"Zechariah" 1-8 is a deeply intertextual work which takes up formerly disparate streams of tradition - especially various elements of what it calls 'the former prophets' - and creatively combines these traditions, in applying them to a post-exilic context. This fact means that "Zechariah" 1-8 is situated in a dual context - the literary context of 'the former prophets', and the historical context of the early post-exilic period. This work seeks to understand "Zechariah" 1-8 in the light of its dual context. When "Zechariah" 1-8 is read in this way, a number of otherwise perplexing passages are made clearer, and the message of the work as a whole is better understood. This book offers a critique of and refinement to the approaches of intertextuality/inner-biblical allusion/tradition history in understanding the effect of 'texts re-using texts'. Against a recent trend which seeks to limit this phenomenon to 'verbal repetition', it demonstrates that "Zechariah" 1-8 involves the use of a wide variety of literary devices (including thematic allusions, 'ungramaticalities', and sustained allusions) to make connections with other texts. The kind of 'intertextual' approach followed in this study demonstrates that intertextuality does not necessarily lead to radical indeterminacy (as claimed by some), and instead actually aids in the limiting the possible ranges of meaning. The manner in which "Zechariah" 1-8 invokes/re-activates/ re-applies the words of the 'former prophets' raises important issues related to prophecy and fulfilment, history and eschatology, and the development of 'apocalyptic', which are addressed in the course of this enquiry. Over the last 30 years this pioneering series has established an unrivaled 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.

Die Familiebybel het die volledige Bybel in die 2020-Afrikaanse vertaling met bykomende materiaal deur Johan Smith, spesiaal gemik op gesinne. Dit bevat artikels oor die gesinslewe deur die familiekenner, dr Johan Smith van Vita Amp; kaarte en 'n woordelys, Bybelstudiemateriaal vir ’n jaar; Bybelleesplan; ruimte vir julle familiestamboom en 'n bladsy om trou- en geboortedatums aan te teken. Hierdie Bybel sal 'n kosbare erfstuk vir die gesin en groter familie word. 

Conversion is a main theological theme in the Lukan corpus. Since much attention has been paid to the issue in Acts, the present work shows how the evangelist also conveys his theological emphasis on conversion in his gospel through material either unique to it or that Luke has edited to this purpose. Attention is paid to the different issues involved in Luke's emphasis on conversion and an attempt is made to place them within the larger spectrum of his theology. The grouping of all these elements provides the basis for constructing Luke's paradigm of conversion.

This collection gathers together Professor Shemaryahu Talmon's contributions to the literary study of the Bible, and complements his acclaimed Literary Studies in the Hebrew Bible: Form and Content: Collected Studies (Jerusalem: Magnes / Leiden: Brill, 1993). The articles included herein span a broad range of topics, closely and comprehensively assessing fundamental themes and stylistic conceits present in biblical literature. Each study picks up one of these motifs or patterns, and traces its meaning and usage throughout the entire Bible. In Talmon's estimation, these literary markers transcend all strata of the Bible, and despite diachronic developments, they retain their basic meanings and connotations throughout, even when employed by different authors over a span of hundreds of years. He demonstrates this convincingly by marshaling dozens of examples, each of which is valuable in its own right, and when taken all together, these building-blocks form a solid edifice that validate his approach. He judiciously employs this synchronic method throughout, frequently invoking an exegetical principle according to which one biblical verse can be employed to interpret the other, if they are found in similar contexts and with overlapping formulation. To use an expression that he coined elsewhere, his hermeneutical method can be described first and foremost as "The World of the Bible from Within." Throughout the articles that appear in this volume, one is repeatedly struck by his sensitivity to the language and style of the biblical authors. He was blessed with a rich literary intuition, and shares with his readers his ability to see, hear, and understand the rhythms and poetics of biblical literature. In this volume, many of Talmon's contributions are made accessible in fresh form to the benefit of both those who already know his work and to a newer generation of scholars for whom his work continues to prove important.

Yves-Yannick Ford was born in 1969 and spent his childhood in Buckinghamshire, UK. His parents and grandparents taught him the importance and value of the Bible as the Word of God, and it was through reading and re-reading the Epistle to the Romans that Yannick found settled peace and assurance of salvation as a young man. He studied biochemistry and works as a scientist in Kent, UK, where he lives with his wife and four children. He is keen for others to read the Bible and experience its life-changing power too, since it is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12), and God uses His Word to cause us to be born again (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23). This is one of the purposes of the commentary on Job - to show how, all through the Bible, there is one message of salvation, and how we can enter into a relationship of peace and joy with God through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. A second objective is to show how the lessons that Job learned can teach us not to rely on ourselves, but to trust in the Lord Jesus who has not only forgiven our sins, but has also dealt with our sinful nature and gives us the power to live a life that is pleasing to Him. The author takes up the points made by Job and his friends in their long series of speeches, and shows how these can be understood in the light of the Bible as a whole.

