiki. A unique "Greek prof meets beach bum" blend. 

August can't come soon enough! 

Houghton's New Textual Commentary: John 3:13 (Part A)

Here's Houghton's remarks on another famous textual variant (John 3:13).

And here's his footnote on this variant:

I'm trying to get the link to "Black 1985" to work. Hopefully soon. I'll post my thoughts shortly. Meanwhile, what thinkest thou? 

Questionable Traditions We Might Be Oblivious To

"If you want to know what water is, don't ask a fish." I love this ancient Chinese proverb. Fact is, fish don't even know they're wet even though they're immersed in water and need it to stay alive. They have no clue what water is. They're obvious to it because it's such a big part of their lives.

People are the same way. Believe it or not, we can exist in the midst of a Christian subculture and not even be aware of it. We have become so much a part of it we have become oblivious of what it's doing to us. Before long, we think like everyone else in the culture. It's called groupthink. We fit into it without even being aware of our conformity. I see this happening all the time, not least in the way we are so caught up in traditional language. May I offer a couple of examples?

1. We use the title "senior pastor" when we could be using the title "servant pastor." "But," you say, "every organization has to have someone at the top." That's very true. I'm not saying that the church doesn't have a senior pastor. I'm just saying he's not us. In fact, according to 1 Pet. 5:4, his name is Jesus Christ. "But," you continue, "I believe in primus inter pares, first among equals." Well, then, may I ask you a question? How did our Lord define "first"? The answer is: last. Not just last. Dead last ("slave of all.") 

In the 6th century there lived a church leader named Gregory I. He served as pope from 590-604. He insisted on calling himself servus servorum Dei, or "servant of the servants of God." He did this as a symbol of humility to contrast with the prideful title "bishop" used by other patriarchs of his day. Why can't we restore that kind of title today?

2. We use "church" when we could use "community." A New Testament ekklēsia is nothing other than a community of people who aren't just fans of Jesus but his followers. Hence a title like "Nelson Community Church" is redundant. It's like saying "Nelson Community Community." Why not just say "Nelson Christian Community"?

3. We use "the ministry" when we could use "the pastorate." When you say, "God called me into the ministry" your language is ambiguous. All believers are called to ministry. I love how John Stott puts this in his book The Living Church (p. 24):

"We do a great disservice to the church whenever we refer to the pastorate as 'the' ministry. For if we use the definite article, we give the impression that the pastorate is the only ministry there is. I repented of this decades ago, and invite my readers to join me in penitence today. If someone says in my presence nowadays that so and so is 'going into the ministry,' I try to look innocent and respond 'Oh really? Which ministry do you mean?' To which my interlocuter usually replies, 'the pastoral ministry' -- to which I reply 'Why did you not say so?'"

4. We use "trinity" when we could use "triunity." "Trinity" is not a bad word but it's a bit lopsided. It rightly emphasizes the threeness of God, but it underemphasizes the oneness of the Godhead. A better term might be "triunity" -- "Three-and-Oneness." This actually works in other language such as Korean and German. I recall on one of my teaching trips to Korea asking my students what the Korean word for trinity was. "Sam-wi-il-che," they replied: "Three-and-Oneness." The term can even be used in a completely secular context to refer to a group of three people working together as one.

As for German, I've heard both "Dreifaltigkeit" and "Dreieinigkeit." The former term means "Three-Foldness," while the latter term means "Three-Oneness." "Dreieinigkeit" works perfectly, thank you very much!

5. Finally (for now), we use Weltanschauung and Sitz im Leben when we could use "world view" and "setting in life." Yes, I realize that German has always been a dominant language in the sciences. And yes, some German words convey meanings or concepts that do not have direct English equivalents. (I challenge anyone to come up with a precise English equivalent for Gemütlichkeit.) But folks, you can't assume your audience has a background in German, especially in fields like philosophy, literature, or theology. 

