Academic Seminar – 15th May // Dr. Phillip Marshall – “The Puzzling Prophecy to Zerubbabel: Haggai 2:23”
Academic seminars focus on early-stage research on questions at the intersection of Christian faith and scholarly enquiry. They are intended to be exploratory, generative for both presenter and participants, and accessible across disciplines.
Seminars run from 2-3pm, On most Fridays during the weeks of the University of Oxford’s full term
You are warmly invited to join us beforehand for community worship at 12.30pm and lunch in the Manor house (1-2pm).
Abstract:
Haggai’s prophecy to Zerubbabel in Hag 2:23 looks like a promise for an immanent restoration of Zerubbabel to the Davidic throne. Zerubbabel, however, never becomes king, as the land remains under the control of Persia. How, then, should we understand this puzzling prophecy and its fulfillment? That is what we will address in this presentation.
About the speaker:
Dr. Phillip Marshall has been teaching full-time at Houston Christian University (Dept of Classics and Biblical Languages) since 2008. His teaching focus (and passion) is Classical Biblical Hebrew and Hellenistic Greek. Areas of specialization are the Septuagint, early Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible, textual criticism, Hebrew and Greek grammar, and biblical exegesis. Dr. Marshall is co-author of Qoheleth (Baylor Press, 2017) and co-editor and contributor for Like Nails Firmly Fixed (Qoh 12:11): Essays on the Text and Language of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, Presented to Peter J. Gentry on the Occasion of His Retirement (Peeters Publishers, 2023). He is also a part-time Pastor of Adult Education and Discipleship at Founders Baptist Church in Spring, TX, where his wife, Cheryl, directs women’s ministries. Married over twenty-five years, they have three children: John-Phillip (wife Eunice), Kathryn (husband Nico), and Andrew. They also have one grandson and a granddaughter on the way.
Registration is not required to attend the seminar, but is needed if you want to book in for the free lunch.
Date
15th May 2026
Time
14:00 - 15:00
Price
Free (including lunch)
Speaker
Dr. Phillip Marshall
