Is there a future for the doctrine of Christian Holiness in the churches of the 21st century or will it become a dated concept that is associated only with the generations of the past?For many, the notion of holiness has been described as rigid and legalistic, leading to a routine and joyless life, centered on churches that offer casual and impoverished worship.Holiness in the Gospels offers Christians a new vision of holiness that is biblically responsible, centered in worship, and theologically coherent. It translates into a genuine message of good news and communicates a passion and understanding for how to live a holy life today&#151in the 21st century.Holiness in the Gospels examines: The quest for holiness in the second temple period and establishes the backdrop with which to read the GospelsThe humanity and the Spirit of Christ found in the Gospel of LukeThe divinity of Jesus found in the Gospel of JohnThe journey of Jesus and the understanding of Him as Messiah, Son of God, in the Gospel of MarkThe perfection of Christ and our call to perfection in the Gospel of Matthew, and much more

The New Beacon Bible Commentary is an engaging, indispensable reference tool to aid individuals in every walk of life in the study and meditation of God's Word. Written from the Wesleyan theological perspective, it offers insight and perceptive scholarship to help you unlock the deeper truths of Scripture and garner an awareness of the history, culture, and context attributed to each book of study. Readable, relevant, and academically thorough, it offers scholars, pastors, and laity a new standard for understanding and interpreting the Bible in the 21st century.Each volume features: Completely New Scholarship from notable experts in the Wesleyan traditionConvenient Introductory Material for each book of the Bible including information on authorship, date, history, audience, sociological/cultural issues, purpose, literary features, theological themes, hermeneutical issues, and moreClear Verse-by-Verse Explanations, which offer a contemporary, Wesleyan-based understanding derived from the passage's original languageComprehensive Annotation divided into three sections, which cover background elements behind the text; verse-by-verse details and meanings found in the text; and significance, relevance, intertextuality, and application from the textHelpful Sidebars, which provide deeper insight into theological issues, word meanings, archeological connections, historical relevance, cultural customs, and moreExpanded Bibliography for further study of historical elements, additional interpretations, and theological themesIf we only had Mark, we would know very little of Jesus' life before he begins a short ministry of one year. Mark tells us nothing about Jesus' birth or early life. Mark begins his Jesus story with the announcement by a prophetic figure in the wilderness, John the Baptizer.

In this readable and enlightening book (based on his 2008 Didsbury Lectures) Kent Brower opens up Paul's theology of holy-living-as-community in the power of the Spirit. At the heart of Paul's practical theology is God's call of Israel to be holy as God is holy. But his conviction is that the call to be God's holy people now encompasses all, Jews and Gentiles, who follow Jesus the Messiah. This new community of God is to embody the holiness of God wherever they live just as Israel was to embody it. This is a central theological concern in all of Paul's epistles. His ethics are always theological ethics; his theology is always practical theology. 'Abreast of other scholarly studies, and written in a very accessible style, this engaging book makes a contribution in inverse relation to its modest size.' Larry Hurtado, Professor of New Testament Language, Literature and Theology, University of Edinburgh