Travel the Shepherd's path to the green pastures and cool, refreshing waters of Psalm 23. As a shepherd himself, W. Phillip Keller shares his insights into the life and character of sheep--and of the Good Shepherd who loves and cares for them. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 will give new meaning to the ageless Shepherd Psalm, enriching your trust in and love for the Lord who watches closely over you. Keller infuses new hope into our relationship with Christ. This timeless classic: Is perfect as a treasured self-purchase or gift for any occasion Showcases Scripture which has been the topic of countless books, articles, and featured on a multitude of gift products Delivers new insights on one of the most familiar and popular chapters in the Bible Is a trusted inspirational resource for personal and spiritual growth and reflection As we lie down in green pastures or walk through the shadowy valley, we're assured that whatever our path, whatever our stumbling, the Shepherd will lovingly guide, carry, and protect us. We can depend on His goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. Readers will find comfort, guidance, and reassurance with A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.

In Through the Year with Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth President of the United States takes you on a unique journey into the heart of the Christian faith. Based on more than three decades of practical Bible teaching, these readings draw from the riches of God's Word and the compelling experiences of Mr. Carter's own life. Whether through fascinating glimpses into behind-the-scenes activity at the White House, or insightful remembrances of his career in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Carter never ceases to connect the wisdom of Scripture with your own crucial place on the stage of life. Frank, honest, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and always relevant, Through the Year with Jimmy Carter challenges readers to be more Christ-like every day of their lives.

Essays by the veteran archaeologist Magen Broshi covering various aspects of both the material and spiritual life of ancient Palestine in the biblical and post-biblical periods. This volume of essays by Magen Broshi, formerly Curator of the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem and a veteran archaeologist, covers various aspects of both the material and spiritual life of ancient Palestine in the biblical and post-biblical period. Among the topics addressed in this entertaining and illuminating book are wine and food consumption, studies of population, the ancient city of Jerusalem, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the use and abuse of archaeology in historical and biblical research. This volume is designed for scholars and for any non-specialists with a keen interest in ancient life in the Holy Land.

A thirty day devotional look at 'Esther's diary' with thought provoking points, prayers and questions to help explore this much-loved story in a new way. What must it have been like to be Esther, transformed from an orphaned Jew in exile to Queen of Persia? Emily Owen explores these questions through Esther's 'diary', sharing in her trials, her excitements, her challenges, fears and joys. Each chapter begins with a 'diary extract' from Esther's life, which is then beautifully unpacked with a meditation to encourage you to reflect on how that applies today. Each meditation is encouraging yet challenging, and helpful for personal growth. Join Esther on a devotional journey to see the biblical story from a fresh perspective. Content Benefits: This thirty day devotional look at 'Esther's diary' with thought provoking points, prayers and questions, will help you explore this much-loved story in a new way. Looks at the Biblical story of Esther with fresh eyes and a new perspective Allows readers to immerse themselves in the Bible through the eyes of a biblical character A diary style entry from Esther introduces the theme for each biblical meditation Encourages us to see how God works through his people Weaves together Biblical teaching, reflections and prayers A daily reading resource over one month Perfect for quiet times Ideal for anyone who wants a fresh approach to devotional reading Perfect for anyone who wants to dig deeper into the Bible Binding - Paperback Pages - 208 Publisher - Authentic Media

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.

For over one hundred years International Critical Commentaries have had a special place among works on the Bible. They bring together all the relevant aids to exegesis - linguistic, textual, archaeological, historical, literary, and theological - to help the reader understand the meaning of the books of the Old and New Testaments. The new commentaries continue this tradition. All new evidence now available is incorporated and new methods of study are applied. The authors are of the highest international standing. No attempt has been made to secure a uniform theological or critical approach to the biblical text: contributors have been invited for their scholarly distinction, not for their adherence to any one school of thought. >

A literary-critical analysis is embarked to show how Matthew highlights the primacy, authority, and exclusivity of Jesus' role as the Teacher of God's will and how he features five long discourses in the narrative. Two cultural parallels, the Teacher of Righteousness and Epictetus, are studied for comparison. The ways in which they are remembered in the literature and in which they shape the lives of their followers provide proper historical perspectives and useful frames of reference. Finally, a social-historical reading of the three teachers and their followers, in the light of pertinent sociological theories (sociology of knowledge, group formation), indicates that Jesus the One Teacher serves four crucial functions for his readers in Matthew's church: polemic, apologetic, didactic, and pastoral.

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) covers all areas of research into the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew Bible, its early and later forms in Ancient Judaism, as well as its branching into many neighboring cultures of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world.

A fresh look at the Bible reveals a richness of insight about sex and sexuality

For some people, the Bible s perspectives on sex may seem too one-dimensional or antiquated to apply to modern-day life. Others may hold up the Bible as the ultimate moral guideline when it comes to sex and human sexuality. A close reading of the Bible reveals that while its rules and lessons about sex and sexuality may not be applicable to all people at all times, this sacred scripture does offer surprising insight into our modern sexual lives.

