Reference Books - Page 15

The New Jerusalem Bible: Standard edition

Henry Wansbrough

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 90 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great notes, great translation, great study Bible 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Let's face it, there are two reasons to buy a Jerusalem Bible, the notes chief among them, and the New Jerusalem
Bible has the best out there. The other reason, of course, is the accessibility of the text, and again, the NJB is unrivaled on this count, as well. Unlike other modern translations that bend over backwards to achieve "inclusiveness" in the English, the NJB makes very few concessions on this front, again, one of its strengths. It wants to say in clear English what the original texts wanted to convey and succeeds admirably, unlike other versions like the NRSV that is on a mission from God to be an "inclusive language" translation, often taking liberties with the original language. Besides, I never liked the Oxford Annotated editions of the RSV because the notes were too often contrived. Example: Gn 3:14-15, the note reads "The curse contains an old explanation of why the serpent crawls rather than walks and why men are instinctively hostile to it." WHAT?! This is filler masquerading as information. Besides, what value does it offer the reader? None. Compare this with the NJB notes on the same passage:

"The punishment is appropriate to the specific functions of each: the woman suffers as mother and wife, the man as bread-winner. The text does not imply that, without sin, woman would have given birth painlessly or that man would not have had to work with sweat on his brow, any more than that before sin, snakes had feet, v. 14. Sin upsets the order willed by God: woman, instead of being man's associate and equal 2:18-24, becomes his seductress, while he for his part reduces her to the role of child bearer; man, instead of being God's gardener in Eden, has to struggle against a new hostile environment. But the greatest punishment is the loss of intimacy with God;v. 23. These penalties are hereditary. The doctrine of hereditary guilt is not clearly stated until Paul draws his comparison between the solidarity of all in the Saviour Christ and the solidarity of all in sinful Adam, Rm. 5." Which is more helpful? I think it's obvious.

Buy it for the notes, buy it for the translation, and know that you have the finest study Bible out there.

Editorial Review:

The New Jerusalem Bible: Standard Edition will satisfy the great need for an authoritative version of "the greatest story ever told" in a package so attractive, user friendly, and affordable, this edition is destined to become a classic. Using the same translation that has been hailed as "truly magnificent" (Journal of Bible Literature), the Standard Edition has a completely redesigned interior, set in a two-column format for easy reading. With all the best features of much more cumbersome and costly versions, this Bible is a must-have for home, church, and school.

The Gospel According to Jesus: What Is Authentic Faith?

John MacArthur

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 92 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Largely incoherent 2 out of 5 stars.
5 of 10 people found this review helpful.

To paraphrase Chafer, the violence done to the understanding of scripture by confusing Israel and the Church is incalculable.

MacArthur starts this book describing how its thesis was derived through a multi-year study of the Book of Matthew. With Matthew in the front of his mind (a book almost exclusively designed to document Jesus as the bona fide Messianc King, and with only a handful of veiled references to the Church), he derived the core of his soteriology. No wonder the result is nonsense.

Given that the topic is essentially a battle over the definition of the word "grace", I was shocked that there was almost no mention of it. He should have at least presented his own outline of the fundamental concepts behind grace. If he had such a disagreement with "free grace", he should also have been able to refute Chafer's definition of it in detail. Instead, though people like Chafer were mentioned in passing, his treatment of grace was largely ignored.

I would have expected that, if MacArthur's view of salvation were legitimate, he would have been able to find numerous examples of saved people throughout the New Testament who followed his scheme. Of course, he couldn't because they aren't there. Other than the incestuous believer in 1st Corinthians, who he discounts as a believer because he can't imagine that a believer could do such a thing, he spends almost no time showing how his theory played out with the characters of the Bible.

He could have mentioned David (but he was an adulterous murderer, and Christians would never do such a thing), or Nicodemus (but he was a "secret believer", and such a thing doesn't fit with his all or nothing approach), or the Ethiopian official of Acts (but, since he makes no comment about a plan for lifelong dedication, this wouldn't really help his argument). I'd have been interested to hear how he explains Paul sending letters to scores of people he still considers Christians though they are gossiping, slandering, engaging in orgies, stealing, etc. Or for that matter, how does he explain people clearly identified as Christians whom God punishes through death due to disobedience. None of this is seriously addressed.

