Books in the New Testament Theology series

Who are the people of God? Luke's purposes in Acts are to identify the church, to establish the legitimacy of its gospel and to demonstrate that God was an active force in history. He shows that the communities of Jewish and Gentile Christians are the true heirs of God's promises to Israel.

Follow Luke's ordered narrative of events in the book of Acts to see how the early church grew "under the plan of God, centered on King Jesus, and empowered by the Spirit."

In this installment in the New Testament Theology series, trusted scholar Thomas Schreiner walks readers step-by-step through the book of Revelation, considering its themes, symbolic imagery, and historical context.

This 1999 book presents a clear and understandable explanation of the contribution that Mark has made to the theology of the developing Jesus tradition. Dr Telford emphasizes the importance of context (the historical and the contemporary) and method (a combination of the historical-critical approach with literary approaches) for the proper understanding of Mark.

Furnish shows that the common view of 1 Corinthians as mainly about 'ethics' and of little importance for 'theology' needs correcting. He goes beyond the details of the Corinthian situation to explore and clarify the theological orientation of 1 Corinthians, and its contribution to an understanding of Paul's theology.

In this survey, Father Murphy-O'Conner provides the background and the social, religious and economic situation to the dialogue of Paul's Second letter. Integrating such background information into a flowing exposition of the apostle's thoughts brings his theology to life by highlighting the complex interplay of factors which prompted him to write as he did.

The Letter to the Hebrews is of particular significance for the most important explanation of the sacrificial death of Christ contained in the New Testament. Here, Lindars explains the circumstances in which it was written. The concluding chapters show the place of Hebrews in the context of the development of early Christianity, and indicate the lasting value of Hebrews for theology today.

Paul's Letter to the Galatians is one of the fiercest and most polemical writings in the Bible. That is what makes it, for the author of this study, such an exciting document to deal with. It emerges from the early days of a vigorous new movement (Christianity), when basic principles were first being formulated, and when the whole character of the movement was at stake. In the pages of Galatians we witness fundamental features of Christian theology taking shape before our eyes, where the living heart of Paul's gospel is encountered. For James D. G. Dunn there is an elemental quality about the letter, to which those tired of compromising half-truths are drawn when they feel the impulse to return to first principles. This book, which benefits from this perspective on Paul, explains more clearly than hitherto both the issues which confronted Paul and the powerful theological arguments he brought to bear in response, and casts light on a document still capable of shaping lives and theology today.

Klaus Haacker, a respected expert on Paul's writings, presents a compelling introduction to the theology of the Letter to the Romans. Professor Haacker focuses on the themes of righteousness, suffering and hope and the mystery of Israel in the age of the gospel. This volume completes Cambridge's New Testament Theology series.

The Book of Revelation is a work of profound theology. But its literary form makes it impenetrable to many modern readers and open to all kinds of misinterpretations. Richard Bauckham explains how the book's imagery conveyed meaning in its original context and how the book's theology is inseparable from its literary structure and composition. Revelation is seen to offer not an esoteric and encoded forecast of historical events but rather a theocentric vision of the coming of God's universal kingdom, contextualised in the late first-century world dominated by Roman power and ideology. It calls on Christians to confront the political idolatries of the time and to participate in God's purpose of gathering all the nations into his kingdom. Once Revelation is properly grounded in its original context it is seen to transcend that context and speak to the contemporary church. This study concludes by highlighting Revelation's continuing relevance for today.

A lucid introduction to and explication of the major theological ideas contained in the Gospel of John, this book serves as an ideal initiation to questions of the nature and origin of this most fascinating New Testament document, as well as to broader issues in Jewish-Christian relations.

Matthew's Gospel is the most significant Jewish-Christian document of the New Testament. This book, first published in 1995, both outlines and elucidates the story told in the Gospel, emphasising its focal points: the Sermon on the Mount, the miracles, the renunciation of possessions and the theology of judgement by works.

The Pastoral Letters have long been controversial among scholars. Frances Young explores their special purpose, and traces their advice on how to live as Christians in the setting of the Roman Empire. She then attempts to assess the value of these letters for Christian living in the very different context of the modern world.

This book allows the Epistles to speak for themselves, and shows that they sound a distinctive note within Johannine theology, in particular, and the thought of the New Testament, in general.

The letters of James, Peter, and Jude are among the most neglected parts of the New Testament. The authors of this study seek to remedy such neglect, arguing that these epistles are important both for the theology of the New Testament generally and for contemporary discussion about the nature of Christian faith.

The Gospel of Luke, often mined for information about the life of Jesus, is also one of the earliest Christian examples of narrative theology. Unlike some writers of New Testament books, Luke has engaged in the theological task by shaping a narrative representation of the coming and mission of Jesus. In doing so, he goes to great lengths to ground the work of Jesus in the continuing story of God's redemptive plan, especially witnessed in the Scriptures, and he also emphasises the ongoing character of that story, with the result that Luke's audience is challenged to discern the purpose of God in order that they may embrace it and order their lives around it. This exploration of the way in which Luke accomplishes his theological task in the first century is both informative and illuminating for contemporary readers seeking approaches to cultural criticism and constructive theology today.

This book breaks new ground in offering a clear exposition of the theological message of the Shorter Pauline Letters. 1 and 2 Thessalonians are put in their cultural context by Karl P. Donfried, and I. Howard Marshall shows how Paul applies his understanding of the 'career' of Christ to the problems of unity in a divided congregation.

This volume investigates the respective theologies of the Letters to the Colossians and the Ephesians. In so doing, the authors provide an accessible introduction to the chief themes and significance of these New Testament books.The key elements of the Letters' teaching are related to the contemporary significance of their message.