Craig G. Bartholomew and Ryan P. O'Dowd provide an informed introduction to the Old Testament wisdom books Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job. Establishing the books in the context of ancient Near Eastern wisdom traditions and literature, the authors move beyond the scope of typical introductions to discuss the theological and hermeneutical implications of this literature.

Most Christians would agree that the Bible provides a basis for mission. But Christopher Wright boldly maintains that there is a missional basis for the Bible! Beginning with the Old Testament and its groundwork for understanding who God is, what he has called his people to be and do, and how the nations fit into God's mission, Wright gives us a new hermeneutical perspective on Scripture.

Establishing a biblical theology of circumcision, this NSBT volume by Karl Deenick shows that the concepts of righteousness and faith are central to both the New Testament understanding and the developing Old Testament understanding of circumcision. They are held together by the unfolding promise of a blameless "seed of Abraham," Jesus Christ, through whose sacrifice the promised righteousness will finally come.

Do the writings of the church fathers support a literalist interpretation of Genesis 1? Young earth creationists have maintained that they do. But are we correctly representing the Fathers and their concerns? This study from Craig Allert resets our understanding of early Christian interpretation and considers whether contemporary evangelicals may be more bound to modernity in our reading of Genesis 1 than we realize.

Did Mark write his Gospel in response to Roman imperial propaganda surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem? Adam Winn helps us rediscover how Mark might have been read by Christians in Rome during the aftermath of this cataclysmic event. He introduces us to the imperial propaganda of the Flavian emperors and excavates the Markan text for themes that address the Roman imperial setting.

There are many investigations of the Old Testament priests and the New Testament’s appropriation of such imagery for Jesus Christ. There are also studies of Israel’s corporate priesthood and what this means for the priesthood of God’s new covenant people. In this NSBT volume, Andrew S. Malone traces these two distinct threads and their intersection through Scripture with an eye to the contemporary Christian relevance.

Aspects of death and the afterlife are hotly debated among evangelical Christians. In this NSBT volume Paul Williamson works through Old and New Testament passages, taking care to understand the ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman backgrounds. Showing that there is exegetical support for the traditional evangelical understanding of death and the afterlife, he questions the growing popularity of alternative understandings.

The Genesis flood account has been probed and analyzed for centuries. But what might the biblical author have been saying to his ancient audience? In order to rediscover the biblical flood, we must set aside our own cultural and interpretive assumptions and visit the distant world of the ancient Near East. Walton and Longman lead us on this enlightening journey toward a more responsible reading of a timeless biblical narrative.