A Companion WORKBOOK to Today's Most Widely Used Textbook for Learning to Interpret and Understand the Bible Grasping God's Word has proven itself in classrooms across the country as an invaluable help to students who want to learn how to read, interpret, and apply the Bible for themselves. This WORKBOOK is designed for use alongside the fourth edition of the textbook Grasping God's Word. While the textbook shows you the principles and tools of interpretation, the WORKBOOK lets you try them out by applying them to specific genres and contexts. Together, these books will help you get a grip on the solid rock of Scripture--how to read it, how to interpret it, and how to apply it. Filling the gap between approaches that are too simple and others that are too technical, this book starts by equipping readers with general principles of interpretation, then moves on to apply those principles to specific genres and contexts. Features include: Proven in classrooms across the country Hands-on exercises to guide students through the interpretation process Emphasis on real-life application Supplemented by a website for professors providing extensive teaching materials Updates corresponding to the fourth edition of the textbook, including new exercises Accompanying textbook, video lectures, laminated study guide (sold separately) When used alongside the textbook, this workbook is the ideal resource for anyone looking for a hands-on step-by-step guide that will teach them how to accurately and faithfully interpret the Bible.

For hundreds of years, scholars have debated the meaning of Jesus' central theological term, the 'kingdom of God'. Most of the argument has focused on its assumed eschatological connotations and Jesus' adherence or deviation from these ideas. Within the North American context, the debate is dominated by the work of Norman Perrin, whose classification of the kingdom of God as a myth-evoking symbol remains one of the fundamental assumptions of scholarship. According to Perrin, Jesus' understanding of the kingdom of God is founded upon the myth of God acting as king on behalf of Israel as described in the Hebrew Bible. Moving Beyond Symbol and Myth challenges Perrin's classification, and advocates the reclassification of the kingdom of God as metaphor. Drawing upon insights from the cognitive theory of metaphor, this study examines all the occurrences of the 'God is king' metaphor within the literary context of the Hebrew Bible. Based on this review, it is proposed that the 'God is king' metaphor functions as a true metaphor with a range of expressions and meanings. It is employed within a variety of texts and conveys images of God as the covenantal sovereign of Israel; God as the eternal suzerain of the world, and God as the king of the disadvantaged. The interaction of the semantic fields of divinity and human kingship evoke a range of metaphoric expressions that are utilized throughout the history of the Hebrew Bible in response to differing socio-historical contexts and within a range of rhetorical strategies. It is this diversity inherent in the 'God is king' metaphor that is the foundation for the diversified expressions of the kingdom of God associated with the historical Jesus and early Christianity.

Inspired by the author's preparation of two major commentaries on Isaiah, these essays range from comprehensive to specific, and from popular to scholarly. They first appeared in biblical dictionaries, scholarly journals, and popular periodicals. Gathered here together for the first time, they display in various ways how the authors sees the various parts of Isaiah functioning together to give a coherent message to the church. The opening chapters lay out Oswalt's understanding of the overall message of the book of Isaiah. Subsequesnt chapters consider such themse as holiness and righteousness as they function in that larger structure.

The few popular Bible stories about women are often presented in black and white the women were good or bad, Ruth or Jezebel. But most of us fall somewhere in between these two extremes. Good Girls, Bad Girls invites readers to take a more nuanced look at 12 women in the Old Testament, to explore their lives more deeply in historical context, and to grasp what these stories might mean to women today. T. J. Wray, a biblical scholar, asks readers to consider whether Jezebel was really as bad as generally believed, and includes women ranging from the infamous Delilah to the mysterious Witch of Endor. Impeccably researched and beautifully written, Good Girls, Bad Girls will appeal to both individual readers and groups interested in learning what the Bible really has to say about these twelve important women.

There has been an explosion of interest in wisdom literature, and many studies are now available. There is every opportunity for people to 'get wisdom, get insight' (Prov. 4:5). However, in today's world it seems that the practical sensibilities that come from wisdom are found in very few places. Wisdom literature is needed now more than ever. By walking in the way of wisdom we will 'find favour and good success in the sight of God and man' (Prov. 3:4). Richard Belcher's valuable study begins with a survey of the problem of wisdom literature in Old Testament theology. Subsequent chapters focus on the message and theology of the books of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes. These books point forward to the need for Christ and the gospel. Belcher concludes by exploring the relationship of Christ to wisdom in terms of his person, work and teaching ministry.

