The Bible Unfiltered: Approaching Scripture on Its Own Terms

by Michael S. Heiser

The Bible is mysterious, surprising-and often deeply misunderstood. Dr. Michael Heiser, an expert in the ancient near east and author of the best selling The Unseen Realm , explores the most unusual, interesting, and least understood parts of the Bible and offers insights that will inspire, inform, and surprise you on every page. Dr. Heiser has helped to remind the church of the supernatural worldview of the Bible. In The Bible Unfiltered , you will see his methods and expertise applied to dozens of specific passages and topics. Gleaned from his years working as Faithlife's scholar-in-residence, this is some of the very best of Dr. Heiser's work.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christianity, Biblical Studies, Religion, Nonfiction, Old Testament

192 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2017

About the author

Mike Heiser is a scholar in the fields of biblical studies and the ancient Near East. He is the Academic Editor of Logos Bible Software. Mike earned the M.A. and Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and Semitic Languages at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004. He has also earned an M.A. in Ancient History from the University of Pennsylvania (major fields: Ancient Israel and Egyptology). His main research interests are Israelite religion (especially Israel’s divine council), biblical theology, ancient Near Eastern religion, biblical & ancient Semitic languages, and ancient Jewish binitarian monotheism.

Mike blogs about biblical studies at The Naked Bible, and fringe beliefs about the ancient world at PaleoBabble. He offers courses to the public in Old Testament, biblical theology, Israelite religion, ancient languages, the Book of Enoch through his online institute, MEMRA.

Mike's other academic interests include the paranormal and the occult. His UFO Religions blog discusses how the pop cultural belief in aliens shape religious worldviews. Mike has been a frequent guest on a number of radio programs such as Coast to Coast AM. He is best known for his critique of the ancient astronaut theories of Zecharia Sitchin and his paranormal thriller, The Facade, which intertwines many of his interests.

Reviews

[Ben House · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible Unfiltered by Michael S. Heiser is published by Lexham Press.  Never heard of Lexham Press?  Then you are in for a treat.  They are publishing a wide range of top notch Christian books, including works by such pillars of the Reformed faith as Abraham Kuyper and Gerhardus Vos.  They are also publishing works by contemporary authors and theologians on Biblical and worldview issues.

Never heard of Michael S. Heiser?  Then you are in for another treat.  Dr. Heiser's website features articles, resources, and podcasts on his Bible research and teachings.  This past year I read The Unseen Realm, a best seller work also published by Lexham Press.

The Unseen Realm was highly recommended by several people I know, so I got the book and read it.  It is challenging, often convincing, and always fresh and Scriptured-centered.  By Scripture-centered what I mean is that Heiser is very honestly and directly trying to uncover what the Bible says.  Does he always succeed? No need to answer that, but he always tries.

Our problem as Bible readers, sermon preparers and sermon listeners, and Bible students is that we can never approach the Bible objectively.  We are finite, and we live (in most cases of those reading this) in the United States in 2018.  We are culturally conditioned.  We are not just conditioned by the culture around us.  In fact, we are often alert to the perils of modern society, Hollywood, secular humanism in the recent forms, and the like.  But we are conditioned by Western Culture, by the last 2000 years of Greeks, Romans, Carolingians, Catholics, Protestants, Puritans, Colonists, English speaking peoples, Enlightenment thinkers, converts during the Great Awakening, Calvinists, Arminians, Dispensationalists, Post-millennialists, Dutch theologians, and all sorts of others  tweaking and touching our way of thinking, processing information, and coming to settled opinions.

That is not all bad.  I wish I some of those listed above influenced me more.  But what we all have to do is to keep going back to the Bible, ad fontes, and seeking out what it is saying to those to whom it was written and when it was written.  Research into the ancient languages and cultures (Greek and Hebrew, but also the neighboring tribes) is a growing and expanding field.  Don't forget that Medieval people often knew of Homer and his epics, but the actual texts went underground for centuries. The same has happened with other realms of languages and knowledge.
This detective work is Heiser's specialty.  He digs, discovers, and offers new interpretations.  That is the strength and enjoyment of his work.

