You Shall Not Abhor An Edomite For He Is Your Brother

"The emergence of formative Judaism traditionally has been examined as a result of a competition between "Christianity" and "Judaism" in the first centuries of the Common Era. In Brothers Estranged, Adiel Schremer attempts to shift the scholarly consensus, instead privileging the rabbinic attitude toward Rome over their concern with the nascent Christian movement. The destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in 70 CE and the failure of the Bar Kokhba revolt combined to spur an intense identity crisis in Palestinian Jewish society - and, consequently, the formation of a new "Jewish" identity." "Schremer gives particular attention to the rabbinic discourse of minut, equivalent to the Christian term "heresy." In the wake of the destruction of the Temple, the category of heresy took on a new urgency as Palestinian rabbinic society sought to reaffirm and preserve its values and distinct Jewish identity. The rabbis reestablished religions boundaries by labeling some Jews as minim, and thus placing them beyond the pale. This rabbinic discourse emphasized notions of social and communal solidarity and belonging; minim, accordingly, were Jews whose fault was seen in their separation from the rest of the Jewish community." "The place that Christianity occupied in rabbinic discourse was relatively small, and the early Christians, who only gradually were relegated to the category of minim, were not its main target. Relying on the recent scholarly acceptance of the slow and measured growth of Christianity in the empire up to and even after Constantine's conversion, Schremer minimizes the attention that the rabbis paid to the Christian presence. He goes on, however, to pinpoint the parting of the ways between the rabbis and the Christians in the first third of the second century, when Christians were finally assigned to the category of heretics. Yet, throughout late antiquity, he contends, the Roman Empire was the real "significant other" for Palestinian rabbis. The religious challenge with which they were most occupied was the Empire's power and the threat it posed to the belief in God's power and divinity." --Book Jacket.

Edited by Bill T. Arnold and Hugh G. M. Williamson, the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books picks up where the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch left off—with Joshua and Israel poised to enter the land—and carries us through the postexilic period. Following in the tradition of the award-winning IVP dictionaries focused on the New Testament, this encyclopedic work is characterized by in-depth articles focused on key topics, many of them written by noted experts. The history of Israel forms the skeletal structure of the Old Testament. Understanding this history and the biblical books that trace it is essential to comprehending the Bible. The Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books is the only reference book focused exclusively on these biblical books and the history of Israel. The dictionary presents articles on numerous historical topics as well as major articles focused on the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah. Other articles focus on the Deuteronomistic History as well as the Chronicler's History, the narrative art of Israel's historians, innerbiblical exegesis, text and textual criticism, and the emergence of these books as canonical. One feature is a series of eight consecutive articles on the periods of Israel's history from the settlement to postexilic period, which form a condensed history of Israel within the DOTHB. Syro-Palestinian archaeology is surveyed in one article, while significant archaeological sites receive focused treatment, usually under the names of biblical cities and towns such as Jerusalem and Samaria, Shiloh and Shechem, Dan and Beersheba. Other articles delve into the histories and cultures of the great neighboring empires—Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia and Persia—as well as lesser peoples, such as the Ammonites, Edomites, Moabites, Philistines and Phoenicians. In addition there are articles on architecture, Solomon's temple, agriculture and animal husbandry, roads and highways, trade and travel, and water and water systems. The languages of Hebrew and Aramaic, as well as linguistics, each receive careful treatment, as well as the role of scribes and their schools, and writing and literacy in ancient Israel and its environs. The DOTHB also canvases the full range of relevant extrabiblical written evidence, with five articles focused on the various non-Israelite written sources as well as articles on Hebrew inscriptions and ancient Near Eastern iconography. Articles on interpretive methods, on hermeneutics and on preaching the Historical Books will assist students and communicators in understanding how this biblical literature has been studied and interpreted, and its proper use in preaching. In the same vein, theological topics such as God, prayer, faith, forgiveness and righteousness receive separate treatment. The history of Israel has long been contested territory, but never more so than today. Much like the quest of the historical Jesus, a quest of the historical Israel is underway. At the heart of the quest to understand the history of Israel and the Old Testament's Historical Books is the struggle to come to terms with the conventions of ancient historiography. How did these writers conceive of their task and to whom were they writing? Clearly the Old Testament historians did not go about their task as we would today. The divine word was incarnated in ancient culture. Rather than being a dictionary of quick answers and easy resolutions readily provided, the DOTHB seeks to set out the evidence and arguments, allowing a range of informed opinion to enrich the conversation. In this way it is hoped that the DOTHB will not only inform its readers, but draw them into the debate and equip them to examine the evidence for themselves. Reference volumes in the IVP Bible Dictionary Series provide in-depth treatment of biblical and theological topics in an accessible, encyclopedia format, including cross-sectional themes, methods of interpretation, significant historical or cultural background, and each Old and New Testament book as a whole.

The Fortress Commentary on the Old Testament and Apocrypha presents a balanced synthesis of current scholarship, enabling readers to interpret Scripture for a complex and pluralistic world. The contributors bring a rich diversity of perspectives to the task of connecting solid historical critical analysis of the Scripture with sensitivity to theological, cultural, and interpretive issues. The volume includes introductory articles, section introductions, and individual book articles that explore key sense units through three lenses: • The Text in Its Ancient Context • The Text in the Interpretive Tradition • The Text in Contemporary Discussion

An introduction to the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy is followed by a verse-by-verse commentary on the text.

The Sidrah, the weekly Torah portion, has for centuries been popular with Rabbis as material for the D'var Torah, and for sermons. The Sidrot offers commentary on each Torah portion.

The Vines Expository Bible offers scriptural truth alongside guided explanations of key passages from influential preacher Dr. Jerry Vines. With biblical exposition and practical teaching culled from years of faithful ministry, helpful insights from God’s Word are presented in the warm, pastoral manner Dr. Vines is known for. Features Include: NKJV paragraph-style text with in-text subject headings 205 "Presenting the Message" detailed outlines from Jerry Vines' sermon archive 148 "Living the Message" articles with illustrations for living the Christian life 237 "Applying the Message" notes that help you see the relevance of Scriptures for your walk with Christ 311 "Discerning the Meaning" word studies that illuminate the meaning of key words in Scripture 66 Book Introductions Topical Index NKJV Concordance 10.5-point print size

The Revival Study Bible takes a close look at revivals that draw men to God’s work in breathing new life into the Church. This unique Bible covers rich Christian history spanning over 2,000 years of God’s acts that center around revival, missions, and evangelism. It also gives inspiring accounts of supernatural, miraculous, and prevailing acts of the Lord. Emphasizing passion and action and not just data, this dynamic Bible gives an international flavor drawn from active, tested, and fruitful ministries involved in ongoing awakening.