How did the apostles understand the Old Testament? The New Testament's explicit summaries of the Old Testament story of Israel give readers direct access into the way the earliest Christians did biblical theology. This NSBT volume examines the passages in the Synoptic Gospels, Acts, Paul's letters, and Hebrews which recount the characters, events, and institutions of Israel's story.
The Catholic Epistles often get short shrift. But Darian Lockett contends that these seven letters provide a unique window into early Christian theology and practice. Emphasizing the epistles' interconnected vision, each chapter in this refreshing resource outlines one of the letters, traces its flow of thought, and explores shared themes with the other Catholic Epistles.
The divine inspiration of Scripture may be confidently affirmed from Paul's epistles. However, it is hard to find such an explicit approach from Jesus and the Gospels. In this NSBT volume, Matthew Barrett argues that Jesus and the apostles have just as convictional a doctrine of Scripture as Paul or Peter, but it will only be discovered if the Gospels are read within their own canonical horizon and covenantal context.
The Protestant Reformers were transformed by their encounters with Scripture. Bringing together the reflections of church historians and theologians delivered at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, these essays consider historical, hermeneutical, theological, and practical issues regarding the Bible, revealing that the irrepressible Word of God continues to transform hearts and minds.
Did Moses write about Jesus? Kevin Chen challenges the common view of the Pentateuch as focused primarily on the Mosaic Law, arguing instead that it sets forth a coherent, sweeping vision of the Messiah as the center of its theological message. Building on the work of John Sailhamer, Chen provides a fascinating study and an exegetical basis for a Christ-centered biblical theology.
How were holidays chosen and taught in biblical Israel, and what did they have to do with the creation narrative? Michael LeFebvre considers the calendars of the Pentateuch, arguing that dates were added to Old Testament narratives not as journalistic details but to teach sacred rhythms of labor and worship. LeFebvre then applies this insight to the creation week, finding that the days of creation also serve a liturgical purpose.
A renewed interest in textual criticism has created an unfortunate proliferation of myths, mistakes, and misinformation about this technical area of biblical studies. Elijah Hixson and Peter Gurry, along with a team of New Testament textual critics, offer up-to-date, accurate information on the history and current state of the New Testament text that will serve apologists and offer a self-corrective to evangelical excesses.
To modern eyes, what we call the biblical law, or Torah, seems either odd beyond comprehension (not eating lobster) or positively reprehensible (executing children). Using a consistent methodology to look at the Torah through the lens of the ancient Near East, Walton and Walton offer a restorative understanding that will have dramatic effects in interpreting the text and in discerning the significance of the Torah for today.
Do women and men have different intellectual, spiritual, moral, or emotional capacities? Over the centuries, women have read and interpreted the story of Eve, scrutinizing the details of the text to discern God's word for them. Biblical scholar Amanda Benckhuysen traces the history of women's interpretation of Genesis 1-3, allowing the voices of women to speak of Eve's story and its implications for life today.
God's identity cannot be fully expressed in human words, but Scripture uses one particular Hebrew word to describe God's character: hesed. Often translated as lovingkindness, covenant faithfulness, or steadfast love, Michael Card unpacks the many dimensions of hesed, exploring how it is used in the Old Testament to reveal God's character and how its fullness is ultimately embodied in the incarnation of Jesus.