How should Christians read the Old Testament today? Answers to this question gravitate between two poles. On the one hand, some pay little attention to the gap between the Old Testament and today, reading the Old Testament like a devotional allegory that points the Christian directly to Jesus. On the other hand, there are folks who prioritize an Old Testament passage's original context to such an extent that it is by no means clear if and how a given Old Testament text might bear witness to Christ and address the church.This volume is a tribute to Willem A. VanGemeren, an ecclesial scholar who... View More...
This classic work on literary criticism by Professor Adele Berlin introduces the reader to the colorful world of poetics (literary conventions) used in the construction of biblical narratives. Her book is divided into 6 parts: Poetics and Interpretation, Character and Characterization, Point of View, Poetics in the Book of Ruth, Poetic Interpretation and Historical-Critical Methods, and The Art of Biblical Narrative.
Three decades ago, renowned literary expert Robert Alter radically expanded the horizons of biblical scholarship by recasting the Bible as not only a human creation but a work of literary art deserving studied criticism. In The Art of Biblical Poetry, his companion to the seminal The Art of Biblical Narrative, Alter takes his analysis beyond narrative craft to investigate the use of Hebrew poetry in the Bible. Updated with a new preface, myriad revisions, and passages from Alter's own critically acclaimed biblical translations, The Art of Biblical Poetry is an indispensable tool for understand... View More...
Textual Criticism of the Bible provides a starting point for the study of both Old and New Testament textual criticism. In this book, you will be introduced to the world of biblical manuscripts and learn how scholars analyze and evaluate all of that textual data to bring us copies of the Bible in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that can be used for translating the Bible into modern languages. Textual Criticism of the Bible surveys the field, explains technical terminology, and demonstrates in numerous examples how various textual questions are evaluated. Complicated concepts are clearly explained a... View More...
Synopsis: At the end of Romans 11, Paul quotes both Isaiah and Job. As with other New Testament uses of Old Testament texts, this raises several questions. What is the context of these Old Testament passages? How are they used in other Jewish literature? What is Paul's hermeneutical warrant for using them in Romans 11? What theological use does Paul make of them? How, if at all, does their use in Romans 11 contribute to the broader discussion on the use of the Old Testament in the New? In addressing these questions, this book reveals a remarkable typological connection that climaxes in the dox... View More...
In his easy-to-understand guide to New Testament exegesis, Andrew Naselli explains and illustrates each step of a logical twelve-stage interpretive process that pastors, scholars, teachers, and laypeople can use with benefit. Move from genre to textual criticism, take Greek grammar and literary context into account, and journey through the passage all the way to practical application. Learn how to track an author's thought-flow, grasp the text's message, and apply the ancient Word in this modern world, all in light of Christ's redeeming work. Then plunge into Naselli's recommended resources to... View More...
Anthony Thiselton here brings together his encyclopedic knowledge of hermeneutics and his nearly four decades of teaching on the subject to provide a splendid interdisciplinary textbook. After a thorough historical overview of hermeneutics, Thiselton moves into modern times with extensive analysis of scholarship from the mid-twentieth century, including liberation and feminist theologies, reader-response and reception theory, and postmodernism. No other text on hermeneutics covers the range of writers and subjects discussed in Thiselton's Hermeneutics. View More...
Don't just read the Bible literally--read it Literarily.A lot of times, we treat Scripture like it's all the same from Genesis to Revelation. After all, it only has one Author. Isn't it just one big book, identical from beginning to end?While it's true that the Bible is unified, it is also diverse. The Bible can be grouped according to key categories, called genres, that help us to read and properly interpret the Scriptures. An understanding of these genres, and the literary themes and devices used within them, makes all the difference when encountering God's Word.Long-time Bible teacher Krist... View More...
Poetic Diction, first published in 1928, begins by asking why we call a given grouping of words "poetry" and why these arouse "aesthetic imagination" and produce pleasure in a receptive reader. Returning always to this personal experience of poetry, Owen Barfield at the same time seeks objective standards of criticism and a theory of poetic diction in broader philosophical considerations on the relation of world and thought. His profound musings explore concerns fundamental to the understanding and appreciation of poetry, including the nature of metaphor, poetic effect, the difference between ... View More...
In Understanding Bible Translation, William Barrick surveys the fascinating work of Bible translation worldwide. Drawing on decades of experience translating the Bible, Barrick explains best practices for Bible translation and walks the reader through the translation process. In addition, he provides insight for evaluating English translations and highlights resources for understanding difficult passages of Scripture. View More...
