This volume is a collection of fresh essays in honor of Professor John T. Townsend. It focuses on the interpretation of the common Jewish and Christian Scripture (the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament) and on its two off-shoots (Rabbinic Judaism and the New Testament), as well as on Jewish-Christian relations. The contributors, who are prominent scholars in their fields, include James L. Crenshaw, Goeran Eidevall, Anne E. Gardner, Lawrence M. Wills, Cecilia Wassen, Robert L. Brawley, Joseph B. Tyson, Eldon J. Epp, Yaakov Elman, Rivka Ulmer, Andreas Lehnardt, Reuven Kimelman, Bruce Chilton, and Michael W. Duggan. "an engaging and impressive scholarly work." - Zev Garber, Los Angeles Valley College, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 81.3 (2019)

Poverty, Wealth, and Empire presents an antidote to the liberal Jesuses that are constantly being constructed by theologians and historians in universities and seminaries in the West. Sandford's programme is to pay attention to those texts where Jesus appears hostile to his audiences, or even invokes the idea of divine judgment and violence against certain groups. Drawing on a variety of texts in the Synoptic Gospels, Sandford finds violent denunciations of the rich and those who neglect the needy to be a consistent theme in Jesus' teaching. R ather than deploying biblical texts to support an antiimperial or liberationist agenda, Sandford foregrounds troubling and problematic texts. Among them are wisdom sayings that justify poverty, texts that denigrate particular ethnic groups, and the ideology inherent in Jesus' teachings about 'the Kingdom of God'. On such a basis Sandford is able to call into question the effectiveness of mainline Christian scholarly interpretations of Jesus in dealing with the most profound ethical problems of our time: poverty, domination and violence. Always alert to the assumptions and prejudices of much Western New Testament scholarship, Sandford draws attention to its intellectual contradictions, and, furthermore, to the way in which this scholarship has sometimes served to undergird and justify systems of oppression-in particular by its demonstrable dodging of the issue of material poverty and its causes. Building on recent debates in postcolonial biblical criticism, Sandford offers a decidedly 'illiberal' reading of Jesus' sayings on divine judgment, focusing on the paradoxical idea of a 'nonviolent' Jesus who nevertheless makes pronouncements of divine violence upon the rich.

Throughout the history of Christianity, the book of Revelation has had an enormous influence in religion, history, and culture, and it still has an urgently needed message for the church. M. Eugene Boring's critical assessment of Revelation enlightens readers as to just what that message is.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Mimesis is a fundamental and pervasive human concept, but has attracted little attention from Johannine scholarship. This is unsurprising, since Johannine ethics, of which mimesis is a part, has only recently become a fruitful area of research. Bennema contends that scholars have not yet identified the centre of Johannine ethics, admittedly due to the fact that mimesis is not immediately evident in the Johannine text because the usual terminology for mimesis is missing. This volume is the first organized study on the concept of mimesis in the Johannine literature. The aim of the study is to establish that mimesis is a genuine Johannine concept, to explain its particulars and to show that mimesis is integral to Johannine ethics. Bennema argues that Johannine mimesis is a cognitive, creative process that shapes the believer's identity and behaviour within the context of the divine family. Besides being instrumental in people's moral transformation, mimesis is also a vital mechanism for mediating the divine reality to people

Holiness and Ministry: A Biblical Theological of Ordination is a response to the call of the World Council of Churches for renewed theological reflection on the biblical roots of ordination to strengthen the vocational identity of the ordained and to provide a framework for ecumenical dialogue. The volume is grounded in the assumption that the vocation of ordination requires an understanding of holiness and how it functions in human religious experience. The goal is to construct a biblical theology of ordination, which is embedded in broad reflection on the nature of holiness. The study of holiness and ministry interweaves three methodologies. First, the History of Religions describes two theories of holiness in the study of religion, as a dynamic force and as a ritual resource, which play a central role in biblical literature and establish the paradigm of ordination to Word and Sacrament in Christian tradition. Second, the study of the Moses in the Pentateuch and the formation of the Mosaic Office illustrate the ways in which the two views of holiness model ordination to the prophetic word and to the priestly ritual. And, third, Canonical Criticism provides the lens to explore the ongoing influence of the Mosaic Office in the New Testament literature. Holiness and Ministry is a resource for candidates of ordination to discern their call-experience and to establish professional identity within individual traditions of Christianity, while also providing a resource for ecumenical dialogue on the nature and purpose of Christian ordination.