Sadly, scholars often speak over the heads of their audiences because they assume a level of knowledge the audience doesn't possess. This leads to a disconnect, making it difficult for people to engage with the content. Indeed, did you know that during their doctoral studies scholars are not trained in how to communicate complex ideas to non-experts? My suggestion? Simplify your language (without being simplistic, of course). Avoid jargon. And use relational examples to explain concepts (like the illustration from fish and water at the start of this blog post). In short, use the "5 Cs" of effective communication: clarity, conciseness, concreteness, coherence, and courtesy. 

Remember: tradition is a guide, not a jailer. 

Have a wonderful day! 

"Without a Cause" or "Rashly" in Matt. 5:22?

Recently I purchased a copy of this book through Amazon. 

It's Adam Boyd's translation of the Byzantine Text. Haven't had a chance to look at it much but I did take the time to open to Matt. 5:22 today and was a little taken aback at how the word eikē was rendered. Here's how Boyd renders the first clause of Matt. 5:22:

"But I say to you that everyone who is rashly angry with his brother will be subject to judgment...."

Good reader, I'm not sure the word "rashly" works here. The term implies a notion that seems foreign to the Greek word. "Rashly" carries the negative connotations of impulsiveness and lack of foresight. It suggests a failure to consider potential hazards, that is, a decision that acts recklessly and over-hastily. Jesus, on the other hand, seems to be condemning anger that happens without a reason, justification, or cause. The anger in view is unwarranted, arbitrary, and indefensible. It's groundless, it's baseless, it's unjustified. 

I approach this one gently, because I know just how difficult the work of translation can be. But if we're looking to use one English word to render the one Greek adverb, instead of "rashly" maybe we should consider something like "unjustifiably" or "groundlessly." Then again, I'm just fine with the NKJV's "without a cause." 

Have a wonderful Lord's Day tomorrow! 

Houghton's New Textual Commentary: Matt. 5:22

Let's return now to the famous variant in Matt. 5:22 (go here for Houghton's entry). 

You guys, this is where the rubber meets the road (or, as we used to say in California, where the chili meets the cheese) -- examining actual variants. Let me walk you through what Houghton has to say and then I'll give you my final conclusion.

Houghton: " ... the majority of witnesses include the qualification eikē...." 

Me: Agreed.

Houghton: The reading eikē "is missing from a few witnesses, some of which are weighty ...."

Me: Again, I have no problem with this observation. 

Houghton: The longer reading could be the result of "a mitigation of the commandment never to be angry."

Me: This is true. Metzger argued this, as did Don Carson in both his Matthew commentary and his book The Sermon on the Mount.

Houghton: The longer reading is in keeping with the context since "there is a qualification in the comparable prohibition at Matt. 5:32 (allowing a justification for divorce), which provides a parallel for an original limitation here."

Me: Bravo! Houghton may have derived this observation from my NovT article. But there I also gave another example of qualification, namely the word "falsely" (pseudomenoi) in Matt. 5:11. As you know, this participle was placed in square brackets in UBS5, but UBS6 has removed the brackets from around the word. In short, then, I have argued that Matthew's Sermon on the Mount (as compared with Luke's) seems to have not one, not two, but three important qualifications.

a) Matt. 5:11: "When you are reviled and persecuted and lied about because you are a follower of me, be happy about it, unless, of course, what people are saying about you in true!"

b) Matt. 5:32: "I'm telling you that a man who divorces his wife causes her to commit adultery if she marries again, assuming, of course, that no fornication has occurred."

c) Matt. 5:22: "You have heard what your ancestors were told: 'You must not murder.' But I tell you that if you are only angry with a brother or a sister, you are in danger of judgment, unless, of course, you have a valid reason for your anger."

Houghton: The reading eikē "could have been omitted through assimilation, or possibly overlooked (it occurs at the end of a line in Codex Sinaiticus)."

Me: I couldn't agree more. Plus, if we take the work of Andrew Wilson seriously (following Royse), scribes were far more likely to omit something than add it.

Houghton: At the end of the day, "with several studies in favour of the originality of the longer reading and the limited attestation of the shorter reading, there is room for uncertainty." 

Me: I'm confused. On the one hand, Dr. Houghton appears to be saying the variant is pretty much a toss up. Yet he still supports the shorter reading. 

