Torah Revealed Torah Fulfilled

The authors seek to identify the recurrent tensions, the blatant points of emphasis, the recurring indications of conflict and polemic. Framing the issue of the disposition of the Scriptural heritage in broad terms, they describe what characterizes the Gospels and the Mishnah, the letters of Paul and the Tosefta. In other words, if they take whole and complete the writings of first and second century people claiming to form the contemporary embodiment of Scripture's Israel and ask what they all stress as a single point of insistence, the answer is self-evident. Nearly every Christianity and nearly all known Judaisms appeal for validation to the Scriptures of ancient Israel, their laws and narratives, their prophecies and visions. To Scripture all parties appeal - but not to the same verses of Scripture. In Scripture, all participants to the common Israelite culture propose to find validation - but not to a common theological program subject to diverse interpretation. From Scripture, every community of Judaism and Christianity takes away what it will, but not with the assent of all the others.

In this comprehensive exposition, a leading New Testament scholar explores the unfolding theological unity of the entire Bible from the vantage point of the New Testament. G. K. Beale, coeditor of the award-winning Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, examines how the New Testament storyline relates to and develops the Old Testament storyline. Beale argues that every major concept of the New Testament is a development of a concept from the Old and is to be understood as a facet of the inauguration of the latter-day new creation and kingdom. Offering extensive interaction between the two testaments, this volume helps readers see the unifying conceptual threads of the Old Testament and how those threads are woven together in Christ. This major work will be valued by students of the New Testament and pastors alike.

Fifty-two short devotions based on passages from the Greek New Testament--written by some of the top Greek scholars of today. The main point each devotion offers comes from a careful reading and study of the passage in the Greek New Testament, not from the English Bible. The authors use a variety of exegetical approaches in their devotions: grammatical, lexical, rhetorical, sociohistorical, linguistic, etc. Some insights focus on particular words and their role in the passage, while others highlight background studies or provide a theological reading of the passage. Each devotion draws students into translating a short passage and pursuing an understanding of why this or that insight matters for their lives and ministries. Devotions on the Greek New Testament encourages professors, students, and pastors alike to continue to use their Greek Bibles beyond their seminary years. Celebrated contributors include: Scot McKnight Daniel B. Wallace Craig L. Blomberg Mark Strauss William D. Mounce Devotions on the Greek New Testament can be used as a weekly personal devotional or as a supplemental resource throughout a semester or sequence of courses.

This book addresses the questions about the believer's relationship to the Torah (the five Books of Moses, or the Pentateuch) and its commandments (the Law): Since Jesus kept the Law, are believers (Jewish and Gentile) also obliged to keep the Law, or at least some portions of it (Sabbath, the food laws, etc.)? What about the Oral Law (rabbinic traditions)? How does the Torah point to the Messiah? How do we apply the Law of Moses today? Though this book is based on more than a decade of academic research, it is written with the non-academic reader in mind and provides easy-to-understand answers to the questions related to the Torah and does so in a manner thoroughly rooted in a careful reading of the biblical text.

Cursed is the one who will not uphold the words of this Torah, to perform them; and the entire people shall say, Amen (Deut. 27:26 TJB). King David wrote of Torah: The law of the Lord is perfect, converting my soul . . . the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Ps. 19:78). He also wrote, I will delight myself in Your statutes, I will not forget Your word. . . . Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it . . . I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love. . . . Your statutes have been my songs, in the house of my pilgrimage. . . . The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy, teach me Your statutes (Ps. 119) Centuries later, Martin Luther wrote: The law, when it is in its true sense, doth nothing else but reveal sin, engender wrath, accuse and terrify men, so that it bringeth them to the very brink of desperation. This is the proper use of the law, and here it hath an end, and it ought to go no further. Who was right? Was the Torah a gracious gift of a loving God, providing guidance for all generations and for all time, or was its giving a malicious act of God against the children of Israel? Did Jesus fulfill the law in such a way as to be not applicable to his followers even though his early followers, the apostles, and disciples did not believe so, continuing to be Torah observant and practicing Judaism in a Messianic context? When the Church of Rome condemned the Nazarenes as heretics, were they not also proclaiming the Jewish followers of Jesus as heretics, including the twelve apostles? This study attempts to answer those questions.

Blind since early childhood, the Egyptian theologian and monk Didymus (ca. 313-398) wielded a masterful knowledge of Scripture, philosophy, and previous biblical interpretation, earning the esteem of his contemporaries Athanasius, Antony of Egypt, Jerome, Rufinus, and Palladius, as well as of the historians Socrates and Theodoret in the decades following his death. He was, however, anathematized by the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553 because of his utilization and defense of the works of Origen, and this condemnation may be responsible for the loss of many of Didymus's writings. Jerome and Palladius mentioned that Didymus had written commentaries on Old Testament books; these commentaries were assumed to be no longer extant until the discovery in 1941 in Tura, Egypt, of papyri containing commentaries on Genesis, Zechariah, Job, Ecclesiastes, and some of the Psalms.

