Israel's Lord : YHWH as "two powers" in second temple literature (2024) by
"Israel's Lord reviews Second Temple Jewish literature, finding that many texts describe a concept known as "two powers" in heaven. The two powers concept provides a helpful paradigm for reading New Testament texts and their varying depictions of Jesus as the "Lord" of Israel"-
Embracing the Nonhuman in the Gospel of Mark by
In Embracing the Nonhuman in the Gospel of Mark, Dong Hyeon Jeong approaches the Gospel of Mark through the lens of nonhuman studies with an eye toward ecological consciousness. Drawing on the fields of nonhuman studies and postcolonial ecocriticism, Jeong disrupts anthropocentric readings of Mark by engaging animality, vegetality, and animacy theories in light of (colonized) ethnicity. His intersectional reading of Mark highlights the importance of engaging nonhuman biblical interpretation while being sensitive to the issue of racism arising from animalizing the other. By doing so, this book reimagines the Markan Jesus as the colonized messiah who embraces the nonhuman. Jeong encourages readers to consider the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment, while also addressing issues of power, oppression, and marginalization.
Matthew: the Gospel of promised blessings. by
Explore the tenderness and the tensions in the teachings of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew portrays Jesus and his message as full of tender compassion and urgent warning. This six-part exploration of an enigmatic Gospel takes readers into the themes, topics, and tensions at the heart of Matthew's story about the life and work of Jesus. Chapters focus on blessing and comfort, judgment and retribution, the meaning of discipleship, Jesus' vision for the Church and world, conflicts and complaints, and how the Gospel of Matthew speaks to believers today. The book can be read alone or used by small groups anytime throughout the year. Components include video teaching sessions featuring Matthew Skinner and a comprehensive Leader Guide.
Matthew : the gospel of promised blessings (Leader Guide) by
Explore the tenderness and the tensions in the teachings of Jesus. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Components include the book, Matthew: The Gospel of Promised Blessings, and video teaching sessions featuring Matthew Skinner. The Gospel of Matthew portrays Jesus and his message as full of tender compassion and urgent warning. This six-part exploration of an enigmatic Gospel takes readers into the themes, topics, and tensions at the heart of Matthew's story about the life and work of Jesus. Chapters focus on blessing and comfort, judgment and retribution, the meaning of discipleship, Jesus' vision for the Church and world, conflicts and complaints, and how the Gospel of Matthew speaks to believers today.
Source Criticism by
Source criticism has been at the center of biblical studies for the last two centuries. In that time, it has produced a wide range of theories and approaches, often conflicting. This book provides a concise overview of the major approaches and positions in the field, helping the reader understand where scholarship has been and where it currently stands, and situating each major development within its broader intellectual and social context.
Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John by
This volume contends that the Gospel of John presents the most thorough and robust Wisdom Christology of all the New Testament books. Wisdom Christology--the christological concept that applies the roles, characteristics, and functions of God's personified wisdom to the man Jesus Christ--is displayed to be skillfully interwoven throughout all twenty-one chapters of the Fourth Gospel, starting with the famous prologue. In response to the prevailing tendency among interpreters to project postbiblical understandings of Jesus from the fourth- and fifth-century church councils back into the Gospel of John, this volume shows that a more fitting context emerges from Jewish Wisdom literature. By situating the Johannine Jesus in his first-century Jewish context, readers can appreciate John's commitment to monotheism and Jesus' role as the Father's highly empowered human agent, fully embodying Lady Wisdom.
Now Shown Mercy : a commentary on Romans 9-11 by
Reasoner's Now Shown Mercy is the first commentary in 500 years that returns to the quadriga (literal sense plus threefold spiritual sense) in its exegetical approach. The commentary shows how Paul understands Israel to be valued by God for its own sake, not simply as a type of the church or a preparation for the Christ. Paul views Israel as under God's mercy even as he writes Romans chapters 9-11, grieving as he is over both Israel's political subjugation in the first century and its spiritual condition. Since these chapters show that God values Israel for its own sake, the commentary's exegesis calls gentile believers to heed anew Paul's warning against boasting over Israel.
Hearing the Message of Habakkuk : living by faith in a violent world by
What does it mean to be faithful disciples in a violent and unjust world? Habakkuk described an era of rampant moral and social evil among his own people, and a vision of the rapid rise of the Babylonian empire under Nebuchadnezzar. The world he described is familiar in so many eras of human history, including our own. The frightening international tensions, confusion about political alignments and alliances, fractured moral and religious traditions, and social dissolution and degradation cause the same fear and anxiety today as they did back then. Confusing is a mild world for it--international, political, religious, moral confusion. It was (and still is) a world of national wickedness and international turmoil and violence, a world in which God appears to be asleep on his watch and yet claims to be "working a work" in Habakkuk's day and ours. Hearing the Message of Habakkuk walks through the questions the prophet asked God about injustice and the jaw-dropping answers he received. This popular-level exposition addresses: God's silence. God's sovereignty. Living by faith. God's judgement. Trusting God's Word. What we learn from Habakkuk's dialogue with God can help us today as we struggle to work out what it means to believe in God's sovereignty, justice, and love, and to live as faithful disciples in an unjust world.
