When preparing for a Bible class that is textual
in nature on the New Testament, I nearly always refer to this
book. The book is the permanent record of the fourth annual lectureship
at Fort Worth in 1981. The book is a gold mine of information
for a teacher who wants to be familiar with challenging Scriptures
in the New Testament and wants the benefits of the study of seasoned
men of the faith. When I am asked about difficult or challenging
passage of Scripture, I always refer the person to this book and
suggest they purchase a copy for their private study. Often I
have convinced others to make the purchases just by the table
of contents alone.
The book starts with a discussion that there are
indeed challenging passages for us to understand and take effort
to glean the message being conveyed. It provides material relating
to tools, principles, methods, and approaches to studying difficult
texts. There are articles dedicated to challenging subjects such
as whether or not Jesus turned water into fermented wine, reconciling
the existence of God and human suffering, and predestination.
The book is organized in the order of the New Testament books
for easy reference. It deals with additional subjects as they
occur in the text including: May Christians swear - using oaths?
Did Jesus teach situational ethics? Cutting off our hand to avoid
sinis this literal or figurative? Does eating the flesh of Christ
and drinking his blood in John 6 refer to the Lord's Supper? Are
we to use the holy kiss today? Did Paul repudiate inspiration
in his writings? Are widows permitted only to remarry Christians?
What does baptized for the dead mean? Must an elder have one or
more children? Is there authority for Deaconesses in the church?
What does the number 666 mean?
This is just a sampling of some of the subjects
discussed in this book. It is definitely a book that should be
on top priority for purchase for the church library. -29 Flora
Drive
Bedford, OH 44146-2011. DRKenney@email.com For
previous book reviews, visit www.streetsborochurch.org