The Letter to Philemon


Book Description

Although sometimes regarded as trivial because of its brevity or its treatment of issues distant from the modern world, the letter to Philemon remains valuable both for its insight into the social setting of the New Testament and for its reiteration of a central component of the gospel-brotherly love. This superb new commentary in the ECC series is unique for its exhaustive study of the ancient world at the time Philemon was written. The volume examines the institution of slavery in Paul's day, drawing on secular sources from Greece and Rome and from Christian writers of the time. The references to slavery found in Ephesians, Colossians, and 1 Timothy are also compared and contrasted with Paul's words in Philemon. In addition, the verse-by-verse commentary focuses on important themes in Pauline theology, including love, faith and faithfulness, church unity, providence, free will, and human responsibility. Markus Barth makes his exposition even more useful by surveying the history of the interpretation of Philemon, from the patristic age to modern liberation theologians. The product of Barth's lifelong research and completed by Helmut Blanke, this volume will become the standard work on Philemon.







The Letter to Philemon


Book Description

The apostle Paul's letter to his friend and fellow Christian Philemon, which focuses on the question of slavery, has long inspired debate. Onesimus, one of Philemon's slaves and a Christian himself, has left his master's house and sought refuge with Paul. In a letter to Philemon, Paul assures his friend that he is sending Onesimus back into captivity, but pleads for mercy on the slave's behalf, asking Philemon to treat him as a beloved brother and as he would treat the apostle.Examining Paul's letter within the context of the social, political, and economic realities of the times, Fitzmyer sheds light on the question of whether Paul was suggesting that Onesimus be granted freedom from slavery or whether he was simply advocating a lenient treatment of this particular slave. His insights not only clarify Paul's position but show why the letter is relevant in the Church today.




A Survey of the New Testament


Book Description

A definitive guide to the New Testament of the Bible—providing both the broader historical and cultural context as well as a passage-level commentary for each book. Many students of the Bible launch into their studies without a prior systematic reading of the New Testament. This survey is unique in the way it assists a close and complete reading, without bogging down in extensive introductions and over-academic material. Instead, A Survey of the New Testament converses with each passage in the form of brief commentary, while enabling you to see how background material—such as intertestamental history, Judaism, and other historical matters—helps interpret the text. By tracing the flow of thought from passage to passage, you'll gain a sense of the natural progression of the narrative and logic in the New Testament. This fifth edition of Robert Gundry's classic, widely-used textbook includes updates and revisions throughout and a fresh, full-color design, including: More photos and updated/improved maps. Links to relevant websites for further study. Outlines, study goals, summaries, and review questions for each chapter. Phonetic pronunciations for unfamiliar names and terms. Breakouts with illustrative quotes from ancient, nonbiblical literature. Updated bibliographies.




Rose Guide to the Epistles


Book Description

With pictures, charts, maps, time lines, and a clear and outlined format, this introduction to the Epistles helps you explore the key people, places, and stories of the New Testament. Packed with helpful resources, Rose Guide to the Epistles includes: Concise overviews for each epistle: who, what, where, when, and whyWho's who in the epistles: an A-to-Z guideHistorical background about the cities of the epistlesTheology of the epistles: salvation church, the Spirit, end times, and moreFour views of the book of RevelationAnd more!There are hundreds of key people, events, and places within the Epistles, so how can you cover all of them in their New Testament contexts? The Rose Guide to the Epistles provides visual aids, charts, maps, and timelines to help you not only understand but see key concepts at a glance! From Romans to Revelation, you'll find the key facts and teachings of each epistle. Learn about the early church letters in their historical contest: Who wrote them? Why were they written? Why did they become part of the Bible? Plus, a closer look at the seven churches of Revelation and different Christian ways to interpret the book of Revelation. See how the stories in the epistles speak to our modern-day church, missionary work, and the spiritual lives of Christians today. Paperback, 152 pages, 6 x 9 inches, ISBN 9781649380227. 4 Key Features of the Rose Guide to the EpistlesQuick-Reference: Find what you need fast using clear headers, charts, and simple summaries to answer the questions you have at the flip of a page!Illustrated: Packed with dozens of graphics, photos, and illustrations, don't just imagine what life was like in the New Testament church--SEE key ancient artifacts, locations, and more!Simple Overview: Covers everything you need to know about the Early Church: over 150 key events and people, and historical background on Jewish and Greco-Roman life.Solid and Reliable: Enjoy having well-researched knowledge in one compact handbook! You'll have all the solid and scriptural overviews and information you need at your fingertips. Perfect for: Individual studySmall groupsYoung adult and youth groupsChurch librariesHomeschoolAnd more!About the Series: Rose Guides are easy-to-read reference handbooks that explore the people, places, and stories of the Bible. With the colorful maps, charts, and time lines that Rose Publishing is known for, Rose Guides provide readers with key historical and practical insights for understanding the books of the Bible and biblical topics that are important for our lives today.