Integrated overview of the most significant themes in Isaiah

A complete reference edition of the 60-volume Thru the Bible commentary series, this five-volume set is an excellent choice if you need a complete Bible commentary in durable hardcover bindings. It includes Dr. McGee's insightful study of each book of the Bible with in-depth, paragraph-by-paragraph discussions of key verses and passages. Purchase the entire five-volume set or collect them individually as your study progresses.

The reception of early Jewish/Israelite texts in early Christianity provides valuable insights into the hermeneutics of ancient authors and studies in this regard are vital for an understanding of their theology/ies. By focusing particularly on the reception of the Psalms through the hand of the unknown author of Hebrews, Old Testament and New Testament scholars combine forces in this collection to determine the shifts in interpretation of the Psalms that took place during the processes of (re)interpretation within the work of a particular early Christian writer. By paying careful attention to the original reading(s) of the text versions utilized as well as to the manner in which those texts were embedded in a later literary context by the author of Hebrews, they provide a window into the trajectories of the Psalm traditions. A contextual contribution illustrates the versification of the Psalms in a contemporary African language, Afrikaans, to illustrate how the Psalms' reception remains a vivid endeavor in current times.

Amy Kalmanofsky applies horror theory to the book of "Jeremiah" and considers the nature of biblical horror and the objects that provoke horror, as well as the ways texts like "Jeremiah" work to elicit horror from their audience.Among the many strategies of persuasive speech, biblical prophets often employ a rhetoric of horror. Prophets use verbal threats and graphic images of destruction to terrify their audience. Contemporary horror theory provides insight into the rhetoric of horror employed by the prophets.Kalmanofsky begins by analyzing the emotional response of horror as reflected in characters' reactions to terrifying entities in the book of "Jeremiah". Horror, she concludes, is a composite emotion consisting of fear in response to a threatening entity and a corresponding response of shame either directed toward one's self or felt on behalf of another. Having considered the nature of horror, she turns to the objects that elicit horror and consider their ontological qualities and the nature of the threat they pose.There are two central monstrous figures in the book of "Jeremiah" - aggressor God and defeated Israel. Both of these monsters refuse to be integrated into and threaten to disintegrate the expected order of the universe. She then presents a close, rhetorical reading of "Jeremiah" 6 and consider the way this text works to horrify its audience. The book concludes by considering fear's place within religious experience and the theological implications of a rhetoric that portrays God and Israel as monsters.Over the last 30 years this pioneering series has established an unrivalled reputation for cutting-edge international scholarship in Biblical Studies and has attracted leading authors and editors in the field. The series takes many original and creative approaches to its subjects, including innovative work from historical and theological perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and more recent developments in cultural studies and reception history.

Reading Joshua can be, frankly, a jarring experience. Serious, troubling questions about God s attitude toward his created peoples arise, questions with no easy answer. But the book of Joshua presents itself, warts (and wars ) and all, and asks readers to let it tell its story from its point of view and out of its ancient context. It asks them to give it the benefit of the doubt and permit it to speak to them. This commentary aims to give its voice a clear hearing --- to translate its ancient cultural form in such a way that it freely speaks about the life of faith today. Basically, the book of Joshua tells how biblical Israel navigated a major historical transition early in its national life. The book shows that guiding these changes is Israel s God, Yahweh, through his chosen servant, Joshua. The introductory sections to follow set the scene for entering the book of Joshua and the ancient world about which it reports. Most Bible commentaries take us on a one-way trip from our world to the world of the Bible. But they leave us there, assuming that we can somehow make the return journey on our own. They focus on the original meaning of the passage but don t discuss its contemporary application. The information they offer is valuable --- but the job is only half done The NIV Application Commentary Series helps bring both halves of the interpretive task together. This unique, award-winning series shows readers how to bring an ancient message into our present-day context. Joshua helps readers learn how the message of Joshua can have the same powerful impact today that it did when it was first written."

Kamrada's study analyses three narratives concerning the greatest heroic figures of the biblical tradition: Jephthah's daughter, Samson and Saul, and includes a consideration of texts about King David. All three characters are portrayed as the greatest and most typical and exemplary heroes of the heroic era. All three heroes have an exceptionally close relationship with the deity all die a traditionally heroic, tragic death. Kamrada argues that within the Book of Judges and the biblical heroic tradition, Jephthah's daughter and Samson represent the pinnacle of female and male heroism respectively, and that they achieve super-human status by offering their lives to the deity, thus entering the sphere of holiness. Saul's trajectory, by contrast, exemplifies downfall of a great hero in his final, irreversible separation from God, and it also signals the decline of the heroic era. David, however, is shown as an astute hero who founds a lasting dynasty, thus conclusively bringing the heroic era in the Deuteronomistic history to a close.

