When New Testament authors appeal to Old Testament texts to support their arguments, what is the relationship between their meanings and what was originally intended by their Old Testament forebears?Leading biblical scholars Walter Kaiser, Darrel Bock, and Peter Enns present their answers to questions about the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament, addressing elements such as:Divine and human authorial intent.Context of passages.Historical and cultural considerations.The theological grounds for different interpretive methods.Each author applies his framework to specific texts so that readers can see how their methods work out in practice. Each contributor also receives a thorough critique from the other two authors.Three Views on the New Testament Use of Old Testament gives readers the tools they need to develop their own views on the meaning, contexts, and goals behind the New Testament citations of the Old.The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

    . . more education . . . a new spouse . . . a fresh start in another location. The solution to life's challenges, we think, is just around the corner, a few steps ahead?always just out of reach.Living on the Ragged Edge opens the pages of an ancient journal?the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. In this very personal, unbelievably honest book, King Solomon chronicles his search for satisfaction, experiencing everything the world offered. The wisest man who ever lived, he certainly had the intelligence and the vast resources to pursue whatever his heart desired?from personal riches to sexual pleasures. Solomon had it all. He did it all with abandon. And he came to the end of his days with the ultimate secret for the "good life."Do you want to know the secret? Do you want to know how to find joy and peace in this world gone mad? In this bestseller, Charles Swindoll delivers his characteristic insights and wisdom in an exploration of the book of Ecclesiastes and brings home to you Solomon's powerful message for living at its best.

    One of the best known classics on the work of the Christian ministry.

    F. Bruce commented on the first edition, "I am glad to give it my warm commendation. As an introduction to the criticism of the New Testament it has . . . no equal in English." Since Bruce's comments on the original edition thirty years ago, this clear and comprehensive introduction to New Testament textual criticism has remained a popular text for beginning and intermediate students."A celebrated pedagogue who has kept abreast of his field for over four decades, Harold Greenlee is uniquely suited to produce an introduction to the complex world of New Testament textual criticism. His first edition provided lucid explanations of the most important aspects of the field, making it an ideal introduction for beginning students. For this second edition, Greenlee has revised significant features of his presentation, ensuring that this will be a useful and important primer for years to come."Â�Bart D. Ehrman, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chair, NT Textual Criticism Section of the Society of Biblical Literature"It is good to have Greenlee's primer available again, for nowhere else will one find explanations of and introductions to so wide a range of critical editions of the New TestamentÂ�from Tischendorf to UBS, including the lesser known but still valuable editions of Souter, Merk, Bover, and Legg. The student who works through Greenlee's discussion of the praxis of textual criticism will learn the craft from a reliable guide."Â�Michael W. Holmes, Bethel College, North American Editor, International Greek New Testament Project

    They are not leaving their churches and getting other jobs. Instead, they have become "a company of shopkeepers, and the shops they keep are churches." Pastors and the communities they serve have become preoccupied with image and standing, with administration, measurable success, sociological impact, and economic viability. In Working the Angles, Peterson calls the attention of his fellow pastors to three basic acts--which he sees as the three angles of a triangle--that are so critical to the pastoral ministry that they determine the shape of everything else. The acts--prayer, reading Scripture, and giving spiritual direction--are acts of attention to God in three different contexts: oneself, the community of faith, and another person. Only by being attentive to these three critical acts, says Peterson, can pastors fulfill their prime responsibility of keeping the religious community attentive to God. Written out of the author's own experience as pastor of a "single pastor church," this well-written, provocative book will be stimulating reading for lay Christians and pastors alike.

    In this concise book, respected apologist Rebecca McLaughlin outlines the evidence that Jesus was a real person, explaining the reliability of the Bible's accounts of his life and why believing in a virgin birth is not as ridiculous as it might sound.This book shows that there is a rational basis for the belief that the world's most famous story is fact, not fantasy--and how those events in history can infuse our lives today with meaning and joy.

    An exploration of technology used by ancient civilizations and the support it provides for certain biblical interpretations.

    Using the latest scholarly discussion about the nature of Jewish monotheism as his starting point, Richard Bauckham builds a convincing argument that the early Christian view of Jesus' divinity is fully consistent with the Jewish understanding of God.Bauckham first shows that early Judaism had clear ways of distinguishing God absolutely from all other reality. When New Testament Christology is read with this Jewish context in mind, it becomes clear that early Christians did not break with Jewish monotheism; rather, they simply included Jesus within the unique identity of Israel's God. In the final part of the book Bauckham shows that God's own identity, in turn, is also revealed in the life, death, and exaltation of Jesus.Originating as the prestigious 1996 Didsbury Lectures, this volume makes a contribution to biblical studies that will be of interest to Jews and Christians alike.

