To Christians worldwide, the man Jesus of Nazareth is the centerpiece of history, the object of faith, hope, and worship. Even those who do not follow him admit the vast influence of his life. For anyone interested in knowing more about Jesus, study of the four biblical Gospels is essential. Four Portraits, One Jesus is a thorough yet accessible introduction to these documents and their subject, the life and person of Jesus. Like different artists rendering the same subject using different styles and points of view, the Gospels paint four highly distinctive portraits of the same remarkable...

The concept of Herem is found throughout the Old Testament and presented a problem to the Second Temple Jewish authors. In introducing the concept to their audiences and in applying it to themselves and other nations, they avoided it by reducing or expanding, omitting or changing the concept of Herem. Much evidence in Luke-Acts, however, indicates that Luke deliberately uses the concept of Herem in order to present the life and teaching of Jesus and his disciples. Jesus' death on the cross, resurrection and ascension can be seen as Herem, that redeems God's people. The...

This book in the popular For Today series introduces the reader to the main parables of Jesus in an engaging and accessible way. Professor, author, and preacher Alyce McKenzie makes the familiar parables come alive with new meaning, using the best of biblical scholarship to provide an easy entrance to this major form of Jesus' teachings. With questions for discussion at the end of each chapter, this book is ideal for personal and group study.

The For Today series was designed to provide reliable and accessible resources for the study and real life application of important biblical...

In many respects John remains the most beloved of all Gospels. In this careful study for laity, Frances Taylor Gench provides an opportunity for Christians to immerse themselves in this complex Gospel and become better acquainted with its intriguing and distinctive vision. Examining thirteen central texts (including the wedding at Cana, the woman of Samaria, the "I Am" passages, the woman accused of adultery, the raising of Lazarus, and the resurrection scenes), Gench focuses on each text's key features, including literary design, historical origins, and theological insights. Drawing on...

"We must begin our story of Jesus by granting him permission to surprise us endlessly...." ---from the Introduction

Jesus of Galilee taught through stories, which even today contain the power to startle us out of our prejudices and preconceptions. Now Father Andrew M. Greeley, one of America's most beloved storytellers, examines the parables told by Jesus in search of a fuller understanding of the man and his message.

This engaging and informal collection of homilies reveals a Jesus whose simple parables carry profound lessons about the Kingdom of Heaven. Along the way, Father Greeley...

Reta Halteman Finger finds a solution to this modern problem by learning from the ancient Mediterranean Christian culture of community. In the earliest Jerusalem church, in holding the responsibility for preparing and serving communal meals, women were given a place of honor. With the table fellowship and goods sharing of the early church, Luke...

The central theological distinctive of Christianity--that Jesus is God incarnate--has repeatedly come under fire from adherents to other religions and scholars who interpret Jesus as a prophet, angel, or guru. Putting Jesus in His Place is designed to introduce Christians to the wealth of biblical teaching on the deity of Christ. Using evidence from the New Testament, this book helps readers appreciate the significance of Christ's deity in a personal relationship with Him, and gives them the confidence to share the truth about Jesus with others.

• Who Jesus Christ is
• The word of Jesus Christ
• Eternal life in Christ