This work examines some of the stories in "1 Sam." 16-25 with the particular focus placed on Saul, Doeg, Nabal and the 'son of Jesse'. It seeks to discover new meaning in the structure as well as in the characters' functions in the narratives by studying the stories synchronically and diachronically.This work examines some of the stories in "1 Sam." 16-25 with the particular focus placed on Saul, Doeg, Nabal and the "son of Jesse." It seeks to discover new meaning in the structure as well as in the characters' functions in the narratives by studying the stories synchronically and diachronically.One of the mysterious characters in "1 Samuel" that has puzzled many a scholar is Nabal the Calebite. This study scrutinizes the elements of his characterization in "1 Sam." 25 and considers his abuses of the 'son of Jesse', the contextual role of the geographic setting and political environment during King Saul's reign. Similarly, this volume studies the function of the character of Doeg the Edomite in "1 Sam." 21 and 22 regarding his Edomite origin, his particular business in Nob and his official status in Saul's court.The phrase the 'son of Jesse' is quite important in "1 Samuel" and serves a particular purpose in the thematic development in the second half of the book. Viewed against the background of the Saul/David relationship, it underscores the superiority of the Davidic person in advancing the divine plan for the nation of Israel.The determination of the book's historical context is the key to understanding the multilayered messages. The roles of history and ideology in making these stories are also considered with the proposal that the making of the book(s) of "Samuel" after the Exile (5th c. B.C.) might have been instigated by the writer's desire to create the context needed for further development of the messianic ideas.Over the last 30 years this pioneering series has established an unrivalled reputation for cutting-edge international scholarship in Biblical Studies and has attracted leading authors and editors in the field. The series takes many original and creative approaches to its subjects, including innovative work from historical and theological perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and more recent developments in cultural studies and reception history.

n this thoughtful and expansive work Thomas W. Mann analyses the early prophets of the Bible corresponding to Joshua through to Kings. The narrative, with its richly diverse cast of great, good, and sinful characters, is unpicked as Mann draws a number of sensitive conclusions from a vital religious and historical source. Mann persuasively asserts that a thorough understanding of the Judeo-Christian narrative can illuminate our own era by comparing events in the Old Testament with a diverse collection of modern material from video games to the war in Iraq. Mann speculates that the Israelites were able to acknowledge culpability as well as success, while the modern West finds similar acknowledgement more challenging, particularly in relation to Vietnam. Mann is also careful to consistently question the motivations, period of writing, and intended audience of the scriptural authors, factors which have influenced our understanding of the text. 'The Book of the Former Prophets' will be of great value to students of theology and those wishing to understand more fully the narrative upon which so much of contemporary western self-understanding is based. Written in an eloquent and anecdotal style, this analysis reveals above all that the biblical scholar must accept the multifaceted nature of the truth, and be able to be aware of the contradictory versions. Thomas W. Mann has taught religious studies at the college, seminary, and doctoral levels and served as a parish minister in the United Church of Christ. He is also the author of "The Book of the Torah" (1988). "Having retold the first part of the Bible's story of ancient Israel in his acclaimed The Book of the Torah, Thomas Mann now presents the second half with critical and theological acumen. The difficult themes and pictures are not glossed over, but Mann's rich interpretive retelling opens up avenues into a contemporary appropriation of this story, on which, for better or for worse, the Christian community is grounded." Patrick D. Miller, Princeton Theological Seminary. "An amazing achievement. Lucidly, with illuminating parallels from modern times, Mann guides us superbly through vast terrain. He keeps the big picture always in view, yet has an unerring eye for the telling detail. . . . We see complexities and ambiguities in narratives fraught with violence and we confront the challenges they present today's reader. . . . In Mann's book, the ancient work has an excellent modern companion." David M. Gunn, Texas Christian University

This final book published in the Ashgate SOTS monograph series collects together for the first time in English translation a selection of important essays on central themes and texts in Old Testament criticism and exegesis by Rudolf Smend, one of the world's most eminent senior scholars in the field. The essays focus on key topics such as Moses, covenant, history, Old Testament theology, the state, Elijah, Amos, and major movements in the history of the discipline over the past three centuries. All are marked by penetrating exegetical and critical insight as well as by an unrivalled knowledge of the history of Old Testament scholarship, and many of them have already made highly-respected and influential contributions. Their publication will serve to make the range and vitality of Smend's work more widely known to English-speaking readers.