Jesus, Contradicted: why the Gospels tell the same story differently by
The differences and discrepancies in the Gospels constitute the foremost objections to their reliability and the credibility of their message. Some have tried to resolve Gospels contradictions with strained harmonization efforts. Many others conclude that the Gospels are hopelessly contradictory and, therefore, historically unreliable accounts of Jesus. In Jesus, Contradicted, New Testament scholar Michael Licona shows how the genre of ancient biography, to which the Gospels belong, actually allows biographers to be flexible in how they report events, construct a narrative, and make an argument. Licona demonstrates that the intentional changes to the Jesus tradition by the Evangelists reveal that the differences in how the Gospels report events are not grounds for their rejection. Instead, they are a result of the Gospel writers employing standard literary conventions common in their time for writing ancient biography. Licona introduces readers to the genre of ancient biography through Plutarch, who wrote 48 of the 90 extent biographies written within 150 years of Jesus, giving numerous examples of compositional devices employed by Plutarch, and comparing them with instances in the Gospels where the Evangelists appear to use similar techniques. Licona also examines Theon's Progymnasmata, a first-century textbook that provides six techniques for paraphrasing one's sources when writing a narrative. In doing so, he helps readers understand why the Gospels report many events differently. Finally, Licona concludes by addressing the thorny question of whether the editorial moves commonplace in ancient biography are compatible with the doctrines of the divine inspiration and the inerrancy of Scripture. Rather than trying to resolve discrepancies by bending the Gospel narrative, which risks making them say things they aren't saying, Jesus, Contradicted situates the Gospels within their proper context and helps readers account for differences in the Gospels in a cohesive and historically cogent way.
The Theology of the Book of Samuel by
The Old Testament book of Samuel is an intriguing narrative that offers an account of the origin of the monarchy in Israel. It also deals at length with the fascinating stories of Saul and David. In this volume, John Goldingay works through the book, exploring the main theological ideas as they emerge in the narratives about Samuel, Saul, and David, as well as in the stories of characters such as Hannah, Michal, Bathsheba, and Tamar. Goldingay brings out the key ideas about God and God's involvement in the lives of people, and their involvement with him through prayer and worship. He also delves into the mystery and complexity of human persons and their roles in events. Goldingay's study traces how God pursues his purpose for Israel and, ultimately, for the world in these narratives. It shows how this pursuit is interwoven with the realities of family, monarchy, war, love, ambition, loss, failure, and politics.
Hebrews (Believers Church Bible Commentary) by
What constitutes a faithful life? At its most basic level, the New Testament book of Hebrews considers this essential question and pleads with its audience to find in faithful living the rest that Christ offers. The book begins with a poetic reflection on the one who lived the most faithful of lives--Jesus--and concludes with words of exhortation to go and do likewise. In the 37th volume in the Believers Church Bible Commentary series, scholars Debra J. Bucher and Estella Horning examine at great length one important aspect of Hebrews: Jesus as the "new covenant" and the "once for all," better sacrifice who replaces the daily and yearly sacrifices offered in the temple in Jerusalem. The authors give attention to the ways this idea has been used to minimize the value of other religious traditions and even to legitimize the horrors of the mid-twentieth century. They carefully unpack the language around sacrifice and covenant based on the saving work of Jesus, drawing out encouragement found in Hebrews to live as individuals and as a community led by Jesus, the pioneer and high priest. Bucher and Horning don't shy away from the difficult language in Hebrews, but rather help readers understand its historical context and then how to use the text with love within our own context. About the Believers Church Bible Commentary series This readable commentary series is for all who seek more fully to understand the original message of Scripture and its meaning for today--Sunday school teachers, members of Bible study groups, students, pastors, and other seekers. --From the Series Foreword
Overcoming the world : glory and shame in the Gospel of John by
From the first century to the twenty-first, Christians have never been immune to persecution, displacement, or trauma. However, by following Jesus's example in the Gospel of John, and rooting themselves in their identity as children of God, they can experience God's power to transform shame into glory. In the Gospel of John, Jesus experiences extreme forms of humiliation, rejection, and suffering. Yet, in sharp contrast to those around him, he seeks and sees God's glory in everything he does and everything that is done to him. Beginning with this reality, Yevgeny Ustinovich examines how the Fourth Gospel invites Christ's followers into this same way of seeing, where the glory of God is found even in the most difficult of circumstances. He explores the relevance of this invitation for the contemporary church, as it seeks to minister to victims of war, abuse, persecution, and other forms of violence. A powerful resource for dealing with trauma as a Christian community, this book offers its readers a deeper understanding of the Gospel of John, Christian identity, and the role of suffering in the Christian life.
Reading the Bible amid the Environmental Crisis: interdisciplinary insights to ecological hermeneutics by
Reading the Bible Amid the Environmental Crisis: Interdisciplinary Insights to Ecological Hermeneutics ventures into the realms of love, loss, despair, and compassion, demonstrating the profound interconnectedness of ecology with every facet of human existence. Drawing from diverse disciplines such as trauma theory, affect theory, ethics, animal studies, posthumanism philosophy, and environmental humanities. Sébastien Doane intertwines biblical texts and theoretical frameworks to challenge traditional methodologies, presenting a fresh perspective on the ecological crisis of our time. This book argues for a vital role of biblical studies in addressing the ecological challenge, acknowledging the Bible's profound influence on Western cultures. Doane advocates for critical examination of anthropocentrism in biblical texts, exploring innovative ways to read the Bible in the Anthropocene.
The Old Testament As Literature : foundations for Christian interpretation by
Tremper Longman has studied and taught the Old Testament and its interpretation for four decades. Now, in a planned three-book project, he presents his mature thoughts on three ways of approaching the Old Testament text: as literature, as history, and as a source of theology. This first volume explores the importance of reading the Old Testament as literature. Each culture tells its stories and writes its poems in different ways. To read and understand the Old Testament texts the way the ancient authors intended, we need to be aware of the conventions of Hebrew storytelling and poetry that they used. In part 1, dealing with literary theory, Longman investigates how texts create meaning, the history of the study of the Old Testament as literature, and how genre dictates reading strategy. He explores the Hebrew conventions for both narrative and poetry in conversation with contemporary literary approaches. Parts 2 and 3 delve into practice, using the tools gained in part 1 to analyze and interpret a variety of Old Testament narratives and poetry. Longman's accessible writing and balanced judgments make this book suitable for the classroom and the church.