My conclusion? Despite the early and widespread attestation in favor of eikē, despite the real possibility that the shorter reading could easily have arisen in an attempt to make Jesus look less indulgent toward anger, despite the fact that an accidental omission may also account for the origin of the shorter reading, and despite all the "uncertainty" caused by recent studies, UBS6 continues to prefer the omission of eikē and even gives it a "B" rating (= "The Committee is fairly confident in this reconstruction of the text," p. 32). I obviously would have wanted the decision to go the other way (you can read my essay here). 

Et voilà the "Scorecard"  (Dave versus UBS6):

Dave: 0

UBS6: 1

Next up: John 3:13. 

Joy in Training Is Essential

Just back from another solid strength training session at the Y. I'm not going to lie. Yes, I do a lot of weight lifting and that helps me stay lean, but I do it because I enjoy it. I enjoy the feeling that things like weight lifting and walking and cycling give me. You feel the endorphins that come out, you know, just by moving your body. I really enjoy that relaxing feeling I get at the end of a lifting or cardio session. 

Ultimately I train these arms of mine not so much because I need them to get up a mountain or to paddle out and catch a wave or even to hold a grandbaby, but ultimately because I enjoy the process. And in that sense, exercise kind of happens on autopilot because, as I'm sure you're aware, getting lean is the byproduct of doing things you enjoy. 

Enjoyment is crucial for athletic success, my friend. It not only fuels intrinsic motivation but acts as an antidote to burnout, fatigue, and self-doubt. It drives long-term dedication and increases energy and effort investment. 

Joy in training is essential. 

Today's Steps

You are your grandkids' example. You are who they want to be. So keep showing up no matter what. At the gym. At home. At work. Hit your daily step count. Yes, it's boring stuff. The only way to make it interesting is by reminding yourself of why you're doing it. That's your fuel. You are becoming a completely different guy who holds himself to higher standards and better habits. The habits that come with getting in shape go far beyond the gym. 

Remember that. 

Houghton's New Textual Commentary: Preface and Introduction

The Preface and Introduction to Houghton's Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament does an excellent job of telling the "why" and "how" behind the book's creation. Here are a few takeaways:

The book purports to "describe the differing readings at each point, considering the evidence in support of each and explaining why the form in the editorial text has been chosen." 

The book adds English renderings of variants.

The volume claims "to present a new guide based on current scholarship."

It refers to "other publications which may be useful to those wishing to study a particular variant in more detail or to explore a differing interpretation of the data."

Technical terms are explained in a Glossary. From my count, the glossary includes 97 terms, including:

asyndeton

catena

CGBM

codex

conflation 

dittography

eclecticism

external evidence

harmonisation

initial text

internal evidence

Koine

lemma

majuscule

nomen sacrum

secondary evidence

text-type

Textus Receptus

uncial

Western non-interpolation

witness

The book is "neither a record of the committee's decisions nor an endorsement of every reading adopted as the editorial text... [R]ather than defending the committee's text, it seeks to present a rationale for each decision which indicates which of the alternate readings are worthy of serious consideration. The author has tried to make the best case for the reading printed in the editorial text, while representing differing possibilities and points of view."

Care to examine a variant unit together? Below is Matt. 5:22. I'll post my own observations later. In the meantime, what do you think? Has the author made the best case for the reading followed in UBS6 while fairly representing dissenting points of view?

NOTE: The authors mentioned in footnote 7 are:

P. Wernberg-Møller: "A Semitic Idiom in Matt. v.22." NTS 3.1: 71-73.

David Alan Black: "Jesus on Anger: the Text of Matthew 5:22a Revisited." NovT 30: 1-8. 

Ulrich Victor: "Textkritischer Kommentar zu ausgewählten Stellen des Matthäusevangeliums." FilNeot 22: 55-90. 

You CAN Lose Weight

A couple of years ago, I was beginning to feel old and fat. I wanted to make a change. So I decided to go from 35 percent body fat down to 15 percent. And by the grace of God, I did. I went from looking like this:

To looking like this:

The strategies I used to lose fat and build muscle are time-tested principles that anyone can use. So if you're stuck at a high body fat, read on.