Some chose to follow God. Others followed only fame and fortune. They lived through times of difficulty and times of triumph, through political and emotional turmoil, through popularity and through discontent. This ten-session LifeBuilder Bible Study focuses on the character of the Kings of the Old Testament and what we can learn from them. For over three decades LifeBuilder Bible Studies have provided solid biblical content and raised thought-provoking questions-making for a one-of-a-kind Bible study experience for individuals and groups. This series has more than 120 titles on Old and New Testament books, character studies, and topical studies.

Reform-minded movements have long appealed to the Apocalypse, for it served to whet the visionary appetite. Early in the church's history speculation grew up around the text - Revelation 11:3-13 - depicting two witnesses, or prophets, who preach at the end of history against the beast from the abyss, the epitome of evil, called Antichrist. Different interpretive methodologies have discovered different meanings in the text, and a symbolic value for political or ecclesial reform has been identified with it throughout the history of its use. The witnesses have been linked to a time of culminating evil, to the final proclamation of hope, and to the end of history associated with divine judgment. Such speculation found ample expression in medieval literature, art, and drama. In the writings of reformers, however, the story acquired increased social implications. The text of the Apocalypse came to lend visionary strength to Protestant piety, polity, and political activity, and the adventual witnesses became increasingly visible in Protestant polemics. Anglo-American commentators, in particular, have used the text both for self-identity and as part of a formula for plotting the onset of Christ's millennial reign. Tracing the history of how the Apocalypse was read, Preaching in the Last Days sheds light on how social groups are formed through ideas occasioned by texts. Petersen's study provides a fascinating look at the theological significance of how we read biblical texts and offers new insights on the development of culture, the Christian movement, and its churches. The book has added importance for understanding the assumptions behind the ways in which the book of Revelation is read andused in our own day.

Six Minor Prophets Through the Centuries is the work of highly respected biblical scholars, Richard Coggins and Jin H. Han. The volume explores the rich and complex reception history of the last six Minor Prophets in Jewish and Christian exegesis, theology, worship, and arts. * This text is the work of two highly respected biblical scholars * It explores the rich and complex reception history of the last six Minor Prophets in Jewish and Christian theology and exegesis

The Fantastic in Religious Narrative from Exodus to Elisha argues that perspectives drawn from literary-critical theories of the fantastic and fantasy are apt to explore Hebrew Bible religious narratives. The book focuses on the narratives marvels, monsters, and magic, rather than whether or not the stories depict historical events. The Exodus narrative (Ex 1-18) and a selection of additional Hebrew Bible narratives (Num 11-14, Judg 6-8, 1 Kings 17-19, 2 Kings 4-7) are analysed from a fantasy-theoretical perspective. The fantasy-theoretical perspective helps to make sense of elements of these narratives that although prominently featured in the stories - have previously often been explained by being explained away. The case studies treated in the book illuminate Hebrew Bible religion and offer wider perspectives on religious narrative generally. In light of the fantasy-theoretical approach, these Hebrew Bible stories with the Exodus narrative at the centre - read not as foundational stories, affirming triumphantly and unambiguously the bond between the deity, his people, and their territory, but rather as texts that harbour and even actively encourage ambiguity and uncertainty, not necessarily prompting belief, orientation, and a sense of meaningfulness, but also open-ended reflection and doubt. The case studies suggest that other religious narratives, both in and beyond the Judaic tradition, may also be amenable to interpretation in these terms, thus questioning a dominant trend in myth studies. The results of the analyses lead to a discussion of the role of ambiguity, uncertainty, and transformation in religious narrative in broader perspective, and to a questioning of the emphasis in the study of religion on the capacity of religious narrative for founding and maintaining institutions, orienting identity, and defending order over disorder. The book suggests the wider importance of incorporating destabilisation, disorientation, and ambiguity more strongly into theories of what religious narrative is and does.

It has been widely recognized that the Book of the Twelve, Hosea to Malachi, was considered a single composition in antiquity. Recent articles and monographs have discussed the internal clues to this composition, but there has been little effort to understand the way the New Testament authors quote from the Twelve in light of the compositional unity of the book. The Twelve Prophets in the New Testament contends that New Testament quotations from the Twelve presuppose knowledge of the larger whole and cannot be understood correctly apart from awareness of the compositional strategy of the Twelve.

