What can one say about eschatology in the Old Testament? For a number of scholars there is no eschatology in the Old Testament and for many others eschatology only occurs at the fringes of that section of the Bible. Biblical Studies have tried to clarify the issues around eschatology, but different views remain. It is from this general background that this book examines the eschatology of the unit of Isa 65 and 66. The author throws new light on what Old Testament eschatology really is and offers a practical view of the unit of Isa 65 and 66, situating it within the larger Isaian tradition.

How do we live as "resurrection people"? How do we take those stories into our hearts and lives, living as though we believe resurrection to be a reality? Frank Brookhart takes stories of the resurrection and illuminates a way for Christians and seekers to explore life in the new creation. Tying the Gospel narrative to our lives as followers of Jesus, he proposes a means for transforming people and churches through livinginto the resurrection with the Risen Lord."

The "difficult psalms" which amount to more than a third of the Psalter, shock us with their cries of pain, anger, and alienation. They call on God for revenge on their enemies and mercy for themselves. Lyn Fraser, following the lead of Old Testament theologian Walter Brueggemann, shows how to integrate these "psalms of disorientation" in Sunday morning worship, pastoral care, and any situation of extreme need.

In this book, Graeme Auld brings together his work relating to Samuel and the Former Prophets in an invaluable single volume. Including 'Prophets through the Looking Glass', which has been described as marking a paradigm shift in our thinking about the Bible's 'writing prophets', and which led the author to equally novel proposals about biblical narrative, the first part of this volume traces the route through the looking glass to his radical argument in Kings without Privilege (1994). The apparently straightforward, but actually controversial, claim is defended that the main source of the biblical books of Samuel-Kings and of Chronicles was simply the material common to both. The major portion of this volume of collected papers explores some of the fresh perspectives opened for reading the present books of Samuel, the books from Joshua to Kings as a whole, and the Pentateuch.

This book provides an inviting and accessible introduction to the 12 apostles of Jesus and their gifts for us today.In His ministry, one of the first things Jesus did was to reach out to 12 individuals and draw them into a circle of close companionship with Him. This book is about these 12, their relationships with Jesus and each other, and what we can learn from them.By studying them we can learn much about ourselves and how we can experience the Holy. Don't forget, Jesus didn't call perfect people, but ordinary people - just like us. When we understand that, we go a long way to understanding how Jesus would like to work with us.John Claypool was a outstanding minister in the Baptist Church prior to his ordination into the Episcopal Church. He has authored many books including the moving "Tracks of a Fellow Struggler", written following the death of his young daughter. He was also a featured speaker on The Protestant Hour.

This book defends the claims of historical-critical research into the New Testament as necessary for theological interpretation. Presenting an interdisciplinary study about the nature of theological language, this book considers the modern debate in theological hermeneutics beginning with the Barth-Bultmann debate and moving towards a theory of language which brings together historical-critical and theological interpretation. These insights are then applied to the exegesis of theologically significant texts of the Gospel of John in the light of the hermeneutical discussion. Drawing together the German and Anglo-American hermeneutical traditions, and discussing issues related to postmodern hermeneutical theories, this book develops a view of the New Testament as the reflection of a struggle for language in which the early Church worked to bring about a language through which the new faith could be understood.

The collective belief in the End of the World, as described in the Biblical Book of Revelation, can be seen in public reaction to terrorist outrages such as those of Sept. 11, in the preoccupation with disasters, in the obsession with UFO's and the possibility of encountering extra-terrestrial life, and in the breakdown of social structures. Edinger argues that this very real psychological force is vitally important for our times, and he offers an alternative to catastrophe through understanding the meaning of these radiant scriptures.

Meet ordinary people who exemplify the upside-down values of Jesus' Beatitudes. "Why me?" is the cry I hear most often in my work as a hospice chaplain. I'm not a theologian, but through my encounters with people who are elderly, disabled, dying, and bereaved - and through my own quest for peace - Jesus' teachings known as the Beatitudes have become essential. They describe the attributes of God's people: God is with those who suffer, those beaten down by life and rejected by the world. Whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, you too can be encouraged by these words: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Broken but Blessed is a journey through the lives of ordinary people who exemplify these values, which flip the priorities of modern society on their head. Perhaps you, like one of these people, are up against insurmountable odds, battling illness or devastated by loss. You may have been rejected, betrayed, or abused. Whatever you are facing, these people will accompany you, showing how suffering can be transformed into blessing and how, even in our own brokenness, we can become a blessing to others.

Reading Ecclesiastes explores the literary style and themes of the Book of Ecclesiastes, investigating its overall theological messages and the cultural perspectives which readers bring to bear on their act of reading. Examining the meaning found in Ecclesiastes through the use of two important contemporary reading methods - narrative criticism and cultural exegesis - Mary E. Mills breaks new ground. Highlighting the range of theological meaning attached to the book of Ecclesiastes as a result of treating the text as a form of narrative and a story told in the first person, this innovative book will appeal to all those interested in narrative criticism, literary studies and interpretation and Wisdom tradition and the ancient world more widely, as well as biblical scholars.