The logical fallacy is this: How can something that happens chronologically years after a decision for salvation (which is grammatically described in Greek with a perfect tense, meaning it is absolutely established forever) affect the decision? His position would be much easier to defend if he believed a person could lose his salvation, but he does not. Instead, he tries to point to a sort of genetic defect that was part of the salvation decision, and which only manifested itself long afterwards. How, as 1st John puts it, is anyone supposed to have any confidence in their salvation?

The only fairly solid part of the book was his chapter on Justification. There were a couple of holes in it, but I wish the adherents to Lordship Salvation would sit down and just meditate on what he wrote on this. The sacrifice has already been made, and the moment of salvation results in position with Christ. How can your ignorant commitment improve on this?

Editorial Review:

What does Jesus mean when he says, “Follow me”?

Twenty years ago, pastor-teacher and bestselling author John MacArthur tackled that seemingly simple question—and wrote a book that has since taken its place among Christianity’s classics. This 20th Anniversary edition of MacArthur’s provocative book has been revised and contains one new chapter.

Christian Theology: An Introduction

Alister E. McGrath

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Total reviews: 35 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This guide aims to introduce the student to the problems, tasks, traditions and personalities of Christian theology. It assumes no prior knowledge of the subject and is written in a clear style with an emphasis on intelligibility and accessibility of information. The book contains three major sections. "Landmarks" is an exposition of the historical development of Christian theology from the patristic period to the present day, examining key figures and movements. It includes material relating to postmodernism, post-liberalism and evangelicalism. "Sources and Methods" provides an account of issues such as the nature of theological language, the nature of theological sources (such as Scripture, reason, tradition and experience) and the manner in which they have been used throughout Christian history. The third (and largest) part of the book - "Christian Theology" - examines the major principles of systematic and pastoral theology, and includes full discussion of classic and modern approaches to the discipline. Throughout, Dr McGrath adopts a non-denominational approach. Educational considerations are given priority, and the needs of those studying theology with a view to ministry are also taken seriously.

The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ

Lee Strobel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 73 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A heavy read 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

It took me a long time to finish this book, not because it isn't good but because it's full of heavy content that can't be taken in large bites. I think it might have been easier to read without the slightly contrived "I interviewed this expert and this is where he sat and this is what he was wearing" style. It is nevertheless an excellent rebuttal of all the shoddy liberal scholarship that masquerades as theology these days.

Jesus--He's the Real Thing! And what a case! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Lee Strobel's profile of Jesus Christ is divided into three parts, the historical, the Freudian, and the fantastic--

1. Examining the Record; 2. Analyzing Jesus; and 3. Researching the Resurrection.

In "Part 1: Examining the Record," Strobel tells how God came to Earth to become the real Jesus. See if you can follow this, it's tough, even for me.

In heaven, during my prehistoric days as a choirboy, Dad always called the second person of the Trinity, "Ben" (which is a Hebrew word meaning Son). Meanwhile, on Earth, a prophet had said that the messiah, when he was born, would be named "Immanuel." Instead, Joseph and Mary called him "Jesus," and here's why: because you cannot make a nickname out of it. Even YAHVEH later conceded that "Jesus" was a good choice. A Messiah whom everyone called "Benny Christ" or "Manny of Nazareth" would not have caught on as well as "Jesus."

The "Son of God" while on Earth called himself "the Son of Man," in order to express his solidarity with the first "Son of Man," the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 2:1-47:6); but Jesus was *actually* the son of a *woman*, i.e., he was the firstborn son of the Virgin Mary, "the Mother of God," but the *spirit* of the Son of God did not have Mary as an actual literal mother, only his body did. Does. Here's a convenient way to remember it: on 21 March, 1 BCE, shortly after a visit to Mary's house by a male angel named GABRIEL ("the Annunciation"), Mary ran away to Judaea, during which time Jesus' body was fathered by THE HOLY GHOST ("the Conception"); neither of whose spirits, however, was Jesus' *true* father, who was YAHVEH, who is not Jesus' literal spiritual or biological father because "Father" is just a figure of speech used to denote the inscrutable mystery of the holy Trinity, the first of whom is Yahveh, or God the Father, who is actually more like Jesus' senior twin brother, and the holy Ghost, more like a close personal friend who, as a surrogate biological father, donated a single spermatozoid without ever having any actual intimate bodily contact with Jesus' biological mother, who was Mary. Is Mary. None of whom should be confused with Gabriel, who was just a handsome, well-spoken messenger (although, in my opinion, a jerk); nor with Joseph, who never really understood what was going on; nor with Mary's virgin body, which played essentially the same innocent role in all of this as a divinely commandeered FedEx truck. And on the night of December 24/5, out popped the baby Jesus.