This intriguing guide demystifies the Bible, synthesizing basic historical, theological, literary and linguistic ideas about the Bible s texts with our modern attitudes about sex. Thoughtful new translation and provocative commentary bridge the divide between biblical authority and our present-day views on gender roles, marriage, sexual orientation, virginity, lust and sexual pleasure. Drawing from Hebrew and Christian scripture, it examines the ways that the language of religion and the language of sex intersect.

Now you can discover what the Bible says about sex with no previous background in theology or religious history. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful and engaging commentary that explains the historical context and religious worldviews of those who wrote the Bible as well as the role their perspectives play in current social debates. You will be encouraged to form your own opinion about what the Bible has to say about sex and gain a deeper understanding of your own sexuality.

In this provocative book, the author argues that American Christianity, especially evangelicalism, has been corrupted by the dominance of consumerism in modern life. The church's mostly uncritical adoption of this secular condition has resulted in an idolatrous morphing of the message of Christ into just another brand. With Brand Jesus, Wigg Stevenson names the growing concern felt by many Christians at the commodification of their faith.

Using Paul's letter to the Romans as a starting point, Wigg Stevenson 'reads' the letter to today's church, speaking to our consumerist situation through the parallels with Paul's Rome. Though rooted unapologetically in a love for the church, Brand Jesus does not shy away from provocative claims about the melding of Christian faith and consumer ideals; the rise of market-driven theology; the blurring boundaries between the law and religion; and other topics. Wigg Stevenson describes the current situation of both church and society and issues a challenge to it: When faith is a product for consumption, how can the church be faithful to Christ as living Lord, instead of as Brand Jesus?

"

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) covers all areas of research into the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew Bible, its early and later forms in Ancient Judaism, as well as its branching into many neighboring cultures of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world.

Exegetical study of Proverbs 10:1-22:16. Proverbs are neither statements of this-worldly cause and effect nor universally applicable doctrines of divine order. Rather, a proverb's meaning and 'truth' are conditioned by the context. The author delimits sections which the editor(s) of the collection consciously grouped together in their present sequence. He then examines how these literary arrangements both influence the meaning of the individual proverbs and determine their function in context. Indexes of names, passages and subjects are included.

A Beautiful Place to Write Beautiful Thoughts Each notebook features a unique embossed cover hand painted by Ruth Chou Simons, the bestselling author and artist of GraceLaced and Beholding and Becoming In this pack of 3, each notebook is 6" x 8 1/2" and features a lay-flat sewn binding and 64 creamy pages lined with warm gray ink With covers featuring gold foil detail and buckram grain texture, these luxe notebooks are perfect for personal use or for gifting to loved ones

A Beautiful Place to Write Beautiful Thoughts Each notebook features a unique embossed cover hand painted by Ruth Chou Simons, the bestselling author and artist of GraceLaced and Beholding and Becoming In this pack of 3, each notebook is 6" x 8 1/2" and features a lay-flat sewn binding and 64 creamy pages lined with warm gray ink With covers featuring gold foil detail and buckram grain texture, these luxe notebooks are perfect for personal use or for gifting to loved ones

In foregrounding the themes of witnessing, 'seeing and hearing', and recognition, Luke urges readers to reflect on their own hearing (= reading) of his story, to become certain kinds of readers and to read in particular ways. So the need for a reader-oriented methodology in interpreting Luke-Acts is evident. But what is the best theory to deploy? Charting a path through the thickets of modern literary theory, Darr develops a new reader-oriented model, insisting that the original 'extratext' (the repertoire of literary and social conventions) of Luke-Acts-and not simply the text itself-should be taken into account in any critical evaluation of how this story works. To demonstrate this new hermeneutical model, Darr undertakes an extensive study of Lukan characterization, and especially his portrayal of Herod the Tetrarch.

