Unpacking The Parables

When the Gospel of Thomas was discovered in the sands of Egypt some sixty years ago, an earthquake hit New Testament scholarship. Evidence that Thomas might be earlier than the four gospels opened up some new doors. The author entered one of those doors in writing this book. He used Thomas s version of a parable whenever that existed. And the Jesus discovered through this method might surprise you.

A guide to preaching the parables that shows how to first interpret the parables, then proclaim their significance.

Professor Donahue here argues that "the parables of Jesus" offer a Gospel in miniature, while at the same time giving shape, direction, and meaning to the Gospels in which they appear. "To study the parables of the Gospels is to study the gospel in parable." After surveying recent discussions of parable, metaphor, and narrative, Donahue examines and interprets the parables of Mark, Matthew, and Luke as texts in the context of the theology of each of these Gospels. Finally, he outlines what "The Gospel in Parable" looks like and offers suggestions for the proclamation of parables today.

This book addresses thirty-four of the Parables Jesus taught. The Parables are showcased within the context and culture of the diverse peoples of Jesus' time. The lessons taught are timeless, appropriate for all people groups and cultures of every century because they address common attributes of all mankind and the eternal attributes of the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Delving into the teachings of Jesus allows the reader insight into the wisdom he displayed, his understanding of human nature, his love for humanity, and his omniscient grasp of the workings of the enemy of our soul. The Parables demand critical thinking on the part of the readers as they assess their own lives and motivations in the light of Jesus' expectations. Carol P. Ramsay is Professor Emerita from Lake Erie College, OH. She previously was a professor at Grove City College, PA, Principal of the Youngstown Christian Schools, and teacher in the Youngstown Public Schools. In over five decades of dedicated service in education she has experienced a plethora of new educational theories and practices. She is dedicating her retirement to exploring the greatest teacher who ever lived, Jesus Christ. Carol received her B.S. in Education degree at Youngstown State University, her MA at Westminster College, and her Ed.D. from The University of Akron. She has completed professional development work at Grace Theological Seminary. Dr. Ramsay and her husband, Keith, have been married 55 years and currently live in Perry, OH. They have two sons, Tom and Jeremy, and three grandchildren, Savanna, Zachary, and Nathan. Beyond spending time with her family, Dr. Ramsay enjoys Bible Study, Reading, Piano, the old hymns of the church and doing lunch with friends. Website: https: //www.amazon.com/They-Called-Teacher-Carol-Ramsay/dp/1632215691

We were created to work, and our work provides unique meaning and purpose in our lives. Yet today we are living in a crisis of apathy and ignorance regarding work’s theological and existential nature. There is no shortage of books pleading with people to work less, to find “balance,” to think less of career and more of the things that bring them “happiness.” Likewise, there is no shortage of books making the case that work matters a great deal—that good things come from fruitful labor. This book belongs in neither of those categories. In Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life, David Bahnsen makes the case that our understanding of work and its role in our lives is deeply flawed—we are unmoored from what he calls “created purpose.” He argues that the time has come to stop tip-toeing around the issues that matter, that separating one’s identity from what they do is demonstrably false, and that this era of alienation is for many a direct result of a low view of work. It is in work—effort, service, striving—of every kind that we discover our meaning and purpose; a significant and successful life is one rooted in full-time productivity and cultivation of God’s created world. This book is not your normal “defense of work” book. Whether you are a leader, a follower, a boss, an employee, in a white collar or blue collar job, highly paid or “just getting by,” this book is for you. A life of meaning is right under your nose, and with it the joy and peace of a life well-lived. “David Bahnsen is a theologically grounded, vocationally minded, and Biblically focused man with a vision to make work a gift to the world. In this book, he does just that. Combining thoughtful cultural analysis, conservative economic theory, and practical application for how to live these ideas out in the real world, I am grateful for the keen insights he lays out here. This book is a great combination of ideas and application that I think will serve many well.” —Jon Tyson, Author, Pastor, Church of the City NYC “Far too many of us believe that we need to work in order to be able to live, and that’s it. We need to eat, and so we work. David Bahnsen’s new book leans heavily in the opposite direction, meaning that God gave us the gift of life so that we might have the grace and privilege of working. Highly recommended.” —Pastor Douglas Wilson, Christ Church

However we approach the parables of Jesus, these brief, pithy stories at the center of his teaching are of vital importance for communicating his message in our world today. Snapshots of the Kingdom presents Jesus' parables in such a way as to invite all who read - or all who hear - into the drama each story contains. As combinations of clarity and mystery, the parables offer unique insights into Jesus' message and his take on the world. This book is for all who would like to know more about the teachings of Christ, and those who want to understand more deeply the link between his stories and present-day life, as well as those who teach or preach from those parables.

We live in a world full of challenges. The three graces can almost be seen as motors for Christian life in today's world, but the words faith, hope, and love have so many everyday uses that their technical, theological meanings are, for many, difficult to appreciate. Modern life also leaves many yearning for authenticity and meaning. Many religions have answered that need by calling to mind the image of a path. Always profound progressions, religious paths tend to be motivated either by practices (the act of walking the path) or focal points. Christianity has a focal point, an object, and it sees the three graces as distinctively content filled. The heart of this book is about helping people find the Christian path and their intellectual, emotional, and spiritual balance--an equilibrium that is sustained by a strong personal faith, an enduring hope for the future, and genuine love that will withstand the worst of times. It contributes to the category of Christian literature that provides a pattern for Christian living without surrendering the intellect to the more popular side of this genre.

'So much of the reporting of the Middle East at the moment reflects war and human misery; it's inspiring to find, in this thoughtful and engaging book, a message of hope from what Fr Nadim calls "that region of the world that God chose to live in when he took human form"' Edward Stourton 'The ultimate question of this book is, why does it matter to me, a human being, to know the culture of God, and what impact should that have on my own life and existence? The culture of God is the antithesis of the culture of the Pharisees - yet again and again we fall into the trap of condemning or excluding others. Understanding the culture of God helps us to uncover God's image within us, a shining jewel buried deep under the dirt of our selfishness and greed, and helps us to shine as God intends us to, re-forming our relationships with God and with each other in our amazingly diverse world.' It is as we read the Bible, argues Father Nadim Nassar, that we are invited to discover what 'the culture of God' - the community of love that makes up the Trinity - looks like, and how it might transform our lives and our faith. But in order to do so we need to understand the culture of the Bible itself, as well as the particular culture that forms our own worldview. Ultimately it is Jesus who has direct access to the culture of God; and so we also need to understand Jesus within his first-century Levantine context. Father Nadim Nassar is the Church of England's only Syrian priest and an outspoken advocate for western Christians to recognise the Middle-Eastern roots of their faith. The fresh and provocative reflections in The Culture of God, his first book, are informed by his experience of growing up in Syria and living through the conflicts in the region, especially the civil wars in Lebanon and Syria. Taking us on a journey through the mystery of the incarnation, to Jesus' role as storyteller - Al-Hakawati - his relationship with a disparate cast of people as narrated by the gospels, and finally his death and resurrection, Father Nadim unfolds for us the culture of God and what it can mean for a world that so desperately needs both freedom and a way to embrace diversity. 'Fr Nadim's personal experience of the painful effects of war and conflict in the Middle East is an insightful lens into the brokenness of humanity that leads to the ongoing violation of the God-given sanctity and dignity of life. At the same time, the paradox of the Crucifixion and Christianity is presented as a key to understanding the restoration of that same humanity, and the possibility of reconciliation with God and one another if the life and teachings of Christ are truly lived.' Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London