Updated text and new maps bring this standard introduction up to date.
Throughout Christian history, the works of Josephus have been mined for the light they shed on the world of the New Testament. Josephus tells us about the Herodian family, the temple, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. He mentions James the brother of Jesus, John the Baptist, and even Jesus himself. In "Josephus and the New Testament," an internationally acknowledged authority on Josephus introduces this first-century Jewish historian to readers who want to begin to explore his witness to environment in which early Judaism and Christianity took shape.

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction-covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography-a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation-the author's own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes-the author's notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting-a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment-verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation-brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography-occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.

Richard I. Pervo provides the most complete translation of the pseudepigraphic Acts of Paul in English, together with a detailed commentary. The research perspective of this work is primarily literary, with detailed attention to the history of composition and revision. The author encourages a fresh look at this section of the 'Apocraphal Acts' through the lens of the Pauline legacy and in the context of ancient popular narrative.

Connect to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark through coloring and art as this book extends a beautiful invitation to slow down and soak in God’s Word while expressing your creativity or journaling on the pages.

It is printed on high quality art paper that works well with all art supplies, including markers. Readers will enjoy coloring and creative art-journaling through the complete books of Matthew and Mark, with each book displayed beautifully in a single-column, wide-margin, spacious layout. There are 56 full and partial-page Scripture line-art illustrations, plus 167 designed verses with words to color right within the Bible text to inspire Scripture meditation and response. Color, cut and share the 12 cards and bookmarks included in the back of the book.

We live in times of insecurity. New nations are coming to birth. Social and political patterns are evolving. Violence, terrorism, and war threaten the very foundations of civilization. These external insecurities are reflected in the internal world of the mind and of the spirit. There is widespread distrust of Christian faith and a preference for agnosticism or free thought. Many church members are confused and uncertain. Against this background, to read the letters of John is to enter another world marked by assurance, knowledge, confidence, and boldness. The certainty of Christian people is twofold: objective (that the Christian religion is true) and subjective (that they have been born of God and possess eternal life). Both are expounded by John, who takes it for granted that this double assurance is right and healthy. Today we urgently need to hear and heed his teaching about the nature of these certainties and the grounds on which they are built. John Stott was one of the world's leading and most-loved Bible teachers and preachers. In this Bible study guide you can explore Scripture under his guidance, enhancing your own in-depth study with insights gained from his years of immersion in God's Word.

This book surveys the current landscape of New Testament studies, offering readers a concise guide to contemporary discussions. Bringing together a diverse group of experts, it covers research on the most important issues in New Testament studies, including new discipline areas, making it an ideal supplemental textbook for a variety of courses on the New Testament. Michael Bird, David Capes, Greg Carey, Lynn Cohick, Dennis Edwards, Michael Gorman, and Abson Joseph are among the contributors.

This book demonstrates that the Gospels originated from a sequential hypertextual reworking of the contents of Paul's letters and, in the case of Matthew and John, of the Acts of the Apostles. Consequently, the new quest for the historical Jesus, which takes this discovery into serious consideration, results in a rather limited reconstruction of Jesus' life. However, since such a reconstruction includes, among others, Jesus' messiahship, behaving in a way which was later interpreted as pointing to him as the Son of God, instituting the Lord's Supper, being conscious of the religious significance of his imminent death, dying on the cross, and appearing as risen from the dead to Cephas and numerous other Jewish believers, it can be reconciled with the principles of the Christian faith.

In this addition to the critically acclaimed BECNT series, respected New Testament scholar Jeffrey Weima offers pastors, students, and teachers the most up-to-date and substantive commentary available on 1-2 Thessalonians. Weima, a Thessalonians expert, experienced teacher, and widely traveled speaker, presents well-informed evangelical scholarship at an accessible level to help readers understand the sociological, historical, and theological aspects of these letters. As with all BECNT volumes, this commentary features the author's detailed interaction with the Greek text, extensive research, thoughtful chapter-by-chapter exegesis, and a user-friendly design. It admirably achieves the dual aims of the series--academic sophistication with pastoral sensitivity and accessibility.

