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The author is a pastor and also suffers from the chronic illness fibromyalgia; thus, she has special insight into the theme of suffering as a Christian. This book is ideal as a Lenten devotional. It is not a simplistic book and yet should appeal to many thoughtful Christians who long for a closer identification with the suffering of Jesus in the midst of their own trouble.

Messiah is being performed by the Cambridge Singers, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by John Rutter. The soloists are Joanne Lunn, Melanie Marshall, James Gilchrist, and Christopher Purves.

The 2-CD set includes a 24-page booklet with the text of Messiah and interspersed photos from the recording session at All Hallows Gospel Oak, London.

“If you sing in a choir—church or choral society—it is a mathematical certainty that you will have sung something by John Rutter. Be it anthem, carol, hymn or his much-loved Requiem, John Rutter’s [the] choral man who has given choirs music [that] is ubiquitous." —CollegiumUSA.com

Messiah, (1741), is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. It is his most famous creation and is among the most popular works in the Western choral literature. The name of the oratorio is taken from Judaism and Christianity’s concept of the messiah (“the anointed one”). In Christianity, the Messiah is Jesus. Handel himself was a devout Christian, and the work is a presentation of Jesus’s life and its significance according to Christian doctrine. Messiah,is Handel’s most famous work and remains immensely popular among concert-goers in the English-speaking world.

Although the work was conceived and first performed for Easter, it has become traditional since Handel’s death to perform the Messiah,oratorio during Advent, the preparatory period of the Christmas season. The work is also heard at Eastertide, and selections containing resurrection themes are often included in Easter services.

King James Version
This classic word-for-word translation has set the standard for its dignity, poetic language, KJV and enduring legacy.

New King James Version
Completely updated, this translation remains faithful to the accuracy and beauty of the KJV, yet uses contemporary, readable language.

New International Version
One of today’s best-selling translations, the NIV offers a unique combination of scholarly accuracy and easy readability. The thought-forthought approach its translators employed helps readers better understand and apply the intended meaning of the biblical text.

New Living Translation, second edition
The NLT is a meticulously accurate thought-for-thought text with a fresh, clear style. The New Living Translation, second edition’s refinements include marginal notes that explain word choices and more consistent rendition of Hebrew and Greek terms into their English equivalents.

In 1974 Charles W. Colson pleaded guilty to Watergate-related offenses and, after a tumultuous investigation, served seven months in prison. In his search for meaning and purpose in the face of the Watergate scandal, Colson penned Born Again. This unforgettable memoir shows a man who, seeking fulfillment in success and power, found it, paradoxically, in national disgrace and prison. In the decades since its initial publication, Born Again has brought hope and encouragement to millions. This remarkable story of new life continues to influence lives around the world through a dozen foreign editions.

HENDRICKSON CLASSIC BIOGRAPHIES

Hendrickson Classic Biographies feature enduring stories about real people whose lives have been touched and transformed by God, and who in turn have touched others with God’s love. Each story has been carefully selected, gently edited if necessary, and freshly typeset, making every account—be it ancient or contemporary—a compelling read. Great lives reaching across the ages to touch lives today, encouraging, challenging, and inspiring.

At the age of twenty-six, Calvin published several revisions of his Institutes of the Christian Religion, a seminal work in Christian theology that altered the course of Western history and that is still read by theological students today. It was published in Latin in 1536 and in his native French in 1541, with the definitive editions appearing in 1559 (Latin) and in 1560 (French). The book was written as an introductory textbook on the Protestant faith for those with some learning already and covered a broad range of theological topics from the doctrines of church and sacraments to justification by faith alone. It vigorously attacked the teachings of those Calvin considered unorthodox, particularly Roman Catholicism, to which Calvin says he had been “strongly devoted” before his conversion to Protestantism. The over-arching theme of the book—and Calvin’s greatest theological legacy—is the idea of God’s total sovereignty, particularly in salvation and election.

First published in 1997 as The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Third Edition this unique, one-volume reference work has put information on all aspects of the Christian church at generations of reader’s fingertips. Its extensive cross-referenced A–Z entries offer unmatched coverage of a wide-ranging spectrum of topics.

A roster of acknowledged experts in their fields penned the Dictionary of the Christian Church’s entries. These authors, representing Christian traditions from around the world, offer informed, even-handed treatment of the many subjects addressed in the DCC.

Whether one is seeking information on the Bible, religious orders, theologians or philosophers, archaeology or spirituality, the Dictionary of the Christian Church is the resource to consult. No library should be without this affordable edition of an authoritative work.

