Written to son, Bill Mounce:

Your dad was an incredible Christian statesman who possessed the most amazing mind, so sharp and bright. We corresponded for a number of years, and bless his heart, he felt free to correct me a few times on my published devotionals…and so he should have, scholar that he was!   Bob Mounce will be missed…it’s an era ended!

​Joni Eareckson Tada. 

Dr. Robert “Bob” Mounce, President Emeritus of Whitworth University, passed away in Seattle, Washington on January 24 th, 2019 surrounded by family. Born in 1921 in LaSalle, Illinois, he grew up in Minot, North Dakota. He earned a BA in music from the University of Washington in 1943. During the Second World War, he served the nation as a dive bomber pilot in the Naval Air Corps (1943-1946). After the war, he taught public school and served as a missionary in Guatemala where he was director of the Christian radio station TGNA. He married Jean McTavish in 1952 and over the years, the two became loving parents for five children. He earned a Th.M. in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1956, and in 1958, a Ph.D. in Biblical Criticism from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Dr. Mounce was Professor and Chairman of the Department of Biblical Studies at Bethel College and Seminary from 1958-1967. He then moved to Western Kentucky University where he served as Professor of Religious Studies (1967-1970) and Academic Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities (1970-1980). He then moved to Spokane to begin a term as President of Whitworth College, serving from 1981 to 1987. Throughout his career as a theologian and scholar, Dr. Mounce was a remarkably prolific writer. Publishing more than 25 books, including many highly-regarded New Testament commentaries. His commentaries on Revelation, Romans, and the Gospels of John and Matthew continue to be key resources for pastors and scholars around the globe. One of his most notable and enduring contributions to the community of Christian scholars was his long and faithful service on the translation committees for the following Bible translations: New International Version, New International Readers Version, New Living Translation, English Standard Version, and Revised Authorized Version. Few biblical scholars have had a greater impact on the way millions of people read and understand the recorded word of God. Following his tour as President of Whitworth College, Dr. Mounce served as the Senior Pastor of Christ Community Church, Walnut Creek, California. In 1991, he retired to a busy life of speaking and writing. After the death of Jean, his beloved wife of 60 years, he married Rachel Johnson, enjoying his final seven years with her in Anacortes, Washington where he focused on bringing the Bible to life in practical and devotional books and blogs for a wide following of readers, and also devoted time to composing new piano music and zipping around town in a sporty silver convertible. Robert Mounce will be remembered as a beloved educator, stalwart institutional leader, tireless scholar, prolific writer, and loving husband, father, and grandfather. He is preceded in death by his parents George Douglas and Edna Florence Kays, and his brother George. He is survived by his wife Rachel, daughter Teri (Terry) Gundlach, sons Mike (Nancy) Bertuleit, Bill (Robin) Mounce, Dave (Gini) Mounce, and Doug (Lili) Mounce, twelve grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. There will be a gathering for friends and family in Scholls Ferry, Oregon. Donations in honor of Dr. Bob Mounce can be made to the Whitworth Scholarship Fund, Whitworth University, Institutional Advancement, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd., Spokane, WA 99251 & smcquilkin@whitworth.edu

​

​There is no other psalm that has been recited at more memorial services and memorized by more school children than Psalm 23. We resonate so strongly to the psalm because of its central motif, which is, as the OT scholar Mark Futato puts it, “the beneficent presence of a personal God.” We were created for fellowship with this God and until that relationship, which was broken by sin, is reestablished, our most basic desire remains unmet. In the psalm God is portrayed as a divine shepherd who protects and guides us on our journey through life. It culminates in a joyful feast and a soul satisfying relationship with Him that will never end. Little wonder that it is a favorite psalm.
 
 
You are my shepherd, precious Lord
There’s nothing more I need;
Rest me in the pastures green
Near quiet waters lead.
 
Though I walk through darkest valley
No evil do I fear;
For you are there beside me
Your rod and staff so near.
 
A table you prepare for me
A feast of love and joy;
You anoint my head with precious oil
My cup I do enjoy.
 
Surely goodness is my lot
Your love will follow me;
And I will dwell with you, my Lord
Throughout eternity.

