James Dunn introduces readers to the key passages that must be examined when trying to understand what the New Testament says about worshipping Jesus. Dunn, an internationally respected scholar, examines the key texts that have led Christians to believe that Jesus is God and worship him as part of the Trinity. But what did the New Testament writers say about worshipping Jesus? Did they portray him as God, someone whom we should worship? Or did they see him as a great prophet like Moses or Elijah? Here, James Dunn introduces readers to the key New Testament passages that must be examined when trying to understand this important topic. He argues that we find a clear sense that Jesus enables worship, that Jesus is in a profound way the place and means of worship. Equally, for the first Christians Jesus was seen to be not only the one by whom believers come to God, but also the one by whom God has come to believers.

Paul's Epistle to the Colossians merits detailed study for at least two reasons. First, it provides an unexpectedly interesting window into the character of Christianity in Asia Minor in the second half of the first century. With the information it gives about the religious tensions within which emergent Christianity was caught up, not least those between Christianity and diaspora Judaism, we begin to gain more insight into the influences and factors that shaped the transition from apostolic to subapostolic Christianity in the region. Second, Colossians represents a crucial stage in the development of Pauline theology itself. Whether it was written at the end of Paul's life or soon after his death, it indicates how Pauline theology retained its own vital character and did not die with Paul. In this volume in the celebrated New International Greek Testament Commentary, James D. G. Dunn, author of numerous well-received works on the historical origin and theological interpretation of the New Testament, provides detailed expositions of the text of Paul's letters to the Colossians and to Philemon. Dunn examines each of these letters within the context of the Jewish and Hellenistic cultures in the first century, and discusses the place of Colossians and Philemon in the relationship between the Pauline mission and the early churches that received these letters. Particular stress is also placed on the role of faith in Jesus Christ within and over against Judaism and on the counsel of these two important letters with regard to the shaping of human relationships in the community of faith.

A senior biblical scholar's concise guide to how Jesus is described across the New Testament New Testament scholar James D. G. Dunn has written numerous commentaries, books, and essays sharing his thought with the world. In this small, straightforward book designed for a lay audience, Dunn focuses his fifty-plus years of scholarship on the central question posed by the New Testament-who is Jesus? Dunn surveys the New Testament books from Matthew to Rev-elation, exploring and unpacking what they actually say about Jesus. Dunn's Jesus according to the New Testament points to the wonder of those first witnesses and enriches our understanding of who Jesus is to us today.

Concise: Each book gets straight to the heart of its subject

Through a discussion of Biblical texts, this book presents four perspectives on the role of works at the final judgment. The final judgment is the last and final act before God dwells with his people forever. Scripture makes that clear, but what function do our actions play in the final assessment of our souls--especially those of professing Christians? The contributors each state their case for one of four prominent views on the effect of works at the end of time: Robert N. Wilkin: Works will determine rewards but not salvation Thomas R. Schreiner: Works will provide evidence that one actually has been saved James D. G. Dunn: Works will provide the criterion by which Christ will determine eternal destiny of his people Michael P. Barber: Works will merit eternal life This book allows each contributor to not only present the case for his view, but also to critique and respond to the critiques of the other contributors, allowing you to compare their beliefs in an open forum setting to see where they overlap and where they differ. 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.

- Author distills a life-time of biblical research into an easy-to-understand survey of Jesus' life, his mission, and his self-understanding - Both introduction and source of new insights Renowned New Testament scholar James Dunn investigates what is known about the historical Jesus and the reasons for his enormous impact--then and now.

Concise: Each book gets straight to the heart of its subject

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction-covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography-a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation-the author's own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes-the author's notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting-a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment-verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation-brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography-occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.

The apostle Paul has been justifiably described as the first and greatest Christian theologian. His letters were among the earliest documents to be included in the New Testament and, as such, they influenced Christian thinking from its very beginning. This Companion provides an important assessment of the apostle as well as a new appreciation of his continuing contemporary significance. With eighteen chapters written by a team of well-known international Pauline specialists, the collection will have wide appeal and be an invaluable point of departure for subsequent studies.

Bringing to life the world portrayed in the stories in Judges and Ruth, this commentary offers readers an "insider" perspective on the narratives. After establishing a cultural and literary context, Victor Matthews analyzes each episode separately and as a whole.

The apostle Paul has been justifiably described as the first and greatest Christian theologian. His letters were among the earliest documents to be included in the New Testament and, as such, they influenced Christian thinking from its very beginning. This Companion provides an important assessment of the apostle as well as a new appreciation of his continuing contemporary significance. With eighteen chapters written by a team of well-known international Pauline specialists, the collection will have wide appeal and be an invaluable point of departure for subsequent studies.

