Nothing confuses Christian ethics quite like the Old Testament. Some faithful readers struggle through its pages and conclude that they must obey its moral laws but may disregard its ceremonial and civil laws. Others abandon its teaching altogether in favor of a strictly New Testament ethic. Neither option, argues Chris Wright, gives the Old Testament its due. In this innovative approach to …
Drawing on the latest in Genesis scholarship, this volume offers twenty-nine essays on a wide range of topics related to Genesis, written by leading experts in the field. Topics include its formation, reception, textual history and translation, themes, theologies, and place within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Highly respected New Testament scholar Craig Keener is known for his meticulous and comprehensive research. This commentary on Acts, his magnum opus, may be the largest and most thoroughly documented Acts commentary available. Useful not only for the study of Acts but also early Christianity, this work sets Acts in its first-century context. In this volume, the first of four, Keener introduces…
Highly respected New Testament scholar Craig Keener is known for his meticulous and comprehensive research. This commentary on Acts, his magnum opus, may be the largest and most thoroughly documented Acts commentary available. Useful not only for the study of Acts but also early Christianity, this work sets Acts in its first-century context. In this volume, the second of four, Keener continues …
The Language of Creation is a commentary on the primeval stories from the book of Genesis. It is often difficult to recognize the spiritual wisdom contained in these narratives because the current scientific worldview is deeply rooted in materialism. Therefore, instead of looking at these stories through the lens of modern academic disciplines, such as sociology, psychology, or the physical sci…
Time in the Book of Ecclesiastes offers a detailed analysis of the theme of time in Ecclesiastes. The book of Ecclesiastes engages at length with this theme and presents a sophisticated exploration of humanity's temporal situation. Ecclesiastes depicts the temporal reality as extremely problematic for human attempts to live meaningfully. This is especially due to the tension which the book's na…
It can no longer be assumed that most people--or even most Christians--have a basic understanding of the Bible. Many don't know the difference between the Old and New Testament, and even the more well-known biblical figures are often misunderstood. It is getting harder to talk about Jesus accurately and compellingly because listeners have no proper context with which to understand God's story o…
This groundbreaking work by Darrell Bock thoroughly explores the theology of Luke's gospel and the book of Acts. In his writings, Luke records the story of God working through Jesus to usher in a new era of promise and Spirit-enablement so that the people of God can be God's people even in the midst of a hostile world. It is a message the church still needs today. Bock both covers major Lukan t…
This Tragic Gospel suggests that the "Gospel" of John intended to supplant the first three gospels and succeeded in gaining undue influence on the early churches. This study focuses on the tragic moment when Jesus prays for deliverance from his impending death in the garden of Gethsemane. Ruprecht contends that John rewrote this scene in order to convey a very different dramatic meaning from th…
James Kugel's The Bible As It Was (1997) has been welcomed with universal praise. Here now is the full scholarly edition of this wonderfully rich and illuminating work, expanding the author's findings into an incomparable reference work. Focusing on two dozen core stories in the Pentateuch--from the Creation and Tree of Knowledge through the Exodus from Egypt and journey to the Promised Land…
This thoroughly revised edition of Bruce M. Metzger's classic work is the most up-to-date manual available for the textual criticism of the New Testament. The Text of the New Testament, Fourth Edition, has been invigorated by the addition of Bart D. Ehrman--author of numerous best-selling books on the New Testament--as a coauthor. This revision brings the discussion of such important matters as…
I have described the aims, scope, and main arguments of this volume in the Introduction. There I have also suggested the range of readerships to which these are primarily directed. Nevertheless particular readers may be drawn more readily (at least initially) to certain specific chapters. The Introduction may well invite attention from the viewpoint of all interests. Those with more immediatel…
The abridged version of Westermann's classic three-volume work on Genesis. This work presents a magisterial commentary in a condensed and more polar form. Included are a fresh translation of Genesis, the philological reasoning behind the translation, an examination of the historical background of the original text, a survey of all that has been written about Genesis (together with full referenc…
Reading the books of the Law, the Pentateuch, in their original context is the crucial prerequisite for reading their citation and use in later interpretation, including the New Testament writings, argues Ben Witherington III. Here, he offers pastors, teachers, and students an accessible commentary on the Pentateuch, as well as a reasoned consideration of how these books were heard and read in …
This accessible introduction to the Book of Genesis examines introductory issues, overarching themes, and the overall argument of the book.
In this volume Robert Kysar chronicles the history of interpretation of the Fourth Gospel in the twentieth century. His study reveals four distinct critical approaches to understanding the Fourth Gospel―historical, theological, literary, and postmodernist readings. The use of these methods mirrors the history of biblical studies and influences the present state of scholarship.