If you want to lose weight as quickly as possible, I would advise that you lift heavy in the gym. The best way to build muscle while losing fat is to challenge your muscles. And the only way you can do that is to go heavy in the gym. If you go to the gym and all you're doing is lifting weights you're already used to, weights that you're comfortable with, your muscles are not going to grow. If, while trying to lose body fat, you do not actively preserve your muscle, your body is going to burn your muscle as well. To avoid this, make sure you're challenging your muscles in the gym. You need to make sure you're lifting heavy. In my experience, the best exercises you can do are those that train multiple muscle groups at the same time, like bench presses and pullups. When I lift 3 days a week, I focus on these compound exercises with the result that my physique has improved dramatically. You will also want to lift weights mindfully. Make sure every rep is controlled. 

The second thing you will want to do is move more daily. Walking is one of the best ways to burn fat quickly. The more steps you take, the more fat you can burn. Ideally, try to take at least 10,000 steps each day. Get a device that can track your steps and make sure you hit this target at least 6 days a week. Walking is one of the most underrated ways to lose fat. So walk as much as you can if you want to lose weight. Today I walked 7 miles on the treadmill and then got in another 600 steps by parking as far away as I could from the store while I did my grocery shopping. 

The next thing you'll want to do is plan your meals ahead of time. I do this each and every day. When I wake up in the morning I know exactly what I will be having for breakfast and lunch that day. Breakfast is simply a plain sausage biscuit at Bojangles along with two cups of their delicious coffee. That gives me enough protein and carbs to get my day underway. For lunch I will have rice with either beef or chicken and vegetables. Here's what I ate today. 

My meal consisted of jasmine rice topped with teriyaki chicken mixed in with water chestnuts and mushrooms. As a side dish, I had a bowl of raw carrots. Of course, I drink nothing but water with my meals. 

Lastly, you'll want to make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. These days, I don't play around with my sleep. I am in bed at 9:00 p.m. sharp and I sleep between 9-11 hours. As a result I can see how much energy I have during the day. I can see a difference in how much discipline I have to resist the urge to overeat. I can see a difference in how lean I am. If I were you, I would take my sleep very seriously. I would plan to go to bed at the same time every night. There's no point in doing all the training and steps if you're not going to get enough sleep. Remember, fat loss isn't hard. I lost 45 pounds in a year. I didn't just lose weight. I lost fat. And I retained all of my muscle during my weight loss journey. 

Folks, progress in fitness comes from two things: simplicity and consistency. By focusing on the basics, you CAN achieve lasting results. Stop procrastinating, Start today. 

The Waikiki Wall

Been to Waikiki? Then you're familiar with the Waikiki Wall ("da Wall"). It was built in 1951 to form a shallow, waveless area for families and snorkelers. It's a premier sunset-viewing spot for tourists and locals alike. The wall creates playful waves favored by bodyboarders. 

When the surf is small, I usually dump my surfboard and grab my bodyboard and surf "da Wall." Great memories! Here I am last summer heading to Teddy's Bigger Burgers on Kapahulu Ave for some grub after a fun day of bodyboarding. 

It's also a premier (and free) location to view the weekly fireworks show from the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. Don't miss it if you're ever in Waikiki! 

Houghton's New Textual Commentary: Bibliography

This hardcover book arrived today. 

H. A. G. Houghton is Reader in New Testament Textual Scholarship at the University of Birmingham, where he received his doctorate with a dissertation titled Augustine's Text of John. He is an ordained Anglican minister. 

Thus far I've scanned the book from cover to cover. In the coming days I'll be sharing my initial impressions of this replacement for Metzger's classic volume of the same title. For now, I'll only mention that the book concludes with a 21-page Bibliography with 303 entries. A bibliography is essential in a book to provide credibility or explore topics further. It also situates a book within a wider professional or academic conversation. For what it's worth, authors/editors/co-editors receiving two or more entries in the bibliography include:

14: 

• Elliott, J.K.
• Wassermann, Tommy

10: 

• Aland, Barbara
• Aland, Kurt

8: 

• Strutwolf, Holger

7:

• Wachtel, Klaus

6: 

• Epp, Eldon J.