• Ideal for clergy, seminarians, students, and anyone interested in topics pertaining to the church
• Thousands of entries are cross-referenced to ease data retrieval
• Scholarly yet accessible
• Priced right for home and church libraries

Hudson Taylor has been referred to as one of the most significant figures in the history of China in the 19th century, and the China Inland Mission was responsible for the widest Christian evangelistic campaign since the first century when Paul the Apostle brought Christian teaching to Europe. At Taylor’s death in 1905, there were 205 stations with 849 missionaries and 125,000 Chinese Christians in the China Inland Mission.

This is the classic biography of James Hudson Taylor by his son Howard and daughter-in-law Geraldine, who also served as missionaries to China. It is the inspiring story of Taylor’s uncovering of the spiritual secret that paved the way for the China Inland Mission to become a reality.

This classic title has sold hundreds of thousands of copies since its original publication in 1932. Hendrickson introduces a lovely edition, re-typeset and redesigned, a perfect gift for anyone who wants to replace the old paperback or who is encountering Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret for the first time.

HENDRICKSON CLASSIC BIOGRAPHIES

Hendrickson Classic Biographies feature enduring stories about real people whose lives have been touched and transformed by God, and who in turn have touched others with God’s love. Each story has been carefully selected, gently edited if necessary, and freshly typeset, making every account—be it ancient or contemporary—a compelling read. Great lives reaching across the ages to touch lives today, encouraging, challenging, and inspiring.

When Müller felt called by God to care for orphans, he had only a few cents in his pocket. Without ever asking anyone other than God, he received over $7,200,000 dollars (in 1800’s money) through prayer alone. Müller established Orphanages in Bristol, England, and founded the “Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad,” the object of which was to aid Christian day-schools, to assist missionaries, and to circulate the Scriptures. His life was characterized by prayer, faith, and self-denial in the cause of Christ. During his lifetime, he established 117 schools which educated more than 120,000 young persons, including orphans.

From the age of seventy until ninety, Mr. Müller began to make great evangelistic tours. He traveled 200,000 miles, going around the world and preaching in many lands and in several different languages.

This classic biography of George Müller tells of his dependence on prayer and his compassionate concern for orphans in Bristol, England. George Müller (1805-1898) was well-known for his constant faith in God and for providing an education to the children under his care, to the point where he was accused of raising the poor above their natural station in life. Müller left a charitable legacy that continues to this day.

George Müller of Bristol was written the year after Müller’s death by his close friend, Arthur T. Pierson, an American preacher and evangelist.

HENDRICKSON CLASSIC BIOGRAPHIES

Hendrickson Classic Biographies feature enduring stories about real people whose lives have been touched and transformed by God, and who in turn have touched others with God’s love. Each story has been carefully selected, gently edited if necessary, and freshly typeset, making every account—be it ancient or contemporary—a compelling read. Great lives reaching across the ages to touch lives today, encouraging, challenging, and inspiring.

However, Queen Mary’s (1553–1558) persecution of her Protestant subjects caused many to flee to the continent to avoid imprisonment or execution. Geneva, Switzerland soon became a center for Protestant biblical scholarship. It was there that a group of the movement’s leading lights gathered to undertake a fresh translation of the scriptures into English, beginning in 1556.

Published in 1560, the Geneva Bible’s popularity kept it in print until 1644—long after the advent of the Authorized Version (a.k.a. King James Version). It was an English Bible that met the needs of both clergy and laity. Perhaps the Geneva Bible’s greatest contribution was its commentary, which under girded the emerging practice of sermonizing and helped foster scripture literacy. The Geneva Bible was the first to feature many innovations in the field of Bible publishing:
• Text printed in readable roman type
• Division of the text into numbered verses
• Italic type used for words not in the original languages
• Marks placed over the accented syllables to aid in pronouncing proper names
• Extensive textual and explanatory commentary placed in the margins
• Words/phrases displayed at the heads of pages to promote scripture memorization
• Maps and woodcuts illustrating biblical scenes included
• Sold in a variety of sizes so many people could afford a household Bible

The Geneva Bible accompanied English settlers voyaging to the new world. It is probable that the Geneva Bible came to America in 1607 and was used in the Jamestown colony. Thirteen years later the Pilgrims brought it with them on the Mayflower’s perilous voyage to religious freedom. The Geneva Bible stands as a landmark in the history of English Bible translation. Hendrickson’s facsimile reproduces one of the finest existing copies of the 1560 Geneva Bible. Using quality materials and crafted to last, Bible collectors and anyone interested in the history of the English Bible will treasure this volume.

