Biblical Studies
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Illustrated Guide To The Apostle Paul
$22.99Add to cartThe life and ministry of the apostle Paul was a sprawling adventure covering thousands of miles on Roman roads and treacherous seas as he boldly proclaimed the gospel of Jesus to anyone who would listen, be they commoners or kings. His impact on the church and indeed on Western civilization is immeasurable.
From his birth in Tarsus to his rabbinic training in Jerusalem to his final imprisonment in Rome, An Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul brings his remarkable story to life. Drawing from the book of Acts, Paul’s many letters, and historical and archaeological sources, this fully illustrated resource explores the social, cultural, political, and religious background of the first-century Roman world in which Paul lived and ministered. It sheds light on the places he visited and the people he met along the way. Most importantly, it helps us understand how and why Paul was used by God in such extraordinary ways.
Pastors, students, and anyone engaged in Bible study will find this an indispensable and inspiring resource.
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Dream Of God
$59.95Add to cartA beloved teacher helps modern people live the Bible’s message more fully.
Respected teacher and author Verna Dozier explores the ways that humanity and the institutional church have strayed far from Jesus’s original message. To help us get back on track, she examines the Bible: a theological and historical record of hundreds of years in which two communities of faith (Jewish and early Christian) explored their own life experiences. Our task now is not to ask which interpretations are correct, but to ask “what did it mean to them” and “what does it mean for us?” Dozier encourages us to see Christianity not as creed or institution, but as “the vision of a new possibility for human life rooted in an ancient understanding of God and lived out by a Nazarene carpenter.”
Through adept storytelling and study, Dozier reawakens our sense of calling and our desire for truth.
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Strange Scriptures : Deciphering 52 Weird, Bizarre, And Curious Verses From
$24.99Add to cartWhat’s that Scripture mean?
Ever asked yourself this question when you’re reading through the Bible? We all have. Whether we’ve been saved a long time or are just beginning to follow Christ, there are portions of Scripture that go over our heads. They’re puzzling. Odd. Complicated. Strange.
*What’s baptism on behalf of the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:29)
*Wasn’t it rude for Jesus to call a woman a dog? (Mark 7:27)
*If Jesus is eternal, why is he called the firstborn? (Colossians 1:15)
*How can we do greater works than Christ? (John 14:12)Scriptures like these are not preached from the pulpit as commonly as our favorite texts. You rarely hear about them in your small group Bible study. And it’s definitely not easy to explain what they mean.
Think of it like this: if the Bible were an apple orchard, the Scriptures we’re most familiar with are like the luscious Honey Crisp. They’re our favorites. Like, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and “Love never fails.” Oh, the meaning and relevant application from these just gushes forth into our lives.
But strange Scriptures are more like crabapples. Consider this one: “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). Not quite a Honey Crisp, is it? There’s juice in it, all right, but if you want meaning and life application, you have to do a whole lot more squeezing.
That’s where Strange Scriptures comes in. Within each short study, author Chris Palmer has aimed to represent scholarship, Greek exegesis, and life application to bring forth a full-bodied study to nourish your soul.
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Scripture As Communication
$34.99Add to cartJeannine Brown, a seasoned teacher of biblical interpretation, believes that communication is at the heart of what happens when we open the Bible. We are actively engaging God in a conversation that can be life changing. In this guide to the theory and practice of biblical hermeneutics, Brown emphasizes the communicative nature of Scripture, proposing a communication model as an effective approach to interpreting the Bible. The new edition of this successful textbook has been revised and updated to interact with recent advances in interpretive theory and practice.
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Genesis 28-50 : Your Name Will Be Israel
$11.99Add to cartGenesis, as the first book of the Bible, is the foundational book for the entire biblical canon. In Genesis we find the themes of creation, relationship, covenant, hope, and redemption that will come to characterize God’s grand story throughout the rest of the Bible, all the way to Revelation. The end of Genesis focuses largely on the family of Jacob as they work out what it means to be God’s covenant people in the world around them. Journey through seven weeks of study that will cover Jacob’s encounters with God and his son Joseph’s journey from slavery to the center of power.
Shaped by ScriptureA faithful reading of God’s Word leads to a faithful response from God’s people. The Shaped by Scripture series teaches a simple, engaging method of studying the Bible that will lead to honest interpretation and a changed relationship with God.
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Changed Into His Likeness
$28.99Add to cartWhen it comes to the Christian life, what exactly can we expect with regard to personal transformation?
Gary Millar addresses this most basic question in this NSBT volume. After surveying some contemporary psychological approaches to the issue of change and discussions of biblical anthropology, he explores the nature of gospel-shaped change, exposing the dangers of both promising too much and expecting too little. The central part of his study focuses on “life in the middle”–between the change that is brought about when we become Christians and the final change in which we will be raised with Christ. Millar presents a case for reading the “character studies” of major Old Testament figures from Noah to Solomon as depicting a declension throughout their lives and their innate sinfulness and lack of change. This problem is resolved in the establishment of a new covenant, which promises both individual and corporate transformation in the power of the Spirit. This transformation is presented in the New Testament as a rich and complex process, which cannot be contained or adequately described by one set of images. Transformation is real, deep-rooted and far-reaching. In developing an integrated biblical theology of transformation, Millar draws on the contributions of key thinkers, including Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Edwards, Owen, Newton, James K. A. Smith and the Biblical Counselling movement. He concludes with a careful synthesis, charting a middle way between the errors of over-realized and under-realized eschatology. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.
