Biblical Studies
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Pauline Eschatology : The Apocalyptic Rupture Of Eternal Imperialism
$23.00Add to cartWhen seeking to understand what Paul and his coworkers were trying to accomplish, it is no longer possible to ignore Graeco-Roman cultural, economic, political, and religious beliefs and practices. Nor can one ignore the ways in which colonized and vanquished peoples adopted, developed, subverted, and resisted these things. Therefore, in order to properly contextualize the Pauline faction, the traditional background material related to Paul and politics must be developed in the following ways: Pauline eschatology must be examined in light of apocalyptic resistance movements; Pauline eschatology must be understood in light of the realized eschatology of Roman imperialism; and the ideo-theology of Rome (its four cornerstones of the household unit, cultural constructs of honor and shame, practices of patronage, and traditional Roman religiosity now all reworked within the rapidly spreading imperial cult[s]) must be explored in detail. This is the task of Pauline Eschatology, the second volume of Paul and the Uprising of the Dead. In it, we will witness how Pauline apocalypticism ruptures the eternal now of empire, and this, then, paves our way for the detailed study of Paulinism that follows in volume 3, Pauline Solidarity.
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Bible In The Light Of Our Redemption
$24.99Add to cartWritten by beloved Bible teacher E. W. Kenyon, this challenging study course covers the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, highlighting the long view of God’s unfolding plan of redemption. Appropriate for groups or individuals, both the new believer and the mature Christian, it lays out the legal claim for who and what we are in Christ. This course will build your faith and challenge you to a deeper walk with our Redeemer.
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James : Consider It Pure Joy
$11.99Add to cartIn James, we find one of the clearest examples of the Jewish contributions to Christianity-a strong ethic. First-century Jews believed that body, soul, and spirit were one. Therefore, one could not act contrary to how one believed. Over the course of seven weeks exploring the concepts of practical Christian living presented in the book of James, you will discover: the secret of living a joy-filled life in the midst of trouble, the tools for finding salvation through obedient faith, how to keep the commandments by loving your neighbor, and how God wants you to live in Christian fellowship.
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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Genesis 12-27 : And God Said To Abraham
$11.99Add to cartGenesis 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. Grab a Bible and a pen and explore what our response should be to these family- and relationship-centered stories. Journey through seven weeks of study that will cover both well-known and lesser-known narratives, including God’s call of Abraham, Abraham and Lot, God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael, God’s test of Abraham, Isaac and Abimelek, and Jacob and Esau.
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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Bedrock Of Christianity
$18.99Add to cartCan we all agree on some things about Jesus, regardless of our belief–or unbelief?
Perhaps surprisingly, there is a lot upon which all scholars can agree. When surveying historical scholarship, there are certain truths about Jesus that Christians, agnostics, and skeptics must affirm.
In The Bedrock of Christianity, Justin Bass shows how–regardless of one’s feelings about Christianity–there lies a bedrock of truths about Jesus’s life and ministry that are held by virtually all scholars of religion. Through an examination of each of these key facts, readers will encounter the unalterable truths upon which everyone can agree. Useful for both Christians and non-Christians alike, this study demonstrates what we can really know about the historical truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
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Demons : What The Bible Really Says About The Powers Of Darkness
$24.99Add to cartThe truth about demons is far stranger–and even more fascinating–than what’s commonly believed.
Are demons real? Are they red creatures with goatees holding pitchforks and sitting on people’s shoulders while whispering bad things? Did a third of the angels really rebel with Satan? Are demons and “principalities and powers” just terms for the same entities, or are they different members of the kingdom of darkness? Is the world a chaotic mess because of what happened in Eden, or is there more to the story of evil?
What people believed about evil spiritual forces in ancient biblical times is often very different than what people have been led to believe about them today. And this ancient worldview is missing from most attempts to treat the topic.
In Demons, Michael Heiser debunks popular presuppositions about the very real powers of darkness. Rather than traditions, stories, speculations, or myths, Demons is grounded in what ancient people of both the Old and New Testament eras believed about evil spiritual forces and in what the Bible actually says. You’ll come away with a sound, biblical understanding of demons, supernatural rebellion, evil spirits, and spiritual warfare.
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Studies In The Deeper Life
$24.99Add to cartThis outstanding Bible study course by legendary teacher E. W. Kenyon was written to lead Christians into a deeper walk with the Master. Profound scriptural truths are presented in a simple and east-to-understand manner. As it takes you through the pages of the Bible, you will begin to see who you are in Christ, what He has done for you, and your standing before God the Father. An ideal study for both groups or individuals.
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Beginners Guide To New Testament Studies
$24.99Add to cartThis accessible and balanced introduction helps readers sort out key views on the most important debated issues in New Testament studies. Well-known New Testament scholar Nijay Gupta fairly presents the spectrum of viewpoints on thirteen topics and offers reflections on why scholars disagree on these matters. Written to be accessible to students and readers without advanced training in New Testament studies, this book will serve as an excellent supplementary text for New Testament introduction courses.