5: 

• Fee, Gordon D.
• Houghton, H. A. G.

4: 

• Jongkind, Dirk
• Gurry, Peter

3: 

• Mink, Gerd 
• Ross, J. M.
• Schmid, Ulrich

2: 

• Fellows, Richard
• Fitzmeyer, Joseph
• Head, Peter
• Kilpatrick, George
• Malik, Peter
• Nongbri, Brent
• Osburn, Carroll
• Silva, Moisés
• Skeat, T.C.
• Williams, P.J. 

To these I might add authors/editors associated with Southeastern Seminary:

• Maurice Robinson (1 entry)
• Paul Himes (1 entry) -- Paul was one of my doctoral students.
• Charles Quarles (2 entries) 
• Yours truly (4 entries) 

Oh, I also see that my Festschrift edited by Danny Akin and Thomas Hudgins is cited twice (essays by J. K. Elliott and Tommy Wassermann). 

I'll talk about other features of this book later. I'm eager to see what's said about such passages as Matt. 5:22 and John 3:13! 

Fat Loss and the Law of Diminishing Returns

Sure felt good to get back to the gym today. 

I missed my workout yesterday because I was having my first ever colonoscopy. The prep that cleans out your system was BREW-TALL. Please tell me I'm not the only person to have this experience. The procedure itself, however, was quick and easy (I was asleep the whole time). Funny trivia: The unit of money in Costa Rica is called the "colon." It's named after good ol' Chris Columbus (Colón). What's even crazier is that in Ancient Greek, a kōlon is a single unit of thought or, in poetry, a line that functions as a rhythmic member. I spend a lot of time talking about kōlons (or kōla) in my journal articles like the ones on Phil. 2:1-4 and Rom. 12:9-21. 

At any rate, one thing I'm learning as I engage in strength training is that muscle growth becomes naturally harder over time the more overall mass you put on. Talk about the law of diminishing returns! The same thing is true for fat loss. The leaner you become, the harder it becomes to lean down further. I kid you not. Once you hit around 15% body fat, for each percentage point you begin to drop lower than that it's going to to get increasingly harder. That's because our bodies are genetically hardwired to carry a certain amount of body fat for basic survival purposes. The lower body fat percentage you aim for, the more your body is going to fight back. When it comes down to basics, fat loss is primarily just a matter of maintaining an ongoing calorie deficit that stimulates your body to break down its fat stores for use as energy. This will probably mean you're going to have to either slightly reduce your caloric intake or else increase your activity level. Sometimes you need to do both at the same time. 

In the end, it's mostly a matter of self-discipline and being willing to dial in your training and your nutrition. In most cases, it's just a matter of being more deliberate with everything. You're going to be on relatively low calories and you're going to have to increase your activity level as well. So it really comes down to basic discipline and hard work if you decide that getting leaner is worth it for you.  

Thanks for reading about my journey. Exercise is so much more than physical. It's about determination, discipline, accomplishment, success, and especially complete dependence on the Lord for strength and energy. It makes you a better person. 

A Man Called Bezalel (Exod. 31:1-3)

Just back from a morning walk. 

Yes, everything looks bleak, but even in the dead of winter I still think the farm looks lovely. After all, this house isn't just a house. It's my home. Don't you just love that word? "Home" implies attachment, comfort, security, family, being oneself, and especially -- love. It's cozy, familiar, and tailored to the individual. "Home" is a feeling, not just a physical structure. And if it's a structure you built yourself, it's all the more special. 

Becky and I were living in our 1811 farmhouse (Maple Ridge) when we decided to build our new house (Bradford Hall). We wanted it to look like an antebellum home, so it would have 5 wood burning fireplaces and wood flooring (from our own pines) and 14-foot high ceilings and period wallpaper. Much of the work would be done by our son, who in fact drew up the initial plans, produced exact architectural blueprints, and submitted those drawings to the county for approval. (They said yes.) Then he began the long process of construction with his own hands. There's literally not a day that goes by when I do not think to myself, "That design over there -- how in the world did he think that up?" 

