Is there a Doctor in the House?: An Insider’s Story and Advice on becoming a Bible Scholar Paperback – September 10, 2011

I was plesently surprised when I recently switched on my Kindle to find Ben Witherington's guide to becoming a Biblical Scholar had arrived. In short, it is a great read for anyone thinking of undertaking Doctoral study in the field of Biblical Studies field. Over the years I have become increasingly concerned by the amount of seminary students who begin their studies planning to be pastors and end up wanting to be scholars. Every one of them should read this book!In honest and conversational style Ben details his own journey through the various stages to become a renowned scholar and writer. The book is easily read in a day and covers what it really takes to become a scholar (and believe me it is a hard slog). Ben doesn't pull any punches. He isn't going to let you off with only your Greek. He wants you to master Hebrew, Aramaic, theological German and even French! He discusses how to choose the right school and the right supervisor and he advocates the need to go beyond a grasp of the languages and to a well-furnished understanding of historical context (secondary literature).Perhaps the two most compelling chapters in this small work are the final two on the character of the scholar and the sacrifices required of those wanting to follow this calling (and in Ben's mind it is most definitely a calling).The chapter on character is personal and challenging. In it Ben shines. I have never read about the need for the academic to possess Christ like character in their field before. It was refreshing to read. I have seen Ben in action on more than one occasion and his teaching is comprehensive and well presented. In many ways he is a Scholar/Minister. But I have also witnessed him behind the scenes. We have shared coffee and only last year he visited my home and we shared a meal. I know he lives this stuff because I have seen it. What he teaches is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his character. (That is why I get so upset when people get personal about his work I guess).Concerning the final chapter; it should be required reading for any young savvy Masters student considering a career path, a calling, as a Biblical Scholar. Ben not only outlines the financial cost of tuition but he also opens one's eyes to what is, in Ben's mind, the greatest sacrifice; the relational one. In this chapter Ben outlines the sacrifices his wife Ann has made in order for him to do what God had called him to do. As I said, It should be required reading (especially for the men) for every student.Beyond reasonable doubt this book convinced me of my calling to be a pastor and not a scholar. We need both. We need folks who are called to both. If you are considering a vocation as a Biblical scholar I commend this book to you!

The main message of Ben Witherington's little book is quite simple: Becoming a good Bible teacher and scholar requires great sacrifice, preparation and character. I read this book hoping God would use it to direct me regarding the questions of if and when I should pursue a Ph.D. degree. Some parts helped me clarify questions, a few offered guidance, many told me things I already knew.Witherington's first and final chapters were a helpful dose of wisdom and perspective wisdom regarding the realities and difficulties of completing a Ph.D. program - what it takes and what it will cost to achieve the goal. Much of middle of the book, though, covered ground that an aspiring doctoral student should already know. For example, although Witherington argues persuasively for the value of original and research language study, it seems obvious that these are required skills for doctoral study. Of course we need to know languages and historical background, have literary sensitivity and a grasp of hermeneutics. Learning the value and lay of the land in these disciplines was one of the main goals of Seminary. Witherington surveyed these fields succinctly, but there was no need to explain, for example, that the Bible has diverse genres and a scholar needs to interpret them correctly.In much of the book, Witherington shared his own experience and journey. Sometimes this was helpful and encouraging; other times I thought, "Yeah, there's a reason you've published dozens of books and the rest of us haven't. You are incredibly gifted!" This, too, I suppose is good to remember, and he both stressed his indebtedness to God and other people for what he has accomplished and made clear that we each have different gifts and callings and we should not try to be someone we're not.Witherington also offered a few practical steps and suggested resources for budding scholars. For two examples, he suggested Campbell's book, Keep Your Greek for staying sharp in Koine, and he listed 20 important monographs that a Bible (esp. NT) scholar should read. It was nice that the book did not create an overwhelming "to do list," but I would have liked a few more of these practical suggestions throughout.One final quibble: I felt some chapters lacked a clear internal organization and momentum. For all his discussion about the need to be a clear communicator, I would have liked a little more focused presentation. Each chapter had a main point, but he bounced around a bit in the making of it. This fuzziness was offset by an abundance of creative wordplays and catchy turns of phrase that so characterize Witherington. Each chapter finished with a piece of his own poetry, which was enjoyable and achieved his aim of delivering the book's ideas in different and artistic way.

This is an excellent read for those who are considering a vocation in Biblical scholarship. For many, it will help confirm whether or not one is called to the world of academics. Ben Witherington does an outstanding job pointing out critical areas of aptitude that are essential for entering and completing the rigorous demands of a PhD program.As one of the greatest Biblical scholars in the academy, Witherington understands what it takes to be PhD material. He not only shares his fascinating journey at Durham, but very candidly describes the central tenets that one must be adept in such as Biblical languages, contextualization (sitz im leben), hermeneutics, original sources, research and writing skills, etc.He is very honest to point out that those who are weak in any of these areas will probably not have the fortitude and stamina to finish a PhD dissertation. This book is a simple and quick read, but very insightful. For those who are not sure to pursue scholarship or pastoral ministry, I highly recommend as a compliment to this book D.A.Carson's and John Piper's book "The Pastor as Scholar and the Scholar as Pastor." Both books confirmed my personal decision to be a pastor first, scholar second. I highly recommend both books.

The problem with this book is that it does not address the financial struggles and competitive nature of the field in any great detail. While Witherington stresses how hard the road ahead is, he doesn't seem to mention how cut throat and ruthless it is as well.