The book explores the antisemitic potential of Matthew's Gospel in the Christian New Testament. It begins with a detailed discussion of the occasion of the text, before discussing key questions (Matthew's fulfilment theology, and the use of polemic in the text). Three crucial texts are examined in detail. The book discusses the reverberations of the "blood cry," arguing the deicide-focused interpretation of Matthew 27:25 is foundational to subsequent blood libels, which are also discussed. The final chapters explore how to preach from Matthew's Gospel with Jewish people in mind, including offering sample sermons to stimulate the reader's thinking about how they might teach from a controversial Matthean text in a way that denies the possibility of perpetuating Christian antisemitism. It will be of interest to students and scholars in religion and faith, Christianity, and interfaith studies.

Pastoring is tough. The challenges are many, expectations are high, and tasks are wide ranging.

Pastoral Practices is a guide to help pastors draw on the insights of Wesleyan theology and incorporate them into their ministries. Whatever the task may be--preaching, discipling, evangelizing, or administrating--this book will shed light on the way Wesleyan theology refines, informs, and enhances the theories and methods of each pastoral practice.

Not only will pastors and their associates find this book a worthwhile asset, but lay leaders, small-group facilitators, and others doing ministry in the church will also benefit from its invaluable insight and well-reasoned advice.

Margaret Froelich examines the Gospel of Mark using political and empire-critical methodologies, following postcolonial thinkers in perceiving a far more ambivalent message than previous pacifistic interpretations of the text. She argues that Mark does not represent an entirely new way of thinking about empire or cosmic structures, but rather exhibits concepts and structures with which the author and his audience are already familiar in order to promote the Kingdom of God as a better version of the encroaching Roman Empire. Froelich consequently understands Mark as a response to the physical, ideological, and cultural displacement of the first Roman/Judean War. By looking to Greek, Roman, and Jewish texts to determine how first-century authors thought of conquest and expansion, Froelich situates the Gospel directly in a historical and socio-political context, rather than treating that context as a mere backdrop; concluding that the Gospel portrays the Kingdom of God as a conquering empire with Jesus as its victorious general and client king.

What did Jesus think of himself? How did he face death? What were his expectations of the future? In this volume, now in paperback, internationally renowned Jesus scholar Dale Allison Jr. addresses such perennially fascinating questions about Jesus. The acclaimed hardcover edition received the Biblical Archaeology Society's "Best Book Relating to the New Testament" award in 2011.
Representing the fruit of several decades of research, this major work questions standard approaches to Jesus studies and rethinks our knowledge of the historical Jesus in light of recent progress in the scientific study of memory. Allison's groundbreaking alternative strategy calls for applying what we know about the function of human memory to our reading of the Gospels in order to "construct Jesus" more soundly.

The fully anglicized text uses the accurate and accessible ERV (Easy-to-Read Version) translation. The contemporary language makes this gospel easy to get into, so that you can get a lot out of it! Many extra features are included in this gospel edition to help you easily understand it, including advice on how to read the Bible, an introduction to the book of Matthew, studies that dig deeper into key passages, and insight boxes that help explain the meaning of certain verses. This Gospel of Matthew is the perfect introduction to the life of Jesus and will help you to start reading the Bible for yourself. Content Benefits: The ERV Holy Bible Gospel of Matthew is a contemporary and accessible translation that is bursting with extra features that will help you understand and live out God's Word today. * A full text gospel with extra notes and features * Contemporary translation which is relevant and accurate * Simple to understand * Anglicized text, with UK spelling and grammar * Ideal for new Christians or anyone just starting out reading the Bible * Perfect for anyone wanting to dig deeper into the Bible * Suitable for anyone wanting to explore who Jesus is * Introductory notes size up the setting and discover the Who, When and What of Matthew's gospel * Bible Bit pages help you dig deeper and explore key passages * Insight boxes enable you to probe passages and explore the meaning of verses * Easy to read type in two columns * Suitable for use as an outreach resource for churches

The theme of heaven and earth is a much-overlooked aspect of the Gospel of Matthew. In this work, rising scholar Jonathan Pennington articulates a fresh perspective on this key interpretive issue, challenging both the scholarly and popular understandings of the meaning of Matthew's phrase, "kingdom of heaven."
Pennington argues that rather than being a reverent way of referring to God as is typically assumed, "heaven" in Matthew is part of a highly developed discourse of heaven and earth language. Matthew's way of using heaven language serves one overriding theological purpose: to highlight the tension that currently exists between heaven and earth or God and humanity, while looking forward to its eschatological resolution. This affordable North American paperback edition was previously published in hardcover by Brill.

