Although Maimonides did not write a running commentary on any book of the Bible, biblical exegesis occupies a central place in his writings, especially in the "Guide of the Perplexed". "Maimonides as Biblical Interpreter" offers a collection of essays on several key biblical interpretations by Maimonides dealing with the creation of the world, the story of the Garden of Eden, Jacob's dream of the ladder, King Solomon as an esoterist philosopher, and the problem of exoteric and esoteric biblical interpretations in the Guide. Special attention is paid to Maimonides' methods of interpretation and to his esoteric way of writing. Some of the articles in this volume were originally published in Hebrew, and appear here for the first time in an English translation.

Sometimes it s hard for people to reconcile their lives in this chaotic, energized, nonsensical world with their faith in God. They want to know what s really true, what they can count on, what they can build their futures on. They want their lives to matter. And yet to them the Bible often seems merely to be an ancient book about dead people who had no idea of the stresses and fears and challenges of living today.

This straightforward, real-world devotional guide is designed to help people of all ages connect powerfully with the God of the Bible as revealed in the Psalms the Bible s songbook. Within the exquisitely emotional lyrics in these songs, young readers will find all the feelings, struggles, and fears they face each day. And they ll find the spiritual resources to help them thrive.

Using 90 selected passages from the Psalms, Peter Wallace has put together a stimulating new devotional full of fresh ideas for finding ways to connect with God, with one another, and with the world at large. As a result, readers will gain encouragement and strength to face their uncertain world with the wisdom and love of the God who so deeply loves them."

Written in accessible language and sensitive to those who have little or no experience in reading the Bible, each book in the Conversations with Scripture series focuses on exploring the historical and critical background of the biblical texts, while illustrating how these centuries-old writings still speak to us today. Countryman brings his considerable biblical studies erudition as well as his skills as a popular writer and published poet to bear on the Psalms. Though an accomplished scholar of the New Testament, Countryman illumines the Psalms with insight and creativity. Readers will experience this most beloved part of the scriptural canon in a fresh and exciting way.

Western biblical studies have tended to follow either faith-based theological approaches or value-free historical-critical methods. This monograph challenges the two extremes by pursuing the middle path of philosophical hermeneutics. While drawing on Eastern and Western philosophical writings from ancient to modern times, the author proposes original interpretive solutions to a wide range of important biblical texts, including the Akedah, Second Isaiah, the Decalogue, Qohelet, Job, and Jeremiah. Yet, this is not a collection of antiquarian studies. Readers will also gain fresh and stimulating perspectives concerning monotheism, religious faith and identity, suffering and salvation, and modern and postmodern ethics. Finally, in a supplementary essay, the author introduces readers to the history of Old Testament studies in Japan, and he outlines prospects for the future.

The first systematic and comprehensive attempt to identify and analyze the role of Isaianic language and imagery in literature, art, and music Using reception history as its basis for study, Isaiah Through the Centuries is an unprecedented exploration of the afterlife of the Book of Isaiah, specifically in art, literature, and music. This is a commentary that guides the reader through the Book of Isaiah, examining the differing interpretations of each phrase or passage from a variety of cultural and religious perspectives, Jewish, Christian and Muslim. Clearly structured and accessible, and richly illustrated, the book functions as a complete and comprehensive educational reference work. Isaiah Through the Centuries encourages readers to learn with an open mind and to understand how different interpretations have helped in the teaching and comprehension of the Bible and Isaiah's place in it. As part of the Wiley-Blackwell Bible Commentaries series, which is primarily concerned with reception history, the book emphasizes that how people interpret the prophet--and how they've been influenced by him--is often just as important as the sacred text's original meaning. Uses reception history to study the renowned prophet Provides a historical context for every use or interpretation discussed Offers essential background information on authors, artists, musicians, etc. in its glossary and biographies Minimizes historical details in order to focus as much as possible on exegetical matters Presents the role of Isaiah and the Bible in the creative arts Will be useful to multiple disciplines including theology and religion, English literature, art history and the history of music, not just Biblical Studies Comprehensive in scope, Isaiah Through the Centuries is a much-needed resource for all those interested in the influence of the Bible on Western culture, and presents unique perspectives for anyone interested in the Bible to discuss and debate for many years to come.