Paul's Letter to the Galatians is one of the fiercest and most polemical writings in the Bible. That is what makes it, for the author of this study, such an exciting document to deal with. It emerges from the early days of a vigorous new movement (Christianity), when basic principles were first being formulated, and when the whole character of the movement was at stake. In the pages of Galatians we witness fundamental features of Christian theology taking shape before our eyes, where the living heart of Paul's gospel is encountered. For James D. G. Dunn there is an elemental quality about the letter, to which those tired of compromising half-truths are drawn when they feel the impulse to return to first principles. This book, which benefits from this perspective on Paul, explains more clearly than hitherto both the issues which confronted Paul and the powerful theological arguments he brought to bear in response, and casts light on a document still capable of shaping lives and theology today.

The latest book in the Understanding Jesus Today series deals with the role of discipleship in Christianity. James Dunn explores the original meaning of discipleship in the early church and then discusses what discipleship should mean for Christians today. The evidence in the Gospels regarding the requirements of discipleship, including the beliefs and daily character of the life of a disciple, are explored and a firm basis upon which a tradition of discipleship can be defined is found. Important questions addressed are: to whom was Jesus's call to discipleship primarily directed; what were the characteristics of the community of disciples that formed around Jesus in His lifetime and how has the character of that community, which has become the Christian Church, changed over time; how does modern discipleship measure up against discipleship in the early Church? The book is based on the best of current scholarship but is written at a popular level.

The New Testament documents cover an intense period of innovation and development in what we now call "Christology." Before Jesus, "Christology" either did not exist, or existed, properly speaking, only in different forms of "messianic expectation." At the end of that period, however, an advanced and far-reaching Christology is already in place that does not hesitate to speak of Jesus as "God." This excellent study of the origins and early development of Christology by James D. G. Dunn clarifies in rich detail the beginnings of the full Christian belief in Christ as the Son of God and incarnate Word. By employing the exegetical methods of "historical context of meaning" and "conceptuality in transition," Dunn illumines the first-century meaning of key titles and passages within the New Testament that bear directly on the develop-ment of the Christian understanding of Jesus. Chosen by Christianity Today as one of the year's "Significant Books" when it first appeared in 1980, this second edition of Christology in the Making contains a new extended foreword that responds to critics of the first edition and updates Dunn's own thinking on the beginnings of Christology since his original work.

This commentary by James Dunn takes the reader through questions of authorship, recipients, date, and purpose surrounding the book of Acts - the book that Dunn believes is the most exciting of the New Testament. Written for preachers, teachers, students, and church leaders, Dunn's commentary considers the literary structure of Acts as well as the nature of its teaching. "In this little commentary by Dunn," Scot McKnight says in his foreword, "you have insight, measured judgment about history and theology and context, and suggestions that take the preacher to the heart of what the Book of Acts can mean for us today. I always begin any study of any passage in the Book of Acts by pulling out Jimmy's commentary. I go to the others when I'm done, but often enough I got all I needed in Dunn."

Richard Bauckham expounds the theology of the Book of Revelation: its understanding of God, Christ and the Spirit, the role of the Church in the world, and the hope of the coming of God's universal kingdom. Close attention is paid both to the literary form in which the theology is expressed and to the original context to which the book was addressed. Contrary to many misunderstandings of Revelation, it is shown to be one of the masterpieces of early Christian literature, with much to say to the Church today. This study offers a unique account of the theology and message of Revelation.

In this major work, James D. G. Dunn brings together more than two decades of vigorous and creative work on interpreting the letters of Paul into an integrated, full-scale study of Paul's thought.

Using Paul's letter to the Romans as the foundation for constructing a fuller exposition of Paul's whole theology, Dunn's thematic treatment clearly describes Paul's teaching on such topics as God, humankind, sin, christology, salvation, the church, and the Christian life. In the process Dunn engages in a concise way what other important scholars have said regarding each area of inquiry.

"The Theology of Paul the Apostle" represents a major contribution to the ongoing discussion regarding what Paul's theology is and what its continuing relevance is to the study and practice of religion and theology.

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction-covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography-a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation-the author's own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes-the author's notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting-a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment-verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation-brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography-occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliography contains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.

In Baptism in the Holy Spirit James Dunn argues that water baptism is only one element in the New Testament pattern of conversion and initiation. The gift of the Spirit, he believes, is the central element. For the writers of the New Testament only those who had received the Holy Spirit could be called Christians. For them the reception of the Spirit was a very definite and often very dramatic experience - the decisive and climactic experience in conversion - initiation - to which Christians were usually recalled when reminded of their Christian faith and experience. In this book James Dunn uncovers the place of the gift of the Holy Spirit in the total complex event of becoming a Christian. His conclusions will help readers to deepen their understanding of the sacrament of baptism. Since its original publication in 1970 Baptism in the Holy Spirit has become a classic of New Testament scholarship. This new edition, published on the fortieth anniversary of its original publication, includes a new extended Preface in which James Dunn engages with the debates about Baptism in the Holy Spirit since it was first published. James D. G. Dunn was Lightfoot Professor of Divinity in the University of Durham. He is the author of numerous best-selling books and acknowledged as one of the world's leading experts on New Testament study.