Kategoria BISAC: Religion >> Biblical Studies - New Testament - General

What does it mean to imitate another person? What relationships are possible and necessary, or unthinkable, because of exhortation advising people to imitate Paul? What are the effects of giving special status to likeness? Questions such as these are posed in this thought-provoking book that addresses the notion of mimesis (imitation) and how it functions in Paul's letters as a strategy of power.

The Literary Currents in Biblical Interpretation series explores current trends within the discipline of biblical interpretation by dealing with the literary qualities of the Bible: the play...

David Bartlett explores Paul's letter to the Romans and there discovers Paul's vision of the nature of God. Along the way, Bartlett also highlights Paul's thoughts on God's gift of Jesus Christ, the world of the first Christians, and the nature of faith. Fascinating and clearly written, this rewarding and uplifting book will encourage and enlighten the modern reader faced with contemporary issues, including pluralism and the meaning of faith.

Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their study of the Bible as a guide to Christian faith and practice....

The original audience for the Gospel of Matthew included converts from Judaism who wrestled with how to be faithful to Jesus Christ under difficult circumstances in a changing world. The Gospel of Matthew became a first-aid manual for this church in the midst of a struggle.

Thomas Long identifies this first audience and its faith within the social and religious context of the day and clarifies the structure of the Gospel. Providing examples of contemporary relevance, Long helps today's reader discern the significance of this guide for faithful living in today's church.

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The Gospel of Luke is arguably the most recognizable and beloved of the Gospel writings. It contains familiar stories such as the birth of Christ, and the parables of the good Samaritan and the prodigal son. Its message about inclusivity and economic justice continue to empower many in their struggles for liberation. Luke is also noted for the prominence of women in its narrative. The general familiarity with Luke, however, may impede a true sense of what this Gospel is about as a whole. Thus, New Testament scholar Sharon Ringe offers readers a thorough introduction to and a critical...

In this book, Paul Walaskay discusses Luke's description of the early church, its leadership, and its struggles as a people of God amid competing religious claims. He helps the reader understand Luke and his contemporaries and examines the first-century church's situation in light of today's issues.

Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their study of the Bible as a guide to Christian faith and practice. Each volume explains the biblical book in its original historical context and explores its significance for faithful living today. These books are ideal for...

Paul's influence on Christian thought has been powerful and formative. The deuteropauline epistles, attributed to but not written by Paul, were actually authored by early Christians in an attempt to apply Pauline insights to particular challenges not addressed specifically by Paul. According to Lewis Donelson, this rearticulation and reinterpretation of Pauline wisdom served these early communities by linking them more closely to their apostolic roots. It also provided them with a living gospel that had continuing relevance for their particular time and place.

Books in the...

Fred B. Craddock examines the letters of First and Second Peter and Jude, asking, what kind of literature is it? who wrote the letter? to whom was the letter written? and for what purpose was the letter written? Craddock's answers let us draw from these often undervalued epistles an awareness of what is involved in living a Christian life in this world. We also see the similarities and differences in how Christ is portrayed in these epistles as opposed to the depiction found in other New Testament writings.

Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their study...

In this book, Peter Stuhlmacher stresses the Old Testament and postbiblical Jewish traditions as the primary backdrop to Paul's thought, as these traditions were known by Paul himself or mediated to him through Jesus and the early church. The themes of the righteousness of God and the corresponding justification of both Jews and Gentiles are viewed as the center of Romans. Finally, Stuhlmacher seeks to place the apostle's theology within its historical context. He overcomes the false dichotomy that has often characterized the study of Romans, mediating between the view that it is a general...

In this concise and clearly written commentary, Charles H. Talbert brings to mainline Christians a fresh reading of the book of Revelation, demonstrating that it is not only accessible but relevant for the modern-day Christian. According to Talbert, the primary causes of the marginalized status of the book of Revelation by mainline Christians are threefold--the apparent inaccessibility of its meaning, the seeming impossibility of its pastoral application, and its demonstrated susceptibility to abuse. Talbert ably demonstrates that the book of Revelation was written to help the early...

