"There are three treatises in this book: one on Noah and two on King David. St. Ambrose offers an interpretation of the story of Noah (Genesis 6:5 through 9:29) and two essays on the story of King David's adultery with Bathsheba and his order for her husband to be killed (2 Samuel 11:2 through 12:25). His exegesis of the narrative of Noah and the Flood is allegorical. With regard to David and Bathsheba, Ambrose includes his own commentary on Psalm 51 (50 in the Septuagint), which he interprets as David's heartfelt repentance. Ambrose's overall purpose in the two treatises on David is to defend him as a righteous man"--
These sermons by Ambrose of Milan (340–397 AD) provide a window into the preaching and scriptural exegesis of the legendary bishop, whose exposition of the Old Testament was instrumental in the conversion of Augustine of Hippo and in the development of Latin theology. In his treatise On Noah and his two Defenses for David, Ambrose borrows from influential Greek theologians, including Philo of Alexandria, Origen, and Didymus the Blind, while developing his own commentary on the exemplary patriarchs. Ambrose’s exegesis typifies both his attention to the letter of Scripture as well as his spiritual and allegorical reading of the holy figures or “saints” who lived before Christ. The first treatise presents Noah as a model just man, as Ambrose pairs the literal and the higher or spiritual meaning of the Genesis flood narrative to address topics ranging from the Genesis narrative to Stoic ethics to the Incarnation. In his defense of David to the emperor Theodosius, Ambrose ties David’s sin and repentance to his own close reading of Psalm 51(50), David’s plea for himself in his famous “Miserere.” While the authenticity of the third treatise included in the volume, the Second Apology of David, has long been challenged, recent scholarship suggests that it transmits Ambrose’s own preaching, which applies the lessons of David’s life to the situation of gentile unbelievers, Jews, and the church; even if it is the work of a later imitator, the Second Apology is a compelling and systematic treatment of the David’s sin and repentance as relevant to Christian morality and doctrine. The three treatises, previously unavailable in English translation, broaden our understanding of exegesis in the Latin West and our interpretation of Ambrose as preacher and exegete.
The story of Noah's flood is one of the best-loved and most often retold biblical tales, the inspiration for numerous children's books and toys, novels, and even films. Whether as allusion, archetype, or literal presence--the American landscape is peppered with "recreations" of the ark--the story of Noah's animals and the ark resonates throughout American culture and the world.While most think of Noah's ark as a dramatic myth, others are consumed by the quest for geological and archeological proof that the flood really occurred. Persistent rumors of a large vessel on the mountain of Ararat in Turkey, for instance, have led many pilgrims and explorers over the centuries to visit that fabled peak. Recent finds suggest that there may have been a catastrophic flood on the shores of the Black Sea some 7,600 years ago. Is this then the reality behind the ancient tale of Noah? More to the point, why does it matter?What does the story of the Flood mean to us and why does it so stir the collective imagination? When the Great Abyss Opened examines the history of our attempts to understand the Flood, from medieval Jewish and Christian speculation about the physical details of the ark to contemporary efforts to link it to scientific findings. Unraveling the mythical dimensions of the parallel Mesopotamian flood stories and their deeper social and psychological significance, J. David Pleins also considers the story's positive uses in theology and moral instruction. Noah's tale, however, has also been invoked as a means of justifying exclusion, racism, and anti-homosexual views. Pro-slavery advocates, for example, used the story of Noah's Curse on Ham's son Canaan to rationalize the enslavement of Africans.Throughout this expansive and lively book, Pleins sheds new light on our continuing attempts to understand this ancient primal myth. Noah's Flood, he contends, offers a unique case study that illuminates the timeless and timely question of how fact and faith relate.
Bailey, associate professor of Hebrew Bible at Duke University Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina, reviews ancient literature and the modern claims of historicity, evaluates the latter, and then systematically inquires into the problem of how an episode from Scripture may address readers in the present, especially those within the synagogue or church. Paper edition ($13.95) not seen. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Compiled from the classic works, Patriarchs and Prophets, The Desire of Ages, and The Great Controversy. A worldwide, catastrophic flood. It reshaped the face of the planet. It killed millions of animals. It ended the lives of countless men, women, and children. Why would anyone believe a God of love would punish the world like that? You’re not alone. Questions like this one have mystified honest, searching people for thousands of years. Skeptics discredit the event as a mere myth, proof that God is nothing more than a cruel tyrant invented by men, while believers struggle to harmonize the love of Jesus and this frightening Old Testament story. There is an answer that actually makes sense that will help you understand the mind of God when it comes to evil, sin, suffering, pain, and punishment. In this stunning, in-depth exploration of the real story of Noah, you’ll discover all the great themes at play in this world-changing event. You’ll not only get an accurate, biblical, and historical narrative of the life and times of Noah, you’ll better grasp the vital spiritual themes that will expand your Bible literacy and grow your trust in God’s plan for our planet—and for you. The story of Noah still matters today. Jesus warned that the history of Noah’s time and the greatest storm the world has ever seen would repeat itself just prior to His return. That new storm is coming soon. To survive it, you will need to have the faith of Noah, the faith to believe when so many doubt, the faith to be patient when all seems lost, and the faith to trust God and His Word for 120 years—so long against so many odds—when every day your friends call you crazy and fanatical. This book will show you how to have that extraordinary faith.
The apostle Peter warned us that in the last days before the end times, there would be a new philosophy that would deny that there ever was a worldwide flood. They would deny that God created the world, the existence of God, and the coming end time judgment by fire. Today we see this taking place exactly as Peter had predicted. This book provides proof of a Biblical worldwide flood and backs it up with geological data. The information in this book offers evidence of creation by an omnipotent God and a global flood as God’s judgment of a sinful world. It provides evidence as to what the earth was like before the flood. It was a world, which after creation God had declared very good. Even after the fall of man, it was still paradise compared with the world we know today. The effects of catastrophic worldwide flood changed this planet drastically. This book also offers extensive proof that disproves the theory of evolution. New scientific discoveries are showing that evolution is impossible. Also contained in this book is considerable scientific evidence, showing that the earth is only a few thousand years old. This book may go against much of the popular scientific views of today, but it does so with the evidence to back it. The Bible gave us the history as well as the future of this world. The scientific and geological data that is available today fits well within that Biblical framework. In fact, it fits within the Biblical framework much better than any theories the evolutionary community has come up with, as this book will show.
