To celebrate the happiest time of the year (the beginning of school), I am going to give away a few books on Reading Acts. First up is The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts (Grand Rapids. Mich.: Baker Academic, 2013) edited by Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald. This 640-page hardback collects 44 essays on various background issues. Larry Hurtado said this is “a valuable volume, especially for students and general readers but also for scholars who want to catch up on any of the topics included.” As you can see from the Table of Contents below, there are some excellent writers in the volume.
This book is brand new and is my own copy. To enter, simply leave a comment on this thread and tell me which essay you would most likely to read first if you win the book. I will generate a winner at random and announce that winner on August 31. Good luck!
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction – Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald
2. New Testament Chronology – Lee Martin McDonald
Part 1: Setting the Context: Exile and the Jewish Heritage
3. Exile – Nicholas Perrin
4. The Hasmoneans and the Hasmonean Era – Larry R. Helyer
5. The Herodian Dynasty – Everett Ferguson
6. Monotheism – Nathan MacDonald
7. The Scriptures and Scriptural Interpretation – Lidija Novakovic
Part 2: Setting the Context: Roman Hellenism
8. Greek Religion – Moyer V. Hubbard
9. The Imperial Cult – Nicholas Perrin
10. Greco-Roman Philosophical Schools – John T. Fitzgerald
11. Civic and Voluntary Associations in the Greco-Roman World – Michael S. Moore
12. Economics, Taxes, and Tithes – David J. Downs
13. Slaves and Slavery in the Roman World – S. Scott Bartchy
14. Women, Children, and Families in the Roman World – Lynn H. Cohick
15. Education in the Greco-Roman World – Ben Witherington III
Part 3: The Jewish People in the Context of Roman Hellenism
16. Temple and Priesthood – David Instone-Brewer
17. Jews and Samaritans – Lidija Novakovic
18. Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes – Michelle Lee-Barnewall
19. The Dead Sea Scrolls – C. D. Elledge
20. Prophetic Movements and Zealots – James D. G. Dunn
21. Apocalypticism – Larry R. Helyer
22. Synagogue and Sanhedrin – Kenneth D. Litwak
23. Jews in the Diaspora – David A. deSilva
24. Noncanonical Jewish Writings – Daniel M. Gurtner
25. Jewish Identity, Beliefs, and Practices – Archie T. Wright
26. Jewish Education – Kent L. Yinger
27. Healing and Health Care – Joel B. Green
Part 4: The Literary Context of Early Christianity
28. Reading, Writing, and Manuscripts – E. Randolph Richards
29. Pseudonymous Writings and the New Testament – Lee Martin McDonald
30. Literary Forms in the New Testament – Thomas E. Phillips
31. Homer and the New Testament – Thomas E. Phillips
32. Josephus and the New Testament – Michael F. Bird
33. Philo and the New Testament – Torrey Seland
34. Rabbinic Literature and the New Testament – Bruce Chilton
35. Other Early Christian Writings – Nicholas Perrin
Part 5: The Geographical Context of the New Testament
36. Jesus Research and Archeology – James H. Charlesworth
37. Egypt – John D. Wineland
38. Palestine – Thomas R. Hatina
39. Syria, Cilicia, and Cyprus – Mark Wilson
40. The Province and Cities of Asia – Paul Trebilco
41. Galatia – Mark Wilson
42. Macedonia – Gene L. Green
43. Achaia – Gene L. Green
44. Rome and Its Provinces – Thomas Hatina
Additional Resources
Money in the New Testament Era
Measurements in the New Testament Era
Homer and the New Testament – Thomas E. Phillips
I would love to get my hands on this! I have been enthralled about the influence of Homer upon the New Testament, so much so that it maybe the subject of my thesis at Yale Divinity School. You would certainly get a thank you in my prepare!
Chapter 14 as it is an ongoing discussion within our body right now. Always looking for good biblical resources.
The Hasmoneans and the Hasmonean era. I love second temple Judaism. Thanks Dr. Long for making this volume available.
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I would certainly read the chapter on Egypt first, due to my interest in emergent Egyptian Christianity and the prominence of Alexandrian religious leaders in the first few centuries CE.
Golly! Chapters 29 to 35. This looks fascinating!
Golly! Chapters 29 to 35! This looks fascinating! Thanks!
Women, Children, and Families in the Roman World–Lynn Cohick. I’m just a family man, I guess :]
#24 noncanonical Jewish writings !
I would read Josephus and the New Testament. That sounds interesting!
Incoming student at Yale Divinity Student studying Second Temple Judaism, would love to dive into Pt. 3, specifically chapter 25 on Jewish Identity, Beliefs, and Practices. Thanks for the offer!