This excellent book shows how literary criticism illuminates the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, reclaiming them as biblical narrative. William Kurz explores literary aspects such as implied authors or readers, plot, and assumed information, or gaps. He then highlights the role of the narrator, who is the primary key to the focus and perspective of the narrative. Kurz also discovers an implicit commentary in Luke--Acts. Finally, he traces the implications of reading Luke--Acts as canonical Scripture and the merits of literary methods.

This book thoroughly examines Matthew's gospel. It discusses appropriate methods for interpretation and considers in detail the gospel's origin, purpose, and social setting. Graham Stanton claims that Matthew wrote the Gospel following a period of prolonged bitter disputes with fellow Jews. With considerable literary, catechetical, and pastoral skill the evangelist composed a gospel for a new people (both Jews and Gentiles) in a cluster of Christian communities. Dividing his book into three sections, Stanton discusses redaction critical, literary critical, and social scientific approaches...

R. David Kaylor believes that Jesus' vision of a just society and his prophetic engagement with social, political, and economic conditions led to his execution by the Romans. Here, he presents Jesus' message of a just society based on Israel's covenant tradition. He shows the prophetic background and social content of Jesus' ethical teaching and demonstrates that the parables (especially those with economic and agricultural associations) critiqued the social conditions and called for a restructuring of community life. He provides evidence that Jesus' vision remains, offering criticism of...

William Farmer has devoted much of his career to addressing the question of the relationship among the three Synoptic Gospels--Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In particular, Farmer has challenged the Two Source Hypothesis, which says that Mark is the earliest Gospel, and that Matthew and Luke used Mark and another document, called "Q," as the two primary sources for their own Gospels. Instead, Farmer argues that Matthew was the Earliest Gospel, that Luke used Matthew and other traditions known to him, and that Mark used both Matthew and Luke in compiling a shorter, more ecumenical account of...

In The Theology of the First Christians, Walter Schmithals offers a comprehensive history of the development of religious thought from the preaching of Jesus to the formation of the New Testament canon. This well-researched volume will be of great interest to New Testament scholars and students.

One of the best known and most influential passages in the New Testament is the hymn of Philippians 2:5-11, which traces the dialectical path of Christ from preexistence--or pretemporal existence--to incarnation and exaltation. There is little agreement and a great deal of debate on this central text of Christian theology. In this book, an international group of scholars comment on the classic and current understandings of this passage, searching for insights into the ongoing exegetical inquiry.

The Victorious Christ is the perfect guide for nonspecialists in search of a reliable and interesting exploration of the book of Revelation. The reader is invited to approach the text in a logical and nonthreatening fashion. After acquainting the reader with the book of Revelation and the basic questions, C. Freeman Sleeper deals with matters such as imagery and symbolism and the use of these images in other texts from the same period. He goes on to address the difficult issues of interpretation and the implications of Revelation for Christian living today.

Jerome Neyrey clarifies what praise, honor, and glory meant to Matthew and his audience. He examines the traditional literary forms for bestowing such praise and the conventional grounds for awarding honor and praise in Matthew's world.

Mitzi Minor offers a reading of the Second Gospel that emphasizes the book's instruction for a life of faith. Mark, according to Minor, provides extensive guidance to Christians on how to live authentically--even radically--in Christ. Its messages of profound faith and boundless love are timeless. This book is of immense value to those preaching and teaching the Gospel of Mark, as well as to all who seek to expand their life in faith.

How did ancient persons understand themselves, other people, and the world around them? Is there a marked contrast between their understandings of "self" and "other" and the way modern Westerners define the same? Bruce Malina and Jerome Neyrey focus on the figure of Paul to provide a comprehensive investigation of how one man was perceived in the ancient world. Drawing on primary sources from antiquity, as well a lessons from cultural anthropology, the authors help provide a fuller understanding of the person of Paul and his world. The result is a new, more balanced way to approach the New...