Revelation is a book that many Christians find confusing due to the foreign nature of its apocalyptic imagery. It is a book that has prompted endless discussions about the 'end times' with theological divisions forming around epicenters such as the rapture and the millennium. In this book, award winning author Gordon Fee attempts to excavate the layers of symbolic imagery and provide an exposition of Revelation that is clear, easy to follow, convincing, and engaging. Fee shows us how John's message confronts the world with the Revelation of Jesus Christ so that Christians might see themselves as caught up in the drama of God's triumph over sin, evil, and death. Fee draws us into the world of John and invites us to see the world through John's eyes as the morbid realities of this world have the joyous realities of heaven cast over them. In this latest installment in the New Covenant Commentary Series we see one of North America's best evangelical exegetes at his very best.

This collection pulls together sermons from Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the book of Hebrews, giving readers a deeper look at this important book of the Bible and helping them understand how it applies to their lives.

The very essence of the existential relationship between the human and the divine is communicated by the English word, 'worship'. Although the word appears to carry a univocal meaning in English, no such word per se exists in the Greek New Testament. The English word at best explains but does not adequately and completely define the dynamics involved in the relationship between humanity and God. Worship and the Risen Jesus in the Pauline Letters approaches the subject of Christian worship in respect to its origins from the perspective of the earliest New Testament writer: Paul. This book seeks to address the relative absence in scholarship of a full treatment of worship in the Pauline Letters. Closely related to the theme of Christian worship in the Pauline Letters is the person of the risen Jesus and the place he occupies in the faith community. This work proposes a proper working definition of, including criteria for, 'worship'. Paul employed an array of Greek words as descriptors to communicate the various nuances and dimensions related to one's relationship with God. 'Worship' also functioned for Paul as a boundary marker between believers and unbelievers vis-a-vis baptism and the Eucharist. The eschatological and teleological aspects of worship are also examined through a study of the Carmen Christi (Phil 2: 6-11). This study maintains that worship in Paul is not defined by any one word but is rather a composite and comprehensive personal religious relationship between the worshipper and God.

The first letter to the Corinthians is one of the most discussed biblical books in New Testament scholarship today. Despite this, there has been no consensus on its arrangement and central theme, in particular why the topic of the resurrection was left until the end of the letter, and what its theological significance would have been to the Corinthian church. Matthew R. Malcolm analyses this rhetoric of 'reversal', examines the unity of the epistle, and addresses key problems behind particular chapters. He argues that while Jewish and Greco-Roman resources contribute significantly to the overall arrangement of the letter, Paul writes as one whose identity and rhetorical resources of structure and imagery have been transformed by his preaching, or kerygma, of Christ. The study will be of interest to students of New Testament studies, Pauline theology and early Christianity.

This highly readable investigation of the early church explores the revolutionary nature, dynamics, and effects of the earliest Christian communities. It introduces readers to the cultural setting of the house churches of biblical times, examines the apostle Paul's vision of life in the Christian church, and explores how the New Testament model of community applies to Christian practice today. Updated and revised throughout, this 40th-anniversary edition incorporates recent research, updates the bibliography, and adds a new fictional narrative that depicts the life and times of the early church.

This engaging book guides readers through one of the most colorful books of the Bible, illuminating passages from Acts that show the Christian gospel expressing itself through the lives, speech, struggles, and adventures of Jesus's followers. The book emphasizes the disruptive character of the Christian gospel and shows how Acts repeatedly describes God as upsetting the status quo by changing people's lives, society's conventions, and our basic expectations of what's possible. Suited for individual and group study, this book by a New Testament scholar with a gift for popular communication asks serious questions and eschews pat answers, bringing Acts alive for contemporary reflection on the character of God, the challenges of faith, and the church.

The earliest and briefest of the four Gospels has traditionally been ascribed to a disciple named Mark In some ages it been overshadowed by its lengthier neighbors in the New Testament, but its pages hold rich rewards for those who ask the right questions. Who was "Mark," and what were his purposes--historical, theological, or otherwise? How does he shape his story of Jesus, and what interpretation of the origins of Christianity does that shaping reveal? More particularly, what is his understanding of his central character, Jesus of Nazareth? And finally, what abiding value does his story hold for those who read this "good news" as a key part of the charter of the Christian church in its life today?
Seminarians, other graduate students and advanced undergraduates, pastors, and other readers seeking an introduction to the Gospel of Mark through the lens of sensitive literary, historical, and theological scholarship need look no further. In Mark: Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist, Francis J. Moloney offers the fruits of top-level biblical scholarship in a broadly accessible format. Students and professors alike will appreciate and profit from his fresh and lucid presentation of the message of one of the Christian faith's earliest and most enigmatic proponents and the inventor of its most revered literary genre.

