The book of Ezekiel was written during a tumultuous time in Israel's history. It follows a period that began with Ezekiel's warning of Jerusalem's fall and his prediction of the destruction of the temple--a sanctuary regarded as so holy that its destruction was unimaginable. The period continues with Ezekiel's and others' exile to Babylon. Although much in the book of Ezekiel focuses on the consequences of Israel's rebellion against God that lead to the destruction of Jerusalem, even more deals with the hope of Israel's rebirth with divine assistance.

Books in the Westminster Bible...

Mark, often eclipsed by the other Synoptic Gospels, is now considered by many biblical scholars to be the earliest written gospel. This conclusion would place Mark closest to the historical Jesus. In his book, Douglas Hare examines Mark for modern Christians who are in search of the Jesus portrayed in these earliest known writings. What emerges is a Jesus whose moral and religious teachings are of secondary importance to the very fact of his life, death, and resurrection. For it is the Jesus depicted in Mark that serves as the window through which we may see God. God's love for humankind,...