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30 Minute Bible
$17.99Add to cartWe know about the Bible. We may know some Bible stories, or maybe we’ve even read large portions for ourselves. But what it’s really all about? How do all the different pieces fit together? Without a sense of the big story the Bible is telling, we’ll miss out on the good news God has for us. In The 30-Minute Bible, experienced Bible teachers Craig Bartholomew and Paige Vanosky present the story of Scripture in thirty short readings, each designed to take about half an hour. Each includes a passage from the Bible and a short chapter explaining how the passage fits into the Bible’s wider narrative. Written in straightforward and clear language, the readings are accompanied by Brother Martin Erspamer’s lovely illustrations. Discover the timeless story of the Bible–in thirty minutes a day for thirty days.
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Faith For Life
$15.99Add to cartAs Christians, we experience great joy in knowing God through Jesus and great hope in the promise of an eternity spent with God. Yet we still get weary in this life and can feel discouraged. Whether it’s personal disappointment, opposition or just the costly grind of church life that gets us down, we all need help to keep going.
This wonderfully encouraging book by Bible expositor Richard Coekin will spur you on to live by faith in Jesus as you examine the witnesses of Hebrews 11. The refreshing honesty of their stories will help you manage your expectations in a world of lies and spin. They will remind you of the glory and blessing that await you at the finishing line. And they will encourage you to see that Jesus is the real Hero of the faith and that his Spirit will enable you to endure through exhaustion, opposition and discouragement.
Ideal for private devotional reading for those in need of refreshment, a timely gift for a discouraged Christian friend, and useful background reading to a small-group study of Hebrews 11.
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Getting The Most Out Of Ephesians
$16.99Add to cartAn interactive workbook containing a good balance of insightful exposition and well–designed questions for personal and group application. The book also offers illustrations to help the reader understand the cultural background of Ephesians and interesting asides and quotes. Ideal for devotions as well as group or personal study.
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Jesus According To Scripture
$54.00Add to cartUpdated Edition of a Bestselling Study of Jesus and the Gospels
In this work Darrell Bock, a leading evangelical New Testament scholar who speaks and teaches around the world, and Benjamin Simpson show that a coherent portrait of Jesus emerges from the four Gospels when they are taken seriously as historical documents. When read together, the Gospels provide a clear picture of Jesus and his unique claims to authority. This book surveys all the Gospel units and relates them to their parallel passages, showing how the literary and canonical relationships work. Offering up-to-date interaction with the latest discussions about Jesus, the second edition has been substantially revised and updated throughout and includes three new chapters on how we got the Gospels.
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Cross Of Christ
$35.99Add to cart?The Cross is the universal symbol of the Christian faith. But what does the Cross mean? Why did Jesus have to die?
In this magisterial and best-selling book, John Stott explains the significance of Christ’s cross and answers objections commonly brought against biblical teaching on the atonement.
Stott will help you discover how Jesus himself understood the cross, and how ‘Christ in our place’ is at the heart of its meaning. Understand what the cross achieved, and learn what it means to live under the cross.
This modern classic combines excellent biblical exposition, and a characteristically thoughtful study of Christian belief, with a searching call to the church to live under the cross.
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Knowing Me Knowing God
$19.99Add to cartIn the Bible, God gives us knowledge of himself and of ourselves, so that through these two intertwined strands we may receive what Calvin called ‘true and sound wisdom’. In pursuit of this wisdom, many Christians have learned to interpret Scripture chrono-logically, following the Bible’s developing story from creation, through fall, to redemption, and ultimately to restoration. But what of a complementary theo-logical approach to Scripture, one which focuses on the Bible’s main ‘characters’ ? God and human beings ? and the nature of their relationship? Richard Brash presents such an approach, introducing six theological keys to Scripture which help us better to know God and ourselves in the three fundamental areas of being, knowing, and acting. At each stage, he develops the theme of the gracious condescension of the infinite, incomprehensible, and holy God in his relation to finite human beings: creating us as his image, establishing a proportion between his own knowledge and ours, and overcoming sin to take a people for himself through the love-gifts of his Son and his Spirit. If you are looking for an enlarged vision of God and a renewed understanding of your own vocation before the Lord, take up this book and be refreshed in your love for God in heart, soul, and mind.
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I Am : The Answers To Lifes Biggest Questions
$9.99Add to cartBold claims. Answers which many are searching for today. This is Jesus in his own words, using metaphors and pictures which are concrete, simple and profound. Meaning: what is the meaning of life? I am the bread of life. Enlightenment: where can I find light? I am the light of the world. Freedom: how can I be truly free? I am the door, Evil: isn’t religion evil? I am the good shepherd. Destiny: is this life all there is? I am the resurrection. Reality: what is ultimate reality? I am the way. Value: how can I make my life count? I am the vine. Time: how can we escape being finite? ‘I am.’ Bold claims – and they are also true. The ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus are highly relevant. Jesus is uniquely qualified to meet our deepest needs and answer our biggest questions. Find out for yourself.
