Dennis Horton highlights the shape and function of the death-and-resurrection motif by applying William Freedman's criteria of a literary motif to the Acts narrative. By analyzing the statements about death and resurrection together with the examples of this messianic pattern among the experiences of major and minor characters, the motif becomes clear. This central theme then becomes intensified through contrast with a secondary motif, that of death and decay. Death and Resurrection provides a clear example of a biblical motif and how it develops and functions within the narrative, serving as a valuable guide for future studies of biblical motifs. The work also supplies a needed balance between the extremes of past and present Lukan scholarship by considering the combined effect of suffering and renewed life within a single motif. Both the statements and actions of the characters reveal the importance of the two elements for Lukan theology and soteriology. The function of the motif derives from its usage within the narrative and proves insightful for gaining a better understanding of the aesthetic quality of the story while simultaneously showing how the narrator skillfully wields the motif to provide encouragement to the followers of "The Way," to issue a warning to would-be persecutors, and to deliver an evangelistic message to potential converts such as the "God-fearers." The messianic pattern of death and resurrection becomes a heuristic tool that the narrator carefully applies to create a potent motif with a multifaceted message for a growing and often suffering Christian community.

A quick and focused guide to the New Testament of the Bible. This rich and practical handbook-an abridged edition of the major textbook An Introduction to the New Testament-brings the best of New Testament scholarship to the church and makes it accessible to the everyday reader. Introducing the New Testament focuses on historical questions dealing with authorship, date, sources, purpose, and destination of the New Testament books. By honing in on the essentials, renowned Bible scholars D. A. Carson and Douglas Moo ensure that each book is accurately understood within its historical and cultural settings. For each New Testament document, the authors also provide: A summary of that book's content. Discussion of the book's theological contribution to the overall canon. End-of-chapter questions for group discussion or personal reflection. A bibliography of further resources. Introducing the New Testament makes the words, history, and culture of biblical times come alive for readers. Laypersons as well as church leaders will gain a solid understanding of the historical background and theological message of the New Testament and be inspired to apply biblical truths to their lives.

Theologians today are facing a crisis of identity. Are they members of the academy or the church? Is it still possible to be members of both? In God and the Teaching of Theology, Steven Harris argues a way through the impasse by encompassing both church and academy within the umbrella of the divine economy. To accomplish this, Harris uses St. Paul's description of this economy in the opening chapters of his first letter to the Corinthians. Through Paul's discussion of wisdom, the Spirit, and the apostles' role in sharing that divine wisdom, theologians of the patristic, medieval, and Reformation eras found a description of their own work as educators; they discovered that they too had roles within the same divine economy. This book thus offers a rich description of the teaching of theology as part of God's own divine pedagogy, stretching from God the teacher himself, through the nature of students and teachers of theology, to the goal of this pedagogy: human salvation in the knowledge of God. In addressing the current identity crisis of theology faculties, Harris looks backward in order to chart a way forward. His book will appeal to academic theologians, and to theological and church educators, pastors, and Christians interested in the relationship between academic study and their faith.

This innovative study makes a major contribution to the long scholarly discussion of the problematic geography of "Mark's Gospel". Using both modern spatial theory and an exhaustive review of ancient evidence, Stewart demonstrates how Mark's spatial perceptions reflect Greek, Roman and Jewish understandings of human geography. He addresses Mark's editorial and compositional control over the geographic presentation of Jesus' ministry, ultimately arguing that in Mark, Jesus offers a unique spatial practice.

A translation of many of the forbidden books of the Bible banned by the Council of Nicene, including the Gospels of the Infancy of Jesus, translated and published by William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury 1716-1737. Less than a century before, William Tyndale had been executed by the church for daring to translate the Bible into English. Wake believed that many, if not most, of these passages were historically accurate, even those showing the young Jesus in a less than sympathetic light. The Fascination of Lost Scripture continues to be of great interest to Bible Scholars and Lay People.