Now the King James Version is available in a wide margin version from Hendrickson. This helpful format with wide margins on three sides of the page allows for note-taking to support both study and reflection. The type offers easy readability, with end-of-verse cross references and a concordance offering easier study.

FEATURES

• Wide margins—about one inch all around

• End-of-verse cross references

• 11-point type

• 76-page concordance

• Available in hardcover and bonded leather

• 7 x 9¼ inch trim size

• One ribbon

• Black-lettered edition

• Smyth sewn

What the Bible Teaches is a classic volume that provides numerous outlined studies of what the Bible has to say on over fifty major doctrines of the Bible. The work examines what the Bible teaches about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, man, angels, Satan, prayer, worship, faith, and more.

In this work, Torrey has made an attempt at a careful, unbiased study and statement of biblical truth, based upon a careful study of the original text. Beginning with one or more Scripture references as a starting point, these studies furnish a thorough analysis of a specific doctrinal truth. This orderly, systematic and thorough handbook is ideal for use as a reference work or in devotional study. It has been completely reformatted and the language has been updated to provide a useable study reference book for today’s students of the Bible.

The Greek selections represent a variety of styles and levels of difficulty. The notes also vary, with very extensive notes provided in some cases.

Passages that have played a major role in the history of Christian thought are included, as well as passages that contribute to matters of spirituality and pastoral care. Several passages are of more purely historical interest. The author includes an introduction to the writings of the early Church to help orient readers to the writings of the Fathers in general and also give the rationale for the particular selections included in the book. Each selection also has a brief introduction discussing its historical setting and content. A brief bibliography is included for the particular selections included and for the Greek reference works cited. However, the book would also be of interest to those studying the Classics and could be used by anyone as a brief introduction to some samples of early Christian thought. This may be the only book available that provides such translation notes for selections from the Greek fathers.

What is it that made the work of Judge in 1960 and in subsequent years so important? Judge was the first in scholarship after the mid-twentieth century to clarify early Christian ideals about society by defining what the social institutions of the broader cultural context were and how they influenced the social institutions of the early Christian communities. Judge points out that earlier scholars had entered into this field of inquiry, but that, in general, they failed due to the lack of careful definitions of the Greco-Roman social institutions at the time based on a thorough use of the primary sources.

Thus, Judge was the “new founder” ( a turning point in scholarship) of what came to be called social-scientific criticism of the New Testament. Social-scientific criticism is the term in scholarship that refers to the use of social realities (e.g. institutions, class, factors of community organization) in the critical study of literary sources available (this is an advance over “merely” literary and traditional historical questions).

Hubertus R. Drobner brings patristics scholarship up to date in this traditional introduction. His work is sufficiently broad to be a useful summary of early Christian history and the expansive strokes of doctrinal debate and development and provides a clear presentation of early Christian thought.

Drobner introduces new materials throughout this recently updated edition of his handbook. A general map and several timetables add to the clarity of the volume.

The Fathers of the Church is valuable in its presentation of contemporary studies and views. Patristics students will benefit from this dependable overview of early Christian texts, and scholars and libraries will appreciate the extensive bibliography, indexes, and other resources.

Beginning with introductory chapters on theology, revelation, and authority, this book deals with biblical teaching and Christian tradition related to such topics as God, creation, sin, Jesus Christ, salvation, and eschatology.

Chapters conclude with helpful questions for further reflection and discussion. The author’s own original line art, used throughout the text, keeps the reader’s feet on the ground with needed comic relief. A convenient glossary of theological terms makes this an even more useful tool.

This is an excellent, college level introduction to Christian theology for classroom or individual use.

Students who have completed their first year studying biblical Greek face a daunting challenge when they try to use their knowledge to translate and exegete the New Testament itself. Philippians: A Greek Student’s Intermediate Reader is designed to help these students bridge the gap between the formulaic translation exercises found in grammars and the authentic text of the Greek New Testament. Students (and former students) can reinforce their knowledge of intermediate grammar while they translate a book of the New Testament.

