In this book, Matthew Levering unites eschatologically charged biblical Christology with metaphysical and dogmatic Thomistic Christology, by highlighting the typological Christologies shared by Scripture, the Church Fathers, and Aquinas. Like the Church Fathers, Aquinas often reflected upon Jesus in typological terms (especially in his biblical commentaries), just as the New Testament does. Showing the connections between New Testament, Patristic, and Aquinas' own typological portraits of Jesus, Levering reveals how the eschatological Jesus of biblical scholarship can be integrated with Thomistic Christology. His study produces a fully contemporary Thomistic Christology that unites ressourcement and Thomistic modes of theological inquiry, thereby bridging two schools of contemporary theology that too often are imagined as rivals. Levering's book reflects and augments the current resurgence of Thomistic Christology as an ecumenical project of relevance to all Christians.
Paul and the Gentile Problem provides a new explanation for the apostle Paul's statements about the Jewish law in his letters to the Romans and Galatians. Paul's arguments against circumcision and the law in Romans 2 and his reading of Genesis 15-21 in Galatians 4:21-31 belong within a stream of Jewish thinking which rejected the possibility that gentiles could undergo circumcision and adopt the Jewish law, thereby becoming Jews. Paul opposes this solution to the gentile problem because he thinks it misunderstands how essentially hopeless the gentile situation remains outside of Christ. The second part of the book moves from Paul's arguments against a gospel that requires gentiles to undergo circumcision and adoption of the Jewish law to his own positive account, based on his reading of the Abraham Narrative, of the way in which Israel's God relates to gentiles. Having received the Spirit (pneuma) of Christ, gentiles are incorporated into Christ, who is the singular seed of Abraham, and, therefore, become materially related to Abraham. But this solution raises a question: Why is it so important for Paul that gentiles become seed of Abraham? The argument of this book is that Paul believes that God had made certain promises to Abraham that only those who are his seed could enjoy and that these promises can be summarized as being empowered to live a moral life, inheriting the cosmos, and having the hope of an indestructible life.
In this book, Novenson gives a revisionist account of messianism in antiquity. He shows that, for the ancient Jews and Christians who used the term, a messiah was not an article of faith but a manner of speaking: a scriptural figure of speech useful for thinking kinds of political order.
Reckoning with the hermeneutical struggle to make sense of Paul as both a historical figure and a canonical muse. Matthew Novenson has become a leading advocate for the continuing relevance of historical-critical readings of Paul even as some New Testament scholars have turned to purely theological or political approaches. In this collection of a decade’s worth of essays, Novenson puts contextual understandings of Paul’s letters into conversation with their Christian reception history. After a new, programmatic introductory essay that frames the other eleven essays, Novenson explores topics including: the relation between theology and historical criticism the place of Jews and gentiles in Paul’s gospel Paul’s relation to Judaism the relevance of messianism to Paul’s Christology Paul’s eschatology in relation to ancient Jewish eschatologies the aptness of monotheism as a category for understanding antiquity the reception of Paul by diverse early Christian writers the peculiar place of Protestantism in the modern study of Paul the debate over the recent Paul-within-Judaism movement anti-Judaism in modern New Testament scholarship disputes over Romans and Galatians the meta-question of what it would mean to get Paul right or wrong Engaging with numerous schools of thought in Pauline studies—Augustinian, Lutheran, New Perspective, apocalyptic, Paul-within-Judaism, religious studies, and more—while also rising above partisan disputes between schools, Novenson illuminates the ancient Mediterranean context of Paul’s letters, their complicated afterlives in the history of interpretation, and the hermeneutical struggle to make sense of it all.
This handbook offers a comprehensive and varied study of deification within Christian theology. Forty-six leading experts in the field examine points of convergence and difference on the constitutive elements of deification across different writers, thinkers, and traditions.