Strangers in the Bible: loved but not embraced? by
Strangers in the Bibleexplores ways of overcoming the boundaries between exegesis and ethics without abolishing or blurring those boundaries. It makes a unique contribution by combining in a single book the epistemological debates, the methodology, and the results related to using Scripture to delve into an ethics issue. Endorsements "Citing the helpful insights of an impressive variety of authorities and major thinkers along the way, René Micallef has chosen to think seriously about 'the stranger' both in Scripture and in our modern world where the term stranger almost always calls up mixed emotions and alarming rhetoric (neighbors, refugees, migrants, threats, victims and so much more). However, Micallef's careful analysis of some of the complexities of trying to do serious biblical ethics is by no means a shallow sermon--and he pushes us to sharpen our reading of the Bible in relation to promoting compassion and justice in modern life. This is a challenging, thoughtful, and ultimately encouraging read." --Daniel L. Smith-Christopher, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. René M. Micallef, SJ,is a Maltese priest and member of the Society of Jesus. He is an associate professor of moral theology and social ethics at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He holds degrees from universities in Malta, the UK, France, Spain, and the USA. +
The Rabbinic Parables and Jesus the Parable Teller by
First published in German as Die rabbinschenGleichnisse und der Gleichniserzähler Jesusin 1981--and now translated into English for the first time--this seminal work by Professor David Flusser remains an important and unparalleled contribution on Jesus as a storyteller in the Jewish rabbinic tradition. Using a literary approach to study extant rabbinic parables, he argues that Jesus' parables belong to a genre that exists only in rabbinic literature and the New Testament. In order to analyze the theology behind Jesus' parables, we need to understand them as a first-century literary art form.In a summary of the book, Flusser writes: "I am firmly convinced with fellow researchers that it is possible to get reasonably close to the original wording of Jesus' teaching. But this is only the case when the otherwise usual method of literary criticism is applied to the text of the Synoptic Gospels, and when, moreover, one is willing and able to be guided by knowledge of Judaism. I certainly admit that the words of Jesus, including his parables, were edited by Greek redactors and subsequently by the evangelists. Nevertheless, I believe it is often possible to separate the 'shell' from the 'nut' by applying a better synoptic theory. . . . As I have argued several times, the parables of Jesus belong to the genre of the rabbinic parables. Therefore, valid statements about Jesus' parables, whether these regard their essence or their literary quality, can only be made when one has first dealt with the essence and literary form of the rabbinic parables."
'the Spirit of the Lord Came upon Me' : prophets in ancient Israel from a cross-cultural perspective by
Lester Grabbe here distills his wide body of work on the subject of prophecy. The volume considers prophecy in different cultural contexts across ancient Israel and surrounding areas. Beginning with a consideration of prophecy in the Hebrew Bible, Grabbe then looks at it as phenomenon in the ancient near east, including Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Levant. From this background in the immediate context of ancient Israel, Grabbe then widens the cultural lens to consider prophecy in more global environments, including Africa and the Americas, and recent examples of pseudo-biblical prophets such as Joseph Smith. In the final part of the book Grabbe then analyses these different prophetic types and forms, looking at the continuing traditions of prophecy alongside their ancient roots.
Echoes of Friendship in the Gospel of John by
Friendship in the Graeco-Roman world took a wide variety of forms, with some 'friendships' involving nothing more than a political alliance or patron-client relationship and others involving deep personal intimacy. When Jesus says his disciples are to be called 'friends', what type of friendship does he have in mind? Friendship may seem a relatively insignificant motif in the Gospel of John, since the author does not explicitly set out to provide a philosophical discourse on the nature of friendship, nor does he explicitly state that the narrative is about friendship. In this study, however, Culy, having carefully examined Graeco-Roman literature on friendship, demonstrates that the language of what he calls 'ideal friendship' actually pervades the Fourth Gospel from beginning to end and serves as a primary vehicle for characterizing the relationships that are introduced in the Prologue and fleshed out throughout the course of the narrative. Taking up the friendship motif as a tool of characterization, the Gospel of John points to a striking implication of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus: that followers of Jesus are invited to enjoy a level of intimacy with him that can actually, and perhaps only, be compared to the level of intimacy that he enjoys with the Father. The Johannine Jesus, then, came not just to save the world but also to offer those who would follow him a relationship that Graeco-Roman philosophers only dreamed of, a relationship where all the ingredients of ideal friendship were present.
Psalms 1-44:: a theological commentary for preachers by
This three-volume commentary on the Psalms engages hermeneutics for preaching, employing theological exegesis that enables the preacher to utilize all the psalms in the Psalter to craft effective sermons. It unpacks the crucial link between Scripture and application: the theology of each preaching text/psalm--what the author is doing with what he is saying in each psalm--is explored and explicated. While the primary goal of the commentary is to take the preacher from text to theology, it also provides a sermon outline for each of the preaching units in the Psalms. The unique approach of this work results in a theology-for-preaching commentary that promises to be useful for anyone teaching from the Psalter with an emphasis on application.
Galatians: a commentary for students by
This commentary of Galatians is a thorough examination of the text of the letter by Mark J. Keown. It includes an introduction to the letter and a verse by verse analysis of Paul's letter. It is designed to be a readable, thorough exploration of Galatians without being overly laden with engagement with secondary literature. The Greek of Galatians is transliterated throughout the commentary, including in the translations, making the Greek accessible to all readers. The real emphasis is engagement with the text, the meaning of the Greek, especially in regards to primary sources, and the flow of Paul's argument against the Judaizers challenging his churches. Yet, as is usual in Mark Keown's work, it is all presented in an easily understandable and readable way. At points, the author pauses to share a personal story or two, adding flavor to the commentary. While it is comprehensive and thorough, It is ideal for preachers who are looking to really grapple with the meaning of Galatians for Christians today. Special emphasis is given to Paul's summons in the letter that readers live by faith and not works and embrace God's call in the gospel to lay aside all forms of prejudice under God's reign. In the discussion of Galatians 5, in-depth consideration is given to the ethical issues it raises, a helpful tool for Christians grappling with how to live by the Spirit in a twenty-first-century world full of challenges.