In The New Testament In Its World acclaimed biblical scholar N. T. Wright draws on a lifetime of distinguished scholarship to provide a thorough overview of the New Testament for students, church leaders, and everyday Christians. Wright, along with prominent New Testament scholar Michael Bird, explores the history, literature, and theology of the New Testament with an emphasis on its relevance for Christians today. Beginning with an overview of how to read the New Testament, the authors then survey its historical background to orient readers to the world of Jesus and the early church. This is followed by an in-depth study of Jesus' inauguration of the kingdom of God through his life, ministry, death, and resurrection. The next section explores the life and theology of Paul, who continues to unfold the significance of Jesus' life and ministry, and applies these to the issues faced by the early churches. Wright and Bird survey all of Paul's letters, providing a compact commentary on each, while explaining contemporary scholarly discussions on Paul and his teachings. They then turn to the gospels, written after Paul's letters, followed by the general epistles and Revelation, explaining the background, critical issues, important teachings, and contemporary applications for each. This is followed by a description of how the New Testament came to be, guiding the reader through issues of textual criticism and canonization. A concluding section brings all of the previous threads together to encourage readers to consider how their personal story fits into the larger story of God's redemption narrated in the New Testament. Students of the New Testament will not only be equipped with all of the technical information needed to understand the New Testament today but will see it as one cohesive story in which they are invited to play a vital role through their own lives and circumstances.

The fourth volume in Peterson's best-selling "conversations" in spiritual theology Just as God used words both to create the world and to give us commandments, we too use words for many different purposes. In fact, we use the same language to talk to each other and to talk to God. Can our everyday speech, then, be just as important as the words and prayers we hear from the pulpit? Eugene Peterson unequivocally says "Yes!" Peterson's Tell It Slant explores how Jesus used language, particularly in his parables and prayers. His was not a direct language of information or instruction but an indirect, oblique language requiring a participating imagination -- "slant" language. Tell It Slant beautifully points to Jesus' engaging, relational way of speaking as a model for us today.

What is the nature of Christian unity? Is it Sacramental, Organic, Federal, Spiritual? These are questions that demand careful examination when different Christian traditions are drawing closer to one another in a common desire to heal the divisions that hinder the witness of the Church to the world. In any attempt to deal with these questions, full weight must be given to the evidence of the New Testament itself: what kind of unity does it reveal? In New Testament Pattern, Jean-Louis Leuba reveals a two-fold framework of unity in the New Testament. One strand - in its witness to Christ, to the Apostles and to the Church - emphasises the institutional, traditional and particular. The other strand emphasises the personal, dynamic and universal. Yet the two strands are actually one. Their unity is more comprehensive, more creative, than any undifferentiated unity could be, with important implications for ecumenism and broader scriptural study.

Since the earliest commentators, such as Origen in the third century, Luke 7:18-35, which contains one of the longest fragments dealing with John the Baptist, has often been glossed-over, misunderstood or misrepresented by scholars. Roberto Martinez contributes to our understanding with a refreshing use of a narrative-critical perspective, which has only recently gained prominence within the field of Biblical studies. This is the very first study that deals exclusively with this pericope, building upon previous Lukan scholarship dominated by historical-critical and redaction-critical views. The contradiction in verses 19-20 where John's disciples seem to question Jesus' identity despite John's prior affirmation that Jesus is the lamb of God, among other features of the pericope, is compared with the corresponding passage in Matthew. This strategy and textual analysis reveal how Luke's narrative has been carefully crafted to place emphasis on the Christology of the text while qualifying the plot involving John the Baptist. Martinez places the passage into a uniquely literary context, recognising that early commentators often commented on Luke's rhetorical art, which is somehow lost to modern commentators. Roberto Martinez is Adjunct Professor of the New Testament at the Dominican Study Center of the Caribbean (CEDOC) in Puerto Rico. He completed his doctoral dissertation at the Catholic University of America. 'Disciples of John the Baptist make a sudden appearance in Luke's gospel at 7:18. Their appearance allows the evangelist to reprise the comparison between John and Jesus found in the Infancy Narratives, with greater emphasis on their respective roles in the history of salvation. Using both the historical-critical method and the literary-method of textual analysis, Martinez carefully teases out the meaning of what Jesus had to say about John and himself in a stream of consciousness response to the critical question, " 'Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" ' Raymond F. Collins, Visiting Scholar, Brown University.