The Book of Judges has typically been treated either as a historical account of the conquest of Israel and the rise of the monarch, or as an ancient Israelite work of literary fiction. In this new approach, Brettler contends that Judges is essentially a political tract, which argues for the legitimacy of Davidic kingship. He skilfully and accessibly shows the tension between the stories in their original forms, and how they were altered and reused to create a book with a very different meaning. Important reading for all those studying this part of the Bible.

This title was first published in 2003. The book bearing the title of 'Zechariah' is, in its present form, an amalgam of oracles and prophecies stemming from Zechariah himself as well as others. It became part of Jewish scripture, was revered and valued, and was a partiuclar favourite of a number of early Christian writers. Often cited by New Testament writers, this book of one of the most important of the 'minor prophets' is itself deeply indebted to earlier Jewish prophetic texts and has been an important resource for later writers, Jewish and Christian, as they sought to tap their own 'Biblical' material. The amalgam of oracles and prophecies presented in the book of Zechariah offers an ideal thematic focus for the leading scholars in this volume who explore areas of the Hebrew Bible, post-Biblical Jewish literature, and early Christian literature and history (in the New Testament and beyond). The essays examine the book of Zechariah itself as well as its subsequent interpretation by a number of other writers, Jewish and Christian. The essays raise important issues in relation to the influence of biblical texts in subsequent literature and also the broad area of 'intertextuality'' and the way in which later texts relate to and use earlier texts in their sacred tradition.

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.

The elusive rationale for the Brescia Casket, an ivory reliquary carved in northern Italy ca. 390, has long tantalized scholars. In The Key to the Brescia Casket, Dr. Catherine Brown Tkacz reveals that the secret to its meaning lies in exegetical typology-the interpretation of Old Testament people and events as prefiguring the Messiah. Typology, Tkacz argues, underlies the sophisticated program of the ivory box, which features an unusually full depiction of the Passion. Among the fifty-nine carvings on the Brescia Casket, most of them depicting biblical events, are five scenes of the Passion, more than any other monument prior to this time period. These are arranged in historical order, which is also rare in fourth-century Christian art. Tkacz contends that the Casket is in effect a visual sermon on the unity of the Bible's two testaments, an important theological issue of the time. This wonderfully illustrated and rigorously interdisciplinary volume, funded by a grant from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, grounds the typological program of the Brescia Casket in fourth-century thought. In so doing, it suggests the real possibility that typology is more important for the understanding of Early Christian art than has previously been appreciated.

Combining insights from social and literary theory as well as traditional historical studies, Mark Brett argues that the first book of the Bible can be read as resistance literature.
Placing the theological text firmly within its socio-political context, he shows that the editors of Genesis were directly engaged with contemporary issues, especially the nature of an authentic community, and that the book was designed to undermine the ethnocentism of the imperial governors of the Persian period (fifth century BCE).

Combining insights from social and literary theory as well as traditional historical studies, Mark Brett argues that the first book of the Bible can be read as resistance literature.
Placing the theological text firmly within its socio-political context, he shows that the editors of Genesis were directly engaged with contemporary issues, especially the nature of an authentic community, and that the book was designed to undermine the ethnocentism of the imperial governors of the Persian period (fifth century BCE).