In "Part II. Analyzing Jesus," Strobel explains how Jesus, while growing up, had a complicated family situation both upstairs and down. In the New Testament (and this remains a spiritual mystery even to the Church's most eminent theologians, including Mr. Strobel), the Gospels of Matthew and Luke trace Jesus' biological descent NOT as the son of Mary, but as the son of a man, Joseph of Nazareth; whose family tree was itself a twisted one: Scripture reports that Joseph, a carpenter's apprentice, was begotten by two different biological fathers, Jacob Ben-Eleazar and Eloi Ben-Levi. The reason for this seeming contradiction or ambiguity of Scripture is that Joseph's mother, a Ms. Matthat "Mattie" Matthan, was never herself sure who Joseph's real father was. But Jacob and Eloi were the two Nazareth men to whom Joseph as a boy bore the closest physical resemblance; and at the time of Joseph's conception, Mattie was involved with them both (although not at the precise same moment). The holy Ghost therefore reports both theories about Joseph's paternity, without necessarily endorsing either candidate, and without giving us any more information than necessary (Matt. 1:15-16, Mark 15:34, Luke 3:22-23).

Mr. Strobel helpfully explains how Joseph's lifelong confusion about his *own* dual paternity prepared the man spiritually to understand the complex psychological predicament of his divine stepson, Jesus, who grew up with at least three possible "Father" figures: 1. Yahveh, 2. the holy Ghost, and 3. Joseph of Nazareth. And Joseph was therefore able to console his divine stepson whenever the boy was teased by such cruel, childish remarks as "Go away! You can't play games with us, you bastard son of a cuckolded carpenter's apprentice"--which is something Jesus heard all the time, while growing up, from religious bullies.

I know you will forgive me if I say nothing of Jesus' genealogy on the mother's side, because that's an area that the Bible doesn't get into. For sundry and weighty reasons, the holy Ghost chose not to mention Mary's family history; one of which is that its disclosure would be poorly received by the Vatican. (But I can tell you this: for a couple of Jewish Lesbian mothers, Mary's parents never once dissuaded her from heteronormativity, so long as she remained chaste.)

In "Part 3. Researching the Resurrection," ....
Sorry, but I cannot yet tell you about Part III of this wonderful book, because I got distracted by "I Love Lucy" re-runs, and put down Strobel's book, and forgot to finish it. But Parts I and II are really good, I recommend them.

- L.

Editorial Review:

From college classrooms to bestselling books to the Internet, the historic picture of Jesus is under an intellectual onslaught. This fierce attack on the traditional portrait of Christ has confused spiritual seekers and created doubt among many Christians – but can these radical new claims and revisionist theories stand up to sober scrutiny?

The Complete World of Greek Mythology

Richard Buxton

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Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A full, authoritative, and wholly engaging account of these endlessly fascinating tales and of the ancient society in which they were created.

Greek myths are among the most complex and influential stories ever told. From the first millennium BC until today, the myths have been repeated in an inexhaustible series of variations and reinterpretations. They can be found in the latest movies and television shows and in software for interactive computer games.

This book combines a retelling of Greek myths with a comprehensive account of the world in which they developed—their themes, their relevance to Greek religion and society, and their relationship to the landscape.

• "Contexts, Sources, Meanings" describes the main literary and artistic sources for Greek myths, and their contexts, such as ritual and theater.
• "Myths of Origin" includes stories about the beginning of the cosmos, the origins of the gods, the first humans, and the founding of communities.
• "The Olympians: Power, Honor, Sexuality" examines the activities of all the main divinities.
• "Heroic exploits" concentrates on the adventures of Perseus, Jason, Herakles, and other heroes.
• "Family sagas" explores the dramas and catastrophes that befall heroes and heroines.
• "A Landscape of Myths" sets the stories within the context of the mountains, caves, seas, and rivers of Greece, Crete, Troy, and the Underworld.
• "Greek Myths after the Greeks" describes the rich tradition of retelling, from the Romans, through the Renaissance, to the twenty-first century.

Complemented by lavish illustrations, genealogical tables, box features, and specially commissioned drawings, this will be an essential book for anyone interested in these classic tales and in the world of the ancient Greeks. 250 illustrations, 120 in color.