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John : In Him Was Life
$11.99Add to cartJohn is unique among the New Testament Gospels. More than a record of Jesus’s life, it is the eyewitness account of a passionate disciple who sought to shout Jesus’s name from the rooftops. Bursting with theology, poetry, miracles, and intense discourses, the Gospel of John guides us through the whirlwind of Jesus’s earthly ministry, death, and resurrection. Over the course of this seven-week study, lean into John’s invitation to meet the one who is the Word, the Bread of life, the Light of the world, the Resurrection and the Life, and more-Jesus, the Son of God.
A faithful reading of God’s Word leads to a faithful response from God’s people. The Shaped by Scripture series teaches a simple, engaging method of studying the Bible that will lead to honest interpretation and a changed relationship with God.
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Cross Of Christ
$35.99Add to cart“I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?”
With compelling honesty John Stott confronts readers with the centrality of the cross in God’s redemption of our pain-filled world. Can we see triumph in tragedy, victory in shame? Why should an object of Roman distaste and Jewish disgust be the emblem of our worship and the axiom of our faith? And what does it mean for us today? From one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of his generation, The Cross of Christ is a classic, accessible, and compelling look at the work of Christ. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed. More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and contemporary issues. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission. In honor of John Stott’s one hundredth birthday, this centennial edition includes an updated foreword by Alister McGrath and a new timeline of Stott’s life. A study guide equips individuals and groups to more deeply reflect on and apply the book’s message.
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5 Views On The Exodus
$24.99Add to cartFive Views on the Exodus looks at competing views on the historicity, chronology, and theological implications of the exodus. The biblical account of the Israelite exodus from Egypt is one of the most enduring narratives ever told and is a foundational event for several world religions. It resonates across cultures with its timeless themes of redemption and deliverance. It is also the only explanation the Bible gives for Israel’s origin.
Despite its unique legacy, many scholars regard the exodus as fictitious or a cultural memory that may not be a historical event. Even among those who believe the exodus happened, there is no consensus regarding its date. Five Views on the Exodus brings together experts in the fields of biblical studies, Egyptology, and archaeology to discuss and debate the most vexing questions about the exodus. Each offers their own view and offer constructive responses to other leading views on the exodus.
The five views presented here include:
*Early Date: The Exodus Took Place in the Fifteenth Century BC (Scott Stripling)
*Late Date: A Historical Exodus in the Thirteenth Century BC (James K. Hoffmeier)
*A Hyksos Levite Led Exodus in the Time of Ramesses II (Peter Feinman)
*Alternative Late Date: The Exodus Took Place in the Twelfth Century BC (Gary A. Rendsburg)
*The Exodus as Cultural Memory: A Transformation of Historical Events (Ronald Hendel) -
Dispensational Truth
$39.99Add to cartDispensational Truth is the Rev. Clarence Larkin’s famous book on dispensationalism with his beautifully drawn black and white charts. A must-have book for any student of dispensationalism, the book contains more than 115 charts, maps, and woodcuts.
The result of thirty years of study, Dispensational Truth is a gold mine of information on prophetic truth for the busy pastor, evangelist, Bible teacher, and everyone who loves God’s Word. In fact, Larkin’s charts have been called “the gold standard” of pre-tribulation knowledge.
A trained draftsman, Larkin diagrammed what he read during his Bible studies. From his drawings and charts, the study of God’s Word has enriched generations of those who seek illumination and clarification regarding history, prophecy, and the future of mankind.
This book has sold thousands of copies since it was first published in 1920, including more than 17,000 copies in recent years.
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Engaging The Christian Scriptures
$34.99Add to cartThis readable, faith-friendly, one-semester textbook aids students as they engage in their first reading of the biblical text in an academic setting. The authors, who have significant undergraduate teaching experience, approach the Christian Scriptures from historical, literary, and theological perspectives. Text boxes, illustrations, maps, and suggestions for further reading are included. This new edition incorporates professor and student feedback, adds a glossary, has been revised throughout, and is supplemented by updated and expanded web-based pedagogical resources.
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Eye Of The Beholder
$24.99Add to cartWhy is the Gospel of John different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke? Many scholars have suggested that John felt more free than the other evangelists to massage the facts in the service of his theological goals and to put embellishments into the mouth of Jesus. Such freedom supposedly accounts for the discourses in John, for Jesus’ way of speaking in John, and for (at least) the time, place, and manner of various incidents. Analytic philosopher Lydia McGrew refutes these claims, arguing in detail that John never invents material and that he is robustly reliable and honestly historical.
The Eye of the Beholder: The Gospel of John as Historical Reportage is unique in several respects. 1) It delves in more detail than previous works do into the meaning of common scholarly phrases like “Johannine idiom” and applies careful distinctions to defend the recognizable historicity of Jesus’ spoken words in John. 2) It focuses especially on arguments that have impressed some prominent evangelical scholars, thus refuting the unspoken assumption that if a scholar dubbed “conservative” is moved by an argument against full Gospel historicity, it must be strong. 3) It argues positively for the historicity of John’s Gospel using evidences that are not commonly discussed in the 21st century, including undesigned coincidences, unexplained allusions, and the unified personality of Jesus. 4) While the body of the book will be congenial to many who accept Richard Bauckham’s “elder John” theory of authorship, The Eye of the Beholder features a lengthy appendix on that question, including original arguments for authorship by the son of Zebedee.
Meticulously argued and engagingly written, The Eye of the Beholder contains a wealth of material that will be helpful to seminarians, pastors, and laymen interested in the reliability of the Gospel of John.