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Theology Of The New Testament
$65.00Add to cartFollowing his well-received Apostle Paul, prominent European scholar Udo Schnelle now offers a major new theology of the New Testament. The work has been translated into English from the original German, with bibliographic adaptations, by leading American scholar M. Eugene Boring.
This comprehensive critical introduction combines historical and theological analysis. Schnelle begins with the teaching of Jesus and continues with a discussion of the theology of Paul. He then moves on to the Synoptic Gospels; the deutero-Pauline, catholic, and Johannine letters; and Revelation, paying due attention to authorship, chronology, genre, and canonical considerations. This is an essential book for anyone with a scholarly interest in the New Testament.
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Do Miracles Happen Today
$7.99Add to cartLots of extraordinary stuff happens in the Bible. People walk on water. People touch handkerchiefs and are healed. People disappear into the sky. Did these really happen? What was their purpose?
And do miracles happen today? How do we respond if someone says they’ve seen a miracle happen? Should we hold healing services? What can I say to a child about praying for healing? How should we react when prayers for healing aren’t answered?
In this warm and accessible book, Tim Chester looks at the Bible’s view of the existence and purpose of miracles and gives a careful and balanced view on whether healings and other miraculous things happen today.
It will help Christians to explore these questions and others regarding miracles, signs and wonders, and know how to pray.
Includes additional questions on:
– Why did Jesus tell people not to tell others about his miracles?
– How should I respond when I hear a claim that a miracle has happened?
– Should we hold healing services?
– What can I say to a child about praying for healing?Questions Christians Ask are short, readable books which clearly explain how the Bible answers the tough questions Christians are asking.
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Essential Guide To The Bible
$9.99Add to cartLooking for a quick & compact summary of each book of the Bible? See key information about all 66 books of the Bible at a glance.
The Bible has sixty-six books, more than a thousand chapters, and was written by about forty different authors. This full-color guide gives you a quick, 4-to-6-page introduction to each book of the Bible, and it’s packed with over 150 charts, overviews, and pictures!
Get a Solid Overview of All 66 Book of the Bible
Want a solid overview of the entire Bible? From Genesis to Revelation, Essential Guide to the Bible helps you make sense of the Bible at a glance! This full-color guide gives you a fantastic 4-to-6 page overview of each book of the Bible, and includes:
*The purpose of the book
*The theme and how it fits in with the rest of the Bible
*The author, date, audience, and brief history of that time period
*Outline and key verses of each book so you can find important stories fast
*Maps, time lines, charts, and full-color photos
*Archaeological discoveries that give insight into the culture of the time
*Explanation of how Jesus is reflected in each book
*Practical applications for God’s people today -
Hope Of Israel
$34.00Add to cartThis volume highlights the sustained focus in Acts on the resurrection of Christ, bringing clarity to the theology of Acts and its purpose. Brandon Crowe explores the historical, theological, and canonical implications of Jesus’s resurrection in early Christianity and helps readers more clearly understand the purpose of Acts in the context of the New Testament canon. He also shows how the resurrection is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. This is the first major book-length study on the theological significance of Jesus’s resurrection in Acts.
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Paul And The Language Of Faith
$40.99Add to cartA dynamic reading of Paul’s faith language, outlining its subtle nuances as belief, trust, and faithfulness.
Faith language permeates the letters of Paul. Yet, its exact meaning is not always clear. Many today, reflecting centuries of interpretation, consider belief in Jesus to be a passive act. In this important book, Nijay Gupta challenges common assumptions in the interpretation of Paul and calls for a reexamination of Paul’s faith language. Gupta argues that Paul’s faith language resonates with a Jewish understanding of covenant involving goodwill, trust, and expectation. Paul’s understanding of faith involves the transformation of one’s perception of God and the world through Christ, relational dependence on Christ, as well as active loyalty to Christ.
Pastors and scholars alike will benefit from this close examination of Paul’s understanding and use of faith language. For Gupta, Paul’s understanding involves a divine-human relationship centered on Christ that believes, trusts, and obeys.
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Boundless God : The Spirit According To The Old Testament
$24.00Add to cartThe word ru^ah (commonly translated as breath, wind, spirit, or Spirit) occurs in the Old Testament 389 times–more frequently than torah, shalom, or sabbath. In this volume, a popular Old Testament scholar, whose previous books have received wide acclaim, cracks open the challenging and provocative world of the Spirit in the Old Testament, offering readers cogent yet comprehensive insights.
Grounded in scholarship yet accessible and inviting, this book unlocks the world of the Spirit, plunging readers into an imaginative realm of fresh senses, sounds, and skills. The book gives readers the opportunity to recapture Israel’s tenacious sense of the Spirit’s energy as it was expressed by a series of vibrant verbs: blowing, breathing, coming, resting, passing, pouring, filling, cleansing, leading, and guiding. Readers will encounter in these pages all of the Old Testament expressions of the Spirit–passages that will challenge the conventional, confront the commonplace, and transport them to a world of wisdom, work, and wonder.