This reader provides
• the UBS4 Greek text of Philippians
• an original English translation
• an analysis of the morphology, structure, and meaning of the epistle’s key words and phrases
• callout boxes that introduce intermediate grammatical concepts with clear definitions and examples in Greek and English.
• a concise overview of New Testament syntax
• a glossary of grammatical terms

“Jerry Sumney provides exactly what is needed to help students learn the challenging art of Greek exegesis. Its exceptional clarity and practical usefulness make this an ideal textbook. Sumney enables students to see the unique potential of Greek exegesis for understanding the New Testament. This is the perfect book for those who have completed beginning Greek. And if I could, I would put it into the hands of every such student.”
¬—Donald A. Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary

“This handbook will not only help students to interpret Philippians, but will greatly facilitate their grasp of the many grammatical categories of an intermediate Greek grammar. The book would serve as an excellent supplement to a second year course or as a great refresher for pastors and teachers who have let their Greek New Testaments get a little dusty.”
—Clinton E. Arnold, Professor and Chairman, Department of New Testament, Talbot School of Theology (Biola University)

“Increasing pressures on parish pastors and diminishing expectations in seminary curricula have led to a decline in Greek-based exegesis in churches. Jerry Sumney’s careful point-by-point guide to the Greek text of Philippians goes a great distance in recovering lost ground. This is a fine tool to place in the hands of self-motivated students or to use in a course on exegesis or advanced Greek grammar.”
—Richard J. Erickson, Associate Professor of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary

Among the many intriguing issues generated by the historical Paul, his New Testament letters, and early church history is the question, what happened to Paul after Paul? Whether we think in terms of the reception of Paul’s theology, or the ongoing legacy of Paul, or early Christian reinterpretation of his letters, the questions persist: what did the early church do with Paul’s memory? How did it reshape his theology? And what role did his letters come to play in the life of the church?

The focus of the present discussion is in the early decades and centuries of Christianity, a time when the memory and legacy of Paul came to serve varied and often competing interests in the emerging church. It was a time when Paul’s reputation and importance to the church were being reinforced and when his epistles were gaining the authority that would ensure their place in the sacred library of Christianity. It was also the time when the Jesus movement forged itself into Christianity, a process in which Paul played a pivotal role and eventually also became an object of revision and transformation himself. What is virtually indisputable in this process is that Paul, during his lifetime and after, played a critical role in making Christianity what it was to become.

Features
• Running dictionary providing translations of all vocabulary items occuring 30 times or less in the New Testament at the bottom of each page
• Translations given according to context
• Definitions of idiomatic word combinations
• Grammatical analysis of all difficult verb forms
• Reader-friendly layout enabling the reader to transfer easily from text to dictionary and vice versa
• An appendix providing translations of all vocabulary items occuring more than 30 times in the New Testament
• Including the maps from the UBS Greek New Testament

FEATURES
• Detailed apparatus comparing the Westcott/Hort text with differences in the 27th edition of Nestle/Aland and Robinson/Pierpont Byzantine editions
• Complete references to Old Testament citations and synoptic gospel parallels
• English section headings for easy navigation
• Revised and expanded Souter Greek dictionary
• Bible maps

BHQ Deuteronomy:
—prepared by Carmel McCarthy

Perry provides serious students with an insightful and incisive lens through which to interpret, among other biblical passages, the story of Judah and Tamar, the riddle proposed by Samson, and the words of Qohelet (Ecclesiastes) reflecting on the advancing years of life. Solomon’s genius in the tale of the two mothers, Perry demonstrates, is not in ascertaining the true mother, but in understanding the Wisdom of preserving life. Through this thoughtful study, the reader will see that God’s Wisdom is profound and sometimes viewed best in the murky light of the twilight zone at the start and end of a day.

“God’s Twilight Zone—Wisdom in the Hebrew Bible sparkles with unexpected readings of familiar texts and sustains one's interest by its stylistic brilliance. Those who are prepared to detect the influence of sages throughout the Bible, which I am not, will find Perry's argument persuasive. Whether agreeing with him or not, they will certainly profit from lively engagement with his fertile imagination steeped in rabbinic lore.”
—James L. Crenshaw, Robert L. Flowers Professor of Old Testament, Duke University

“Readers may occasionally wonder whether what Perry calls 'strong readings' are not occasionally what Harold Bloom would call 'strong misreadings,' mistaking midrash for Bible or the inventiveness of the critic for the proverbial wisdom of the text. But what a rich wonder that is, provoked over and again in familiar and surprising contexts!"
—Leslie Brisman, Karl Young Professor of English, Yale University

Based on the widely used New International Version translation, the NIBC presents careful section-by-section exposition with key terms and phrases highlighted and all Hebrew transliterated. A separate section of notes at the close of each chapter provides additional textual and technical comments. Each commentary also includes a selected bibliography as well as Scripture and subject indexes.

