Craig L. Blomberg

The Final Days of Jesus

Theology

“You may be wondering what can be done to make Christ’s last week come alive in ways it hasn’t before. It would help to understand the historical background and cultural script a little better, but you don’t want a big book. It would help, too, if your authors were trustworthy, knowledgeable evangelical scholars who could write clearly for laypeople. Look no further—this is the book for you!”

The First Epistle to the Corinthians

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Every New Testament book except 1 Corinthians has had at least one major English-language commentary on its Greek text published in recent years. For 1 Corinthians the last such commentary was Robertson and Plummer's revised edition in 1914! Now this gap has been amply filled by one of the most detailed, widely ranging, and exegetically compelling commentaries ever written on any book of the Bible. Scholars, pastors, and students alike are all now massively indebted to Tony Thiselton for this prodigious work.”

The Jesus Legend

Theology

“Misinformation about the historical Jesus and the reliability of the New Testament Gospels runs rampant in the twenty-first century. Some of this comes from eccentric or flawed scholarship; some from purely fictitious novels. Eddy and Boyd have surveyed technical and popular writing alike, in meticulous detail, and present what can be concluded responsibly about the trustworthiness of the Synoptic Gospels and the portraits of Jesus they contain. They compile a detailed and erudite case that supports Christian faith, but without the simplistic and unwarranted generalizations that one often hears in grassroots evangelical circles. Highly recommended!”

The Letter of James

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Douglas Moo is well known to New Testament com¬mentary readers, both from his magisterial volume on Romans in The New International Commentary on the New Testament and from his excellent little work on James in the Tyndale series. Fully abreast of the latest scholarship on James, Moo here walks readers with remarkable clarity through even complex exegetical issues. He consistently comes to convincing conclusions. As a bonus, he occasionally inserts comments by way of application that reflect his warm pastoral heart. Highly recommended.”

The Letter to the Romans

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“The McMaster New Testament series is known for producing anthologies of studies of the statis quaestionis on important topics. In recent years, the format has morphed into creative and cutting-edge scholarship. This collection of essays on Romans combines each of these two categories. Learn here about major themes in Romans, but also about linguistics and intertextuality, from top scholars who also care about the church and the world.”

The Lost World of Adam and Eve

Science & Faith

“Can an interpretation of Genesis 2–3 be true to the biblical text and be supported by the most legitimate claims of science? Can one exegete the accounts of the creation and fall of Adam and Eve in light of all of the partial parallels in other ancient Near Eastern creation literature and still believe in the inerrancy of Scripture? John Walton shows that the answer to both questions is a resounding 'yes.' Whether or not one agrees with every detail of Walton's interpretation, one has to admire the brilliance, clarity and sensibility of his approach. This is a must-read for anyone who thinks one has to choose between faith and science.”

The New Testament around the World

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“I wish I were still teaching full-time so that I could use this as my main supplemental textbook in my New Testament introduction and survey courses. Many works have tried to show how crucial it is to read the Bible through the eyes of other cultures, nationalities, and ethnicities besides white American ones, but few have succeeded as well as Mariam Kovalishyn and her cadre of authors. Highly recommended!”

The New Testament in Its World

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Two of today’s most prolific evangelical New Testament scholars have now combined their expertise to produce an amazing volume: part introduction and survey, part ‘cliff notes’ on Wright’s four volumes to date in his Christian Origins and the Question of God series, part a sneak preview of what he might say in his remaining two volumes, and part showcase for Bird’s always sensible judgments, often nicely alliterated prose, and now and then particularly funny humor. Special features include the book’s lavish illustrations, sidebars quoting choice ancient primary sources and hilarious ‘emails from the edge’ from a confused student to his patient professor who always replies wisely. Overall, the genre, like the quality, is one of a kind.”

The Poor and Their Possessions

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“The 1970s were the heyday of liberation theology, so it was important for Seccombe to remind us of how intertwined ‘poor’ and ‘rich’ in Luke-Acts were with spiritual realities. Today capitalism has largely triumphed, so Seccombe’s biggest contribution may be to remind us that kingdom use of one’s possessions includes helping the physically poor. It is great to have this work in print again, with a bonus—a detailed appendix critiquing more recent studies.”

The Question of Canon

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Already the author of one important book on the formation of the New Testament canon, Kruger here tackles the five most prevalent objections to the classic, Christian understanding of a quickly emerging, self-authenticating collection of authoritative counterparts to the Hebrew Scriptures. Not only does he directly address these objections, he provides powerful rebuttals and further support for the classic view. All who insist on maintaining the (more liberal) scholarly consensus will have to refute Kruger if they are to maintain any credibility on this topic!”