With the widespread availability of English Bible translations, the question can easily be asked, Why bother with the hard work of biblical exegesis? Computers can translate foreign languages and many English translations take us very close to the original words and meaning of the Bible. But the answer is clear: the deepest truths of the Bible are found through the deepest study. This book teaches the principles, methods, and fundamentals of exegeting the New Testament, and offers examples of textual exegesis that clearly and helpfully show the value of exegeting a text well. Serious students ... View More...
Jeannine Brown, a seasoned teacher of biblical interpretation, believes that communication is at the heart of what happens when we open the Bible. We are actively engaging God in a conversation that can be life changing. In this guide to the theory and practice of biblical hermeneutics, Brown emphasizes the communicative nature of Scripture, proposing a communication model as an effective approach to interpreting the Bible. The new edition of this successful textbook has been revised and updated to interact with recent advances in interpretive theory and practice. View More...
This book offers updated explanations of the sins of interpretation to teach sound grammatical, lexical, cultural, theological, and historical Bible study practices.
"A must for teachers, pastors, and serious Bible students."--Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society View More...
Do you struggle to connect the dots between the Bible and your life? While Christians instinctively want to apply Scripture, we encounter difficulties that can discourage us and diminish our engagement with God's Word. Indeed, biblical application has suffered in various ways in the church--everything from neglect to abuse to contempt. Responding to such challenges, Beyond Chapter and Verse provides a biblically based rationale for the practice of application and then proposes a biblically consistent method for application. The book is substantive but accessible, relevant for believers general... View More...
The deepest truths of the Bible accessible in a way that can be seen, understood, and experienced like never before, combining graphics and text to teach the nature and contents of the Bible in a fresh and exciting way.For a beautiful, approachable, informative presentation of the concepts and principles of Scripture--turn to any page of A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible and be instantly immersed in the visuals and teachings of God's Word.A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible is not only a wonderful introduction to the Christian life, it is a functioning guide for understanding and living ou... View More...
A survey of two literary devices that are indispensable for understanding salvation history A biblical type is a person, place, or thing in salvation history that corresponds to a later person, place, or thing in the scriptural text. An allegory is a passage that says one thing in order to say something else. Both are common literary devices in the Bible that are vital for understanding truths about Jesus Christ found nowhere else. In 40 Questions About Typology and Allegory, Mitchell Chase provides a thorough introduction to both devices, showing where they appear throughout Scripture and the... View More...
Learn to interpret the Bible from the biblical writers themselves A method of interpretation--a hermeneutic--is indispensable for understanding Scripture, constructing theology, and living the Christian life, but most contemporary hermeneutical systems fail to acknowledge the principles and practices of the biblical writers themselves. Christians today cannot employ a truly biblical view of the Bible unless they understand why the prophets and apostles interpreted Scripture the way they did. To this end, Abner Chou proposes a hermeneutic of obedience, in which believers learn to interpret Scri... View More...
Integrating Exegesis and Exposition is a handbook introducing Biblical study (exegesis) and the communication of the Bible in preaching and teaching (exposition). This method encourages communicators to incorporate the process of Bible study into the presentation of the message, so that learners discover not only how to understand the portion of Scripture being communicated at that moment, but also so that they can develop their own skills in Bible study. The premise of Integrating Exegesis and Exposition is that the study, practice, and communication of the Bible are interconnected. The relat... View More...
Urban Legends of the New Testament surveys forty of the most commonly misinterpreted passages in the New Testament. These "urban legends" often arise because interpreters neglect a passage's context, misuse historical background information, or misunderstand the Greek language. For each New Testament text, professor David Croteau describes the popular, incorrect interpretation and then carefully interprets the passage within its literary and historical context. Careful attention is given to sound principles of biblical interpretation to guide readers through the process and reach a more accura... View More...
Urban Legends of the New Testament surveys forty of the most commonly misinterpreted passages in the New Testament. These "urban legends" often arise because interpreters neglect a passage's context, misuse historical background information, or misunderstand the Greek language. For each New Testament text, professor David Croteau describes the popular, incorrect interpretation and then carefully interprets the passage within its literary and historical context. Careful attention is given to sound principles of biblical interpretation to guide readers through the process and reach a more accura... View More...