Michael Dick leads the student-reader on a path of discovery, providing insightful questions and powerful explanations necessary for the effective exploration of this marvelous work.

It is the author’s intention to help students understand the Old Testament as a piece of literature (and not helping them to use it in any devotional way). In order to do this he uses examples from ancient literature to shed light on certain texts. For example, he uses an ancient creation myth from Mesopotamia, Atrahasis, to show the relation of ancient myths to the biblical account of the universal flood, as well as Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal to help students understand that the biblical book of Jonah is not to be read as history, and excerpts from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass to provide insight on how better to understand other texts.

Reading the Old Testament is a highly interactive text, with charts, tables, and many questions per chapter appearing both in the text and on an accompanying CD.

This text is designed for the professor who is interested in teaching the Old Testament as literature and who enjoys class discussion.

Based on the widely used New International Version translation, the NIBC presents careful section-by-section exposition with key terms and phrases highlighted and all Hebrew transliterated. A separate section of notes at the close of each chapter provides additional textual and technical comments. Each commentary also includes a selected bibliography as well as Scripture and subject indexes.

“Longman has added another fine commentary to his credit with this volume in the NIBC series. The complexity and sheer volume of Jeremiah–Lamentations are well known, but Longman’s presentation controls the material admirably, while also producing an extremely accessible, manageable commentary.”
—Pete Enns, Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Hermeneutics, Westminster Theological Seminary

“Tremper Longman''''s work is a thoughtful guide that brings readers along almost like a companion in conversation. When reading Longman one is given access to several contexts for an informed understanding. The historical contexts impacting Jeremiah and Lamentations are discussed, the literary contexts that shape the forms of expression are explicated, and the canonical context in which the books are rooted is frequently noted. Taken together, these assist the reader in coming to grips with two Scriptural works, and at the same time, being grasped by them.”
—J. Andrew Dearman, Professor of Old Testament, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

INSTITUTIONS
• Kinship: All in the Family: Kinship in Agrarian Roman Palestine—K. C. Hanson
• The Patron-Client Institution: God in the Letter of James: Patron or Benefactor?—Alicia Batten
• Economics: Jesus and Agrarian Palestine: The Factor of Debt—Douglas E. Oakman

CULTURE
• Honor and Shame: Loss of Wealth, Loss of Family, Loss of Honor: The Cultural Context of the Original Makarisms in Q—Jerome H. Neyrey, SJ
• Purity: The Epistle of James in Rhetorical and Social-Scientific Perspective: Holiness-Wholeness and Patterns of Replication— John H. Elliott
• Social Location: Was Jesus a Peasant: Implications for Reading the Jesus Tradition (Luke 10:30-35)—Douglas E. Oakman
• Social Location: The Social Location of the Markan Audience—Richard L. Rohrbaugh
• Gender: Who Should Be Called “Father”? Paul of Tarsus between the Jesus Tradition and Patria Potestas—S. Scott Bartchy
• Space: “Teaching You in Public and from House to House” (Acts 20:20): Unpacking a Cultural Stereotype—Jerome H. Neyrey, SJ
• Healing: Healing in Luke-Acts—John J. Pilch
• Evil Eye: Paul, Galatians, and the Evil Eye— John H. Elliott
• Limited Good: “He Must Increase, I Must Decrease”(John 3:30): A Cultural and Social Interpretation—Richard L. Rohrbaugh and Jerome H. Neyrey

MODAL PERSONALITY
• Modal Personality: Ancient Mediterranean Persons in Cultural Perspective: Portrait of Paul—Jerome H. Neyrey, SJ and Bruce J. Malina

“The Gospels resonate deeply in the minds and hearts of the many people who have dedicated some form of study of these narratives. But a problem remains. Some of us have been equipped to read these texts in their original language, aware of the socio-cultural, historical and religious setting that produced them. We are well schooled in the rhetorical and literary techniques that determine the spirit and the shape of the narratives as a whole, and the formative parts of each narrative. But most Christians have not been equipped with these tools. What follows is an attempt to bridge that gap for the interested lay reader of the Gospels ofMark, Matthew, Luke and John.”
—From the preface by the author

How do we reach into the Gospels today, and how do the Gospels reach back out to us? In the light of all that has been written over the ages, is there a fresh approach that speaks to the twenty-first century Christian?

