Part of a five-volume project on the theological questions surrounding the origins of Christianity, this book offers a reappraisal of literary, historical and theological readings of the New Testament, arguing for a form of "critical realism" that facilitates different readings of the text.Provides a historical, theological and literary study of first-century Judaism and Christianity, offering a preliminary discussion of the meaning of the word ‘god’ within those cultures.

    John engages the imagination and awakens the intellect to the vitality and relevance of the last words on scripture, Christ, church, worship, evil, prayer, witness, politics, judgement, salvation, and heaven.

    Such thorough exegetical work lies at the heart of these volumes, which contain detailed verse-by-verse commentary preceded by general comments on each section and subsection of the text. An important aim of the NIGTC authors is to interact with the wealth of significant New Testament research published in recent articles and monographs. In this connection the authors make their own scholarly contributions to the ongoing study of the biblical text. The text on which these commentaries are based is the UBS Greek New Testament, edited by Kurt Aland and others. While engaging the major questions of text and interpretation at a scholarly level, the authors keep in mind the needs of the beginning student of Greek as well as the pastor or layperson who may have studied the language at some time but does not now use it on a regular basis.

    Author Murray J. Harris aims to close the gap between grammatical analysis and exegesis, leading the reader into an in-depth understanding of the New Testament Greek text by guiding him or her through the processes of thorough exegesis flowing into sermon construction. Each volume provides the following for the biblical book or books on which it is written: • Brief introduction on authorship, date, occasion, and purpose • List of recommended commentaries • Extensive exegetical notes • Translation and expanded paraphrase of the whole book • Comprehensive exegetical outline • Glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms

    In this important new book Professor Sanders, whose Paul and Palestinian Judaism changed the course of Pauline studies, again argues against the prevailing views. He believes that flaws in method have produced a false impression of the Judaism of the period, for example, that the Pharisees were all-important and actually ran Jewish Palestine or that the Mishnah offers a description of general practice. In contrast, through thorough examination of the sources and by means of case studies, Sanders shows that what was important was 'common Judaism', the people and their observances, daily, weekly, seasonal and annual practices and the beliefs that bore directly on them. Early rabbinic legal material should be seen not as a set of rules, but as debates to be set within the context of real life, and parties such as the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes must be seen in proper relation to the Judaism of ordinary priests and people. Here then is a remarkably comprehensive presentation of Judaism as a functioning religion: the temple and its routine and festivals; questions of purity, sacrifices, tithes and taxes; common theology and hopes for the future; and descriptions of the various parties and groups culminating in an examination of the question 'who ran what?'. No other work offers such a detailed, clear and well argued account of all aspects of Jewish religion of the time. Written in a style easily accessible to any interested reader as well as to scholars, this book provides the major resource for study of Palestinian Judaism, whether by Jews or Christians, for years to come.

    It is a marvelous exposition of the outworking of genuine Christian faith. True faith worksIn this sixth volume of the Preaching the Word series, Pastor Hughes combines relevant discussion with practical application of the book of James. Major themes include: joyful endurance in times of trial true wisdom recognizing and resisting temptation in a tempting world beyond knowing the Word of God: doing the telltale signs of real faith perils of the tongue humility and grace the divine prescription for healing the prayer of the righteous

    In this definitive book on the real, historical Jesus, one of our foremost biblical scholars meticulously sifts the evidence of 2,000 years to portray neither a rural magician nor a figure of obvious power, but a marginal Jew.

     Known for its bright orange cover, Armed & Dangerous has been the ultimate book for teens looking for answers.  This invaluable resource featuring more than 100 vital topics and 1,000 Bible passages that will help today's youth apply biblical principles to their own life experience.  It gives God's perspective on a variety of issues and concerns that will arm teens with the truth.  With scripture selections from the King James and New International Versions, Armed & Dangerous is poised to continue challenging and encouraging teens in their faith walk with truth."Wow, this is a wonderful reference tool for parents, teens, and youth leaders! It covers the key life issues a teen experiences and needs help with. Parents will find this latest edition useful for themselves as well! This book will be invaluable for helping young people make godly choices based on the scriptures presented–therefore a resource which will never go out of date. A copy of this book should be in every household where kids of all ages are growing up."  -Jim and Elizabeth George, authors of The Bare Bones Bible Handbook for Teens, A Young Man After God's Own Heart, and A Young Woman After God's Own Heart

    This series is an excellent companion text for Bible study leaders and for individual use.

    It was addressed to a people facing persecution, and to every generation of hearers and readers it issues an invitation to reflect on the identity and destiny of Jesus.

    The Crossway Classic Commentaries present the very best work on individual Bible books, carefully adapted for maximum understanding and usefulness for today's believers.The epistle of James abounds with punch and clarity. Amazingly relevant and practical for our age, it continues to be a popular New Testament book for followers of Christ. Its themes, which include good works issuing out of genuine faith, equal treatment of the rich and poor, taming the tongue, heavenly wisdom, and patience in the midst of suffering, have brought great encouragement to God's people.This enlightening commentary puts these important issues in perspective and reveals the full content of this noteworthy Bible book.

    John Stott draws from his profound experience and his scholarly knowledge of the New Testament to present the different aspects of Christ's power in the Christian's life.

    Edmond Hiebert in the preface to this commentary, "devout believers have always cherished the Johannine Episles as a priceless portion of the New Testament. The grand simplicity of their contents has unfailingly nurtured the faith and stimulated the life of the humblest believer, while the profound depths of their teachings have challenged the most scholarly interpreters. They have been the subject of innumerable sermonic expositions and scholarly treatises; yet their inexhaustible contents continue to spur renewed examination of their God-given truths."

    

    

    Jeffers offers a penetrating glimpse into the economic, social, and theological tensions of early Roman Christianity. Clement and the Shepherd of Hermas are shown to represent two decidedly conflicting conceptions of Christianity and hierarchy: Clement represents the social elite and a more structured approach to church organization, and Hermas displays a tendency toward sectarianism. Photographs and line drawings illustrate archeological evidence.

    Biblical criticism that reads like a detective story as the author takes the reader through clues that show the identity of the beloved disciple as one of the true mystical geniuses of Christianity.