Reading Ephesians and Colossians PDF Download

Author: David Ian Starling
Publisher: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Incorporated
ISBN: 9781641732772
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Book Description
"It is all too easy for the church to conform itself to the norms of a consumer capitalist society, marketing spirituality to an experience-hungry culture, or to allow itself to be co-opted into the belligerence and self-righteousness of one side or the other in the culture wars of our time. It is much harder, and infinitely more beautiful, to live out the way of life that Paul urges the readers of Ephesians to pursue, performing an identity that is grounded not in soil, skin, nostalgia, or utopianism but in the person of Christ, and asserted not in anger and coercion but in gentleness and love. Given the prominence of those two factors within the situation that Paul is addressing in Colossians, it is not surprising that the letter has a double purpose. Negatively, it warns the readers not to submit to teachings that are framed "according to human tradition, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ" (2:8)"--

Author: Margaret Y. MacDonald
Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 0814682855
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 420

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Book Description
No two works in the Pauline Epistles resemble each other as closely as Colossians and Ephesians. Often recognized for their majestic tone and powerful theological statement, Colossians and Ephesians also present many challenges of interpretation. Most commentaries on these letters seem preoccupied with the same few issues, particularly the question of authorship. As MacDonald addresses these classic questions, she offers a fresh perspective on Colossians and Ephesians by making use of insights from the social sciences. Moreover, by paying attention to subtle differences between the two letters, she brings their distinct perspectives into sharp relief. MacDonald highlights the interplay between Colossians and Ephesians and the social life of New Testament communities. She illustrates how the texts reflect ancient cultural values and are influenced by particular aspects of community life such as worship and household existence. In particular, she reflects on the issues faced by these communities as they formed institutions and interacted with the society around them. She shows the struggles of the New Testament communities to survive and maintain a distinct identity in first-century society. Chapters under Colossians are Greeting (1:1-2)," "Thanksgiving for the Colossians (1:3-8)," "Prayer on Behalf of the Colossians (1:9-14,)" "The Christ-Hymn (1:15-20),""Application of Hymn to the Situation in Colossae (1:21-23)," "Paul's Authority in Colossae and Laodicea (1:24-2:7)," "Debate with the Opponents: The Power of the Risen Christ (2:8-15)," "Debate with the Opponents: Warnings Against Ascetic Practices (2:16-23)," "New Life in Light of the Resurrection (3:1-4)," "Ethical Guidelines for a New Life (3:5-17)," "The Households of Believers(3:18-4:1)," "Prayer, Mission, and Contact with Outsiders (4:2-6)," "Conclusion: Personal Notes and Greetings (4:7-18)." Chapters under Ephesians are "Greeting (1:1-2)," "Blessing (1:3-14)," "Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:15-23)," "The Consequences of Life Together with Christ (2:1-10)," "The Unity of Jews and Gentiles Created by Christ (2:11-22)," "The Apostle as Interpreter of the Divine Mystery (3:1-13)," "Prayer and Doxology (3:14-21)," "The Unity of the Spirit (4:1-16)," "The Sons of Disobedience and the Children of Light (4:17-5:20)," "The Households of Believers (5:21-6:9)," "Doing Battle with Evil (6:10-20)," "Conclusion: Personal Matters and Final Blessing (6:21-24)." Margaret Y. MacDonald is a professor in the department of religious studies at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia.

Author: F. F. Bruce
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 9780802825100
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 478

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Book Description
F.F. Bruce's study of the Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians constitute a single volume in The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Prepared by some of the world's leading scholars, the series provides an exposition of the New Testament books that is thorough and scholarly while faithful to the infallible Word of God.

Author: Various Authors,
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310294142
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 6637

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The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

Author: Ben Witherington
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 1467423556
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 395

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Book Description
This volume completes Ben Witherington's contributions to the set of Eerdmans socio-rhetorical commentaries on the New Testament. In addition to the usual features of these commentaries, Witherington offers an innovative way of looking at Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon as interrelated documents written at different levels of moral discourse. Colossians is first-order moral discourse (the opening gambit), Ephesians is second-order moral discourse (what one says after the opening salvo to the same audience), and Philemon is third-order moral discourse (what one says to a personal friend or intimate). Witherington successfully analyzes these documents as examples of Asiatic rhetoric, explaining the differences in style from earlier Pauline documents. He further shows that Paul is deliberately engaging in the transformation of existing social institutions. As always, Witherington's work is scholarly and engaging. With detailed "Closer Look" sections, The Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians is perfect for the libraries of clergy, biblical scholars, and seminaries.

Author: Lionel J. Windsor
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1498219071
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Book Description
The apostolic mission from Israel to "the nations" forms the explicit framework for Ephesians and Colossians. Yet the concrete dynamics of this mission seldom play any significant role in modern interpretation. Scholars frequently approach these letters as if the Jew-gentile dynamics inherent in the early Christ-preaching mission are either irrelevant, or are negated by the letters themselves. This book seeks to redress this deficiency. Windsor approaches Ephesians and Colossians with an evangelical post-supersessionist perspective. By highlighting, rather than downplaying, Israel's special place in salvation history, Windsor demonstrates that Jew-gentile dynamics and missionary concerns are highly significant for understanding the overall argument of these two letters. The resulting readings offer a deeper appreciation of the biblical, Israel-centered contours in which the theological and ethical concerns of the letters are expressed. Along the way, Windsor demonstrates how certain texts in Ephesians and Colossians, which are often read as evidence of a supersessionist perspective, are capable of more fruitful and satisfactory post-supersessionist interpretations. He demonstrates that in these letters, Christ does not negate Jewish distinctiveness. Rather, Christ's mission proceeds through Israel to the nations, creating mutual blessing in the Messiah.

Author: N.T. Wright
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830869220
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 66

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Book Description
With a scholar's mind and a pastor's heart, Tom Wright walks you through Colossians and Philemon in this guide designed especially with everyday readers in mind. Perfect for group use or daily personal reflection, this study uses the popular inductive method combined with Wright's thoughtful insights to bring contemporary application of Scripture to life.

Author: Graeme Goldsworthy
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830826963
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 252

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Book Description
Concise, pithy chapters with dozens of charts, highlighted summaries and study questions make Graeme Goldsworthy's introductory text enormously useful for understanding how the Bible fits together as the unfolding story of God's plan for salvation.

Author: Lionel J. Windsor
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 3110369834
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 318

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Book Description
The Apostle Paul was the greatest early missionary of the Christian gospel. He was also, by his own admission, an Israelite. How can both these realities coexist in one individual? This book argues that Paul viewed his mission to the Gentiles, in and of itself, as the primary expression of his Jewish identity. The concept of Israel’s divine vocation is used to shed fresh light on a number of much-debated passages in Paul’s letter to the Romans.

Author: Graeme Goldsworthy
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830864938
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 251

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Book Description
2012 Preaching Survey of the Year's Best Books for Preachers The appeal of biblical theology is that it provides a "big picture" that makes sense of the diversity of biblical literature. Through the lens of biblical theology the Bible ceases to be a mass of unconnected texts, but takes shape as a unified metanarrative connecting the story of Israel with that of Jesus. It presents the whole scene of God's revelation as one mighty plan of salvation. For fifty years Graeme Goldsworthy has been refining his understanding of biblical theology through his experiences as a student, pastor and teacher. In this valuable complement to his Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics, Goldsworthy defends and refines the rationale for his approach, drawing especially on the work of Australian biblical scholar Donald Robinson.