The Secret Power of Speaking God's Word (Meyer, Joyce)

Joyce Meyer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Use This Tool Daily 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book and I'm so glad I did! I'm using it every day, speaking God's Word for my life and the positive changes are really remarkable. This is the most useful book I've ever seen by Joyce Meyer and I just can't say enough about it. I'd rate it 10 stars if that were possible. Besides the content itself, this is a really well-made book, very sturdy and small enough to take along in my purse.

Many times when people are praying, they are just speaking to God about their problems. This is faithless prayer and God cannot change anything in your life when you don't ask with faith. God already knows about the situation and think about it this way...God says His Word will never go void, but that He watches over His Word to bring it to pass. When you speak God's Word over situations in your life, situations are guaranteed to improve. Speaking God's Word has caused my faith to grow enormously.

The book is broken down into different topics like courage, health, depression, finance and so many more. Get this book and start using it today!!! God will bless you like never before. Also get "God's Master Plan For Your Life" by Gloria Copeland. It's awesome! I pray that God begins to bless you in every area of your life as you put this foundational principle to work!

Editorial Review:

Bestselling author Meyer teaches readers how to create change in their lives and truly receive God's blessings. Includes powerful Scriptures covering over 50 topics, including patience, loneliness, wisdom, and more.

Don't Know Much About the Bible: Everything You Need to Know About the Good Book but Never Learned

Kenneth C. Davis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 140 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

With wit, wisdom, and an extraordinary talent for turning dry, difficult reading into colorful and realistic accounts, the creator of the bestselling Don't Know Much About®, series now brings the world of the Old and New testaments to life as no one else can in the bestseller Don't Know Much About® The Bible. Relying on new research and improved translations, Davis uncovers some amazing questions and contradictions about what the Bible really says. Jericho's walls may have tumbled down because the city lies on a fault line. Moses never parted the Red Sea. There was a Jesus, but he wasn't born on Christmas and he probably wasn't an only child.

Davis brings readers up-to-date on findings gleaned from the Dead Sea Scrolls and Gnostic Gospels that prompt serious scholars to ask such serious questions as: Who wrote the Bible? Did Jesus say everything we were taught he did? Did he say more? By examining the Bible historically, Davis entertains and amazes, provides a much better understanding of the subject, and offers much more fun learning about it.

With wit, wisdom, and an extraordinary talent for turning dry, difficult reading into colorful and realistic accounts, the creator of the bestselling DON'T KNOW ABOUT series now brings the world of the Old and New testaments to life as no one else can in the bestseller Don't Know Much About The Bible.Relying on new research and improved translations, Davis uncovers some amazing questions and contradictions about what the Bible really says. Jericho's walls may have tumbled down because the city lies on a fault line. Moses never parted the Red Sea. There was a Jesus, but he wasn't born on Christmas and he probably wasn't an only child.

Davis brings readers up-to-date on findings gleaned from the Dead Sea Scrolls and Gnostic Gospels that prompt serious scholars to ask such serious questions as: Who wrote the Bible? Did Jesus say everything we were taught he did? Did he say more? By examining the Bible historically, Davis entertains and amazes, provides a much better understanding of the subject, and offers much more fun learning about it.

Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus & the Heart of Contemporary Faith

Marcus J. Borg

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Total reviews: 89 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Of the many recent books on the historical Jesus, none has explored what the latest biblical scholarship means for personal faith. Now, in Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, Marcus Borg addresses the yearnings of those who want a fully contemporary faith that welcomes rather than oppresses our critical intelligence and openness to the best of historical scholarship. Borg shows how a rigorous examination of historical findings can lead to a new faith in Christ, one that is critical and, at the same time, sustaining.

"Believing in Jesus does not mean believing doctrines about him," Borg writes. "Rather, it means to give one's heart, one's self at its deepest level, to . . . the living Lord."

Drawing on his own journey from a naive, unquestioning belief in Christ through collegiate skepticism to a mature and contemporary Christian faith, Borg illustrates how an understanding of the historical Jesus can actually lead to a more authentic Christian life--one not rooted in creeds or dogma, but in a life of spiritual challenge, compassion, and community.

In straightforward, accessible prose, Borg looks at the major findings of modern Jesus scholarship from the perspective of faith, bringing alive the many levels of Jesus' character: spirit person, teacher of alternative wisdom, social prophet, and movement founder. He also reexamines the major stories of the Old Testament vital to an authentic understanding of Jesus, showing how an enriched understanding of these stories can uncover new truths and new pathways to faith.