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Story Retold : A Biblical-Theological Introduction To The New Testament
$60.00Add to cartNew Testament introductions tend to fall into two categories: those that emphasize the history behind the text through discussions of authorship, dating, and audience, and those that explore the content of the text itself. Few introductions have integrated the Old Testament into their discussions, and fewer still are those that rely on the grand narrative of the Old Testament. But the New Testament was not written within a vacuum. Rather, it stands in continuity with the Old Testament. Israel’s story is the church’s story. In The Story Retold, G. K. Beale and Benjamin L. Gladd explore each New Testament book in light of the broad history of redemption, emphasizing the biblical-theological themes of each New Testament book. Their distinctive approach will encourage readers to read the New Testament in light of the Old, not as a new story but as a story retold.
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In The Garden
$15.99Add to cartConsider not only the lilies of the field, but all the plants, trees, herbs, shrubs, and flowers that play a role in the biblical narrative through this illustrated guide. From the barley Ruth harvested to the hyssop David craved, from the frankincense the Wise Men brought to Jesus to the sycamore tree Zacchaeus climbed, the Bible is peppered with allusions to the plants that were a part of daily life in the ancient Near East and in New Testament Israel. With original illustrations, this beautiful gift book clarifies the biblical references to fifty plants in four categories–trees and shrubs, flowers, edible plants, and medicinal plants–and provides delightful new insights into the Word of God. Includes an index to each plant with corresponding Bible references, a calendar of Jewish festivals and their associated plants, and tips for growing your own Bible garden.
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Eyewitness To Crucifixion
$18.99Add to cartStephen M. Miller’s journalistic approach to Bible knowledge is fascinating-and has sold over two million copies of his books! Now Miller has set his sights on crucifixion, gathering firsthand testimony from ancient witnesses to discover, What does it really mean that Jesus was executed on a Roman cross? You’ll examine the historical context for your faith as seen through first-century eyes-and draw closer to Jesus in gratefulness, godly sorrow, and awe.
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Book Of Proverbs And Wisdom
$58.99Add to cartThe author of The Book of Proverbs and Wisdom, A Reference Manual, Curt “CT” Tomlin, was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write “The Book” to enhance and illuminate Christian understanding of the Old Testament’s Book of Proverbs.
The author received instructions from the Holy Spirit to write an ‘illuminated’, The Book of Proverbs and Wisdom, A Reference Manual, whereby every Proverbs verse, would be positioned and contained, in one or more Chapter Theme(s); Accordingly, each Chapter Theme(s), characterizes and reflects, the various Proverbs verses listed and/or contained in the Biblical ‘Book of Proverbs’; Thus, every Proverbs verse(s), phrase and/or series of Proverbs verses, has been positioned into one or more of the 70 Chapters contained in “The Book”. Additionally, as it is more often the case, that a specific Proverbs verse, might be listed within multiple Chapter Themes! For example, one of my all-time favorite Proverbs verses is Proverbs 1:7, which states–“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction”. Accordingly, you will find this Proverbs verse listed in six different Chapter Themes, namely: (a) ‘Fear of the LORD’; (b) ‘Knowledge’; (c) ‘Fools/Foolishness’; (d) ‘Hate/Despise’; (e) ‘Wisdom’; and (f) ‘Instruction’, based on the ‘key word(s)’ listed above. Additionally, I have used, the NKJV version of the Bible, including this version’s citations; Punctuations; Fonts and Appropriateness for Inclusion, for said Chapter Theme.
Within “The Book”, each Proverbs verse is included or assigned to a specific Chapter Theme, based on such key word(s), phrase(s) or overall Chapter Theme associated with such Proverbs verse. For example: Where there is a direct, one-on-one tie in to a Chapter Theme from a Proverbs verse, then such key word has been, bolded, underscored, and italicized.
Additionally, The Book of Proverbs and Wisdom, A Reference Manual, contains the author’s notations to most of the Biblical Proverbs verses, such that the following author’s notations are specified: For many Biblical Proverbs verses, the author assigned a: One (*); Two (**); or Three (***) notation for that Proverbs verse, and such a rating, from his perspective, represents how that Proverbs verse, spoke to his heart, i.e. “Good*”, “Better**”, or “Best***”. Uniquely, ALL category Three (***) Proverbs verse notations, have been “Bolded”, where such Proverbs verse appears within The Book of Proverbs and Wisdom, A Reference Ma
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Paul Apostle Of Gods Glory In Christ
$55.00Add to cartHow should students of Scripture engage with discerning the shape of Paul’s thought? In this second edition of a trusted resource, Thomas R. Schreiner seeks to unearth Paul’s worldview by observing what Paul actually says in his writings and laying out the most important themes and how they are connected. While thoroughly informed by contemporary Pauline studies, Schreiner offers an accessible account of Paul’s theology..
