The NICNT authors evaluate significant textual problems and take into account the most important exegetical literature. More technical aspects--such as grammatical, textual, and historical problems--are dealt with in footnotes, special notes, and appendixes.

    The Old Testament Speaks offers a clear picture of the archaeological, geographical, historical, and linguistic dimensions of God's covenant with his people from the time of Abraham to the coming of the Messiah. The Old Testament Speaks examines the historical and religious life of the Hebrews, integrates the development of non-hebraic cultures with conventional biblical history, and reviews the best modern scholarly research in placing the Scriptures in their Near Eastern setting.Samuel J. Schultz emphasizes the importance of letting the Scriptures tell their own stories. He makes selective use of the best and latest literature in Old Testament studies, and offers a balanced perspective. Schultz sifts the facts and follows them to their inevitable conclusions. However, when the evidence is not definitive, he exercises caution, presenting his own interpretation as only one of several possible views. Schultz also appraises the impact of recent archaeological and historical findings on the understanding of key portions of the Old Testament.The Old Testament Speaks contains all the relevant material -- biblical and nonbiblical -- necessary for classroom use or personal study of the Old Testament. Schultz provides outlines that reflect the historical background and summarize the contents of each biblical book, as well as charts and maps to help visualize the biblical narrative. He has also revised and updated the biblio-graphies at the end of each chapter.

    The Sermon on the Mount answers some of the most pressing questions that every Christian encounters: What is a Christian? Does the law of God still have a place in the Christian life? How can I learn to pray? How can I learn self-discipline?

    Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg paint powerful scenes from Jesus’ ministry, immersing you in the prayers, feasts, history, culture, and customs that shaped Jesus and those who followed him.You will hear the parables as they must have sounded to first-century Jews, powerful and surprising. You will join the conversations that were already going on among the rabbis of his day. You will watch with new understanding as the events of his life unfold. And you will emerge with new excitement about the roots of your own Christian faith. Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus will change the way you read Scripture and deepen your understanding of the life of Jesus. It will also help you to adapt the rich prayers and customs you learn about to your own life, in ways that both respect and enrich your Christian faith. By looking at the Jewishness of Jesus, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg take you on a captivating journey into the heart of Judaism, one that is both balanced and insightful, helping you to better understand and appreciate your own faith.

    It is a book for teenagers about martyrdom, containing dozens of profiles of figures ranging from Stephen, whose martyrdom is described in the Book of Acts, to "Anila and Perveen," two teenage Pakistani girls and Christian believers. In 1997, Perveen was killed for running away in order to avoid marrying a Muslim man; Anila was imprisoned for helping her friend escape. In an introduction to the book, Michael Tait explains its purpose: "In a world built on free will instead of God's will, we must be the Freaks. While we may not be called to martyr our lives, we must martyr our way of life. We must put our selfish ways to death and march to a different beat. Then the world will see Jesus." The book's design is hip and easy to read, and its summary of Christian persecutions that continue today is useful--and frightening.

    The book of Romans was Paul's greatest literary achievement, a majestic letter in which the apostle explains crucial doctrines such as original sin, election, substitutionary atonement, the role of the law, and justification by faith alone.Plumbing the theological depths, this guide explains the biblical text with clarity and passion--helping us to follow along as Paul recounts the history of salvation and illuminates the glories of the death and resurrection of Christ.

    Using the fruits of recent biblical research, Peter O'Brien shows how Ephesians sums up God's magnificent plan of salvation in Christ and spells out his divine purpose for believers today.A model of the scholarly excellence characteristic of the entire PNTC series (which now features a striking new jacket design), O'Brien's Ephesians will become the standard work on this profoundly influential book.

    When faced with difficult trials, many people have resonated with the book of Job--the story of a man who lost nearly everything, seemingly abandoned by God.In this thorough and accessible commentary, Christopher Ash helps us glean encouragement from God's Word by directing our attention to the final explanation and ultimate resolution of Job's story: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Intended to equip pastors to preach Job's important message, this commentary highlights God's grace and wisdom in the midst of redemptive suffering.Taking a staggeringly honest look at our broken world and the trials that we often face, Ash helps us see God's sovereign purposes for adversity and the wonderful hope that Christians have in Christ.Luke's carefully researched and orderly account of the life of Christ is one of the finest pieces of historical writing from the ancient world. More importantly, it boldly proclaims the story and significance of Jesus, emphasizing his "gospel" as good news for the whole world.In this illuminating commentary, respected pastor R. Kent Hughes explores Luke's historical claims about the life of Christ and his overarching message, offering helpful insights into the biblical text and pastoral reflections on how it applies to everyday life.Written to help preachers and Bible teachers communicate God's Word more effectively, this commentary explores how the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus constitute the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and guarantee salvation to all who believe on his name.Part of the Preaching the Word series.

