With a scholar's mind and a pastor's heart, Tom Wright walks you through Romans in this guide designed especially with everyday readers in mind. Perfect for group use or daily personal reflection, this study uses the popular inductive method combined with Wright's thoughtful insights to bring contemporary application of Scripture to life.
Much has been written of late about what the apostle Paul really meant when he spoke of justification by faith, not the works of the law. This short study by Stephen Westerholm carefully examines proposals on the subject by Krister Stendahl, E. P. Sanders, Heikki Raisanen, N. T. Wright, James D. G. Dunn, and Douglas A. Campbell. In doing so, Westerholm notes weaknesses in traditional understandings that have provoked the more recent proposals, but he also points out areas in which the latter fail to do justice to the apostle. Readers of this book will gain not only a better grasp of the ongoing theological debate about justification but also a more nuanced overall understanding of Paul.
The debate between the Old and New perspectives on Paul has reached a stalemate. But what if Paul's own theological perspective developed over time? Starting with the teaser that "both 'camps' are right, but not all the time," Garwood Anderson unfolds a new proposal for overcoming the deadlock, infusing new energy into the quest for understanding Paul's mind and letters.
This lively, engaging introduction to the New Testament is critical yet faith-friendly, lavishly illustrated, and accompanied by a variety of pedagogical aids, including sidebars, maps, tables, charts, diagrams, and suggestions for further reading. The full-color interior features art from around the world that illustrates the New Testament's impact on history and culture. The first edition has been well received (over 60,000 copies sold). This new edition has been thoroughly revised in response to professor feedback and features an updated interior design. It offers expanded coverage of the New Testament world in a new chapter on Jewish backgrounds, features dozens of new works of fine art from around the world, and provides extensive new online material for students and professors available through Baker Academic's Textbook eSources.
This exciting new interpretation of Pauls Letter to the Romans approaches Pauls most famous letter from one of the newest scholarly positions within Pauline Studies: The Radical New Perspective on Paul (also known as Paul within Judaism). As a point of departure, the author takes Pauls self-designation in 11:13 as apostle to the gentiles as so determining for Pauls mission that the audience of the letter is perceived to be exclusively gentile. The study finds confirmation of this reading-strategy in the letters construction of the interlocutor from chapter 2 onwards. Even in 2:17, where Paul describes the interlocutor as someone who calls himself a Jew, it requests to perceive this person as a gentile who presents himself as a Jew and not an ethnic Jew. If the interlocutor is perceived in this way throughout the letter, the dialogue between Paul and the interlocutor can be perceived as a continuous, unified and developing dialogue. In this way, this interpretation of Romans sketches out a position against a more disparate and fragmentary interpretation of Romans.
"Besides Jesus, no one has kept me from despair, or taken me deeper into the mysteries of the gospel, than the apostle Paul." —John Piper No one has had a greater impact on the world for eternal good than the apostle Paul—except Jesus himself. For John Piper, this impact is very personal. He does not just admire and trust Paul. He loves him. Piper gives us thirty glimpses into why his heart and mind respond this way. Can a Christian-killer really endure 195 lashes from a heart of love? Can a mystic who thinks he was caught up into heaven be a model of lucid rationality? Can an ethnocentric Jew write the most beautiful call to reconciliation? Can a person who lives with the unceasing anguish of empathy be always rejoicing? Can a man's description of the horrors of human sin be exceeded by his delight in human splendor? Can a man with a backbone of steel be as tender as a nursing mother? If we know this man—if we see what Piper sees—we too will love him. Paul's testimony is a matter of life and death. Piper invites you into his relationship with Paul in the hope that you will know life, forever.
Ranks the Apostle Paul as "one of the most powerful and seminal minds of the first or any century," and argues that we can now sketch with confidence a new and more nuanced picture of Paul and the radical way in which his encounter with Jesus redefined his life, his mission and his expectations for a world made new in Christ. Reprint.
First-rate scholars and preachers on four interpretive approaches to Paul and Romans Pauline scholarship is a minefield of differing schools of thought. Those who teach or preach on Paul can quickly get lost in the weeds of the various perspectives. How, then, can pastors today best preach Paul’s message? Scot McKnight and Joseph B. Modica have assembled this stellar one-stop guide exploring four major interpretive perspectives on the apostle Paul: Reformational, New, Apocalyptic, and Participationist. First elucidated by a scholarly essay, each perspective is then illuminated by three sermons expositing various passages from Paul’s magisterial letter to the Romans. Coming from such leading figures as Richard Hays, James Dunn, Fleming Rutledge, and Tom Schreiner, these essays and sermons splendidly demonstrate how each perspective on Paul brings valuable insights for preaching on Romans. [Table of Contents] Introduction Interpretive Perspectives on the Apostle Paul 1. Romans and the “Lutheran” Paul: Stephen Westerholm 2. Romans and the New Perspective: Scot McKnight 3. Romans and the Apocalyptic Reading of Paul: Douglas A. Campbell 4. Romans and the Participationist Perspective: Michael J. Gorman Preaching Romans: Sermons Reformational Perspective 5. Romans as Ecclesial Theology: Building Multiethnic Missional Churches: Michael F. Bird 6. God Justifies the Ungodly: Romans 4:1–8: Thomas R. Schreiner 7. The Transforming Reality of Justification by Faith: Romans 5:1–5: Carl R. Trueman New Perspective 8. The Balance of Already/Not Yet: Romans 8:1–17: James D. G. Dunn 9. This Changes Everything: Romans 5:12–21: Tara Beth Leach 10. Pass the Peace by Faith: Romans 4:1–4, 13–17: Scot McKnight Apocalyptic Perspective 11. Immortal Combat: Romans 1:16–17 and 5:12–14: Jason Micheli 12. In Celebration of Full Communion: Romans 3:21–24: Fleming Rutledge 13. Old Adam, New Adam; Old World, New World; Old You, New You: Romans 5:12–21: William H. Willimon Participationist Perspective 14. Death Becomes Her: Romans 6:1–14: Timothy G. Gombis 15. Made New by One Man’s Obedience: Romans 5:12–19: Richard B. Hays 16. Breathing Well: Romans 8:12–30: Suzanne Watts Henderson Conclusion 17. Implications: Joseph B. Modica