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Blood Covenant : The Hidden Truth Revealed At The Lord’s Table
$14.99Add to cartLegendary Bible teacher Dr. E. W. Kenyon unveils the meaning and miracles available to every Christian through a complete understanding of The Blood Covenant. The Bible is composed of two covenants, or agreements. The old covenant, between God and Abraham, was sealed by circumcision. The new covenant, between God and every believer, is sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ. As you understand your rights as a Christian stemming from this covenant, you will experience an incredible boost to your walk of faith as you lay hold of amazing blessings. The Blood Covenant brings all the power, victory, and miracles of God into the everyday life of the believer.
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Least Of These
$27.99Add to cartJesus cared for the least, but did Paul?
The apostle Paul has a reputation for being detached from the concerns of the poor and powerless. In this book, Carla Swafford Works demonstrates that Paul’s message and ministry are in harmony with the teaching of Jesus. She brings to light an apostle who preaches and models good news to the “least of these”–the poor, the marginalized, the disadvantaged, and the vulnerable.
The Least of These begins by highlighting the presence of the marginalized in Paul’s ministry by looking at poverty in Paul’s churches, the involvement of slaves and freedpersons in the community, and the role of women in the Pauline mission. Works then examines the significance of the marginalized in Pauline theology by investigating how the apostle employs metaphors of the “least.”
Like Jesus, Paul cared deeply for people at the margins. Paul’s ministry is consistent with that of Jesus. Both men cared for the poor. Paul served the least in his mission, modeling his apostolic ministry after the cross of Christ. Works shows that Paul, far from being an abstract thinker, was a practical theologian teaching a message and leading a life of compassion, kindness, and care.
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Pauls Idea Of Community
$30.00Add to cartThis highly readable investigation of the early church explores the revolutionary nature, dynamics, and effects of the earliest Christian communities. It introduces readers to the cultural setting of the house churches of biblical times, examines the apostle Paul’s vision of life in the Christian church, and explores how the New Testament model of community applies to Christian practice today. Updated and revised throughout, this 40th-anniversary edition incorporates recent research, updates the bibliography, and adds a new fictional narrative that depicts the life and times of the early church.
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Choice Gleanings From The Book Of Romans
$9.99Add to cartThe book of Romans elucidates God’s plan of salvation and His relentless grace for both the Jew and the gentile. God’s love and faithfulness are vividly revealed through the sacrifice of Jesus His only begotten son as an atonement for our sins. Emulating God’s love, Paul yearns for his kinsmen’s salvation as he continues to preach the gospel. In summary, the book of Romans is a powerful toolkit for salvation and Christian living.
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Jesus Divorce And Remarriage
$12.99Add to cartWhat did Jesus really say about divorce and remarriage?
Challenging the evangelical near-consensus that Jesus permitted divorce and remarriage in certain circumstances, Gordon Wenham argues that while Jesus permitted separation in cases of sexual immorality, he did not permit divorce and remarriage.
Presenting a revisitation and expansion of several decades of thought and debate on the topic, Wenham builds his case from a close reading of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels, showing how his teaching pushed against the culture of his day. In addition, Wenham brings in insights from ancient Near Eastern marriage laws, the Old Testament, the writings of Paul, and the earliest Christian interpreters of the Gospel divorce texts.
Readers will be challenged by a careful biblical argument that provides a counterpoint to the majority view. No study on divorce and remarriage will be complete without considering Jesus, Divorce, and Remarriage.
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Surprised By The Parables
$18.99Add to cartJesus’ parables can’t simply be interpreted, they must be experienced.
In the gospels, Jesus used parables to teach transformative lessons and convey deep spiritual truths about the kingdom of God. But he often used them to confront and challenge his audience as well, forcing them to open or close their hearts to the kingdom.
Jesus understood the power of stories, but there are some things lost in translation when we try to interpret those same stories thousands of years removed from their original context. The unexpected twists and surprises in the parables might be missed by a modern audience because they’re unfamiliar with the underlying points of reference.
In Surprised by the Parables, Michelle Lee Barnewall explores the ancient context these parables drew from. These stories of grace reveal many of the mysteries central to God’s character, and understanding the ancient world behind them will help us see the parables from a new perspective.
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Bloody Brutal And Barbaric
$48.99Add to cartChristians cannot ignore the intersection of religion and violence. In our own Scriptures, war texts that appear to approve of genocidal killings and war rape raise hard questions about biblical ethics and the character of God. Have we missed something in our traditional readings? Identifying a spectrum of views on biblical war texts, Webb and Oeste pursue a middle path using a hermeneutic of incremental, redemptive-movement ethics.
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Messianic Vision Of The Pentateuch
$40.99Add to cartDid Moses write about Jesus? Kevin Chen challenges the common view of the Pentateuch as focused primarily on the Mosaic Law, arguing instead that it sets forth a coherent, sweeping vision of the Messiah as the center of its theological message. Building on the work of John Sailhamer, Chen provides a fascinating study and an exegetical basis for a Christ-centered biblical theology.