One of the interesting things about Solomon’s problem is that they are crystal clear. One need not wonder what the wise man meant when, for instance, in Proverbs he says, “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked” (4:14). We correctly understand that wicked people have a certain life-style and we are not to live that way. This is so important that Solomon restates it several times: “Avoid it . . . don’t even think about it . . . turn your back on it . . . keep moving” (various translations of phrases in vv. 14-15). The wise man considers the way of the wicked and quickly decides against it.
      But if our way of living is to be different from the life of the unbeliever, what about all of the acceptable things they do such as earning a living, raising a family, paying income tax? Don’t we both live the same way in these areas? The answer, of course, is Yes. But what the proverb is talking about is the difference between a life governed by natural desires in contrast to a life lived in fellowship with God’s Son. While there is common ground on a number of issues there is a distinct difference when it comes purpose and direction.
      The point of the proverb is not that we should cut off contact with the world but that we should not become one with them. I remember from teaching World Religions that in every major religion separation from the wrong companions is essential for growth. Gautama Buddha wrote, “An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.” Those working with the data of sociology agree that people tend to unwittingly absorb the outlook and practices of those with whom whose they associate. No wonder Solomon warns against following “the path of evil doers” (NLT).
      I know that the immediate reaction of some is, “But aren’t we supposed to win people like that to Christ and how can we do that if we aren’t together?”
To the two questions I would answer (1) Yes, and (2) Don’t confuse normal contact with buddying. Christianity draws a clear line between good and evil. Spurgeon’s response to the latter is, “If Christ has died for me, I cannot trifle with the evil that killed my best Friend.” May God grant to each of us tender concern for the “not yets” of our community and a firm “no way” to a life style that placed our Lord on the cross.

One of the interesting things about Solomon’s problem is that they are crystal clear. One need not wonder what the wise man meant when, for instance, in Proverbs he says, “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked” (4:14). We correctly understand that wicked people have a certain life-style and we are not to live that way. This is so important that Solomon restates it several times: “Avoid it . . . don’t even think about it . . . turn your back on it . . . keep moving” (various translations of phrases in vv. 14-15). The wise man considers the way of the wicked and quickly decides against it.
       But if our way of living is to be different from the life of the unbeliever, what about all of the acceptable things they do such as earning a living, raising a family, paying income tax? Don’t we both live the same way in these areas? The answer, of course, is Yes. But what the proverb is talking about is the difference between a life governed by natural desires in contrast to a life lived in fellowship with God’s Son. While there is common ground on a number of issues there is a distinct difference when it comes purpose and direction.
       The point of the proverb is not that we should cut off contact with the world but that we should not become one with them. I remember from teaching World Religions that in every major religion separation from the wrong companions is essential for growth. Gautama Buddha wrote, “An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.” Those working with the data of sociology agree that people tend to unwittingly absorb the outlook and practices of those with whom whose they associate. No wonder Solomon warns against following “the path of evil doers” (NLT).
      I know that the immediate reaction of some is, “But aren’t we supposed to win people like that to Christ and how can we do that if we aren’t together?”
To the two questions I would answer (1) Yes, and (2) Don’t confuse normal contact with buddying. Christianity draws a clear line between good and evil. Spurgeon’s response to the latter is, “If Christ has died for me, I cannot trifle with the evil that killed my best Friend.” May God grant to each of us tender concern for the “not yets” of our community and a firm “no way” to a life style that placed our Lord on the cross.

As many of you know, when it comes to the philosophy of translation there is a broad range of approach.  One end of the spectrum looks for equivalent words in what is called the target language. At the other end, the concern is to make sure that what the author said in the source language is correctly represented in the target language. The word for word approach translates words while the other approach translates meaning. For instance, the ASV renders Proverbs 3:34 as, “Surely he scoffeth at the scoffers; But he giveth grace unto the lowly.” The Message translates the same verse with, “He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you’re down on your luck, he’s right there to help.” Some might ask, “But isn’t the first a translation and the second a paraphrase?” The answer is a qualified Yes, but in a sense all translations are paraphrases because they all restate a given text in another language.
       But some will ask, “Doesn’t the word for word approach give you what the original text actually says?” My answer is that all translation involves interpretation. For instance, the ASV translates the first two words of Rom 3:4 with “God forbid,        ” but neither English word is in the Greek, me genoito (“not come into being”). The goal of all translation is to give the contemporary reader a correct understanding of what the original author wanted to communicate. The problem for the first approach is the non-literary result of handling words so mechanically. Words rarely have a single meaning that fits every possible context. As the noted linguist, Eugene Nida, insisted, “Words bleed their meaning from context.” The question for the second approach with its freedom to select a right word in a given context is that the translator could, in the process, create what he would like the text to say. So while each approach has its challenges, both have a role to play when it comes to the art of translation.
       With this in mind let’s look at what Solomon was saying in Proverbs 3:34. The NIV, probably the standard English translation right now, has as the subject of the verse “mocker.” The ESV represents the original text as saying, “Toward the scorners he is scornful,” while the TEV says, “He has no use for conceited people.” Which is better – mocker, scorner, or conceited? As I hear it, “mocking” is rather specific (“to attack or treat with ridicule”) while “conceit” is much broader. Which is better? To look for the answer the translator must go back into Solomon’s culture with the Hebrew word, find out from the literature of the day how the word fell on the ears of those who first heard it. Would “mock,” or perhaps some other synonym, represent to us today what the original meant to people then? But, you say, “Isn’t that what scholars do?” and I would say, “Yes.” Let’s trust they have done the necessary research and let us hear the text as the first listeners did.
       One thing is certain and that is that English translations are among the very best in the languages of the world. We can accept with confidence the work that continues to be done in the field. God will make sure that what He wants us to know will be adequately translated to all who desire to hear.
 