A significant number of Muslim communities throughout the world reflect varying degrees of involvement in Islamic mysticism. What bridges are present in this context that will facilitate not only evangelism, but also discipleship and community formation? Matthew Friedman guides the reader on a journey examining the response of the early Christian community to the challenges of ancient Jewish and Hellenic mysticism, focusing on the central idea of “union with God in Christ.” Far from finding this to be a leftover from the early Church, he discovers that this theme remained crucial into the Reformation, particularly in the writing and work of eighteenth-century figures John and Charles Wesley.Join Friedman as he explores resources for discipleship and community building that will be relevant to both scholars and practitioners alike, and will be effective for witness within modern contexts of Islamic mysticism worldwide.
We know that the earliest Christians sang hymns. But are some of these early Christian hymns preserved for us in the New Testament? Matthew Gordley takes a new look at didactic hymns in the Greco-Roman and Jewish world of the early church, considering how they might function in the New Testament and what they could tell us about early Christian worship.
Explore the tenderness and the tensions in the teachings of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew portrays Jesus and his message as full of tender compassion and urgent warning. This six-part exploration of an enigmatic Gospel takes readers into the themes, topics, and tensions at the heart of Matthew's story about the life and work of Jesus. Chapters focus on blessing and comfort, judgment and retribution, the meaning of discipleship, Jesus’ vision for the Church and world, conflicts and complaints, and how the Gospel of Matthew speaks to believers today. The book can be read alone or used by small groups anytime throughout the year. Components include video teaching sessions featuring Matthew Skinner and a comprehensive Leader Guide.
. . . from expected death comes unexpected new life!" The Gospel of Matthew does not shy away from the realities of struggle, suffering, doubt, and death. Yet, from the first names in the genealogy to the last words spoken by Jesus, the Gospel testifies to the promise that from expected death comes unexpected new life. Through the actions of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba, we experience the expectation of death and the promise of unexpected new life. In the birth story of Jesus, Joseph suspects Mary of committing adultery. It is this dilemma that is the focus of the narrative. If he reveals her pregnancy, she could be killed. If he conceals her pregnancy, he will be going against the law of the Lord. What is a righteous man to do? In Joseph's dilemma, this experience of expected death, the Gospel of Matthew proclaims the promise of unexpected new life. The promise of unexpected new life is a theme that continues throughout Matthew's Gospel in the life and ministry of Jesus. The call of his disciples is a call from death to new life. The teaching of Jesus focuses on the experience of death and the promise of new life. In both healing and curing, Jesus brings unexpected new life to those who face death. But it is the death and resurrection of Jesus that is the climax of unexpected new life in the Gospel of Matthew. Even as Jesus experiences a most horrific and humiliating death in the crucifixion, death and the grave do not have the final say. In bearing witness to Jesus' resurrection, the Gospel of Matthew proclaims the magnificent promise of unexpected new life. Matthew J. Marohl invites you in these pages to read the Gospel of Matthew in a new way, from a fresh perspective. Integrating insights from the study of Mediterranean anthropology, Marohl makes the cultural world of the Gospel come alive, so that as you read Matthew again (or perhaps for the first time) you will certainly experience the powerful promise that from expected death comes unexpected new life!
The eleventh book in this series, this text focuses on textual comments and believer edification of the gospel of Matthew. Although the text isn't focused on textual research of a theological exegesis, the commentary does try to bring the ideas and assertions made by the disciple Matthew in the days of the Messiah Jesus Christ in the nation of Israel. This book is handy for anyone who wants to read into commentary history as well as to get a good solid look at how the texts of Matthew apply to our lives.
Matthew’s Gospel makes mention of prophets and prophecy more than any other canonical Gospel. Yet its perspective on prophecy has generally been neglected within biblical scholarship when, in fact, Jesus’ prophetic vocation is a central christological theme for Matthew. This new study by Matthew Anslow seeks to draw attention to this underdeveloped focus within Matthean studies. The central claim of the book is that in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ prophetic vocation is presented as a multi-faceted phenomenon, drawing on several prophetic traditions. Like biblical and popular prophets before him, Jesus is depicted by Matthew as calling Israel back to covenantal faithfulness, thereby providing guidance for the identity, theology, and communal life of God’s people.