A 6-week exploration of the Lord's Prayer (traditional version) that shows readers how this ancient prayer can serve as a model for their prayers today.

Exam board: Edexcel Level: A-level Subject: Religious Studies First teaching: September 2016 First exams: Summer 2017 Build, reinforce and assess students' knowledge throughout their course; tailored to the 2016 Edexcel A level specification and brought to you by the leading Religious Studies publisher, this guide combines clear content coverage with practice questions and sample answers. Written by teachers with extensive examining experience, this guide: - Helps students identify what they need to know with a concise summary of the topics examined at AS and A-level - Consolidates understanding through assessment tips - Offers opportunities for students to improve their exam technique by consulting sample student answers and commentary for each question type - Builds understanding through accessible explanations of key definitions and thinkers

This book explores the link between Paul's belief that Jesus is Israel's Messiah, and his interpretation of the Abrahamic Land Promise in Galatians. Countering claims that Paul replaces the Promised Land with the gift of the Spirit or salvation, Esau McCaulley argues that Paul expands this inheritance to include the whole earth; believing that, as the seed of Abraham and David, Jesus is entitled to the entire world as his inheritance and kingdom. McCaulley argues that scholars have neglected Paul's expanded interpretation of the inheritance of the earth, rarely appreciate the role that messianism plays in Galatians, and fail to acknowledge that Second Temple authors often portrayed royal and messianic figures as God's means of fulfilling the promises made to Abraham and Israel, via the establishment of kingdoms. Through a comparison of texts from the Pseudepigrapha, apocrypha, and the Dead Sea Scrolls with Galatians 3:1-4:7, 5:21, McCaulley argues Paul's interpretation of Jesus's death is a manifestation of Second Temple messianism because it ends the covenant curses outlined in Deuteronomy and begins the restoration of the inheritance to Abraham's offspring through the establishment of Jesus's worldwide kingdom; he concludes that Paul's interpretation of the Abrahamic inheritance is inseparable from his belief that Jesus is Israel's Messiah.

When Paul wrote First Thessalonians shortly after the recipients had accepted the Gospel, many significant issues had already arisen among them. Of great concern was the social complexity, and even persecution, they encountered because they had "turned to God from idols" (1:9). The countercultural stance of those earliest believers, and especially the impact that may have had for women, is addressed throughout this commentary. While Paul directs no remarks only to women in this letter, the ramifications of his preaching on their daily lives emerge vibrantly from the application of a feminist hermeneutics of suspicion to the text. While Second Thessalonians is a shorter letter, it has been disproportionately influential on Christian thought, especially apocalyptic doctrine and the "Protestant work ethic." From a feminist perspective, it is androcentric, rhetorically manipulative, and even violent. In this commentary, Mary Ann Beavis and HyeRan Kim-Cragg explore this text from many angles to expose both constructive and destructive implications in the text. Notably, they suggest a perspective on the "afflictions" endured by the Thessalonian church that neither glorifies suffering nor wishes for revenge but rather sees the divine presence in women's acts of compassion and care in circumstances of extreme duress and inhumanity. From the Wisdom Commentary series Feminist biblical interpretation has reached a level of maturity that now makes possible a commentary series on every book of the Bible. It is our hope that Wisdom Commentary, by making the best of current feminist biblical scholarship available in an accessible format to ministers, preachers, teachers, scholars, and students, will aid all readers in their advancement toward God's vision of dignity, equality, and justice for all. The aim of this commentary is to provide feminist interpretation of Scripture in serious, scholarly engagement with the whole text, not only those texts that explicitly mention women. A central concern is the world in front of the text, that is, how the text is heard and appropriated by women. At the same time, this commentary aims to be faithful to the ancient text, to explicate the world behind the text, where appropriate, and not impose contemporary questions onto the ancient texts. The commentary addresses not only issues of gender (which are primary in this project) but also those of power, authority, ethnicity, racism, and classism, which all intersect. Each volume incorporates diverse voices and differing interpretations from different parts of the world, showing the importance of social location in the process of interpretation and that there is no single definitive feminist interpretation of a text.

