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Thomas J. Finley

Professor of Old Testament and Semitics
Chair, Old Testament and Semitics Department
  • Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
  • M.A., University of California, Los Angeles
  • M.Div., Talbot Theological Seminary
  • B.A., Biola College

CV Document (PDF)

Dr. Finley's area of expertise is Northwest Semitic languages, specifically Hebrew and Aramaic. He authored the Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary (Joel, Amos, Obadiah) (reprinted by Galaxie Software), the Everyman's Bible (Commentary on Joel, Obadiah, Micah) (Moody), and co-authored How Biblical Languages Work: A Student's Guide to Learning Hebrew and Greek (Kregel). He also contributed notes on the prophets mentioned above to The Life Recovery Bible. He authored chapters in three books, and his articles have appeared in Grace Theological Journal, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Journal of Psychology and Theology, Vetus Testamentum, Zeitschrift für Althebraistik, and Decision Magazine. He has addressed both regional and national meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society, and he has served as a translation consultant for portions of the Old Testament for the NIV Children's Version.

For more information about Dr. Finley, please visit Dr. Finley's website.

Affiliations

  • Society of Biblical Literature
  • Evangelical Theological Society (Regional Secretary-Treasurer: 2004/05; Regional VP: 2005/06; Regional President: 2006/07)
  • National Association of Professors of Hebrew
  • Institute for Biblical Research
  • Granada Heights Friends Church, La Mirada, CA

Publications

Books

  • “How Biblical Languages Work: A Student's Guide to Learning Hebrew and Greek.” (Kregel, March 2004). Co-authored with Dr. Pete Silzer.
  • A Commentary on “Joel, Amos, and Obadiah.” Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary, Moody, 1990.
  • “Joel, Obadiah, and Micah.” Everyman's Bible Commentary, Moody, 1996.
  • “Bilingual Concordance to the targum of the Prophets.” Vols. 15-17, Exekiel, E.J. Brill, 1999.

Articles Published

  • “The Book of Daniel in the Canon of Scripture”, Bibliotheca Sacra 165:658 (2008) 195-208.
  • “Upon this Rock’: Matthew 16.18 and the Aramaic Evidence.” Aramaic Studies 4:2 (2006) 133­151.
  • “Does the Book of Mormon Reflect an Ancient Near Eastern Background?” In The New Mormon Challenge (ed. Francis Beckwith, Carl Mosser, and Paul Owen; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002).
  • “The Ministry of Women in the Old Testament,” in Women and Men in Ministry (ed. Robert Saucy and Judy TenElshof; Chicago: Moody, 2001), 73-88.
  • “The Relationship of Woman and Man in the Old Testament,” in Women and Men in Ministry (ed. Robert Saucy and Judy TenElshof; Moody, 2001), 49-71.
  • “Jonah,” pp. 523-524 in Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions (ed. A. Scott Moreau; Baker, 2000).
  • “Abrahamic Covenant,” pp. 28-29 in Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions (ed. A. ScottMoreau; Baker, 2000).
  • “A Discourse Analysis of Isaiah 7-12,” co-published with George Payton (an MA student) in Journal of Translation and Textlinguistics 6:4 (1993) 317-35.
  • “The Proposal in Biblical Hebrew: Preliminary Studies Using a Deep Structure Model,” Zeitschrift für Althebraistik 2:1 (1989).
  • “Dimensions of the Hebrew Word for 'Create' (ar”B')," Biblioteca Sacra 148:592 (1991) 409-23.
  • “Origins of Christianity and Judaism,” review article on Rebecca's Children by Alan F. Segal, Journal of Psychology and Theology 15 (1987).
  • “The 'Apple of His Eye' in Zechariah 2:8,” short note in Vetus Testamentum 38:3 (1988).
  • “An Evangelical Response to the Preaching of Amos,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 28 (1985).
  • “The Biblical Concept of Creativity: Scope, Definition, Criteria,” Journal of Psychology and Theology (1984; co-author with Dr. Barry Liesch).
  • “The Sheep Merchants of Zechariah 11,” Grace Theological Journal 3 (1982).
  • “The Waw-Consecutive with 'Imperfect' in Biblical Hebrew: Theoretical Studies and Its Use in Amos,” in Tradition and Testament: Essays in Honor of Charles Lee Feinberg (ed. John S. Feinberg and Paul D. Feinberg; Chicago: Moody, 1981).

Popular Publications

  • Contributions on the Minor Prophets for The Apologetics Study Bible, 2007.
  • “Appreciation,” Decision (November 1986).
  • “True Worship,” Assembly Links (Australia; July 1986).
  • “Christians, Money and Power,” The Treasury (New Zealand; May, 1987).
  • “Elijah - Calls Upon God with Great Boldness,” Decision (April 1989).
  • “Reading without Vowels,” Sundoulos (Spring, 1989). [alumni publication]
  • Contributions on Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah to the Life Recovery Bible (Tyndale House, 1992).
  • Bible Study on Obadiah, Decision Magazine, April 2002.

Research Interests

  • Northwest Semitic Languges, especially Syntax (Hebrew, Aramaic, other Canaanite languages)
  • The book of Daniel