The study of Paul's Thessalonian letters is enjoying fresh interest today. These texts are considered by many to be amongst the earliest extant Christian documents. They are included in conversations about early Jewish and Christian apocalypticism. New insights are coming from examination of the religious, socio-cultural, and political contexts of Roman Thessalonica. And, looking back, these letters have played an important role in the development of Christian eschatology. This volumes serves as an up-to-date guide to these academic discussions and debates and much more.

This volume on 1 and 2 Thessalonians in the Zondervan Critical Introductions to the New Testament series offers a volume-length engagement with subjects that normally only receive short treatments in biblical commentaries or in New Testament Introductions. This volume addresses:

John is known as 'the disciple whom Jesus loved'. He was under our Saviour's teaching and care for three years. He leaned against Christ's chest at the last supper and witnessed the crucifixion. Who better then to write about the love of Jesus than the one who had such first-hand experience of it? In these three letters, John is passing on the impact of these experiences to people he loves, tenderly encouraging them to see past their failings and focus on the promises available in Christ.
John Hannah opens up the letters of John to show the simple message of freedom from guilt contained within.

The trauma of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, the exile of thousands of Judea's citizens, and the subsequent return after seventy years to the homeland with the difficult task of starting the new covenant community virtually from scratch-- all contributed to a reassessment of Israel's meaning and destiny. The chronicler-theologian thus composed his work not just as a history of his people from their ancient beginnings but as an interpreted history, one designed to offer hope to the beleaguered community as well as to issue warnings that should they fall back into the ways of their fathers they could expect the judgment of God to be repeated.

Eugene Merrill's work on 1 and 2 Chronicles promises to be a significant contribution to the academic dialogue on these important books. This volume is helpful for the scholar but accessible and useful for the pastor. Merrill provides an exegetical study of each passage in these books, examining a number of themes, especially drawing out three principal theological subjects: (1) David and his historical and eschatological reign; (2) the renewal of the everlasting covenant; and (3) the new temple as a symbol of a reconstituted people. Merrill offers astute guidance to preachers and teachers in his insightful doctrinal commentary on the text.