Concerning the book at hand--The Bible Unfiltered--let me make some observations.
First, I read the book last year in November.  I read it dutifully as a book reviewer and enjoyed it, but delayed getting a review together.  This past week, I started re-reading the book and am enjoying it as more than a book-reviewing duty. It can be read and re-read with enjoyment and profit.

Second, it is unusual in a few respects.  The Unseen Realm calls for the reader to gear up and do some heavy lifting, but The Bible Unfiltered is much lighter and easily read.  It would be great as a prelude to reading Heiser's more challenging work or as a follow up.
The chapters are all short--usually 3 to 4 pages.  It could be read as a morning devotional, but unlike most devotionals, this one would feed that part of us that fits under "loving God with all our minds."  Don't assume that mental growth is not connected to spiritual growth.
This makes the book a delight for the "I'm too busy to read theology" person.  This book is good, sharp punches rather than a long drawn out match.

Here are the topics for the first long section of the book:
Part One: Interpreting the Bible Responsibly
Serious Bible Study Isn’t for Sissies
Getting Serious—and Being Honest—about Interpreting the Bible in Context
Sincerity and the Supernatural
Let the Bible Be What It Is
Bad Bible Interpretation Really Can Hurt People
Unyielding Literalism: You Reap What You Sow
Everything in the Bible Isn’t about Jesus
Bible Reading and Bible Memorization Are Not Bible Study
Marxism and Biblical Theology Aren’t Synonyms
How to (Mis)Interpret Prophecy

In my re-reading, these are the ones that are freshest in my mind.  My thought on the first one, which is on serious Bible study, is that I need to read that to my theology students and to myself often.  In these short chapters, Heiser knocks the props out from under many false or unthought-out ideas.  The chapter on bad Bible interpretation discusses past bad uses of the Bible to justify race-based slavery (sons of Ham).  "Unyielding Literalism" lays flat an overly simplistic approach we often fall prey to.  The portion on Marxism and theology struck me as a bit dated.  Does anyone still see Marxism as an application of Christian community?  But it never hurts to chop the head off of a dead snake.

I did not readily agree with "Everything in the Bible Isn't about Jesus."  I mention that as a selling point, not a turn off.  It just so happens that I am currently reading a book titled The Christ-Centered Expositor  by Tony Merida.  He is teaching pastors how to make preach with Christ as the message, no matter what the text.  Is he right or is Heiser? Well, it is not that simple.  Both men point out ways that well-intentioned expositors can make connections that just aren't there in the text.  So, even the chapter I question still provides me some cautions in my own Bible readings.

On the one hand, I would love to jump right in and finish reading number two of The Unfiltered Bible during this coming week.  With sixty chapters and 230 plus pages, it can be read quickly.  But I prefer to keep it handy, to use it as the book to carry to an appointment, to read in short snatches, to use for nutritious snacking.  However, one read it, it is a fine work.

[Sarah Powers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of articles that the author wrote and then put into book form. As a result it's a bit choppy to read and lacks flow, but if you read with the mind set that they are stand alone chapters, it's fine.

Basically, it's a Readers Digest version of exploring some crazy and confusing parts of the Bible. I would say if you want to use the book as a catalyst to study more deeply some of the topics presented, that would be a good use of the book.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this author immensely as he presents new ideas and provides convincing arguments for viewing the Bible from a much different perspective than I grew up with; as always, one must read with discernment, but his arguments are very much within the realm of possibility and also revealing as to just how little we actually know.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are unfamiliar with Heiser and his teachings, this would be a good book to get officially introduced if you are so inclined. At about 60 chapters, Heiser covers a lot. But at about 3-7 pages a chapter he doesn’t go too far in depth.

