Fully revised and updated edition of an established and widely-appreciated textbook

This second edition of "Jesus and the Gospels "prepares readers for an intensive study of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the events they narrate. Craig Blomberg considers the historical context of the Gospels and sheds light on the confusing interpretations brought forth over the last two centuries. The original 1997 book won a Gold Medallion Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, and this updated version, factoring in new scholarship, debate, critical methods, and the ongoing quest of the historical Jesus, ensures the work will remain a top tool for exploring the life of Christ through the first four books of the New Testament.

Introduction to Biblical Interpretation Video Lectures, together with its accompanying textbook, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, provides a full seminary-level overview of biblical hermeneutics. Biblical scholars William Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert Hubbard cover: the history of biblical interpretation, current discussions about finding meaning in written texts, the formation of the biblical canon and the task of translating Scripture, guidelines for reading biblical poetry and prose, identification of the various genres of the Old and New Testaments, and insights for understanding and applying Scripture today. Useful for formal students wanting additional instruction and for self-learners alike, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation Video Lectures by William Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert Hubbard provides an excellent, thorough primer on the discipline of biblical hermeneutics. Session Titles and Runtimes: 1 - The Need for Interpretation (34 min) 2 - History of Biblical Interpretation (30 min) 3 - Literary and Social-Scientific Approaches to Interpretation (39 min) 4 - The Canon and Translations (24 min) 5 - The Interpreter (38 min) 6 - The Goal of Interpretation (34 min) 7 - General Principles for Interpretation: Prose (38 min) 8 - General Principles for Interpretation: Biblical Poetry (27 min) 9 - Genres of the Old Testament (25 min) 10 - Genres of the New Testament (41 min) 11 - Using the Bible Today (39 min) 12 - Application (43 min)

Scholars Craig Blomberg and Mariam Kovalishyn use the historical, theological, and literary elements of James to guide their interpretation of this often-overlooked early Christian text in James, A Video Study. Their lectures examine the biblical text in its original environment, with an emphasis on the three key themes of (1) trials and temptation, (2) wisdom and speech, particularly with a view to obedience, and (3) wealth and poverty. In James, A Video Study, along with the accompanying James commentary in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series, Blomberg and Kovalishyn explore the book passage-by-passage. They provide insights into the background and meaning of the text and discuss how the book's messages fit within its own context and within a broader biblical-theological context. Session Titles and Runtimes: 1 - Introduction (19 min) 2 - James 1:1-11 (26 min) 3 - James 1:12-18 (19 min) 4 - James 1:19-27 (28 min) 5 - James 2:1-13 (20 min) 6 - James 2:14-26 (31 min) 7 - James 3:1-12 (30 min) 8 - James 3:13-18 (18 min) 9 - James 4:1-12 (30 min) 10 - James 4:13-17 (16 min) 11 - James 5:1-12 (31 min) 12 - James 5:13-20 (18 min) 13 - A Theology of James (30 min)

The third quest for the historical Jesus has reached an impasse. But a fourth quest is underway--one that draws from a heretofore largely neglected source: John's Gospel. In this book, renowned New Testament scholar Craig Blomberg advances the idea that John is a viable and valuable source for studying the historical Jesus. The data from John should be integrated with that of the Synoptics, which will yield additional insights into Jesus's emphases and ministry. Blomberg begins by reviewing the first three quests, reassessing both their contributions and their shortcomings. He then discusses the emerging consensus regarding demonstrably historical portions of John, which are more numerous than usually assumed. Peeling back the layers, we discover in Jesus's ministry an emphasis on purity and purification. The Synoptics corroborate this discovery, specifically in Jesus's meals with sinners. Blomberg then explores the practical and contemporary applications of Jesus the purifier, including the "contagious holiness" that Jesus's followers can spread to others.

