Bibles Bible Studies Books

Everything was just great--came in a timely manner and was in the condition that was described.

As a rabbinical student, I have had the great pleasure of studying with Professor Sweeney in several classroom settings. The enthusiasm with which he so lovingly teaches/shares his vast knowledge of Tanakh, in general, and the Prophets, in particular, to his seminary students is palpable in the pages of this wonderful publication. Professor Sweeney has the unique ability to present an academically sound explication of prophetic literature while simultaneously breathing life into the written names of the people and places that populate the text. To paraphrase the words of my esteemed and humble teacher, these biblical writings did not occur in a vacuum. Professor Sweeney's grasp of the biblical world, the languages and cultures of both the Hebrews and their surrounding neighbors, and the linguistic/grammatical secrets embedded in the text of prophetic literature, are distilled into a delightfully challenging read in Prophetic Literature. If one is not fortunate enough to study and learn with Professor Sweeney in person, this book is the next best thing!

Biblical texts create worlds of meaning, and invite readers to enter them. When readers enter such textual worlds, which are often strange and complex, they are confronted with theological claims. With this in mind, the purpose of the Interpreting Biblical Texts series is to help serious readers in their experience of reading and interpreting by providing guides for their journeys into textual worlds. The controlling perspective is expressed in the operative word of the title--interpreting. The primary focus of the series is not so much on the world behind the texts or out of which the texts have arisen as on the worlds created by the texts in their engagement with readers. Although these books of the prophets are based upon the careers and experiences of some of the most talented and provocative individuals of their times, the books must be read first as literature. Each book displays its own unique organization, literary characteristics, and theological outlook in presenting the prophets. In the case of Jeremiah, interpreters must even consider two distinctive forms of the book in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint. By guiding the reader through the literary structure and language of each of the prophetic books as well as the social roles of the individual prophets, this volume opens the reader to greater understanding and appreciation of the prophets of Israel and Judah. Fact packed and crystal clear, this particular volume invites readers to tour the landscape of ancient Israel's Latter Prophets corpus. The author serves as a first-rate guide, equipping readers with basic knowledge to grasp, and grapple with, the literary legacies of the canonical prophets. True to the series title, he interprets texts with an eye to major, dynamic themes in Jewish and Christian traditions. The volume proves a reliable guidebook for readers wishing not only to survey, but also to engage in dialogue with, ancient Israel's canonical prophets.

This was a Christmas gift for my sister who happens to be extremely religious and has a fondness of word search puzzles. She found this to be a very nice gift.

This is a good read. Genesis was a great read so it is a hard compare. Don't let that stop you, though.

The Way According To Luke: Hearing The Whole Story Of Luke-Acts by Paul Borgman (Professor of English, Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts) is a narrative study of the classic Greek and Jewish literary tale elements of the New Testament Gospel of Luke and Book of Acts. As Professor Borgman insightfully explores the historical complexities of these biblical narratives, The Way According To Luke deftly guides readers through the two-part drama with its principal focus on the mission of Jesus and his apostles through attention to the use of repetition, patterns and other oral narrative particulars as the scriptures were originally intended to be read and understood by the early Christian community. The Way According To Luke is very highly recommended for all biblical students as a concise introduction and in-depth, academically sound, historical and theological study of the works of Luke which have been influential in the Christian movement from its very beginnings down to the present day.

This is Paul Borgman's second volume to which he brings a literary approach to the text of Scripture.
The first volume dealt with Genesis, this one wanders into the NT and deals with the two works of Luke as a unitary whole, seeing many theological/literary connections embedded throughout both works.
Borgman's literary approach brings nothing fancy to the interpretation of Luke-Acts and is none the worse for this.
He has not contrived to be obtuse like some literary critics who deal with the text of Scripture, and always keeps the reader and text foremost.

Those who are used to the standard verse by verse commentaries may, on the surface, find this one hard going as this does not belong to that Genre, but Borgman does a wonderful job of bringing out the theological flow of the Luke -Acts and highlights connections that most commentaries in other genres leave out.
Care of course must be taken when writers say they are approaching the Scripture as a Literary work.
Oftentimes this means that issues of Historicity are merely pushed aside in favour of dealing with the text as a literary work, which in turn means the commentator doesn't believe that it is historically accurate in what it claims.
Borgman appears cautious in this, and there is nothing amiss that I could see that would give one pause for thought in this respect.

Of particular interest and delight to me was his dealing with the disciples question in Acts1:6.
Borgmans does not gloss over the difficulty by spiritualizing it away, but simply states that the question was a valid one and draws no rebuke from Jesus, unlike most commentators old and new who say the disciples question was a result of their ignorance.

