Best of
New-Testament

2018

Can We Trust the Gospels?


Peter J. Williams - 2018
    But should we accept them as historically accurate? What evidence is there that the recorded events actually happened?Presenting a case for the historical reliability of the Gospels, New Testament scholar Peter Williams examines evidence from non-Christian sources, assesses how accurately the four biblical accounts reflect the cultural context of their day, compares different accounts of the same events, and looks at how these texts were handed down throughout the centuries. Everyone from the skeptic to the scholar will find powerful arguments in favor of trusting the Gospels as trustworthy accounts of Jesus's earthly life.

CSB Day-by-Day Chronological Bible (Day by Day)


George H. Guthrie - 2018
    God gave us the Bible to reveal great truth about himself and about our lives, and he wants to draw us into the ongoing story of what he is doing in the world. The CSB Day-by-Day Chronological Bible features a clear narrative approach to the Bible, arranging the complete text into a fresh chronological reading plan with daily readings guided by Dr. George Guthrie.In this plan, the books, chapters, and verses of the Bible are thoughtfully arranged so readers can track the story of Scripture, day-by-day, from beginning to end, understanding the flow of events and how the grand narrative of Scripture applies to everyday life. Unlike other chronological Bibles, this arrangement is not date specific (e.g. "January 1"), so the reading plan can begin at any point in the calendar year. Features Include: 52 weeks of readings (six readings per week) in chronological order, Scripture presented in three main acts (God's Plan for All People; God's Covenant People; God's New Covenant People) and seventeen total scenes, an introduction for each act and scene to orient the reader to its importance in the grand story, single-column text with plenty of space for taking notes, concordance, smyth-sewn binding, presentation page, and full-color maps. The CSB Day-by-Day Chronological Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible's original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture's life-transforming message and to share it with others.

The New Testament: A New Translation for Latter-day Saints


Thomas A. Wayment - 2018
    This translation is readable and accessible for a wider range of readers than the King James Version. The original structure of the New Testament is restored and highlights features such as quotations, hymns, and poetic passages. New and extensive notes provide alternate translations, commentary upon variant manuscript traditions, and historical insights. Where applicable, the Joseph Smith Translation has been included. The notes contain the most complete list of cross-references to New Testament passages in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants that have ever been assembled.

The Keeper's Crown


Nathan D. Maki - 2018
    Worse, he won.Stripped of his family, the love of his life, and his self-respect, he sets out on a quest to win a victor's crown, rescue his parents, and restore his family's honor. But his path to glory in the restless province of Judaea is threatened by the corrupt governor Felix, the murderous priest Melechi, and most of all by the rabble-rousing Paul of Tarsus.When Quintus finds himself in Rome chained to Paul all hope of a crown seems lost, but Paul's example makes him question the true meaning of success. And why does Jael, the mysterious young Jewess who once saved his life, now respond with barely restrained flashes of hate?~Jael~The Romans took her father and her brother from her.Now Jael vows to fight for her father's faith, fulfill her brother's oath, and avenge their deaths. But the further she travels with Paul and Quintus the more she feels torn. Can she follow her heart and still keep her vow?~Paul~He turned the world upside down.Paul never expected to end his ministry in chains, but even still, he is determined to carry the gospel to Rome and the Emperor Nero himself. But what if those who need the gospel most are those closest to him?As the Great Fire strikes Rome, fanning Nero's persecution of the Christians to a white-hot fury, murderous secrets, impossible choices, and steadfast faith will lead to tragedy and triumph.

ESV Scripture Journal: Matthew: Matthew


Anonymous - 2018
    Brown, Bible Buying GuideESV Scripture Journals pair the entirety of individual books of the Bible with lightly lined blank pages opposite each page of Bible text, allowing readers to take extended notes or record insights and prayers directly beside corresponding passages of Scripture.These thin, portable notebooks are great for personal Bible reading and reflection, small-group study, or taking notes through a sermon series.Thick, opaque, cream-colored paper Full, lightly ruled blank pages opposite each page of Bible text Wide margins Lay-flat binding Single-column format Cover stamped with gold foil 5.75 x 8.00 11.75-point Trinit� type Packaging: Belly band