Celebrating the five hundredth volume, this Festschrift honors David M. Gunn, one of the founders of the Journal of Old Testament Studies, later the Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies, and offers essays representing cutting-edge interpretations of the David material in the Hebrew Bible and later literary and popular culture. Essays in Part One, Relating to David, present David in relationship to other characters in Samuel. These essays demonstrate the value of close reading, analysis of literary structure, and creative, disciplined readerly imagination in interpreting biblical texts in general and understanding the character of David in particular. Part Two, Reading David, expands the narrative horizon. These essays analyze the use of the David character in larger biblical narrative contexts. David is understood as a literary icon that communicates and disrupts meaning in different ways in different context. More complex modes of interpretation enter in, including theories of metaphor, memory and history, psychoanalysis, and post-colonialism. Part Three, Singing David, shifts the focus to the portrayal of David as singer and psalmist, interweaving in mutually informative ways both with visual evidence from the ancient Near East depicting court musicians and with the titles and language of the biblical psalms. Part Four, Receiving David, highlights moments in the long history of interpretation of the king in popular culture, including poetry, visual art, theatre, and children's literature. Finally, the essays in Part Five, Re-locating David, represent some of the intellectually and ethically vital interpretative work going on in contexts outside the U.S. and Europe.

Text, translation, theology - the three nouns in the title indicate the main fields of Old Testament study which are covered in this collection of essays. Text refers both to the history of biblical texts and to problems of textual criticism. Translation of the Hebrew Bible as a philological task is a central subject in several essays. Theology does not define what the essays are but what some of them are about: religious ideologies are objects of enquiry. Bertil Albrektson gathers together a selection of his essays, some of which have become classics, which were written on separate occasions and published in different, sometimes rather remote, places. They cover more than four decades of research, and for the first time they are now brought together in this accessible volume. Bertil Albrektson is a Swedish Old Testament scholar of international repute, awarded the Burkitt Medal for Biblical Studies by The British Academy in 2003. His writing was characterized by the late Professor P.R. Ackroyd of King's College, London, as 'a model of learning, clarity and dry humour'. This volume offers a unique resource to current scholars of biblical studies.

The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible and the scriptures read by early Christians. Septuagint studies have been a growth field in the past twenty years. It has become an area of interest not only for textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible but as a product of Judaism in the Graeco-Roman world. It is even being utilized occasionally by scholars of Greek religion. At the same time renewed interest in the daughter versions (Syriac, Vulgate, Ethiopic, Coptic etc.) has thrown new attention onto the Septuagint. This "Companion" provides a cutting-edge survey of scholarly opinion on the Septuagint text of each biblical book. It covers the characteristics of each Septuagint book, its translation features, origins, text-critical problems and history. As such it provides a comprehensive companion to the Septuagint, featuring contributions from experts in the field.

Religion, Ethnicity and Xenophobia in the Bible looks at some of the Bible's most hostile and violent anti-foreigner texts and raises critical questions about how students of the Bible and ancient Near East should grapple with "ethnicity" and "foreignness" conceptually, hermeneutically and theologically. The author uses insights from social psychology, cognitive psychology, anthropology, sociology and ethnic studies to develop his own perspective on ethnicity and foreignness. Starting with legends about Mesopotamian kings from the third millennium BCE, then navigating the Deuteronomistic and Holiness traditions of the Hebrew Bible, and finally turning to Deuterocanonicals and the Apostle Paul, the book assesses the diverse and often inconsistent portrayals of foreigners in these ancient texts. This examination of the negative portrayal of foreigners in biblical and Mesopotamian texts also leads to a broader discussion about how to theorize ethnicity in biblical studies, ancient studies and the humanities. This volume will be invaluable to students of ethnicity and society in the Bible, at all levels.

During the past two millennia, the Christian church has repeatedly faced challenges to its acknowledgment of both Old and New Testaments as Scripture. None of these challenges has been successful: at the dawn of the third Christian millennium, the Bible contains the same books as it did in the early church, with only slight variations between different traditions. And yet, doubts remain and questions continue to be asked. Do we need the Old Testament today? Is this collection of ancient writings still relevant in our postmodern and increasingly post-literary world? Isn't the New Testament a sufficient basis for the Christian faith? What does the Old Testament God of power and glory have to do with the New Testament God of love whom Jesus calls 'Father'? Are these two very different Testaments really one Bible? In this thoroughly revised, updated and expanded edition of Two Testaments, One Bible, David L. Baker investigates the theological basis for the continued acceptance of the Old Testament as Christian Scripture, through a study of its relationship to the New Testament. He introduces the main issues, surveys the history of interpretation, and critically examines four major approaches. He then considers four key themes, which provide a framework for Christian interpretation of two Testaments in the context of one Bible: 'typology', 'promise and fulfilment', 'continuity and discontinuity', and 'covenant'. He completes his study with a summary of the main conclusions and reflection on their implications for the use of the Bible today.