    The Messiah in the Old Testament considers another important line of interpretation that has been neglected in building an Old Testament theology. It approaches Israel's concept of the Messiah as a developing theme and shows how a proper grasp of the textual meaning at each stage of Old Testament revelation is necessary for understanding messianic prophecy. Beginning in the Pentateuch and working through the Old Testament to the Minor Prophets, the author delineates texts that are direct messianic prophecies and examines their meaning and development within the flow of God's plan. The reader will gain an understanding of God's process for bringing the Messiah to earth through the nation of Israel, and of his intent to bring the saving knowledge of Christ to the World through them.

    But the variety of the testimony can be lost by limiting one's interpretations or application of the prophetic word. Interpreting the Prophetic Word helps readers understand the harmony of the voices that reveal God's purposes in redemptive history. Dr. Willem VanGemeren explains clearly and fully the background of the prophetic tradition. He then interprets the message of the major and minor prophets, using historical context and literary form and structure as tools in his analysis. He concludes with an explanation of the relevance of the prophetic word today. Dr. VanGemeren's extensive research and scholarship is presented in a readable way to unlock the door of prophecy for readers. He helps them to interpret prophecy and invites them to listen to the prophets and to lives the prophetic word.

    Each of the twenty-seven books, written by various authors, has its own theological emphasis and nuances. How do we elicit a coherent message from such theological diversity, especially given that some of the theological statements in the New Testament seem to be at odds with one another? Is such an endeavor achievable or even valid?Theology of the New Testament takes a balanced approach in response to these challenges. Frank Thielman presents a theology of the New Testament that is careful to take into account the cultural and historical circumstances surrounding each book and the New Testament as a whole. He not only examines each book’s theological content individually, but also in relation to the rest of the New Testament, particularly within each of the three theological units that comprise the New Testament: the gospels and Acts, the Pauline epistles, and the general epistles and Revelation. This canonical and synthetic approach honors both the theological diversity of the various books and the theological connections between the books. In the end, Thielman finds a unified theological vision of the New Testament, anchored in the centrality of Jesus Christ.Frank Thielman’s Theology of the New Testament is an outstanding achievement. The book is marked by scholarly depth, exegetical rigor, and theological profundity. Both students and professors will profit immensely from this lucid treatment of the theology contained in the New Testament documents. Thomas R. Schreiner Professor of New Testament, The Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryAn accessible presentation of the key theological points of the New Testament books by an accomplished New Testament scholar and teacher. Its clear style, lucid organization, and sound theological insight make it a prime resource for serious students in both the academy and the church. Karen H. Jobes, PhD Associate Professor of New Testament, Westmont College

    But this is much more than a discussion of the order in which the gospels were written. Using both internal data from the gospels themselves and an exhaustive and careful examination of the statements of the early church fathers, Dr. Black places each gospel in the context of the early development of Christianity. Though Markan priority is the dominant position still in Biblical scholarship, Dr. Black argues that this position is not based on the best evidence available, that the internal evidence is often given more weight than it deserves and alternative explanations are dismissed or ignored. If you would like an outline of the basis for accepting both early authorship of the gospels and the priority of Matthew, this book is for you.

    Progressively, these lives image and reverse one another in an ascending narrative of action, a narrative all too commonly broken apart and missed. These heroes of the city of God - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and others - come to flesh and blood in ways that undo our normal assumptions. In stark contrast to the selfish heroism of pagan literature, the heroism of Genesis triumphs by breaking all the standard rules. Jordan inverts so many of the traditional negative judgments against these patriarchs' alleged weaknesses and "sins" of deception, struggle, and tyranny that they stand forth as heroes rather than scoundrels. And yet this book is not just about the heroes of Genesis. Throughout, Jordan draws a picture of how Christian culture should be imagined and lived in our own day, from creativity and work to tyranny and freedom. You will never be able to read Genesis the same way again.

    Bock provides a substantive yet highly accessible commentary on Acts in this latest addition to the acclaimed BECNT series. With extensive research and thoughtful chapter-by-chapter exegesis, Bock leads readers through all aspects of the book of Acts--sociological, historical, and theological. His work blends academic depth with readability, making it a useful tool for students, teachers, scholars, and pastors alike. A user-friendly design with shaded text and translations of the Greek text make this commentary engaging and easy to use. The result is a guide that clearly and meaningfully brings this important New Testament book to life for contemporary readers.

    The book explores and unpacks the Roman, Greek, and Jewish political, social, religious, and philosophical backgrounds necessary for a good historical understanding of the New Testament and the early church. New to this edition are revisions of Ferguson's original material, updated bibliographies, and fresh discussions of first-century social life, of Gnosticism, and of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Jewish literature.