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Exploring The New Testament Volume 2 Third Edition
$35.99Add to cartWritten by scholars who have extensive experience teaching in colleges and universities, the Exploring the Bible series has for decades equipped students to study Scripture for themselves.
Exploring the New Testament, Volume Two provides an accessible introduction to the Letters and Revelation. It’s filled with classroom-friendly features such as discussion questions, charts, theological summary sidebars, introductory and intermediate-level essay questions, and further reading lists. This volume introduces students to:
*Jewish and Greco-Roman background
*ancient letter writing
*Paul’s life, mission, and theology
*the structure and major themes of each book
*issues of authorship, date, and setting
*methods in reading and interpreting the Letters and Revelation
*the intersection of New Testament criticism with contemporary issues of faith and cultureThis textbook is a valuable guide for anyone seeking an orientation to studying the New Testament. Now in its third edition, Exploring the New Testament, Volume Two has been updated throughout to engage recent sources and issues in New Testament scholarship.
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Letters For The Church
$30.99Add to cartThe Catholic Epistles often get short shrift. Tucked into a few pages near the back of our Bibles, these books are sometimes referred to as the “non-Pauline epistles” or “concluding letters,” maybe getting lumped together with Hebrews and Revelation. Yet these letters, Darian Lockett argues, are treasures hidden in plain sight, and it’s time to give them the attention they deserve. In Letters for the Church, Lockett reveals how the Catholic Epistles provide a unique window into early Christian theology and practice. Based on evidence from the early church, he contends that the seven letters of James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, and Jude were accepted into the canon as a collection and should be read together. Here Lockett introduces the context and content of the Catholic Epistles while emphasizing how all seven letters are connected. Each chapter outlines the author, audience, and genre of one of the epistles, traces its flow of thought, and explores shared themes with the other Catholic Epistles. The early church valued the Catholic Epistles for multiple reasons: they defend orthodox faith and morals against the challenges of heretics, make clear that Christianity combines belief with action, and round out the New Testament witness to Christian faith and life. By introducing the coherent vision of these seven epistles, Letters for the Church helps us rediscover these riches.
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Mysteries Of The Messiah
$28.99Add to cartHighlighting connections that have been hidden from non-Jewish eyes, Rabbi Jason Sobel pulls back the curtain to shed God’s light on the holy scriptures.
Most people do not understand how the Bible fits together–even people of faith. Too many Christians accept half an inheritance in that they are content to embrace merely the New Testament. On the flip side, Jews often experience this by embracing only the Old Testament. But God has an intricate plan and purpose for both.
In Mysteries of the Messiah, Rabbi Jason Sobel, raised in a Jewish home in New Jersey but now a follower of Yeshua, pulls back the curtain to show the many connections in Scripture hidden in plain sight. Known for his emphatic declaration “but there’s more!” he guides readers from the story of creation through Revelation to see the passion and purpose of the Messiah, the Torah, and several of the patriarchs and prophets.
God’s Word, written by many people over thousands of years, is not a random selection of people and stories, but they have intricate connections. Rabbi Jason connects the dots for readers, helping them see with clarity what God intended.
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Understanding The Jewish Roots Of Christianity
$29.99Add to cartHow Jewish is Christianity?
The question of how Jesus’ followers relate to Judaism has been a matter of debate since Jesus first sparred with the Pharisees. The controversy has not abated, taking many forms over the centuries. In the decades following the Holocaust, scholars and theologians reconsidered the Jewish origins and character of Christianity, finding points of continuity.
Understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity advances this discussion by freshly reassessing the issues. Did Jesus intend to form a new religion? Did Paul abrogate the Jewish law? Does the New Testament condemn Judaism? How and when did Christianity split from Judaism? How should Jewish believers in Jesus relate to a largely gentile church? What meaning do the Jewish origins of Christianity have for theology and practice today?
In this volume, a variety of leading scholars and theologians explore the relationship of Judaism and Christianity through biblical, historical, theological, and ecclesiological angles. This cutting-edge scholarship will enrich readers’ understanding of this centuries-old debate.
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Figuring Resurrection : Joseph As A Death And Resurrection Figure In The Ol
$29.99Add to cartThe death and resurrection of Joseph
Towards the end of Genesis, the narrative slows down to tell the story of Joseph. There is no dispute that Joseph’s story is unique, but why does it deserve such focused attention? And how does this story relate to the rest of Genesis?
In Figuring Resurrection, Jeffrey Pulse presents the view that Joseph is a death-and-resurrection- figure. A close literary reading of Genesis 37-50 reveals that Joseph’s story is one of rejection and restoration, descent and ascent, condemnation and exaltation, exile and return, death and resurrection. Far from a lengthy diversion, Joseph’s story of “death and resurrection” plays an important role in the theology of Genesis and later Second Temple Jewish literature.
Figuring Resurrection has implications for our understanding of Joseph’s narrative, the book of Genesis, Hebrew thinking on the afterlife, and typology.
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From Daughters To Disciples
$20.00Add to cartThis Bible study introduces and retells every female character who contributes to one or more New Testament stories, diving deeply into what each woman’s story means for us today with questions for reflection and discussion.
