Though written thousands of years ago, the book of Deuteronomy is unmatched in its relevance for the affluent Western church of today. Moses' words were meant to equip God's people for living godly lives in a prosperous, pluralistic world. The cultural changes now taking place in our own social setting make the parallel between Israel and the church--and what Deuteronomy has to say--both pertinent and instructive. This New Studies in Biblical Theology volume offers a significant study of Deuteronomy that recovers this Scripture's vibrant message for the contemporary Christian community. Showing the major contribution that Deuteronomy makes to our understanding of the Bible as a whole, J. Gary Millar explores Deuteronomy's ethical teaching in the light of its most important theological themes: covenant, journey, law, the nations and human nature. His perceptive analysis reveals the power with which Deuteronomy calls God's covenant people, from ancient Israelites to modern-day Christians, to hear God's voice and do his will. Whether read for its critical study of Scripture or for its practical insights into living faithfully today, this book will be a valuable resource for school, church and home. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.

Expansions of the "Old Testament" and legends, wisdom and philosophical literature, prayers, psalms and odes, and fragments of lost Judeo-Hellenistic works.

Western culture has been shaped largely by the Bible. In attempting to understand the Scriptures, scholars of the last three hundred years have intensively studied both these sacred texts and other related ancient writings. A cursory examination reveals that their authors depended on other sources, some of which are lost and some of which have recently come to light. Part of these extant sources are the pseudepigrapha. Though the meaning of the word can be disputed by scholars, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha is a collection of those writings which are, for the most part, Jewish or Christian and are often attributed to ideal figures in Israel's past.

The publication of Volume 2 now completes this landmark work. Together with Volume 1, Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments, these new translations present important documents, many for the first time in English, for all those "People of the Book" to study, contemplate, and understand.

This second volume contains: Expansions of the "Old Testament" and Legends Clarifications, enrichments, expansions, and retellings of biblical narratives. The primary focus is upon God's story in history, the ongoing drama in which the author claims to participate. Wisdom and Philosophical Literature Various collections of wise sayings and philosophical maxims of the Israelites. Prayers, Psalms and Odes Until recently, the Davidic psalms were considered to be the only significant group of psalms known by the Jews. This is no longer true. This section presents other collections of hymns, expressions of praise, songs of joy and sorrow, and prayers of petition that were important in the period 100 b.c. to a.d. 200. Fragments of Lost Judeo-Hellenistic Works After the Babylonian exile, Judaism increasingly began to reflect ideas associated with the Persians, Greeks, and Romans, often filtered through the cultures of Syria and Egypt. These fragments are examples of how this mix of cultures influenced Jewish writings.

Together, both volumes of The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha present literature that shows the ongoing development of Judaism and the roots from which the Christian religion took its beliefs. Using the very latest techniques in biblical scholarship, this international team of recognized scholars has put together a monumental work that will enhance the study of Western religious heritage for years to come.

During the period that the Old Testament came into being, Israel, from who whose world the documents contained in the Old Testament derive, underwent many changes, especially in its sociological structures. Such changes produce changes in liturgical life, resulting finally in the elimination of a multiplicity of sanctuaries and focusing on Jerusalem.Walther Zimmerli suggests that a presentation of Old Testament theology cannot close its eyes to all this movement and change. This classic study expertly outlines the essential religious structures and tensions of the Old Testament.