A theological exploration of Genesis 2 which renews our vision of the purpose of marriage as the central drama within God's salvation plan. Marriage seems increasingly irrelevant to many people today. But is this a true understanding of marriage? Could it be that God may have expectations for marriage which are distinct from our own, and wholly unaffected by our feelings or debates? If God is the author and definer of marriage, then we must look to the Author to discern its meaning rather than ourselves. The Genesis of Marriage sets out a biblical theology of marriage, grounded in the Marriage Text of Genesis 2:18-25, and investigates how it fits in its own context of Genesis 1 - 3 and the whole of Scripture. Examining the Marriage Text exegetically and theologically, Shenk shows this as the climax and conclusion of the two creation accounts, and explores what this reveals about the nature and character of God. The doctrinal implications of this are then explored, answering such practical questions such as, 'What are the ethics of marriage?' and 'How do we approach the real-world concerns of separation, divorce, and remarriage?'. Shenk's exploration helps dispel our modern disillusionment with marriage, or at least our ideas and beliefs about marriage which may be at odds with God's, to reveal deep truth about the nature and character of God.

Psalms examines the nature of the Psalms as a text in English, dealing specifically with the problem of translation and various aspects of the 'techniques' on reading, with relation to traditional approaches within Biblical studies and contemporary literary theory. Alastair Hunter also outlines a programmatic approach to reading and applies it to a selection of individual Psalms.

Psalms examines the nature of the Psalms as a text in English, dealing specifically with the problem of translation and various aspects of the 'techniques' on reading, with relation to traditional approaches within Biblical studies and contemporary literary theory. Alastair Hunter also outlines a programmatic approach to reading and applies it to a selection of individual Psalms.

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.

Centering on the first extant martyr story (2 Maccabees 7), this study explores the "autonomous value" of martyrdom. The story of a mother and her seven sons who die under the torture of the Greek king Antiochus displaces the long-problematic Temple sacrificial cult with new cultic practices, and presents a new family romance that encodes unconscious fantasies of child-bearing fathers and eternal mergers with mothers. This study places the martyr story in the historical context of the Hasmonean struggle for legitimacy in the face of Jewish civil wars, and uses psychoanalytic theories to analyze the unconscious meaning of the martyr-family story.

In this provocative study, Lester Grabbe presents a unique approach to Ezra-Nehemiah with the combination of a literary and historical approach. Lester Grabbe challenges commonly held assumptions about Joshua and Zerubbabel, the initial resettlement of land after the exile, the figure of Ezra and the activities of Nehemiah. Controversially, the challenge comes, not from radical theory but from paying careful attention to the text of the Bible itself.

Does the Bible allow us to deceive? Is it ever right to lie? These are perennial questions that have been discussed and debated by theologians for centuries with little consensus. Entering this conversation, Just Deceivers provides a fresh analysis of this important topic through a comprehensive examination of the motif of deception in the books of Samuel. While many studies have explored deception in other Old Testament texts - especially the patriarchal narratives of Genesis - and a few articles have initiated examination of this motif in Samuel, Just Deceivers builds upon this groundwork and offers an exhaustive treatment of this theme in this important portion of the Hebrew Bible. Newkirk takes the reader through the books of Samuel, investigating every occurrence of deception in the narrative, exploring how the author depicts these various acts of deception, and then synthesising the results to offer an exegetically based theology of deception. In so doing, this study both challenges commonly held views concerning the Bible's stance on falsehood and illustrates the importance of attending to the sophisticated literary character of biblical narrative.

A Companion WORKBOOK to Today's Most Widely Used Textbook for Learning to Interpret and Understand the Bible Grasping God's Word has proven itself in classrooms across the country as an invaluable help to students who want to learn how to read, interpret, and apply the Bible for themselves. This WORKBOOK is designed for use alongside the fourth edition of the textbook Grasping God's Word. While the textbook shows you the principles and tools of interpretation, the WORKBOOK lets you try them out by applying them to specific genres and contexts. Together, these books will help you get a grip on the solid rock of Scripture--how to read it, how to interpret it, and how to apply it. Filling the gap between approaches that are too simple and others that are too technical, this book starts by equipping readers with general principles of interpretation, then moves on to apply those principles to specific genres and contexts. Features include: Proven in classrooms across the country Hands-on exercises to guide students through the interpretation process Emphasis on real-life application Supplemented by a website for professors providing extensive teaching materials Updates corresponding to the fourth edition of the textbook, including new exercises Accompanying textbook, video lectures, laminated study guide (sold separately) When used alongside the textbook, this workbook is the ideal resource for anyone looking for a hands-on step-by-step guide that will teach them how to accurately and faithfully interpret the Bible.