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I would read the two articles by Mark Wilson cuz he is a personal friend and solid scholar.
Apocalypticism – Larry R. Helyer
I’d tell you why, but then I would have to send some horsemen your way. And I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t be good. Actually, I’m not really sure. I’d have to read that section first to find out.
Chapter 36. Jesus Research and Archeology – James H. Charlesworth.
Simply because I know nothing about it.
Monotheism – Nathan MacDonald
My reasoning is quite simple. Too often people assume the sole existence of a single, unique, and all powerful deity. Thus, to read MacDonald’s ideas regarding monotheism in the New Testament world would provide me a more thorough understanding of conceptions of deities, and relationships between deities, throughout the ancient world.
I would read 39. Syria, Cilicia, and Cyprus – Mark Wilson.
Just to imagine what Syria was like back then! Give all the turmoil now.
I would love to read Randolpf Ricdards essay on Reading and Manuscripts!
Thanks so much for making this great volume available to win!
Exile – Nicholas Perrin
I’d be interested to read several of the chapters that might give insights into factors that shaped early ecclesiology, such as this one: “Civic and Voluntary Associations in the Greco-Roman World – Michael S. Moore.”
Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
I would read chapter 37. Egypt is an interesting geographical region, and I am aware of its impact on the Old Testament, but I am curious to read more about its involvement with the New Testament. I would also love to read chapter 10, Greco-Roman Philosophical Schools, by John T. Fitzgerald, and learn about these schools of philosophy during this time period and how it affected early christians in this period.
I’d read The Imperial Cult, by Perrin. Interesting stuff! Thanks
I personally loved ch. 23 and I learned a lot from it as a student.
The Imperial Cult caught my attention, trying to understand Galations!
I usually read the Introduction first, but after that it is a hard choice… Maybe 29 (Pseudonymous Writings) or 34 (Rabbinic Writings).
I’d probably read essay 3 (Exile)
I would most likely read Chapter 13 “Slaves and Slavery in the Roman World” by S. Scott Bartchy first.
25. Jewish Identity, Beliefs, and Practices
25. Jewish Identity, Beliefs, and Practices – Archie T. Wright
Also, all of them. Including the additional resources.
Chapters 11 and 22 to review how both Jews and Gentiles organized themselves around shared history and social aspirations. This is an engaging topic for me as a pastor, since the Church continues to lose its place of cultural prominence in the West and we can benefit from new lenses to evaluate our self-understanding.
I would probably read Homer and the New Testament by Thomas E. Phillips first!
The Scriptures and Scriptural interpretation.
Prophetic Movements and Zealots
I would like to get a firmer grasp of these movements in Judaism and early Christianity.
I would read the Introduction first, since I usually read books cover to cover.
I would love to read “Women, Children, and Families in the Roman World – Lynn H. Cohick,” so many discussions about this with friends and congregants both as a pastor and professor
I would read the part on Homer. It’s something I don’t know much about, and I’ve always thought about researching other ancient Greek texts.
DeSilva Diaspora
I would love to read David Instone-Brewer’s chapter on the Temple. I like to see more of the Second Temple background to the NT (not just 2nd Temple Judaism in general).
Wow, so many excellent looking articles! I think the one that most interests me is chapter 29, Pseudonymous Writings and the New Testament by Lee Martin McDonald. Thanks for this giveaway Phil.
John D. Wineland, Egypt
Chapter 36, Jesus Research and Archaeology, then chapter 6, Monotheism.
Healing and Health Care; but many others interest me!
I would probably read the essay on apocalypticism first.
Looks fascinating, especially Part 3. Anything Joel Green has contributed to is tempting, unfortunately there are too many and too little time!
Women, Children and Families in the Roman World gets my interest the most.
Oh, I’d head straight to “The Scriptures and Scriptural Interpretation” by Lidija Novakovic, no doubt. This is a birthday entry for me, so let’s make this happen, random generator! 😉
I would like to read Apocalypticism for sure. I am having a course this semester
You posted after the deadline for this book, but check out the new giveaway for this week:
http://readingacts.com/2015/08/31/book-giveaway-reading-luke-zondervan-2005/
23. Jews in the Diaspora – David A. deSilva
Ha–oops. Just saw the date. 🙂
Yes, that one is long gone. My last end-of-summer giveaway is W. D. Davies, The Setting of the Sermon on the Mount, so go leave a comment there…
http://readingacts.com/2015/09/08/book-giveaway-w-d-davies-the-setting-of-the-sermon-on-the-mount/
I blame my outdated Google Plus email notification!
Google+? I feel the same way about hits from Google+ as I do when I get notice someone found the blog using Bing. People really use that?
Apparently, but that was my mistake!