ESV Scripture Journal: Mark: Mark


Anonymous - 2018
    Brown, Bible Buying GuideESV Scripture Journals pair the entirety of individual books of the Bible with lightly lined blank pages opposite each page of Bible text, allowing readers to take extended notes or record insights and prayers directly beside corresponding passages of Scripture.These thin, portable notebooks are great for personal Bible reading and reflection, small-group study, or taking notes through a sermon series.Thick, opaque, cream-colored paper Full, lightly ruled blank pages opposite each page of Bible text Wide margins Lay-flat binding Single-column format Cover stamped with gold foil 5.75 x 8.00 11.75-point Trinit� type Packaging: Belly band

The Gospel of Matthew Through New Eyes Volume One: Jesus as Israel


Peter J. Leithart - 2018
    As usual Dr. Leithart provides the best of contemporary scholarship, coupled with the insights of the great students of God's Word throughout history, resulting in a fresh perspective on the inspired text. This is a commentary that pastors will find extremely helpful in their studies, and laymen will enjoy reading as they seek to grow in their understanding of God's Word. Dr. Leithart has again accomplished something unique by writing both an insightful commentary as well as an inspiring devotional work.

The Gospel of Luke


Pablo T. Gadenz - 2018
    Pablo Gadenz examines the Gospel of Luke from within the living tradition of the Church for pastoral ministers, lay readers, and students alike. Gadenz explains the biblical text clearly and concisely in light of recent scholarship and pays particular attention to the themes, theology, and Old Testament background of Luke's Gospel. Sidebars explain the biblical background and offer theological insights from Church fathers, saints, and popes, and reflection and application sections offer suggestions for daily Christian living.

Poured Out: The Spirit of God Empowering the Mission of God


C. Leonard Allen - 2018
    

Unveiling Paul’s Women: Making Sense of 1 Corinthians 11:2–16


Lucy Peppiatt - 2018
    These fifteen verses have shaped worship practices, church structures, church leadership, marriages, and even relationships between men and women in general. They have contributed to practices that have consistently placed women in a subordinate role to men, and have been used to justify the idea that a woman should not occupy a leadership or teaching position without being under the authority or "covering" of a man. It is strange, therefore, that academics and pastors alike continue to note how confusing and difficult it continues to be to make sense of these very verses. In this little book, Lucy Peppiatt not only highlights the problems associated with using this text to justify the subordination of women, but offers a clear and plausible re-reading of the text that paints the apostle Paul as a radical, visionary, church planter who championed women in all forms of leadership. "Lucy Peppiatt is an outstanding academic, writer and leader. In the excellent Unveiling Paul's Women, she offers sensible and insightful argument undergirded by rigorous scholarship. At last, in her thesis, the text finds a natural and logical flow. A flow that's consistent with what appears obvious from Paul's teaching and practice elsewhere in the New Testament." --Roger Ellis, Global Coordinator of the 24-7 Boiler Room Network and Academy Director "Unveiling Paul's Women is like Paracetamol Plus or Panadol ActiFast or Anadin Extra for some well-known theological headaches! She has treated us to a quick-acting, bite-sized, power-packed, tablet-shaped wonder medicine for the weary, wary or just curious. Prepare to end up inspired by honest and erudite wrestling with scripture, and in the future, make it a rule to get anything she writes and then share her books with friends." --Chris Tilling, Graduate Tutor and Senior Lecturer in New Testament Studies, St. Mellitus College "I'm persuaded that Lucy Peppiatt is pushing us to significant improvement [in interpretation] when it comes to 1 Corinthians 11." --Scot McKnight, Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary, Lisle, IL Lucy Peppiatt is the Principal of Westminster Theological Centre and the author of Women and Worship at Corinth: Paul's Rhetorical Arguments in 1 Corinthians (2015).

1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary


Thomas R. Schreiner - 2018
    However, the church he founded was full of contention, ranging from questions about leadership to incest. Some Christians were taking fellow believers to court. There were issues concerning marriage, celibacy, food offered to idols, public worship, and spiritual gifts. In response, Paul offered some of his most profound thinking on the body of Christ, love, and Jesus' cross and resurrection. In this Tyndale Commentary Thomas Schreiner explains the text of the letter, highlights its major theological themes, and points to its relevance for today. The Tyndale Commentaries are designed to help the reader of the Bible understand what the text says and what it means. TheIntroduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting, and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties. In the new New Testament volumes, the commentary on each section of the text is structured under three headings: Context, Comment, and Theology. The goal is to explain the true meaning of the Bible and make its message plain.