In this study of John 1-12, the author develops the thesis that Jesus is the divine, incarnate Torah, and that Jesus as Torah is the conceptual center of the Fourth Gospel. An overarching goal of the treatise is to explore the Evangelist's portrait of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Mosaic law. Connected with this aim is the central thesis that the Messiah appears in the Gospel of John as the realization of all the law's redemptive-historical types, prophecies, and expectations. A corresponding major claim is that those who trust in Jesus for eternal life and heed his teaching satisfy fully the requirements of the moral law recorded in Scripture. An examination of John 1-12 substantiates the truth that Jesus is the perfection of the gift of the Tanakh. He existed in the beginning with the Father and Spirit as God. The eternal Torah is light and life, fulfillment and joy, in fellowship with the triune God for all eternity. The divine Tanakh, by becoming incarnate, revealed the glory of the Father and made the fullness of God's grace and truth available to humankind. The living Word not only provides salvation but in so doing unveils the loving and redeeming heart of the Father for all to see. The Son of God is the one to whom all the Old Testament luminaries--such as Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Isaiah--pointed, and in whom their eschatological hopes were realized. The Anointed One is greater than and supreme over all the religious institutions once associated with the Jerusalem tabernacle and temple. Even such Jewish festivals as the Feast of Tabernacles, Pentecost, Dedication, and Passover find their fulfillment in the Messiah. This volume is appropriate for personal study and is also suitable as a college and seminary text.

www.TorahismBook.com - Are Christians required to keep the Law of Moses? How about the Ten Commandments? Was Jesus divine? Join R. L. Solberg in his new book, TORAHISM, where he confronts a modern heresy and dives into these and other critical questions related to the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. "It all began with a series of Facebook posts that an old friend posted just after Thanksgiving. He was aggressively taking Christians to task for celebrating the 'pagan' holiday of Christmas. This struck me as odd because I'd always known he and his wife to be strong Christians. And while I've debated with plenty of atheists over the alleged pagan roots of Christmas, I'd never heard this charge leveled by a fellow Christian. So I decided to chime in on his posts and soon discovered that I had stepped into a mystery of, well, biblical proportions..." ENDORSEMENTS: "Over a decade ago, I came to know Rob Solberg. He impressed me back then with his searching heart, scholarly mind, and passion for apologetics. He has now offered a masterful work, well researched and very well-argued. Were I still a seminary professor, I would require my students to write reviews on this volume." Dr. Stephen Drake, Former Professor of Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary "Impressively written and researched! Aberrant theologies have existed throughout time, requiring trusted biblical guides to bring much-needed reproof. Rob Solberg does this superbly in his book, Torahism. And, he accomplishes this task with much 'gentleness and respect' (1 Peter 3:15). Even if you are not immediately confronted with this heresy, a careful reading of Rob's book will deepen your understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ." Ed Smith, Ph.D., President, Williamson College "Engaging and well-developed content on a tough topic. Rob addresses lofty theological issues with incredible accessibility and application. He reminds us to not just stay in our heads and win arguments but to love people well as we fight for what is true." Derek Bareman, Lead Pastor, Church of the City Spring Hill "This is an excellent, balanced, scholarly refutation of the heretical teaching of Torahism. Solberg does so with a wide array of Scripture, great Christian writers across the centuries, and impeccable logic. Not only does it address and answer the challenge of this new heresy, it serves as an apologetic in the best tradition of Christian scholarship. Exceptional work. I have reviewed thousands of books in 30 years. This book deserves to be read!" Reverend David "Doc" Kirby (retired), Host of the On The Bookshelf podcast FROM THE FORWARD BY PAUL WILKINSON, Ph.D. - "The best conversations are those that happen spontaneously amongst sincere, passionate seekers wanting to learn, mature, and progress in their faith and life. R. L. Solberg has blessed us by inviting us into just such a conversation . . . This book is a read that flows because it originates in genuine conversations between friends and passionate believers. It is reminiscent of the ancient dialogues with questions, points, and counterpoints. But be sure to catch this truth: Solberg's work is not about how to do the least work for the most grace, nor is it about how to avoid obligations, duties, and work. No, much more than that, Solberg's question is about how we who claim to be children of God best glorify, worship, and obey him . . . Solberg wants to know what it means to be "godly" and "righteous" in light of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. I invite you into Rob and his friends' conversation. I was challenged, encouraged, and taught by the insights he brings to the fore. I pray that you heed his call to take seriously what it means for the Christian to live the godly life; to be like Jesus."