For too long the women of the Bible have been depicted in one-dimensional terms. On one side are saints, such as Mary, while on the other are “bad girls,” such as Eve and Jezebel. Just as often, the female characters of the Bible are simply ignored. However, the women of the Bible are complex, multidimensional individuals whose lives are inspiring, funny, and tragic in ways too many of us never hear.
In this second of two volumes, Lynn Japinga acquaints readers with the women of the New Testament. From faithful forerunners like Anna and Elizabeth to female disciples like the sisters Mary, Martha, and Mary Magdalene to first-generation followers like Lydia and Dorcas, readers will encounter a wealth of foremothers in the faith in all their messy, yet redeemable, humanity. This Bible study introduces and retells every female character who contributes to one or more New Testament stories, diving deeply into what each woman’s story means for us today with questions for reflection and discussion.
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Delivered Out Of Empire
$19.00Add to cartThe book of Exodus brims with dramatic stories familiar to most of us: the burning bush, Moses’ ringing proclamation to Pharaoh to Let my people go, the parting of the Red Sea. These signs of God’s liberating agency have sustained oppressed people seeking deliverance over the ages. But Exodus is also a complex book. Reading the text firsthand, one encounters multilayered narratives: about entrenched socioeconomic systems that exploit the vulnerable, the mysterious action of the divine, and the giving of a new law meant to set the people of Israel apart. How does a contemporary reader make sense of it all? And what does Exodus have to say about our own systems of domination and economic excess?
In Delivered out of Empire, Walter Brueggemann offers a guide to the first half of Exodus, drawing out “pivotal moments” in the text to help readers untangle it. Throughout, Brueggemann shows how Exodus consistently reveals a God in radical solidarity with the powerless.
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Jesus And The Forces Of Death
$35.00Add to cartAlthough most people acknowledge that Jesus was a first-century Jew, interpreters of the Gospels often present him as opposed to Jewish law and customs–especially when considering his numerous encounters with the ritually impure. Matthew Thiessen corrects this popular misconception by placing Jesus within the Judaism of his day. Thiessen demonstrates that the Gospel writers depict Jesus opposing ritual impurity itself, not the Jewish ritual purity system or the Jewish law. This fresh interpretation of significant passages from the Gospels shows that throughout his life, Jesus destroys forces of death and impurity while upholding the Jewish law.
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Moses : In The Footsteps Of The Reluctant Prophet
$17.99Add to cartJoin Adam Hamilton as he travels from Egypt to Mt. Sinai, the Nile, the Red Sea and the wilderness exploring the sites of Moses’ life. Using historical information, archaeological data, and biblical text, Hamilton guides us in the footsteps of this reluctant prophet who grew in his relationship with God and by the end of life had successfully fulfilled the role he was given.
Turn your own reluctance into boldness as you examine the significant challenges facing Moses and how God shaped his character and life in powerful ways.
Additional components for a six-week study include a comprehensive Leader Guide and a DVD featuring author and pastor Adam Hamilton. For a church-wide study, youth and children resources are also available.
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Womens Stories From The Bible Two Volume Set
$38.00Add to cartFor too long the women of the Bible have been depicted in one-dimensional terms. On one side are saints, such as Mary, while on the other are bad girls, such as Eve and Jezebel. Just as often, the female characters of the Bible are simply ignored. However, the women of the Bible are complex, multidimensional individuals whose lives are inspiring, funny, and tragic in ways too many of us never hear.
In the first book, From Widows to Warriors, Lynn Japinga acquaints us with the women of the Old Testament. From flawed heroes like Ruth and Rahab to fierce fighters like Deborah and Jael to tragic characters like Jephthah’s daughter and the unnamed concubine of the book of Judges, readers will encounter a wealth of foremothers in the faith in all their messy, yet redeemable, humanity. This Bible study introduces and retells every female character who contributes to one or more Old Testament stories, diving deeply into what each woman’s story means for us today with questions for reflection and discussion.
In the second book, From Daughters to Disciples, Lynn Japinga acquaints readers with the women of the New Testament. From faithful forerunners like Anna and Elizabeth to female disciples like the sisters Mary, Martha, and Mary Magdalene to first-generation followers like Lydia and Dorcas, readers will encounter a wealth of foremothers in the faith in all their messy, yet redeemable, humanity. This Bible study introduces and retells every female character who contributes to one or more New Testament stories, diving deeply into what each woman’s story means for us today with questions for reflection and discussion.
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Conspicuous In His Absence
$34.99Add to cartIn the biblical canon, two books lack any explicit reference to the name of God: Song of Songs and Esther. What is the nature of God as revealed in texts that don’t use his name? Exploring the often overlooked theological connections between these two Old Testament books, Chloe T. Sun takes on the challenges of God’s absence and explores how we think of God when he is perceived to be silent.
In the biblical canon, two books lack any explicit reference to the name of God: Song of Songs and Esther. God’s peculiar absence in these texts is unsettling, both for theological discourse and for believers considering implications for their own lived experience. Chloe T. Sun takes on the challenges of God’s absence by exploring the often overlooked theological connections between these two Old Testament books. In Conspicuous in His Absence, Sun examines and reflects on the Song of Songs and Esther using theological interpretation. She addresses three main questions: What is the nature of God as revealed in texts that don’t use his name? How do we think of God when he is perceived to be absent? What should we do when God is silent or hidden? The experience of God’s absence or silence is an important part of the human condition. By exploring the distinct themes and perspectives of Song of Songs and Esther, as well as how they’ve been received in Jewish and Christian history, Sun demonstrates how both books serve as counter texts to the depiction of God and his work in the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. Thus both contribute to a fuller picture of who God is and what it means to know him.