I have said this about Heiser, Walton, Enns, and others, that there is something about their studies and writings that we must be aware of and at the same time be cautious as well. One can’t ignore the Ancient Near-Eastern context that is clearly in place for our Old Testament studies. There are some things that are completely foreign to our current cultural context that are quite easily missed without this insight. At the same time, when you hear hoofbeats behind you, one shouldn’t expect to see zebras. This is a common error in my opinion with many of the “unseen realm” genre writers and podcasters today, that they can be so caught up in trying to uncover a hidden meaning behind a text that they ignore the clear and obvious meaning that is right in front of them.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Heiser takes several of his core ideas and distills them into a short, readable book. Each chapter is only several pages long. If you are familiar with his work, then most of this is review. However, several ideas are readily available for quick retrieval.

Context: the right context for understanding the Bible is the context that produced the Bible (Heiser loc. 240). This means a supernatural context with supernatural entities. This means not protecting the Bible from the “weird stuff.”

There is an interesting chapter combating cultural marxism. While it sort of appears out of nowhere, it is much appreciated. The one thing missing in the Bible’s command to care for the poor is the intermediate role of the bureaucratic, Leviathan state.

Is Heiser (and others) arrogant on modern commentaries? We might bristle at the claim that older commentaries aren’t superior on the languages, but consider the argument: “Archeology produces more discoveries. Computer technology makes ancient language analysis more thorough (and faster). Information becomes more accessible and searchable. It’s no exaggeration to say that what scholars had access to years ago is literally a fraction of what’s available to you today using only a smartphone” (loc. 661).

He isn’t saying Calvin and Matthew Henry are bad. He’s just doing what Luther did: what right did Luther have to say that his understanding of dikaioo was superior to that of St Barsanuphius? The sword cuts both ways.

Parsing Yahweh: Yahweh is a third-person form in the Hiphil imperfect.

He repeats his sections on the Angel of Yahweh = Yahweh. It’s worth considering but I won’t spend much time on it here, save to say that Yahweh is inseparable from his presence.

Good section on the goat demons in Israel’s worldview. They are the se’irim, to whom there was a constant temptation to sacrifice (Lev. 17:7).

Secret things belong to the Lord: This verse in Deut does not mean we shouldn’t work hard in bible study. Rather, it is the climax of Moses’s sermon about the curses and blessings they will receive for obeying the law. Rather, it is God’s seeing the secret sins. They are known to God (loc. 1073).

In Mark 5 the demons inhabiting Legion say something rather unique. Unlike earlier demons, they say Jesus is the God Most High. This language is reminiscent of the Deuteronomy 32 worldview. The Most High God had disinherited the nations and assigned them to the sons of God. The demons know this. They know Jesus is reclaiming the nations. He is removing the legal rights.

The Inspiration Process: God didn’t usually download material to his people’s brains. He didn’t make them “automatically write.” That sounds like divination. If God did do something like that, then why are there differences in the gospels (or the first chapter of Ezekiel)? Rather, God used instruments, not puppets.

Demons and the Shema: James isn’t saying that demons acknowledge the existence of a supernatural being, pace literally every sermon on James 2. Rather, James is connecting this with Shema. The demons know they are outside the plan of God, that God has disinherited them forever. That is why they are scared.

[Parker Robb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating this book is hard—I wish I could give it a 3.5.

On the one hand, the first section gets 5 stars. I think every Christian needs to read the first ten chapters of this book. Heiser talks about how we’ve been trained to import our own views into the Bible, and how to read and study it properly in order to determine the true meaning—letting the Bible speak for itself (hence the title). It also touches on how intellectual curiosity and academic/intellectual integrity play into this.

On the other hand, the second and third sections of this book deserve only 3 stars due to the format. The 50 chapters contained there are a bit frustrating because the book was compiled from a series of Heiser’s blog posts, with little structural editing. As a result, every “chapter” is only three pages long. The information conveyed is really good but only *barely* scratches the surface, leaving one longing that Heiser would go deeper into more details and spend more time developing his points. Alas, his three-page-long blog-post-chapters don’t do any of the content justice. I learned to read the book in short spurts, only reading up to five chapters at a time, lest I get what felt like intellectual whiplash moving from topic to topic so quickly.

