Gary M. Burge

The Cross & the Prodigal

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“The Cross the Prodigal is a little book that changed the minds of Gospel scholars throughout the world. In its original edition (1973) Bailey not only established himself as a leading New Testament interpreter, but he launched an approach to the Gospels that was utterly unique. Over sixty years of life in the Middle East (from Egypt to Iraq) bequeathed to him a discerning knowledge of peasant life; fluency in Arabic; the ability to work in Syriac, Coptic and Aramaic; and an intimate acquaintance with Rabbinic literature. These skills he now applies to the three parables of Luke 15 in order to unlock cultural insights that have eluded scholars for centuries. This approach deserves a name--Middle Eastern New Testament Studies--and today Bailey's legacy belongs with scholars such as Joachim Jeremias: leading parable interpreters whose work has been a watershed for the rest of us.”

The Cross in the Johannine Writings

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“"The Cross in the Johannine Writings provides a thorough, up-to-date evaluation of a discussion that has vexed Johannine scholars for a century. Morgan-Wynne carefully surveys contributors (helpfully including vast continental scholarship in detail), provides an assessment, and then gives careful attention to one of John's most nuanced themes. This is now the most current and important voice that every Johannine scholar will want to hear.”

The God I Don't Understand

Christian Living

“Endorsements for The God I Don’t Understand by Christopher J. H. Wright Chris Wright boldly explores four of the most difficult subjects Christians will generally face: the problem of evil, the genocide of Joshua, how modern culture can make sense of the cross, and prophecies about the end of the world. In each case, Wright uses his long experience as a theologian/teacher to skillfully and winsomely bring us through the dead-end solutions we often hear and lead us in fruitful and promising directions. This is not a book filled with the usual piety or apologetic drivel so often found in such treatments: it is a tough-minded and courageous wrestling match with profound issues of faith reminiscent of John Stott. Few of us would take on such a task. Wright has not only done it well — but supremely well.”

The Good Shepherd

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Ken Bailey is the consummate expert on the cultural context of first-century life. And here he applies these skills to one motif—the shepherd—illustrating how it is employed in a variety of biblical stories and parables. His interpretations use a variety of tools unknown to many of us: ancient versions, original languages, cultural anthropology, ancient Middle Eastern writers who shared this ancient culture, and his own personal career embedded in a crosscultural life in the Middle East. Always insightful, always fresh, consistently surprising, Bailey has produced yet another book that will get many of us rethinking beloved passages of Scripture in completely new ways.”

The Gospel and the Land of Promise

Theology

“This volume is as important as its topic is serious. We must think clearly and Christianly about what the scriptures tell us concerning land, holy land, the modern Middle East, and biblical promise in a world that entertains enormous theological confusion. These able and provocative essays will offer us skilled guidance in territory few scholars are willing to enter.”

The Gospel of John

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“For those who have treasured Dale Bruner's two-volume commentary on Matthew, the arrival of his commentary on John is yet another cause for celebration. After sifting the best contributions of leading commentators, Bruner adds his own unique wisdom and pastoral insight that are unmatched by any of the many John commentaries on my shelf. This will immediately become one of the favorite commentaries pastors reach for to find the essential ideas that will bring John's Gospel to modern audiences.”

The Letter to the Romans

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Bruner’s two massive treatments of Matthew and John are treasured in the church as reliable, inspiring, comprehensive studies. After a decade of further study, Bruner has done it again. This shorter study of Romans—which Bruner calls the Fifth Gospel—is once more a lucid, well-informed explanation of Paul’s premier letter. Good commentaries explain the text in its original form, provide theological insight into the text’s meaning and value, and then help us make use of the text for our living today. Bruner gets high marks in all three in a casual, personal format that is the hallmark of all his writing.”

The Letters of John

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Serious students of the Johannine literature will find in this book a reliable and trustworthy guide to John’s letters. Kruse brilliantly reconstructs the context of the struggles that John’s church faced, and he successfully expounds the apostle’s defense of orthodox belief in what must have been a tumultuous and difficult era. Many generations will find themselves in Kruse’s debt for his outstanding contribution.”

The Mystery of Faith

Apologetics

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

The Other Side of the Wall

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“There is a wall encircling Bethlehem. It is both a reality (made of cement and nine meters high) and a symbol for the life of Palestinian Christians and Muslims: walled, occupied, segregated. In this remarkable book, Munther Isaac takes us behind that wall and offers us a glimpse into things that are generally kept from view. He tells a story that is as compelling as it is heart wrenching, a story that every Christian needs to understand to grasp one seemingly endless conflict in the Middle East.”

The Trials of Jesus

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“This volume provides a sweeping backdrop to the context of Jesus’s ministry, arrest, and trials. Deeply informative, accessible, and fascinating, Barnett tells the story not just about Jesus, but about all of Israel’s history leading to the climactic finale of the messiah’s death.”

The Voices of the New Testament

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Derek Tidball has successfully achieved something few have attempted. He has written a theological overview of the New Testament that maintains both its unity and diversity. But here—and this is key—his approach is completely innovative: we get to listen in as a 'seminar leader' directs a conversation on the major themes of the New Testament. And his conversation partners are none other than the writers of the New Testament! A question is launched—So what about Jesus as Son of God?—and suddenly we can listen to Luke, Mark, John, Paul, and others weigh in from their distinctive perspectives. The approach is at once richly entertaining and deeply insightful. This book is a masterpiece written by a highly skilled teacher and theologian and it will win high praise from students and teachers alike.”

Theologies of Land

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“In an era witnessing a resurgence of interest in nativism and nationalism, there is a desperate need for honest talk about land, privilege, and power. Voices from the Majority World must lead this conversation because they have often been the victims of land loss through the misuse of power. This short volume will serve as an essential key to get this conversation started.”

Through Middle Eastern Eyes

History & Biography

“This is the remarkable story of a life we can only imagine. Michael Parker’s expert telling of Bailey’s life is enthralling and pulls us back to another era of courageous scholar-missionaries that today are few. Bailey was a missionary to the Arab world, but more, he was a missionary to the West, helping us see our Scriptures through the eyes of a world that originally produced them.”

Walking with Jesus on Campus

Christian Living

“This is an enormously helpful book that should be in the hands of every Christian student on a college campus. It is filled with wisdom coming from a chaplain whose long experience with campus ministry was extensive, celebrated, and filled with good judgment. This is a book to recommend to students who are struggling and everyone who is supporting them through their college years.”

You Have Heard It Said

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“Here are stories of Jewish-Christian and Palestinian-Christian reconciliation that we never hear in the West. Jonathan McRay invites us to listen in while his subjects experience all the awkwardness, drama, and joy of seeing the 'other' as they've never seen before. But it is not easy . . . For those who have lost faith and hope regarding Israeli and Palestinian reconciliation, this book suggests a new possibility, one that can be realized only when Christian faith transcends political and ethnic differences.”

Your Devil Is Too Big

Christian Living

“The story of the prodigal who allowed Satan to entice him with lies, who was lost and then reunited—Jeremy Burge writes from his upbringing, passion, and heart! Your Devil Is Too Big tells his story, his journey, his return to the Father, who was always waiting for his son’s return. Jeremy shows us how small the devil is . . . and how big our God really is!”