Resurrection remembered: a memory approach to Jesus' resurrection in First Corinthians by 
The Kingdom of God and the Poor : the Bible reading of the economically underprivileged Christians in Tanzania by
Meshack Edward Njinga explores the kinds of Bible study reading of the economically underprivileged Christians of southwest of Tanzania. He researched how economically underprivileged Christians read and interpret the text about poverty, themselves being poor people. Moreover, the study looked on how Christians move from the text to their context. As a result of research, the study has found that the economically underprivileged Christians use their context to inform the text rather than moving from text to the context.In the CBS, the economically underprivileged Christians do theology. The kind of theology they are doing is a theology from below, the theology of the economically underprivileged. This is a practical theology which includes all people regardless of their academic background within African, specifically, Tanzanian Christianity. It involves all kinds of people regarding how they understand, communicate and live their Christian faith under perilous circumstances under which they are living in the community.
The Emancipation of God: postmarks on cultural prophecy by
Understanding the gospel as emancipation has been central to Walter Brueggemann's biblical interpretation. This book illustrates the theme's centrality, addressing the emancipation of God from our attempts to control, the emancipation of the church to be the people of an emancipated God, and the emancipation of the gospel to be a cultural prophecy. This volume divides into three parts: "The Emancipation of God," "The Emancipation of the Church," and "The Emancipation of the Neighborhood." What the three parts hold in common is the kingdom of God. In each chapter, Brueggemann grinds away at biblical texts that have been muffled, silenced, and disabled to free the text from its cultural entrapments so that that the liberated text can speak for an emancipated God and a liberated church to free the world.
Pauline Letters: Texts @ Contexts by
In this volume contributors from various social locations in North America, Asia, Europe, and Australia analyse and interpret Pauline letters. Engaging both the biblical text and the lives and contexts from different sociocultural, religious, methodological perspectives, each contributor demonstrates the dynamic interaction between text and context in their understanding and explanation of the text. The first part of the volume highlights the hermeneutical focus in interpretation. That is, how a certain chosen worldview (e.g., Lutheran liturgical worldview) affects one's decision in prioritizing a certain textual dimension and level instead of others. Part Two elucidates how even a technical analysis of the text (e.g., epistolography) is context-oriented. Part Three shows how such a contemporary contextual interpretation is also an intercontextual and intertextual interpretation that entails intersectional and global-local experiences.
The First Christian Letters : reading 1 and 2 Thessalonians by
Paul's letters to the Thessalonians are the earliest surviving Christian documents. They are also among the most easily overlooked parts of the New Testament. What could these short, simple letters possibly have to say to a world caught in the throes of racial discord, political polarization, fears of an uncertain future, and fights over truth and false news? While Paul and his companions could not have imagined anything like the twenty-first century, their letters in the mid-first century to non-Jewish followers of Jesus in northern Greece address problems we still wrestle with today: race and ethnicity, family, ethics, an unknown future, how to respond to strangers, and more. These letters, rather than being an outdated part of Paul's collected letters, provoke us to throw ourselves into the great challenges of the modern world, to resist the temptation to repay "another person evil for evil," and to "pursue the good, both for one another and for everyone" (1 Thess 5:15). Will we read these ancient letters anew?
Walter Brueggemann's Prophetic Imagination: a theological biography by
In this theological biography of the most prolific Old Testament student of the twenty-first century, Conrad Kanagy portrays Walter Brueggemann within the historical and cultural landscape of his formation. Kanagy follows Walter from his childhood home in Blackburn, Missouri, to Elmhurst College, Eden Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary. Kanagy introduces us to the teachers who most influenced Brueggemann's personal and theological development. We observe Walter Brueggemann's unflappable energy as he moves toward the publication of The Prophetic Imagination, which will land him on the theological map of biblical studies and the American church. This breakthrough will define the rest of Brueggemann's life as he pivots among the biblical text, classroom, church, and world. The book addresses the riddle of The Prophetic Imagination's surprising emergence and enduring resilience, peering deeply into the theologian's interior life, about which little has been understood by even those closest to him. If all "theology is biography," we have missed much about Brueggemann's understanding of God by knowing so little of his person. The book's integration of his work and life within his community across nine decades reveals the most complete portrait to date of this remarkable prophet, pastor, preacher, teacher, and friend. Still, after all the careful research, much of who Walter Brueggemann is remains a mystery. He rejects reductionist portraits of himself, the biblical text, and God. He recognizes that the worlds we construct theologically are messy, perhaps because he sees the "wild and woolly" God of the world as more than a bit messy: a God who cannot be fully measured, a God who pivots just when we imagined we knew the way, and a God whose mystery and preference for openness and unpredictability are enough to keep any one of us on our toes.