One strange omission occurs in his bibliography.
The name of David Gooding who has written volumes on Luke and Acts dealing with the thought flow of the texts and pre-dates Borgman's approach by a number of years is not even mentioned.
Considering that Gooding's works can be classed in the same Genre as Borgman's this is a strange lacuna indeed.
All in all this is a worthwhile purchase

Overall the compact size and organization of the bible is ideal; however, I was extremely disappointed in the very fine and small tan text lettering. Extremely difficult to read; I actually exchanged this item for another bible with larger text. Nice gift for a quick reference; compact for purse, but it did not work out for me for long term reading/studying.

I love this Bible! I love the style and size...able to fit into any purse! But...most of all...I love the devotionals and the way they keep you wanting to read more and more and MORE!!! Thanks for offering this Bible at such a great price!!! UNBEATABLE!!! =0)

I just love this Bible. It is such a nice size that it fits right in my bag and I can carry it everywhere. The NIV is such an easy version to read and understand that there is really no reason for anyone not to study the bible. I love learning more and more about God's word and how he wants us to live. This little bible makes it all that much easier. I am going to buy one for my Mom because I know she will adore it as well. God Bless!

I bought this for my wife's Christmas present. She loves it. She took it to church on Sabbath and the ladies were delighted to see the new quality with the same organization as the "older" versions.

It works very nice for my wife and her friends at church, but for me, I would have to seek for a large print.

This Bible is the perfect size making it very portable. It has a beautiful leather cover that is also durable. The text contrast makes it easy to read even without my reading glasses! The daily devotionals are great and I find myself reading days' worth at a time. This Bible would make a wonderful gift or treat yourself like I did! It was also a great price here at Amazon-lots cheaper than my local Christian Book store.

A good read for anyone interested in knowing more about the teaching of Jesus, and the spiritual side of Christianity that is not typically discussed at standard sermons.

This book may or may not augment one's devotions. Its thrust lies not in devotion but in hard core practice: this is a man who speaks from what he has grokked, not that about which he has opined. One is stunned by the Light.

If you're serious about your search, grab this book. If you're looking to make your devotions prettier, surely there are a lot of little pamphlets out there that will do that job.

Do you want pretty? Go elsewhere. Do you want real? Grab.

Oh. Do you want canonical? Fuggadabboudit!

Wow!

There is something about this book that is saying far more than the scholars and modern academia is saying. Not only is it stylistically more interesting to read, it's practically and directly spiritual!

I'd been looking for a way to find SPIRITUALITY in the West, rather than stale dogmas, and real methods to feel connected with God, Divine Spirit, or whatever you want to call it in a practical and meaningful way. This book addresses those needs quite directly, unlike the scholars writing about Gnosticism who, at best, address those issues indirectly. I used to look up to the Eastern systems of metaphysics because they had a rich tradition of meditation and spiritual contemplation that I always felt I needed, but couldn't really connect with. But this author is coming to show me that such a spiritual richness and depth may also exist in the West!

The best part about the book is its practical use! The chapters are direct responses to each line of the Gospel of St. Thomas. There is a contemplation following each of St. Thomas' 114 sayings. This allows me to read in order, out of order, re-read sections in a nice, relaxing way as it fits into my busy schedule. Plus, each contemplation is good spiritual food for thought, so that I can read a contemplation, look back on Thomas' line and contemplate it myself to glean a little more on my own. It's the perfect book for anyone that has been looking for something more directly spiritual about Gnosticism, and more practically useful as good, solid food for one's truly spiritual considerations.

To quote Stephen Davies: "It all depends on what you mean by Gnostic. If you mean by Gnostic the belief that people have a divine capacity within themselves and that they can come to understand that the Kingdom of God is already upon the earth if they can come to perceive the world that way then Thomas is Gnostic.

"But if you mean by Gnostic the religion upon which the Nag Hammadi texts are based, a religion that differentiates the god of this world (who is the Jewish god) from a higher more abstract God, a religion that regards this world as the creation of a series of evil archons/powers who wish to keep the human soul trapped in an evil physical body then no, Thomas is not Gnostic.

"This differentiation is very important, because some scholars reason that if Thomas is Gnostic (in the first sense) then it is Gnostic (in the second sense) and, as they believe,Gnosticism (in the second sense) is a second or third century heresy, they conclude that the Gospel of Thomas is heretical, late in date, and without very much historical value in regard to Jesus of Nazareth."

Why are there so many authors who claim The Gospel of Thomas is Gnostic? It isn't......it is another denomination of Christianity that was suppressed 1800 years ago.

