John is Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Postgraduate Lead in the School of Theology at Laidlaw College. John teaches Old Testament, Hebrew, and Biblical Interpretation. John has been on the editorial board of the Bible Translator since 2021 and was Māngai Māori (Māori Representative) for the Aotearoa New Zealand Association for Biblical Studies for 2022-2023. Before beginning at Laidlaw in 2018, John taught Old Testament and Hebrew in Yangon at the Myanmar Evangelical Graduate School of Theology from 2005 to 2017. Before that he was Pastor at Lincoln Road Bible Chapel from 1998 to 2002.

Summary of key research

John’s research covers Old Testament, hermeneutical issues, and translation and interpretation of the Bible in mission contexts. His current research projects include metaphor in Daniel and the reception of the Bible amongst early Māori Christians.

Most recent publications

• John de Jong and Allan Bell, “The Application of Bakhtin’s Incorporated Genre in Biblical Studies.” Pages 424-443 in The Literary–Linguistic Analysis of the New Testament: The Enduring Legacies of Russian Formalism and the Prague Linguistic Circle. Edited by Stanley E. Porter, Zachary K. Dawson, and Ryder A. Wishart. Leiden: Brill, 2024.
• “‘Scripture Extracts’: An Early Catholic Burmese Translation.” The Journal of Ecclesiastical History Vol.75/4 (2024): 747-757. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022046924000034.
• “Adoniram Judson’s Burmese Bible: Dependency and Development.” Church History Vol.92/4 (2024): 822–44. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0009640723002780
• “‘I Have Nothing Yet that I Can Venture to Use’: Adoniram Judson’s Rejection of James Chater’s Gospel of Matthew in Burmese,” The Bible Translator Vol.74/2 (2023): 284-298.

Personal Bio

John is married to Rebecca and they have four children. They live in the beautiful Te Wao Nui A Tiriwa (“The Great Forest of Tiriwa” known as the Waitākere Ranges). A builder by trade, John enjoys doing maintenance on their home and building things to relax, as well as supporting the All Blacks and the Black Caps. John and Rebecca are active members of Lincoln Road Bible Chapel and John is Secretary for Ngāi Tahu Whānui ki Tāmaki Makaurau (Ngāi Tahu tribal members living in Auckland).

Research areas of specialisation and supervision

• Old Testament/Hebrew Bible.
• Hermeneutics.
• Issues related to the translation and reception of the Bible in mission contexts.

Current Thesis Students

• Michael Simpson, “An Analysis of Moulton’s Translation of the Tongan Bible.” MTh Thesis.

Qualifications & Awards

• PhD (Theology) Auckland University of Technology, 2016.
• MTS - Master of Theological Studies with Distinction, BCNZ/Laidlaw College, 2004.
• BMin - Bachelor of Ministries, BCNZ/Laidlaw College, 1998.