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Flawed Family Of God
$20.00Add to cartToday’s families face challenges not too different from the first families of the Bible. The drama experienced in Genesis happens within stories about families, and the issues they raise–married vs. single life, sibling rivalry, infertility, family relocation, blended families, and the like–and are startlingly relevant to families of today. This book examines the families of Genesis, starting with how the Adam and Eve story encompasses far more ways of being family–including singleness–than most of us think, and shows us that the ups and downs of the relationship between Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and Ishmael can help us understand the complicated dynamic of blended families. It also looks at the sibling rivalry of the Cain and Abel story and points to the jealousy and violence to which the whole human family seems addicted. The final chapter exploring death in the family argues that death leaves a hole, not simply in the hearts of loved ones but within the ongoing stories that families tell about themselves. Carol Helsel and Suzie Park invite readers to consider these connections as they reexamine modern family life as well.
This engaging Bible study includes questions for individual reflection or group use.
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Lies My Preacher Told Me
$18.00Add to cartDiscover why stories and laws written thousands of years ago, centuries before Christ, are enriching and indispensable for modern Christians. Written by a leading scholar in Old Testament and designed for easy reading and group discussion, this book will expand your thinking about the Bible’s First (and largest) Testament.
In this concise volume, Brent Strawn addresses ten common “lies” or mistruths about the Old Testament, from perceptions of God’s personality (the “angry Old Testament God”) to the relevance of the Old Testament for Christians. Discover why stories and laws written thousands of years ago, centuries before Christ, are enriching and indispensable for modern Christians. Written by a leading scholar in Old Testament and designed for easy reading and group discussion, this book will expand your thinking about the Bible’s First (and largest) Testament.
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Signs Of The Messiah
$27.99Add to cartThat you may believe
Have you ever asked God for a sign? Throughout Scripture, God gave signs to his people, whether mighty acts during the exodus or miracles through Elijah and Elisha. Jesus was also asked for a sign. Yet despite giving seven remarkable signs, his people refused to believe him.
In Signs of the Messiah, Andreas KAstenberger–veteran New Testament scholar and expert on the Gospel of John–guides readers through John and highlights its plot and message. John’s Gospel is written to inspire faith in Jesus. By keeping the Gospel’s big picture in view, readers will see Jesus’ mighty signs and be compelled to trust more fully in the Messiah.
Readers will have a deeper grasp of John’s message and intent through this short and accessible introduction.
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Enjoying The Bible
$25.00Add to cartMany Christians view the Bible as an instruction manual. While the Bible does provide instruction, it can also captivate, comfort, delight, shock, and inspire. In short, it elicits emotion–just like poetry. By learning to read and love poetry, says literature professor Matthew Mullins, readers can increase their understanding of the biblical text and learn to love God’s Word more. Each chapter includes exercises and questions designed to help readers put the book’s principles and practices into action.
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Theology Of Jeremiah
$22.99Add to cartHow do we think about the theology of the book of Jeremiah? John Goldingay considers the prophet Jeremiah himself, his individual circumstances and those of Judah, and his message. As we view the book of Jeremiah in its entirety, we learn about God, Israel as the people of God, the nature of wrongdoing and prophecy, and what we know about the future.
How do we think about the theology of the book of Jeremiah? Do we consider themes section by section, or do we step back and look at the whole? John Goldingay says “both.” In The Theology of Jeremiah, Goldingay considers the prophet Jeremiah himself, his individual circumstances and those of Judah, and his message. Though Jeremiah’s message varies throughout the book, we gain insights into Jeremiah’s theology by viewing the book in its entirety. In doing so, we learn about God, Israel as the people of God, the nature of wrongdoing and prophecy, and what we know about the future.
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Servant Of The Lord And His Servant People
$27.99Add to cartIt is often recognized that the title “servant” is applied to key figures throughout the Bible, culminating in Jesus Christ.
In this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume Matthew Harmon carefully traces this theme from Genesis to Revelation with the intention of seeing how earlier servants point forward to the ultimate Servant. While this servant theme certainly is significant in its own right throughout redemptive history, it also plays a supporting role, enhancing and enriching other themes such as son, prophet, and king. Harmon shows how the title “servant” not only gives us a clearer understanding of Jesus Christ but also has profound implications for our lives as Christians. When we grasp what it means to be servants of Christ, our love for him and our obedience to him deepen. Understanding that the ultimate Servant Jesus Christ indwells his people to empower them to serve others in love has the potential to transform how we interact with fellow believers and the world around us. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.
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Problem Of The Old Testament
$45.99Add to cartChristians throughout church history have struggled with the Old Testament-defining it, interpreting it, and reconciling it with the New Testament. In this thorough, accessible work, Duane A. Garrett surveys three primary methods Christians have used to handle the Old Testament, offering a way forward that is faithful to the text and to the Christian faith.
