Exegetically Speaking

Daniel’s refusal to eat the food provided by the king of Babylon is among the most popular of the Bible’s stories. But what food did Daniel refuse, what did he request, and why? A new look at the Hebrew text and its background suggests new answers. Dr. Aubrey Buster [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/faculty/aubrey-buster/], who has been with us before, is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/programs/biblical-and-theological-studies/]. Her publications include Remembering the Story of Israel: Historical Summaries and Memory Formation in Second Temple Judaism [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRemembering-Story-Israel-Historical-Organization%2Fdp%2F1009150685%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3DAB1196LPQG8L%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sTPlNau0KL5WzIcyyXDYgg.6T9e_8MbVuEx4YL2IrUqHAVXurwT3EcudUIZ5HDhkBQ%26dib_tag%3Dse%26keywords%3Daubrey%2Bbuster%26qid%3D1743877089%26s%3Dbooks%26sprefix%3Daubrey%2Bbuster%252Cstripbooks%252C127%26sr%3D1-1&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7C6bdf88d6e0074ae3ef8f08dd99da1c8a%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638835884271560980%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=L3sTzBNs33fGvMQ%2BhsawQajLgPI7NhoMozAYuEWa7sE%3D&reserved=0]. Dr. John Walton [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/faculty/john-walton/], Old Testament Professor Emeritus at Wheaton Graduate School [https://www.wheaton.edu/graduate-school/degrees/ma-in-biblical-exegesis/], is a frequent contributor to this podcast. He has many volumes in his “Lost World” series along with many other publications, including Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FAncient-Near-Eastern-Thought-Testament%2Fdp%2F1540960218%2Fref%3Dtmm_pap_swatch_0%3F_encoding%3DUTF8%26dib_tag%3DAUTHOR%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rECj9NcQgP2_DWZT2WNmBbVBe1P6LqdBj8NPodhqrVG6gY0MfxO1BiuScsoAo3Oa2KTBMQMlryWYLKq1JKqkuXVkl7skKbBMR_Pkk86aCh6SbOEHnQtMqpwFL6KWzPVitXOkwjz7hJh85tViCqj8tPIt-0m19zb7xHoSxpY8ZiQQXGo3Ov3VPWgWOzmWSIPBpsoyzmtI_R91b7fg1K7EQiTAwLTkkzBd6a_Yb_leC1I.dfvTXre4bt_7N4mIhdow52Sk-FmFBDcEnxPifYp6OGU&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7C6bdf88d6e0074ae3ef8f08dd99da1c8a%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638835884271595718%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Hc%2FMtXWagUvy3b0soqoElnz52Slfejhkbn54v5Zy5WQ%3D&reserved=0]. Dr. Buster and Dr. Walton are collaborating on a major commentary on Daniel (NICOT). The first volume on Daniel 1-6 [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FDaniel-Chapters-International-Commentary-Testament%2Fdp%2F0802875998%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3DAB1196LPQG8L%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Nmt-Xs0FY8nEE0lXdU3pRWPZh1Bzj1PEedrDcS_aX29N5m4iBJkLlxcprXHign4a4dYYYfDOR4ZWDWlyo56UCjrcta7KnheqBJsn6-RA--iP8UGUAxtvyZpog2ukXLCKzHFj5HW3ekm2GT3ZywMRh0t_NtFLvMAlC9vP3mG7-_gZXxahZmDVA99xnf7e9lggv72nMqt1v2JLUQAi8hr9dWmg9Chsxrs_pMHueYTfGfc.CdKWD4-L_JBNeyB3JYbMQqPZz1-5U0ndB3PC4IfUd70%26dib_tag%3Dse%26keywords%3Daubrey%2Bbuster%26qid%3D1743877290%26s%3Dbooks%26sprefix%3Daubrey%2Bbuster%252Cstripbooks%252C127%26sr%3D1-1-catcorr&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7C6bdf88d6e0074ae3ef8f08dd99da1c8a%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638835884271624600%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=XtUt1GhbDxSDO8Lb7l91sQeDO2nouedmlLViRhbG%2BVw%3D&reserved=0] is due out soon.  Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3Sm7pdH [https://bit.ly/3Sm7pdH]  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/43IbAqx [https://bit.ly/43IbAqx]

