Alistair May explores the part played by sexual ethics and the rhetoric of sexual morality in the formation of Christian identity by focusing on the longest discussion of sex in the New Testament - 1Corinthians 5-7. Viewing this passage as a unified discourse, he considers how Paul's ethics serve to give his converts a distinct identity. Although tools from the social sciences are used, the major focus of the work is in careful exegesis of the text. As the study progresses through the text of 1Corinthians 5-7, May argues that Paul strives to maintain an absolute distinction between insider and outsider in regard to morality. Immorality belongs exclusively to the outside and to the pre-conversion identity of the Corinthians. Hence those labelled immoral can no longer remain in the community. 1 Corinthians 6.12-20 reveals that, for Paul, sexual sin is unique in its destruction of Christian identity and that any sexual participation is a potential conflict with participation in Christ. Thus, chapter 6 is directly connected with the discussion of the legitimacy of marriage in 1Corinthians 7. Rejecting the scholarly consensus that Paul is reacting to ascetics, May controversially argues that chapter 7 should be read as Paul's commendation of singleness to a reluctant Corinthian audience. This is volume 278 in the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement series.

In its twelfth volume this text examines a number of Patristic texts and early Christian documents from a feminist perspective."The Feminist Companion to Patristic Literature" is the twelfth volume in the "Feminist Companion to the Bible and Early Christian Literature" series. Presenting cutting-edge studies by both established scholars and new voices from diverse cultures and contexts, the series not only displays the range of feminist readings, but also offers essential readings for all students of the New Testament and early Christian literature.This volume examines a number of Patristic texts and early Christian documents from a feminist perspective including "Clement of Rome", "Clement of Alexandria", the "Christian Martyr" and the "Gospel of Thomas". The contributors include: Barbara Bowe, Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley, Denise Buell, Virginia Burrus, Elizabeth Castelli, Elizabeth Clark, Kathy Gaca, Robin Jensen, Ross S Kraemer, Carolyn Osiek, Carolyn Osiek, and Theresa Shaw. It is suitable for libraries; academics; postgraduates and upper level undergraduates.

The story of Susanna and the Elders is one of the most interpreted and reproduced tales from the "Apocrypha". In its compact narrative, it touches on attempted rape, female sexuality, abuse of power, punishment for the wicked, and voyeurism. "The Good, the Bold, the Beautiful" argues that the story of Susanna was written in the first century BCE, and Clanton provides a brief description of that century. He performs a narrative-rhetorical reading of Susanna, and illustrates that the story uses sexual anxiety and desire to set up a moral dilemma for Susanna. That moral dilemma is resolved in two ways: Susanna's refusal to allow herself to be raped, and Daniel's intervention. Clanton argues that although the story has many mimetic features, it is the thematic function that is overriding, especially after Daniel's appearance. Put another way, the story's emphasis on Susanna, the Elders, and Daniel as "plausible people" is secondary to its stress on what those characters represent and the message it is relaying through those representations. Clanton analyzes chronologically selected aesthetic interpretations of the story found in the Renaissance. He shows that the prevailing artistic interpretation during the Renaissance focused on the mimetic, sexual aspects of the story because it deals with issues of patronage, and sex/gender that were current at the time. "The Good, the Bold, the Beautiful" argues that several Renaissance renderings provide counter readings that focus more on the value and themes in the story. These renderings provide models for readers to resist the sexually exploitative features of both the narrative and its interpretations. Clanton reflects on the need for the reader to resist potentially harmful interpretation, especially those that focus on the mimetic level of the story's rhetoric.