Song of Songs and Lamentations: Smyth & Helwys Bible commentary by
"This study will draw insights from cross-cultural comparisons of ancient love poetry and from research on oral poetic performative art still practiced by traditional cultures today. Composed as love poetry, the Song of Songs is rooted in popular culture; it did not arise in a formal religious setting and was not originally performed in the temple. Essential in this study of the Song is close attention to translation of the Hebrew, the dynamics of Hebrew biblical poetry, including a feature of ancient "gendered" composing, and other rhetorical techniques. All of this contributes to seeing and hearing the extraordinary artistic beauty and sophistication of the lyrics in the Song and their timeless quality.These lament Psalms (as is true for Lamentations) also contain appeals to God for help, which is the other genre of lament-lament as prayerful plea or petition. The qînôt, as communal laments for destruction, are also found in Mesopotamia and other cultures worldwide"--
The Return of the Kingdom: a biblical theology of God's reign by
The biblical story begins and ends with God as king. Human beings rebel, however, rather than fulfilling their royal calling to rule creation on behalf of their Sovereign--and the world became enslaved to the rule of a dark, serpentine lord. In this volume of IVP Academic's Essential Studies in Biblical Theology, Stephen Dempster traces the themes of kingship and kingdom throughout Scripture, illuminating the challenges, pain, and ultimate hope that the Bible offers. The story of God's kingship is ultimately the fulfillment of a promise, a promise to restore the rightful rule of humanity over creation by defeating sin and death and to establish a world of peace and justice. Essential Studies in Biblical Theology (ESBT), edited by Benjamin L. Gladd, explore the central or essential themes of the Bible's grand storyline. Taking cues from Genesis 1-3, authors trace the presence of these themes throughout the entire sweep of redemptive history. Written for students, church leaders, and laypeople, the series offers an introduction to biblical theology.
Qoheleth : the ironic wink by
Rarely does a biblical book evoke admiration from a Nobel laureate in literature, a newspaper columnist, a prize-winning poet, and a popular songwriter. Ecclesiastes has done all of that, and for good reason. The author, who called himself Qoheleth, stared death in the face and judged all human endeavors to be futile. James L. Crenshaw begins by examining the essential mysteries of the book of Ecclesiastes: the speaker's identity, his emphasis on hidden or contradictory truths, and his argument of the insubstantiality of most things and the ultimate futility of all efforts. Moving from the ancient to the contemporary, Crenshaw again analyzes Qoheleth's observations about the human condition, this time testing whether they can stand up against rational inquiry today. In exploring Qoheleth's identity, the foundations of his outlook, and his recommendations, Crenshaw engages modern readers in a conversation about one of the most disagreed-upon biblical books. In Qoheleth, Crenshaw draws on related literature from the ancient Near East and traces the impact of Qoheleth in both Christian and Jewish traditions, summarizing a lifetime of scholarship on the book of Ecclesiastes. While exploring Ecclesiastes and its enigmatic author, Crenshaw engages scholars and modern interpreters in genuine debate over the lasting relevance of Qoheleth's teachings and the place of Ecclesiastes in the biblical canon. Ecclesiastes' writer, Qoheleth, delivers a simple message: seize the moment, for death awaits.
God Trauma and Wisdom Therapy: a commentary on Job by
This volume analyzes how a narrator from the ancient Wisdom School portrays the deep trauma experiences of Job in his brutal relations with his God and his friends. These experiences range from the trauma of meaningless existence to the trauma of human oppression. Job experiences God as a celestial spy, an angry adversary, and Job's potential murderer. As an innocent victim, Job seeks to take God to court but is frustrated by the inaccessibility of his God. Job experiences his friends as suffocating fools devoid of wisdom and as heartless comforters who assume Job is guilty of crimes and needs to make a covenant with God and repent. This analysis is informed by a contemporary trauma hermeneutic. After a long tirade of cries by Job against God and his friends, the Wisdom narrator intervenes with a brilliant Wisdom manifesto in which he raises the pivotal question "Where can wisdom be found?" The answer is not "in the mind of God" but "in nature." God himself does the research and finds wisdom in the forces of nature, a discovery that anticipates the healing experience of Job. Job, however, takes a final oath in anticipation of litigation. A young arbiter responds, claiming that the breath of God has given him the wisdom to answer Job. In the climax of the narrative a voice, tantamount to a Wisdom therapist, addresses Job from a whirlwind. The voice does not declare Job innocent or guilty. Instead, Job is taken on a tour of the cosmos, a tour that enables his healing. Job is challenged to discern how Wisdom has been the primordial force that has designed, integrated, and sustained all the realms of the cosmos. Wisdom is a force innate in everything from the clouds to the eagle, a cosmic Presence Job is challenged to discern. When Job discerns that Presence, he is healed, retracts his case against God, and gets rid of his dust and ashes. Job is transformed from having a victim consciousness to having a cosmic wisdom consciousness.
The Psalms by
Within the library of the world's classics, the book of Psalms occupies a unique place. Few books were composed over a longer period of time and have exercised more cultural and religious influence than the Psalms, the longest and most complex collection in the Hebrew Bible. Nearly 1,000 years in the making with dozens of contributors, this ancient anthology includes 150 prayers and poems for a host of public occasions and private exigencies, ranging from the comforting passage "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," Ps 23:4 to some of the most violent imprecations, such as "Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth," Ps 58:6). The Psalms is an introduction to the world of the Psalms that focuses on the content and the poetic forms in the collection, guiding the reader toward an appreciation of the purposes of the Psalms and their contribution to the Scriptures of Israel. Rather than abstract theorizing, Keith Bodner offers close readings of numerous psalms, exploring the poetically-framed questions raised in the Psalms, ranging from the problem of evil and the silence of God to issues of philosophical speculation, practical atheism, and even life after death.