Beneath the surface of fairly stable English translations of 1 Corinthians 1:30 there flow quite varied interpretations of the Greek language Paul uses. Jon C. Laansma [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/faculty/jon-laansma/] is the Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis in the Classical Languages [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/departments/classical-languages---greek-latin-hebrew/] program at Wheaton College, and the Wheaton-based director of this podcast series. He is currently working on a commentary on 1 Corinthians for the T&T Clark International Theological Commentary [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloomsbury.com%2Fus%2Fseries%2Ftt-clark-international-theological-commentary%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7C18264b0e7f6b4055187308dd94604c11%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638829863518270072%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=BiY5Nr2KdFel%2B%2BDt3HTxireFiUSBArB4JPIwMrLuSco%3D&reserved=0] series. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3SFcxcR [https://bit.ly/3SFcxcR]  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/45dIW1H [https://bit.ly/45dIW1H]

The choice for Israel is between quiet trust and anxious haste in an important prophetic passage. Prof. Schultz explains the background, Hebrew imagery, and the NT’s interpretation of Isaiah 28:16. Dr. Richard Schultz [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/faculty/richard-schultz/] is the Blanchard Professor of Old Testament in Wheaton College Graduate School [https://www.wheaton.edu/graduate-school/]. In addition to other publications, he has authored Out of Context: How to Avoid Misinterpreting the Bible [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOut-Context-Avoid-Misinterpreting-Bible%2Fdp%2F080107228X%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fdib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Bs4TAfW9_2v_Ed890lT3VF8yn-5ElB1c4JEtJbgfUxMEqyQJNqxLynMqtwm7bVNpLyC8uwa4AEmYeWtnalDTCybA4HabyXPnFTsp_Vpkriem2-s6SRyP7oImdZaIfVGpfYZW67mGNFbGfFESTiEEhhb941f-HEMFUdqmIYkmHG3ziVOH_FLQo47mbjgTyXWYrDNqn_fQ-bHJlcv-p79TLNnM-Mlb2irAarVOaVVN-LQ.FVW8XMOc7y887IqOKt7eKb6deBNqkXsVCiKy67okI5Q%26dib_tag%3Dse%26qid%3D1716468917%26refinements%3Dp_27%253ARichard%2BL%2BSchultz%26s%3Dbooks%26sr%3D1-1%26text%3DRichard%2BL%2BSchultz&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7Ccc695c36a72e4361f57208dd8bb8151d%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638820344936308679%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qpFOF6a7L%2B8NGlEXwV%2Bofm1R%2BkfxxlSW1mIxnktjMg0%3D&reserved=0] and The Search for Quotation: Verbal Parallels in the Prophets [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSearch-Quotation-Verbal-Parallels-Prophets%2Fdp%2F1850754969%3Fref_%3Dast_author_dp&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7Ccc695c36a72e4361f57208dd8bb8151d%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638820344936320881%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=6BmPitGOP%2FejOtkb4%2FtUZ3nvvNb0l%2F8RkQYoRUAxqkU%3D&reserved=0]; he has co-edited with Daniel Block, Bind Up the Testimony: Explorations in the Genesis of the Book of Isaiah [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBind-Up-Testimony-Exploration-Genesis%2Fdp%2F1619705990%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJGYQBXXGETPQMZBA%26tag%3Dexpertfile100-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1619705990&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7Ccc695c36a72e4361f57208dd8bb8151d%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638820344936332689%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2B7NwShvoIxnM3sD5fEk7m8OM6NIOG458SeZGcswfpNM%3D&reserved=0]. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3EWIdHE [https://bit.ly/3EWIdHE]  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/42Pce5h [https://bit.ly/42Pce5h]

Dan. 5:2, within the Aramaic portion of Daniel, has always been taken to refer to the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines, but a fresh look at the Aramaic and its context suggests that the last were female officials, not concubines. Dr. Aubrey Buster [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/faculty/aubrey-buster/], who has been with us before, is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/programs/biblical-and-theological-studies/]. Her publications include Remembering the Story of Israel: Historical Summaries and Memory Formation in Second Temple Judaism [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRemembering-Story-Israel-Historical-Organization%2Fdp%2F1009150685%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3DAB1196LPQG8L%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sTPlNau0KL5WzIcyyXDYgg.6T9e_8MbVuEx4YL2IrUqHAVXurwT3EcudUIZ5HDhkBQ%26dib_tag%3Dse%26keywords%3Daubrey%2Bbuster%26qid%3D1743877089%26s%3Dbooks%26sprefix%3Daubrey%2Bbuster%252Cstripbooks%252C127%26sr%3D1-1&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7C734ab555f8b14fa8972708dd895d265f%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638817755361958120%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=VaLIxfya3DGlDJUlWQXZTJYqR8iE%2BvzKhMwakqWM8Nc%3D&reserved=0]. She and John Walton are co-authoring a major commentary on Daniel (NICOT). The first volume on Daniel 1-6 [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FDaniel-Chapters-International-Commentary-Testament%2Fdp%2F0802875998%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3DAB1196LPQG8L%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Nmt-Xs0FY8nEE0lXdU3pRWPZh1Bzj1PEedrDcS_aX29N5m4iBJkLlxcprXHign4a4dYYYfDOR4ZWDWlyo56UCjrcta7KnheqBJsn6-RA--iP8UGUAxtvyZpog2ukXLCKzHFj5HW3ekm2GT3ZywMRh0t_NtFLvMAlC9vP3mG7-_gZXxahZmDVA99xnf7e9lggv72nMqt1v2JLUQAi8hr9dWmg9Chsxrs_pMHueYTfGfc.CdKWD4-L_JBNeyB3JYbMQqPZz1-5U0ndB3PC4IfUd70%26dib_tag%3Dse%26keywords%3Daubrey%2Bbuster%26qid%3D1743877290%26s%3Dbooks%26sprefix%3Daubrey%2Bbuster%252Cstripbooks%252C127%26sr%3D1-1-catcorr&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7C734ab555f8b14fa8972708dd895d265f%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638817755361970363%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jwAMsnL2SF4WE0eZTm%2FmI2R9MWzzoduVyLfX4XXXZW0%3D&reserved=0] is due out soon. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4m02lJy [https://bit.ly/4m02lJy]  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4jUhz0K [https://bit.ly/4jUhz0K]