Positioned at the boundary of traditional biblical studies, legal history, and literary theory, Deuteronomy and the Hermeneutics of Legal Innovation shows how the leglislation of Deuteromomy reflects the struggle of its authors to renew late seventh-century Judaean society. Seeking to defend their revolutionary vision during the neo-Assyrian crisis, the reformers turned to earlier laws, even when they disagreed with them, and revised them in such a way as to lend authority to their new understanding of God's will. Passages that other scholars have long viewed as redundant, contradictory, or displaced actually reflect the attempt by Deuteronomy's authors to sanction their new religious aims before the legacy of the past. Drawing on ancient Near Eastern law and informed by the rich insights of classical and medieval Jewish commentary, Levinson provides an extended study of three key passages in the legal corpus: the unprecedented requirement for the centralization of worship, the law transforming the old Passover into a pilgrimage festival, and the unit replacing traditional village justice with a professionalized judiciary. He demonstrates the profound impact of centralization upon the structure and arrangement of the legal corpus, while providing a theoretical analysis of religious change and cultural renewal in ancient Israel. The book's conclusion shows how the techniques of authorship developed in Deuteronomy provided a model for later Israelite and post-biblical literature. Integrating the most recent European research on the redaction of Deuteronomy with current American and Israeli scholarship, Levinson argues that biblical interpretation must attend to both the diachronic and the synchronic dimensions of the text. His study, which provides a new perspective on intertextuality, the history of authorship, and techniques of legal innovation in the ancient world, will engage Pentateuchal critics and historians of Israelite religion, while reaching out toward current issues in literary theory and Critical Legal Studies. `Bernard Levinson is a brilliant young scholar who has written an outstanding book about how the Covenant Code from Mount Sinai became the Code of Deuteronomy at the borders of the River Jordan. It is a fascinating discourse on how to change law without changing tradition. The importance of Biblical law for canon theory, Biblical narrative, and Israelite religion usually is underestimated; this new approach will hopefully get more people reading law, and especially Deuteronomy. It will be compelling to both American and European readers as it integrates the leading scholarly discourses of both communities.' Norbert Lohfink, SJ, Professor of Biblical Studies, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen, Frankfurt `An exemplary work of biblical scholarship-careful and controlled by analytic rigour, yet bold and innovative in its scope and suggestions. Students of ancient law, legal literature, religion, and culture will greatly benefit from Levinson's work.' Michael Fishbane, Nathan Cummings Professor of Jewish Studies, University of Chicago `In noting that the Deuteronomic innovations were not simply interpolated into a reworked version of the Covenant Code but rather presented in a new, complete composition, Levinson demonstrates his own primary commitment to the text, to the history of textual transmission, and to the social milieu in which the text functions. Levinson elegantly presents the use of the Covenant Code as both a source and resource for the Deuteronomic authors.' Martha T. Roth, Professor, Oriental Institute, University of Chicago and Editor-in-Charge of the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary `Bernard Levinson's book is a major study. He demonstrates the radical break with the past and the way in which the authors or composers of Deuteronomy not only transformed religion and society in ancient Israel but also radically revised its literary history. The power and accomplishment of the Deuteronomic movement has rarely been so clearly demonstrated. Levinson's work is a clarification of the way in which hermeneutics is not something that starts with the interpreter's handling of the canonical text but is a process by which the canonical text itself came into being. He shows how the new text subverts and dominates older texts in behalf of a radical cultural and religious transformation. With this book, Levinson places himself in the front rank of Deuteronomy scholars.' Patrick D. Miller, Charles P. Haley Professor of Old Testament Exegesis and Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary

Finding God in the diversity of races, cultures, and creeds that make up our neighborhoods and cities, our country and our world, is one of the most important tasks for people of faith today. Seeing God in Diversity: Exodus and Acts, takes that task seriously. Here readers will find a parish study resource that promotes tolerance, diversity, and inclusiveness by looking at two biblical stories from multiple points of view: the story of the returning Jews in the Book of Exodus and the story of the new Christian community in the Book of Acts. The lessons of these ancient communities - and the way they dealt with many of the issues we face today - lead readers to put themselves in the place of each group and re-examine their faith and work for greater inclusiveness in their own communities. Lessons are arranged as six two-hour sessions, and include background commentary for study leaders, readings, activities, and discussion questions.

The first biography of David from a purely historical perspective reveals not a hero but a holy terrorist and a ruthless despot.

Phillips undertakes a sequential reading of the Prologue of John's Gospel. By using the reading strategies of Iser, Emmott, and Eco, the book establishes a reading strategy termed sequential disclosure, which is then applied to the text. In order to arrive at the reading, preliminary chapters focus both on historical interpretation of the Prologue in terms of reader response and on the role of the author, the use of persuasion and the development of irony. Special focus is given to the role of the dramatic prologue, as well as the interaction between rhetoric, irony and community. As such, the book discusses the role of the reading process in developing a specific community language. The book focuses on the didactic role of the Prologue in teaching readers this language and so including them into the Johannine community. The reading of the Prologue highlights the key aspects of the reading process: ambiguity and disambiguation; resemanticization; antilanguage; community development and intertextuality. A sequential reading of the Prologue highlights the didactic and evangelistic role of this text. JSNTS 294

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) covers all areas of research into the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew Bible, its early and later forms in Ancient Judaism, as well as its branching into many neighboring cultures of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world.

Radio messages from J. Vernon McGee delighted and enthralled listeners for years with simple, straightforward language and clear understanding of the Scripture. Now enjoy his personable, yet scholarly, style in a 60-volume set of commentaries that takes you from Genesis to Revelation with new understanding and insight. Each volume includes introductory sections, detailed outlines and a thorough, paragraph-by-paragraph discussion of the text. A great choice for pastors - and even better choice for the average Bible reader and student! Very affordable in a size that can go anywhere, it's available as a complete 60-volume series, in Old Testament or New Testament sets, or individually.

First Published in 2003. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.