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Bearing Gods Name
$22.99Add to cartWhat does the Old Testament–especially the law–have to do with your Christian life? In this warm, accessible volume, Carmen Joy Imes takes readers back to Sinai, arguing that we’ve misunderstood the command about “taking the Lord’s name in vain.” Instead, Imes says that this command is really about “bearing God’s name,” a theme that continues throughout the rest of Scripture.
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Including The Stranger
$28.99Add to cartThe Old Testament, particularly the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings), has frequently been regarded as having a negative attitude towards foreigners. This has meant that these texts are often employed by those opposed to the Christian faith to attack the Bible–and such views can be echoed by Christians. While the story of David and Goliath is cherished, other episodes are seen to involve “ethnic cleansing” or “massacre” and are avoided. David Firth’s contention is that this approach emerges from an established interpretation of the text, but not the text itself. In this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume, he argues that the Former Prophets subvert the exclusivist approach in order to show that the people of God are not defined by ethnicity but rather by their willingness to commit themselves to the purposes of Yahweh. God’s purposes are always wider than Israel alone, and Israel must therefore understand themselves as a people who welcome and include the foreigner. Firth addresses contemporary concerns about the ongoing significance of the Old Testament for Christians, and shows how opponents of Christianity have misunderstood the Bible. His reading of the Former Prophets also has significant ethical implications for Christians today as they wrestle with the issues of migration and what it means to be the people of God. 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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Paul The Progressive
$18.99Add to cartA generation of biblical scholars have sparked a revolution in thinking about the apostle Paul. Now, bible scholar and progressive Christian pastor Eric C. Smith is helping Christians see how that revolution makes a difference for people engaged in the work of justice and inclusion.
In Paul the Progressive, Smith revisits Paul in light of modern biblical scholarship, telling the story of a Paul who challenged the norms of his day, broke down barriers of gender and ethnicity, and re-imagined God’s plan for the world in terms of radical inclusion and salvation available to everyone.
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New Testament In Its World
$59.99Add to cartFinally: an introduction that captures the excitement of the early Christians, helping today’s readers to think like a first-century believer while reading the text responsibly for today.
The New Testament in Its World is your passageway from the twenty-first century to the era of Jesus and the first Christians. A highly-readable, one-volume introduction placing the entire New Testament and early Christianity in its original context, it is the only such work by distinguished scholar and author N. T. (Tom) Wright.
An ideal guide for students, The New Testament in Its World addresses the many difficult questions faced by those studying early Christianity. Both large and small, these questions include:
*What is the purpose of the New Testament?
*What was the first-century understanding of the kingdom?
*What is the real meaning of the resurrection in its original context?
*What really were the Gospels?
*Who was Paul and why are his letters so controversial?
*As twenty-first-century people, how do we recover the excitement of what it was like to live as Christians in the first or second centuries?In short, The New Testament in Its World brings together decades of ground-breaking research, writing, and teaching into one volume that will open readers’ eyes to the larger world of the New Testament. It presents the New Testament books as historical, literary, and social phenomena located in the world of Second Temple Judaism, amidst Greco-Roman politics and culture, and within early Christianity.
Written for both classroom and personal use, the benefits of The New Testament in Its World include:
*A distillation of the life work of N. T. Wright on the New Testament with input from Michael Bird
*Historical context that situates Jesus and the early church within the history, culture, and religion of Second Temple Judaism and the Greco-Roman world
*Major sections on the historical Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, and Paul’s chronology and theology
*Surveys of each New Testament book that discuss their significance, critical topics like authorship and date, and that provide commentary on contents along with implications for the Christian life
*Up-to-date discussions of textual criticism and the canonization of the New Testament
*A concluding chapter dedicated to living the story of the New Testament
*Available Video and Workbook companion resources to enhance learning and experience the world of the New Testament
*Illustrated with visually r -
Gospel Of The Son Of God
$38.99Add to cartFrom beginning to end, the Gospel of Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the Son of God. In this comprehensive introduction to Matthew, David Bauer presents a holistic inductive approach with a literary, theological, and canonical focus. Exploring issues of genre, interpretive methods, authorship, audience, and literary structure, he also guides readers through interpretation and emerging theological themes.
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Holy Imagination : A Literary And Theological Introduction To The Whole Bib
$40.99Add to cartMost literary works have one primary voice, a discourse that expresses an author’s dominant culture and ideology. The whole Bible, however, should be read by allowing numerous voices or discourses during a thousand years of literary imagination to emerge and interact. This dialogic reading process introduces theological insights that are larger than the individual parts of the Bible.
Many books about the Bible introduce students to this sacred literature through a critical tour of the historical events and cultures that were present when the authors were at work. Holy Imagination, however, groups sections of the Bible by genre, to include the whole canon.
