Synopsis: Art West has done it again. This time, he finds himself in hot water in Corinth, while excavating at a Roman villa with his fiancee, Marissa Okur, as they chart a sometimes bumpy course towards marriage. Art runs into a modern-day prophetess, survives an earthquake, and has to overcome annoying Greek authorities who stand in his way of making more discoveries of relevance to the study of the New Testament. Meanwhile his friend Kahlil el Said and his daughter who live in Jerusalem make a terrible discovery about her former husband the terrorist, with potentially dangerous and devastating consequences. The worlds of archaeology and the Bible converge once more with both heat and light shed on the origins of Christianity in this fourth installment in the series of seven Art West adventures. Endorsements: "High adventure, solid history, beautiful photographs, religious sensitivity, and bad puns: what's not to like?" -A. J. Levine Vanderbilt Divinity School "The Art West adventures are fun, entertaining, and instructive of the world of the New Testament placed in the context of a contemporary story. The fourth in the series, Corinthian Leather, is no exception. Read, enjoy, learn. It is a great way to get a sense of what first-century life was like." -Darrell L. Bock Dallas Theological Seminary "New Testament scholars who have the ability to craft engaging novels are rarer than chicken molars. Yet renowned scholar Ben Witherington and his wife Ann have successfully married historical scholarship with gripping narrative in Corinthian Leather. The book combines superb character development and stimulating adventure with photo-rich historical and archaeological insights into the ancient cities of Paul's day. It's both a fascinating and educational read." -Frank Viola author of From Eternity to Here, Revise Us Again, and Jesus Manifesto "Ben and Ann Witherington sure know how to spin a story If you take pleasure in being educated and entertained simultaneously, then make time to read Corinthian Leather (and the three previous volumes in the Art West adventure series). I am already looking forward to reading and learning from the rest of these page-turning, biblical archaeological thrillers." -Todd D. Still George W. Truett Theological Seminary "What do you have when you encounter an archaeological mystery, a Greek prophetess, the Greek Communist Party, a professional basketball prospect, and a romance? You're kidding. You really don't know? Another Arthur West adventure, of course. Our intrepid adventurer is at it again, this time exploring the archaeological remains of ancient Corinth, a city rebuilt by Julius Caesar and evangelized by the apostle Paul. Readers will enjoy this imaginative archaeological adventure-Art West's fourth-that sheds light on the Corinth of Paul's visit in AD 51 and the key locals with whom he became acquainted. History and archaeology have never been more fun. Corinthian Leather is another delightful book from Ben and Ann Witherington." -Craig A. Evans Acadia Divinity College Author Biography: Ben Witherington III is Amos Professor of NT for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University, and the author of over thirty-five books, including New York Times Best Seller The Brother of Jesus. Ann Witherington is Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences at Asbury College. Ben and Ann have been married for over thirty years and have two adult children, Christy and David.

Interprets Paul?'s letter in light of its rhetorical content and cultural context.
Paul?'s short, affectionate letter to the Philippians has been much belabored of late by biblical scholars keen to analyze it in light of Greco-Roman letter-writing conventions. Yet Ben Witherington argues that Philippians shouldn t be read as a letter at all but, rather, as a masterful piece of long-distance oratory an extension of Paul?'s oral speech, dictated to a scribe and meant to be read aloud to its recipients.
With this in mind, Witherington analyzes Philippians in light of Greco-Roman rhetorical conventions, identifying Paul?'s purpose, highlighting his main points and his persuasive strategies, and considering how his audience denizens of a society of limited literacy yet saturated in highly skilled oral rhetoric would have heard and received Paul?'s message.

Endorsements: "Art West is in hot water in more ways than one in his latest adventure. After bathing in the famous thermal springs at Pamukkale, Turkey, the intrepid Bible scholar and archaeologist is invited to join an excavation at nearby Hierapolis. A papyrus related to Papias, the noted second-century bishop, has been discovered. However, demons unleashed by a cursed papyrus found in a menorah by Art's friend, the antiquities dealer named Khalil, are poised to attack. A visit to the Plutonium proves to be a real gas for Art, who must now discover the diabolical forces seeking to kill him. Papias and the Mysterious Menorah is a worthy sequel in the Art West series." -Mark Wilson Asia Minor Research Center Izmir, Turkey "Each of Ben and Ann Witherington's archaeological thrillers is more enthralling than the last. They deftly interweave the puzzles of the past with the complexities of the Middle East today." -Richard Bauckham Emeritus Professor of New Testament St. Andrews University, Scotland "Ever the pedagogues, Ben and Ann faithfully serve as highly informed, engaging, and deeply sensitive stewards of their narrative. Papias truly offers something for everyone." -Brad Johnson Instructor in Biblical Languages Asbury Theological Seminary Author Biography: Ben Witherington III is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University, and the author of over thirty-five books, including New York Times Best Seller The Brother of Jesus. Ann Witherington is Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences at Asbury College. Ben and Ann have been married for over thirty years and have two adult children, Christy and David.