Honoring the Son: Jesus in Earliest Christian Devotional Practice


Larry W. Hurtado - 2018
    Hurtado has been one of the leading scholars on early Christology for decades. In Honoring the Son: Jesus in Earliest Christian Devotional Practice, Hurtado helps readers understand early Christology by examining not just what early Christians believed or wrote about Jesus, but what their devotional practices tell us about the place of Jesus in early Christian worship.Drawing on his extensive knowledge of early Christian origins and scholarship on New Testament Christology, Hurtado examines the distinctiveness of early Christian worship by comparing it to both Jewish worship patterns and worship practices within the broader Roman-era religious environment. He argues that the inclusion of the risen Jesus alongside the Father in early Christian devotional practices was a distinct and unique religious phenomenon within its ancient context. Additionally, Hurtado demonstrates that this remarkable development was not invented decades after the resurrection of Christ as some scholars once claimed. Instead, the New Testament suggests that Jesus-followers, very quickly after the resurrection of Christ, began to worship the Son alongside the Father.Honoring the Son offers a look into the worship habits of the earliest Christians to understand the place of Jesus in early Christian devotion.

New Testament Christological Hymns: Exploring Texts, Contexts, and Significance


Matthew E. Gordley - 2018
    Paul encourages believers to sing "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." And at the dawn of the second century the Roman official Pliny names a feature of Christian worship as "singing alternately a hymn to Christ as to God." But are some of these early Christian hymns preserved for us in the New Testament? Are they right before our eyes? New Testament scholars have long debated whether early Christian hymns appear in the New Testament. But where some see preformed hymns and liturgical elements embossed on the page, others see patches of rhetorically elevated prose from the author's hand. Matthew Gordley now reopens this fascinating question. He begins with a new look at hymns in the Greco-Roman and Jewish world of the early church. Might the didactic hymns of that cultural current set a new starting point for talking about hymnic texts in the New Testament? If so, how should we detect these hymns? How might they function in the New Testament? And what might they tell us about early Christian worship? An outstanding feature of texts such as Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, and John 1:1-17 is their christological character. And if these are indeed hymns, we encounter the reality that within the crucible of worship the deepest and most searching texts of the New Testament arose. New Testament Christological Hymns reopens an important line of investigation that will serve a new generation of students of the New Testament.

ESV Scripture Journal: Luke


Anonymous - 2018
    Brown, Bible Buying GuideESV Scripture Journals pair the entirety of individual books of the Bible with lightly lined blank pages opposite each page of Bible text, allowing readers to take extended notes or record insights and prayers directly beside corresponding passages of Scripture.These thin, portable notebooks are great for personal Bible reading and reflection, small-group study, or taking notes through a sermon series.Thick, opaque, cream-colored paper Full, lightly ruled blank pages opposite each page of Bible text Wide margins Lay-flat binding Single-column format Cover stamped with gold foil 5.75 x 8.00 11.75-point Trinit� type Packaging: Belly band

Reading Mark's Christology Under Caesar: Jesus the Messiah and Roman Imperial Ideology


Adam Winn - 2018
    But often there remains a sense that something is wanting, that the full picture of Mark's Gospel lacks some background circuitry that would light up the whole.Adam Winn finds a clue in the cataclysmic destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70. For Jews and Christians it was an apocalyptic moment. The gods of Rome seemed to have conquered the God of the Jews.Could it be that Mark wrote his Gospel in response to Roman imperial propaganda surrounding this event? Could a messiah crucified by Rome really be God’s Son appointed to rule the world?Winn considers how Mark might have been read by Christians in Rome in the aftermath of the fall of Jerusalem. He introduces us to the propaganda of the Flavian emperors and excavates the Markan text for themes that address the Roman imperial setting. We discover an intriguing first-century response to the question “Christ or Caesar?"

The Biblical Canon Lists from Early Christianity : Text and Analysis


Edmon L. Gallagher - 2018
    The differences among these groups typically involve the Old Testament, as they mostly accept the same 27-book New Testament. An essential avenue for understanding the development of the Bible are the many early lists of canonical books drawn up by Christians and, occasionally, Jews. Despite the importance of these early lists of books, they have remained relatively inaccessible. This comprehensive volume redresses this unfortunate situation by presenting the early Christian canon lists all together in a single volume. The canon lists, in most cases, unambiguously report what the compilers of the lists considered to belong to the biblical canon. For this reason they bear an undeniable importance in the history of the Bible.The Biblical Canon Lists from Early Christianity provides an accessible presentation of these early canon lists. With a focus on the first four centuries, the volume supplies the full text of the canon lists in English translation alongside the original text, usually Greek or Latin, occasionally Hebrew or Syriac. Edmon L. Gallagher and John D. Meade orient readers to each list with brief introductions and helpful notes, and they point readers to the most significant scholarly discussions. The book begins with a substantial overview of the history of the biblical canon, and an entire chapter is devoted to the evidence of biblical manuscripts from the first millennium. This authoritative work is an indispensable guide for students and scholars of biblical studies and church history.