Beginning with Jesus' birth, Ken Bailey leads readers on a kaleidoscopic study of Jesus throughout the four Gospels. Bailey examines the life and ministry of Jesus with attention to the Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes, Jesus' relationship to women and especially Jesus' parables. Through it all, Bailey employs his trademark expertise as a master of Middle Eastern culture to lead us into a deeper u…
An expert on New Testament society offers a narrative account full of colorful details that will help readers understand the individuals, events, and social movements that affected the lives of the early Christians.
Walking with God through Pain and Suffering is the definitive Christian book on why bad things happen and how we should respond to them. The question of why there is pain and suffering in the world has confounded every generation; yet there has not been a major book from a Christian perspective exploring why they exist for many years. The two classics in this area are When Bad Things Happen …
All too often, argues Ben Witherington, the theology of the New Testament has been divorced from its ethics, leaving as isolated abstractions what are fully integrated, dynamic elements within the New Testament itself. As Witherington stresses, "behavior affects and reinforces or undoes belief." Having completed commentaries on all of the New Testament books, a remarkable feat in itself, Wither…
All too often, argues Ben Witherington, the theology of the New Testament has been divorced from its ethics, leaving as isolated abstractions what are fully integrated, dynamic elements within the New Testament itself. As Witherington stresses, "behavior affects and reinforces or undoes belief." Having completed commentaries on all of the New Testament books, a remarkable feat in itself, Wither…
This generation has been blessed with an abundance of excellent commentaries. Some are technical and do a good job of addressing issues that the critics have raised; other commentaries are long and provide extensive information about word usage and catalogue nearly every opinion expressed on the various interpretive issues; still other commentaries focus on providing cultural and historical bac…
No book has been more pored over, has been the subject of more commentary and controversy, or had more influence not only on our religious beliefs but also on our culture and language than the Bible. Certainly no book has been as widely read. Many people of faith believe the Bible to be divinely inspired. It seems to have always existed in its present state. Yet the Bible was written by many au…
The rich tapestry of the creation narrative in the early chapters of Genesis proved irresistible to the thoughtful, reflective minds of the church fathers. Within them they found the beginning threads from which to weave a theology of creation, Fall, and redemption. Following their mentor the apostle Paul, they explored the profound significance of Adam as a type of Christ, the second Adam. The…
Few issues are more central to the Christian faith than the nature, scope and means of salvation. Many have thought it to be largely a trasaction that gets one to the heaven. In this riveting book, N. T. Wright explains that God's salvation is radically more than this.
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was one of the leading religious figures of the 20th century and the chief spokesman of American Catholicism. Previously unpublished, this work reflects his 16 years of service as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and 26 years on radio and television. It is the only work where he describes his Christian philosophy. Sheen created this co…
An Exegetical Study of the Book of Acts and Pauline Theology Christians often skip a crucial starting point when studying the apostle Paul: the foundations of his deeply nuanced theology. Some studies on the book of Acts attempt to touch on every major theme in Paul’s letters, making them difficult to understand or prone to leaving out important nuances. Christians need a biblical, theolog…
Outline: In this volume, Daniel L. Migliore plumbs the depth of Paul's letters to the Philippians and to Philemon. With splendid theological reflection, Migliore explores central themes of these remarkable letters - themes that include the practice of prayer, righteousness from God, and the work of reconciliation and transformation through Jesus Christ. With great pastoral sensitivity, sparklin…
Outline: Robert Traill's treatment of Christ's intercessory prayer for His people is a masterpiece of Puritan experiential doctrine. Mining the depths of John 17: 24, Traill discovers the comforts of the doctrine of election, the blessing of our hope of heaven, and the believer's delight in the glory of Christ - all founded on the immovable love of the Father of His Son. Traill's exposition is …
Outline: A Companion Correspondence Course to ..... All that the Prophets have spoken. Using a discover-for-yourself approach to learning, this study helps you sort out in logical sequence the events found in the Word of God, and gives you the opportunity to determine the signifiance of each story. For ease of learning, lessons are divided into bite-sized amounts, making it do-able for busy liv…
Outline: With millions of copies sold, HALLEY'S BIBLE HANDBOOK is treasured by generations of Bible readers. As a bestseller for more than ninety years, this world-renowned Bible handbook has been consistently updated to accurately provide even greater clarity, insight, and usefulness. This large-print edition of HALLEY'S BIBLE HANDBOOK makes the Bible's wisdom and message accessible to everyon…
Outline: David is more than a great hero, a man of faith, and a model of Christians to follow. He is one of the most important Old Testament types of Jesus Christ. It is an anointed one - called and provided by God to lead Israel - that David plays his chief role in redemptive history and makes his distinctive contribution in preparing God's people for the Anointed One, the Messiah who comes to…