Would you like to hear from the biblical leader who was called "a man after God's own heart?" Do you want to hear from the man who was heralded as the greatest king of Israel? Do you want to hear from a man that Jews and Christians alike look up to and respect? Would you like to hear this man speak, the man that Jesus was named after as the Son of David? Come and listen as King David answers several questions posed to him by Matthew and three of Matthew's closest friends. While some of the answers might seem obvious, other answers might surprise and even shock you. David answers questions, such as the following: Did he fear Goliath? Did he have any regrets in his life? If he had to live his life over again, would he change anything? What advice would he give worship leaders? What does he like about heaven? And many more. David is sincere, honest, and down to earth. You will see that he not only understands the life that he lived, but he also has a grasp on what we deal with now on earth. Gain a fresh perspective into David's life that you might never have seen before.
A classic commentary in modern language ... this volume contains the wealth of exposition, metaphors, analogies, and illustrations that have set Matthew Henry’s Commentary apart as one of the enduring legacies of faith—and presents them in the language of today. Passage by passage, its prayerful, penetrating reflections and rich insights into the very heart of God’s Word are sure to challenge and inspire you.Ideal for personal devotions, Bible studies, and lesson and sermon preparations, The New Matthew Henry Commentary will enable you to rediscover this classic work—or discover it for the first time. Forever fresh and never failing to render new pearls of wisdom, this beloved text is one that you will reach for often to obtain deeper understanding of and appreciation for the Scriptures.
This is another volume in the series of Bible Commentaries of Matthew Henry. In this Volume, the entire text of the Gospel of Matthew is commented with notes of each chapter. This Commentary will help you better understand the God's word! Churches, theological seminaries and Bible schools will find an excellent aid in this biblical commentary on the Gospel of Matthew.
Explore the tenderness and the tensions in the teachings of Jesus. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Components include the book, Matthew: The Gospel of Promised Blessings, and video teaching sessions featuring Matthew Skinner. The Gospel of Matthew portrays Jesus and his message as full of tender compassion and urgent warning. This six-part exploration of an enigmatic Gospel takes readers into the themes, topics, and tensions at the heart of Matthew's story about the life and work of Jesus. Chapters focus on blessing and comfort, judgment and retribution, the meaning of discipleship, Jesus’ vision for the Church and world, conflicts and complaints, and how the Gospel of Matthew speaks to believers today.
In this work, Mead sets down the sincere choosing of God which should result in closing with Christ and being genuinely converted. His text is Ecclesiastes 12:1, “Remember your Creator now in the days of your youth.” He directed the sermons to the youth of the church, but they are by no means linked only to them, and will make older sinners blush as well as younger ones. He explains that the two great duties of the Christian life are to cease to do evil, and to learn to do well. No man can be good that does not cease to be evil. In the words of the preacher from Ecclesiastes, he shows that this exhortation is to take up a very concerning duty, backed with a threefold argument. In the duty, first, the act, which is to “remember.” Secondly, the object to be remembered, “your Creator.” And, thirdly, the time when he must be remembered, “now.” Sincere converts to the Christian faith should wisely improve this present life, and carefully provide for a better one to come. The one that is truly faithful in one will in some measure be conscious in both, and both are pointed at in Mead’s text. The one that in the days of his youth remembers his Creator as he ought, rightly improves the present life and wisely provides for that which is to come. In doing so, he unites in his practice those duties that God has joined together in the precept, “remember your Creator now in the days of your youth.” This work is not a scan or facsimile, has been carefully transcribed by hand being made easy to read in modern English, and has an active table of contents for electronic versions.