William Wrede was among the first to recognise the creative contribution of the Gospel writers. His work thus laid the foundation for the work of the Form Critics, Redaction Critics and Literary Critics whose scholarship dominated New Testament studies during the twentieth century. This highly influential work was throughout this period the departure point for all studies in the Gospel of Mark and in the literary methods of the evangelists. It remains highly relevant for its ground-breaking approach to the classically complicated question of whether Jesus saw himself and represented himself as the Messiah.

The apostle Paul affirms in several places that there is only one God. Yet in the same letters Paul also gives praise to the Lord Jesus Christ, often using language similar to his descriptions of God. How can this self-avowed Hebrew of Hebrews reconcile these ideas? This book explores the strongest one-God statements in Paul's undisputed letters and asks how Paul's Jewish monotheistic understanding informs his overall argument. These three texts - Corinthians 8:6, Galatians 3:20, and Romans 3:30 - occur in very different contexts and address different issues. By looking at the historical, cultural, and grammatical contexts of these passages, as well as Paul's language about God and Christ elsewhere in these letters, Dr. Nicholson argues that Paul's understanding of the one God is not static or perfunctory; rather, it is dynamic and flexible, influencing significant aspects of Paul's Gospel message. Paul's ethics, his view of salvation history, and his soteriology are fundamentally shaped by his understanding of the one God of Israel.

In this comprehensive exposition, a leading scholar explores the unfolding theological unity of the entire Bible from the vantage point of the New Testament.

In this comprehensive exposition, a leading New Testament scholar explores the unfolding theological unity of the entire Bible from the vantage point of the New Testament. G. K. Beale, coeditor of the award-winning Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, examines how the New Testament storyline relates to and develops the Old Testament storyline. Beale argues that every major concept of the New Testament is a development of a concept from the Old and is to be understood as a facet of the inauguration of the latter-day new creation and kingdom. Offering extensive interaction between the two testaments, this volume helps readers see the unifying conceptual threads of the Old Testament and how those threads are woven together in Christ. This major work will be valued by students of the New Testament and pastors alike.

In "Judaism in the New Testament, " Bruce Chilton and Jacob Neusner, the most prolific author writing in English today, contend that, contrary to conventional wisdom, early Christians identified not as Christians, but as Jews. Drawing upon parts of the Gospels, the Letters of Paul, and the Letters to the Hebrews, Neusner and Chilton read the early Christianity as a formation of Judaism--a comprehensive, religious system that is nothing short of a Judaic account of Holy Israel.
Bound to be controversial, Neusner, an accomplished Talmudic scholar and Chilton examine the New Testament as a statement of the Torah of Sinai.
This important work provides a provocative and trenchant critique of existing scholarship that seeks to view Christianity as autonomous from Judaism. By examining Christianity as an extension of Judaism, Neusner and Chilton place Christianity in its proper historical, literary and religious context.

Judaism in the New Testament explains how the writings of the early church emerged from communities which defined themselves in Judaic terms even as they professed faith in Christ. These two extremely distinguished scholars introduce readers to the plurality of Judaisms of the period. They show, by examining a variety of texts, how the major figures of the New Testament reflect distinctly Judaic practices and beliefs.
This important study shows how the early movement centred on Jesus is best seen as `Christian Judaism'. Only with the Epistle to the Hebrews did the profile of a new and distinct Christian religion emerge.

'The Book of Enoch the Prophet' is the oldest known mystical document in existence, dating back to the second century BCE. It reveals a vision of a new age of heaven on earth that figures in esoteric and occult practices.

This book examines all the relevant passages containing the Term "Son of Man" in both Matthew and the Parables of Enoch. Depictions of the Son of Man in the Gospel of Matthew and in the "Parables of Enoch" ("Par. En.") raise questions about their relationship. The meaning and origin of the term "Son of Man" are discussed, as well as the possible influence of "Par. En." on Matthew. Literary, Redaction, Sociological and Narrative criticisms are employed.