This study explores the interplay between the commendation of enjoyment and the injunction to fear God in Ecclesiastes. Previous studies have tended to examine these seemingly antithetical themes in isolation from one another. Seeing enjoyment and fear to be positively correlated, however, enables a fresh articulation of the booka (TM)s theology. Enjoyment of life lies at the heart of Qoheleta (TM)s vision of piety, which may be characterized as faithful realism, calling for an authentic engagement with both the tragic and joyous dimensions of human existence. Winner of the 2007 John Templeton Award for Theological Promise

This book considers medieval literary criticism of the Bible; it centers on the paradoxical interdependence of the literal and spiritual senses through examination of Nicholas of Lyra's literal commentary on the Gospel of John, and of the anonymous Middle English biblical adaptation, the Cursor Mundi. Inheriting a vocabulary of interpretation that split meaning into the literal and spiritual, Mark Hazard shows how biblical commentary of the late Middle Ages attempts to transform the relation between the literal and the spiritual from one of difference to continuity by adopting novel approaches to interpretation.

'Like Mark's Gospel, Wright's pace gradually builds up, a massive locomotive steaming towards the 'perfect storm' of Holy Week and Easter, demanding a commitment costing not less than everything: 'We cannot be Easter people if we are not first Good Friday people and then Holy Saturday people.' A fitting end; and beginning.' Church Times 'Tom Wright has a special gift for explaining things that are very deep, and at times, quite complex in a way that makes them understandable . . . What makes this book especially refreshing is the sense of enthusiasm for the Gospel text that is unmistakable.' Church of Ireland Gazette A Lent lectionary resource using Tom Wright's For Everyone Bible translation, this is the first in a three-volume series to cover the three years of the Revised Common Lectionary. For each day of Lent, there is a reading chosen from the Gospel designated for the year, plus a reflection by Tom Wright. The book grows out of a project to encourage Lent reading in the diocese of Durham.

The Christian canon of scripture, known as the New Testament, excluded many of the church's traditional stories about its origins. Although not in the Bible, these popular stories have had a powerful influence on the church's traditions and theology, and a particularly marked effect on visual representations of Christian belief. This book provides a lucid introduction to the relationship between the apocryphal texts and the paintings, mosaics, and sculpture in which they are frequently paralleled, and which have been so significant in transmitting these non-Biblical stories to generations of churchgoers.

How to behave in the diaspora has been a central problem for Jews over the ages. They have debated whether to assimilate by adopting local customs or whether to remain a God-centered people loyal to their temporal rulers but maintaining the peculiar customs that separated them from their host nations. The question not only of survival, but of the basis for survival, is also a central problem in the Joseph stories of the Book of Genesis. The work shows its readers the grand alternatives of Judaism, instilled in two larger-than-life figures, so its readers can reassess for themselves the road Judaism did not take, and understand why Joseph though admirable in many respects, is left out of the rest of the Bible.

The question is answered through the stories about how Joseph, the son of Jacob, saved his people/family from famine by becoming a high-ranking administrator to Pharaoh. By analyzing his behavior to the people over whom he exercises power, Joseph lords it over his brothers, grieves his father, takes lands from Egyptian farmers, and engages in forced deportation. Wildavsky explains why Joseph-the-assimilator is replaced in the Book of Exodus by Moses-the-lawgiver. The book ends by demonstrating that Joseph and Moses are, and are undoubtedly meant to be exact opposites.

As in his earlier book on "The Nursing Father: Moses as a Political Leader," Wildavsky combines analysis of political and administrative leadership with both traditional and modern study of texts: thematic linkages via plot, grammar, dreams, poetry, and religious doctrine. Thus the chapter on "Joseph the Administrator" is preceded by a chapter on Joseph as The Dream Lord" and followed by an analysis and explanation of why Jacob's obscure blessings to his sons are more like curses. Always the emphasis is on the reciprocal influence of religion and politics, on rival answers to questions about how Hebrews should relate to each other and to outsiders. New, in paperback, the book will be of interest to biblical scholars and readers as well as those concerned with the interaction of religion and political life.

First Published in 2001. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

In the history of nineteenth-century religious thought, William Robertson Smith occupies an ambiguous position. More than any other writer, he stimulated the theories of religion later advanced by Frazer, Durkheim, and Freud. Smith himself was not an original scholar, but was rather "clever at presenting other men's theories" within new and sometimes hostile contexts. Smith was an important contributor to two of the most serious challenges to Christian orthodoxy of the last century, the "Higher Criticism" of the Bible and the comparative study of religion, and was also the victim of the last successful heresy trial in Great Britain. Yet he was an utterly devout Protestant, whose views on Biblical criticism (for which he was damned) are now considered as true as his views on totemism and sacrifice (for which he was praised) are now considered false.

