When you need to know how to do something, a manual is the best place to start. 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus could be called the 'Teacher's Manual' because these letters contain so much advice about the kind of teaching Christian leaders should - and shouldn't - be giving. Just as Timothy and Titus needed help to lead their young churches in the midst of powerful cultural forces, we need guidance for leading and living well in our own context. These studies of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus point us in the right direction. They bring us to a greater understanding of ourselves and show us the way through the challenges we face.

The Diatessaron (c 150 - 160) is the most prominent Gospel harmony created by Tatian, an early Christian apologist and ascetic. The term "diatessaron" is from Middle English ("interval of a fourth") by way of Latin, diatessaron ("made of four ingredients]"), and ultimately Greek, diatessaron ("out of four"; i.e., dia, "according to" and tessaron genitive of tessares], "four"). Tatian combined the four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - into a single narrative.

Feasting on the Gospels is a new seven-volume series that follows up on the success of the Feasting on the Word series to provide another trusted preaching resource, this time on the most prominent and preached upon most preached upon books in the Bible: the four Gospels. With contributions from a diverse and respected group of scholars and pastors, Feasting on the Gospels includes completely new material that covers every single passage in the Gospels, making it suitable for both pastors who preach from the lectionary and pastors who do not. Moreover, these volumes incorporate the unique format of Feasting on the Word, giving preachers four perspectives to choose from for each Gospel passage: theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical. Feasting on the Gospels offers a unique resource for all who preach, either continuously or occasionally, on the Gospels.

In this engaging treatment of the Gospel of Mark, Dawn Ottoni Wilhelm combines biblical scholarship with a close reading of the Gospel text to meet the needs of preachers today. Swift and purposeful, the Gospel of Mark proclaims God's reign and urges the participation of all God's people in the witness of the good news that God has transformed human reality through Jesus Christ. This insightful commentary helps that message come alive while providing pertinent suggestions about how preachers can proclaim this message to today's churchgoers.

The discovery and translation of the Gnostic Gospels have revealed Mary Magdalene to be a gifted visionary teacher and the best qualified disciple to lead the Jesus movement following his death. Yet, according to most scholars, only a few fragments of her actual teachings have survived. Sharing more than 20 years of research, inspired by a profound experience at the cave in southern France where Mary Magdalene is reputed to have spent her final years, Jack Angelo reveals that the Fourth Gospel of the New Testament, traditionally attributed to John, is actually a direct transcription of Mary Magdalene's oral teachings. He explains how the Fourth Gospel was recast by more conservative members of the Jesus movement, such as Peter and Andrew, to hide Mary's authorship and suppress her role as head disciple. Delving deeply into the many layers of meaning within the "Gospel of Signs"--the first 11 chapters of the Fourth Gospel which describe seven of Jesus' miracles--he shows how Mary's teachings outline seven key steps for personal transformation and profound healing. For example, the sixth sign describes the shamanic healing of a blind man when Jesus spits on clay and smears the paste over the man's eyes. Angelo explains how the deeper meaning of this sign is about perceiving with the "eyes of the heart." Beyond the beauty and simplicity of Mary's wisdom for personal transformation and healing, Angelo also shows how Mary's heart-centered teachings embody the resurgence of feminine energy that is vitally needed to restore balance to the psyche and health of humanity as well as to Earth.

Dean Burgon demonstrates that the methodology of modern textual criticism fails to hold up when examined against the last twelve verses of Mark. The entire system of textual critics must be rejected. He shows that Bishop B. F. Westcott and Professor F. J. A. Hort and their followers are categorically wrong in their approach to the text of the New Testament. Dean Burgon's book is a fatal blow to the manuscripts "B" and "Aleph," which are the favorite manuscripts of the modern textual critics.

This is the latest release in Enduring Word Media's commentary series by David Guzik. David Guzik's commentaries are noted for their clear, complete, and concise explanation of the Bible. Pastors, teachers, class leaders, home study groups, and everyday Christians all over the world have found this commentary series remarkably helpful.

This volume places before the reader an entire range of evidence, and demonstrates how the early manuscripts, versions, and fathers bear witness to the doctrinal heart of the Authorized Version.

The Walls of Babylon is a radically revisionist reading of the Revelation to John, offering startling insights into the historical roots of Gnosticism, the social dynamics of early Christianity, and the shattering impact of apocalyptic eschatology. Based on a careful analysis of the text, David Arthur argues that the motivating circumstance for Revelation was provided not by external Roman oppression but by a fierce internal dispute between gnostic and proto-orthodox factions within the early church. In the ensuing controversy, John did not side with ecclesiastical officials, as might be expected, but instead took up the cause of the persecuted outcasts. Following the precedent of the classical prophets, he speaks as a champion for the downtrodden and dispossessed--represented, for him, by the gnostic heretics. The book he has left us presents a fiery symbolic rebuke of proto-orthodox Christianity, and by extension, challenges normative religious paradigms at every level of belief and praxis.