"Everyone should carry a small Bible or pocket edition of the Gospels and should find at least a few minutes every day to read the word of God." (Pope Francis, 2014) These four accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ represent the heart of the Christian story and the truth of our faith. Containing so many of the familiar Bible stories and parables, each of the Gospel writers tells the story of Jesus from a different angle, yet read together they form a rich and dynamic picture of the Son of God. This edition of the Holy Gospels is an ideal size to take with you anywhere, so you can get to know Jesus better and deepen your relationship with him every day. Key features: * Contains the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John alone. * Uses the New Revised Standard translation (NRSV), a translation which holds the Imprimatur of the Catholic Church. * Includes an extra colour section on the background and meaning of the Gospels to help new readers understand the context around the Scriptures.

The Deuteronomistic Historian patterned more than four dozen of his narratives after those in Genesis-Numbers. The stories that make up Genesis-Numbers were indelibly impressed on the Deuteronomistic Historian's mind, to such an extent that in Deuteronomy-Kings he tells the stories of the nation through the lens of Genesis-Numbers. John Harvey discusses the eight criteria which may be used as evidence that the given stories in Deuteronomy-Kings were based on those in Genesis-Numbers. Unified accounts in the Deuteronomistic History, for instance, often share striking parallels with two or more redactional layers of their corresponding accounts in Genesis-Numbers, showing that the given accounts in the Deuteronomistic History were written after the corresponding accounts in Genesis-Numbers had been written. Furthermore, the Deuteronomistic Historian calls the reader's attention to accounts in Genesis-Numbers by explicitly citing and referring to them, by using personal names, and by drawing thematic and verbal parallels. Retelling the Torah, the first book to focus on these parallel narratives, contains far-reaching implications for Hebrew Bible scholarship.

This volume aims to compare the author of Matthew's Gospel with a selection of contemporary Christian authors and/or texts. Recent Matthean scholarship has highlighted the distinctiveness of this early Christian writer by emphasising his clear Jewish perspective in addition to his Christian affiliation. He can accurately be perceived as both Jewish and Christian because he holds that Christian commitment demands both observance of the Mosaic Law and faith in Jesus as the Messiah. But if Matthew is distinctively Jewish and Christian, how does he compare with other early Christian writers? Much of the New Testament literature was composed by Paul himself or by his later followers, and these Christians held the view that the Mosaic Law no longer had relevance in the light of the Christ event. Other New Testament texts that are not Pauline, e.g. the Gospel of John and the letter to the Hebrews, appear to agree with Paul on this point. Consequently, Matthew stands apart from other texts in the canon with the possible exception of the letter of James. The volume will therefore establish the distinctiveness of Matthew by comparing his theological perspective with his major sources, Mark and Q, and with the two remaining Gospels, the Pauline epistles, the letter to the Hebrews and the epistle of James. The comparison of Matthew with non-canonical texts, the Didache and the letters of Ignatius of Antioch, is important because much work has been done in these areas recently. Given Matthew's distinctive portrayal of Jesus, a comparison of Matthew and the historical Jesus is also demanded in the context of this volume.

This volume offers a close reading of the historical books of I and II Kings, concentrating on not only issues in the history of Israel but also the literary techniques of storytelling used in these books. Marvin A. Sweeney provides a major contribution to the prominent Old Testament Library series with advanced discussions of textual difficulties in the books of Kings as well as compelling narrative interpretations.

The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.

This study focuses on a reading of Proverbs 19 as satire and argues that it alludes to two points of critique against Solomon: his political policy of socio-economic injustice and his numerous sexual (in)discretions. That Solomon abandoned his divinely proscribed duty only evinces his lack of fear of Yahweh. First, Solomon demonstrates his lack of discernment by an inability to rule with righteousness, justice and equity because of administrative policies that bled the innocent dry of their resources for his own self-aggrandizement. Second, Solomon's sexual behavior reflects his need of Wisdom as the personification of eroticism. The absence of the fear of Yahweh in Solomon prompts the poets reproof in Proverbs 19 that he should resume his proper role of Torah meditation. How the son responds to the decision posed to him remains decidedly open-ended, since satire generally offers no denouement to its plot. Nevertheless, the signs of this satiric poetry intimate the wise king as a royal fool.