Whenever I think of Nathan's skilled hands, I think of a man named Bezalel in Exod. 31:1-3. Did you know this is the first person in the entire Bible said to have been "filled with the Ruach Elohim" -- the Spirit of God? It wasn't Adam or Noah or Abraham or Moses or even Jesus. It was a regular guy who was given the ability "to make artistic designs ... to work with gold, silver, and bronze ... to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts." To do this, the text says that Bezalel needed three things:

• Hokhma or "wisdom -- the practical ability to design and create.
• Tebuna or "understanding" --- the mental capacity to grasp instructions and see how things fit together.
• Da'at or "knowledge" -- mastery of the technical skills and material required for the work.

This describes our son to a T. And me? Pretty much the exact opposite. I like to tell people I can't even replace a light bulb without instructions. Was I still handy to have around? Of course. "Hey dad, bring me the skill saw." Or "Dad, would you mind painting the dental molding in the dining room?" Or, "While I'm finishing up here, why don't you grab us some pizza?" On days when we would slaughter and butcher one of our cows, he and his mother handled all the finessed cuts of meat. I was put in charge of the hamburger. You get the pic. 

Interesting how God works. What Moses did with his mouth and staff, Bezalel did with his hands and tools. What Dave does in the classroom and study, his son does in barns and fields. But the great thing is that God has chosen both of us to bring his vision into reality. I'm reminded of something I wrote in an essay years ago called Toward a Definition of Church.  

"A wide diversity of gifts, callings, and ministries (1 Cor. 12:4-6) requires that each believer discover his or her own gift and help others to discover theirs. Some (like the Twelve in Acts 6:4) are called to the diakonia of the word, while others (like the Seven in Acts 6:1) are called to the diakonia of social ministry. Neither ministry is superior or inferior to the other; both ministries are ways of serving God. (The Greek text gives the sense that the work of serving those in need is on a par with the work of prayer and teaching.)"

Practically speaking, the work of the Seven was done by the hand of God just as the Twelve's work was by done by the same hand. 

My friend, whether you realize it or not, you are CREATIVE, and God wants to fill you with his Spirit to create something that will display his glory to others. Every time I look at my "home," I'm reminded of that. Every gift -- be it the gift of writing a book or teaching a class, or the gift of building a house or repairing a tractor -- comes directly from the hand of our gracious God. 

Praise his name! 

P.S. It's fascinating to me that the apostle Paul, though a brilliant scholar and writer, was also a trained tentmaker, a trade he undoubtedly learned early in life. The profession was in line with his later role as a Pharisee and allowed him to avoid charging others for his ministry. In first century Jewish culture, it was often expected that even highly educated individuals (like Rabbis and Pharisees) would learn a trade. I've never introduced myself as a farmer who teaches Greek. But I suppose I do think of myself as a Greek teacher who farms. When I'm working on the farm, my brain is "offline." That almost always leads to subsequent mental fertility. From the studies I've read (like this one), it's not uncommon for people to have an intellectual brainstorm while mindlessly working with their hands. Scrubbing a dirty water trough? Awsome. Invigorating. Gives me pleasure for days. 

And might even lead to a blog post. 😉

Paul's (??) Letter to the Hebrews

Just ordered this exciting new book. 

It even contains a chapter titled, "The Pauline Authorship of Hebrews." Ah, my kind of book exactly. Most modern Catholic scholars I'm aware of favor an anonymous author, as do most Protestant scholars. But I guess there are still traditionalists among the Catholics. 

My thanks to Brian Small for calling my attention to this book. 

The Joy of the Marathon

Yesterday at the gym I met someone who loves running half marathons but also wants to get into marathoning. When I asked her which race she was contemplating for her first 26.2 miler, she said, "I've heard good things about the Flying Pig in Cincy. Have you ever done it?" With a big smile on my face, I held up several fingers. "Yep. Three times. It's my favorite race at that distance. In fact, the Pig was my very first marathon. It was truly an unforgettable experience." I think I convinced her.

Crossing from Cincy into Kentucky at the start of the Flying Pig Marathon. 

