Reference in The Books Store

In How to Read the Bible, Harvard professor James Kugel leads the reader chapter by chapter through the "quiet revolution" of recent biblical scholarship, showing time and again how radically the interpretations of today's researchers differ from what people have always thought. The story of Adam and Eve, it turns out, was not originally about the "Fall of Man," but about the move from a primitive, hunter-gatherer society to a settled, agricultural one. As for the stories of Cain and Abel, Abraham and Sarah, and Jacob and Esau, these narratives were not, at their origin, about individual people at all but, rather, explanations of some feature of Israelite society as it existed centuries after these figures were said to have lived. Dinah was never raped -- her story was created by an editor to solve a certain problem in Genesis. In the earliest version of the Exodus story, Moses probably did not divide the Red Sea in half; instead, the Egyptians perished in a storm at sea. Whatever the original Ten Commandments might have been, scholars are quite sure they were different from the ones we have today. What's more, the people long supposed to have written various books of the Bible were not, in the current consensus, their real authors: David did not write the Psalms, Solomon did not write Proverbs or Ecclesiastes; indeed, there is scarcely a book in the Bible that is not the product of different, anonymous authors and editors working in different periods.

Such findings pose a serious problem for adherents of traditional, Bible-based faiths. Hiding from the discoveries of modern scholars seems dishonest, but accepting them means undermining much of the Bible's reliability and authority as the word of God. What to do? In his search for a solution, Kugel leads the reader back to a group of ancient biblical interpreters who flourished at the end of the biblical period. Far from naïve, these interpreters consciously set out to depart from the original meaning of the Bible's various stories, laws, and prophecies -- and they, Kugel argues, hold the key to solving the dilemma of reading the Bible today.

Beginning with Jesus' birth, Ken Bailey leads you on a kaleidoscopic study of Jesus throughout the four Gospels. Bailey examines the life and ministry of Jesus with attention to the Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes, Jesus' relationship to women and especially Jesus' parables.

Through it all, Bailey employs his trademark expertise as a master of Middle Eastern culture to lead you into a deeper understanding of the person and significance of Jesus within his own cultural context. With a sure but gentle hand, Bailey lifts away the obscuring layers of modern Western interpretation to reveal Jesus in the light of his actual historical and cultural setting.

This entirely new material from the pen of Ken Bailey is a must-have for any student of the New Testament. If you have benefited from Bailey's work over the years, this book will be a welcome and indispensable addition to your library. If you are unfamiliar with Bailey's work, this book will introduce you to a very old, yet entirely new way of understanding Jesus.

• Fans of the author
• Missionaries
• Students and professors of biblical studies

• Offers insight into the Gospels from a Middle Eastern perspective
• Counteracts modern and western impositions upon the Bible
• Highlights the key events and teachings in the earthly ministry of Jesus
• Features a wealth of cultural information related to ancient Middle Eastern peasant society
• Provides an excellent resource for New Testament students interested in the Gospels

"A fascinating and provocative work. Joel has definitely expanded the frontiers in the ongoing exploration of the relationship between Islam and the rest of the world. A must read for priests and pastors, students and lay readers everywhere. Bravo!"
-Robert Spencer, Author of Islam Unveiled and The Politically Inncorrect Guide to Islam, Director of Jihad Watch.com

"In an era and an age where ambiguity reigns, Joel Richardson has written a book that is clear, well researched, and to the point. Few people in the Christian community have the courage to study world religions, much less invest themselves in it as he has done. Do yourself a favor; get this book, read this book, live out the truths that you pull out of it. It is worth your time, and more importantly, souls hang in the balance."
-Dr. Ergun Caner, Dean, Liberty Theological Seminary, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

"This book definitely provides a fresh look at Bible Prophecy in light of current affairs with the global rise of Islamic Fundamentalism. Not only does Joel accurately analyze Islamic doctrines and practices, but his interpretation of biblical prophecy is also solid - soundly adhering to the accepted rules of hermeneutics."
-Walid Shoebat, Former Palestinian Terrorist, Author of Why I Left Jihad.