 

​*In a recent song I said to God, "I feel your power in every storm." That is certainly the theme of Psalm 29. Read it in David.
        
 
 
In Psalm 29 David call out to the heavenly beings to praise God in the mighty rainstorm that passes east to west from the waters of the Mediterranean sea, the mountains of Lebanon, and on to the desert land of Syria. Throughout the storm the voice of God is heard in control. In the song, The Grand Old Story, the author writes, “I see your love of beauty in the sunset, I feel your awesome power in every storm.” Such awareness prompts the Psalmist to call on the angelic beings to lift their voices in praise to God, victorious over the broad expanse of the natural world.
 
 
 
                               Psalm 29
 
     Give Yahweh due praise, you heavenly beings
     Praise his holy name;
     Let it roll out like thunder over the waters
     Its power the world sets aflame.
 
     The voice of the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon
     He makes mountains skip like a calf;
     Lebanon leaps like a young wild ox
     The Lord makes the lightening flash.
 
     The voice of Yahweh makes the desert shake
     Shouts of glory never cease;
    The Lord is enthroned as king forever
    He blesses his people with peace.
 
 
 

 In Psalm 18 king David calls to the King of king above. He calls out
 for deliverance. God’s response is described in cosmic terms that portray his saving  activity in a way that stirs the imagination. God is willing and fully able to rescue his      own no matter how hazardous the condition.
 
     The Lord is my rock, my stronghold and fortress
     In him I find protection;
     I love you Lord, you are my strength
     You are my heart’s affection.
 
     The cords of death had wound around me
     I cried out for all it was worth;
     God in his temple heard my plaintive voice
     In anger he shook the earth.
 
     From his mouth came a consuming fire   
     He parted the sky down below;
     He mounted the cherubim and soared with the wind
     Soon there’ll be darkness and woe.
 
     The Lord thundered from heaven on high 
     With bolts of lightening he came;
     Reaching down from heaven he rescued me .  
     My captors were filled with shame.
 
     Attacking me on a day of deep distress
     My enemies did me wrong;
     God led me out to a place of safety
     That’s right where I belong.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I trust you have had a really good year. It's over now and the next year with all its possibilities is at hand. Recently not only did I fracture my hip but I tore my shlulder apart as well. It looks as though I will be spending another three or four weeks in rehab.

       So this morning I turned to scripture for encouragement. For reasons you would understand if you could see me right now I turned to the gospel account of Jesus healing the leper (Matthew 8, Mark 1, and Luke 5). This poor man had a terrible skin disease that covered his entire body. Coming to Jesus he fell on his knees and pleaded, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” His point of view was that Jesus had the ability to heal him, but perhaps not the inclination.

       But how does that relate to today’s world? There is a sizable portion of evangelicalism that holds that Jesus is still healing through the agency of gifted men and women in the congregation. This may well be true but in my experience it is not something that happens on a regular basis (at least as it did in Jesus’ day). At the same time I am positive that Jesus’is universal healing ministry continues around the world. Perhaps if we were in a more needy area we would see it.  In any case, Jesus, being the same throughout time, doesn’t have phases in his ministry.  For now, healing, like prayer is one thing that lies pretty much outside the daily experience of most. Some day we will know and be able to join the first century believers in this aspect of the daily experience of living with Christ.
 
       In any case, EVERYTHING STARTS OVER TOMORROW, THE FIRST OF EVERYTHING!
JOIN ME IN THE BEST YEAR OF OUR INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE LIVES.