For questioning believers, doubters, and reluctant unbelievers alike, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time frees our understanding of Jesus' life and message from popular misconceptions and outlines the way to a sound and contemporary faith: "For ultimately, Jesus is not simply a figure of the past, but a figure of the present. Meeting that Jesus--the living one who comes to us even now--will be like meeting Jesus again for the first time."

The New Inductive Study Bible

Precept Ministries International

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 93 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excelent Study Bible 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The Inductive Study Bible is excellent. The scripture is single column, double spaced with wide margins so you can mark key words and take notes. Each book also starts with instructions to guide you in your study. Other excellent study tools are included.

Awesome!! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Not only did we receive this in record time, but the price is untouchable. It sells for at least $100 dollars in the bookstores. But the Bible itself is great as well. It's so much easier to study the word and navigate through. Highly recomend to those seeking a easier way to study the Bible. thanks

This Bible is excellent!! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

As a person who owns several Bibles, I found this one to be an excellent addition. The reason I purchased it was because I had just joined a group that was doing an inductive Bible Study. This Bible has given me a much better understanding of how to do that. This method of Bible Study makes the Bible more relevant and personal. I would recommend this Bible to anyone interested in an additional way to study, whether your on your own or in a group.

Editorial Review:

Readers will discover simple but powerful tools for discovering what the Bible says, what it means, and how to live its truths. Features include: updated NASB text in a compact, convenient size; an inductive study method explanation; instructions for marking text; overviews of each book; insights on accurately interpreting biblical truth; full–color charts and maps; wide margins for note–taking.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible, Personal Size

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Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The NIV is not a Bible just for dummies 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The New International Version is the most readable English translation ever produced. And if that doesn't make it a "Good Book," then I don't know what does!

Granted, I still prefer to read God's Word in the original tongues, not in a modern translation. (I've got nothing against the watered-down English versions sold today in Bible bookstores, but the ancient biblical scrolls are just a whole lot funnier.)

Most people these days cannot do that: they cannot read Scripture as it was first intended by the Author. Not to worry: Bible translators have saved you a headache and you can thank God for them. Many of the holy Ghost's original sentences are so ungrammatical and awkwardly constructed, and others so unintelligible, that the translators for Zondervan Corp and these other big Bible companies have graciously re-written the text so as to enhance Scripture's appeal to the 21st-century reader. And in the N.I.V. more than in any other, those scholars have done a truly wonderful job of tidying up.

If you prefer an English Bible that is halfway faithful to the original, then read the Authorised Version, better known in America as "the King James Version." The KJV/Authorised Version also has the most authentic prose style, with thee and thou and hath and dost and verily, which is how God actually talks, albeit in Hebrew. ([...]

But if it's a highly readable New Age paraphrase of the Bible you want, and if you cannot decide between the eighteen leading options in your local bookstore or on BibleGateway.com, then allow me to recommend Zondervan's "New International Version" (NIV). Here, at last, is an English-language Bible in which all obscenities and difficult words have been euphemised; God's curses, tempered, and His personality, softened; all theological conundrums, solved; all contradictions, removed; and all the howlers, corrected - which is also why the NIV is ideal for the younger generation, grades five and below.

Here's another thing you will love about Zondervan's New International Version: it is reader-friendly. The NIV makes the Lord sound like an affable American football coach, but with His bad words deleted, such as "piss" (Hebrew shathan) which is a word that God, in the Authorised Version, uses quite a bit (but only when He is angry, e.g., 1 Sam. 25:22, 1 Sam. 25:34, 1 Kings 14:10, 16:11, 21:21, 2 Kings 9:8).

And how's this for a major improvement? Almost every place that the word "Hell" appears in the Authorised Version, the NIV substitutes "the grave" or "the realm of the dead." (Where would you rather spend eternity - in "Hell," or in "the realm of the dead"?)

Then, too, in the NIV, every instance of the word, "Ghost" has been eliminated, and not just the holy one. ("Why should we scare people?" That's Zondervan's policy. "We're marketing Christ the King, not Stephen King! And if you can't tell the difference between those two, well then! - Don't blame us, but you can expect a warm welcome, someday, when you die and your aura gets sent forever to the realm of the dead!")

--L

Editorial Review:

#1 Best-selling study Bible in the best-selling NIV translation

Study features fully revised and updated. Over 20,000 in-text study notes. A library of study resources at your fingertips.