For Christians, the Old Testament often presents a conundrum. We revere it as God’s Word, but we don’t always comprehend it. It has great truths beautifully expressed, but it also has lengthy lists of names that we cannot pronounce, detailed rules for religious rites that we never observe, and grim stories that we never tell our children. Theologians and laypeople throughout church history have struggled to define it, interpret it, and reconcile it with the New Testament. In The Problem of the Old Testament, Duane A. Garrett takes on this conundrum and lays a foundation for constructive study of the Old Testament. He surveys three primary methods Christians have used to handle the Old Testament, from the church fathers to today: hermeneutical, schematic, and conceptual. Garrett also explores major interpretive topics such as the nature of the law, the function of election and covenants, and how prophecy works, boldly offering a way forward that is faithful to the text and to the Christian faith. “I argue,” Garrett writes, “that the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus Christ and that it is authoritative and edifying for Christians.” This thorough, accessible work is essential reading for all students of Scripture seeking to discover the Old Testament’s riches beyond the challenges.
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True Story Of The Whole World
$19.99Add to cartThis book provides an overview of the grand narrative of the Bible, showing how God’s action in the world gives meaning to our lives and provides us with a foundation for our actions. The authors’ bestselling textbook, The Drama of Scripture, presented this message for a student audience. It was then abridged and published at a more popular level as The True Story of the Whole World. This revised edition has been further updated and streamlined throughout for church readers and small groups. It includes contemporary reflection sections and discussion questions in each chapter for individual or group use.
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Introduction To The Old Testament Third Edition
$50.00Add to cartIncorporating the most current scholarship, this new edition also includes concrete tips for doing close readings of the Old Testament text, and a chapter on ways to read Scripture and respond in light of pressing contemporary issues, such as economic inequality, racial and gender justice, and environmental degradation.
In this updated edition of the popular textbook An Introduction to the Old Testament, Walter Brueggemann and Tod Linafelt introduce the reader to the broad theological scope of the Old Testament, treating some of the most important issues and methods in contemporary biblical interpretation. This clearly written textbook focuses on the literature of the Old Testament as it grew out of religious, political, and ideological contexts over many centuries in Israel’s history. Covering every book in the Old Testament (arranged in canonical order), the authors demonstrate the development of theological concepts in biblical writings from the Torah through postexilic Judaism.
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Paul Politics And New Creation
$117.00Add to cartPaul, Politics, and New Creation: Reconsidering Paul and Empire nuances Paul’s relationship with the Roman Empire. Using rhetorical, sociohistorical, and theological methods, Najeeb T. Haddad reevaluates claims of Paul’s anti-imperialism by situating him in his proper Hellenistic Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts.
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Your Glory : A Biblical Study
$21.99Add to cartLike the blind men who touched different parts of the elephant and thought they knew the whole, we touch just a piece of God’s glory and think we know what it is. But we can’t agree with each other, so we must not know. Or we try to wrap it up in one big idea: God is great, full of splendour! But does that help?
Moses asked God, “Show me your glory!” And God shouts to be known. Yet, just like the boy in The Emperor’s New Clothes, a voice inside me cries out, “I don’t see it! There must be more!” Do you see and understand God’s glory? If we did, we would be terrified, undone, never the same. And I long for you to know it that way, too.
This study examines every use of the key words used for glory in the Old Testament and the New. We will see the lie about glory that changed everything. Yet the truth about glory is both dangerous and good. It binds us to God in an indivisible eternal bond. It is our identity and purpose for being. It gives to us a magnificent burden that is just the beginning of seeing and knowing glory.
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How To Read The Psalms Second Edition
$22.00Add to cartThe Psalms have been well-loved and frequently used by Christians throughout history. For directness, intensity, and intimacy, they are unrivaled in all of Scripture. Somehow the psalmists seem to have anticipated our own awe, desires, and frustrations.
Yet the Psalms also challenge us when we look at them closely. Their poetry is unfamiliar in form. Many images used are foreign to us today. And the psalmists sometimes express troubling thoughts that seem hard to reconcile with other teachings of Scripture.
In this volume of the popular How to Read Series, Tremper Longman III gives us the kind of help we need to overcome the distance between the psalmists’ world and ours. He explains the various genres of psalms, the way they were used in Hebrew worship, their relationship to the rest of the Old Testament, and the characteristics of Hebrew poetry. Then he looks at how Christians can appropriate the message and insights of Psalms today.
Step-by-step suggestions for interpreting the psalms on our own are followed by exercises for further study and reflection, plus a helpful guide to commentaries on the Psalms. This second edition includes expanded content, updated sources, and a new appendix on the structure of the book of Psalms.
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Journey Into Gods Word Second Edition
$18.99Add to cartA guide to learn the skills you need to understand and apply God’s Word. Now revised and updated!
Life is a journey, and like any journey, it requires an accurate, reliable roadmap to get us where we need to go. God has provided such a guide in his Word. But just as a navigator needs to learn how to interpret all the contours and symbols of a map, so also we need to be able to understand how the Bible communicates its directions to us.
In Journey into God’s Word, Second Edition reader’s will:
*Be introduced to the Interpretive Journey, a five-step framework for understanding how to read any Bible passage
*Learn vital reading skills that aid in their comprehension of not just the Bible, but of any piece of literature
*Discover the importance of understanding historical-cultural and literary contexts
*Receive guidance on choosing a Bible translation for their study
*Be given practical tips for reading specific genres in the Bible like, Gospels, letters, Law, prophecy, poetry, and more
Journey into God’s Word, Second Edition helps Bible readers acquire these skills and become better at reading, interpreting, and applying the Bible to life. Based on the bestselling college/seminary textbook Grasping God’s Word it takes the proven principles from that book and makes them accessible to people in the church. It starts with general principles of interpretation, then moves on to apply those principles to specific genres and contexts. Hands-on exercises guide readers through the interpretation process, with an emphasis on real-life application. This second edition has been revised and updated to match the fourth edition of Grasping God’s Word with a five-step Interpretive Journey.
