Jesus was a Jew and not a Christian. That affirmation may seem obvious, but here an international cast of Jewish and Christian scholars spell out its weighty and often complex consequences for contemporary Jewish-Christian dialogue. Soundings in the Religion of Jesus contextualizes Jesus and the writings about him that set the stage for Jewish-Christian relations for the next two thousand years.

Of equal importance, this book considers the reception, celebration, and (too often) the neglect of Jesus' Jewishness in modern contexts and the impact such responses have had for Jewish-Christian relations. Topics explored include the ethics of scriptural translation, the ideological motives of Nazi theologians and other "quests" for the Historical Jesus, and the ways in which New Testament portraits of Jesus both help and hurt authentic Jewish-Christian dialogue.

A must-have for any serious Pauline scholar or student, this Festschrift to Douglas J. Moo is unique in several ways. Since Doug has been a key proponent to the Old Perspective on Paul, the reader will be interested in reading the essay by N. T. Wright in which he reflects on the phrase “the righteousness of God” in Romans 3. And where else can you read an essay by James D. G. Dunn on “What’s Good about the Old Perspective on Paul” and by Stephen Westerholm on “What’s Right about the New Perspective on Paul”?

Since one of Doug Moo’s roles is as chairman of the Committee on Bible Translation (which oversees the NIV translation), several authors offer arguments for modifications to the NIV for the committee to consider. Interestingly, Jonathan A. Moo, Doug’s son, who is following in his father’s footsteps as a biblical scholar, does a careful analysis of Paul’s reflections on himself as the father of those whom he has led to Christ.

These are only some of the rich, solid essays from colleagues and former students that fill this book.

“It goes without saying that Doug Moo and I have not always agreed. But his patient attention to the text, especially when it does not seem to agree with our church traditions, is a shining example of what exegesis means. That, I believe, is the ideal in which he and I are bound in ties of fellowship transcending verbal disputes.”

—N. T. Wright

“Doug is a top-notch NT scholar, as apparent from his several excellent published commentaries. I believe that he is one of the best commentary writers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. His excellent and incisive exegetical thinking is always evident.”

—G. K. Beale

“Doug is the essence of a Christian gentleman and scholar. His kindness is demonstrated in how he treats those who disagree with him, for he honors and respects those who differ with him.”

—Thomas R. Schreiner

Students and other thoughtful Christians wishing to dig deeper into Paul's letters will benefit from this contemporary overview, and will be challenged to grow spiritually and apply Paul's teachings and example.

A Theology of Mark’s Gospel is the fourth volume in the BTNT series. This landmark textbook, written by leading New Testament scholar David E. Garland, thoroughly explores the theology of Mark’s Gospel. It both covers major Markan themes and also sets forth the distinctive contribution of Mark to the New Testament and the canon of Scripture, providing readers with an in-depth and holistic grasp of Markan theology in the larger context of the Bible. This substantive, evangelical treatment of Markan theology makes an ideal college- or seminary-level text.