Insights on 1, 2 & 3 John, Jude (Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary Book 14)


Charles R. Swindoll - 2018
    Written near the end of the John’s life, 1 John was meant to revive the faith, love, and hope of his readers and encourage them to renew an authentic, contagious walk with Christ. Like two siblings, 2 and 3 John are letters with unique personalities but also some striking similarities, each taking a unique approach to a single, urgent message: balance unconditional love with discerning truth.Jude, the brother of Jesus, writes with a twofold purpose: expose the false teachers that had infiltrated the Christian community, and encourage the believers to stand firm in the faith and fight for it.The 15-volume Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary series draws on Gold Medallion Award–winner Chuck Swindoll’s 50 years of experience in studying and preaching God’s Word. His deep insight, signature easygoing style, and humor bring a warmth and practical accessibility not often found in commentaries. Each volume combines verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application. The newly updated volumes now include parallel presentations of the NLT and NASB before each section. This series is a must-have for pastors, teachers, and anyone else who is seeking a deeply practical resource for exploring God’s Word.

Howard Thurman: Sermons on the Parables


Howard Thurman - 2018
    Among the first preachers to conduct Christian services in a nontraditional way, drawing from such eastern religious faiths as Buddhism and Hinduism, Thurman's philosophy of interfaith worship and dialogue is reflected in this collection of his essential writings. It reminds us all that out of religious faith emerges social responsibility and the power to transform lives.

Jesus Becoming Jesus: A Theological Interpretation of the Synoptic Gospels


Thomas G. Weinandy - 2018
    Thomas Weinandy is a theologian for whom the church's doctrinal tradition is a living source of inspiration and insight. His reading of the Gospels is informed on every page by a fully incarnational and trinitarian faith. By focusing on the events of the Gospel narrative he forges a sophisticated and attractive theology of the saving acts of God. In these acts Jesus, he maintains, enters into his own identity as "YHWH saves." They are acts of the triune God, enacted in the humanity of Jesus so that humans can enter into communion with the triune God." – Richard Bauckham, Emeritus Professor of New Testament, St. Andrews University, Scotland "A significant new work of Christology. Few in the modern era have sought to write a full-scale systematic study of the mysteries of the life of Jesus. This is what Thomas Weinandy has provided. The Incarnation, Mariology, the virginal conception, the apostolic life and teaching, transfiguration and miracles, the atoning death and glorification of Christ: there is a wealth of original theological analysis in this book, presented in clear and accessible form. The author's longstanding study of historical exegesis, classical patristic doctrine, and modern Christological controversies is present in the background and gives rise to a deeply integrated theological portrait. This book is the fruit of a lifetime of learning and teaching but also of meditating profoundly on the mystery of Jesus Christ. Anyone interested in seeing Catholic systematic theology practiced at its best should read it." – Thomas Joseph White, OP, Dominican House of Studies, and author of The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism (CUA Press)

Reading Paul within Judaism: Collected Essays of Mark D. Nanos, vol. 1


Mark D. Nanos - 2018
    This prevailing version of Paul depends heavily upon certain interpretations of key "flashpoint" passages. In this book and the subsequent volumes in this series, Mark Nanos undertakes to test a "Paul within Judaism" (re)reading of the apostle, especially of these "flashpoint" texts. Nanos demonstrates how traditional conclusions about Paul and the meaning of his letters are dramatically altered by testing the hypothesis that the historical Paul practiced a Jewish, Torah-observant way of life, and that he expected those whom he addressed to know that he did so. Nanos also tests the hypothesis that the non-Jews addressed were expected to know that his guidance was based on promoting a Jewish way of life for themselves, at the same time insisting that they remain non-Jews and thus not technically under Torah on the same terms as himself and the other Jews in this new (Jewish) movement. In conversation with the prevailing views, Nanos argues that the "Paul within Judaism" perspective offers not only more historically probable interpretations of Paul's texts, but also more promise for better relations between Christians and Jews, because these texts have informed Christian concepts of, ways of talking about, and behavior toward Jews based on the premise that Paul considered Jews and Judaism the mirror opposites of what Christians should be and become. "For over twenty years, Mark Nanos has been working on situating Paul and his thought within early Judaism. This volume brings together Nanos's innovative arguments that Paul was not an apostate Jew, but a Second Temple Jew who sought to be faithful to the Jewish law and Israel's God as he pursued a mission to gentiles. This is a must read for anyone looking to break out of traditional readings of Paul!" --Matthew Thiessen, McMaster University "Mark Nanos has pioneered the historical reconstruction of Paul as native to his own time and place--a Paul, in brief, who stands entirely within the traditional hopes, beliefs, and practices of his own people, Israel. This exciting book conveys to the reader the thrill of a refreshed portrait, free of the later overlays of Luther, of Augustine, and of post-70 CE interpretations. If you want to meet Paul again for the first time, pick up Nanos' Reading Paul Within Judaism."  --Paula Fredriksen, Author of Paul: The Pagans' Apostle Mark D. Nanos (University of St. Andrews, Scotland) is a Lecturer at the University of Kansas; his books include The Mystery of Romans (1996), The Irony of Galatians (2002), and as co-editor, Paul within Judaism (2015).