Despite Smith's enormous significance for the history of religious ideas, he has been written about relatively little, and most of what we know about his life and work comes from a source almost a century old. Originally published in 1882, The Prophets of Israel is a collection of eight lectures, including "Israel and Jehovah;" "Jehovah and the Gods of the Nations," "Amos and the House of Jehu," "Hosea and the Fall of Ephraim," "The Kingdom of Judah and the Beginnings of Isaiah's Work," "The Earlier Prophesies of Isaiah," "Isaiah and Micah in the Reign of Hezekiah," and "The Deliverance from Assyria."

A new introduction by Robert Alun Jones discusses Smith's early life, the heresy trial, Smith's early view of prophecy, and the classic text itself. The book will be of interest to students and teachers of religious studies, and general readers interested in Robertson Smith.

This historical and exegetical investigation strongly challenges the widely held view that Paul regarded idol food as a matter of indifference, to be avoided only for the sake of the spiritual health of the weak. An exhaustive treatment of early Christian material shows that early authors were deeply influenced by Paul's discussion in 1 Corinthians 8-10, and yet they were totally unaware of the subsequent traditional understanding that Paul regarded idol food as indifferent. Even those who advocated eating idol food did not once appeal to Paul's discussion for support. An alternative understanding is proposed: Paul considers conscious consumption of idol food a denial of one's allegiance to Christ. One must avoid idol food if, and only if, it is identified as such.

The Christian canon of scripture, known as the New Testament, excluded many of the church's traditional stories about its origins. Although not in the Bible, these popular stories have had a powerful influence on the church's traditions and theology, and a particularly marked effect on visual representations of Christian belief. This book provides a lucid introduction to the relationship between the apocryphal texts and the paintings, mosaics, and sculpture in which they are frequently paralleled, and which have been so significant in transmitting these non-Biblical stories to generations of churchgoers.

In this volume, Gerard Sloyan utilizes the lectionary approach to offer new insights into understanding the book of John. In so doing, he puts the Fourth Gospel in the Old Testament context within which the early church received the public readings of this Gospel. His emphasis on the use of John within first-century Christianity enables modern readers to grasp the meaning of the Gospel message.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Fresh from the Word 2022 offers 365 sets of note, prayers and actions on biblical themes and helps build understanding and respect for different Christian perspectives by offering a range of biblical interpretations. Each writer brings their own experience of God and His Word, refined through the reality of the worldwide pandemic, to shed new light on familiar themes, including: * facing despair and fear * being Church, * living with pain whilst sustained by hope * how we regard the stranger * how we love our neighbour Enjoyed individually and in groups, this is a great for anyone looking for guidance to help their bible reading and understanding.

In this attractive illustrated book, Stephen Cottrell reflects on five of the Christ in the Wilderness paintings, and reveals them to be a rich source of spiritual wisdom and nourishment. He invites us to slow down and enter into the stillness of Stanley Spencer's vision. By dwelling in the wilderness of these evocative portraits, Stephen Cottrell encourages us to refine our own discipleship and learn again what it means to follow Christ.

Fitzroy Dearborn is pleased to announce an historic event in religious reference publishing -- Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Already eight years in development under the general editorship of Thomas C. Oden, the first six volumes have now been released: Mark; Romans; Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians; I Corinthians; Colossians; and the General Epistles.

Scripture today is interpreted primarily from the perspective of post-Enlightenment thinkers. Earlier commentary, particularly that of the renowned church fathers -- Ambrose, Chrysostom, Augustine, etc. -- has largely been lost to us. These early patristic writings are now rarely consulted -- not because they lack interest but because many of them have not been translated; still others are not readily available in reliable editions.

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a truly unique resource: when completed, it will include 27 volumes encompassing the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, plus the Apocrypha. On each page readers will find the text of scripture, line by line, accompanied by the relevant commentary (in English) of the early church fathers. The salient insights, rhetorical power and unique exegeses of these great thinkers will now be available to readers in the 21st century.

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is possible only now, for it relies on computer searches of the ancient Greek, Latin, Coptic and Syriac patristic texts to identify and isolate commentary on individual books of the Bible. Volume editors (who together constitute an illustrious team of Biblical scholars) review and select the best expositions and analyses from dedicated Biblical commentary as well as from theentire range of patristic writings, including sermons, homilies, letters, and theological translations. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is thus an unprecedented international undertaking, involving the expertise of computer experts and translators as well as that of hundreds of Protestant, Orthodox, and Roman Catholic scholars from around the world.