In these volumes, Timothy Brookins and Bruce Longenecker provide a foundational analysis of the Greek text of 1 Corinthians. Distinguished by the detailed yet comprehensive attention paid to the Greek text, 1 Corinthians is a convenient pedagogical and reference tool that explains the form and syntax of the biblical text, offers guidance for deciding between competing semantic analyses, engages important text-critical questions, and addresses questions relating to the Greek text that are frequently overlooked or ignored by standard commentaries. Beyond serving as a succinct and accessible analytic key, 1 Corinthians also reflects the most recent advances in scholarship on Greek grammar and linguistics. By filling the gap between popular and technical commentaries, these handbooks become indispensable tools for anyone committed to a deep reading of the biblical text.

John Brown (Minister of Wamphray Scotland, later banished to Holland) explores questions like, "What is the path to true Gospel holiness" in addressing the topics of justification and sanctification in the life of the believer. As he rightly describes, these revolve around Jesus Christ and how he is indeed "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14: 6). If you're feeling distanced from Christ in your life or struggling with a besetting sin that has discouraged your faith that He is "The Life," you will find encouragement and instruction here. "Up, Christians, and be doing: Listen to such a teacher, who, lest thou tire in thy race, or turn back, teacheth thee a certain and sweet way of singular proficiency and progress in the ways of God." (Preface)

This is the latest release in Enduring Word Media's commentary series by David Guzik. David Guzik's commentaries are noted for their clear, complete, and concise explanation of the Bible. Pastors, teachers, class leaders, home study groups, and everyday Christians all over the world have found this commentary series remarkably helpful.

Larger Print Edition The number one complaint about the Interlinear Hebrew Greek English Bibles by Jay P. Green, Sr. has been the size of the print. This new printing is in a larger print size, much more readable for long hours of study without the eye strain. This has all of the content of the 4 Volume Interlinear Bible Set that has been published since 1985 plus the 2000 New Testament which adds an additional side column with the KJV.. The only complete interlinear Bible available in English-and it's keyed to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Thousands of pastors, students, and laypeople have found The Interlinear Bible to be a time-saving tool for researching the subtle nuances and layers of meaning within the original biblical languages. Featuring the complete Hebrew and Greek texts with a direct English rendering below each word, it also includes The Literal Translation of the Bible in the outside column. But what truly sets this resource apart are the Strong's numbers printed directly above the Hebrew and Greek words. Strong's numbers enable even those with no prior knowledge of Greek or Hebrew to easily access a wealth of language reference works keyed to Strong's-Greek/Hebrew dictionaries, analytical lexicons, concordances, word studies, and more. The Hebrew is based on the Masoretic Text and the Greek is from the Textus Receptus. The sources of the texts are documented in the preface, and are essentially the same (with some minor variations) to the Hebrew and Greek texts used by the KJV translators. This Bible displays all the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words of the Bible in the Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Received Greek Text, with literal, accurate English meanings placed directly under each original word in interlinear form, with Strong's Concordance numbers over each original word, enabling the Bible student (whether knowing the original languages or not) to refer to all lexicons and concordances that have also been coded with Strong's numbers. 2,936 pages, bound in a bonded leather over boards hardback edition. This new edition has been much improved by a new typesetting of the New Testament (Volume IV), with larger print, the left marginal column containing a newly revised Literal Translation of the Bible (2000), and a right marginal column containing the Authorized/King James Version (1769). The three volume Old Testament is an exact reprint of the 1985 Hendrickson Publishers Edition but in larger print. The Old Testament does not yet have the 1769 King James Version. The only complete Interlinear Bible is now fully keyed to Strong's Concordance numbers. The Strong's numbering above each Hebrew and Greek word - along with the Interlinear text and marginal literal English Translation and the 1769 Authorized King James Version - opens a treasure house of Bible study possibilities for those who wish to understand the Scripture better. It's use will allow the novice student to read the original text without losing valuable time to look up the meaning of the Hebrew & Greek words in the Hebrew & Greek lexicons. There is no substitute for a first hand knowledge of the original text. However since only a small minority of Bible students retain an easy reading comprehension of the original text, the Interlinear Bible is a welcome aid to Bible students, laymen, and pastors who wish to continue working with the original languages. Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-) is Translator and Editor of The Interlinear Hebrew-Greek-English Bible and the translator of the Modern King James Version of the Holy Bible, The Teenage Version of the Holy Bible, and the Literal translation of the Holy Bible. He has written numerous books on textual criticism.

There is no doubting the legacy of Protestant Reformers and their successors. Luther, Calvin, and Wesley not only spawned specific denominational traditions, but their writings have been instrumental in forging a broadly embraced evangelical theology as well. Ben Witherington wrestles with some of the big ideas of these major traditional theological systems (sin, God's sovereignty, prophecy, grace, and the Holy Spirit), asking tough questions about their biblical foundations. Advocating a return to Protestantism's sola scriptura roots, Witherington argues that evangelicalism sometimes wrongly assumes a biblical warrant for some of its more popular beliefs. Witherington pushes the reader to engage the larger story and plot of the Bible in order to understand the crucial theological elements of Protestant belief. The Problem with Evangelical Theology casts today's evangelical belief and practice - be it Calvinistic, Wesleyan, Dispensational, or Pentecostal - in the light of its scriptural origins. Witherington offers a comprehensive description of evangelical theology while concurrently providing an insistent corrective to its departures from both tradition and text.

