Matthew - the visit of the Magi, the Sermon on the Mount, the Great Commission: these are only a few of the well-known passages that draw readers specifically to Matthew's gospel. Yet it begins with a forbidding list of unknown names and apparently irrelevant 'begettings'. In fact, the early church may have placed Matthew first in the New Testament because it more fully than any other Gospel provides a Christian perspective on the relation between the church and the Jews, an issue that is still important today. R. T. France tackles this and other key issues in the Gospel with clarity, reliability and relevance.This classic commentary has been completely retypeset and presented in a fresh, vibrant new large paperback format, with new global branding.

Drawing on many years of Marcan studies, world-class scholar R. T. France has produced an exegetical commentary on the Greek text of Mark that does what the best of recent Greek commentaries have done but in France's own inimitable, reader-friendly way. This work is a commentary on Mark itself, not a commentary on commentaries of Mark. It deals immediately and directly with matters that France himself regards as important. Working from his own translation of the Greek text and culling from helpful research into the world of first-century Palestine, France provides an extensive introduction to Mark's Gospel, followed by insightful section and verse commentary. France sees the structure of Mark's Gospel as an effective "drama in three acts." Act 1 takes up Jesus' public ministry in Galilee. Act 2 covers Jesus' journey to Jerusalem with his disciples. Act 3 focuses on Jesus' public ministry in Jerusalem, including his confrontation with the Jewish leaders, his explanatory discourse on the future, and his passion, death, and resurrection. France carefully unpacks for modern readers the two central themes of this powerful narrative of Jesus' life -- the nature of Christ and the role of discipleship. Supported by careful argumentation and impressive in its sensitivity to Mark's structure, context, and use of the Old Testament, France's study of the second Gospel is without peer.

For fifty years the 'New Bible Commentary' has served Bible readers worldwide. This 21st Century Edition builds on the strengths of the previous three; a one-volume commentary on the whole Bible by an international team of contributors; general articles on what the Bible is and how to read it; an introduction to each Bible book; commentaries dividing each book into sections for ease of reference. Designed to meet the needs of today, the 'New Bible Commentary' makes use of recent international scholarship: 80% of the articles are entirely new and the rest have been rewritten. New maps, diagrams, charts and tables illuminate the text, and further reading lists are included with each article.

"It is a special pleasure to introduce R T (Dick) France's commentary to the pastoral and scholarly community, who should find it a truly exceptional - and helpful - volume." So says Gordon Fee in his preface to this work. France's masterful commentary on Matthew focuses on exegesis of Matthew's text as it stands rather than on the prehistory of the material or details of Synoptic comparison. It is concerned throughout with what Matthew himself meant to convey about Jesus and how he set about doing so within the cultural and historical context of first-century Palestine. Amid the wide array of Matthew commentaries available today, France's world-class stature, his clear focus on Matthew and Jesus, his careful methodology, and his user-friendly style promise to make this volume an enduring standard for years to come.

The Teach the Text Commentary Series utilizes the best of biblical scholarship to provide the information a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. The carefully selected preaching units and focused commentary allow pastors to quickly grasp the big idea and key themes of each passage of Scripture. Each unit of the commentary includes the big idea and key themes of the passage and sections dedicated to understanding, teaching, and illustrating the text.

The visit of the Magi, the Sermon on the Mount, the Great Commission: these are only a few of the well-known passages in Matthew's Gospel. Yet it begins with a list of unknown names and apparently irrelevant 'begettings'. The early church may have placed Matthew first in the New Testament because it provides a Christian perspective on the relation between the church and the Jews, an issue that is still important today. R. T. France tackles this and other key issues in the Gospel with clarity, reliability and relevance. The original, unrevised text of this volume has been completely retypeset and printed in a larger, more attractive format with the new cover design for the series. The Tyndale New Testament commentaries are designed to help the reader of the Bible understand what the text says and what it means. TheIntroduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties. The goal throughout is to explain the true meaning of the Bible and make its message plain.

Was Jesus a magical cult leader? Was he a revolutionary that failed? Or did the apostle Paul invent him out of a mystical experience? And even if he was a historical figure, how much can we really know about someone who lived two thousand years ago in an obscure corner of the Roman Empire? R. T. France explores these issues by examining in detail the whole range of historical data-from archaeological evidence to other non-Christian sources to Christian writings both inside and outside of the New Testament. With candor and rigor he analyzes modern New Testament scholarship that challenges the biblical record, and sets out a clear and solid case for what the New Testament says about Jesus. This book is valuable resource for those who question or seek to defend the reliability of the Gospels. "It is difficult to praise this work too highly . . . It achieves its purpose of presenting the evidence for Jesus with complete success." Christian Arena R. T. FRANCE has taught at London Bible College and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, from 1989-1995. His many books include The Living God, Jesus the Radical and Jesus and the Old Testament. He is also the author of Matthew in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series.

The living God: unique, all-powerful, Creator of all things; a God to be known, personally and intimately; dynamic, active today in human affairs. This book is not an academic study of what the church has taught, or what scholars have said, but rather a challenging study of what the Bible itself says about God. In The Living God, author R. T. France encourages us to come to grips with the broad sweep of biblical data, showing us that the God of the Bible is neither passive nor far removed from our everyday lives, but rather a dynamic and living reality to be engaged. "This book is a gem It is well written, it is pulsating with life, it is full of vital truths. A book about the doctrine of God, but written in a modern style, with a light touch, yet without avoiding the deep issues involved... first-class material." -Christian Weekly Newspapers R. T. France has taught at London Bible College and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, from 1989 to 1995. He has published scholarly commentaries on Matthew, Mark and Hebrews, and is also the author of Jesus the Radical, The Evidence for Jesus, and Jesus and the Old Testament.

R.T. France believes that much of today's popular use of "kingdom" language runs the risk of distorting Jesus' words, and trivializing the depth and richness of his teaching. This book will help many Christians avoid that risk, while also providing helpful and persuasive answers to a range of questions thrown up by modern scholarship. What would "the Kingdom of God" have meant to Mark's first readers? Is "kingdom" the best translation? What did Jesus mean when he said the kingdom would come "with power"? And what are we to make of those passages which seem to predict the coming of the "Son of Man" within the lifetime of the first disciples? R. T. France has taught at London Bible College and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, from 1989 to 1995. He is the author of Matthew in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series, The Evidence for Jesus, The Living God, and Jesus and the Old Testament.

The ordination of women has been one of the most pressingand passionately debated - issues facing the church in recent years. In this volume, based on the prestigious 1995 Didsbury Lectures, R. T. France explores several important questions of biblical interpretation raised by the serious disagreements among Christians over the nature of women's ministry. France primarily focuses on the issues as they are manifest in evangelical circles, where appeal is made instinctively to the authority of Scripture. He challenges readers to think out what it means to claim that our theology and practice are "biblical". His insightful arguments help point the way beyond the impasse over the role and place of women in church ministry.

Some sought his death. Others left everything to follow him. Who was this Jesus, this son of a carpenter turned wandering teacher? Why did he provoke such extreme reactions? And why does he still do so today, more than two thousand years after his death? Jesus the Radical highlights the impact of Jesus against the backdrop of life in first-century Judea, with its customs, its Messianic hopes, its multi-faceted Judaism and its Roman overlords. Here are many fascinating insights into the story you thought you knew. "Sensitive and compelling . it confronts the reader with Jesus and lets him decide what responses to make." -Christianity Today R. T. France has taught at London Bible College and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, from 1989 to 1995. He is the author of Matthew in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series, The Evidence for Jesus, The Living God, and Jesus and the Old Testament.