Outline: All too often Christians, and even Christian leaders, do not know how to deal with skeptical challenges to the Bible and the Christian faith. In today's culture of doubt, Bible skeptic Bart Ehrman - professor at UNC-Chapel Hll and the author of four New York Times best sellers - has found a captive audience. Ehrman's popularity is due in large part to the fact that he is talking about …
Outline: Bruce Malina provides the foundation for in-depth biblical interpretation using the tools of cultural analysis. As one of the pioneers in this field of biblical studies, Malina has taken the work of sociologist Mary Douglas, interpreted her "Group/Grid" model of cultural analysis, and applied it admirably to biblical studies and interpretation. He refines a new methodology for scholarl…
Outline: It's on nearly everyone's shelf, and the best-selling book of all time. And yet the Bible goes unread and unheeded by so many. Rather than seeking in its pages wisdom on how to live and revelation as to who God is, people look within themselves, mining their thoughts and feelings for "the voice of God" and maintaining all the while that their subjective revelations offer clearer insigh…
Outline: How can we make sense of Violence in the Bible? Joshua commands the people of Israel to wipe out everyone in the promised land of Canaan, while Jesus commands of God's people to love their enemies. How are we to interpret biblical passages on violence when it is sanctioned at one point and condemned at another? The Violence of the Biblical God by L. Daniel Hawk presents a new framework…
Outline: The Bible's sixty-six books form overreaching story - the story of a Hero and his heroic mission. And this story is personal, focusing on the relationship of God and his people in the past, present, and future. On this eye-opening journey through the Old and New Testaments, Dennis Johnson shows how pervasive, recurring themes are always pointing us to Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of a…
Outline: The Septuagint is the most influential of the Greek versions of the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. The exact circumstances of its creation are uncertain, but different versions of a legend about the miraculous nature of the translation have existed since antiquity. Beginning in the Letter of Aristeas, the legend describes how Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-247 B.C.E.) comm…
Outline: Multiplied millions of women all over the world are looking over the church's shoulder, longing to see the freedom Jesus purchased for them at Calvary. Millions more have found freedom in Jesus but are still bound by human ideas - ideas that pressure a woman to let culture, not God, determine her place in the Kingdom. While hurting men and women outside the church cry out, "Is there an…
Outline: What the New Testament Authors Really Cared About is a fresh approach to understanding what is really important in the New Testament. This introductory survey concentrates on the most imporant themes of each book and letter in the New Testament. By asking what Matthew (or any other New Testament author) really cared about when he wrote, we discover what to pay attention to when we read…
Outline: The Prophets have spoken. History is strewn with wars and scrapping over religion. With the advent of the global village, people of different beliefs are being pressed up against each other, and the potential for major conflict is enormous. What did they say? It behooves us to know what our neighbors believe and why they believe it. Though we may never agree with them, when we know w…
Outline: Through the liens of Jesus' farewell discourse (John 13: 31 - 17: 26), L. Scott Kellum provides a step-by-step illustration for producing an expository sermon series. After laying out the process to go from text to sermon, he then describes how to employ discourse analysis to a hortatory or expository document. Later, Kellum implements the theory on the Farewell Discourse, examining th…
Outline : This groundbreaking work by Darrell Bock thoroughly explores the theology of Luke’s gospel and the book of Acts. In his writing, Luke records the story of God working through Jesus to usher in a new era of promise and Spirit-enablement so that the people of God can be God’s people even in the midst of a hostile world. It is a message the church still needs today. Bock both cove…
Outline: During the past millennia, the Christian church has repeatedly faced challenges to its acknowledgment of both Old and New Testaments as Scripture. None of these challenges has been successful: at the dawn of the third Christian millennium, the Bible contains the same books as it did in the early church, with only silight variation between different traditions. And yet, doubts remain an…
Outline: This book fills a real need for pastors and students. Though there is currently a large body of material on the theological interpretation of Scripture, most of it is highly specific and extremely technical. J. Todd Billings here provides a straightforward entryway for students and pastors to understand why theological interpretation matters and how it can be done. A solid, constructiv…
Outline: Geerhardus Vos devotes this work to a discussion of Jesus' greatest focus in ministry - the "kingdom of God" (and the "kingdom of heaven," which Vos interprets to be refershing the same thing.) Vos begins by connecting Christ's teaching on the kingdom to the Old Testament and its concepts of a Messianic king. Then he moves into the conception of the kingdom during the New Testament wit…
Outline : What is evangelical theology today? In response to increasing evangelical fragmentation, Kevin Vanhoozer and Daniel Treier offer a clarion call to reconceive to reconceive evangelical theology theologically by reflecting on the God of the gospel as mirrored in Scripture. Such "mere" evangelical theology will be an exercise in Christian wisdom for the purpose of building up the fellows…