One of the Nag Hammadi manuscripts, the Gospel of St. Thomas is non-canonical gospel. In this gospel, Jesus is a mystical teacher--never as a savior. No miracles here, just an emphasis on his words as teaching. It professes the achievement of enlightenment through realization of self, a most Eastern twist on things. The text itself is mainly in the form of, "Jesus said xxx." Interestingly enough, very much like the set of "Confucius Said"'s from the Analects. It is generally rejected by mainstream Christians but it is a most interesting read for sure. This particular copy that I read has commentary and expansion on each of the versus of the gospel. I would give it four stars.

I have always found Edershiem to be an excellent author and gifted theologian but reading this book just backed that up. The reader however, must take into consideration that it was written in the 1800's, so some of the theology and doctrine of it may still be from the middle-ages. Beyond that, he makes excellent points and really stretches the mind. If the reader is serious about learning theology and Bible history, this is a good book.

Edersheim probably had no idea people would still be reading his book hundreds of years after he wrote it so some of this book concerns itself with refutations of other authors modern-day readers will have never heard of. Otherwise, this is a fascinating look at the Old Testament. The reader will find several themes that Edersheim attaches considerable attention to that really pull the Old Testament together. This is a wonderful book!

Origninally written in a number of volumes, this book is now available it a single-book volume. This is nice in that it does not take up much space on your shelf.

Written from a Jewish Christian perspective, Edersheim gives the reader valuable insights of the Israelite history and way of life, all the while linking it to the plan of salvation.

This is a very good doctrinally sound (and affordable) commentary on the O.T.

This is a classic, by a master. Language and style a little dated, but that's to be expected considering when it was first published...

This without a doubt Edersheim's best work. I have read it many times and always enjoy it with each new reading. I highly recommend this for any person that wants to get a deeper understanding of the Old Testament. It is unexcelled.

"The Old Testament: An Introduction To The Hebrew Bible" is great. The book takes the reader/student on a thorough, thought-provoking and illuminating journey through the world that produced the Hebrew Bible and finally the texts themselves. For those wishing to explore the Old Testament from a historical/literary perspective, this textbook is the right choice. Highly recommended for those who have little or no background knowledge in Biblical Studies or Biblical Scholarship. Granted, the price is quite hefty for a new copy; however, you can't go wrong with a used copy. New or used it is money well spent.

Walter Kaiser believes that the Old Testament documents are both reliable and relevant for Christians today. While he does not try to "prove" the infallibility of the Old Testament scriptures, his argument in favor of their reliability and relevance is generally persuasive. Especially fascinating is some of the supporting archeological evidence, such as Baruch's bullae and investigations into the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Kaiser also notes problems with the evidence when applicable; for example, the dating of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and various "missing people." His argument is weakest in regards to Genesis 1-11 for several reasons. First he argues against those who hold that certain portions of early Genesis are "scientific impossible." But the main problem with these portions is not their scientific impossibility, but the lack of scientific evidence in favor of the biblical account. While this is problematic for the long lifespans and early iron-working, nowhere is it more devestating than for the universal flood story-a story that Kaiser overlooks completely! Moreover, while arguing in favor of Moses authorship for the Pentateuch, Kaiser dismisses the various "strands" that provide the support for the JEDP hypothesis. Kaiser does rightly expose some flimsy assumptions of the JEDP hypothesis; however, the existence of various strands in the text do not necessarily undermine support for Moses' authorship (for which Wright argues). It certainly seems plausible that Moses collected various written or oral traditions when writing and compiling the Pentateuch, and so a wholesale dismissal of the JEDP hypothesis might be hasty. Despite these flaws, this book remains a good introduction to the topic.

Kaisers work with the Old Testament Documents is an interesting read. I had the belief that the Old Testament documents were both reliable and relevent before I began to read this book, and after reading it my belief still stands. There are only two arguments that I would like to confront after reading Kaiser's work. The first thing that I dislike is how Kaiser skims over some topics of debait and basically just says that they are historically accurate because they are found in historical documents from more than one source. This could easily be construed by simple "word of mouth" or lack of an eye witness. A rumor or tale could be believable and convincing and yet not true or precise. The second thing that I noticed about this book, is the fact there is very little evidence to go by in regards to the Old Testament, and Kaiser does not thoroughly discuss this problem. Although further discussion of this topic might hurt Kaiser's points, it would only be fair to show how small the stack of evidence, even though convincing, really is. Overall, this book was very informative and serves as a great introduction to how the Old Testament can be both "reliable and relevant" today.