    Irenic yet incisive, Olson argues that classical Arminian theology has a rightful place in the evangelical church because it maintains deep roots within Reformational theology, even though it maintains important differences from Calvinism. Myths addressed include: Myth 1: Arminian Theology Is the Opposite of Calvinist/Reformed Theology Myth 2: A Hybrid of Calvinism and Arminianism Is Possible Myth 3: Arminianism Is Not an Orthodox Evangelical Option Myth 4: The Heart of Arminianism Is Belief in Free Will Myth 5: Arminian Theology Denies the Sovereignty of God Myth 6: Arminianism Is a Human-Centered Theology Myth 7: Arminianism Is Not a Theology of Grace Myth 8: Arminians Do Not Believe in Predestination Myth 9: Arminian Theology Denies Justification by Grace Alone Through Faith Alone Myth 10: All Arminians Believe in the Governmental Theory of the Atonement

    Greidanus challenges Old Testament scholars to broaden their focus and to understand the Old Testament not only in its own historical context but also in the context of the New Testament. Suggesting specific steps and providing concrete examples, this volume provides a practical guide for preaching Christ from the Old Testament.

    The Jesus Legend builds a convincing interdisciplinary case for the unique and plausible position of Jesus in human history. He was real and his presence on the planet has been well-documented.The authors of the New Testament didn't plant evidence, though each writer did tell the truth from a unique perspective. This book carefully investigates the Gospel portraits of Jesus--particularly the Synoptic Gospels--assessing what is reliable history and fictional legend. The authors contend that a cumulative case for the general reliability of the Synoptic Gospels can be made and boldly challenge those who question the veracity of the Jesus found there.

    Since the old construction has been discredited and is in a process of decomposition, the season is open on the construction of new realities which are produced with the speed and ease of temporary circus tents being raised. Far from witnessing the erosion or even eclipse of religious belief that the Enlightenment so confidently predicted, the eclipse of the Enlightenment has resulted in a veritable smorgasbord of religions and worldviews for our consumption. So Richard Middleton and Brian Walsh colorfully describe our postmodern setting. In this book they survey postmodern culture and philosophy, offering lucid explanations of such difficult theories as deconstruction. They are sympathetic to the postmodern critique, yet believe that a gospel stripped of its modernist trappings speaks a radical word of hope and transformation to our chaotic culture. The book for those who wonder what postmodernism is and how biblical Christians might best respond.

    Yet current research shows that human experience is far from uniform. In fact, hundreds of millions of people today claim to have experienced miracles. New Testament scholar Craig Keener argues that it is time to rethink Hume's argument in light of the contemporary evidence available to us. This wide-ranging and meticulously researched two-volume study presents the most thorough current defense of the credibility of the miracle reports in the Gospels and Acts. Drawing on claims from a range of global cultures and taking a multidisciplinary approach to the topic, Keener suggests that many miracle accounts throughout history and from contemporary times are best explained as genuine divine acts, lending credence to the biblical miracle reports.

    Rather, it is embarking on a once-in-an-era spiritual shift. For millions, the journey has already begun. Drawing from his work as global activist, pastor, and public theologian, McLaren challenges readers to stop worrying, waiting, and indulging in nostalgia, and instead, to embrace the powerful new understandings that are reshaping the church. In The Great Spiritual Migration, he explores three profound shifts that define the change: ∙ Spiritually, growing numbers of Christians are moving away from defining themselves by lists of beliefs and toward a way of life defined by love∙ Theologically, believers are increasingly rejecting the image of God as a violent Supreme Being and embracing the image of God as the renewing Spirit at work in our world for the common good ∙ Missionally, the faithful are identifying less with organized religion and more with organizing religion—spiritual activists dedicated to healing the planet, building peace, overcoming poverty and injustice, and collaborating with other faiths to ensure a better future for all of usWith his trademark brilliance and compassion, McLaren invites readers to seize the moment and set out on the most significant spiritual pilgrimage of our time: to help Christianity become more Christian. (less)

    1:3). Cutting through traditions that cloud the clear message of Revelation, Dr. Gentry draws from over 20 years of expertise in the historical and Biblical background of the book to present the surprisingly easy to understand meaning of Revelation. Free yourself from fiction and end your fears of Revelation today.