Reformation & Revival Volume 5 now online

The following articles are now available on-line in PDF:

Volume 5.1 - Theme: The Cross
Anonymous, "Editor's Introduction," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 9-16.

S. Lewis Johnson, Jr., "The Mediator's Cross According to Heaven," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 17-31.

George M. Bowman, "How Can the Cross Motivate Your Ministry?" Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 33-43.

Thomas N. Smith, "A Pastoral Letter on Cross-bearing," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 45-49.

Tom Wells, "For Whom Did Christ Die?" Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 51-64.

Thomas W. Frazier, Jr., "The Church: Living in the Present World Under the Cross of Christ," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 65-80.

Craig A. Parton, "From Arrowhead to Augsburg: Bill Bright in the Light of the Lutheran Confessions," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 81-94.

David W. Hegg, "The Modern Marketing of the Gospel," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 95-110.

David Oldham, "The Gift of Prophecy and Modern Revivals," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 111-136.

Anonymous, "Bibliography," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 137-142.

Anonymous, "Book Reviews," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 143-164.

Anonymous, "Book Notices," Reformation & Revival 5:1 (Winter 1996): 165-169.


Volume 5.2 - Theme: Puritanism I
John H. Armstrong, "Editor's Introduction," Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 9-11.

Erroll Hulse, "The Story of the Puritans," Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 13-54.

Don Kistler, "Why Read the Puritans Today?" Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 55-66.

Joel R. Beeke, "Reading and Hearing the Word in a Puritan Way," Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 67-76.

Douglas Wilson, "The Liberated Puritan," Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 77-82.

Thomas N. Smith, "The Perils of Puritanism," Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 83-99.

Joel R. Beeke, "Puritans Living in Relationship to Affliction, Desertion, and Sin," Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 101-116.

Joel R. Beeke, "Reading The Best In Puritan Literature: A Modern Bibliography," Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 117-158.

Anonymous, "Book Reviews," Reformation & Revival 5:2 (Spring 1996): 159-171.


Volume 5.3 - Theme: Puritanism II
John H. Armstrong, "Editor's Introduction," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 9.

William S. Barker, "Profiles in Puritanism," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 11-54.

Michael A.G. Haykin, "The Reflections of a Puritan Theologian on Regeneration and Conversion," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 55-69.

John Hannah, "The Cure of Souls; or, Pastoral Counseling: The Insight of John Owen," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 71-92.

Andrew Davies, "Spirit and Word: Lessons from Puritanism," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 93-109.

Douglas Jones, "Liturgy Lessons from Owen," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 111-118.

Christopher B. Holdsworth, "The Eschatology of Jonathan Edwards," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 119-147.

Joel Beeke, "Rare Puritan Facsimiles for Book Lovers," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 149-158.

Michael A.G. Haykin, "Book Review," Reformation & Revival 5:3 (Summer 1996): 159-161.


Volume 5.4 - Theme: Ethics
John H. Armstrong, "Editor's Introduction," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 9-13.

Bruce A. Ware, "Beyond Moral Reform," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 15-18.

George M. Bowman, "The Heart of Christian Ethics," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 19-31.

Evan C. Hock, "Theology and Ethics," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 33-52.

John Bolt, "Rightly Applying the Word of Truth: The Bible and the Moral Life," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 53-66.

Robert W. Yarbrough, "Excellence in Christian Living: Sex Ethics à la First Thessalonians 4:3-8," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 67-78.

Nelson D. Kloosterman, "Human Holiness and Creation," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 79-96.

Charles Wingard, "An Ethical Evaluation of Operation Rescue," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 97-115.

Mark R. Talbot, "The Morality of Everlasting Punishment," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 117-134.

Larry E. McCall, "A Biblical Ethic of Work," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 135-146.

Tom Wells, "On the Ethics of Controversy," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 147-158.

Editor, "Annotated Bibliography," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 159-163.

Anonymous, "Book Reviews," Reformation & Revival 5:4 (Fall 1996): 165-179.

Where were the nail-prints in Jesus’ hands - in his wrists or his palms?

This question was raised last Saturday during a day conference on biblical archaeology at Tyndale House in Cambridge. Put simply the problem was stated as follows:

Crucifixion normally involved nailing the victim to a horizontal beam through the wrist between the radius and the ulna (the two bones of the forearm). The nail was then firmly trapped by the carpals from ripping out of the hand between the fingers. If the victim were nailed through the palm of the hand the weight of the suspended body would simply cause the nail to pull through the flesh between the metacarpals (see here for an illustration of the bones involved). That much seems clear. However, in John 20:27 Jesus commands Thomas to:

“…See my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” [Italics mine]

Surely, the argument goes, if the nail marks where in Jesus’ wrists then he would have told Thomas to look there for them and not in his hands?

Solution

I think the answer to the problem is fairly straightforward, once we look at the Greek text. The Greek word for hand – χειρ – which is used twice in the passage cited above means “A hand or any relevant portion of the hands, including, for example, the fingers.” (Nida & Louw, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, Vol. 1, p. 98.). The question is whether the word “hand” in Greek also included the wrist. The word “wrist” or “wrists” appears only in Acts 12:7 in the NIV New Testament. In the Old Testament it appears twice in the Genesis 38:27 & 30, in Jeremiah 40:4 and Ezekiel 13:18. In Acts 12:7 and in the Septuagint of the OT verses the “wrist” is a translation of χειρ. So, it would seem that “wrist” was included within the semantic range of χειρ and so the problem seems to be solved. John 20:27 could quite accurately be translated: “…See my wrists. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Nida & Louw note that there is a precedent for using a specific body part in place of the general term “hand”. Luke 15:22 reads “…Put a ring on his χειρ…” χειρ here is to be translated finger, not hand.

James Dunn on Paul's Understanding of the Death of Jesus

The following article is now on-line in PDF:

James D.G. Dunn, "Paul's Understanding of the Death of Jesus," Robert Banks, ed., Reconciliation and Hope. New Testament Essays on Atonement and Eschatology Presented to L.L. Morris on his 60th Birthday. Carlisle: The Paternoster Press, 1974. pp.125-141.

Thanks to Sean for his recommendation of this article.