The Bible in Photography : index, icon, tableau, vision (2024) by 
Strangers with God: a theology of hospitality in the three Abrahamic religions by
These pages represent the compendium of a long journey of more than twenty-five years. It would be simplistic to define this journey as exclusively intellectual, because it would be unthinkable without frequent visits to the Middle East, in particular to Turkey, the second Holy Land of Christianity, the ancient Asia Minor of biblical history, with its overwhelming Muslim population today. The fact is that, since many years now, the theme of hospitality has been the subject of numerous publications, studies, contributions and gatherings with protagonists of various opinions and expertise convening to give answers to questions related to the challenge of living together in the complex society of our contemporary world. It is precisely by letting ourselves be questioned by these complexities that we become aware that the challenge of hospitality is not merely economic or political but also spiritual. Claudio Monge addresses one of the key questions of today with an extremely ancient text from the deepest roots of our civilisation, Genesis 18, in which Abraham welcomes the three strangers who come to his tent and announce the conception of Isaac. Today, when millions are in movement, fleeing war and poverty, the question of how we are to receive strangers is urgent and inescapable. Monge explores this text through the traditions of three religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - which claim the assent of approximately half of the population of the world. Yet these three religions, all looking back in one way or another to Abraham, are often strangers to each other. If we could offer welcome to each other, what a powerful sign of hope this would be for our conflict torn world!
The New Testament in Color : a multiethnic Bible commentary by
In a first-of-its-kind volume, The New Testament in Color offers biblical commentary that is: Multiethnic Diverse Contextual Informative Reflective Prophetic Inspiring "I wish someone had handed The New Testament in Color to me twenty-five years ago, and I hope many will read it now." --Nijay Gupta, bestselling author of Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church. Historically, Bible commentaries have focused on the particular concerns of a limited segment of the church, all too often missing fresh questions and perspectives that are fruitful for biblical interpretation. Listening to scholars from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities offers us an opportunity to explore the Bible from a wider angle, a better vantage point. The New Testament in Color is a one-volume commentary on the New Testament written by a multiethnic team of scholars holding orthodox Christian beliefs. Each scholar brings exegetical expertise coupled with a unique interpretive lens to illuminate the ways social location and biblical interpretation work together. Theologically orthodox and multiethnically contextual, The New Testament in Color fills a gap in biblical understanding for both the academy and the church. Who we are and where God placed us--it's all useful for better understanding his Word.
The Book of Bibles. : the most beautiful illuminated Bibles of the Middle Ages (40th Ed) by
In the beginning was the word, and in the Middle Ages were kings, princes, and high-ranking religious members whose wealth and influence produced illustrated bibles of extraordinary craftsmanship. This edition brings together 50 of the finest medieval bible manuscripts from the Austrian National Library. With examples from every epoch of the Middle Ages, the collection explores visualizations of the bible in various theological and historical contexts. In impeccable reproduction quality, these stunning images may be appreciated as much as art historical treasures as they are important religious artifacts. Texts by Andreas Fingernagel, Stephan Füssel, Christian Gastgeber, and a team of 15 scientific authors describe each manuscript in detail, exploring both the evolution of the Bible and the medieval understanding of history. A glossary of important terms is also included so that those not versed in bible history can enjoy the texts as well.
Preaching the Pastoral Epistles by
Since the second century, 1-2 Timothy and Titus, often referred to as the "Pastoral Epistles," have been read and practiced together to help order a Christian congregation's life and mission. These three letters were likely recognized early on as divinely inspired scripture and were added to the Pauline collection to help train the spiritual leaders of earliest Christianity. However, they are rarely taught in most congregations and seminaries today. Admittedly, the genre of these letters (paraenesis) is hard to preach. The primary reason for their neglect, however, is modern criticism's silencing of them because most scholars think they were not written by Paul and are not aligned with either his gospel or mission. Moreover, they include instructions that are widely received today as out of sync with our modern social worlds. This Proclamation Commentary on these Pauline letters presumes both their apostolic authority as divinely inspired and human-inspiring scripture and their contemporary relevance in encouraging clergy and teachers to reimagine their roles as ministers of the gospel and spiritual leaders for today's global church.
Missed Treasures of the Holy Spirit : Distinctive New Testament Pneumatologies by
In this volume on the Holy Spirit, "Missed Treasures" designates the rich pneumatologies in the New Testament books and letters beyond Paul, John, and Luke-Acts. Depictions of the Holy Spirit in Matthew, the Letter of James, Revelation, and other books are analyzed and incorporated into the theological tapestry of New Testament thought. Another unique feature of this volume is its focus on the numinous presence of God in the sweep of Israel's history; there are chapters on the Septuagint, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Wisdom of Solomon that trace Christian pneumatology back to its source, the Hebrew Scriptures. In short, this volume expands the scholarly conversation exponentially as it explores a complement of texts spanning the New Testament and reaching back into the Hebrew Scriptures. A lucid guide to the distinctive pneumatologies of the New Testament, this collection is must reading for all who would engage the dialogue between scriptural study and systematic theology.
Isaiah 40-66 (New Cambridge Bible commentary) by
The texts in Isaiah 40-66 are widely admired for their poetic brilliance. Situating Isaiah within its historic context, Katie Heffelfinger here explores its literary aspects through a lyrically informed approach that emphasizes key features of the poetry and explains how they create meaning. Her detailed analysis of the text's passages demonstrates how powerful poetic devices, such as paradox, allusion, juxtaposition, as well as word and sound play, are used to great effect via the divine speaking voice, as well as the personified figures of the Servant and Zion. Heffelfinger's commentary includes a glossary of poetic terminology that provides definitions of key terms in non-technical language. It features additional resources, notably, 'Closer Look' sections, which explore important issues in detail; as well as 'Bridging the Horizons' sections that connect Isaiah's poetry to contemporary issues, including migration, fear, and divided society.
The Message of Obadiah, Nahum and Zephaniah : the kindness and severity of God by
Among the books of the Bible, Obadiah, Nahum, and Zephaniah are rarely read or preached. Gordon Bridger moves against this trend, encouraging the study and application of these Old Testament prophets. Important biblical themes are found at the heart of these books: God's personal, sovereign, righteous, and loving character; facing up to sin and judgment; responding in repentance and faith; and hoping for future salvation and restoration. And in touch with the social and political issues of their day, the prophets speak to the real world: immoral political and religious leaders, personal and national pride, and the exile of God's people from their home. Part of the beloved Bible Speaks Today series, The Message of Obadiah, Nahum and Zephaniah offers an insightful, readable exposition of the biblical text and thought-provoking discussion of how its meaning relates to contemporary life. Used by students and teachers around the world, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for those studying or preaching the Bible and anyone who wants to delve deeper into the text. This revised edition features lightly updated language, current NIV Scripture quotations, and a new interior design.
