A cutting-edge scholarly review of how the Pentateuch functions as a scripture, and how it came to be ritualized in this way. Understanding the Pentateuch as a Scripture is a unique account of the first five books of the Bible, describing how Jews and Christians ritualize the Pentateuch as a scripture by interpreting it, by performing its text and contents, and by venerating the physical scroll and book. Pentateuchal studies are known for intense focus on questions of how and when the first five books of the Bible were composed, edited, and canonized as scripture. Rather than such purely historical, literary, or theological approaches, Hebrew Bible scholar James W. Watts organizes this description of the Pentateuch from the perspectives of comparative scriptures and religious studies. He describes how the Pentateuch has been used in the centuries since it began to function as a scripture in the time of Ezra, and the origins of its ritualization before that time. The book: Analyzes the semantic contents of the Pentateuch as oral rhetoric that takes the form of stories followed by lists of laws and sanctions Gives equal space to its ritualization in the iconic and performative dimensions as to its semantic interpretation Fully integrates the cultural history of the Pentateuch and Bible with its influence on Jewish and Christian ritual, and in art, music, theatre, and film Understanding the Pentateuch as a Scripture is a groundbreaking work that highlights new research data and organizes the material to focus attention on the Pentateuch’s—and Bible’s— function as a scripture.

UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE AS A SCRIPTURE IN HISTORY, CULTURE, AND RELIGION The Bible is a popular subject of study and research, yet biblical studies gives little attention to the reason for its popularity: its religious role as a scripture. Understanding the Bible as a Scripture in History, Culture, and Religion integrates the history of the religious interpretation and ritual uses of biblical books into a survey of their rhetoric, composition, and theology in their ancient contexts. Emphasizing insights from comparative studies of different religious scriptures, it combines discussion of the Bible’s origins with its cultural history into a coherent understanding of its past and present function as a scripture. A prominent expert on biblical rhetoric and the ritualization of books, James W. Watts describes how Jews and Christians ritualize the Bible by interpreting it, by expressing it in recitations, music, art, and film, and by venerating the physical scroll and book. The first two sections of the book are organized around the Torah and the Gospels—which have been the focus of Jewish and Christian ritualization of scriptures from ancient to modern times—and treat the history of other biblical books in relation to these two central blocks of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. In addition to analyzing the semantic contents of all the Bible’s books as persuasive rhetoric, Watts describes their ritualization in the iconic and expressive dimensions in the centuries since they began to function as a scripture, as well as in their origins in ancient Judaism and Christianity. The third section on the cultural history and scriptural function of modern bibles concludes by discussing their influence today and the controversies they have fueled about history, science, race, and gender. Innovative and insightful, Understanding the Bible as a Scripture in History, Culture, and Religion is a groundbreaking introduction to the study of the Bible as a scripture, and an ideal textbook for courses in biblical studies and comparative scripture studies.

The Bible is the single most important book in the history of Western civilization; it is also the most widely misunderstood. To understand the Bible, we must consider its historical and literary context. Utilizing the contributions of three disciplines--biblical introduction, biblical theology, and biblical interpretation, Understanding Scripture sets the record straight. Intended as a handbook or study guide, this work provides forty practical guidelines to make your reading of the Bible more useful and your understanding clearer. The goal of this book is not simply to persuade you to read the Bible more frequently, but to encourage you to read it with discernment. The forty concepts alluded to in the book's subtitle are not factual in nature, meaning they are little concerned with biblical information. Rather, they comprise interpretive tools, "insider" techniques used by biblical scholars but widely unknown or ignored by average readers or believers. Parabolic in nature, the forty statements are designed to promote conversation rather than close or clinch an argument. This book is designed to keep you awake at night, romancing Scripture rather than mastering it, nourishing your spirituality rather than gorging or starving it. Understanding Scripture is useful for individual or group study. Each chapter concludes with questions suitable for discussion or reflection.

Which Bible passages are for Christians today and which relate only to ancient readers? Can I simply pick and choose for myself the verses I think best fit my situation? Who gets to decide? Is there a different meaning for each individual reader? What am I supposed to know to read the Bible well? Ray Lubeck has devoted his life to helping others discern for themselves God’s truth in the Scriptures and to showing them how it relates to their everyday lives. Reading the Bible for a Change will guide you in how to: •Read each biblical passage in light of its literary style and larger context •Ask and explore the most fruitful questions for understanding the meaning of a passage •Avoid common interpretive mistakes •Hear God, the divine Author, speak through the Bible’s human authors •Identify the life-changing truths of Scripture that apply to life today •Move beyond merely reading the Bible to being shaped by and following it Having taught for over three decades at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as in many ministry contexts, Ray values the importance of holding the interest of students of the Bible. This book is written in an accessible and engaging style, using illustrations, charts, stories, and relevant examples to help the reader grasp key concepts. The second edition has been extensively revised in light of recent scholarly developments and years of use within the classroom, incorporating substantial amounts of updates and new material. Reading the Bible for a Change will equip you with the tools to discover for yourself the life-changing truths revealed in God’s word. If you begin practicing these steps, you will embark on a lifetime journey of Scripture reading that will enable you to see for yourself how captivating and transforming it is when we read the Bible on its own terms rather than on ours.

