Jubilee In The Bible

An essential guide for Christians on how to achieve personal, ecclesial, and social transformation in the year of Jubilee.

In light of numerous contradictions between passages in Jubilees, this study proposes a new, literary-critical method to understand the development of the book. This analysis is significant for the interpretation of the diverse ideological and theological viewpoints found in Jubilees.

Reformation 21's End of Year Review of Books Preaching's Survey of Bibles and Bible Reference "Who shall ascend the mountain of the LORD?" —Psalm 24:3 In many ways, this is the fundamental question of Old Testament Israel's cult—and, indeed, of life itself. How can creatures made from dust become members of God's household "forever"? The question of ascending God's mountain to his house was likely recited by pilgrims on approaching the temple on Mount Zion during the annual festivals. This entrance liturgy runs as an undercurrent throughout the Pentateuch and is at the heart of its central book, Leviticus. Its dominating concern, as well as that of the rest of the Bible, is the way in which humanity may come to dwell with God. Israel's deepest hope was not merely a liturgical question, but a historical quest. Under the Mosaic covenant, the way opened up by God was through the Levitical cult of the tabernacle and later temple, its priesthood and rituals. The advent of Christ would open up a new and living way into the house of God—indeed, that was the goal of his taking our humanity upon himself, his suffering, his resurrection and ascension. In this stimulating volume in the New Studies in Biblical Theology, Michael Morales explores the narrative context, literary structure and theology of Leviticus. He follows its dramatic movement, examines the tabernacle cult and the Day of Atonement, and tracks the development from Sinai?s tabernacle to Zion's temple—and from the earthly to the heavenly Mount Zion in the New Testament. He shows how life with God in the house of God was the original goal of the creation of the cosmos, and became the goal of redemption and the new creation. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.

Sharon H. Ringe, beginning with this Lukan text, addresses the Jubilee images and traditions in the Synoptic Gospels, especially in Jesus' proclamation of the reign of God. She illuminates how the Jubilee traditions served as a source for early Christian ethics and Christology: to confess Jesus as the Christ - herald of the Jubilee, messenger, and enactor of liberation - is to participate in acts of liberation. Ringe concludes that the agenda of liberation constitutes the very core of both the gospel message and biblical faith: the word of God fulfilled in the presence of Jesus of Nazareth is alive with images of liberation. In the final chapter, In Christ We Are Set Free, she explores further the implications of her findings for contemporary ethical and christological reflection.

This book challenges the church to ask whether or not the gospel as we commonly interpret it today really embodies the jubilee vision of the Bible. Imagine a group of forty adults living in a community, assisting each other to buy houses, sharing material wealth and releasing the surplus to help others as a practical outworking of the biblical principles of jubilee. Kim Tan was part of this group and in The Jubilee Gospel seeks to unpack these principles of sacrificial generosity, stewardship and social holiness. Starting with the OT principle of jubilee and tracing the themes through the Bible, we discover a way of living that reflects Gods justice and compassion and embraces kingdom politics and economics. What may seem buried deep in the early parts of the OT is brought up to date as were confronted by Jesus teaching and principles of wealth distribution, cancellation of debt, hospitality and storehouses.

Combining a remarkable degree of scholarship, theological depth, and readability, these essays from the journal Interpretation will be an up-to-date and valuable resource for teaching and preaching the prophets. Contributors include: Walter Brueggemann; Brevard S. Childs; R.E. Clements; John J. Collins; James L. Crenshaw; Michael Fishbane; John G. Gammie; Moshe Greenberg; William L. Holladay; Klaus Koch; Werner E. Lemke; James Limberg; Carol A. Newsom; Thomas M. Raitt; J. J. M. Roberts; James A. Sanders; David C. Steinmetz; W. Sibley Towner; Gene M. Tucker; Robert R. Wilson; Hans Walter Wolff.