This “reader’s introduction” is informed by literary theory and theological synthesis. For example, the first section will describe the primordial history in Genesis 1-11 as literary myth. How do we use the term myth when it is applied to the beginning of Genesis? The next section, the ancestral narratives in Genesis 12-50 is described as “formational narratives of identity.” How do the stories use sibling rivalry to shape national identity then and now?
Each section in the introduction will identify and describe the genre (myth, historiography, poetry, apocalyptic literature, and so on) and then move into a discussion about its literary characteristics. Once the range of materials within a genre is evaluated, the introduction will deploy literary tools useful in reading a particular genre. The application of these tools will be guided by a set of “literary rules.”
Reading is always an act of interpretation. The Bible is a theological text. The Bible is a literary text in that it is written and uses literary devices. Scripture comes to us in a variety of forms/genres and knowing the genre helps the reader in the task of reading. Scripture comes from multiple sources, representing a variety of perspectives over time. These different sources form a dialogue from which greater meaning can be achieved.. This dialogue is ongoing and never-ending (always making new meanings). Scripture is highly metaphorical, and metaphor is a distinct form of dialogue.
Holy Imagination can serve as the primary text for an introductory course on the whole Bible. For instructors who prefer an historical-critical structure, this book could be an appreciated supplementary text that gives new Bible readers the larger picture of the wider biblical literature.
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Myths And Mistakes In New Testament Textual Criticism
$45.99Add to cartA renewed interest in textual criticism has created an unfortunate proliferation of myths, mistakes, and misinformation about this technical area of biblical studies. Elijah Hixson and Peter Gurry, along with a team of New Testament textual critics, offer up-to-date, accurate information on the history and current state of the New Testament text that will serve apologists and offer a self-corrective to evangelical excesses.
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Jesus Skepticism And The Problem Of History
$34.99Add to cartIn recent years, a number of New Testament scholars engaged in academic historical Jesus studies have concluded that such scholarship cannot yield secure and illuminating conclusions about its subject, arguing that the search for a historically “authentic” Jesus has run aground.
Jesus, Skepticism, and the Problem of History brings together a stellar lineup of New Testament scholars who contend that historical Jesus scholarship is far from dead.
These scholars all find value in using the tools of contemporary historical methods in the study of Jesus and Christian origins. While the skeptical use of criteria to fashion a Jesus contrary to the one portrayed in the Gospels is methodologically unsound and theologically unacceptable, these criteria, properly formulated and applied, yield positive results that support the Gospel accounts and the historical narrative in Acts. This book presents a nuanced and vitally needed alternative to the skeptical extremes of revisionist Jesus scholarship that, on the one hand, uses historical methods to call into question the Jesus of the Gospels and, on the other, denies the possibility of using historical methods to learn about Jesus.
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Paul And The Giants Of Philosophy
$28.99Add to cartWhat forces shaped the intellectual world of the Apostle Paul?
How familiar was he with the great philosophers of his age, and to what extent was he influenced by them? When he quoted Greco-Roman sources, what was his aim? Pauline scholars wrestle with such questions in journal articles and technical monographs, but now Paul and the Giants of Philosophy brings the conversation into the college classroom and the church. Each essay addresses Paul’s interaction with Greco-Roman philosophical thinking on a particular topic, such as faith, slavery, gift-giving, and the afterlife. And each chapter includes discussion questions and reading lists to help readers engage the material further. Dodson and Briones have gathered contributors with diverse views from various traditions who are united in the desire to make Paul’s engagement with ancient philosophy accessible to many readers.
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Non Prophets Guide To The Book Of Revelation
$19.99Add to cartEverything You Wanted to Understand About the Book of Revelation Explained
If the final book of the Bible has ever left you scratching your head or wondering what to make of plagues and horsemen, your friendly Non-Prophet is here to help you read Revelation as never before.
Full of engaging graphics, author and illustrator Todd Hampson has created a user-friendly guide to John’s prophecies about the last days. This concise and appealing study:
*removes the fear factor and demystifies the capstone book of the Bible
*provides biblical clarity about the key events in the end-times
*helps reclaim your hope, confidence, and joy in the promised futureThe Non-Prophet’s GuideTM to the Book of Revelation offers informative study tools for understanding its prophecies, and practical challenges to apply God’s truths to your life today.
The Day of Judgment is nearer now than ever before. There’s no better time to understand the present in light of history’s final outcome.
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From Judgment To Hope
$17.00Add to cartWhile conservative interpreters might believe that prophets were predictors and progressives believe the prophets to be simply social advocates, Walter Brueggemann argues that the prophets were “emancipated imaginers of alternative.” Emancipated from the dominant thinking of their societies, the prophets imagined an alternative reality and invited listeners to join them in their commitment to that new reality.
In this collection of studies, popular biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann explores the Major Prophets, the Minor Prophets, and the prophets of the Persian Age. By highlighting the common themes of judgment and hope found in the prophets’ messages, Brueggemann invites readers to consider what those messages mean for us today. Questions for reflection conclude each chapter. From Judgment to Hope is suitable for individual or group study.