Most books dealing with the reliability of Biblical documents focus on their transmission history, and usually that of the New Testament, as we know more about it. How much less we know of the textual history of the Older Testament, however, is seen in that only 35 pages of this book are actually devoted to it! The rest of the work is filled out by discussions of whether or not the history and message recorded in those documents is reliable and relevant to today. These discussions are introductory and survey the field in a manner that seems to skate over some rather prickly issues, particularly in the areas where Kaiser argues for the reliability of the recorded history. Given that this work came out some six years after the first major public salvo from minimalist interpreters, who deny the historicity of the events Kaiser argues are historical, there should have been more interaction with them. Their views are becoming general public knowledge and should be interacted with. There also seems to be a tendency in the later sections on the reliability of the messages in the documents, to jump from the fact that something in the text is historically accurate to the view that the message is therefore reliable. The message of Ezekiel, for example, may or may not be reliable, but it isn't proven by the fact that other people at the same time also used bricks as writing materials. On the positive side, however, the discussion of the textual history is concise and informative, as is most of the book. There is also useful information on how many critical views of the text, which remain prevalent in the popular conscience and media, are actually either passe, dead, or under serious fire on the academic end. Over all, the book is worth reading as long as one keeps in mind its introductory survey nature and are willing to pursue the issues to greater depth via the footnotes. The book will give you a good foothold in and understanding of the field to make a solid start at it.

I wish people would read a book before posting a comment. This book is a textual criticism into the study of Romans 16:7. It is completely void of any Feminist theology or writing.
Look at the following Bible translations.
English standard Version
Rom 16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.
American Standard Version
Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also have been in Christ before me.
New American Standard Bible
Rom 16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
King James Bible
Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Both Junia and Junias carry the Strong's number 2458.
You can see from the Bible versions above. The KJV, ESV, both use the Female name while ASV and NASB use the Male name. It is interesting the the male is shown to be an Apostle in the NASB.
The book is about 80 pages with about 55 pages of notes, bibliography and index's. It is well documented and reads with a textual criticism style of writing. A nice book for your library, especially if you like a little controversy.

This is definitely not a 'light weight' book. I have a PhD and had difficulty wading through it. If you are not totally familiar with exegesis, hermeneutics, and scholarly publications, you may want to pass this one by. If that is your forte then you will thrill at the scholarly undertaking here.

After this work, there really aren't any arguments left for giving Junia a sex change, or acting as if she wasn't in full apostolic authority. Epp goes through source by source, text by text, and looks at every scholarly Biblical reference to Junia/Junias over the last two thousand years. It is an astounding litany of sexism and mysoginy. Surprisingly, she is fully woman, even through the extreme anti-feminism of later Church Fathers like Chryostome. It is only in the late Middle Ages that she starts to be masculanized; it is only in the 1920s that we really start to see her made such in the Greek texts.

What a different world it would be if we grew up reading in English about a female apostle! Kudos to recent translations like the NRSV and New American Bible, who are using good scholarship in referring to Junia. Shame on those like The Message (alone with only the CEV), bucking the more recent scholarly trend and insisting on Junias. Epp shows how much our own culture influences our translation, even to the point of diacritical marks.

A word of warning- this is a highly scholarly work. If you don't know Greek, you probably won't enjoy it. I have only a smattering of Greek, and had to wade through a good deal of grammar and manuscript analysis terms that I had no understanding of. I still enjoyed the book because of my commitment to women's empowerment and recognition of Junia, but for most without a textual analysis background, this book will seem too heavy. This is the kind of work that scholars typically share with only each other.

Epp has produced a model essay for both the scholar (who needs precise proof for every assertion) and the seriously interested lay person (who wants clarity in the argument plus clear signals as to where he may skim over the scholarly details). It is a book I wish I had written; it is a book I wish I COULD have written!
The book is so important for the question of women's ministry in the church that I have purchased and given away several copies.
It is true, however, that it is not for the casual reader.

This book makes "a brief history of time" look like a children's storybook. It's basically a learned journal article republished as a book. If you're not into researching the use of the ablative in Greek sentence structures this is not for you.

The current Junia fad means that any book on the subject will be bought. I picked it up, read the first and last couple of paragraphs and am about to consign it untouched to my local feminist theology library. Junia is an important find for modern Christianity and a great gift to women struggling to assert their rightful their place in the last great male-dominated western institutions. This book only helps with a technical proof of Junia's existence. It gives no sense of who she might have been, why she is important or what she means today. It also ignores that Junia has been recognised as a saint in the Orthodox Church since the time of her death.

Perhaps it is of importance to "sola scriptura" Christians since it provides the technical tools to argue the correct gender for Junia and her appellation of Apostle.

PS Buy "The Lost Apostle"; it is a much easier and more motivational read.