The Dark Bible explores early modern England's interactions with difficult aspects of the Bible. For the early modern reader, although the Bible was understood to be perfect, sufficient, and transcendent (indeed, the Protestant Reformation required it), it was not always experienced as such. While traditional interpretive precepts, such as the claim that all dark passages could be read in the light of clear ones, were frequently recited by early modern commentators, their actual encounters with the darkness of the Bible suggest that writers, commentators, and translators were often deeply uncomfortable with the disjunction between what the Bible should be, and what it actually was. The Dark Bible investigates writers' and translators' attempts to explain, accommodate, circumvent, and repair problematic texts across a range of genres and contexts. It charts early modern English use of biblical scholarship in vernacular culture and investigates how vernacular writing in various genres could give voice to questioning and confused biblical interactions. The Dark Bible demonstrates that early modern writers and critics engaged extensively with the Bible's difficulties, attempting to circumvent and repair problematic texts, and otherwise reconcile the darkness of the Bible with theories of the Bible's perfection and clarity.

In 1976, Rev. Dr. Stewart read the whole Bible for the first time and became fascinated with Gods relationship with creation. After an early life in construction, Dr. Stewart felt Gods calling and returned to university. At university, he majored in ancient history and studied the Hebrew language. His exegetical work is taken directly from biblical Hebrew and Greek. This ability has helped him understand how ancient male bias has been promoted by the church in all ages. As a student of the Bible, he has come to see how the womens voice has often been suppressed. He has also come to appreciate that when it is not suppressed, a certain beauty shines forth. Knowledge of scripture, from the Hebrew perspective, allowed him to discover how the male voice can make a positive statement at the beginning of a story and then go on to contradict the statement by describing the negative actions that followed. Dr. Stewart lives in Milverton, Ontario, with his wife, Marjorie, of forty-five years; they enjoy visiting their two children and five grandchildren. Retirement has given him the opportunity to research, write, and play golf. Ordained as an Elder in Chedoke Presbyterian Church in 1981 Attended McMaster University, Hamilton, in1996 Diploma in Theology, Knox College, Toronto Master of Divinity degree, University of Toronto Doctor of Ministry, Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio Certificate course in conflict management, Conrad Grebel, Waterloo Ordained to Ministry of Word and Sacraments in 2001 Pastor of churches in Bathurst, New Brunswick, and Milverton, Ontario Retired in 2012 Past Master of Corinthian Lodge #513, Hamilton, Ontario Past Most Wise Sovereign of Hamilton Chapter of Rose Croix Honorary Member of Supreme Council AASR 33 Jim was a master scuba instructor. He loves diving and fi shing in the Caribbean.

We approach the Bible with American eyes and therefore completely miss or misunderstand so much of it. It is an old Middle Eastern book. To really understand it, we must try to understand their culture, theology, language, and thinking. A good translation is just the first step in understanding the Bible. Figures of speech that are second-nature to native speakers-but often bizarre to others-are especially difficult. When these are further clouded by differences in customs, grasping the original meaning can be very difficult. What most of us fail to realize is that we do not think the same way the writers of the Bible thought. The logic we find so easy and familiar did not yet exist when most of the Bible was written. Without considering those differences, we try to impose on Hebrew word-pictures our Greek logic patterns. Sometimes it works, and at other times the results are disastrous. No wonder we have loud conflict and seething separation within the church today, in direct violation of Jesus' prayer for unity within his body. This book is the result of years of answering questions from students and friends. It can be understood by anyone who can read a newspaper. The Bible is the record of God's intervention in human affairs, and where he draws a lost and hurting world to himself. Despite the critics' shrill cries, the Bible can be understood.

Informative... Reliable... Accessible First published more than a quarter century ago, The Catholic Bible: Personal Study Edition has long served readers eager for a reliable, accessible guide to lead them into the biblical text. Thumb-indexed for convenience, this third edition is fully revised and augmented with new study aids such as in-text essays on topics that enhance one's reading of the text. The Reading Guides that come before the text of the New American Bible Revised Edition -- the translation used in the great majority of U.S. Catholic parishes -- provide a concise, accessible overview of each individual book of the Bible, leading readers through the backgrounds, characters, and messages of all the books and their implications for our lives today. Lay people -- individuals or members of study groups -- students, and general readers will all find essential information in a form that is easy to use and organized for quick reference.

Make Your Study Personal and Your Devotions Serious. You study the Bible to connect with God's heart. The NLT Study Bible gives you the tools you need to enter the world of the Bible so you can do just that. Including over 25,000 study notes plus profiles, charts, maps, timelines, book and section introductions, and approximately 300 theme notes, the NLT Study Bible will make your study personal and your devotions serious. This new large print edition features a generous 10-point font. The New Living Translation breathes life into even the most difficult-to-understand Bible passages, changing lives as the words speak directly to their hearts.

Chronology in Israelite historiography / Baruch Halpern -- The Bible in the university / James L. Kugel -- "Sectually explicit" literature from Qumran / Carol A. Newsom -- Eden sketches / William H. Propp -- People and high priesthood in early Maccabean times / James C. VanderKam.