First and Second Peter, James, and Jude have existed on the edges of the canon throughout the centuries. In this volume, Pheme Perkins casts light on these often neglected writings, ably demonstrating that they have, in fact, much to offer to today's readers. The epistles are more than a compilation of traditional material. They are concerned with very specific and concrete issues facing the early Christian communities and offer a counterpoint to the letters of Paul. They deal with issues such as how to conduct oneself with others, how to live in a non-Christian world, and how to "shepherd the flock of God", as well as with theological issues such as the early Christian understanding of God, the relationship between faith and works, prayer, and suffering. Teachers, preachers, and others will find much intriguing material here as they rediscover the world of the first Christians through these letters.

In this brilliant commentary, Beverly Roberts Gaventa discusses the issues central to the books of Thessalonians, identifying what makes each book important for the life of the church today, as well as for preachers and teachers.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Though considered one of the most important informants about Judaism in the first century CE, the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus's testimony is often overlooked or downplayed. Jonathan Klawans's Josephus and the Theologies of Ancient Judaism reexamines Josephus's descriptions of sectarian disagreements concerning determinism and free will, the afterlife, and scriptural authority. In each case, Josephus's testimony is analyzed in light of his works' general concerns as well as relevant biblical, rabbinic, and Dead Sea texts.
Many scholars today argue that ancient Jewish sectarian disputes revolved primarily or even exclusively around matters of ritual law, such as calendar, cultic practices, or priestly succession. Josephus, however, indicates that the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes disagreed about matters of theology, such as afterlife and determinism. Similarly, many scholars today argue that ancient Judaism was thrust into a theological crisis in the wake of the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE, yet Josephus's works indicate that Jews were readily able to make sense of the catastrophe in light of biblical precedents and contemporary beliefs.
Without denying the importance of Jewish law-and recognizing Josephus's embellishments and exaggerations-Josephus and the Theologies of Ancient Judaism calls for a renewed focus on Josephus's testimony, and models an approach to ancient Judaism that gives theological questions a deserved place alongside matters of legal concern. Ancient Jewish theology was indeed significant, diverse, and sufficiently robust to respond to the crisis of its day.

Writing in an anecdotal and approachable style, Tom Wright helps us to see the great sweep of the letter to the Romans. This long-awaited two-volume addition to the hugely popular For Everyone series will be ideal for daily Bible study, a preaching aid or for those readers who are looking to deepen their understanding of this classic NT book. Tom Wright has a rare gift for communicating his understanding and enthusiasm to non-specialists. He is one of the few people alive today capable of undertaking a project such as the For Everyone guides. When complete, this series will include a new translation of the entire New Testament by Tom Wright. Section by section, the translation is accompanied by his eye-opening comments on each passage.

Renowned biblical scholar Richard Bauckham believes that the New Testament texts cannot be adequately understood without careful attention to their Judaic and Second Temple roots. This book contains twenty-four studies that shed essential light on the religious and biblical-interpretive matrix from which early Christianity emerged. Bauckham discusses the "parting of the ways" between early Judaism and early Christianity and the relevance of early Jewish literature for the study of the New Testament. He also explores specific aspects or texts of early Christianity by relating them to their early Jewish context. Originally published by Mohr Siebeck, this book is now available as an affordable North American paperback edition.

The cosmopolitan city of Corinth was the site of one of the apostle Paul's greatest evangelistic successes. However, the church he founded was full of contention, ranging from questions about leadership to incest. Some Christians were taking fellow believers to court. There were issues concerning marriage, celibacy, food offered to idols, public worship and spiritual gifts. In response, Paul offered some of his most profound thinking on the body of Christ, love, and Jesus' cross and resurrection. Thomas Schreiner explains the text of the letter, highlights its major theological themes and offers perspectives on its relevance for today.

