For over one hundred years, the International Critical Commentary series has held a special place among works on the Bible. It has sought to bring together all the relevant aids to exegesis - linguistic and textual no less than archaeological, historical, literary and theological-with a level of comprehension and quality of scholarship unmatched by any other series. No attempt has been made to secure a uniform theological or critical approach to the biblical text: contributors have been invited for their scholarly distinction, not for their adherence to any one school of thought. The first paperback editions to be published cover the heart of the New Testament, providing a wealth of information and research in accessible and attractive format.
THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY is for the minister or Bible student who wants to understand and expound the Scriptures. Notable features include:* commentary based on THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION;* the NIV text printed in the body of the commentary;* sound scholarly methodology that reflects capable research in the original languages;* interpretation that emphasizes the theological unity of each book and of Scripture as a whole;* readable and applicable exposition.
Addresses the key issues surrounding the exegesis of Galatians and the other Pauline Epistles, exploring how literary, historical, and theological factors impact interpretation. The first edition appeared as Explorations in Exegetical Method. This second edition features a new appendix and will be welcomed by all those studying the Pauline Epistles.
This monograph challenges the accepted notion that Galatians is either a sample of classical rhetoric or should be interpreted in light of Graeco-Roman rhetorical handbooks. It demonstrates that the handbooks of Aristotle, Cicero, et al. discuss a form of oratory which was limited with respect to subject, venue and style of communication, and that Galatians falls outside such boundaries. The inapplicability of ancient canons of rhetoric is reinforced by a detailed comparison of Galatians with the handbooks, a survey of patristic attitudes towards Paul's communicative technique, and interaction with twentieth-century discussions of the nature of New Testament Greek. Dr Kern concludes that rhetorical handbooks were never a tool of literary criticism and that they cannot assist the search for a distinctly Pauline rhetoric. Thus this study has implications not only for Galatians, but also for other New Testament epistles.
The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction—covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography—a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation—the author’s own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes—the author’s notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting—a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment—verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation—brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography—occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.
New volume in a favorite Bible commentary series Writing a commentary on Galatians is a daunting task. Despite its relative brevity, this Pauline letter raises a number of foundational theological issues, and it has played a vital role in shaping Christian thought and practice over the centuries. In this replacement of Ronald Y. K. Fung’s 1988 New International Commentary volume, David deSilva ably rises to the challenge, providing a coherent account of Galatians as a piece of strategically crafted communication that addresses both the immediate pastoral challenges facing Paul’s converts in Galatia and the underlying questions that gave rise to them. Paying careful attention to the history, philology, and theology of the letter, and interacting with a wealth of secondary literature on both Galatians and the rest of the Pauline corpus, deSilva’s exegetically sound commentary will serve as an essential resource for pastors and theological students.
Along with a correct understanding of the Bible as the God-breathed Word a correct interpretation is crucial. Basically, there are only two methods of interpretation, 1) the non-literal, allegorical or spiritualizing method, or 2) the literal, so-called grammatical-historical method. The latter, if employed consistently, gives the only correct understanding of what God originally intended to reveal about the salvation of mankind. The first part of this book demonstrates the advantage of the literal interpretation over the allegorical or spiritualizing method, which must be avoided at all costs - unless the text demands a shift from a literal to a figurative interpretation of a word or phrase - bearing in mind that figurative language still reveals literal truths. The second part of the book applies the teaching of the first part to Biblical prophecy, which must be interpreted in the exact same way as any other text in the Word of God. If employed consistently, the literal reading leads to Premillennialism (Christ returns to earth before and in order to establish the Millennial Kingdom), Pretribulationalism (the Church is raptured to heaven before the Tribulation), and Dispensationalism (God's dealings with man in seven consecutive dispensations or stewardships). Besides, 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is explained on the basis of the Greek text so as to be a conclusive defense of the pretribulational Rapture of the Church.
In this illuminating festschrift, sixteen well-known evangelical scholars celebrate the work of a man who has greatly contributed to Evangelical biblical scholarship as we know it today. G. K. Beale is renowned for his studies that explore how the writers of the New Testament used the Old Testament Scriptures in their letters, Gospels, narrative, and apocalypse. These collected essays, written by both colleagues and former students, reveal the immense appreciation that he has garnered among scholars and exegetes of all kinds.
Is God still, as it has been argued, the "neglected factor" in New Testament theology? How does the Bible speak imaginatively and concretely about who God is and what God's activity on behalf of the world looks like? In The Unrelenting God sixteen accomplished scholars in the fields of biblical and theological studies explore ways in which Scripture speaks about God's character and God's activity in the world. As honoree Beverly Roberts Gaventa has done throughout her career, the contributors address important and nuanced theological themes such as God's dramatic invasion of the world in the gospel of Jesus Christ, God's ultimate triumph over the powers of sin and death, and humanity's ongoing participation with God in Christ. Scholars, students, and church leaders will appreciate this volume's careful theological interpretation of whole scriptural books and individual passages -- and its ability to model instructively how that interpretation is best done. Contributors: Shane Berg Martinus C. de Boer Alexandra R. Brown William Sanger Campbell David J. Downs Susan Grove Eastman Joel B. Green Douglas Harink Richard B. Hays L. Ann Jervis Jacqueline E. Lapsley J. Louis Martyn John B. F. Miller Matthew L. Skinner Katherine Sonderegger Francis Watson Michael Welker