The Greek word usually translated as ‘righteousness’ in the Beatitudes (and elsewhere), is closer to the concept of ‘justice,’ signaling the down-to-earth concern of a people living under an unjust regime. Dr. George Kalantzis [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/faculty/george-kalantzis/] grew up in Athens, Greece, and has been at Wheaton College since 2007, where he is Professor of Theology and the Director of The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies [https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/academic-centers/the-wheaton-center-for-early-christian-studies/]. Among his publications are Theodore of Mopsuestia: The Gospel of John [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTheodore-Mopsuestia-Gospel-George-Kalantzis%2Fdp%2F0957748396%2Fref%3Dsr_1_3%3Fcrid%3D1L2J5F36IER71%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Sj2l85EvzQlXDsHXP8yu1_1YjzA0wfU3PviYN9AU7a16br2yfQy0_i9dBGPUGatj.-sm-qdnrbMoG_8rZz0cSw84QrWGJJX4nRoIi_q_XL4M%26dib_tag%3Dse%26keywords%3DTheodore%2Bof%2BMopsuestia%253A%2BGospel%2Bof%2BJohn%26qid%3D1743717618%26s%3Dbooks%26sprefix%3Dtheodore%2Bof%2Bmopsuestia%2Bgospel%2Bof%2Bjohn%252Cstripbooks%252C112%26sr%3D1-3&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7Cca60e9301d634e0d4b5908dd83dc652b%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638811704796878791%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vYCwAYirigmnAorhao7RY8%2Bowh%2FxPTpD3d6ExNOU0HY%3D&reserved=0] and Caesar and the Lamb [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCaesar-Lamb-George-Kalantzis%2Fdp%2F149821245X%3Fref_%3Dast_author_dp_rw%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DOBD3AXvNr0q83bYSKeNiwjzGqvs_lAwF4SU1c7L89iVHaHqOvW_OaAFMNAz_LrTjCYf2c2MOrsvT3cL89sh2g55dQeIU8FyE8TvQes5rWEcCvtMXje1cnVj8xuJOgCV-eHRtRe9uq-CE1DElZcDsavG4qp5yOoNTLqcktmmh9l1orRIMNA8ZnS4bvQ85j4rgPf1HxK5SWylViisRzre9VbU_Ad-4WhRUJqeWwbcsVo.HoS30ABCd2W9YmuNTBIl2vdPK1T7D8ALRC8P7qSXrO4%26dib_tag%3DAUTHOR&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7Cca60e9301d634e0d4b5908dd83dc652b%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638811704796900371%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=EeJHPj%2Bmll8s7OSpBYRMH8a%2BQj%2B47n3io9fseiIdEyI%3D&reserved=0]. He has co-authored, Evangelicals and the Early Church [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FEvangelicals-Early-Church-George-Kalantzis%2Fdp%2F1498214096%2Fref%3Dtmm_hrd_swatch_0&data=05%7C02%7Cjesse.doogan%40wheaton.edu%7Cca60e9301d634e0d4b5908dd83dc652b%7Cb7098c8ac6b24e8bba4c872cf5f00a20%7C0%7C0%7C638811704796913957%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZTFJR4MSIcJa3Dc9KLSqFfKsPSQqflnHM1y%2FwWPfZAU%3D&reserved=0]. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3EDw2zf [https://bit.ly/3EDw2zf]  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4lLI2zm [https://bit.ly/4lLI2zm].