Quotes from Tremper Longman III

Attentive readers will also note the significance of the form he uses for much of his teaching—the parable. The parable is the teaching tool of the sage, indicated by the fact that the Greek term for "parable" (parabol?) is used in Greek versions of the OT to translate the Hebrew word "proverb" (m?š?l ), a central form of wisdom teaching in the OT. The Jesus of the Gospels is a sage.

Thus, when we read Genesis we are reading an ancient document and should begin by using only the assumptions that would be appropriate for the ancient world. We must understand how the ancients thought and what ideas underlay their communication

As the psalmists cry out in joy or grief, they stir us as we identify similar emotions in ourselves.

Wellhausen, who is at the foundation of so many contemporary issues of biblical scholarship, expressed his understanding of the religious nature of warfare in ancient Israel. War was worship for Israel. But even further he noted the warlike nature of Israel's religion. Israel was in conflict with her neighbors, particularly in the area of religion, and this frequently led to armed conflict.

Wisdom, then, is how to live in God's world in God's way

The Psalms put us in touch with our deepest emotions.

the Psalms speak to all seasons of our souls.

We can't read the Psalms without an emotional response.

Culture shifts, but the Word of God remains.

It is God's jealous love that both unnerves us and draws us to Him. His relentless pursuit, His fierce hatred of any rival, and His incomprehensible willingness to anguish on our behalf captures our heart for His love. His jealousy is our shield; it is our promise of eternal protection and passionate exclusivity. it is our confidence that the divine Lover will win His bride.

So savor a delicious meal, not just for itself, but as a gift from God. Be carried away by powerful music as an anticipation of the music of heaven. Be enticed by the smell of the sea, the scent of a flower. Be seduced by the caresses and kisses of your spouse. Enjoy these moments of bliss as God's gift that opens a brief glimpse of the utter ecstasy to come when we live in God's glorious presence.

The presence of [precious] materials in the wilderness can be explained only as a result of the so-called plundering of the Egyptians (Ex. 12:33-35). In this way God provided the materials for his own house.

Faith, then, is an assertion of trust, even when our circumstances point in a direction that seems to call into question God's goodness.

We believe that if the Bible is God speaking, then the most important posture of the Christian before the Bible is to listen.

Divorce confuses the church today because marriage confuses. And marriage confuses the church today because love confuses.

That significance is not founded in their historicity but in their theology; not in what happened (or even that something did happen) but in why it happened. What was God doing? That is where the significance is to be found.

the church's fundamental task is to mediate God's presence as priests and to rule on behalf of God as kings and queens under God, serving God in God's mission. Our task is to represent

An ethic unshaped by eschatology is neither Jesus' nor Christian.

the proper posture of the Christian is to improvise rather than simply to perform the

So the disciple of Proverbs will acquire discipline that will produce a prudent life, and that prudent life will be demonstrated by "doing what is right and just and fair.

if we follow the example of the psalmist The Psalms are an honest expression of emotions.

Worship in many churches is a spectator sport. If we listen to the commands of the psalmist, our worship will radically change.

Daniel 12, however, makes it clear that the wicked will ultimately get what they deserve—destruction and shame—while the godly will get what they deserve—honor and life. These themes are much more fully developed in the New Testament and are the basis of Christian hope in the midst of a difficult present.

that sin is not the only possible cause of suffering has two practical implications. First, it "shatters the myth that our own righteousness can protect us from unjust suffering."[109] In other words, we cannot control the situations that might lead to our pain. Second, we cannot judge others based on the fact that they are suffering.