Jerome Murphy-O'Connor's reputation as a recognized expert on the Corinthian correspondence has been built on the original solutions he has offered to perennial problems. Brought together for the first time in one volume, each of the twelve articles anthologised here deals with a complex aspect of interpretation for 2 Corinthians. Whether addressing the interpretation of a particular passage, the question of co-authorship, or the relation of the epistle to other texts, Murphy-O'Connor presents his evidence in a characteristically clear and incisive style.
A newly written 'reception history' has been appended to each article to bring the collection up to date with the latest research on the epistle.
This is a companion volume to Keys to First Corinthians, also available from Oxford University Press.

This book investigates the use of the Greek term "proskuneo" with Jesus as the object in the New Testament writings. Ray M. Lozano unpicks this interesting term and examines its capacity to express various degrees of reverence directed toward a superior: from a respectful greeting of an elder, to homage paid to a king, to cultic worship paid to a god. Lozano then looks at the term in reference to Jesus in the New Testament writings, and carefully considers whether Jesus is portrayed as receiving such reverence in a relatively weak sense, as a merely human figure, or in a relatively strong sense, as a divine figure. Lozano highlights how scholars are divided over this issue and provides a fresh, thorough examination of the New Testament material (Mark, Matthew, Luke-Acts, John, Hebrews, and Revelation) and, in so doing shows, that each of these New Testament writings, in their own unique ways, presents Jesus as a divine figure-uniquely and closely linked to the God of Israel in making him an object of "proskuneo."

In "Spiritual Landscape," James Resseguie culls recent study in narrative criticism to present the spiritual significance of the geographic environment, social relationships, and the local economy in Luke's Gospel. Students, preachers, spiritual directors, and readers interested in spirituality from a biblical perspective will gain insight from the role of stories such as the road to Emmaus, the tax collector's feast, and the demoniac's change of clothes.

Believers in the early church scattered across the Roman Empire were facing the threat of increased persecution. Peter, the most outspoken of the disciples and leader among the apostles, wrote two practical and encouraging letters to strengthen the hearts of these followers of Christ. Pastor John MacArthur will take you through these two letters, passage by passage, so that you can better understand Peter's words of hope and wisdom and how to live victoriously in the midst of life-threatening trials. In the first letter, Peter reminds believers of the many blessings available to them because of their persecution. In the second letter, he warns them to discern and defeat the false teachers who were invading their churches and teaching them dangerous and deceptive doctrines. Peter's letters of encouragement and warning are just as important for believers today as they were during the first century. -ABOUT THE SERIES- The MacArthur Bible Study series is designed to help you study the Word of God with guidance from widely respected pastor and author John MacArthur. Each guide provides intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture by examining its parts and incorporates: Extensive, but straight-forward commentary on the text. Detailed observations on overriding themes, timelines, history, and context. Word and phrase studies to help you unlock the broader meaning and apply it to your life. Probing, interactive questions with plenty of space to write down your response and thoughts.

"The latest addition to the BECNT series is not narrowly exegetical but is intended to help preachers and general readers apprehend the message of 1-3 John for today. It offers a meticulously detailed study of the Greek text (including special attention to textual variants) that will provide students with ample information on every aspect of the argument of the letters. This commentary well maintains the standards that we have come to expect from this series."--I. Howard Marshall, University of Aberdeen

"By attempting to read 1-3 John in a fresh way, uncoerced by (though not uninformed by) scholarly tradition, Yarbrough offers a helpful and often different perspective on the Johannine Epistles. I find especially helpful his illuminating engagement with the history of interpretation, his careful attention to textual questions, and his quite insightful appeal to the language of the Greek version of the Old Testament (the background John and his audience shared)."--Craig S. Keener, Palmer Seminary