Torah Old and New: Exegesis, Intertextuality, and Hermeneutics


Ben Witherington III - 2018
    Here, he offers pastors, teachers, and students an accessible commentary on the Pentateuch, as well as a reasoned consideration of how these books were heard and read in early Christianity. By reading "forward and backward," Witherington advances the scholarly discussion of intertextuality and opens a new avenue for biblical theology.

Reading Romans within Judaism: Collected Essays of Mark D. Nanos, Vol. 2


Mark D. Nanos - 2018
    The church called for Catholics to conceptualize Jews as "brothers" in "an everlasting covenant," and many other Christian organizations have expressed similar sentiments in the years since. Nevertheless, the portrayal of Jews as "branches broken off," "hardened," "without faith," "disobedient," and "enemies of God" whom Christians have "replaced" as "true Israel," are among the many ways that readers encounter Paul's views of Jews and Judaism in today's translations and interpretations of this chapter, and throughout the letter as well. In the chapters in this volume, Nanos shows why these translations and interpretive decisions, among others, do not likely represent what Paul wrote or meant. Each essay offers challenges to the received view of Paul from the research hypothesis that Paul and the Christ-followers to whom he wrote were still practicing Judaism (a Jewish way of life) within subgroups of the Jewish synagogue communities of Rome, and that they understood Paul to observe Torah and promote Judaism for their communities. "Over the years, Nanos has exposed many unexamined and problematic assumptions readers often bring to their reading of Paul. In this collection of essays, we are given a chance to trace how Nanos further developed his thoughts on Paul's letter to the Romans since the publication of The Mystery of Romans (1996). Consider this, then, Nanos's sequel to that award-winning monograph. Unlike most sequels, this one did not let me down." --Tat-siong Benny Liew, College of the Holy Cross "The 'Paul within Judaism' approach is dedicated to reading Paul as a Jew, writing to congregations still affiliated with Diaspora synagogues, and rooting out Christian supersessionist assumptions wherever they appear in scholarship on the apostle. Meticulous exegetical and historical precision have been as characteristic of Nanos's work as has the daring of his guiding hypotheses. These close readings of key aspects of Romans stand as testaments to his achievement and challenges to the research ahead." --Neil Elliott, author of The Arrogance of Nations: Reading Romans in the Shadow of Empire (2008) "These essays will remind readers why Mark Nanos is rightly regarded as one of the chief architects of the Paul within Judaism perspective. Paradigm shifts in biblical studies often involve fresh, challenging, and credible exegetical insights, and one will find a plethora of them here. Even when I'm not fully convinced by a particular rereading, I always come away feeling like my hermeneutical horizons have been profitably expanded by what Mark has to say. I look forward to discussing these essays with students for years to come!" --Mark D. Given, Missouri State University "These essays, the fruit of close attention to the text of Romans, are indicative of Nanos' unique contribution to the interpretation of Romans. Significantly, both Paul and the Christ-following groups in Rome are viewed as part of Jewish community life. This challenges traditional approaches, and standard translations, and offers a fresh analysis of the historical context. Nanos opens up exciting avenues to further explore one of the most influential documents of Christian tradition in relation to Judaism." --William S. Campbell, University of Wales Mark D. Nanos (PhD, University of St. Andrews, Scotland) is a Lecturer at the University of Kansas; his books include The Mystery of Romans (1996), The Irony of Galatians (2002), and as co-editor, Paul within Judaism (2015).