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is dedicated to reclaiming for the modern reader classic commentary on the entire Christian canon: 21st century scholars, librarians, teachers, and students of the Bible will gain unequalled access to the most profound and enduring commentary by the early church fathers, from Element of Rome in the 2nd century to John of Damascus in the 8th century.

Fitzroy Dearborn expects great demand from libraries around the world for this extraordinary reference project, and very large initial printings allow us to price individual volumes at only $40 each. It is our hope that, at this price, even the smallest libraries will be able to afford this landmark work, which will be issued over a period of five years. Fitzroy Dearborn will record standing orders.

The Greco-Roman world was shaped by ideals and abstract ideas. The Apostle Paul left them behind. But they continue to shape evangelical teaching and practice. This picture contradicts the common impression of Paul as an abstract theologian, someone who wrestled with deep theological doctrine while hovering six feet above everyday reality. But in fact, it was the philosopher's of Paul's day--and even some of Paul's Christian opponents--who traded heavily in abstractions, one-way rhetoric and top-down hierarchies while depreciating the currency of common experience. By contrast, Paul the tentmaker was a conversationalist of God's good news, a storyteller of Jesus Christ, an apostle who walked the avenues and back alleys of everyday reality. His passion was for communities of grace and conversation where the new reality of Christ was explored and embodied within the daily messiness of life. Reframing Paul unveils this Paul in his original context and invites us to engage him on new terms. Courageously author Mark Strom draws Paul into vital conversation with contemporary evangelicalism. His book is for those who wonder why people leave churches for alternative spiritual paths--and who may even be tempted to do so themselves. More than anything, his book is for those who wonder what's gone wrong and who want to learn how the church can be an attractive community of transforming grace and conversation.

Un estudio biblico de 10 secciones en el que Max Lucado le lleva a conocer a profundidad a 10 mujeres de la Biblia y lo que se puede aprender de sus experiencias. Ni siquiera sabemos algunos de sus nombres. A algunas se las menciona solo por su nacionalidad. A otras se las conoce solo por el lugar en donde vivian. Algunas llegarian a ser reinas, en tanto que otras vivirian en los margenes de la sociedad. Una daria luz a una nacion, y otra daria a luz al Mesias. A menudo se pasa por alto su cultura o se resta la importancia a las contribuciones de las mujeres, y sin embargo los escritores de las Escrituras hallaron a estas mujeres y el papel que ellas cumplieron asombrosamente para narrar la historia de Dios. Al estudiar las vidas de las mujeres de la Biblia hallamos verdades importantes que Dios quiere que captemos. Vivieron en un mundo diferente al nuestro, pero nosotros enfrentamos las mismas circunstancias que ellas. Y sin embargo, incluso mas, estas mujeres nos muestran que hay un Dios que nos ve, y ve donde estamos, y nos ama por lo que somos. Es el que se cierne sobre todas las paginas de la Biblia, forjando vidas, rescatando corazones, sanando enfermedades, revivificando a la vida lo que estuvo muerto, y asignando altas vocaciones a los que escogen seguirle y tienen fe en el. En este cuaderno de trabajo de 10 sesiones, Max Lucado relata algunas de las experiencias favoritas de estas 10 mujeres: Sara, Abigail, Ester, la samaritana, Maria Magdalena y otras, y describe lo que las distinguio. CADA SESION INCLUYE: 50 estudios biblicos a profundidad para ayudarle a estudiar los relatos biblicos Puntos diarios para recordar, para ayudarle a resumir los puntos clave Oraciones diarias para ayudarle a concentrar sus pensamientos y avanzar en su tiempo de quietud Versiculos semanales para memorizar para ayudarle a guardar en su corazon la palabra de Dios Notas adicionales para ayudarle a dirigir a un grupo en este estudio Diez Mujeres de la Biblia es ideal para uso individual o de un grupo pequeno. Ten Women of the Bible As we study the lives of the women in the Bible, we find important truths that God wants us to grasp. They lived in a different world than our own, but we find ourselves facing the same issues they faced. Yet even more, these women show us there is a God who sees us where we are and loves us for who we are. He is the one who hovers over all the pages of the Bible, shaping lives, rescuing hearts, healing sicknesses, raising what was dead to life, and assigning high callings to those who choose to follow him and have faith in him. In this 10-session workbook, Max Lucado tells some of his favorite accounts of these ten women-Sarah, Abigail, Esther, the Samaritan Woman, Mary Magdalene, and others-and describes what set them all apart. EACH SESSION INCLUDES 50 in-depth Bible studies to help you navigate the stories in Scripture Daily points to remember to help you summarize the key points Daily prayers to help you focus your thoughts and move into your quiet time Weekly memory verses to help you hide God's word in your heart Additional notes to help you lead a group through the study Ten Women of the Bible is ideal for both individual use and for study in a small-group setting.