New Testament Background

One of the daunting challenges facing the New Testament interpreter is achieving familiarity with the immense corpus of related literatures. Scholars and students alike must have a fundamental understanding of the content, provenance, and utility for New Testament interpretation of a wide range of pagan, Jewish, and diversely Christian documents. Now in paperback, this thoroughly revised and significantly expanded edition of "Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation" examines a vast range of ancient literature, masterfully distilling details of date, language, text, and translation into an eminently usable handbook. Craig Evans evaluates the materials' relevance for interpreting the New Testament and provides essential biographies.

Associations in the Greco-Roman World provides students and scholars with a clear and readable resource for greater understanding of the social, cultural, and religious life across the ancient Mediterranean. The authors provide new translations of inscriptions and papyri from hundreds of associations, alongside descriptions of more than two dozen archaeological remains of building sites. Complemented by a substantial annotated bibliography and accompanying images, this sourcebook fills many gaps and allows for future exploration in studies of the Greco-Roman religious world, particularly the nature of Judean and Christian groups at that time.

Coins have long been a vital part of the discipline of classical studies of the ancient world. However, many scholars have commented that coins have not been adequately integrated into the study of the New Testament. This book provides an interdisciplinary gateway to the study of numismatics for those who are engaged in biblical studies. Wenkel argues that coins from the 1st century were cultural texts with communicative power. He establishes a simple yet comprehensive hermeneutic that defines coins as cultural texts and explains how they might be interpreted today. Once coins are understood to be cultural texts, Wenkel proceeds to explain how these texts can be approached from three angles. First, the world in front of the coin is defined as the audience who initially read and responded to coins as cultural texts. The entire Roman Empire used coins for payment. Second, the world of the coin refers to the coin itself - the combination of inscriptions and images. This combination of inscription and image was used ubiquitously as a tool of propaganda. Third, the world behind the coin refers to the world of power and production behind the coins. This third angle explores the concept of authorship of coins as cultural texts.

This invaluable study of non-literary Greek and Latin texts from the period leading up to and contemporary with the rise and early development of Christianity is once again available after being out of print for nearly a decade. Deissmann's work with inscriptions on stone, metal, papyrus, and potsherds has long been widely recognized for the light it sheds upon the New Testament in its historical and cultural context. Eighty-five illustrations further illumine the discussion of these texts.

This sourcebook of primary texts illustrates the history of Christianity from the first century to the death of Constantine. It covers all major persons and topics in early Christian life and thought and includes Gnostic texts and anti-Christian polemic. Now available to a wider North American audience, it remains a standard after fifty years in print.

A comprehensive corpus of texts relating to Jews and Judaism by the Greek and Latin authors of Antiquity. The collection furnishes valuable source material on the place of Jews and Judaism in the Mediterranean world during the rise and spread of Hellenism, concluding with concepts of Judaism held by the Neoplatonist philosophers. The writings of each author are accompanied by an introduction, a critical apparatus, an English translation and a detailed commentary in which the sources are examined in the context of the latest scholarship and archaeological findings.

A magnificent collection of documents to illustrate the background of the New Testament and the history of the early church. An invaluable resource tool for any student of the New Testament.

Readings from a variety of genres provide Bible readers with essential background information on the New Testament.