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.

Richard Bauckham explores the historical and literary contexts of the Epistle of James, discussing the significance of James as the brother of Jesus and leader of the early Jerusalem church. He gives special attention to the aphorisms which encapsulate James' wisdom, and to the way that James' teaching closely resembles that of Jesus.

Now an SPCK Classic, this is probably the most popular modern introduction to the four Gospel portraits of Jesus. It is written by an internationally respected biblical scholar and Christian communicator.

Why does 'judgment according to deeds' produce no discernible theological tension for Paul, the apostle of justification by faith? For students of his writings, paradox, incoherence, or eschatological tension come more readily to mind. Paul felt no such theological tension because there was none - neither within his own soteriology, nor in that of the Judaism from which he learned to speak of 'judgment according to deeds'. For both, salvation is wholly by God's grace and the saved will be repaid (i.e. saved or condemned) in accordance with what they have done. Thus, Paul can promise eternal life to those who 'do good', while threatening wrath upon the disobedient (Rom 2:6-11), and without undermining justification by faith. This thorough 1999 examination of second temple and pauline texts interacts with discussions of 'covenantal nomism', justification, and the 'new perspective' on Paul to explore the Jewishness of the apostle's theology.

Word and Glory challenges recent claims that Gnosticism, especially as expressed in the Nag Hammadi tractate Trimorphic Protennoia, is the most natural and illuminating background for understanding the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel. Scriptural allusions and interpretive traditions suggest that Jewish wisdom tradition, mediated by the synagogue of the diaspora, lies behind the Prologue and the Fourth Gospel as a whole, not some form of late first-century Gnosticism. Several features of the Fourth Gospel reflect the synagogue and nascent Christianity's struggle to advance and defend its beliefs about Jesus who, as God's son and Agent, was understood as the embodiment of the Divine Word. All of the ingredients that make up Johannine christology derive from dominical tradition, refracted through the lens of Jewish interpretive traditions. There is no compelling evidence that this christology derived from or was influenced by gnostic mythology. Word and Glory also develops and tests criteria for assessing the relative value of post-New Testament sources for the interpretation of New Testament documents.>

Luke's Gospel provides a comprehensive and schematic reading of Luke's Gospel, one of the most important books detailing the life and works of Christ, in six main parts. Knight introduces the Gospel and the narrative theory on which the Gospel rests. He offers a detailed, chapter-by-chapter exposition of the Gospel and also alternative perspectives, such as feminism and deconstruction. He considers the principal motifs of the Gospel, particularly the theme of the temple, which has been previously overlooked in Luke scholarship, arguing that Jesus pronounces the present temple forsaken by God to introduce himself as the cornerstone of the eschatological temple. Finally, he examines earlier readings of Luke's Gospel.
Jonathan Knight presents an accessible and jargon-free introduction to the Gospel and makes a valuable addition to the New Testament Readings series.

The Book of Hiding offers a fluent and erudite analysis of the parallels between the Bible and contemporary discussions of gender, ethnicity and social ambiguity. Beal focuses particularly on the traditionally marginalised book of Esther, in order to examine closely the categories of self and other in relation to religion, sexism, nationalism, and the ever-looming legacies and future possibilities of annihilation. Beal applies the critical tools of contemporary theorists, such as Cixous, Irigaray and Levinas, challenging widely held assumptions about the moral and life-affirming message of Scripture and even about the presence of God in the book of Esther. The Book of Hiding draws together a variety of different perspectives and disciplines, creating a unique space for dialogue raising new questions and reconsidering old assumptions, which is profoundly interesting and well-articulated.

This volume offers the first full commentary on the Gospel of Thomas, a work which has previously been accessible only to theologians and scholars. Valantasis provides fresh translations of the Coptic and Greek text, with an illuminating commentary, examining the text line by line. He includes a general introduction outlining the debates of previous scholars and situating the Gospel in its historical and theological contexts.
The Gospel of Thomas provides an insight into a previously inaccessible text and presents Thomas' gospel as an integral part of the canon of Biblical writings, which can inform us further about the literature of the Judeo-Christian tradition and early Christianity.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203131479

The Book of Hiding offers a fluent and erudite analysis of the parallels between the Bible and contemporary discussions of gender, ethnicity and social ambiguity. Beal focuses particularly on the traditionally marginalised book of Esther, in order to examine closely the categories of self and other in relation to religion, sexism, nationalism, and the ever-looming legacies and future possibilities of annihilation. Beal applies the critical tools of contemporary theorists, such as Cixous, Irigaray and Levinas, challenging widely held assumptions about the moral and life-affirming message of Scripture and even about the presence of God in the book of Esther. The Book of Hiding draws together a variety of different perspectives and disciplines, creating a unique space for dialogue raising new questions and reconsidering old assumptions, which is profoundly interesting and well-articulated.

