"How does one explain the New Testament texts that seem to announce the imminent arrival of the long-awaited Day of the Lord? In this study, Dale Allison presents a comprehensive analysis of the first-century beliefs about the period of suffering and tribulation which was to precede the general resurrection of the dead. Although such beliefs were not uncommon, they heave received little attention from New Testament scholars. Dr. Allison argues that they provided the conceptual tools that allowed New Testament writers to make sense of the death and resurrection of Jesus, without abandoning altogether Jesus' own messianic expectations and belief in some imminent radical change. Dr. Allison shows that the realized eschatology of the Gospels is not, as is so often thought, the product of Jesus' own teaching and preaching. Rather, it stems from the reflection of the earliest Christian communities on the death of Jesus, in the light of his belief in a imminent End. Dr. Allison offers a stimulating and detailed account of the teaching of Jesus and of the New Testament records of the passion and resurrection of Jesus. He concludes his study with an important discussion of the way this process of reflection has continued throughout Christian history and indeed how it continues to influence Christian thinking today. "

Many Christians think of end times prophecy as a gigantic, intimidating puzzle -- difficult to piece together and impossible to figure out. But every puzzle can be solved if you approach it the right way. Paul Benware compares prophecy to a picture puzzle. Putting the edge pieces together first builds the 'framework' that makes it easier to fit the other pieces in their place. According to Benware, the framework for eschatology is the biblical covenants. He begins his comprehensive survey by explaining the major covenants. Then he discusses several different interpretations of end times prophecy. Benware digs into the details of the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the judgements and resurrections, and the millennial kingdom. But he also adds a unique, personal element to the study, answering questions as: -Why study bible prophecy? -What difference does it make if I'm premillenial or amillenial? If what the Bible says about the future puzzles you, Understanding End Times Prophecy will help you put together the pieces and see the big picture.

If You Love God's Word You Will Love This New Testament! The Disciples' Literal New Testament sets you free from our artificial 460 year old chapter and verse structure, replacing it with paragraphing that reflects the flow of thought in the original Greek writings. Paragraph headings make that flow of thought explicit to you, speeding your understanding of the NT books. This translation retains the writing style of the apostles themselves, rather than transforming their Greek ways of writing into an elegant or contemporary English writing style, as has been beautifully done so many times. It is the same translation as the author's New Testament TransLine, first published by Zondervan in 2002. Now you can read the New Testament as the original writers intended it, and see it with a clarity formerly available only to those who could carefully study their Greek New Testament. You can even see the difference in writing style between Matthew, Mark and Luke! Used along with your standard Bible version, you will profit from both methods of translation. *Easily grasp the relationship of the whole and the parts of each book with the big-picture overview outlines that use the words of the original author. *Gain quick insight into the flow of thought from descriptive paragraph headings that summarize the main point of each paragraph in its context. *You can visually follow the apostles' thinking because the 'Intelligent Paragraphing' visually displays their main and subordinate thoughts. *The hindrance to your understanding caused by our artificial chapter and verse structure is eliminated by paragraphing based on the Greek writings. *You will more fully appreciate the minds and thinking patterns and intent of the original writers because the translation corresponds more closely to their words and their grammar and their sentence structure. *Deepen and expand your understanding of the New Testament by meditating on the notes containing alternative renderings, explanations of what is being said, and different views of the meaning.

The Christian, according to the apostle Paul, lives between two times. The end is already present with Christ's death and resurrection, but the end is yet to come with his second appearing. Following the seminal work of Oscar Cullmann, Marvin Pate argues that this "already/not yet" eschatological tension lies at the heart of all writings of the apostle Paul and is, in fact, the key to understanding them. Pate traces the concept of "already/not yet" back to its Jewish roots and shows with exceptional clarity how Paul's teachings on God, Christ, human beings, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church society, and the last things can be successfully placed within this "already/not yet" framework. In his analysis, Pate exegetes numerous key passages in the Pauline letters.

Analyzes what Jesus said about when he would return and the last days would arrive (as in Matthew 24:34). Defends the trustworthiness of Jesus' teachings.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.

The national directory addresses the dimensions and perspectives in the formation of deacons and the model standards for the formation, ministry, and life of deacons in the United States. It is intended as a guideline for formation, ministry, and life of permanent deacons and a directive to be utilized when preparing or updating a diaconate program in formulating policies for the ministry and life of deacons. This volume also includes Basic Standards for Readiness for the formation of permanent deacons in the United States, from the bishops' Committee on the Diaconate, and the committee document Visit of Consultation Teams to Diocesan Permanent Diaconate Formation Programs.

If you knew sudden destruction would fall upon the earth in the next twenty-four hours, how would you spend your last moments? Join New York Times bestselling author John Hagee as he uses Scripture as a guide to count down the prophetic minutes through the events which must occur before every individual faces God on Judgment Day. Charting international news events, including recent peace agreements in the Middle East, Hagee synchronizes these headlines with the biblical timeline for the last days, producing a compelling argument that life on Earth is about to expire. What else must take place before the arrival of Judgment Day? This very timely message discusses: The reality of virtual terrorism The financial crisis and economic crash Opposing views of the Rapture Recent peace agreements in the Middle East that impact Israel and a potential Russian invasion Nuclear wars The purpose of the Tribulation and the Millennium Significantly updated and revised from its previous publication under the title From Daniel to Doomsday, this is quintessential Hagee on Bible prophecy and End-Times teaching. This insightful book is an ideal resource for Christians who are looking for a guide to what the Bible says about the end times--and how to recognize that they are approaching. Mark it down: The End of the Age is approaching, but it won't be ushered in by space aliens or catastrophic asteroids. Hagee guides us through the timeline before that fateful moment when every unredeemed individual must face God on Judgment Day.

Did Jesus claim to be the "bridegroom"? If so, what did he mean by this claim? When Jesus says that the wedding guests should not fast "while the bridegroom is with them" (Mark 2:19), he is claiming to be a bridegroom by intentionally alluding to a rich tradition from the Hebrew Bible. By eating and drinking with "tax collectors and other sinners," Jesus was inviting people to join him in celebrating the eschatological banquet. While there is no single text in the Hebrew Bible or the literature of the Second Temple Period which states the "messiah is like a bridegroom," the elements for such a claim are present in several texts in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea. By claiming that his ministry was an ongoing wedding celebration he signaled the end of the Exile and the restoration of Israel to her position as the Lord's beloved wife. This book argues that Jesus combined the tradition of an eschatological banquet with a marriage metaphor in order to describe the end of the Exile as a wedding banquet.

In this book, Dale Allison addresses ongoing historical-theological questions concerning Jesus Christ. What should one think of the modern quest for the historical Jesus when there is such enduring discord among the experts, and when personal agendas play such a large role in the reconstructions? How much history is in the Gospels, and how much history does Christian theology require that there be? How does the quest impinge on conventional Christian beliefs, and what might it contribute to contemporary theological reflection? --From publisher's description.