Böcker i Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series-serien

This historical study is concerned with the adoption by Christianity of Jewish prerogatives and attributes, and in particular with its assumption of the name 'Israel'. Dr Richardson's claim is that this was not a simple development, as it is usually conceived to be, but one which took place over a long period. The equation between the Church and the 'true Israel' does not occur, Dr Richardson argues, until the mid-second century in the works of Justin Martyr. The book is concerned mainly with an exegetical study of the New Testament passages relevant to the argument, concentrating on the Pauline epistles. There are other sections on the attitude of Jesus himself towards Israel, on post-Pauline developments, on political factors and on the early Fathers to A.D. I6o. The book ends with a synthesis of conclusions, and there are appendixes on the Sects of Judaism, Paul's Use of Laos and the Apology of Aristides. This comprehensive analysis of a vital problem in the early Church's life and witness has many important implications for a theology of the Church.

In this widely acclaimed study of John's Gospel, Mark W. G. Stibbe shows how the fourth evangelist uses all the tactics of a skilled storyteller to promote his distinctive Christology. Literary and historical methodologies are integrated by the author in his narrative criticism, and a new, holistic approach to the gospel literature is suggested thereby.

"In this book, Matthew Pawlak offers the first treatment of sarcasm in New Testament studies. He provides an extensive analysis of sarcastic passages across the undisputed letters of Paul, showing where Paul is sarcastic, and how his sarcasm affects our understanding of his rhetoric and relationships with the Early Christian congregations in Galatia, Rome, and Corinth. Pawlak's identification of sarcasm is supported by a dataset of 400 examples drawn from a broad range of ancient texts, including major case studies on Septuagint Job, the prophets, and Lucian of Samosata. These data enable the determination of the typical linguistic signals of sarcasm in ancient Greek, as well as its rhetorical functions. Pawlak also addresses several ongoing discussions in Pauline scholarship. His volume advances our understanding of the abrupt opening of Galatians, diatribe and Paul's hypothetical interlocutor in Romans, the "Corinthian slogans" of First Corinthians, and the "fool's speech" found within Second Corinthians 10-13"--

"The first full-scale study of David traditions in the Gospel of Matthew's story of Jesus death. Matthew's messiah does not kill the Romans as many expected, but rather is killed by them. Nevertheless, Matthew cleverly attempts to show that Jesus suffered like David, and is thus the messiah despite his shameful execution"--