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Gospel According To Eve
$32.99Add to cartWhat does it mean to be male and female? Do women and men have different intellectual, spiritual, moral, or emotional capacities? Are women especially suited for serving and men for leading? Are women and men equal? While these may seem like relatively recent questions, they have been a topic of conversation throughout Christian history. At the center of this conversation is the biblical character Eve, the archetypal woman of Genesis 1-3. Not simply one woman among many, Eve comes to represent all women, defining the very essence of what it is to be female. As Eve was a woman, so all women were Eve, the conditions of her creation and her involvement in the Fall often serving as a justification for limitations placed on women and for their subordination to men. Over the centuries, women themselves have read and interpreted the story of Eve, scrutinizing the details of the text to discern God’s word for them. Often their investigations led them to insights and interpretations that differed from dominant views, shaped as they were by men. The Gospel According to Eve traces the history of women’s interpretation of Genesis 1-3, readings of Scripture that affirmed women’s full humanity and equal worth. Biblical scholar Amanda Benckhuysen allows the voices of women from the past to speak of Eve’s story and its implications for marriage, motherhood, preaching, ministry, education, work, voting, and more.
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Not Scattered Or Confused
$50.00Add to cartThe Hebrew Bible displays a complicated attitude toward cities. Much of the story tells of a rural, agrarian society, yet those stories were written by people living in urban environments. Moreover, cities frequently appear in a negative light; the Hebrew slaves in the book of Exodus were forced to build cities, and the book of Samuel’s critique of monarchy assumes an urban setting that supports that monarchy. At the same, time Ezra-Nehemiah makes restoration of Jerusalem and its wall a holy priority, and Genesis 1-11 (and subsequent references to the primeval narrative) show a much more layered view of the dangers and opportunities of the urban context. As the world’s population continues to move into cities and we debate the impact on human life and the natural environment, it becomes increasingly important to know how the biblical writers understood the ways in which urban life enhances and disrupts human thriving. In this book, McEntire offers a comprehensive and hopeful understanding of the Bible and the city.
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Galatians Debate : Contemporary Issues In Rhetorical And Historical Interpr
$47.00Add to cartStudents and scholars reading the secondary literature on Galatians must often negotiate specialized language and complex lines of argumentation. In addition to the theological jargon that traditionally characterizes discussion of Galatians, there is also a significant amount of rhetorical and sociohistorical terminology.
This volume facilitates familiarity with the technical terminology and with issues central to the interpretation of Galatians and presents examples of the prevailing points of view as well as some recent challenges to them. The essays included explore the rhetorical and epistolary approaches to examining Galatians, comprise a comprehensive introduction to significant research in the field, and represent some of the best work available. Mark Nanos offers an introduction and glossary of terms to help students begin their study and a comprehensive volume bibliography and modern author and ancient sources indexes for those who are continuing on to further study.
Contributors
John M. G. Barclay
Robert M. Berchman
Hans Dieter Betz
C. Joachim Classen
Nils A. Dahl
James D. G. Dunn
Philip F. Esler
Paula Fredriksen
Robert G. Hall
G. Walter Hansen
A. E. Harvey
James D. Hester
Robert Jewett
Paul E. Koptak
B. C. Lategan
Troy Martin
J. Louis Martyn
Dieter Mitternacht
Mark D. Nanos
Joop Smit
Johan S. Vos
Nikolaus Walter -
World Around The Old Testament
$48.00Add to cartLeading Experts Introduce the People and Contexts of the Old Testament
What people groups interacted with ancient Israel? Who were the Hurrians and why do they matter? What do we know about the Philistines, the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and others?
In this up-to-date volume, leading experts introduce the peoples and places of the world around the Old Testament, providing students with a fresh exploration of the ancient Near East. The contributors offer comprehensive orientations to the main cultures and people groups that surrounded ancient Israel in the wider ancient Near East, including not only Mesopotamia and the northern Levant but also Egypt, Arabia, and Greece. They also explore the contributions of each people group or culture to our understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures.
This supplementary text is organized by geographic region, making it especially suitable for the classroom and useful in a variety of Old Testament courses. Approximately eighty-five illustrative items are included throughout the book.
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Unseen Realm : Recovering The Supernatural Worldview Of The Bible
$22.99Add to cartIn The Unseen Realm, Dr. Michael Heiser examines the ancient context of Scripture, explaining how its supernatural worldview can help us grow in our understanding of God. He illuminates intriguing and amazing passages of the Bible that have been hiding in plain sight. You’ll find yourself engaged in an enthusiastic pursuit of the truth, resulting in a new appreciation for God’s Word.
*Why wasn’t Eve surprised when the serpent spoke to her?
*How did descendants of the Nephilim survive the flood?
*Why did Jacob fuse Yahweh and his Angel together in his prayer?
*Who are the assembly of divine beings that God presides over?
*In what way do those beings participate in God’s decisions?
*Why do Peter and Jude promote belief in imprisoned spirits?