The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary


Book Description

As more and more Christians are involved in teaching in their churches, there is a need for an accessible, engaging commentary that can enhance their understanding of Scripture and aid their teaching. The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary is that resource. This nontechnical, section-by-section commentary on the whole Bible provides reliable and readable interpretations of the Scriptures from forty-two leading evangelical scholars. The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary is a complete revision of the well-known Baker Commentary on the Bible edited by Walter Elwell, now featuring new articles and vibrant full-color images on more than 1,800 pages, complete with photos, maps, and timelines to illustrate the text. This information-packed commentary helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the Bible. Beyond that, it includes practical applications for spiritual and personal guidance, making it invaluable to any believer seeking to get the most out of their Bible study. Pastors and others in teaching ministries looking for a one-volume, evangelical commentary on the Bible will value this resource.




Dictionary of Paul and His Letters


Book Description

In this thoroughly revised and updated edition of a classic reference work, topics like Christology, justification, and hermeneutics receive careful treatment by trusted specialists. New topics like politics, patronage, and different cultural perspectives expand the volume's breadth and usefulness for scholars, pastors, and students today.







Dictionary of Paul and his letters


Book Description

The 'Dictionary of Paul and his letters' is a one-of-a-kind reference work. Following the format of its highly successful companion volume, the 'Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels', this Dictionary is designed to bring students, teachers, ministers and laypeople abreast of the established conclusions and significant recent developments in Pauline scholarship. No other single reference work presents as much information focused exclusively on Pauline theology, literature, background and scholarship. In a field that recently has undergone significant shifts in perspective, the 'Dictionary of Paul and His Letters' offers a summa of Paul and Pauline studies. In-depth articles focus on individual theological themes (such as law, resurrection and Son of God), broad theological topics (such as Christology, eschatology and the death of Christ), methods of interpretation (such as rhetorical criticism and social-scientific approaches), background topics (such as apocalypticism, Hellenism and Qumran) and various other subjects specifically related to the scholarly study of Pauline theology and literature (such as early catholicism, the centre of Paul's theology, and Paul and his interpreters since F. C. Baur). Separate articles are also devoted to each of the Pauline letters, to hermeneutics and to preaching Paul today. The 'Dictionary of Paul and His Letters' takes its place alongside the 'Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels' in presenting the fruit of evangelical New Testament scholarship at the end of the twentieth century - committed to the authority of Scripture, utilising the best of critical methods, and maintaining dialogue with contemporary scholarship and challenges facing the church.




"You Will be My Witnesses"


Book Description

"The publication of this volume celebrates thirty-seven extraordinary years of teaching at Acadia Divinity College and more years than that of dedicated service to the church. It is a joy to honor the lifetime service of Allison Trites for his ministry of teaching and service to the church. His commitment to the work of Christ has been an encouragement to all of his colleagues, fellow workers, and students, not to mention his fellow church members at the Wolfville United Baptist Church" (from the foreword). The two sections of this excellent collection of essays are "Biblical Studies" and "History and Theology, " and include contributions by the following. Timothy R. Ashley Manfred T. Brauch Daniel Goodwin Larry J. Kreitzer Richard N. Longenecker Tim McLay Andrew MacRae James R. C. Perkin Kevin Quast Alan P. F. Sell Robert S. Wilson John Tudno Williams Roy Williams R. Glenn Wooden