“Orare est Laborare, Laborare est Orare; to pray is to work, to work is to pray.” – St. Benedict
Lexham Methods Series (4 vols.)
Understand the Bible better than ever before. The Lexham Methods Series is designed for exegetes who need to learn, refresh, and master the tools of biblical scholarship. The books present scholarly information in an easy-to-understand format and focus on cutting-edge methods for biblical interpretation while avoiding jargon. The four volumes give you a complete overview of every major type of biblical interpretation, featuring history and key figures, methods and terms, and a how-to section, giving you a strong foundation for further research.
“Students entering biblical studies courses at the college or seminary level are often baffled by the array of new methodologies they encounter. Reading their Bible and going to church never prepared them for the likes of form criticism, redaction criticism, rhetorical analysis, narrative criticism, or structuralism! What these students need is a simple and clear introduction to the presuppositions, technical terms and goals of these methods. The Lexham Method Series meets this need. Highly recommended. I only wish these volumes were available when I was in seminary!”—Mark L. Strauss, professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary San Diego
Reading the Bible as Literature Collection (6 vols.)
In the Reading the Bible as Literature series, Leland Ryken explores the intersection of the Bible and literature. In the series preface he writes, “It is my belief that a literary approach to the Bible is the common reader’s friend, in contrast to the more specialized types of scholarship on the Bible.” Ryken shows pastors and students and teachers of the Bible how to appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of Scripture. And he goes one step further than merely explaining the literary approach to the Bible—he includes exercises to help students of the Bible master it.
“Leland Ryken has been a pacesetter in the literary study of the Bible, especially within the evangelical community. Those of us who find this approach to Scripture especially enriching are always ready to listen when Ryken speaks. Readers who master Ryken’s principles will find the Bible open up to them in new, exciting ways.”—Robert B. Chisholm Jr., Chair and Professor of Old Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament (3 vols.)
The Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament is designed to guide readers through the literary context of the Bible, especially the contextual thought flow at each level of a book’s organization. Each book of the New Testament is clearly outlined and structured, and commentary is provided on increasingly more specific segments of the text, from the book to its major divisions to sections to paragraphs to verses. Readers will gain quick access to the literary thought flow of a New Testament book at whatever level they wish to dip in.
The notes found in the Lexham Context Commentary deal with the text alone, leaving aside discussions of the opinions of other interpreters or of extra-biblical information from social, cultural, and historical background. The result is a concise, focused view of the biblical text that reveals the literary context of any given New Testament passage.
Text and Paratext: Book Order, Title, and Division as Keys to Biblical Interpretation
In Text and Paratext, Gregory Goswell explores paratext and its implications for biblical interpretation. Paratextual features are the parts of a text that surround the main text itself, such as a book’s canonical location, title, and internal divisions. These features have been intentionally added to support the text and direct readers. Different arrangements of the Old and New Testaments reveal connections and associations. A book’s title announces the focus of its content. Book divisions create breaks and form units of text. Commentary is baked into paratextual features, making every Bible a study Bible. Rather than veiling the text’s meaning, paratext highlights interpretive possibilities both ancient and fresh. While often overlooked, paratextual features guided interpretation throughout church history and should inform our study of Scripture today.
“For years Goswell has been reflecting on the Christian canon and its significance for interpretation, and in this helpful primer, he shares a storehouse of canonical insights that aid our understanding of the Bible’s meaning. Goswell’s work offers expert guidance for and generous invitation to appreciating the hermeneutical difference canon makes in hearing the Bible as the church’s book.”—Darian Lockett, professor of New Testament, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University
Christ the Center: How the Rule of Faith, the Nomina Sacra, and Numerical Patterns Shape the Canon
Tomas Bokedal shows how the canon is shaped by numerical patterns of nomina sacra—scribal reverence for divine names. These patterns, which especially revolve around Christ, reveal the devotional and theological preoccupations of the earliest Christians. The rule of faith is not a later development; it is in the very text of Scripture. Christ the Center shows a remarkable interplay between Scripture and theology.
“The topic of canon continues to be at the forefront of scholarly discussions today. But sometimes it seems we are rehashing the same topics over and over. Tomas Bokedal’s new volume is different. It presses these canonical discussions in new and fresh directions. Creative and well-researched, this will be an important volume for anyone interested in the origins of the New Testament.”—Michael J. Kruger, president and Samuel C. Patterson professor of New Testament and early Christianity, Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte