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Elements Of Biblical Exegesis
$29.99Add to cartWorld-renowned scholar Michael Gorman presents a straightforward approach to the complex task of biblical exegesis. This third edition of Gorman’s widely used and trusted textbook (over 60,000 copies sold) has been thoroughly updated and revised to reflect developments in the academy and the classroom over the past decade. The new edition explains recent developments in theological interpretation and explores missional and non-Western readings of the biblical text. Adaptable for students in various settings, it includes clear explanations, practical hints, suggested exercises, and sample papers.
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Gods Messiah In The Old Testament
$32.00Add to cartTwo respected Old Testament scholars offer a fresh, comprehensive treatment of the Messiah theme throughout the entire Old Testament and examine its relevance for New Testament interpretation. Addressing a topic of perennial interest and foundational significance, this book explores what the Old Testament actually says about the Messiah, divine kingship, and the kingdom of God. It also offers a nuanced understanding of how New Testament authors make use of Old Testament messianic texts in explaining who Jesus is and what he came to do.
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Odyssey Of Grace Part Two The New Testament In Review From Ephesians To Rev
$19.99Add to cartIn the Odyssey of Grace series, Cy Mersereau invites you to join him as he travels through the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. In this series, each book of the New Testament is summarized, with special consideration given to topics of common, and sometimes controversial, interest.
The journey begins with the coming of Christ in the four Gospels, then threads its way through the epistles and ends with Revelation, where time dissolves into the eternal state. Along the way, the reader will encounter adventure, history, theology, advice for practical Christian living, and become acquainted with some of the more fascinating personalities of the early church.
The author of each book has his own style, his own emphasis, and his own story that is part of the larger story of Jesus Christ and the redemption he purchased for us on Calvary two thousand years ago.
Some of the topics covered here include:
*Prophetical insights from believers of various backgrounds on the book of Revelation.
*The hotly contested miracle of Jesus turning water into wine.
*Judas, his betrayal of Christ, and how and when he died
*A discussion of the book of Philemon to address the question of whether the Bible promotes slavery
*A comprehensive look into why the Gospel of Mark has so many endings and which is the right one.Join in on the conversation as Cy discusses these questions, and so many more!
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Pauls Works Of The Law In The Perspective Of Second Century Reception
$38.99Add to cartWhen Paul wrote that we are justified by faith apart from “works of the law” what did he mean? Matthew J. Thomas examines how Paul’s second-century readers understood the conflicting interpretations, how their readings relate to “old” and “new” perspectives, and what their collective witness suggests about the apostle’s own meaning.
What did Paul mean by “works of the law”? Paul writes that we are justified by faith apart from “works of the law,” a disputed term that represents a fault line between “old” and “new” perspectives on Paul. Was the apostle reacting against the Jews’ good works done to earn salvation, or the Mosaic law’s practices that identified the Jewish people? Matthew J. Thomas examines how Paul’s second-century readers understood these points in conflict, how their readings relate to “old” and “new” perspectives, and what their collective witness suggests about the apostle’s own meaning. Surprisingly, these early witnesses align closely with the “new” perspective, though their reasoning often differs from both modern viewpoints. They suggest that Paul opposes these works neither due to moralism, nor primarily for experiential or social reasons, but because the promised new law and covenant, which are transformative and universal in scope, have come in Christ.
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Misreading Scripture With Indivdualist Eyes
$32.99Add to cartThe Bible was written within collectivist cultures. When Westerners, immersed in individualism, read the Bible, it’s easy to misinterpret important elements-or miss them altogether. In any culture, the most important things usually go without being said. So to read Scripture well we benefit when we uncover the unspoken social structures and values of its world. We need to recalibrate our vision. Combining the expertise of a biblical scholar and a missionary practitioner, Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes is an essential guidebook to the cultural background of the Bible and how it should inform our reading. E. Randolph Richards and Richard James explore deep social structures of the ancient Mediterranean-kinship, patronage, and brokerage-along with their key social tools-honor, shame, and boundaries-that the biblical authors lived in and lie below the surface of each text. From Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar to Peter’s instructions to elders, the authors strip away individualist assumptions and bring the world of the biblical writers to life. Expanding on the popular Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, this book makes clear how understanding collectivism will help us better understand the Bible, which in turn will help us live more faithfully in an increasingly globalized world.
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Perspectives On Paul
$29.99Add to cartThis five-views work brings together an all-star lineup of Pauline scholars to offer a constructive, interdenominational, up-to-date conversation on key issues of Pauline theology. The editors begin with an informative recent history of biblical tradition related to the perspectives on Paul. John M. G. Barclay, A. Andrew Das, James D. G. Dunn, Brant Pitre, and Magnus Zetterholm then discuss how to interpret Paul’s writings and theology, especially the apostle’s view of salvation. The book concludes with an assessment of the perspectives from a pastoral point of view by Dennis R. Edwards.