One of the best known and most important references on the life of Christ ever written, Alfred Edersheim's "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah" is a storehouse of information on the background of the New Testament. This classic work successfully portrays the streets, the marketplaces, the religious conflicts, the people, and the places of Jesus' earthly ministry.

Edersheim divides his work into five sections, or books:
- Book 1--"The Preparation for the Gospel"
Introductory historical, religious, political, and cultural material based on the author's extensive knowledge of Jewish lore and customs.
- Book 2--"From Bethlehem to Jordan"
The background of Herod and his reign, St. John the Baptist and his message, and the birth and baptism of Jesus.
- Book 3--"From Jordan to the Mount of Transfiguration"
Thirty-seven chapters explore the miracles and teachings of Jesus' early ministry.
- Book 4--"The Descent into the Valley of Humiliation"
A history of the latter part of Jesus' ministry from the Transfiguration to the journey to Jerusalem.
- Book 5--"The Cross and the Crown"
A chronicle of each day of Passion Week, from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection.
- Appendices
Valuable background material on Jewish history, tradition, and law

In this collection of thematically arranged essays on the Gospel according to Mark, the first part highlights its reception in early Christianity, its text form as an episodic narrative and its relation to contemporary genres. It recognizes Mark's dependence on traditions from and about Jesus of Nazareth and the presupposed knowledge about the narrated locations in Galilee. The second part focuses on the discourse itself, presenting studies on style, use of metaphor, intertextuality, and strategies of persuasion. The third part treats the Christology, ethics and eschatology and the way in which the narrator gives meaning to Jesus's death. The fourth part returns to the burning issue of what lies behind Mark and how we can study it, ending with a proposal to discuss the composition of the narrative within the framework of performance theory.

New volume in the TNTC revision and replacement programme

Prostitute, apostle, evangelist-the conversion of Mary Magdalene from sinner to saint is one of the Christian tradition's most compelling stories, and one of the most controversial. The identity of the woman-or, more likely, women-represented by this iconic figure has been the subject of dispute since the Church's earliest days. Much less appreciated is the critical role the Magdalene played in remaking modern Christianity. In a vivid recreation of the Catholic and Protestant cultures that emerged in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, The Magdalene in the Reformation reveals that the Magdalene inspired a devoted following among those eager to find new ways to relate to God and the Church. In popular piety, liturgy, and preaching, as well as in education and the arts, the Magdalene tradition provided both Catholics and Protestants with the flexibility to address the growing need for reform. Margaret Arnold shows that as the medieval separation between clergy and laity weakened, the Magdalene represented a new kind of discipleship for men and women and offered alternative paths for practicing a Christian life. Where many have seen two separate religious groups with conflicting preoccupations, Arnold sees Christians who were often engaged in a common dialogue about vocation, framed by the life of Mary Magdalene. Arnold disproves the idea that Protestants removed saints from their theology and teaching under reform. Rather, devotion to Mary Magdalene laid the foundation within Protestantism for the public ministry of women.

The ending of Mark's Gospel is one of the great unsolved mysteries. However, interest in the Markan conclusion is not a modern phenomenon alone. Comments about the different attested endings date back to Eusebius' Ad Marinum in the fourth century. Responding to the apparent discrepancy between the timing of the resurrection in Matthew and Mark, Eusebius notes one may solve the difficulty in one of two ways: either ignore the passage on the basis of the manuscript evidence or harmonize the two passages. Unfortunately, Eusebius' comments are all too often viewed through the lens of the modern text-critical endeavor, and for that reason, his intent has largely been missed. This volume argues that Eusebius' double solution can be read as recognizing the authority of both the Longer and the Abrupt conclusions to Mark's Gospel. The solution represents his ecumenical synthesis of those authors who preceded him, the faithful and pious" from whom the Scriptures have been received. Only with this understanding of the double solution may we fully appreciate Eusebius' dual reception.