James M. Hamilton Jr.
Contact: jamesmerrillhamilton@gmail.com
Present Post: Professor of Biblical Theology
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Preaching Pastor
Kenwood Baptist Church
April 2009 –
Previous Post: Associate Professor of Biblical Theology
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
2008 – 2014
Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Houston Park Place Campus
2003 – 2008
Preaching Pastor
Baptist Church of the Redeemer
2005 – 2008
Doctor of Philosophy, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY, 2003
Advisor: Dr. Thomas R. Schreiner
Major: New Testament
Dissertation Title: “He Is with You and He Will Be in You: The Spirit, the Believer, and the Glorification of Jesus”
Master of Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX, 2000
Double Major: New Testament and Old Testament
Th.M. Thesis: “The Catalyst of the Crucifixion in the Gospel of John”
Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, University of Arkansas, 1996
Interviews:
Personal Anecdotes:
To Jim,
I just wanted to thank you for your article in 9Marks on the threats to the church from within. I do, however, wish that people with your influence would be bold enough to name the names that have grown to be tremendous threats in popChristianity. Many times it is the Rick Warren, the John Edlredge, the Ed Young Jr, the T.D. Jakes, and the Joel Ostein, that represent the greatest threat to the church knowing Christ solely from the Scriptures. Call these false teachers out, I think the Apostle Paul would have.
Sincerely,
Mark Evans
Mark,
I’m not sure I agree with you on what you say of Paul. He names people whom he knows directly who have made shipwreck, such as Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Tim 1:19-20). But when he discusses the people who are preaching another Jesus in 2 Cor 11:4, he simply refers to them as “superapostles” (2 Cor 11:5).
I don’t know why Paul doesn’t name the names of these people whom he is opposing in Corinth, but he doesn’t.
One reason I did not name names is that I have not had direct interactions with any of the people you named in your comment. Since I don’t listen to them preach, don’t read their books, and don’t know them personally, what I know of them comes from the scattered things I see and hear. I see and hear enough to know that we are not about the same things, but if I’m going to name someone’s name, I think I would want to quote them with an understanding of what they have said in context and then interact directly with them. I’ve done this kind of thing in my lengthy review of Tiessen’s book, WHO CAN BE SAVED.
I hope this makes sense. I’m just trying to be fair to people. By not naming names, I think that general truths can be clearly stated and then people like yourself, who perhaps have more direct knowledge of particular problematic persons, can apply the general truth to the specifics you’ve seen. If someone I know personally were to make shipwreck, or if someone whose writings or preaching I know well were to do so, I would name them by name, and I would probably try to contact them. . .
I hope this helps!
Jim
Hello,
on your great page, you point to Hebrew OT MP3 files as tool to listenig Hebrew. Maybe, you should know that all ~ 700 MB mp3 are in present time INDEXED, to be able to listen selected verse of OT. It means, you can READ+LISTEN.
I welcome you to try FREE Bible study tool named Davar3 (http://www.faithofgod.net/davar/) which keeps that index of mp3 files. You can browse hebrew text and listen
Sincerely,
Josef
Dr. Hamilton
A friend of mine in Houston told me about you. I am a church planter (we are three months in) in Charlotte, NC. My friend’s brother in law is now attending your church in Houston and told me your work might be a good resource for me. Do you have a website for your church that I could check out?
SDG
Scott
Dr. Jim,
Hey this is Tony Wood from the UofA. I was glad to find your blog. I am living in India now. I am always looking for things that will help me grow. Congrats on the book. You had a bigger impact on my life than you will ever know. God Bless.
Tony
Hambone, a long way from the “jousting and sword fighting games of old”!! TWood told me about your blog. Great stuff bro. Read your stuff on 9Marks as well.
I’ll get with you soon.
Trich
Dr. Hamilton, Lane Keister here, also known as Green Baggins. I am always encouraged when I look at the people that Southern is hiring or has on staff already. Congratulations on your new position there. May the Lord use you mightily. Looking forward to your Revelation commentary. I will link to your blog on mine.
Dear Brother Jim,
I have just read your “GOD WITH MEN IN THE TORAH” and I must say I am most pleased. Your labor to distinguish between the indwelling and regeneration is much appreciated. Have you considered how what you have written brings greater clarity to our Lord’s glorification and the Divine Inscription of 2 Cor 3?
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)
By any chance do you have audio/video online?
In the love of Christ,
Moe Bergeron
Isa 42:6; 49:8; 2Cor 3; John 14:26
Dr. Hamilton,
I happened upon your blog a couple of months ago and enjoy reading your posts. I saw you went to DTS. I will be pursuing a PhD from there in the spring and was wondering if you would share your overall impression of the school. Thanks!
In Christ,
Jason
Jason,
Congratulations on the opportunity to pursue a PhD at DTS!
The Lord used it mightily in my life, and I am grateful to God for his mercy in letting me study there. I was blessed to be influenced by Hannah, Smith, Wallace, and others.
My main encouragement to you would be to sink roots in a local church while you’re there. Since DTS isn’t tied to a particular group of churches, it seems to me that it’s more easy to slip into a kind of Christianity that is abstracted from local church life. As though a Christian could be more a part of the evangelical movement in general than a part of a particular local church (I know I slipped into that mindset while there) . . . I don’t know if that makes sense, and I don’t know your church background.
I guess this concern is also connected to the broader separation of the study of the Bible from church life. The only way I know to work against that false divide is to dig into a local church.
Jesus said he would build his church, and everywhere the Apostles went they planted churches. I think we study the Bible – even in technical academic ways – for the glory of Christ in the church. That’s easy to forget in the rarified air of a PhD seminar. . .
Hope this helps!
Jim
Dr. Hamilton, I had a couple of questions related to speaking engagement possibility,
and advisor role. Can you email me? Thanks David Sweet
pastordavidsweet@gmail.com
Dr. Hamilton,
Unfortunately, there was no opportunity to review your Old Testament 1 class this week. So please allow me to do so. I was a student in both OT1 and OT2 this semester. I also attended Kenwood for two months this fall, and I have been so strengthened by your ministry in both places. So please allow me to say, thank you for being faithful, thank you for being godly, thank you for loving God and working for his glory in my life. Below I have listed 10 things that I wish I could have put on a seminary review sheet that I loved about your classes.
1. We read the Bible in class…A lot.
2. We write a paper about the Bible.
3. You explain the Bible.
4. You take questions about the Bible – even stupid questions, and you make the asker feel like he’s (read: I’m) not stupid.
5. We read 4 chapters of the Bible a day for assigned reading. (for me it was 8 chapters since I was taking two classes.)
6. You trace the story line of the Bible. (I am thankful that now I understand the role of the eden, temple, Israel, seed, Adam, Typology, etc., all part of God’s plan to fill the dry land with the glory of the Lord like the waters cover the sea).
7. You believe the Bible. No…I mean you REALLY believe it to be true, and authoritative, and life changing. (I have always believed the Bible, but I believe it so much more now.)
8. You take time to apply the Bible in helpful ways (like imprecatory prayers, pornography, church life, elders, etc.).
9. You give background about the Bible (explaining ancient eastern culture, archeology, etc.)
10. You didn’t spend a lot of time on textual criticism. THANKYOU!!! (sorry to break away from the whole Bible motif on this one)
11. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Once again, Thank You – words fail to explain how grateful I am. I love the Bible so much more than I ever dreamed I would.
Rob Crust