Throughout the Gospels, Christ employed humor for the sake of truth and many of his teachings, when seen in this light, become brilliantly clear for the first time. Irony, satire, paradox, even laughter itself help clarify Christ's famous parables, His brief sayings, and important events in His life. In a valuable appendix 30 humorous Gospel passages are listed for further study.

    Are they still relevant? If so, which rules still apply? What do these commands mean in light of God's grace and mercy shown in Jesus? In this book, Kevin DeYoung delivers critical truth about God's Ten Commandments as he makes clear what they are, why we should know them, and how we should apply them. Revealing the timelessness and goodness of God's ancient commands, this accessible and important book helps readers know, obey, and delight in God's law--and everything it means for their lives today.

    Benware also helps readers understand God's covenant promises to Israel.

    "This book...is designed to make the Bible of Israel intelligible, relevant, and hopefully, inspiring to a sophisticated generation, possessed of intellectual curiosity and ethical sensitivity...It is based on the belief that the study of the Book of Books must constitute a mature intellectual challenge, an exposure to the expanding universe of scientific biblical scholarship...Far from presenting a threat to faith, a challenge to the intellect may reinforce faith and purify it."--from the Introduction

    Sandra Richter gives an overview of the Old Testament, organizing our disorderly knowledge of the Old Testament people, facts and stories into a memorable and manageable story of redemption that climaxes in the New Testament.

    Richard Hays shows how the New Testament provides moral guidance on the most troubling ethical issues of our time, including violence, divorce, homosexuality and abortion.

    This magnificent and comprehensive Bible dictionary has set the standard for evangelical Bible dictionaries for five decades. Now in its third edition, it is the clear leader in its field. The third edition of the New Bible Dictionary will increase the reader's knowledge and understanding of God's Word as no other single book can do. This up-to-date edition is filled with the latest developments in biblical studies, ancient Near Eastern studies, and archaeological finds. This is an invaluable reference book for schools and colleges, theological and Bible college students, ministers and laypeople, teachers and professional scholars--everyone who wants to know and understand the Bible better.

    Because of the cultural distance between the biblical world and our contemporary setting, we often bring modern Western biases to the text. For example:When Western readers hear Paul exhorting women to "dress modestly," we automatically think in terms of sexual modesty. But most women in that culture would never wear racy clothing. The context suggests that Paul is likely more concerned about economic modesty--that Christian women not flaunt their wealth through expensive clothes, braided hair and gold jewelry.Some readers might assume that Moses married "below himself" because his wife was a dark-skinned Cushite. Actually, Hebrews were the slave race, not the Cushites, who were highly respected. Aaron and Miriam probably thought Moses was being presumptuous by marrying "above himselfWestern individualism leads us to assume that Mary and Joseph traveled alone to Bethlehem. What went without saying was that they were likely accompanied by a large entourage of extended family.Biblical scholars Brandon O'Brien and Randy Richards shed light on the ways that Western readers often misunderstand the cultural dynamics of the Bible. They identify nine key areas where modern Westerners have significantly different assumptions about what might be going on in a text. Drawing on their own crosscultural experience in global mission, O'Brien and Richards show how better self-awareness and understanding of cultural differences in language, time and social mores allow us to see the Bible in fresh and unexpected ways. Getting beyond our own cultural assumptions is increasingly important for being Christians in our interconnected and globalized world. Learn to read Scripture as a member of the global body of Christ.

    In The Book of J, Bloom & Rosenberg draw the J text out of the surrounding material & present it as the seminal classic it is. In addition to Rosenberg's original translations, Bloom argues in several essays that "J" was not a religious writer but a fierce ironist & a woman living in the court of King Solomon. He also argues that J is a writer on par with Homer, Shakespeare & Tolstoy. Bloom also offers historical context, a discussion of the theory of how the different texts came together to create the Bible & translation notes. Rosenberg's translations from the Hebrew bring J's stories to life & reveal her towering originality & grasp of humanity.

    This book reveals the keys to finding God's purpose for your life. Discover how you can: find supernatural wisdom and strength, prepare to enter into your ministry, see God's power miraculously at work, be spiritually productive, have God's approval, know the will of God concerning your life, and find your eternal reward in heaven.

    Ellis R. Brotzman explains the significance of scripts and writings of the ancient Near East, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Hebrew manuscripts for students of Hebrew exegesis.