Christians cannot ignore the intersection of religion and violence. In our own Scriptures, war texts that appear to approve of genocidal killings and war rape raise hard questions about biblical ethics and the character of God. Have we missed something in our traditional readings? Identifying a spectrum of views on biblical war texts, Webb and Oeste pursue a middle path using a hermeneutic of incremental, redemptive-movement ethics.
Paul's epistle to Philemon is one of the shortest books in the entire Bible, and it certainly leaves plenty to the imagination. From the pen of an accomplished New Testament scholar, this vivid historical fiction account follows the slave Onesimus, fleshing out the lived context of first-century Ephesus and providing a social and theological critique of slavery in the Roman Empire.
Who was Priscilla? Ben Witherington combines biblical scholarship and winsome storytelling to give readers a vivid picture of this important New Testament woman. In this work of historical fiction, Priscilla's story makes the first-century biblical world come alive as she looks back on her long life and remembers the ways she has participated in the early church.
Patronage is a central part of global cultures and the biblical story of God's mission, yet many Westerners misunderstand or ignore this concept. In this resource for ministry practitioners and lay Christians alike, Jayson Georges brings his crosscultural experience and biblical insights to bear on the topic of patronage, with sections on cultural issues, biblical models, theological concepts, and missional implications.
Around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, whom he describes as the deacon of the church at Cenchreae and a patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman? Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder imagines Phoebe's story—who she was, the life she lived, and her first-century faith—and in doing so opens up Paul's world.
Christians usually focus on what Jesus has done (his life, death and resurrection) and what he will do (his second coming and reign). However, Christ is the one who not only lived, died, rose, and will come again: he is also currently seated at God's right hand. In this NSBT volume, Peter Orr explores the New Testament witness to Jesus as he is now, the exalted Christ, through the lenses of his identity, his location, and his activity.
Combining three volumes into one, Knowing God Through the Old Testament brings together three of Christopher J. H. Wright's best loved books: Knowing God the Father Through the Old Testament, Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament, and Knowing the Holy Spirit Through the Old Testament.
Daniel asserts that the meaning of history is that God's kingdom is coming. As it does, faithful people persevere in their work for God. In this Tyndale commentary, Paul House shows how Daniel rewards readers who embrace its historical, literary, and theological features as key means of personal and community formation.
The Revelation to John—with its vivid images and portraits of conflict leading up to the formation of a new heaven and a new earth—was widely read, even as it was variously interpreted in the early church. Drawing heavily on both Eastern and Western ancient commentators, much appearing in English for the first time, this ACCS volume is a treasure trove of early interpretation.
Because the Catholic Epistles focus on orthodox faith and morals, the Fathers drew on them as a means of defense against the rising challenge of heretics and as a manual for spiritual warfare. This ACCS volume opens up a treasure house of ancient wisdom that allows these faithful witnesses to speak with eloquence and intellectual acumen to the church today.