[Rye Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy Dr. Heiser's approach to biblical topics and his expertise in the Ancient Near East culture. He frames the Scriptures for us through this lens, which helps us understand what the writers and readers of the Scriptures would have thought and believed. Great reading. Easy reading. Interesting reading.

[Drew Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Heiser has given me tools to reframe my view of the Bible to be more accurate and faithful to the original audience and culture. The result has been a deepening of faith and passion for helping others see the Bible in its own world. This book is a Swiss Army knife of tools and insights that make reading the Bible not only more clear, but also much more exciting!

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the interpretation here was quite bold, especially on author's denomination. Some maybe posed difficulties, for the author said that the most right interpretation was according author's background and not geographical or even Jewish background. This would be difficult for many books we don't know the real sure author.

[Adam Bloch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of Heiser's articles (although they are non-academic articles and come across more like blog-posts, but they are written by a scholar). If you like his other material, this book is similar, but without any over-arching train of thought.

[Spencer R · Rating 4 out of 5]

The full review published on my blog, Spoiled Milks, on February 8, 2018

Heiser’s newest book, The Bible Unfiltered, similar to I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible, is made up of some of his contributions to Faithlife's Bible Study Magazine. It consists of three parts: (1) Interpreting the Bible Responsibly and interpretations on (2) the Old Testament and (3) the New Testament.

I’ve been listening to Heiser’s podcast for a few years now, and the bass line to all of his songs is understanding the Bible through the lens of the people who wrote it, especially those in the Old Testament (which is Heiser’s academic focus). He says God “prepared and chose men to accomplish that task [that of revealing and clarifying God’s thoughts, character, and purposes], not to insert obstacles to that task. This means that those of us living thousands of years after the words of Scripture were written face a predicament. We come from a different world. We did not share life with them. We are not of one mind in a multitude of ways” (2).

We are blessed to have Bible translations in many of our languages. We have the opportunity to read and understand the Word every day. But communication requires more than knowing the same language. It requires knowing the concepts, wordplays, and word connotations. The Bible is perplexing; in order to understand it we must know the biblical worldview.

The Bible is not set in the modern world. There is a lot of supernatural elements that modern readers think are too weird. The biblical authors believed the world was flat and covered by a solid dome (a “firmament”). Heiser plainly says that God did not set forth men to write his Word to teach us science. That was not his intention, and to read the Bible as a science textbook is to misread the Bible.

Heiser emphasizes actual Bible study, not just biblical memorization (though he doesn’t downplay that either—for an example, see my post on James 2.19). He gives an example on how not to misinterpret prophecy with the difficult text from James’ use of Amos 9.11–12 in Acts 15.16–18.

Recommended?
I like Heiser’s works because he not only knows the primary OT and ANE literature, but he’s up to date on much of current scholarship, while still remaining clever and not following trends because they’re popular (he takes a lot of minority views, e.g., rebellious divine beings in Psalm 82, and a rebellious divine being—and not Adam—in the background of Ezekiel 28). Although he has admitted he's less of an innovator and more one who collects others' ideas and brings them to the popular level, he still brings plenty to the table. Listeners of Heiser’s podcast will be familiar with a good portion of Part One, and at least some of the ideas in Parts Two and Three. The chapters are short and usually leave me wanting more, but it gives me just enough of a taste that it creates a desire in me to study more. If the Bible actually is this interesting (and it is), then I want to study it even more than I already do. If it creates that same desire in you, then it is well worth it.