Fr Francis J. Moloney offers his experience and scholarship to lead the lay person through such a guide. The reader is brought up to date about how a Gospel is read as theological narrative today, a markedly different understanding from the past. Each Gospel is reviewed as a whole, followed by a focused study of a particular section in which Moloney demonstrates how each Gospel author works the text to his own theological purposes. The final chapter outlines the general intellectual and academic history which forms the background to this position before Moloney makes his own case about the nature of Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man and the role of our discipleship today.

This book is a thought-provoking yet readily accessible invitation to study the Gospels at an intermediate level. It is highly suitable for personal or group work.

Based on the widely used New International Version translation, the NIBC presents careful section-by-section exposition with key terms and phrases highlighted and all Hebrew transliterated. A separate section of notes at the close of each chapter provides additional textual and technical comments. Each commentary also includes a selected bibliography as well as Scripture and subject indexes.

Selected for inclusion in Preaching magazine’s “Annual Review of Outstanding Books for Preachers 2006”

This is the thoroughly updated and expanded third edition of the successful The Formation of the Christian Biblical Canon. It represents a fresh attempt to understand some of the many perplexing questions related to the origins and canonicity of the Bible.

“What is the origin of our Bible? Who chose the books to be included in our Bible? When were the last discussions on the contents of our Bible? How do we find God’s Word and what constitutes ‘the Bible’? Such questions are fascinating to many in western culture. L. M. McDonald is the premiere authority on all these crucial questions. He demonstrates that no early council defined or limited the canon. For Jews discussions of the canon continued long after Jamnia (in the first century CE) and into the sixth century. For many Christians the question of canon and its limits continue unabated. McDonald’s masterpiece is the place to begin exploring informed answers to all these questions.”
—Professor James H. Charlesworth, George L. Collord Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, and Director of the Princeton Seminary Dead Sea Scrolls Project, Princeton Theological Seminary

“Lee McDonald’s magnum opus is the fair fruit of a lifetime’s labor. His is an updated and fluent historical reconstruction of the canonical process, marked by the careful consideration of the real evidence that encourages a more precise discussion of the history and idea of a Christian biblical canon. Not only does McDonald seek to understand the complex and variegated phenomena of canon formation within the social worlds of both Judaism and earliest Christianity, he is ever alert to the serious theological and hermeneutical questions his discussion engenders about the nature and role of Scripture within today’s faith community. While McDonald’s conclusions will surely be debated, no scholar or student interested in these important matters will be able to neglect his fine book.”
—Rob Wall, Professor of the Christian Scriptures, Paul T. Walls Chair in Wesleyan Studies, Seattle Pacific University

The author’s synthesis covers the following themes: Christ’s roles as divine Savior and as preexistent and incarnate Savior; Jesus as the Second Adam, the Jewish Messiah, and Son of God; and as the Messiah and exalted Lord. Fee also explores the relationship between Christ and the Spirit and considers the Person and role of the Spirit in Paul’s thought. Appendices cover the theme of Christ and Personified Wisdom, and Paul’s use of Kurios (Lord) in citations and echoes of the Septuagint.

“Anyone who has read even a smattering of Paul’s writings recognizes early on that his devotion to Christ was the foremost reality and passion of his life. What he said in one of his later letters serves as a kind of motto for his entire Christian life: ‘For me to live is Christ; to die is [to] gain [Christ]’ (Phil. 1:21). Christ is the beginning and goal of everything for Paul, and thus is the single great reality along the way.”
—From the Introduction

In this sense, Rabbinic thought is relevant to every aspect of modern life. Rabbinic literature explores the meaning of living life to its fullest, in right relationship with God and humanity. However, many Christians are not aware of Rabbinic thought and literature. Indeed, most individuals in the Western world today, regardless of whether they are Christians, atheists, agnostics, secular community leaders, or some other religious and political persuasions, are more knowledgeable of Jesus’ ethical teachings in the Sermon the Mount than the Ethics of the Fathers in a Jewish prayer book. The author seeks to introduce the reader to the world of Torah learning. It is within this world that the authentic cultural background of Jesus’ teachings in ancient Judaism is revealed. Young uses parts of the New Testament, especially the Sermon on the Mount, as a springboard for probing rabbinic method. The book is an introduction to rabbinic thought and literature and has three main sections in its layout: Introduction to Rabbinic Thought, Introduction to Rabbinic Literature, and Meet the Rabbis, a biographical description of influential Rabbis from Talmudic sources.