The subjects of rhetoric, history, and theology intersect in unique ways within New Testament and early Christian literature. The contributors of this volume represent a wide range of perspectives but share a common interest in the interpretation of these texts in light of their rhetorical, historical, and theological elements. What results is a fresh and perceptive reading of the New Testament and early Christianity literature.

This tried and true classroom favorite by respected New Testament scholar Gary Burge has been praised for its usefulness. The expanded second edition has been revised throughout to take account of current scholarship and introduces software tools that have become available since the original edition was published. Combining original insight with how-to guidance, this textbook helps students interpret the Gospel of John and apply it in teaching and preaching.

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context. The Gospel of John tells us the story that is the foundation of the distinctive teaching of Christianity. It provides all the elements necessary to see the full picture of the person and work of Jesus: a human Christ to redeem us, a divine Christ to reveal God's nature, and a powerful, Spirit-filled Christ to help us lead holy lives. This commentary unveils, in today's terminology, the deeply satisfying portrait of Christ painted in the Gospel of John. To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's context, each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible. Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved. This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

This completely revised and updated second edition of The New Testament in Antiquity skillfully develops how Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures formed the essential environment in which the New Testament authors wrote their books and letters. Understanding of the land, history, and culture of the ancient world brings remarkable new insights into how we read the New Testament itself. Throughout the book, numerous features provide windows into the first-century world. Nearly 500 full color photos, charts, maps, and drawings have been carefully selected. Additional features include sidebars that integrate the book's material with issues of interpretation, discussion questions, and bibliographies.

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context. John weaves together themes of light and darkness, falsehood and truth, and what it means to be children of God in community. He explores the theme of love as central to God's nature and thus as the defining characteristic of those who follow him. The Letters of John teach us about handling conflict, discerning orthodox belief, and measuring Christian conduct. Gary Burge shares perspectives on John's letters that reveal their enduring relevance for our twenty-first-century lives. To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's context, each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible. Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved. This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

A series of Bible study guides following the format and content of the NIV Application Commentaries Series. Each study looks at the original meaning, bridging contexts, and contemporary significance of the text, and offers small group participants a better understanding and relevant application of the biblical material to their daily lives.

This accessible volume describes first-century Jewish and Christian beliefs about the land of Israel and offers a full survey of New Testament passages that directly address the question of land and faith. Respected New Testament scholar Gary M. Burge examines present-day tensions surrounding "territorial religion" in the modern Middle East, helping contemporary Christians develop a Christian theology of the land and assess Bible-based claims in discussions of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle.

Everyone has questions about God and what matters most in life. When we ask those questions, we are asking about theology. Isn't talk about God really a guessing game? What good is the Old Testament? How can we have free will if God controls everything? The virgin birth. Really? What does an earthquake say about God? Is the Holy Spirit still at work in churches today? What did Jesus think about getting married? Does being a Christian mean having particular political views? While books about doctrine supply description and analysis of the classic questions of the faith, they often miss the contemporary questions on the minds of readers. This book fills that gap. Organized around the key topics of Jesus, the Bible, church, the Holy Spirit, evil, salvation and hope, the sometimes-provocative questions on these topics aim to ring true with the lived experience of real people. Even more, they look to inspire reflection, debate, disagreement, and above all, engagement in what the Christian faith is all about.

Every student asks questions about life beyond the classroom: What does it mean to be in community? How can I discern my vocation? How should I understand marriage and sex? How should I relate to money and power? What happens if I doubt my faith? How should I approach interfaith dialogue? To help students navigate these questions about some of life's most pressing and difficult issues, Gary M. Burge and David Lauber, coeditors of Theology Questions Everyone Asks, have gathered insights from Christian faculty who draw on their own experiences in conversation with students during office hours and over coffee. Sometimes, the deepest learning takes place outside the classroom.

The NLT Study Series is based on the NLT Study Bible. Each of the 13-week studies provide an in-depth study of a particular Bible book. The entire text of that book from the NLT Study Bible is included. The study provides participants with five scripture readings per week and daily questions to prompt the participant to enter the world of the Bible and reflect on what God is saying. A unique small group format facilitates full participation. The NLT Study Series explores the textual, linguistic, literary, and cultural aspects of the scriptures and those to whom it was written. It is appropriate for serious Bible study, and it teaches individuals to work at understanding Scripture.

One of Nijay Gupta's Best Academic New Testament Books You're finishing your first year of teaching. It's been exciting and gratifying, but there've been some wobbly episodes too. How will you carve out a space to flourish? You're feeling secure in mid-career, with some accomplishments to be proud of. But what should success really look like? You're nearing the end of your career, and sometimes apprehensive about the blank slate of retirement. What might it look like to finish well? In Mapping Your Academic Career Gary Burge speaks from decades of teaching, writing and mentoring. Along the way he has experienced and observed the challenges and tensions, the successes and failures of the academic pilgrimage. Now, with discerning wisdom and apt examples, he hosts the conversation he wishes he'd had when he started out as a college professor, identifying three cohorts or stages in the academic career and exploring the challenges, pitfalls and triumphs of each. Wherever you are in your teaching life, this is a book that will reward reading, reflection and discussion.

We often explore individual passages of Scripture without seeing the whole. A verse may be inspiring and easy to grasp, but the sweeping context is often difficult and requires persistence. To understand the breadth of the gospel's message, we need to perceive the full tapestry of Scripture with its theological themes woven together. Otherwise, we miss the scope of what Jesus is doing in the New Testament, gaining mere glimpses of his activity or teaching but missing their significance. Gary M. Burge aims to weave this larger tapestry so that each part of the story takes on richer meaning. Using seven key sentences drawn straight from the New Testament, Burge demonstrates how the themes of fulfillment, kingdom, cross, grace, covenant, spirit, and completion set a theological rhythm for our faith. The seven include "You are the Messiah, the son of the living God!" "By grace you have been saved, through faith ... not by works." "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession." "I saw a new heaven and a new earth." These sentences are not only individually inspiring, but they outline the broader pattern of Scripture that illustrates what God has done-and is bringing to fulfillment-in Christ. The accessible primers in the Introductions in Seven Sentences collection act as brief introductions to an academic field, with simple organization: seven key sentences that give readers a birds-eye view of an entire discipline.