[Vincent Artale Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book

This volume is thought provoking group of articles written by Dr. Mike Heiser in Faithlife's Bible Study Magazine. If someone is new to Mike's views of the Bible this work is going to be worth the price of admission. Same if your a long time follower of Mike's theological approach to the Bible. Highly recommend this book, it's a very easy to read and understand.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael S. Heiser is Scholar-in-Residence at Logos Bible Software. Heiser has an MA and PhD in Hebrew Bible and Semitic Languages at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as an MA in Ancient History from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of several important books, including The Unseen Realm: Discovering the Supernatural World of the Bible and Reversing Hermon: Enoch, The Watchers, and the Forgotten Missing of Jesus Christ. Most recently, Heiser has brought together a collection of articles intended to aid an understanding the original context of the ancient world for the purpose of offering readers an unfiltered glimpse into Bible.

The Bible Unfiltered: Approaching Scripture on Its Own Terms is divided into three parts: (1) Interpreting the Bible Responsibly, (2) Old Testament, and (3) New Testament. Each chapter is only a few pages long. So, the content is easily digestible, and the point of each chapter is clearly presented. In part one, Heiser lays the groundwork for serious Bible reading and interpretation. In many ways, the reader is challenged to remove their theological lenses and unwind from presupposed tradition. Heiser is bold enough to not sidestep the issues as he goes straight to the heart of the matter and encourages readers to read their Bible responsibly. These chapters are certainly a challenge, but foundational to the entire book. In fact, if I were to guess I think Heiser would be more than happy if everyone that looked at the book only took the time to read and practice the content in part one. The remaining two parts are simply Heiser putting such hermeneutical practices into action for readers to observe in both the Old Testament and New.

Those previously acquainted with Heiser’s approach to the Bible will certainly meet on familiar territory in The Bible Unfiltered. This is one of the greatest aspects of the book. Heiser is keen to point readers to details in the text that are overlooked. The result, not surprisingly, is always a deeper understanding and awareness of the passage or narrative. Heiser is witty and controversial at all the right times and uses such to spur readers on to a more responsible study of the Bible. Moreover, Heiser knows the primary source material of the Old Testament and ancient Near East extremely well and is up-to-date on current conversations in biblical studies for both the Old Testament and New. Still, what I appreciate most about Heiser’s work is the amount of useful information and insight that he is able to shove into a small space. That said Heiser doesn’t just force mere factoids into a chapter for the sake of doing such. The information is always relevant to the text and digestible for the average reader—though it’s true that some food does take longer to process than others.

The Bible Unfiltered: Approaching Scripture on Its Own Terms isn’t a book for the faint of heart. Sure, it’s an easy read. But, for many readers, I think it will be paradigm shifting. Take time with it and be sure to test where Heiser takes you. It’s a journey well worth taking and The Bible Unfiltered is a great guide, as long as you take to heart Heiser’s call to read the Bible more responsibly. Whatever you do don’t remain trapped by tradition. Not that the filters of tradition are inherently wrong or misguided. But, the Bible just looks better unfiltered. Indeed, it is the unfiltered reading of the Bible that should become the foundation for all other filters.

The Bible Unfiltered: Approaching Scripture on Its Own Terms by Michael S. Heiser is superb. It comes highly recommended alongside his previous work of similar caliber and strength, I Dear You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is unique. There are 60 short chapters that cover many topics. What makes the book stand out on the shelves is that the topics it covers are often those you won’t find many other places. His title suggests his point – we place too many filters on our Bible before we even open it to study. The subtitle “approaching Scripture on its own terms” is a call to fresh study with real attempts to remove those filters.

The 60 chapters are divided into three parts. Part one addresses the broad issues involved in interpreting the Bible responsibly. It’s in this section that he attempts to prove to you that you do, in fact, have unhelpful filters on your Bible. Parts two and three cover the Old and New Testaments respectively. These two sections are different than the first one in that they are not really looking at broad hermeneutical mistakes made in either Testament, but rather specific points where we drop the ball.

If I had a criticism of this book, it would spring from the same place where its celebrated uniqueness comes from. At times, it seems Mr. Heiser interprets on the edges. Too much time on the edges is dangerous for some Bible students because they lose the big picture. To get around this criticism, you must accept this book for what it is: a provocative attempt to force you to see if you are reading from the Scriptures rather than into them.