The Reader Must Understand

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“The third triennial Tyndale Fellowship conference of the 1990's once again generated a high quality of papers worthy of publication. Supplemented by a few additional essays prepared just for this volume, this collection ranges widely over significant, contemporary issues crucial to understanding biblical eschatology. Not afraid to take controversial stands in places, this anthology will stimulate scholars and pastors alike. Many thanks to the editors for making these papers more widely accessible.”

The Sabbath Complete

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“While most will not be convinced by the full amount of typology, O'Hare finds in the Old Testament, the basic contours of this book are solid: even from within the perspective of Reformed, covenant theology, careful exegesis shows that the Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ. The Lord's Day (Sunday) is a separate institution, promoting worship by the believing community, not the Christian Sabbath. Nowhere is the Christian commanded to rest one day in seven. This is an important contribution to an age-old debate."_”

The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Countless devotional works abound on the Passion of the Christ and his seven last words on the cross. Detailed scholarly assessments of this material also appear frequently. But Murray Harris has created something new: a succinct, readable explanation of the meaning of each saying in its historical and grammatical contexts, fully abreast of contemporary scholarship and deeply inspirational as one ponders the awfulness and the love behind Jesus' suffering on the cross. A real gift to the church and all interested readers.”

The Signs of the New Temple

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Start with a Gospel that heavily features tabernacle and temple imagery. Recognize some clear parallels with the contents of the ark of the covenant. Rummage around to see how many more you might find, all aided by a sophisticated use of systemic-functional linguistics. Mix thoroughly with the ongoing scholarly discussion about identifying signs in John, and out comes this book! Is it the definitive solution to the problem? I doubt it. Is it by far the most creative and provocative attempt at a solution? Most definitely!”

The Surprising Genius of Jesus

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Jesus’s parable of the prodigal son is a masterpiece in the history of storytelling. Not only does it make a powerful impact on people of all cultures, it is intricately and poetically composed and rife with allusions to Old Testament narratives, especially about Jacob and Esau. Other parables demonstrate these same characteristics. Whoever composed them deserved to be called a genius, and Jesus (rather than one of his followers) is the best candidate for that individual. The Surprising Genius of Jesus, though a little book, is chock-full of observations about Jesus’s teaching that should make readers admire him even more than they may already do.”

The Synoptic Problem

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Multiple-views books on controversial biblical and theological topics have become quite popular and helpful, especially when each contributor responds to the others. This volume is particularly well done, and Porter and Dyer have enlisted outstanding representatives of each of the four most viable solutions to the Synoptic Problem. The editors also place each theory into the history of the discussion, so that students can consider this 'one-stop shopping' for scholarship on this important topic.”

The Tax Collector and the Pharisee

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Did Jesus ever teach anything like Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith? If so, how often? . . . Peter Tan-Gatue tackles these and related questions in a wide-ranging doctoral dissertation that takes the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector as its jumping-off point. His findings are appropriately modest, but all the more worthy of scrutiny as a result.”

The West and China in Africa

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“Expect Alex Mekonnen's newest book to open your eyes wide and cause your spirit to lament what the West has done and what China may now be preparing to do in Africa (though the jury is still out). Economically, socially, and politically, even through well-intentioned humanitarian aid, untold human suffering has been provoked from the centuries of the slave trade until the present, exacerbated by the consistent corruption of many African leaders themselves. But Mekonnen does not become embittered or leave you without hope. The cross-centered gospel unpacked in all its dimensions, still provides answers for those with ears to hear.”

Voice and Mood

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Until a little over a century ago, the value of a book was directly related to how old (how tried and true) its wisdom was. Now, unless people stress how new a book's contents are, prospective buyers will ask, Why bother? In the field of the role of verbs in the Greek grammar of the New Testament, there is definitely an old and a new wisdom. Mathewson judiciously blends the best of each and produces a remarkably user-friendly synthesis of the two. An excellent inaugural volume for this new series, which may just establish itself as tried and true as well!”

What God’s Up To on Planet Earth?

Evangelism & Missions

“Many Christians have summarized their beliefs over the years in written form. But few have done so in as lively and compelling a fashion as Mark Keown. If you thought faith was dull or boring, think again--and read this book. If you thought following Jesus was just about 'God and me,' discover his plan for the whole universe here! If you believed it was just about 'fire insurance' for a life to come, guess again. If the overall storyline of the Bible seems confusing, or you're just not very familiar with it at all, you'll come to grips with that here, too, and see how it is reflected in popular culture and contrasted in other world religions. Mark is at once personally transparent and scripturally faithful. Long time Christ-followers and those who know nothing about Christianity will alike benefit from this book.”