Katherine Joy Kihlstrom Timpte addresses a gap in scholarship by answering the question: "how is a child supposed to be the model recipient of the kingdom of God?" While most scholarship on Mark 10:13-16 agrees that children are metaphorically employed because of their qualities of dependence, Timpte argues that it is more specifically an image of the disciple's radical transformation, which both mirrors and reverses the traditional rites of passage by which a child became an adult. Timpte suggests that Jesus, by insisting that one must enter the Kingdom of God as a child, invokes two interlacing images. First, to enter the Kingdom of God, one must be fundamentally transformed and changed. Second, this transformation reverses the rite by which a child would have become an adult, removing the adult's superior status. Beginning with a summary of the scholarship surrounding children in the Bible, Timpte explores the perception of children in the ancient world, their rites of passage and entrance into adulthood, and contrasting this with the processing of entering the kingdom of God, while also highlighting childish characters in Mark. Timpte concludes that to enter into the kingdom as a child means that one must strip off those things one gained by leaving childhood behind: wealth, respect, family, much like Jesus, who throughout Mark's Gospel moves from powerful to powerless, respected to despised, and accepted by all to rejected even (seemingly) by God. Jesus models transformation to childhood in an emphasis on what the Kingdom of God is like.

This is an introductory guide to the four New Testament Gospels as overlapping accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, each with their own distinctive emphases and concerns. Part One deals first with the fact that there are four Gospels in the canon and looks at how the fourfold Gospel emerged. The literary relationships between the Gospels are dealt with next, followed by the composition of the Gospels. Part Two looks at each Gospel, its structure, contents, style and narrative technique, its presentation of Jesus and its particular interests and themes. Part Three, the main section of the book, takes six key events in the life of Jesus, most of which are found in all four Gospels, and examines the parallel versions. The book ends with reflections on the fourfold Gospel and the singular Jesus, including a discussion of key issues relating to the 'historical Jesus'. Edward Adams is Senior Lecturer in New Testament Studies at King's College London.

God came in the flesh to show us what love looks like. To truly see the dynamics of this love, we must take a close look at Jesus's relationships while he was here on earth. How he loved then is how he loves now, and how he loves now is how we as believers are to love. No Greater Love is a study of Jesus's interactions with people throughout the book of John, including Nicodemus, the woman at the well, and even the Pharisees. What did this love look like in action, especially with those who are hard to love? As it turns out, he didn't love people because they deserved it; he loved them because he is love. With the great tragedies in our culture today there is a need for this "Jesus love" that's available to all believers. May this book help you better know his love for you--which, in the end, will lead you to becoming more like him.

The present study represents the first attempt to expand the methodological and practical framework of textual scholarship on the Greek New Testament from an Orthodox perspective. Its focus is on the Antoniades edition of 1904, commonly known as the Patriarchal Edition. The examination of the creation and reception of this edition shows that its textual principles are often misrepresented. In particular, it is shown to be more closely related to the Textus Receptus than to lectionary manuscripts. This is confirmed by an analysis of lectionary manuscripts using the Text und Textwert methodology and a detailed comparison of the Antoniades edition with the recent Editio Critica Maior of the Catholic Epistles. A textual commentary is provided on key verses in order to formulate guidelines for preparing an edition of the Greek New Testament that would satisfy the needs of Orthodox users in different contexts. This study offers a foundation for the further development of New Testament textual scholarship from an Orthodox perspective, informed both by modern critical scholarship and Orthodox tradition. It also provides a fresh translation of Antoniades' introduction in an Appendix.

Mark's gospel has an urgency to it that's hard to ignore. It's as if he is breathless, trying to get the information out as quickly as he can. A few decades have passed since Jesus' ministry, and with persecution intensifying, some believers were tempted to compromise or simply give up on being a follower of the Messiah. So, Mark needed to take the early Christians back to the basics and get them ready to move! In this six-session study (video streaming code included), pastor Jeff Manion takes you and your group through the gospel of Mark to answer such urgent questions about the Christian faith as: Who is this Jesus? What does he expect of me? Is suffering a normal part of the Christian life? What will encourage and strengthen my trust in Jesus? These questions are not born of a lack of faith but serve to strengthen and stabilize our relationship with the Savior. So, lace up your running shoes. Open your heart and mind. And come with your questions! Get ready to move as Mark's Gospel reveals what it means to follow Jesus. This study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself-a 40 Day reading plan through Mark with discussion and personal reflection questions, video notes, and a leader's guide. An individual access code to stream all six video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!). 40 Days Through the Book series: Each of the studies in this series, taught by a different pastor or Bible teacher on a specific book of the Bible, is designed to help you more actively engage with God's Word by understanding its background and culture and applying it in a fresh way to your life. Throughout each study, you'll be encouraged to read through the corresponding book in the New Testament at least once during the course of 40 days. Watch on any device! Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2027. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

For a hundred years, the million dollar question has been, What was the nature and state of the tradition between Jesus and the gospels? Eve surveys the major proposals, offers critical and constructive commentary, and makes appropriately nuanced suggestions of his own. On this topic, his work is now the place to start' Dale C. Allison, Jr. Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary 'Eric Eve has written a magnificent guide to one of the most exciting areas in Gospels studies today - oral tradition and memory theory. With clear writing and judicious assessment, he covers the important personalities and ideas in the search to get behind the Gospels, from form criticism to the present. I highly recommend this book to scholars and students alike' Chris Keith, Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, St Mary's University College, London 'Eric Eve gives a balanced and lucid account of all attempts to reconstruct the oral tradition behind the written Gospels . . . Eve's judgments on these questions are fair, his arguments convincing. This is a foundational book both for Jesus research and for our understanding of the literary history of the New Testament' Gerd Theissen, Professor Emeritus of New Testament, University of Heidelberg.