*Why does Paul describe evil spirits in terms of geographical rulership?
*Who are the “glorious ones” that even angels dare not rebuke?After reading this book, you may never read your Bible the same way again.
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Reading Revelation In Context
$21.99Add to cartReading Revelation in Context brings together short, accessible essays that compare and contrast the visions and apocalyptic imagery of the book of Revelation with various texts from Second Temple Jewish literature.
Going beyond an introduction that merely surveys historical events and theological themes, Reading Revelation in Context examines individual passages in Second Temple Jewish literature in order to illuminate the context of Revelation’s theology and the meaning and potency of John’s visions. Following the narrative progression of Revelation, each chapter (1) pairs a major unit of the Apocalypse with one or more sections of a thematically related Jewish text, (2) introduces and explores the historical and theological nuances of the comparator text, and (3) shows how the ideas in the comparator text illuminate those expressed in Revelation.
In addition to the focused comparison provided in the essays, the book contains other student-friendly features that will help them engage broader discussions, including an introductory chapter that familiarizes students with the world and texts of Second Temple Judaism, a glossary of important terms, and a brief appendix suggesting what tools students might use to undertake their own comparative studies. At the end of each chapter there a list of other thematically relevant Second Temple Jewish texts recommended for additional study and a focused bibliography pointing students to critical editions and higher-level discussions in scholarly literature.
Reading Revelation in Context brings together an international team of over 20 New Testament experts including Jamie Davies, David A. deSilva, Michael J. Gorman, Dana M. Harris, Ronald Herms, Edith M. Humphrey, Jonathan A. Moo, Elizabeth E. Shively, Cynthia Long Westfall, Archie T. Wright, and more.
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Participating In Christ
$32.00Add to cartWorld-renowned scholar Michael Gorman examines the important Pauline theme of participation in Christ and explores its contemporary significance for Christian life and ministry. One of the themes Gorman explores is what he calls “resurrectional cruciformity”–that participating in Christ is simultaneously dying and rising with him and that cross-shaped living, infused with the life of the resurrected Lord, is life giving. Throughout the book, Gorman demonstrates the centrality of participating in Christ for Paul’s theology and spirituality.
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Letters From Jesus
$24.99Add to cart“In Revelation 2:2, Jesus tells the church in Ephesus something intimate-Google Street View intimate. He says, ‘I know your works’ (Oida ta erga sou). Four words don’t seem like much, but in the Greek, it packs a punch…. Jesus chooses the Greek word oida, which expresses total, comprehensive knowledge. It is intimate knowledge that comes from being up close and personal. This knowledge isn’t hazy on the details. It doesn’t struggle to remember. It preserves the particulars. In the mind’s eye, everything is sharp and clear, like a well-taken photograph.” -Chris Palmer
Letters from Jesus: Studies from the Seven Churches of Revelation explores Christ’s warnings to the seven most prominent churches in Asia Minor in the book of Revelation. These letters date back to 95 A.D., but they help us make a fascinating discovery about civilization: life hasn’t changed that much over the last two millennia.
Author Chris Palmer illustrates the truths contained in the Letters from Jesus using modern, everyday day examples. The host of the popular podcast Greek for the Week, he unpacks Greek words and phrases in these verses from Revelation with humor, joy, and biblical scholarship.
Why study Greek, even just a little bit? As Chris explains, looking at the New Testament in the original language in which it was written can offer us some beautiful insights into God’s Word. “It’s like reading the Bible in high definition,” he says. Also, “studying God’s Word in the original language forces us to approach it with reverence and awe, humbling ourselves to obey what it says, whether it’s something we want to hear or not.”
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Liturgy Of Creation
$32.99Add to cartIn this book, Michael LeFebvre considers the calendars of the Pentateuch with their basis in the heavenly lights and the land’s agricultural cadences. He argues that dates were added to Old Testament narratives not as journalistic details but to teach sacred rhythms of labor and worship. LeFebvre then applies this insight to the creation week, finding that the days of creation also serve a liturgical purpose and not a scientific one. The Liturgy of Creation restores emphasis on the religious function of the creation week as a guide for Sabbath worship. Scholars, students, and church members alike will appreciate LeFebvre’s careful scholarship and pastoral sensibilities.
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Restoration Of Zion
$14.99Add to cartWhen you hear the word Zion, what comes to mind? As Christians, we’ve sung the choruses and the hymns about Zion or Mount Zion, but do we fully understand just what we’re singing about? Do we know what it is? The Bible promises the full restoration of Zion, and if we don’t fully know what Zion is, what then do we anticipate in terms of its restoration?
The greatest hindrance to accurate interpretation and application of Scripture is a futuristic view of Scripture. This futuristic view continues to rob the Believer of experiencing God in His fullness in the here and now.
In this book, we will uncover within the Scriptures exactly what Zion actually represents to the New Testament believer. So lay down any preconceived ideas you may have, delve into the pages of this book, and let it speak truth to you.