"Despite the author's modesty, there is no other commentary like it on these epistles; it relates the Johannine letters to aspects of Jesus's work or teaching and brings into play ancient texts as well as the latest scholarly research. Yarbrough also writes as a seasoned scholar with a pastor's heart and deep cross-cultural concerns. This rigorous yet very readable commentary is for students and pastors alike to guide their study and enhance their preaching."--Graham H. Twelftree, School of Divinity, Regent University

"Yarbrough's fine volume on the Letters of John is a refreshing and well-crafted commentary. I appreciate his informed discussions of the meanings and uses of Johannine terms, his overall canonical approach to these documents in his exegesis, and his concern to address the wider theological implications of the biblical text. This edifying and stimulating commentary encourages the reader to approach the text reverently and to respond positively to the word of God."--Peter T. O'Brien, Moore College, Sydney, Australia

"A model of evangelical scholarship. Yarbrough's thorough interaction with the literature, informative treatment of the biblical text, and clarity of articulation combine to make this commentary one that anyone interested in these New Testament writings will need to consult. This is a significant contribution to the Baker Exegetical Commentary series!"--Philip H. Towner, Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship, American Bible Society

This insightful study explores the significance of the interactions between Jesus and 'marginal' women recounted in the "Gospel of Matthew". Employing social-scientific models and carefully using comparative data, "Love" examines the various aspects of this marginality, identifying the attempts of Matthew's Gospel to promote Jesus' vision of a new surrogate family of God that challenges the traditional structures of the household.

The Cross of Christ: Foundational Islamic Perspectives takes an in-depth look at all of the medieval Muslim scholars considered to have affirmed Jesus' crucifixion. Each chapter provides the important historical and intellectual context for the commentators. As well, critical new translations of key texts are provided, offering important access to vital documents and schools of thought. The author argues that, rather than affirming the historicity of the crucifixion, the Isma'ilis tend to assume its historicity, in order to advance important Isma'ili doctrines. The author also contends that the commentators who explored ways to affirm the crucifixion, nonetheless made extensive use of traditional substitution legends that deny the crucifixion. In order to orient the reader, the book starts by introducing the reader to the Jesus of the Qur'an. It then compares him to the Jesus of the New Testament and the Jesus of extra canonical literature. Upon this Qur'anic skeleton, the author layers a myriad of details found in seventeen works of classic Islamic literature, so that a truly unique, authentic and authoritative Jesus of Islam emerges.

How did the author of the Gospel of Luke intend it to be read? In The Spiral Gospel, Rob James shows that the assumptions many modern readers bring to the text - that it claims to be historically factual, or merely regurgitates existing stories - are not those of antiquity. Building on the central insight that it was written for a community who would have used it as their pre-eminent text, James argues convincingly for a continuous, cyclical reading of Luke's narrative. The evidence for this view, and also its consequences, can be seen in the gospel's intratextuality. Context is given at the end of the gospel that informs the beginning, and there are countless other intratextual elements throughout the text that are most readily noticeable on a second or subsequent reading. This deliberate, creative interweaving on the author's part opens up new levels of appreciation and faith for those who read in the way Luke's first audience received his work.

This book introduces the concept "ordinary African readers' hermeneutics" in a study of the reception of the Bible in postcolonial Africa. It looks beyond the scholarly and official church-based material to the way in which the Bible, and discourses on or from the Bible, are utilized within a wide range of diverse contexts. The author shows that "ordinary readers" can and did engage in meaningful and liberating hermeneutics. Using the Agikuyu's encounter with the Bible as an example, he demonstrates that what colonial discourses commonly circulated about Africans were not always the "truth", but mere "representations" that were hardly able to fix African identities, as they were often characterized by certain ambivalences, anxieties and contradictions. The hybridized Biblical texts, readings and interpretations generated through retrieval and incorporation of the defunct pre-colonial past created interstices that became sites for assimilation, questioning and resistance. The book explores how Africans employed "allusion" as a valid method of interpretation, showing how the critical principle of interpretation lies not in the Bible itself, but in the community of readers willing to cultivate dialogical imagination in order to articulate their vision. The author proposes an African hermeneutical theory, which involves the fusion of both the "scholarly" and the "ordinary" readers in the task of biblical interpretation within a specific socio-cultural context.