The first book to supply the English reader with a comprehensive view of the apocryphal literature connected to the New Testament. It contains translations of all the important texts in the style of the Authorized Version, and makes available the results of historic researches into their origin, history, and value.

This volume is an original and important contribution to the study of the earliest Palestinian Jewish Christianity. For the first time all the evidence for the role which relatives of Jesus played in the early church is assembled and assessed. Dr. Bauckham discusses a wide range of evidence, not only from the New Testament but also from the Church Fathers, the New Testament Apocrypha, rabbinic literature and Palestinian archaeology. The letter of Jude, in particular, proves to have much to teach us about the theology of the brothers of Jesus and their circle. It illuminates their exegetical methods and their Christology and shows both to have been influential contributions to the development of early Christianity. This study shows that this neglected New Testament book is far more important for the study of early Christianity than has hitherto been recognized. By setting the letter of Jude within the context of the evidence for the role of relatives of Jesus in the early church, new insights can be revealed into the letter and early Jewish Christianity.

Christianity Today 2013 Book Award Winner Winner of The Foundation for Pentecostal Scholarship's 2012 Award of Excellence 2011 Book of the Year, Christianbook.com's Academic Blog Most modern prejudice against biblical miracle reports depends on David Hume's argument that uniform human experience precluded miracles. Yet current research shows that human experience is far from uniform. In fact, hundreds of millions of people today claim to have experienced miracles. New Testament scholar Craig Keener argues that it is time to rethink Hume's argument in light of the contemporary evidence available to us. This wide-ranging and meticulously researched two-volume study presents the most thorough current defense of the credibility of the miracle reports in the Gospels and Acts. Drawing on claims from a range of global cultures and taking a multidisciplinary approach to the topic, Keener suggests that many miracle accounts throughout history and from contemporary times are best explained as genuine divine acts, lending credence to the biblical miracle reports.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus told a simple story about a father and his two sons. This tale stands out because it is a story about each of us and our struggle with sin. Whether we identify with the rebellion of the younger son or the self-righteousness of the older brother, we all are in need of our Father's grace, mercy, and forgiveness. In this five-session video-based Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), pastor and bestselling author John MacArthur provides fascinating new insights into this parable as he takes you step-by-step through each part of the tale. You will explore not only the shocking actions of the younger son in his rebellion but also the coldhearted attitude of the older brother toward his family. You will find a reflection of yourself in each of these two sons-and come to understand, in a fresh and new way, what God does to find you where you are and bring you back to Him. The Prodigal Son Study Guide includes video discussion questions, Bible exploration, and personal study and reflection materials for in-between sessions. Sessions include: Parables: Unveiling God's Truth through Stories Repentance: Facing the Agony of Being Lost Forgiveness: Experiencing Our Father's Love Pretense: Looking Good Isn't Good Enough Grace: Receiving Our Most Amazing Gift Designed for use with The Prodigal Son Video Study 9780310081258 (sold separately).

A practical and powerful reminder that new life in Christ gives us a whole new purpose - and a new goal for every aspect of life...we have been designed to be like Him.

Sin was an extremely important and serious concern for the earliest Christians and the authors of the New Testament writings. Early Christians came to see the life and ministry of Jesus as challenging presumptions about the meanings of sin and faithfulness. This book provides a comprehensive treatment of different understandings of sin in early Christianity. Jeffrey S. Siker describes how the earliest Christian voices represented in the New Testament writings understood "sin" not only as a theological abstraction, but also as a real reflection upon human thought and behavior that violated right relationships with both other human beings and with God. Siker explores language about sin in relation to the Jewish and Greco-Roman contextual worlds of the New Testament writings, and examines the development and change of these worlds in relation to the modern concept of sin.

The letter of James is a much loved epistle in the New Testament. People warm to its seemingly practical nature as it instructs us in the nuts and bolts of the Christian life. However, it is not an easy letter to preach and teach. People struggle to see how the letter fits together and are confused about its overall theme and purpose. This is where Teaching James will prove to be of great assistance. Mervyn Eloff will guide you through the intricate detail of the letter whilst never losing sight of the overall theme and purpose of this dynamic Bible book. A book that is as potent and challenging today as it was when the dispersed Christians read it in the First Century.

The Understanding the Bible Commentary Series helps readers navigate the strange and sometimes intimidating literary terrain of the Bible. These accessible volumes break down the barriers between the ancient and modern worlds so that the power and meaning of the biblical texts become transparent to contemporary readers. The contributors tackle the task of interpretation using the full range of critical methodologies and practices, yet they do so as people of faith who hold the text in the highest regard. Pastors, teachers, and lay people alike will cherish the truth found in this commentary series.