This volume offers the first full commentary on the Gospel of Thomas, a work which has previously been accessible only to theologians and scholars. Valantasis provides fresh translations of the Coptic and Greek text, with an illuminating commentary, examining the text line by line. He includes a general introduction outlining the debates of previous scholars and situating the Gospel in its historical and theological contexts.
The Gospel of Thomas provides an insight into a previously inaccessible text and presents Thomas' gospel as an integral part of the canon of Biblical writings, which can inform us further about the literature of the Judeo-Christian tradition and early Christianity.

Mark's 'biography' of Jesus is the earliest of the four gospels, and influenced them all. The distinctive feature of this biography is the quality of 'good news', which presupposes a world dominated by the forces of evil.
John Painter shows how the rhetorical and dramatic shaping of the book emphasises the conflict of good and evil at many levels - between Jesus and the Jewish authorities, Jesus and the Roman authorities, and the conflict of values within the disciples themselves. These matters of content are integral to this original approach to Mark's theodicy, while the stylistic issue raises the question of Mark's intended readership.
John Painter's succinct yet thorough treatment of Mark's gospel opens up not only these rhetorical issues, but the social context of the gospel, which Painter argues to be that of the Pauline mission to the nations.

Mark's "biography" of Jesus is the earliest of the four gospels, and influenced them all. The distinctive feature of this biography is the quality of "good news", which presupposes a world dominated by the forces of evil.
John Painter shows how the rhetorical and dramatic shaping of the book emphasises the conflict of good and evil at many levels - between Jesus and the Jewish authorities, Jesus and the Roman authorites, and the conflict of values within the disciples themselves. These matters of content are integral to this original approach to Mark's theodicy, while the stylistic issue raises the question of Mark's intended readership.
John Painter's succint yet thorough treatment of Mark's gospel opens up not only these rhetorical issues, but the social context of the gospel, which Painter argues to be that of the Pauline mission to the nations.

Revelation claims to tell the story of 'what must soon take place', and yet, despite centuries of scholarly research, the order and content of this story has remained one of the greatest mysteries of all time.
Arguing that Revelation was designed to be heard in six separate instalments, A.J.P. Garrow's innovative book suggests a new and orderly understanding of the structure of the story. This development makes possible a new and coherent interpretation of 'what must soon take place'.
According to this study, John discerned a close connection between the present and the End. For today's readers, as for the members of the seven churches, this insight has profound implications for the way in which world events, weekly worship and everyday choices are perceived.

Biblical Limits is a new series which brings to the traditional field of Biblical Studies literary criticism, anthropology and gender-based approaches, thus reaching new ways of understanding Biblical texts.
Jesus Framed is a collection of essays on reading the gospel of Mark. It uses literary theory, most notably the writings of Roland Barthes, to examine some of the difficulties in the text of Mark. A series of close readings of the gospel of Mark is compared to similar texts, both biblical and otherwise. Drawing on Mark's famous phrase that to those who are outside all comes through parables (Mark 4:11-12), Jesus Framed explores the boundaries between insiders and outsiders, those who can and those who cannot find a meaning in the text.

Pentecost creates a devotional study of Philippians that contains helpful study and review questions for personal Bible study or sermon preparation.

Reflections for Advent from members, associates and friends of the Iona Community around the world - from Uganda, Scotland, Wales, Palestine, Switzerland, India, Malawi, Australia, China, Iona, Sweden, Kenya, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, Germany, Jerusalem, Japan, Ireland, Taiwan, Cuba, Alaska - and more. Many people are seeking for a meaningful spiritual dimension in their lives. There is evidence of that in the huge number of people who work for peace and justice, who accompany the marginalised, and who, in trying to live more simply, become deeply attentive to the cries of our wounded planet. The writers in this book come from different parts of the world. In everyday language they reflect on the challenge and hope of Advent - a time in the Christian year both of waiting and of expectancy. Their thoughts relate directly to our present world situation in which both hope and uncertainty are interconnected. They also remind us that many are seeking the reality of God's presence in the midst of human experience - or in more traditional language, 'the light of the Lord upon us'. The various reflections point us to places and people in many parts of the world where that light shines, often - surprising as it may seem - brightly. Their insights enable us to walk more creatively and compassionately in our own local situations, and to discover that God's light sometimes shines where we least expect it.