Several of the topics covered were fascinating. A few I simply could not agree with based on the scriptural evidence. A case in point would be chapter 12 where he claims that all our Genesis commentaries are eight-track tapes. I’m sorry, but what one scholar wrote about in 2010 does not instantly become the gold standard for all Christians, even on an obscure topic like the one in that chapter.

You have got to appreciate what this book is trying to do. We often neither search the Scriptures diligently enough nor think deeply enough. This book will push us to do better and that’s its value. Along the way, you will likely gain some new insights on scriptural subjects you have thought about in some time.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Professor Kirke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible Unfiltered is a fantastic collection of "snackable" articles on various "difficult" (complex/controversial/ambiguous) Bible passages. Heiser's main take on a correct or serious reading of the Bible is to read it in the light of its original context, not through the lens of creeds and confessions. This and further "rules" for serious Biblical studies are explained in the first few chapters of this book. The rest of the book compiles a number of articles on specific passages, arranged in order of the respective Biblical books.

Heiser was a master at presenting the difficulties of a text, the different approaches one could take to unravel them, and his own, well-founded takes on just as little space as necessary. Most of the articles included here are shorter than two pages, yet very rarely does one get the feeling that Heiser is only scratching the surface. On the contrary, he focuses on the most interesting details of each topic, while also continuously placing them in the greater context of the Biblical worldview.

Only occasionally did I find his method of answering controversial questions a little unsatisfactory. An example would be the chapter on baptism, which argues for an understanding of baptism in the light of the Old Testament practice of circumcision while leaving out New Testament passages implying its efficacy or at least necessity for salvation.

For the most part however, I was once more impressed by Heiser's clarity, logic and no-nonsense attitude towards Biblical theology. He definitely ruffled some feathers throughout his career and this book isn't short of "hot takes" either, but what a gift he was to the Body of Christ!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bible Unfiltered is a much-needed call to read Scripture with fresh eyes trained on the original cultural, literary, and historical context. Heiser excels in helping readers consider what the Bible’s first audiences would have understood. His explanations are clear, compelling, and often eye-opening, especially for those unfamiliar with the Jewish and ancient Near Eastern background of the text.

Heiser rightly pushes against shallow or overly Westernized readings of Scripture. That said, the book sometimes swings too far in the other direction.

In its effort to correct bad habits, it can come across as dismissive of other valid interpretations, insinuating his view as the only faithful approach, leaving little room for the layered, Spirit-inspired views. His tone can seem oppositional at times, as if the only meaningful insights come by way of rebutting traditional theology.

Still, there’s a wealth of insight here. For readers who can weigh its strengths while being mindful of its limitations, this book is a rich resource and a solid contribution to the ongoing conversation about how we read the Bible faithfully.

[Josiah Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an assortment of random articles Heiser has written throughout the years. Even though the articles' original purpose was not to be put into chapters, the articles fit together nicely and build upon each other. For people familiar with Heiser's work this is basically a summary of his past work. This offers a popular treatment on subjects such as the relationship between circumcision and baptism, the sons of God, an article on the dating of Jericho, what James means by stating that "even the demons believe in one God", along with other great short treatments on a variety of subjects with footnotes to other works that you can check. I highly suggest this book for those who are beginning their journey into careful exegesis of the scripture, or for more experienced readers wanting to further cement these theological ideas to memory.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend recommended Heiser to me, and I decided to read this book first, to better understand Heiser's approach to understanding the Bible. I really appreciated Heiser's conversational tone, and though he goes into detail about language, his arguments are easy to follow, clear and concise. Much of what he says is self-evident for me, but there were several points that were new to me and have given me food for thought. In addition, however, he lays out an overview of history, and of God's interaction with the human world - that is awe-inspiring and humbling, leading the reader (well, me, at least) to once again be thankful and grateful that God loves me enough to send Jesus to Earth to die in my place that I, a sinful human, may be adopted into God's family.