Build a powerful friendship with Jesus through the ancient art of contemplative prayer. Perfect for individual or group use, this guide and workbook helps readers to actually experience events recorded in the Gospel of Mark, so that biblical times, places, and people come to life vividly. As the events unfold before the reader's eyes, God's revelation becomes a present event, and Jesus becomes a companion and friend. In his brief introduction, David Miller explains how the ancient art of contemplative prayer helped strengthen and deepen his relationship with God. After explaining the principles and practice of praying the Scriptures, Miller demonstrates how readers can use the technique for themselves. Then he walks readers, chapter by chapter, through an exciting prayer-reading of Mark's Gospel, pausing on special write-in pages for readers to record their experiences. In a final section, Miller offers journal entries from his own prayer journey through the Gospel, inviting readers to compare with him and with one another the exciting

This book, the first comprehensive study of persecution in Luke-Acts from a literary and theological perspective, argues that the author uses the theme of persecution in pursuit of his theological agenda. It brings to the surface six theological functions of the persecution theme, which has an important paraenetic and especially apologetic role for Luke's persecuted community. The persecution Luke's readers suffer is evidence that they are legitimate recipients of God's salvific blessings.>

Deuteronomy 32:47 says the Pentateuch should not be 'an empty matter.' This new anthology from Beth Kissileff fills Genesis with meaning, gathering intellectuals and thinkers who use their professional knowledge to illuminate the Biblical text. These writers use insights from psychology, law, political science, literature, and other scholarly fields, to create an original constellation of modern Biblical readings, and receptions of Genesis: A scientist of appetite on Eve's eating behavior; law professors on contracts in Genesis, and on collective punishment; an anthropologist on the nature of human strife in the Cain and Abel story; political scientists on the nature of Biblical games, Abraham's resistance, and collective action. The highly distinguished contributors include Alan Dershowitz and Ruth Westheimer, the novelists Rebecca Newberger Goldstein and Dara Horn, critics Ilan Stavans and Sander Gilman, historian Russell Jacoby, poets Alicia Suskin Ostriker and Jacqueline Osherow, and food writer Joan Nathan.

Paul's use of in Rom 12.1 has long fascinated and puzzled interpreters. This study proposes a new explanation of Paul's reason language in Rom 12.1 based on a detailed investigation of ancient philosophical texts on the role of human beings in the cosmos, in which reason language and the idea of a vocation of human beings are closely connected. It argues that Paul here appeals to the idea of a human vocation in order to claim that Christ-followers are able to fulfil their human vocation by living in such a way that their lives produce signs of the new creation inaugurated in Christ. This case is made by establishing the central role of reason in ancient discourse on what it means to be human more broadly, and in particular in Epictetus, who provides the clearest parallel for Romans. These contextualisations allow for a fresh reading of Paul's argument in Romans, where the relevance of these traditions is shown, not least for how Rom 12.1-2 frames Rom 12-15. The study thus contributes to the recent scholarly trend of exploring Paul in ancient philosophical contexts and advances the discussion on the integration of Paul's "theology" and "ethics" within an ancient cultural encyclopedia.

Much historical-critical work on the opponents in the Pastoral Epistles has resulted in sweeping generalizations concerning their Jewish and/or Gnostic nature. Literary analyses have been somewhat more promising in focusing on the stereotypical nature of the polemic, but either fail to do justice to the urgency of the language in the Pastorals or do not provide a convincing description of the opponents. Pietersen approaches the problem of the opponents from a socio-scientific perspective. Utilizing labelling theory and social control theory from the sociology of deviance, he argues that the Pastorals function as a literary version of a status degredation ceremony whereby previously influential insiders within the community are transformed into outsiders. This is volume 264 in the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement series.

A bright, fresh approach to Leviticus, connecting its unfamiliar world of animal sacrifice to the everyday in our lives and using ritual theory, popular culture and African theology in its discussion. This book draws on a variety of disciplines to undertake a unique analysis of Leviticus 1-7. Rather than studying the rituals prescribed in Leviticus as arcane historical/theological texts of little interest to the modern reader, or as examples of primitive rituals that have no parallel in Western society, this book provides many points of contact between animal sacrifice rituals and various parts of postmodern society. Modern rituals such as Monday Night Football, eating fast food, sending sons and daughters off to war, and even the rituals of modern academia are contrasted with the text of Leviticus. In addition, responses to Leviticus among modern African Christians and in the early church are used to draw out further understandings of how the language and practice of sacrifice still shapes the lives of people. This study takes a consciously Christian perspective on Leviticus. Leviticus is assumed to be an ongoing part of the Christian Bible. The usual Christian response to Leviticus is to ignore it or to claim that all sacrifice has now been superseded by the sacrifice of Jesus. This study refutes those simplistic assertions, and attempts to reassert the place of Leviticus as a source for Christian self-understanding. This is volume 417 of Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement series and volume 9 of Playing the Texts.