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.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus often spoke in parables? Are you curious about what lessons we can learn from these parables today? Pastor and bestselling author John MacArthur breaks down the parables and teaches us how we can apply these deceptively simple stories to modern Christianity. Jesus was a master storyteller, and the parables he often told were no exception. Beneath these unassuming stories were deeply profound spiritual lessons that were designed to reach all who heard them--from the faithful to the faithless--and they're still relevant today. In Parables, MacArthur argues that these short, memorable stories represented more than just symbolism or a clever teaching style--they were carefully crafted tales that made the mysteries of the Gospel more accessible to everyday believers. Parables will help you see Jesus' teachings in a brand new light, addressing some of the most common questions on the topic, including: When did Jesus start teaching in parables? What makes parables so accessible? How can we interpret these stories? What common threads link each of the parables together? What do parables teach us about the kingdom of God? MacArthur has spent a lifetime sharing the Word of God in clear and comprehensible terms with believers of all walks of life. Let him be your guide as he sheds light on the essential lessons contained in the most infamous and influential short stories the world has ever known.

2022 Catholic Media Association first place award in scripture: academic studies In this book, which covers all of Jesus’ parables, award-winning author Gerhard Lohfink takes a closer look at the origins of each one—its shape, its realistic details, but most of all its original message and the situation into which it was once spoken. Jesus’ parables speak in bold images of the kingdom of God, making it present to us as they reveal something of the mystery of his own person. Lohfink also offers a review of some of the scholarship in this area—as this topic has sustained research on Jesus since the first telling of these stories—but not for the purposes of debate. His reflections interpret the forty parables and show how they speak of the coming of the reign of God, lead us to Jesus, and reveal the mystery of Jesus himself.

A premier New Testament scholar explores how Jesus' trial and execution are portrayed in the New Testament and how that portrayal has affected biblical studies, Christian theology, and Jewish-Christian relations through history. Tomson has written an accessible, responsible analysis of the biblical accounts of Jesus' death, demonstrating how, through compounded misunderstandings, they contributed to anti-Jewish sentiment in the early church and later history. Tomson's question of how Jesus is to be understood in his first-century Judean context is a critical one not only for biblical scholars, but for anyone concerned about human rights and interreligious dialogue today.

Teach 15 parables in fun and fresh ways. There is 1 parable per chapter with multiple ideas such as drama, skits, and interactive activities for each age group. Enjoy this library of favorite Bible stories and storytelling techniques developed by award-winning author and professional storyteller Steven James. Each book includes creative storytelling techniques especially suited to help teachers tell God’s story and involve children in the Bible story.

A complete range of modern approaches to interpreting the parables. Not only a textbook, but readable and accessible and as engaging to the general reader as to the scholar and minister.

Some sections of the Bible give us grand theology. Some move us to grateful responses to God. But The Parables of JESUS CHRIST break through mere words and make us see things more clearly as Jesus aloud his listeners to live through the eyes of the characters he spoke about. In this book, Robert Gobelet takes us systematically through the parables of Jesus so we all can learn these life changing and transforming truths taught by Jesus himself.

The Matthean Parables offers a fresh approach to the origin of Matthew's Gospel. It builds on current historical, literary, rhetorical and sociological studies of Matthew's Gospel to show how the Matthean parables illuminate the structure, purpose and theology of that gospel. The first part of the book establishes the need for a new attempt to define the genre of Matthew's Gospel, examines what is meant by a parable, and summarises the contribution made by the parables to that new attempt. The second part is a thorough exegetical, historical critical and literary study of all the Matthean parables in the context of the whole gospel and in the light of all the Matthean figurative material. An appendix illustrates the use of syntactical material in defining the character and style of a biblical text.

The parables of Jesus are timeless stories -- and with the current popularity of narrative preaching, the parables are a familiar topic in the contemporary pulpit. But preaching on the parables is not as easy as it looks at first glance. Should we simply tell the parable in our own words and let it stand on its own feet, or is its lesson most effectively communicated by constructing a sermon around the central theme? Or should the preacher spiritualize the parable by probing for allegorical meaning? Master homiletician John Brokhoff aids preachers in answering these key questions with rigorous and enlightening background information on parables from Mark and John appearing in Cycle B of the Revised Common Lectionary. He offers not only exegesis and interpretation for each passage, but also rich material for sermon development, suggested outlining approaches, and preaching illustrations. Parables included are: - The Doorkeeper (Mark 13:32-37) - The Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18) - The True Vine (John 15:1-8) - A Strong Man (Mark 3:20-25) - The Miracle Seed (Mark 4:26-34) - Bread To Eat (John 6:35, 41-51) - Eat The Bread (John 6:51-58) A popular preacher, teacher, and writer, John R. Brokhoff served as Professor of Homiletics at Candler School of Theology, Emory University from 1965 to 1979. Prior to that he pastored Lutheran congregations in Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Brokhoff is the recipient of the George Washington medal from the Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and is the author of many CSS titles, including This You Can Believe and Pray Like Jesus.

This book contains contains twenty four expositions of thirty of the main Parables of Jesus, along with an essay on their interpretation. It gives evidence that, in seeking to proclaim the Word of God in the present day situation, modern preaching is binding itself closely to the text of the Bible.