Come and Read introduces numerous hermeneutical approaches to biblical literature and includes examples of those approaches in action through the contributions of top scholars in the field. The book takes up three different passages throughout John's Gospel-John 1:1-18, John 10, and John 20-setting different approaches to each passage side-by-side. The sections of this collection are interconnected by virtue of their association with John's story. In addition, each section of the book will include readings of the focus passage from the same four interpretive perspectives. These four umbrella perspectives (intertextual, ideological, rhetorical, and narrative) are intentionally broadly conceived so that a variety of particular reading strategies are surveyed in the collection. Overall, this book will provide insight into current hermeneutical practices on the Gospel of John, and implicitly the rest of the Bible as well. It will also demonstrate how to use these methods effectively, illustrating not only the value of using a variety of approaches for interpreting the text, but also the impact various methods have on the interpretations rendered.

This study explores how the Fourth Gospel's use of Scripture contributes to its characterization of Jesus. Utilizing literary-rhetorical criticism, Myers approaches the Gospel in its final form, paying particular attention to how Greco-Roman rhetoric can assist in understanding the ways in which Scripture is employed to support the presentation of Jesus. It offers further evidence in favour of the Gospel's use of rhetoric (particularly the practices of synkrisis, ekpharsis, and prosopopoiia), and gives scholars a new way to use rhetoric to better understand the use of Scripture in the Fourth Gospel and the New Testament as a whole. The book proceeds in three parts. First, it examines ancient Mediterranean practices of narration and characterization in relationship to the Gospel, concluding with an analysis of the Johannine prologue. In the second and third parts, it investigates explicit appeals to Scripture that are made both in and outside of Jesus' discourses. Through these analyses, Myers contends that the pervasive presence of Scripture in quotations, allusions, and references acts as corroborating evidence supporting the evangelist's presentation of Jesus.

This study explores how the Fourth Gospels use of Scripturecontributes to its characterization of Jesus. Utilizing literary-rhetoricalcriticism, Myers approaches the Gospel in its final form, paying particularattention to how Greco-Roman rhetoric can assist in understanding the ways inwhich Scripture is employed to support the presentation of Jesus. It offersfurther evidence in favour of the Gospels use of rhetoric (particularly thepractices of synkrisis, ekpharsis, and prosopopoiia), and gives scholars a new way to use rhetoric tobetter understand the use of Scripture in the Fourth Gospel and the New Testamentas a whole.The book proceeds in three parts. First, it examines ancientMediterranean practices of narration and characterization in relationship tothe Gospel, concluding with an analysis of the Johannine prologue. In thesecond and third parts, it investigates explicit appeals to Scripture that aremade both in and outside of Jesus discourses.Through these analyses, Myers contends that the pervasivepresence of Scripture in quotations, allusions, and references acts ascorroborating evidence supporting the evangelists presentation of Jesus.

Introducing the Gospels and Acts is not just about reading the first five books of the New Testament. It requires entering the first century Mediterranean world where the events in these writings happened. In this short book, Alicia D. Myers takes readers on a journey through the Gospels and Acts, introducing them to the world of Jesus of Nazareth and of the believers who composed and shared stories inspired by him. Myers provides overviews of context and major passages in each canonical work, and also introduces readers to the Apocryphal Gospels and Acts to demonstrate the larger phenomenon of early Christian writing. After situating readers in the literary context of the Gospels and Acts, Myers focuses on the writings themselves, giving basic historical background before digging more deeply into a chosen contextual theme for each work. These six themes include the politics and history of Roman Palestine, expressions of Second Temple Judaism, understandings of identity and human worth in the Roman world, hospitality, Hellenistic philosophies, and the process of canonizing the New Testament. Rather than shying away from difficult and often confusing elements of the Gospels and Acts, Myers invites readers to engage more deeply and situate themselves more fully in the strangeness and surprising familiarity of the Roman world. In this way, readers will see the continuing relevance of the Gospels and Acts for today and learn to be responsible readers of these works for years to come.

Mothers appear throughout the New Testament. Called "blessed among women" by Elizabeth in the Gospel of Luke, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the most obvious example. But she is far from the only mother in this canon. She is joined by Elizabeth, a chorus of unnamed mothers seeking healing or promotions for their children, as well as male mothers, including Paul (Gal 4:19-20) and Jesus. Although interpreters of the New Testament have explored these maternal characters and metaphors, many have only recently begun to take seriously their theological aspects. This book builds on previous studies by arguing maternal language is not only theological, but also indebted to ancient gender constructions and their reshaping by early Christians. Especially significant are the physiological, anatomical, and social constructions of female bodies that permeate the ancient world where ancient Christianity was birthed. This book examines ancient generative theories, physiological understandings of breast milk and breastfeeding, and presentations of prominent mothers in literature and art to analyze the use of these themes in the New Testament and several, additional early Christian writings. In a context that aligned perfection with "masculinity," motherhood was the ideal goal for women-a justification for deficient, female existence. Proclaiming a new age ushered in by God's Christ, however, ancient Christians debated the place of women, mothers, and motherhood as a part of their reframing of gender expectations. Rather than a homogenous approval of literal motherhood, ancient Christian writings depict a spectrum of ideals for women disciples even as they retain the assumption of masculine superiority. Identifying themselves as members of God's household, ancient Christians utilized motherhood as a theological category and a contested ideal for women disciples.