"John's Gospel" is an innovative study of the fourth gospel. It shows how the current pluralism of literary methodologies can be used to illuminate Biblical texts. Mark W. G. Stibbe, a leading authority on St. John, uses the methods of structuralism, deconstructionism and narrative criticism in his interpretation.
Stibbe examines the character of Jesus using reader response criticism then analyzes the plot using structuralist literary criticism and the genre using archetypal criticism. He discusses the structure of the gospel using the methodology of deconstructionism. He also interprets the polemic against the Jews by drawing on the ethics of reception. The book contains a detailed introduction which puts readers in touch with recent research and a conclusion which points forward to future areas of development. A comprehensive bibliography is also included. "John's Gospel" is an invaluable work for all those interested in the Bible as literature.

This study approaches the Epistle of the Ephesians in a radically different way from traditional commentaries. Rather than analyzing each individual verse, Martin Kitchen examines the complete text within the framework of contemporary Biblical criticism. He acknowledges the debt which Biblical studies owes to historical method, while also recognizing the need to view the epistle against the background of recent literary approaches to New Testament texts.
The book shows why most commentators now think that Ephesians was not the work of Paul himself and suggests a context in which the epistle might have been written. Covering recent developments in New Testament theology, "Ephesians" discusses the early history of the church and the hermeneutical questions concerning the significance of religious texts which date from a past age.

In this lucid expose the second letter to the Thessalonians is approached from a historical perspective. The letter is read as part of a process of communication between its sender and the original addressees, making it accessible to the modern reader.
2 Thessalonians includes a translation of the short Greek text; an historical examination of the letter's genre, authorship and religious milieu; an introduction to apocalyptic eschatology and an extensive commentary on the letter.
Maarten Menken's book will appeal to theologians, ministers of religion, students of theology and all those interested in biblical studies.

The Bible tells us that those who place their trust in Jesus and pray in one of His many names will be rewarded with gifts of joy, peace, and power. Join Ann Spangler, bestselling author of Praying the Names of God, as she guides you into a richer and more rewarding relationship with Christ by helping you to understand and pray His names on a daily basis. His many titles, including "Good Shepherd," "Bread of Life," "Light of the World," "Prince of Peace," and "Bright Morning Star," reveal who Jesus is and why he came into this world. But how much do you know about Jesus' names? Praying the Names of Jesus is a twenty-six-week devotional study that explores the most prominent names of Jesus throughout the New Testament. Each name or title is broken down into three sections each week: Monday: Study a portion of Scripture that reveals a specific name of Jesus Tuesday through Thursday: Pray specific Scripture passages related to the name Friday: Pray Scripture promises connected to the name As you learn more about the many names of Jesus, you'll gain a more intimate knowledge of Jesus and his plan for your life, move toward a deeper experience of his love and mercy, and see how each of his names holds within it a promise: Teacher, Healer, Friend, Lord--and God with Us, no matter what we're facing.

Names have power--and knowing God's name is to enjoy a kind of privileged access to him. Join bestselling author Ann Spangler as she invites you to experience God's love and power by exploring the Hebrew names of God. Names in the ancient world did more than simply distinguish one person from another. In fact, they often conveyed the essential nature and character of a person. This is especially true when it comes to the names of God recorded in the Bible: El Shaddai, Elohim, Adonai, Abba, El Elyon. Praying the Names of God is a twenty-six-week devotional study that explores the most prominent names of God in the Old Testament to reveal the deeper meanings behind them and to teach you how to pray through them. Each name or title is broken down into three sections each week: Monday: Study a portion of Scripture that reveals a specific name of God Tuesday through Thursday: Pray specific Scripture passages related to the name Friday: Pray Scripture promises connected to the name As you journey through this devotional, you'll gain a more intimate understanding of who God is and how he can be relied upon in every circumstance of your life, enabling you to echo the psalmist's prayer: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

This book demonstrates that a type of prologue found in ancient Greek literature could be the literary convention behind John 1.1-18. The structure and content of the Johannine prologue determine the structure and content of the whole Gospel. It provides the reader with seminal statements about the cosmic situation and God's plan for mankind, statements which are explicated thereafter. This function of the prologue is explored through the three historical personages mentioned in that largely metaphysical construction about the Logos: John, Moses and Jesus Christ. The person and mission of Jesus Christ, cryptically stated in the prologue, are explicated through three christological expressions: 'the Son of Man', 'I am', and 'the Son (of God)'. These require the Logos-creator conception in the background to give them theological coherence.