Joseph Blenkinsopp
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Abraham : The Story Of A Life
$32.99Add to cartIn this discursive commentary Joseph Blenkinsopp explores the story of Abraham — iconic ancestor of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — as told in Genesis 11-25. Presented in continuous discussion rather than in verse-by-verse form, Blenkinsopp’s commentary focuses on the literary and theological artistry of the narrative as a whole.
Blenkinsopp discussses a range of issues raised in the Abraham saga, including confirmation of God’s promises, Isaac’s sacrifice and the death of Jesus, and Abraham’s other beloved son, Ishmael. Each chapter has a section called “Filling in the Gaps,” which probes some of the vast amount of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic commentary that the basic Genesis text has generated through the ages.In an epilogue Blenkinsopp looks at Abraham in early Christianity and expresses his own views, as a Christian, on Abraham. Readers of Blenkinsopp’s Abraham: The Story of a Life will surely come away with a deeper, richer understanding of this seminal ancient figure.
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Judaism The First Phase
$34.99Add to cartMost studies of how early Judaism related to the non-Jewish world and how it was perceived by others start no earlier than the Hellenistic period. Joseph Blenkinsopp argues that we must go further back, to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and its temple and the liquidation of the political and religious infrastructure – monarchy, priesthood, scribalism, prophecy – which had sustained the Judean state for centuries.
Moving beyond the ideologically driven approaches of scholars over the past two centuries, he explores such pragmatic issues as the emergence of a distinctive group identity in the aftermath of the fall of the Judean state, the degree of continuity-discontinuity between national identity before the exile and competition among distinct group for legitimacy after it, and the historical realities behind the idea of a “restoration” in a fundamentally different world, with neither monarchy nor statehood and a much-diminished temple.
Judaism, the First Phase is a fresh – and potentially stunning – look at Jewish origins, tracing the legacy of Ezra and Nehemiah. Ideal for scholars and students.
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Treasures Old And New
$29.99Add to cartThe Pentateuch is one anchor of the Western religious heritage, a rich source of theological and spiritual instruction that can be plumbed again and again. In Treasures Old and New accomplished biblical scholar Joseph Blenkinsopp engages several interesting topics in dialogue with texts from the Pentateuch.
In keeping with the view that the Pentateuch is far too multiplex to be encapsulated in a single theological system, Blenkinsopp has written Treasures Old and New as a “sketchbook” of theology in the Pentateuch. This fruitful approach allows him to consider themes that easily fall through the cracks of more systematic works of biblical theology. Among the many subjects that Blenkinsopp pursues are the role of memory in the construction of the past, the dependence of Christianity on Judaism, the close connection between sacrifice and community in Old Testament Israel, the proper meaning of human stewardship of the world, and belief (or lack of belief) in a meaningful postmortem existence.
Blenkinsopp also explores well-known texts from less-well-known angles. The Garden of Eden story, for example, gains in resonance when read together with Gilgamesh, and the laws governing diet and cleanliness become clearer in the light of current ecological concerns. Readers will also learn from Blenkinsopp’s novel approach to such important yet enigmatic stories as the Creation, Cain and Abel, the Flood, the Tower of Babel, the Call of Abram, and Sodom and Gomorrah.
Blessed with an extraordinary ability to transmit complex issues in concise and lucid fashion, Blenkinsopp shows that serious engagement with biblical texts, while sometimes demanding, can be intellectually and religiously rewarding.
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History Of Prophecy In Israel (Revised)
$56.00Add to cartThis revised and enlarged edition of a classic in Old Testament scholarship reflects the most up-to-date research on the prophetic books and offers substantially expanded discussions of important new insight on Isaiah and the other prophets.
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Sage Priest Prophet
$37.00Add to cartIn this volume in the Library of Ancient Israel, the author investigates three forms of biblical Israel’s intellectual and religious leadership; the sage, the priest, and the prophet. He looks at the development and character of these roles and how they functioned in their particular time and place. This investigation will lead to a keener understanding of the literature of the Old Testament and the society in which it evolved. It will also shed light on how certain religious traditions originated and how they have developed.
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Ezekiel : A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching
$40.00Add to cartThis major work explores the message and meaning of Ezekiel, one of the longest and most difficult of the prophetic books. An introduction explains what is involved in reading a prophetic book, and how the book of Ezekiel was put together and structured. It looks at the form of speech used and discusses Ezekiel’s author and those who transmitted, edited, and enlarged upon what he had to say. The destruction of Jerusalem is a primary concern, and attention is focused on the political and social situation of the time in order to provide a clear understanding of the political and religious crisis facing the prophet’s contemporaries.
Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.