A Womanist Reading of Hebrew Bible Narratives As the Politics of Belonging from an Outsider Within by
The U.S. Declaration of Independence of 1776 decreed that all men were created equal and were endowed by their Creator with "certain unalienable Rights." Yet, U.S.-born free and enslaved Black people were not recognized as citizens with "equal protections under the law" until the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment. Even then, White supremacists impeded the equal rights of Black people as citizens due to their beliefs in the inferiority of Black people and that America was a nation for White people. White supremacists turned to biblical passages to lend divine justification for their views. A Womanist Reading of Hebrew Bible Narratives as the Politics of Belonging from an Outsider Within analyzes select biblical narratives, including Noah's curse in Genesis 9; Sarah and Hagar in Genesis 16 and 21; Mother in Israel in Judges 5; and Jezebel, Phoenician Princess and Queen of Israel in 1 and 2 Kings. This analysis demonstrates how these narratives were first used by ancient biblical writers to include some and exclude others as members of the nation of Israel and then appropriated by White supremacists in the antebellum era and the early twentieth century to do the same in America. The book analyzes the simultaneously intersecting and interconnecting dynamics among race, gender, class, and sexuality and biblical narratives to construct boundaries between "us versus them," particularly the politicization of motherhood to deny certain groups' inclusion.
Theology of the Soul : a Pauline perspective on cultural, philosophical, and traditional concepts by
Theology of the Soul engages with a thoroughly theological and philosophical subject in fresh and profound ways: the soul. The author examines the possibility of a concept of the soul in modern, Western theology. In the second part of the 20th century speaking about the soul was strongly criticized in Theology and Philosophy. Consequently, many academic theologians consider the word "soul" problematic. Remarkably, the word "soul" is very much present in contemporary culture. This book takes cultural notions of the soul as employed by, for example, Marilynne Robinson and Oprah Winfrey, as a point of departure. The author then investigates the functions of the soul in classical theologies and provides elucidating overviews of the ways in which the soul is discussed and problematized in contemporary Philosophy and Biblical Studies. After introducing the apostle Paul as conversation partner, she reconsiders various contemporary concepts from a Pauline perspective, and offers a constructive systematic theological proposal to speak of the soul in today's modern theological and cultural contexts. This interdisciplinary study integrates continental and analytic methods and discussions on the soul in Philosophy and Theology, providing a very comprehensive study of the soul.
Galatians, (Volume 9: New word biblical themes.) by
The study of Galatians has had a massive impact on Christianity throughout the ages, especially in the Reformation and modern eras. The language of "justification by faith" has generated vigorous discussion among Protestants and Catholics for more than 500 years. It would be easy to reengage this conversation again. But in this inaugural volume of the New Word Biblical Themes series, Nijay Gupta argues that Paul has much wider interests in view in Galatians. He argues that Paul's main theme in Galatians is family--who belongs within the household of God and how they are welcomed in. While addressing additional key topics and themes like justification, faith, and freedom, Gupta skillfully unifies them under the overarching rubric of inclusion in God's family through participation in the Sonship of Jesus Christ. In God's household, the Son is the model, love is the culture, the cross is the family crest, and Christian brothers and sisters enjoy equal access, privilege, and status in the community in Christ.
Undoing Conquest : ancient Israel, the Bible, and the future of Christianity by
How a new understanding of the origins of the Hebrew people can help churches recognize and take responsibility for a history of violence and conquest, make reparations, and seek reconciliation. In the last century, archaeologists of the Highlands Settlements north of Jerusalem uncovered evidence that reshapes traditional understandings of Israelite history and the Bible. This new history remains largely untold outside of specialized archeological and biblical studies contexts. In Undoing Conquest, Kate Common recovers the material evidence that challenges the theological imagination of conquest that has permeated Christianity. Examining how biblical conquest narratives shaped Christian ideology, Undoing Conquestoffers ways to incorporate the story the Highlands Settlements reveal into the life of the church to repair the harms of settler-colonialism and genocide, creating a more just future.
Unity in the Book of Isaiah by
Building on previous holistic readings of the Book of Isaiah, this collection approaches Isaiah through the concept of unity. Contributors outline research that point to new directions in the unity movement and, in the process, bring it under a critical gaze, considering the perennial challenges to unity reading and thus problematizing the very concept of unity. Divided into four parts, the book provides methodological reflections on reading Isaiah as a unity, and examines historical and redactional readings, literary readings and contextual or reader-orientated readings. Topics include how the figure of Jacob functions as a unifying motif in the final form of the book, Isaiah 1 as an example of the relevance of local structure for global coherence and how woman as a root metaphor of Zion not only bears revelatory significance but also serves as a theological linchpin for a more holistic reading of the book. Overall, the book highlights the continued promise of holistic readings for diverse methods and varied approaches to the Book of Isaiah.
The Return of the Kingdom: a biblical theology of God's reign by
The biblical story begins and ends with God as king. Human beings rebel, however, rather than fulfilling their royal calling to rule creation on behalf of their Sovereign--and the world became enslaved to the rule of a dark, serpentine lord. In this volume of IVP Academic's Essential Studies in Biblical Theology, Stephen Dempster traces the themes of kingship and kingdom throughout Scripture, illuminating the challenges, pain, and ultimate hope that the Bible offers. The story of God's kingship is ultimately the fulfillment of a promise, a promise to restore the rightful rule of humanity over creation by defeating sin and death and to establish a world of peace and justice. Essential Studies in Biblical Theology (ESBT), edited by Benjamin L. Gladd, explore the central or essential themes of the Bible's grand storyline. Taking cues from Genesis 1-3, authors trace the presence of these themes throughout the entire sweep of redemptive history. Written for students, church leaders, and laypeople, the series offers an introduction to biblical theology.
