The Jews from Alexander to Herod

Russell, D. S.

Religion & Spirituality

Oxford University Press

Apocalyptic literature - the books of Daniel and Revelation in the Bible and much outside it - presents a weird and wonderful world of fantasy and dreams: beasts with sprouting horns, dragons spouting fire, falling stars, mysterious horsemen, mystical mountains, sacred rivers, devastating earthquakes, fearsome giants. . . . It has long been a happy hunting ground for those seeking hidden clues to the end and destiny of our world. With the same clarity which distinguishes his Between the Testaments, Dr Russell shows that, properly understood, apocalyptic has a message for ordinary people, not just for cranks and charlatans. The reader who enters into the mind and mood of the writers, facing the imminent collapse of their world, can see their concern to express a message which is by no means irrelevant to the very different age of crisis in which we live.

Apocalyptic Ancient and Modern (Hayward Lectures and Nordenhaug Memorial Lectures)

Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd

`The whole book may be most warmly recommended to all who desire something more informative than a blank page between the Old Testament and the New.' Church Times `The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has focussed attention afresh on this period, and Principal Russell's up-to-date review of it is both opportune and welcome. He writes out of a deep knowledge of his subiect, and his book, which is a model of compression, is clearly written and holds the reader's interest.' Times Literary Supplement `Most informative, lucid and readable. One of the features of this book is its masterly power of summary.' William Barclay in Expository Times

Between the Testaments

Judaism

SCM Press

Twenty-five years ago, Dr Russell wrote Between the Testaments. Warmly welcomed by reviewers and readers alike, it soon became established as an individual introduction to the period from Malachi to Matthew, and has since been reprinted nine times. Now it is joined by this second volume, in the same format, examining topics which might have been dealt with in the first volume but were not. Its aim is to complement and supplement what was written there, focussing attention on just a few subjects which continue to be matters of interest and debate. These are: 'Cultural and Religious Developments in the Hellenistic Age', 'Sources and Scriptures', 'Biblical Interpretation in Early Judaism and the New Testament', 'The Development and Meaning of Torah', 'Prayer and Mediation', 'Demonology and the Problem of Evil', 'The Secret Tradition of Jewish Apocalyptic', and 'The Future Hope'.

From Early Judaism to Early Church

'Here is a first-class treatment of the source and message of the apocalyptic literature of the period running roughly from 200 BC to AD 100. It consists of three parts: the nature and identity of Jewish apocalyptic; the method of Jewish apocalyptic; and the message of Jewish apocalyptic. It brings within its scope the relevant sections of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and emphasizes the common ideas and elements running through all the apocalyptic literature, despite its great diversity. The author gives an excellent account of the development of thought among the apocalyptists, tracing it in part to Iranian influence, and emphasizes the enduring values of their message. On the psychology of apocalyptic and the problem of pseudonymity he expresses the most original ideas the volume contains, arguing that just as "corporate personality" offers an explanation of the identification of an individual with the community he represents, so it offers an explanation of the self-identification of an author with an ancient worthy whose name he took and into whose school of tradition he had entered. This is by far the most notable work in English on the apocalyptic literature for a very long time.' (H. H. Rowley in the Society for Old Testament Study Book List)

The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic (Old Testament Library)

Christian Books & Bibles

Theology

Divine Disclosure: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic

A marked characteristic of Judaism in the centuries surrounding the time of Jesus was its `pseudepigraphical' writing, books which did not bear the name of their actual author but were attributed to figures from the past, particularly patriarchs and prophets. In this book Dr Russell shows the developments in the understanding of the character and function of these figures as they appear from the pseudepigrapha. He begins by looking at developments related to his theme in Philo and Josephus, the rabbinic literature and the Dead Sea scrolls. He then goes on to consider Adam, Enoch and Noah, Daniel, Job, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, Moses and Ezra, and then the 'lives' of the prophets and the eschatological prophets. Now that the importance of Jewish literature of this period is increasingly understood and texts are more easily accessible, this new study will be found particularly useful for seeing familiar figures of the Old Testament not just through perspectives shaped by Christian tradition or modern historical criticism, but as they were seen by Jews at the time when they were written. D. S. Russell was formerly General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland. He has specialized in studies of this period.

The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: Patriarchs and Prophets in Early Judaism

Only a master scholar could present such a comprehensive yet penetrating study as this of the Jewish apocalyptic literature from 200BC to AD100. Russell reviews 17 Jewish writings: The Book of Daniel, I-II Enoch, The Book of Jubilees, The Sibylline Oracles, Books III~V, The Testaments of the 12 Patriarchs, The Psalms of Solomon, The Assumption of Moses, The Martyrdom of Isaiah, The Life of Adam &amp; Eve or The Apocalypse of Moses, The Apocalypse of Abraham, The Testament of Abraham, 2 Esdras &amp; II-III Baruch. He includes material from the Dead Sea Scrolls &amp; a wide variety of related literature. For Jews &amp; Christians alike, this literature is of significance because of its claim to be 'the child of prophecy.' For Christians it has an additional importance. Not only is it, in its teaching, a continuation of the Old Testament, it's also an anticipation of their New Testament. The apocalyptic literature helps bridge the gap between testaments &amp; illustrates significant developments in religious belief, especially of an eschatalogical &amp; messianic kind. For easy study &amp; reference, the volume is in three parts. Part One, 'The Nature &amp; Identity of Jewish Apocalyptic,' sets the literature against the background of the period in which it was written &amp; defines apocalyptic literature. Part Two, discusses 'The Method of Jewish Apocalyptic,' including its emergence from prophecy, examines its form &amp; literary characteristics, &amp; analyzes the peculiar psychology of the writers. Part Three, not only discusses 'The Message of Jewish Apocalyptic,' but assesses it, demonstrating the influence of the apocalyptists on subsequent religious ideas in both Judaism &amp; Christianity.

The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic: 200 BC - AD 100 (The Old Testament Library)

Westminster John Knox Pr

An exciting demonstration of trust and devotion, Daniel offers a positive message of hope and reassurance for the people of God in every age.

The Daniel (Daily Study Bible)

Westminster/John Knox Press

"Daniel," writes D. S. Russell, "is a fascinatiing book which speaks as profoundly to our day as it did to the day it was first written. Its message declared unequivocally that the sovereign Lord God was in control not only of history but also of the end of history." An exciting demonstration of trust and devotion, Daniel offers a positive message of hope and reassurance for the people of God in every age.
Carrying forward brilliantly the pattern established by Barclay's New Testament series, the Daily Study Bible has been extended to cover the entire Old Testament as well. Invaluable for individual devotional study, for group discussion, and for classroom use, the Daily Study Bible provides a useful, reliable, and eminently readable way to discover what the Scriptures were saying then and what God is saying today.

Daniel (OT Daily Study Bible Series) (The Daily Study Bible)

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