New beginnings are often fraught not only with excitement and adventure, but anxiety and uncertainty. The road is no longer familiar, the terrain perhaps not as friendly. In this set of three inviting reflections, Matthew A. Glover helps us to see that the Scriptures show us how God is present in these new beginnings of our lives, even when the path forward may be unknown.
Josiah Shute’s meticulous exploration of God’s intricate dance between divine justice and benevolence in the second plague of frogs upon the Egyptians is masterful. As a prominent Reformed theologian and preacher, Shute’s insights into Exodus 8:1-10 span nine compelling sermons, presenting a riveting examination of God’s interactions with his people, and their enemies. In this work, Shute reaffirms God’s righteousness, emphasizing that His judgments, while sometimes perceived as severe, always have a greater purpose. Exploring the very nature of afflictions, Shute unveils them not only as divine punishments, but instruments of God’s will, designed to address inherent pride, even within the righteous. But Shute’s discourse doesn’t end at self-reflection. He drives home the rewards of facing afflictions with a God-centered heart, echoing sentiments of biblical figures like David, emphasizing that true reconciliation and a deeper walk with God arise from rightly received trials. Josiah Shute’s “Judgment and Mercy" on Exodus 8:1-10 invites readers to a deeper understanding of God’s sovereign intentions, challenging them to see beyond the immediate pain of afflictions and embrace the divine wisdom embedded within. A theological masterpiece that promises to enrich the soul and sharpen the believer’s perspective on God’s unerring ways.
Matthew Henry (1662-1714) was a Presbyterian minister in England who began his commentary on the Bible in 1704. He completed his work up to the end of Acts before his death. Afterwards, his ministerial friends completed the work from Henry’s notes and writings. Time has sealed the reputation of Matthew Henry’s classic commentary as a rich source of insight into God’s word. For nearly 300 hundred years, Christian have consulted its rich insights into the very heart of God’s Word. Passage by passage, its prayerful, penetrating reflections inspire and challenge the reader. And now, in the tradition of the updated versions of Streams in the Desert and My Utmost for His Highest, the New Matthew Henry Commentary updates the language of the original, making it much easier to understand, while retaining its beauty and strong content. This one volume contains a wealth of exposition and comment, metaphors, analogies, and illustrations that have set Matthew Henry’s Commentary apart as one of the enduring legacies of faith. Ideal for personal devotions, Bible study, sermon and lesion preparations. Forever fresh and never failing to render new pearls of wisdoms, it’s a book you will reach for often to obtain deeper understanding of the Scriptures. Abridged and unabridged editions.
Never has there been a time such as this; the world needs truth! It is time for this book! Nearly two thousand years ago, one of the most famous conversations in history took place as Jesus Christ said this: “‘To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.’ Pilate saith unto him, ‘What is truth?’” (John 18:37–38). Pilate was aware that there were many people declaring at that time their truths about a great many things. As it was then, so it is in the twenty-first century, a time when it seems that the whole world is convinced that there are no absolutes, and so truth is only what we determine it to be. In the same premise, the world of religion has become a very confusing place. If God is not the author of confusion, then why are we so confused? Why are there countless versions of Christianity today? Why are teachers teaching so many variations to God’s salvation message? When senior deacon and Bible teacher Matthew C. Haner began his quest to find the answers, he could not know of the magnitude of the journey he was about to take. He soon realized that finding the answers could not be about allowing himself to be entangled in the web of endless doctrinal debates and comparing doctrines to doctrines. Nor could it be about pointing to who is right or wrong in this present century but rather, finding and accurately presenting the genuine doctrine of the kingdom of God and heaven. It was then that God put it upon his heart to go “back to the beginning.” Written in an easy-to-read format, Matthew’s work will systematically guide you into the original truth about repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit of God. This study guide clearly reveals the original salvation message taught to the whole world. The author reminds us that the Word of God exhorts all to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints,” and so students and teachers alike, settle in as you learn of the original truth found within the Word of God.
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