[Matt Maples · Rating 4 out of 5]

We lost Dr. Heiser way too soon, he died of cancer in 2023, but his impact will be felt for years to come. To be honest, this book was not exactly what I expected, but it was very good nonetheless. This book is a collection of Heiser's blog posts. There are 60 posts in all, which means that you get some very interesting insights on a number of different topics. So that's the good side of this coin, but the bad part of this book is that there are so many topics that are being covered. So I didn't love that the book didn't dive deeper into any topics or build on consecutive arguments. So this book will move your theological knowledge forward in a lot of areas, but it will only take you a short distance.

[Valerie Horner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Heiser's book "The Bible Unfiltered" is a bit of a ragtag assortments of various Bible topics that he has taken a new look at as a Bible expert and PhD in ancient Semitic languages. He dismantles a few false narratives, and provides fresh insights into a few others. His chapters on the Angel of Yahweh, Unyielding Literalism, & Jesus Our Warrior are insightful. I have never before heard a similar interpretation of Matthew 16:18, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." (Hint - it's about geography).
Buy it; read it; I guarantee that you will learn something new.

[Edward Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Read

This was a good read. It calls you into a deeper reading of Scripture, especially the Old Testament. Unfortunately in today's world of Christianity, many seem to think that the Old Testament doesn't matter and that all we need is the New Testament. Yet, how are we going to understand the New Testament with the foundation of the Old. One could see why we end up with some of the teachings a d doctrines we have today because of the lack of understanding of the New Testament's use of the Old in its theology.

[James Ordonez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is an entertaining and educational collection of essays that explain biblical themes. The chapters have no particular flow in it as it just jumps from one topic to another: but this book should not be underestimated as it really challenges the reader, through its simple writing done by a profound scholar, to really value biblical studies. If your the guy who wants to understand the Bible for what it is, pick up this book.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read! Thought not quite what I expected. The book doesn't especially hold together as a cohesive whole. Instead, it's (mostly) a number of short studies or articles in and around the topic of "clarigyin hard and confusing scripture passages".

I appreciate greatly Heiser's "Biblical" (vs. Systematic) approach to scripture and, to that end, Part I (40 pages or so) does a great job of outlining how to responsibly read, interpret, and understand scripture in general principles.

[Methodist Prime · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bible Unfiltered is a really enjoyable read. Before you dig into it be aware that the book is a collection of a series of essays so it’s very choppy and doesn’t go into tremendous depth. Don’t let this turn you away though, the book is thought provoking. Gives plenty of reading through his ‘Divine Council’ theory and gives some good insights into the original languages used within the HB, LXX and NT which should spur you into further reading and study.

[Amanda Albertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great! A collection of 60 brief articles that were insightful, informative, and helpful regarding how to interpret the spiritual/cultural context of the Old and New Testaments. My only wish is that each article was more in depth and contained more references to peer-reviewed materials.

[Christian Wermeskerch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably should've read one of his full sized works first. Opens new insights, shows new avenues to explore the Bible, but these are about a page, page and a half long, so you don't get too far with each. But Heiser has a sharp eye on the Scriptures and his mind is familiar with the though world of the Bible, so I would recommend him as a writer and theologian.

[Duane Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Mr. Heiser's work that illuminated much of the context around several passages of the Bible. Truth be told, the reason I am giving 4 stars is a)I wish the book was longer and B) I would like he individual treatments to be longer, more in depth as well. Engaging writing and a topic well worth the study.

[Wesley Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting read that does a great job of revealing, in simple terms, the ways we can often impose on scripture rather than let scripture speak for itself.

This would be a good book for a new and seasoned Christian alike. Concise, witty, and well argued. I will be recommending this book to friends.

[Nick Woodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, while each chapter is very short, is deep and worthy of reading, especially if you are a Bible learner. I really like Heiser's writings. They are very thought-provoking and force me to study hard.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives great detail and background on some of the stranger passages of the Bible. I thoroughly enjoyed reading some of his eye-opening backgrounds to help better understand some of the stranger parts of Scripture.