J. Gordon Mcconville

Explore the contemporary significance of the Old Testament and hear the Word of God afreshChristianity Today 2024 Book Award Finalist (Biblical Studies)The book of Isaiah has been regarded from the earliest Christian period as a key part of the Old Testament's witness to Jesus Christ. This commentary by highly regarded Old Testament scholar J. Gordon McConville draws on the best of biblical scholarship as well as the Christian tradition to offer a substantive and useful commentary on Isaiah.McConville treats Isaiah as an ancient Israelite document that speaks to twenty-first-century Christians. He examines the text section by section and shows how the prophetic words are framed to persuade audiences.In addition to paragraph-level commentary, all volumes of the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament series feature:? A fresh translation of the Hebrew text? Incisive comments based on the author's translation? Linguistic, historical, and canonical insights? Concluding reflections? Footnotes addressing technical mattersPastors, teachers, and all serious students of the Bible will find here an accessible commentary that will serve as an excellent resource for their study.Grounded in rigorous scholarship but useful for those who preach and teach, this volume is the second in a new series on the Prophets. Series volumes are both critically engaged and sensitive to the theological contributions of the text. Series editors are Mark J. Boda, McMaster Divinity College, and J. Gordon McConville, University of Gloucestershire.

The description of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 is a beloved biblical text with an unshakable place in the theology and self-understanding of the church. Since New Testament times, this text has fed the church's thinking about the person and work of Jesus Christ.Leading Old Testament theologian Gordon McConville offers a lively exposition of Isaiah 53 that is at once true to its Old Testament context, conversant with the history of interpretation, and deeply Christian. McConville illuminates the text's contribution to our apprehension of who Jesus is and explores the various ways the text can speak to us in faithfulness to its scriptural authority and character. The author explores the theological and spiritual issues that arise from the poetry's words and phrases and shows how this classic text can speak to the life of the church today.The Touchstone Texts series addresses key Bible passages, making high-quality biblical scholarship accessible to the church. The series editor is Stephen B. Chapman, Duke Divinity School.

The book of Job is famous for its complex and compelling exploration of suffering and faith. It is less well-known for its contribution to a biblical understanding of God's mission and the church's role within it. In this detailed study, Tim J. Davy provides the most in-depth treatment yet of a "missional" reading of Job, building on the great strides taken in recent years in the missional reading of Scripture. A number of missiologically framed questions are examined, including the function of the book's non-Israelite theme, the cultural encounter of Job with similar ancient Near Eastern literature, and questions of justice and the treatment of the poor. Ultimately Davy makes the bold claim that the book of Job lies, not at the periphery, but at the heart of our understanding of the mission of God.

A Biblical Perspective on What It Means to Be HumanThis major work by a widely respected Old Testament scholar and theologian unpacks a biblical perspective on fundamental questions of what it means to be human. J. Gordon McConville explores how a biblical view of humanity provides a foundation for Christian reflection on ethics, economics, politics, and church life and practice. The book shows that the Old Testament's view of humanity as "earthed" and "embodied" plays an essential part in a well-rounded Christian theology and spirituality, and applies the theological concept of the "image of God" to all areas of human existence.

The historical books, from Joshua to Ezra and Nehemiah, form the narrative backbone of the Old Testament. Without them the Pentateuch would stop cold and the Prophets would hang in suspension. Even the Psalms and Wisdom literature would lose some of their luster for lack of a setting. Without these historical books the New Testament would be resolving an incomplete narrative, answering a question only half and hesitantly posed. For all these reasons and more, it is a tragic fact that many of us today cannot give a brief and coherent account of this story. We fear that books with names like Judges, Kings and Chronicles would bore us. But nothing could be further from the truth. For the story they tell is full of action and intrigue, tragedy and suspense, vivid characters and memorable events. They are the stuff of great art and literature, and they have inspired men and women to lives and deeds of uncommon faith and courage. Exploring these books is essential for a true education, whether religious or otherwise.In this guidebook, Philip E. Satterthwaite and J. Gordon McConville introduce us to the content and the context of these historical books. We view them within the setting of ancient history and history writing, and come to appreciate their literary artistry, their role within the Scriptures of Israel, and their lasting value as theological and ethical resources. Designed especially for students, Exploring the Old Testament, Volume 2: A Guide to the Historical Books overflows with interesting and helpful features that encourage avid exploration and the joy of learning.

Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Prophets considers the often misunderstood prophetic books of the Old Testament, including an exploration of their historical context, their artful use of language and their place within the chorus of Old Testament voices. This critically informed and theologically sensitive introduction to the Prophets introduces students toissues in critical interpretationthe place of the prophetic books in the Old Testament canonthe social location of biblical prophetscontemporary applications of the prophetic booksdates and destinations of the prophecies of each of the bookstheological contributions of the prophetic booksan overview of literary criticism on the ProphetsIn this textbook you will find double-column formatting for ease of use, annotated bibliographies for further reading, sidebar explorations of select historical and textual topics in greater detail, a glossary of terms, and relevant charts and maps.

The book of Joshua is often troubling -- what should we make of the fact that the violent occupation of land is not simply presented, but celebrated? How can we reconcile that with the key role the book plays in the biblical drama of salvation? What should we make of the God of Joshua? / In this volume Gordon McConville and Stephen Williams interpret Joshua in relation to Christian theology, addressing such questions and placing the book in its proper place in the canonical whole. McConville deals specifically with the commentary and exegesis of the text. Williams then moves in to focus on issues of interpretation. He addresses key theological themes, such as land, covenant, law, miracle, judgment (with the problem of genocide), and idolatry. / The authors posit that the theological topics engaged in Joshua are not limited to the horizons of the author and first readers of the book, but that Joshua is part of a much larger testimony which concerns readers yet today.