This commentary analyzes Luke's writings and gives specific explanations to enable readers to understand the special contributions Luke makes to the testimony of the New Testament. With the precision for which he is noted, Eduard Schweizer conveys the whole picture of what Jesus Christ means to the faith.

Beginning the Good News Francis Moloney provides a narrative critical reading of Mark 1:1Ð13, Matthew 1Ð2, Luke 1Ð2, and John 1:1Ð18 to illustrate that the readings of the Gospels set up a tension in the reader who learns from the beginning, but still cannot rest satisfied. The Gospels' beginnings promise the reader the great prize of understanding--later.

Gerald Borchert provides a unique survey of the New Testament by centering on its understanding, teaching, language, and reflections of worship. He seeks to show how worship language and action lie behind much of the New Testament and how the modern church can gain a new power in worship through renewed reflection on the New Testament. Borchert first looks at the larger New Testament unit-gospels, Pauline letters, pastorals, etc. Then he takes each book in the section, passage by passage, and shows how worship constantly enters into the author's style and purpose in bringing that author's unique meaning to the individual context. He concludes each section with a terse Worship Summary of the biblical book and with questions for the reader to contemplate. Thus Borchert invites the reader to enter into the worship discussion and find ways to give depth, meaning, and hope to personal and congregational worship. At each step, Borchert underlines the deep connection between worship and life.

Sometimes reading the Bible is a delight. But many other times it feels like hard work. Tim Chester reminds us that every time we read the Bible we don’t merely learn information about God—we hear his voice and encounter his presence. Including a study guide for group use, this book helps us approach reading the Bible with an eager anticipation, expecting to hear God’s voice and meet him in his Word.

Examining prisons from the perspectives of sociology, theology, history, and biblical exegesis, Griffith argues that the church has taken a woefully wrong turn by aligning itself with the traditional justice system. He shows how prisons are clearly ineffective at deterring crime and rehabilitating offenders and maintains that Christians should be even more concerned with how the prison fails in principle than how it fails in practice.

This highly original commentary, part of the New International Commentary, is unique for the way it combines concerns with first-century culture in the Roman world with understanding the text of Luke as a wholistic, historical narrative.

This book starts with questions concerning Lukes idea of the relationship between wealth and discipleship. Previous attempts have not succeeded in reconciling the ideas of wealth and poverty with the theme of discipleship in Lukes theology. This failure motivates Kim to investigate a new paradigm, namely stewardship. Reviewing the wide range of material regarding wealth and poverty in Luke-Acts, he concludes that for Luke a proper way for Christians as stewards to use their wealth is almsgiving in the interests of the poor and needy inside and outside the community.

""Odette Mainville's...book, The Spirit in Luke-Acts, is a most careful, enlightening, and fresh interpretation of the Holy Spirit's Role in Luke and Acts, from the surprising starting point of a single verse, Acts 2:33...I wholeheartedly endorse this book...."" -William S. Kurz, S.J., Emeritus Professor of New Testament, Marquette University ""...As someone who has devoted a whole book to a theological exposition of Acts 2:33, I regard this as a most worthwhile endeavor. What emerges is a work that engages fully with the Spirit's vitality in the life of Jesus and in the mission of the church...."" -William P. Atkinson, PhD, Senior Lecturer, London School of Theology ""...I warmly recommend this insightful reading of Luke-Acts to you. It is filled with interesting exegesis and challenging observations....I trust that you will find this book as enjoyable, enriching, and edifying as I did."" -Robert P. Menzies, PhD, Missionary-Scholar (China), from the foreword ""Mainville's...work...integrates the central theme in Luke-Acts, in a way that traditional systematic theology does not, viz, Jesus's experiences with the Spirit toward the end of creating a 'community of prophets'..."" -Jon Mark Ruthven, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Regent University School of Divinity ""...Using a redactional and literary approach, Mainville demonstrates that the role of the Holy Spirit is not to be relegated to a mere appendage of Pauline soteriology..."" -James B Shelton, PhD, Professor of New Testament, Oral Roberts University Mainville's work is helpful both for its engagement with traditional approaches and for its fresh contributions and insights....This is surely a welcome study."" -Craig S. Keener, PhD, Professor of Biblical Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary