The hour of Jesus is a fundamental theme running throughout John’s Gospel (2:4—19:27) referring to Jesus’ glorification (7:39; 12:16, 23, 28; 13:31, 32; 16:14; 17:1, 5) in his passion and death (3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 34). Immediately after the culmination of Jesus’ hour (19:25–30) John provides a unique account of things that took place following Jesus’ death (19:31–34), apparently important to his audience (19:35), in which he recognizes scriptural fulfillment (19:36–37). At first glance, the fulfillment attested by the scriptures explicitly provided seems straightforward and of little significance, simply corresponding with the fundamental elements of the narrative in 19:32–33. Yet such an understanding runs contrary to John’s limited use of explicit Scripture citations (compared with the other evangelists) at a most critical moment in the Gospel. Rather, consistent with his allusive and engaging style, the evangelist relies on his audience to utilize the context he provides and the contexts he has presumed throughout his Gospel to perceive the depth and the expansiveness of the fulfillment he has recognized in Jesus’ hour. It is through these contexts that we gain greater insight into the fulfillment attested by John 19:36–37, illuminating Jesus’ hour and the entire Gospel.

The hour of Jesus is a fundamental theme running throughout John's Gospel (2:4--19:27) referring to Jesus' glorification (7:39; 12:16, 23, 28; 13:31, 32; 16:14; 17:1, 5) in his passion and death (3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 34). Immediately after the culmination of Jesus' hour (19:25-30) John provides a unique account of things that took place following Jesus' death (19:31-34), apparently important to his audience (19:35), in which he recognizes scriptural fulfillment (19:36-37). At first glance, the fulfillment attested by the scriptures explicitly provided seems straightforward and of little significance, simply corresponding with the fundamental elements of the narrative in 19:32-33. Yet such an understanding runs contrary to John's limited use of explicit Scripture citations (compared with the other evangelists) at a most critical moment in the Gospel. Rather, consistent with his allusive and engaging style, the evangelist relies on his audience to utilize the context he provides and the contexts he has presumed throughout his Gospel to perceive the depth and the expansiveness of the fulfillment he has recognized in Jesus' hour. It is through these contexts that we gain greater insight into the fulfillment attested by John 19:36-37, illuminating Jesus' hour and the entire Gospel.

"Worship in the Shape of Scripture"—first published in 2001—is a practical resource for worship planners and leaders that provides guidelines for applying homiletic concepts to all areas of worship planning. Due to its success, it has been revised and updated. Mitman demonstrates how the structure of worship is (or can be) rooted in Scripture itself. He raises essential questions and reflects on broad themes for worshiping congregations to consider for the sake of faithful praise. Foreword by Marva J. Dawn.

How do Israel’s Scriptures inform the account of Jesus’s cruciform death in the Gospel of John? What does it mean for John’s portrayal of Jesus’s death to be “according to the Scriptures”? The Use of the Jewish Scriptures in the Johannine Passion Narrative: That the Scripture May Be Perfected argues that they are the focal element of the Johannine portrayal, and without them, John’s Passion Narrative simply makes no sense. Whether through the evangelist’s appeal to the fulfilment of Scripture (with such fulfilment accompanying the very moment of Jesus’s death) or whether through allusions to the narratives of Creation or Passover, Israel’s Scriptures provide the Passion Narrative’s veritable heartbeat. This book also considers the impact of John’s scriptural usage on the very concept of Scripture itself, contending that Scripture is brought to perfection by Jesus’s actions and to a new standing or status in this regard. David M. Allen examines how the use of Scripture in the Passion account impacts the Fourth Gospel’s own self-understanding, arguing that its capacity to pronounce on Scripture’s fulfilment attests to the Gospel’s own self-avowed, scriptural credentials.

Why is God's beauty often absent from our theology? Rarely do theologians take up the theme of God's beauty—even more rarely do they consider how God's beauty should shape the task of theology itself. But the psalmist says that the heart of the believer's desire is to behold the beauty of the Lord. In The Beauty of the Lord, Jonathan King restores aesthetics as not merely a valid lens for theological reflection, but an essential one. Jesus, our incarnate Redeemer, displays the Triune God's beauty in his actions and person, from creation to final consummation. How can and should theology better reflect this unveiled beauty? The Beauty of the Lord is a renewal of a truly aesthetic theology and a properly theological aesthetics.

This document's purpose is to spell out the Church's understanding of the nature of revelation--the process whereby God communicates with human beings. It touches upon questions about Scripture, tradition, and the teaching authority of the Church. The major concern of the document is to proclaim a Catholic understanding of the Bible as the "word of God." Key elements include: Trinitarian structure, roles of apostles and bishops, and biblical reading in a historical context.

The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.

CD included with PDF files of the book and other materials. MP3 files of Author's lectures.

Abandon dead, dry, religious rule-keeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved. Jefferson Bethke burst into the cultural conversation with a passionate, provocative poem titled "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus." The 4-minute video became an overnight sensation, with 7 million YouTube views in its first 48 hours (and 23+ million in a year). Bethke's message clearly struck a chord with believers and nonbelievers alike, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged. In his New York Times bestseller Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks similar contrasts that he drew in the poem--highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair, and hope. With refreshing candor, he delves into the motivation behind his message, beginning with the unvarnished tale of his own plunge from the pinnacle of a works-based, fake-smile existence that sapped his strength and led him down a path of destructive behavior. Along the way, Bethke gives you the tools you need to: Humbly and prayerfully open your mind Understand Jesus for all that he is View the church from a brand-new perspective Bethke is quick to acknowledge that he's not a pastor or theologian, but simply an ordinary, twenty-something who cried out for a life greater than the one for which he had settled. On this journey, Bethke discovered the real Jesus, who beckoned him with love beyond the props of false religion. Praise for Jesus > Religion: "Jeff's book will make you stop and listen to a voice in your heart that may have been drowned out by the noise of religion. Listen to that voice, then follow it--right to the feet of Jesus." --Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestsellers Love Does and Everybody, Always "The book you hold in your hands is Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz meets C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity meets Augustine's Confessions. This book is going to awaken an entire generation to Jesus and His grace." --Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor of Transformation Church, author of Limitless Life: Breaking Free from the Labels That Hold You Back

In the last few years, 9/11, a tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and many other tragedies have shown us that the vision of God in today's churches in relation to evil and suffering is often frivolous. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, many Christians are choosing to become more shallow, more entertainment-oriented, and therefore irrelevant in the face of massive suffering. In Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, contributors John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Steve Saint, Carl Ellis, David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Mark Talbot explore the many categories of God's sovereignty as evidenced in his Word. They urge readers to look to Christ, even in suffering, to find the greatest confidence, deepest comfort, and sweetest fellowship they have ever known.