Honor Among Christians

David F. Watson brings a new perspective to the "messianic secret," relying not on the Christological concerns of 19th- and 20th-century theologians, but on recent insights into the role of honor and shame in ancient Mediterranean culture on the part of social scientists. Mark's portrayal of Jesus simultaneously shows his ability to provide favors and benefits to others and his refusal to put himself forward or draw attention to himself as a benefactor, thereby teaching that in God's kingdom it is not the great and powerful who are most highly regarded, but the humble.

Christ's Victorious Church represents the synthesis of concerns that made the teaching of Tom Friskney so influential. Written by some of his former students and colleagues, the essays in this collection combine interests in critically informed exegesis, the construction of a genuinely and comprehensively biblical theology, the lived experience of Christianity, and the proclamation of the gospel to the church and the world. Emphasizing the crucial biblical perspectives on the church as the people of God and the last things as the climax and fulfillment of God's work in the world, this volume celebrates and carries forward the legacy of a quietly inspiring scholar, teacher and minister.From 1954 to 2001, Tom Friskney taught as a professor at Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary. Though his many interests enabled him to teach a variety of subjects, his greatest impact was in New Testament studies. That impact can be seen in a generation of former students - serving as college and seminary educators, ministers and volunteers - who cite him as their formative influence. These essays, written by former students and colleagues to honor their mentor and friend, discuss the twin emphases of Tom Friskney's teaching, the church and the last things. In keeping with the honoree's wide-ranging pursuits, they vary from the scholarly to the homiletical to the reflective.

Anyone who is interested in the rigorous study of early Christianity and who has not engaged with the works of James D. G. Dunn is not really interested in the rigorous study of early Christianity. No one would dispute that Professor Dunn is one of the most prolific New Testament scholars of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. And while a handful of scholars might have a list of publications to rival his own extensive publications list, none of them could claim to have set the agenda of scholarly study to the extent that Jimmy Dunn has done for a sustained period of time since the 1970s. The Holy Spirit and Christian Origins comprises a selection of original essays that explore a topic that has held a prominent and distinctive place in the majority of Professor Dunn's publications. Written by twenty-seven leading scholars, this singular volume probes deep into the nascent Christian communities and their writings and investigates the early Christians' convictions concerning the Holy Spirit. Ranging widely through Scripture and across early church history, many of these essays introduce groundbreaking research in biblical studies, and some engage directly with Dunn's work in the field. Presenting some of the best new work in New Testament studies as well as celebrating a respected career, The Holy Spirit and Christian Origins will help to stimulate further discussion and reflection in the theological academy and in the Christian church -- two sectors that Jimmy Dunn has consistently and passionately sought to straddle, nurture, and refresh. Contributors: Robert Banks John M. G. Barclay Richard Bauckham Peder Borgen David Catchpole Gordon D. Fee Victor Paul Furnish Beverly Roberts Gaventa Joel B. Green Morna D. Hooker Robert Jewett Hermann Lichtenberger Bruce W. Longenecker Ulrich Luz I. Howard Marshall Scot McKnight R. W. L. Moberly Robert Morgan J. Lionel North Graham N. Stanton Loren T. Stuckenbruck Peter Stuhlmacher Anthony C. Thiselton Marianne Meye Thompson Paul Trebilco Max Turner Alexander J. M. Wedderburn

Christianity Today's 2020 Book of the Year Award of Merit - Biblical Studies Biblical Foundations Award Finalist What does it mean to “read Romans with Eastern eyes”? Combining research from Asian scholars with his many years of experience living and working in East Asia, Brad Vaughn directs our attention to Paul's letter to the Romans. He argues that some traditional East Asian cultural values are closer to those of the first-century biblical world than common Western cultural values. In addition, he adds his voice to the scholarship engaging the values of honor and shame in particular and their influence on biblical interpretation. As readers, we bring our own cultural fluencies and values to the text. Our biases and background influence what we observe—and what we overlook. This book helps us consider ways we sometimes miss valuable insights because of widespread cultural blind spots. In Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes, Vaughn demonstrates how paying attention to East Asian culture provides a helpful lens for interpreting Paul's most complex letter. When read this way, we see how honor and shame shape so much of Paul's message and mission.

In early modern Spain the monarchy's universal policy to convert all of its subjects to Christianity did not end distinctions among ethnic religious groups, but rather made relations between them more contentious. Old Christians, those whose families had always been Christian, defined themselves in opposition to forcibly baptized Muslims (moriscos) and Jews (conversos). Here historian Benjamin Ehlers studies the relations between Christians and moriscos in Valencia by analyzing the ideas and policies of archbishop Juan de Ribera. Juan de Ribera, a young reformer appointed to the diocese of Valencia in 1568, arrived at his new post to find a congregation deeply divided between Christians and moriscos. He gradually overcame the distrust of his Christian parishioners by intertwining Tridentine themes such as the Eucharist with local devotions and holy figures. Over time Ribera came to identify closely with the interests of his Christian flock, and his hagiographers subsequently celebrated him as a Valencian saint. Ribera did not engage in a similarly reciprocal exchange with the moriscos; after failing to effect their true conversion through preaching and parish reform, he devised a covert campaign to persuade the king to banish them. His portrayal of the moriscos as traitors and heretics ultimately justified the Expulsion of 1609–1614, which Ribera considered the triumphant culmination of the Reconquest. Ehler's sophisticated yet accessible study of the pluralist diocese of Valencia is a valuable contribution to the study of Catholic reform, moriscos, Christian-Muslim relations in early modern Spain, and early modern Europe.

Margaret Froelich examines the Gospel of Mark using political and empire-critical methodologies, following postcolonial thinkers in perceiving a far more ambivalent message than previous pacifistic interpretations of the text. She argues that Mark does not represent an entirely new way of thinking about empire or cosmic structures, but rather exhibits concepts and structures with which the author and his audience are already familiar in order to promote the Kingdom of God as a better version of the encroaching Roman Empire. Froelich consequently understands Mark as a response to the physical, ideological, and cultural displacement of the first Roman/Judean War. By looking to Greek, Roman, and Jewish texts to determine how first-century authors thought of conquest and expansion, Froelich situates the Gospel directly in a historical and socio-political context, rather than treating that context as a mere backdrop; concluding that the Gospel portrays the Kingdom of God as a conquering empire with Jesus as its victorious general and client king.

These very profound and learned Commentaries on the early history of the Church were composed not long before the author's death, and, of course, contain his most matured thoughts and opinions on the important and interesting topics discussed. In this work he aims not only to give a good general History of the period over which the work extends, but also to embrace a thorough and candid Discussion, conducted on sound historical principles, of all the obscure and difficult points in this portion of ecclesiastical history. The general History he includes in his text, which is broke into short sections or paragraphs: the Discussion follows, in the form of notes or commentaries, constituting much the larger part of the work, and that in which he cites or refers to all the material testimonies of the ancients, and fully discusses their import and value, according to his maturest judgment. --from the Preface

Jesus Christ continues to be popular—and controversial—two thousand years after he lived in Palestine. His teaching and example have influenced countless millions of people. Yet for all of the notoriety surrounding him, he continues to be misunderstood and misrepresented. Jesus Christ: A Thematic Study aims to help both the novice and the experienced Bible student to better understand the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. David W. Hester relies upon the wisdom and experience of a number of Bible scholars in order to paint a vivid portrait of the Son of Man. Appropriate for both academic and church settings, this volume provides a resource for those seeking to truly know Jesus.