The Oxford Handbook of Ezekiel by
The current state of scholarship on the book of Ezekiel, one of the three Major Prophets, is robust. Ezekiel, unlike most pre-exilic prophetic collections, contains overt clues that its primary circulation was as a literary text and not a collection of oral speeches. The author was highly educated, the theology of the book is "dim," and its view of humanity is overwhelmingly negative. In The Oxford Handbook of Ezekiel, editor Corrine Carvalho brings together scholars from a diverse range of interpretive perspectives to explore one of the Bible's most debated books. Consisting of twenty-seven essays, the Handbook provides introductions to the major trends in the scholarship of Ezekiel, covering its history, current state, and emerging directions. After an introductory overview of these trends, each essay discusses an important element in the scholarly engagement with the book. Several essays discuss the history of the text (its historical context, redactional layers, text criticism, and use of other Israelite and near eastern traditions). Others focus on key themes in the book (such as temple, priesthood, law, and politics), while still others look at the book's reception history and contextual interpretations (including art, Christian use, gender approaches, postcolonial approaches, and trauma theory). Taken together, these essays demonstrate the vibrancy of Ezekiel research in the twenty-first century.
Abraham: trials of family and faith by
From God's surprising call to Abraham to leave home and family to God's enigmatic commands that he evict one son and sacrifice another, Genesis 12-25 is one of the most dramatic stories of the Old Testament. In an inviting style that showcases his literary discernment, theological sophistication, and passion for the biblical text, Terence E. Fretheim guides readers through the intricacies of the plot. Abraham, called "the father of a multitude" (Gen 17:5), lives up to his name as the patriarch of three major religious traditions. Fretheim examines Abraham's family and assesses the significant roles it plays across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In addition, Fretheim contributes to the increasingly important interreligious dialogue surrounding Abraham by examining the continuing conversation among Muslims, Christians, and Jews about the place of Hagar and Ishmael in Abraham's family. Relating biblical narrative to theological concerns, Fretheim wrestles with such controversial concepts as God's selection of an elect people, the gift of land and other promises, the role of women and outsiders, the character of God, and the suffering of innocents. Throughout the text, Fretheim frames the narrative as rooted in the trials of family and faith that define Abraham as the father of three religions.
Revelation in the Vernacular (2024 EBOOK) by 
Capital punishment in the Pentateuch : why the Bible prescribes ritual killing by 
Preaching the word : contemporary approaches to the Bible for the pulpit by 
The Oxford Handbook of Postcolonial Biblical Criticism by
The Oxford Handbook of Postcolonial Biblical Criticism is a comprehensive treatment of a relatively new form of scholarship-one of the most compelling and contested theories to emerge in recent times, and a topic that actively seeks to expand the ways in which the Bible can be studied,interpreted, and applied. Generally speaking, postcolonialism aims to critique and dismantle hegemonic worldviews and power structures, while giving voice to previously marginalized peoples and systems of thought. This approach, often varied in form, has inevitably engaged with the text andreception of the Bible, a scripture that Western colonizers introduced to-and often imposed upon-their colonial subjects. With a globally diverse list of contributors, the Handbook aims to cover the perspective and context of the authors of the Bible, as well as the modern experiences ofimperialism, resistance, decolonization, and nationalism. Moreover, the volume includes both a theoretical overview and an exploration of how the field intersects with related areas, such as gender studies, race, postmodernism, and liberation theology.
The Oxford Handbook of the Synoptic Gospels by
The Oxford Handbook of the Synoptic Gospels presents essays that push the field beyond the Synoptic Problem and theological themes that ignore the particularities of each Gospel. The first section, "The Problem and Nature of the Synoptics," explores some of the traditional approaches ofliterary dependence, but primarily engages with alternative ways to understand Synoptic relations and the nature of each Gospel. Interesting questions are raised in these essays regarding the tools used to evaluate literary dependence beyond those of traditional source criticism and redactioncriticism (such as performance, orality, rhetoric, ancient publication, literary structures, manuscript variety, and use by non-canonical literature).The second section, "Particular Features in Comparison," treats a variety of historical, literary, and cultural phenomena important to the study of these Gospels (such as gender, violence, power, body, history, sacred space, healing, food, gospel, suffering, sectarianism, itineracy, women, wealth).These essays indirectly reshape traditional theological themes like salvation, Christology, and discipleship, grounding them in the cultural dynamics of the period. The two main sections simultaneously express the current state of the field and push the field forward in unexplored directions.
Enjoy the latest articles by Luther Sem's own Faculty, from Word & World, most recent issues, accessed via Luther Library's subscription to ATLA -Religion Database. Here are a few recent (Bible-related) articles from Winter 2024 issue, "Mary, the Mother of God":
And from Luther Sem's Digital Commons, check out Mary Jane Haemig's "Martin Luther on Praying the Psalms" (2023).
Also found in the ATLA Database: Journal of Biblical Literature and Lutheran Quarterly
New Full-text Articles in ATLA from Lutheran Quarterly or Journal of Biblical Literature
Finally, here's a sampling of several full-text Bible-related journal articles from the most recent ATLA search. Articles are from some of the following: Jewish Bible Quarterly , Concordia Theological Quarterly , Old Testament Essays, Journal of Theological Interpretation , The Christian Century , Journal of Latin American Theology: ATLA full-text articles--a sampling