This handbook provides a one-stop-shopping guide to the New Testament exegetical method. Brief and approachable, it offers both a broad overview of the exegetical process and a step-by-step approach to studying the New Testament in depth, helping students and pastors understand the text and appropriate it responsibly. The book is chock-full of illustrations of New Testament texts where the method under discussion truly makes a difference.
"A wonderfully clear and accessible handbook for New Testament exegesis. Exegetically rigorous, theologically informed, and practically useful."--Thomas R. Schreiner, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Introduction to Biblical Interpretation Video Lectures, together with its accompanying textbook, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, provides a full seminary-level overview of biblical hermeneutics. Biblical scholars William Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert Hubbard cover: the history of biblical interpretation, current discussions about finding meaning in written texts, the formation of the biblical canon and the task of translating Scripture, guidelines for reading biblical poetry and prose, identification of the various genres of the Old and New Testaments, and insights for understanding and applying Scripture today. Useful for formal students wanting additional instruction and for self-learners alike, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation Video Lectures by William Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert Hubbard provides an excellent, thorough primer on the discipline of biblical hermeneutics. Session Titles and Runtimes: 1 - The Need for Interpretation (34 min) 2 - History of Biblical Interpretation (30 min) 3 - Literary and Social-Scientific Approaches to Interpretation (39 min) 4 - The Canon and Translations (24 min) 5 - The Interpreter (38 min) 6 - The Goal of Interpretation (34 min) 7 - General Principles for Interpretation: Prose (38 min) 8 - General Principles for Interpretation: Biblical Poetry (27 min) 9 - Genres of the Old Testament (25 min) 10 - Genres of the New Testament (41 min) 11 - Using the Bible Today (39 min) 12 - Application (43 min)

One of humanity's most basic and common practices - eating meals - was transformed by Jesus into an occasion of divine encounter. In sharing food and drink with his companions, he invited them to share in the grace of God. His redemptive mission was revealed in his eating with sinners, repentant and unrepentant alike. Jesus' 'table fellowship' with sinners in the Gospels has been widely agreed to be historically reliable. However, this consensus has recently been challenged, for example, by the claim that the meals in which Jesus participated took the form of Greco-Roman symposia - or that the 'sinners' involved were the most flagrantly wicked within Israel's society, not merely the ritually impure or those who did not satisfy strict Pharisaic standards of holiness. In this excellent and thorough study, Craig Blomberg engages with the debate and opens up the significance of the topic. He surveys meals in the Old Testament and the intertestamental period, examines all the Gospel texts relevant to Jesus' eating with sinners, and concludes with some contemporary applications.

Written with the rigor and precision of a New Testament specialist, Preaching the Parables provides a responsible introduction to understanding and proclaiming the parables that pastors, church leaders, and seminary students will appreciate. Craig Blomberg demonstrates how the structure of a parable is key to its interpretation and thus to its exposition. He shows how a parable, when properly contemporized, can be a powerful rhetorical device, and that recognizing the elements of the parable that were atypical to everyday life leads to important surprises that will be of significance to contemporary parishioners. Each of the fifteen exemplary sermons is accompanied by an analysis that points out key interpretive decisions.

One of the most difficult questions facing us today is that of the proper attitude toward possessions. In wealthy nations such as Britain and the USA, individuals accumulate much and yet are daily exposed to the plight of the poor, whether the homeless on their own city streets or starving children on their TV screens. What action should they take on behalf of the poor? What should they do with their own possessions? In Neither Poverty nor Riches Craig Blomberg asks what the Bible has to say to these issues. He avoids easy answers, and instead seeks a comprehensive biblical theology of possessions. Beginning with the groundwork laid by the Old Testament and the ideas developed in the intertestamental period, he draws out what the whole New Testament has to say on the subject and finally offers conclusions and applications relevant to the modern world. This is a book that all concerned with issues of poverty and wealth should read.

The role of women in positions of worship and church leadership is one of the most divisive and inconclusive biblical debates. Two Views on Women in Ministry furnishes you with a clear and thorough presentation of the two primary exegetical arguments so you can better understand each one's strengths, weaknesses, and complexities. Egalitarian - equal ministry opportunity for both genders (represented by Linda L. Belleville and Craig S. Keener) Complementarian - men and women fill distinctive ministry roles (represented by Craig L. Blomberg and Thomas R. Schreiner) This revised edition brings the exchange of ideas and perspectives into the traditional Counterpoints format. Each author states his or her case and is then critiqued by the other contributors. The fair-minded, interactive Counterpoints forum allows you to compare and contrast the two different positions and form your own opinion concerning the practical and often deeply personal subject of women in ministry. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.