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.

The tale of the "zeal" of Phineas, expressed when he killed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman having sex and thus stopped a "plague" of consorting with idolatrous neighbors in the Israelite camp (Numbers 25), has long attracted both interest and revulsion. Scholars have sought to defend the account, to explain it as pious fiction, or to protest its horrific violence. Brandon R. Grafius seeks to understand how the tale expresses the latent anxieties of the Israelite society that produced it, combining the insights of historical criticism with those of contemporary horror and monster theory. Grafius compares Israelite anxieties concerning ethnic boundaries and community organization with similar anxieties apparent in horror films of the 1980s, then finds confirmation for his method in the responses of Roman-period readers who reacted to the tale of Phineas as a tale of horror. The combination of methods allows Grafius to illumine the concern of an ancient priestly class to control unsettled and unsettling community boundaries--and to raise questions of implications for our own time.

Jason Silverman presents a timely and necessary study, advancing the understanding of Achaemenid ideology and Persian Period Judaism. While the Achaemenid Persian Empire (c. 550-330 BCE) dwarfed all previous empires of the Ancient Near East in both size and longevity, the royal system that forged and preserved this civilisation remains only rudimentarily understood, as is the imperial and religious legacy bequeathed to future generations. In response to this deficit, Silverman provides a critically sophisticated and interdisciplinary model for comparative studies. While the Achaemenids rebuilt the Jerusalem temple, Judaean literature of the period reflects tensions over its Persian re-establishment, demonstrating colliding religious perspectives. Although both First Zechariah (1-8) and Second Isaiah (40-55) are controversial, the greater imperial context is rarely dealt with in depth; both books deal directly with the temple's legitimacy, and this ties them intimately to kings' engagements with cults. Silverman explores how the Achaemenid kings portrayed their rule to subject minorities, the ways in which minority elites reshaped this ideology, and how long this impact lasted, as revealed through the Judaean reactions to the restoration of the Jerusalem temple.

The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible created by Jews seeking a place of legitimacy for diaspora Jewishness and faith among the traditions of Hellenistic culture, was a monumental religious and culturalachievement. ThisGreek Old Testament, in its original form and revised versions, providedthe scripturalbasis for Judaism in the Greek-speaking diaspora, enabledthe emergence and spread of Christianity, and influenced translations of the Bible into African and European languages.Over time, however, theSeptuagint's relevancefaded for Jews,and the Hebrew text eventually reasserted its dominance within Judaism.This led many to neglect the Septuagint as an authentic witness to the biblical tradition. But the Septuagint remained important, inspiring biblical writings and further translations into Latin, Coptic, and Armenian. In combination with the Qumran biblical texts, it provides yet further indication of the multivocal state of the Hebrew Bible around the turn of the eras and proves to be a text of continuous interest for biblical scholarship and cultural-historical studies. Siegfried Kreuzer's Introduction to the Septuagint presents, in English,the most extensive introductionofthe Septuagintto date.It offerscomprehensive overviews of the individual biblical writings, including the history of research, current findings and problems, and perspectives for future research. Additionally, this survey presents a history of the Septuagint in its Greco-Hellenistic background, theories of its genesis, the history of its revisions,its lore in antiquity,andan overview of the most important manuscripts and witnesses of the convoluted transmission history of the text. The text includes extensive bibliographies that show the ongoing interest in Septuagint studies and provide a reliable basis for future studies. A collaboration representing multiple nationalities, professional perspectives, and denominational traditions, this dependable guide invites newcomers and experts alike to venture into the rich world of one of the most influential works of literature in history.

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.