Marathoning has provided the flavor in my life. It's given me the opportunity not only for adventure but for travel. 

Cincinnati has got to be one of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited. 

Not being a talented runner, I've proven that ordinary runners like me are capable of chasing down big goals. Also rewarding have been the friendships and shared hardships along the way. 

With David McGillivray, director of the Boston Marathon. 

Perhaps as much as anything, the sport has given me the opportunity to enjoy God's creation. I am thankful for the opportunity to run outdoors, and I find solace, excitement, and joy in observing our outdoor world. I am extremely grateful to be running, especially at my age. I'll never forget the finish at the Flying Pig. As I ran, the grim determination that had scarred my face for all those miles vanished and was replaced by a big smile. The last 200 yards gave me the chance to savor my accomplishment, think back to all the preparation I had done, and reflect on all that had occurred during the hours I was on the course. 

I could taste the finish line, and it felt great. Marathoning has shown me that man's physical and mental strength is well beyond the limits that most people think possible. 

There are not enough minutes in the day to ever thank God enough for all the blessings this sport has given me through the years. Someone has said, "We enjoy the most what we acquire the hardest." And what do we enjoy the most? The things we work hard for. That's why I enjoy marathoning. It's one of the hardest and most satisfying things I have ever had to achieve. This video captures it all. 

Thanks for reading. 

Keep Going!

Today's workout was so much fun! 

Wherever you are in your journey, the key is to never stop trying. Just do the following:

1. Keep showing up.

2. Get right back on track when falling off.

Keep going guys and gals! 

Let's become the best version of ourselves NOW. 

We Love Vocabulary!

Especially when Greek words have English cognates or derivatives!

Tonight we're covering the third declension. "Declension" is just a fancy way of saying "how nouns are formed." Here's part of our vocab:

As always, wherever possible I give at least one English term that's related to the Greek word:

• hematology
• onomatopoeia
• pyromaniac
• rhetoric
• sperm
• somatic
• etc. 

We always get a good laugh out of the word onomatopoeia. If you payed attention to your English teacher in high school, you'll know that onomatopoeia is when a word's pronunciation imitates its sound. It's one of many poetic devices dealing with the sounds of a language. Obvious English examples are:

• Both bees and buzzards buzz.
• Don't let your cell phone beep during the movie.
• The dishes fell to the ground with a clatter.
• The cabinet opened with a distinct creak.
• The root beer fizzed over the top of the mug.
• Jason gulped down the Pepsi.
• The wolves howled at the moon.
• Time just keeps on ticking.
• The bullet whizzed by his ear.
• Tyler zipped up his sleeping bag.

But here's the deal. The New Testament also contains several examples of onomatopoeia. Did you know that? Here are just three examples:

• In Mark 14:64, the Greek word for spitting (ptuō) imitates the sound of the action when people begin to spit at Jesus.
• In 1 Cor. 10:10, the Greek word for grumbling (gonguzō) imitates the repetitive "muttering" sound people make when they're discontent.
• In Mark 5:38, the Greek word for wailing (alalazō) describes loud lamenting. (In Ethiopia, one will often hear people going "alalalalalalala" during times of mourning or despair.)

Tonight we'll be revving up our vocab and making a big splash into the roaring river of sizzling Greek nouns! Wish you could join us! 

Heading Back to Liberty

It will be great to get back to Liberty University a week from Wednesday to visit old friends and speak in a couple of classes. The topics I've been asked to speak on are (1) seven marks of a New Testament church (based on my book by that title) and (2) why we translated Greek poetry as English poetry in the ISV. As for this last question, I owe the impetus to John Bowden, who translated Barth's biography from German into English. 

Notice how he rendered one example of Swiss German into delightfully poetic English.

This is pure genius even though in places he obviously had to resort to paraphrasing. (The German literally says, "You dear people, listen to me. Now I don't have to go to school since it walked me over to the Pope.") Hence the following translations in the ISV:

Being the base translator for the New Testament in the ISV was the hardest thing I have ever done in my career but also the most rewarding. Undoubtedly, the New Testament contains significant examples of "poetry" in the original Greek!