Issue 7

In this issue...

At Tyndale House, we’re obviously interested in the truth. There wouldn’t be much need for a biblical studies research institute if the historical events and documents of the Christian faith weren’t important. One of our founders, W J Martin, wrote in 1941 that “the need for the scholarly defence of the faith is as great today as ever” — but how widely is this recognised in 2020?

This issue of Ink is about searching for truth in its fullest sense — the truth of empirical data alongside the truth of subjective human experience. Kay Carter talks to Kristi Mair, a Christian apologist to students, about how real-life relevance is an important starting point in her work, but there is still a crucial part for Bible scholarship to play in presenting the evidential basis for faith.

In Bible Toolkit, Christopher Ash takes a closer look at Psalm 27 and the role that pastoral sensitivity, as well as textual analysis, can play in helping us to understand the writer’s meaning, while James Bejon writes in this issue about how the Bible uses everyday weights and measures to make profound points about human worth.

In issue 6 we introduced a new column called Artefact in Focus, about ancient-world treasures. This issue it's back with a fascinating look at the Black Obelisk, exploring what the relic has to say about an Old Testament king. Also following on from issue 6 and Dr John Meade’s exploration of Jesus’s Bible, Dr Peter J Williams investigates whether Jesus spoke the Greek language that the New Testament was written in — and what it means for his ministry if he did.