Welcome to The Shaun Tabatt Show! In this episode, I speak with David Croteau about his book Urban Legends of the New Testament: 40 Common Misconceptions (B&H Academic, 2015).
- Listen to it on iTunes.
- Stream by clicking here.
- Download as MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “Save Link As”.
Here are some of the topics and questions we cover in the interview:
- David’s background
- What courses he teaches at Columbia International University
- How the idea for the book got its start
- Why Bible college/seminary/grad school is not Sunday School
- What is an urban legend?
- What’s the best way to read this book?
- Did Mary and Joseph really find no room at the inn?
- Was Jesus a carpenter?
- Is it OK for Christians to judge others?
- What’s up with the camel and the eye of a needle?
- Is Philippians 4:13 really a Christian superman verse?
- Why is 1 Thes. 4:22 the most twisted verse in the Bible?
- Why are there QR codes in the book?
- How does David hope reader’s are impacted by reading his book?
About The book:
Urban Legends of the New Testament surveys forty of the most commonly misinterpreted passages in the New Testament. These “urban legends” often arise because interpreters neglect a passage’s context, misuse historical background information, or misunderstand the Greek language. For each New Testament text, professor David Croteau describes the popular, incorrect interpretation and then carefully interprets the passage within its literary and historical context. Careful attention is given to sound principles of biblical interpretation to guide readers through the process and reach a more accurate understanding of each text’s meaning. QR codes have been inserted at various points throughout the book. By scanning the code with your mobile device, you can view a video of David Croteau addressing a specific urban legend.
With examples from the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation, Urban Legends of the New Testament will not only help readers avoid missteps in these forty texts but also provide a model for engaging in correct interpretation of other New Testament passages.
About The Author:
David A. Croteau (Ph.D., Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament and Greek in the Seminary and School of Ministry at Columbia International University. He is co-editor (with Andreas J. Köstenberger) of Which Bible Translation Should I Use? (B&H Academic, 2013) and author of Tithing after the Cross (Energion, 2013).
Connect with David:
Join the Conversation:
Half the fun of doing these podcasts is the conversation that happens around them. With each episode, I’ll be asking a new questions. Here’s my question for episode 39:
Question: What’s the biggest Bible urban legend you’ve fallen prey to?
Share your answer on Facebook and Twitter.
Explore Additional Resources:
Here are some of the resources mentioned in this episode:
Books:
- Urban Legends of the New Testament by David A. Croteau
- Which Bible Translation Should I Use? by David A. Croteau
- Tithing after the Cross by David A. Croteau
- Greek is Good Grief by John D. Harvey
- Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics by Daniel B. Wallace
Websites:
Related Media:
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You’ve done it! You’ve hit the nail on the head. Every Christian is given a Bible – they’re just not taught how to read it. Even Bible “studies” teach how the teacher reads it. Hom many people, stop, ask for clear minds to know, open eyes to see and ears to hear the voice of God in Scripture? Let us all slowdown, meditate and learn from the Author Himself. Good job – urban legend or just faulty thinking. Let’s just get it right.