Introductory questions of date, provenance and social setting are addressed for both Matthew and "Par. En." Dates as early as the early second century bce and as late as the late third century ce have been proposed for "Par. En.," but a consensus seems to be growing for the late first century bce. Therefore Matthew could have known "Par. En." Sociological methodologies reveal that the author and audience of "Par. En." may have been members of an ousted ruling elite, opposed to the current administration, and yearning for a just reversal of fortunes.

Sets of characteristics of the Son of Man in "Par. En. "and Matthew are developed, and the term is examined briefly in the other Gospels. Then the two sets of characteristics are carefully compared. Similarities in vocabulary as well as in the pattern of relationships prove to be intriguing, showing that Matthew and "Par. En.," in contrast to other writings, share a unique conception of the judgment scene focussed on the Son of Man as eschatological judge. This suggests quite strongly the shaping of Matthew's concept in the direction of "Par. En."

The Book of Revelation is the last book in the canon of the New Testament, and its only apocalyptic document, though there are short apocalyptic passages in various places in the gospels and the epistles. This first of two volumes on Revelation offers systematic and thorough interpretation of the book of Revelation. Revelation brings together the worlds of heaven, earth and hell in a final confrontation between the forces of good and evil. Its characters and images are both real and symbolic, spiritual and material, and it is frequently difficult to know the difference between them. Revelation's cryptic nature has ensured that it would always be a source of controversy. This commentary focuses on the theological content, gleaning the best from both the classical and modern commentary traditions and showing the doctrinal development of Scriptural truths. Scholarship on the book of Revelation has nonetheless not only endured, but even captured the imagination of generations of Bible students, both professionals and laypeople alike. Through its focus on the message of the book through scholarly analysis, this International Theological Commentary reconnects to the ecclesial tradition of biblical commentary as an effort in ressourcement, though not slavish repetition.

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.

Michael A. Daise identifies literary features found in six quotations in the Fourth Gospel, suggesting they should be revisited as clusters rather than as discrete units. Three quotations are the only ones whose introductory formulae explicitly ascribe them to Isaiah; three are the only ones cast as being 'remembered' by Jesus' disciples; and each of these groupings forms an inclusio within the Book of Signs which, when combined with the other, produces a chiasmus to Jesus' public ministry. Daise examines these clusters in three studies, addressing their exegetical issues and theological implications. After an introductory apologia for an historical-critical and theological approach, the first two studies distil narrative themes embedded in the Isaianic and 'remembrance' inclusios. The third study then reconstructs the synthesis of these themes created by the chiasmus, and translates its key elements into theological categories. Daise concludes that, while the Isaianic inclusio brings 'closure' to the Book of Signs -by disclosing the angelic cause of the Jews' unbelief - the 'remembrance' inclusio creates an anticipation of the Book of Glory - by casting Jesus as poised to establish a new dynasty with the casting out that angelic cause. Daise further argues that this broader storyline carries ramifications for an array of motifs in the Fourth Gospel's theological taxonomy: in particular its christology, soteriology, eschatology, ecclesiology and pneumatology.

Modern scholarship on the parables has long been preoccupied with asking what Jesus himself said and what he intended to accomplish with his parables. Ruben Zimmermann moves beyond that agenda to explore the dynamics of parabolic speech in all its rich complexity. Introductory chapters address the history of research and distinguish historical from literary and reader-oriented approaches, then set out a postmodern hermeneutic that analyzes narrative elements and context, maps the sociohistorical background, explores stock metaphors and symbols, and opens up contemporary horizons of interpretation. Subsequent chapters then focus on one parable from early Christian sources (Q, Mark, Matthew, Luke, John, and the Gospel of Thomas) to explore how parables function in each literary context. Over all reigns the principle that the meaning or theological "message" of a parable cannot be extracted from the parabolic form; thus the parables continue to invite hearers' and readers' involvement to the present day.