We Have Seen His Glory asks -- and answers -- the question of what worship would and should look like in light of the eschatological future, of kingdom come. Ben Witherington here contends that it cannot be a matter of merely continuing ancient practices. Instead, it must also be a matter of preparation for worship in the Kingdom of God when it comes on earth. / "I am convinced that one of the great problems to having a more reflective and more Christian approach to worship is that even many of our ministers and worship leaders have very little understanding of what the New Testament actually says about worship, what it is meant to be, what it entails, and what we ought to do. In this study I hope to remedy some of that problem and tease some minds into active thought about what worship should look like if we really believe that God's Kingdom is coming. . . . It is time for us to explore a more Biblical and Kingdom-oriented vision of worship." / -- Ben Witherington, from the prelude

Archaeologist Art West makes the discovery of a lifetime in Jerusalem finding the tombstone of Lazarus, which indicates that Jesus raised him from the dead. But before he can make public his amazing discovery, the stone is stolen, sold to the British Library, and West is implicated in an antiquities fraud that will lead to a trial. West's Jewish and Muslim friends in Jerusalem rally to support West's innocence and to help find the thief who stole the stone, but then West is shot and in critical condition in a Jerusalem hospital. Can the truth be discovered in time, and West's life be saved? And what was on that Aramaic scroll that was found in Lazarus's coffin? In this fast-paced thriller, Ben Witherington, himself a NT scholar with a degree in English literature, together with his wife, Ann, introduces us to the life of an archaeologist and NT scholar and his trials and tribulations when a big find comes to light. Set in the always volatile city of Jerusalem, the Witheringtons reveal the fascinating hidden dimensions of multi-religious life in that Holy Place, and show how even today Christians, Jews, and Muslims can work together so the truth may come to light, and all may experience "the Lazarus Effect"-new life from the dead. There's no thriller quite like an archaeological thriller, and when we find ourselves in a biblical mystery, the suspense and the drama are especially delicious. Set against the intense, exotic, and vivid backdrop of modern Israel, yet delving into the deepest mysteries of the time of Christ, The Lazarus Effect won't fail to entertain and inform. Highly recommended. -Anne Rice, NY Times best-selling author of The Vampire Chronicles and Christ the Lord. "Ben Witherington, the accomplished and acclaimed biblical scholar, offers a fast-paced, entertaining archaeological thriller with occasional winks to the biblical studies guild, the popularization of biblical studies in magazines and television shows, and recent controversies over ancient artifacts. Even better, The Lazarus Effect neatly portrays both the necessity of interfaith friendship and the dangers of defensive fundamentalism." -Amy-Jill Levine, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School, Graduate Department of Religion and College of Arts and Science The Lazarus Effect has it all-the discovery of an explosive archaeological find that stands to revolutionize our understanding of early Christianity, religious passions in the Holy Land, human longing and bravery and treachery. What sets it apart from other thrillers of its type is the deep biblical and archaeological knowledge the Witheringtons bring to their tale. -Steven Feldman, Web Editor, Biblical Archaeology Review "The Lazarus Effect is a rare, gripping, fast-paced, ntelligent thriller that can keep you entertained, and actually change your worldview. It's a wild ride through a tumultuous part of the world whereyou'll discover surprises that can make you think more deeply about some of the most important things in your life. Once you start to read it, you won't be able to put it down " -Tom Morris, Author of The Art of Achievement and If Harry Potter Ran General Electric and The Logic of God Incarnate Ben Witherington III is Amos Professor of NT for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University, and the author of over thirty-five books, including New York Times Best Seller The Brother of Jesus. Ann Witherington is Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences at Asbury College. Ben and Ann have been married for over thirty years and have two adult children, Christy and David.

Synopsis: In this second novel of the series, Art West seeks out the meaning of the mysterious symbolic number 666 while exploring sites in Egypt and Turkey. He discovers an inscription in southern Egypt at the Philae Temple in Aswan, which reads, "He is many men and no man, towering like the sphinx, dead and alive, but who knows what he thinks? Back from the Styx; 666." Who is this sphinx-like man? Could he be relevant to the twenty-first century? These questions lead Art to investigate possible connections between the Coptic Gospels and Coptic Orthodox beliefs. In the middle of such investigations Art is involved in a harrowing prisoner exchange in Israel at the hands of Hamas, and he discovers the origins of Christians wearing crosses. He also tangles with the notorious terrorist El Tigre. Set in the context of Middle East tensions between Muslims, Christians, and Jews, this fast-paced thriller explores the meaning of eschatological or "end times" language for the earliest Christians, who, while trying to spread the kingdom of God, faced the rising tide of the kingdom of Caesar and his emperor cult. Along the way West learns some apocalyptic secrets destined to change his life forever. Endorsements: "Stolen treasures, murderous adversaries, intellectual detectives uncovering truths of the deepest value amid middle eastern loves, hatreds, and rivalries--these are just a few of the things that make this Witherington thriller gripping, fast-paced, and philosophically stimulating. 'Roman Numerals' is high stakes intrigue based in the best real world scholarship. It will grab you at the outset, and hold you hostage until the very end " --Thomas V. Morris Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus Notre Dame University "In his second adventure, the intrepid archaeologist Art West discovers an inscription mentioning the apocalyptic number 666 at Philae on the Nile. The search for the solution of this cryptic cipher moves through Egypt, Israel, Turkey, and America. Noted biblical scholar Ben Witherington and his wife Ann weave an engrossing story combining Coptic history, illegal antiquities, terrorism, professional basketball, and romance. The result is a great read for those who enjoy the world of ancient history and archaeology." --Mark Wilson Asia Minor Research Center Izmir, Turkey Author Biographical Information: Ben Witherington III is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University, and the author of over thirty-five books, including 'New York Times' Best Seller 'The Brother of Jesus'. Ann Witherington is Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences at Asbury College. Ben and Ann have been married for over thirty years and have two adult children, Christy and David.

This volume completes Ben Witherington's contributions to the set of Eerdmans socio-rhetorical commentaries on the New Testament. In addition to the usual features of these commentaries, Witherington offers an innovative way of looking at Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon as interrelated documents written at different levels of moral discourse. Colossians is first-order moral discourse (the opening gambit), Ephesians is second-order moral discourse (what one says after the opening salvo to the same audience), and Philemon is third-order moral discourse (what one says to a personal friend or intimate). Witherington successfully analyzes these documents as examples of Asiatic rhetoric, explaining the differences in style from earlier Pauline documents. He further shows that Paul is deliberately engaging in the transformation of existing social institutions. As always, Witherington's work is scholarly and engaging. With detailed -Closer Look- sections, The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians is perfect for the libraries of clergy, biblical scholars, and seminaries.

This informative, clearly written book introduces the New Testament in two main ways: (1) it explains where the New Testament came from, and (2) it examines the New Testament writings themselves.

Ben Witherington first tells how and why the New Testament documents were written and collected and how they came to be known as the New Testament that we have today. He then discusses the main stories and major figures in the New Testament. Witherington looks particularly at the Gospels, examining how and why their stories differ and pointing out what these ancient biographies actually say about Jesus. He also surveys the ways that these stories were told and retold, explaining how this literary development has influenced Christian theology, ethics, and social thought.

At once scholarly and accessible -- it really is written in plain English -- Witheringtonbs guide to the origins and message of the New Testament is eminently suitable as a text for college and seminary students. With each chapter followed by a section called bExercises and Questions for Study and Reflection, b "The New Testament Story" will also prove valuable to individual readers and ideal for church classes and group Bible studies.

An intriguing, informed look at salvation and the kingdom of God / What is the kingdom of God? Where is it? How should the church celebrate the coming of the kingdom? In this popularly written study Ben Witherington addresses these and various other questions about the ever-elusive kingdom of God. Clearly defining the kingdom in terms of Gods dominion, Witherington discusses both its present (already) and its future (not yet) dimensions, and he brings out at length the implications of kingdom thinking for theology, ethics, and worship. End-of-chapter questions for reflection and discussion make the book ideal for church classes and study groups. / Ben Witherington keeps coming up with books that make the best biblical scholarship and theological reflection available to the church. Now Ben brings the reign of God alive for the contemporary church. A very useful, lively book. William H. Willimon / Bishop of the United Methodist Church, North Alabama Conference / Do you or your congregation celebrate Kingdomtide? In this book Ben Witherington makes a great case for understanding and celebrating the reign of God more thoroughly in our Christian communities. As he explores the strong implications for us of realizing Gods reign, we discover that our churches are missing many opportunities that would change the world if we seized them. Marva J. Dawn / author of The Sense of the Call and Reaching Out without Dumbing Down