An incomparable study resource. Tarazi focuses attention on the first century context of the epistle, explains carefully what the Apostle Paul meant, and the historical circumstances prompting him to write what he did.

Galatians: A Commentary (Orthodox Biblical Studies)

Tarazi, Paul Nadim

Religion & Spirituality

St Vladimirs Seminary Pr

This revised edition of Paul Tarazi's The Old Testament: An Introduction Historical Traditions takes into account twelve years of additional research. The way historical background is presented constitutes the biggest change: this book no longer includes a reconstruction of the 'history of Israel.' The author concludes that none of the scriptural books were intended to offer a history in the sense that we use that word today, so any efforts to construct such a history necessarily lead one astray from the original intention of the scriptural text. What the Scripture's original authors and editors did intend was to present a long ma'al a Hebrew word that is variously translated 'parable,' 'allegory,' 'proverb,' or 'edifying story.' Therefore, the best way to understand the biblical books is to focus on the story itself. Without imposition, Fr Tarazi presents the evidence for his exegesis and invites the reader to judge whether or not it clarifies the text. Besides effectively making sense of otherwise hard-to-understand texts, Fr Tarazi dismisses speculative discussions about matters such as if and when the exodus 'actually happened' and thus leaves more room for in-depth discussions of other issues. This new edition has two completely new sections: one titled The Rise and Formation of Scripture and another titled Toward the Gospel. Together they clarify the relationship between the Old and New Testaments and will help every reader understand why the New Testament cannot be understood except in the light of the Old.

Old Testament: An Introduction : Historical Traditions (001)

Christian Books & Bibles

The Old Testament: An Introduction : Prophetic Traditions (002)

Includes bibliography and index. 
The psalm's importance to Christians cannot be overstated, since more of the church's services as well as private prayers are drawn from them than from any other part of scripture, yet as Paul Tarazi shows in this conclusion to his Old Testament Introduction trilogy, it is impossible to understand them merely by reading English translations. 
Fr Tarazi provides essential background un the language, history, and culture of those who first wrote, used, and edited these psalms, leading to sometimes surprising new understandings of common terms such as "king," "God," "Lord," and "righteousness." Along the way he explains how and why the psalms were used in prayer, and what we can learn about prayer itself. His discussion of Wisdom literature illuminates the very concept of "scripture," and that in turn leads to an in-depth explanation of how the Old Testament and New Testament do indeed make up a single, unified Christian scripture in which the Old Testament has an essential role not inferior to the New Testament. 
The Rev. Dr. Paul Nadim Tarazi is Professor of Old Testament at St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary.

The Old Testament: An Introduction : Psalms and Wisdom

The Old Testament Introduction

This is the first of a four-volume New Testament Introduction series by Fr Tarazi, which presents never-before published results of the author's own research. Here we find the kind of perceptive exegesis of St Paul's epistles we would expect from the author of the groundbreaking commentaries on I Thessalonians and Galatians. But we also find the unexpected: a completely new thesis about the original purpose of Mark's Gospel, followed by a commentary that defends the thesis by showing how each part of the second Gospel was designed to serve that purpose. Fr Tarazi explains how the very concept of a New Testament "scripture" came into being, beginning with Paul's letters. Paul's death then left a void in the leadership of Gentile Christianity, which was still under attack by Jewish Christianity. In order to defend the faith as it was preached by Paul, some of his followers created what is now the Gospel of Mark. Their purpose was not to make a historical chronicle of Jesus' life or a systematic presentation of Christian doctrine, but rather to defend Paul's conception of Christianity from the remaining (Jewish) apostles. In writing the story of Jesus, they interpreted Jesus himself and the events of his life according to what they knew of the teaching s and life story of their own leader Paul.

The New Testament: An Introduction: Paul and Mark (1)

The title "Introduction" does not do justice to the contents of this volume, for while it provides the historical background and overview expected of an introduction, it also delves into details one would expect to find only in a full-fledged commentary. 
The first section answers the broader questions of Luke and Acts: What prompted Luke to write his two-volume work and why did he write it in two volumes? Why did Luke, who knew and used Mark as a source, believe a second gospel was necessary? Why is the Holy Spirit so much more prominent in Luke-Acts than it was in Mark? What other sources - such as "Q" - did Luke use? 
After giving the reader a clear overall picture of Luke and Acts, Tarazi devotes the remainder of the book to detailed exegesis.Luke and Acts is no exception. The reader will find convincing explanations for the parable in Luke 16 where Jesus praises an "unjust steward," Jesus' call for division rather than peace in Luke 12:51 and the apparently abrupt ending of Acts which has led many to suggest that the real ending was lost. Countless other features of the Biblical text are also discusses, including frequent corrections of misleading English translations and detailed explanations of how Luke used the written sources available to him. 
This is the second of a four-volume series that will cover John and Revelation in Volume III, and Matthew and the creation of the canon in Volume IV.
The Rev. Dr Paul Nadim Tarazi is Professor of Old Testament at St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary.

New Testament: An Introduction: Luke and Acts

Written for the non-specialist reader, this edition covers the Johannine literature - Revelation, the Gospel and the Epistles. Specifically, Tarazi addresses the enigmatic Book of Revelation with its fantastical creatures, the significance of the numbers 666 and 144,000, the Millennium and so-called "futuristic prophecy." Perhaps most interestingly, the author makes a case that the head of the Johannine school was none other than the evangelist Mark who fulfilled the perceived need to provide a written record for the Church as the apostolic age was drawing to a close.

The New Testament: An Introduction; Johannine Writings (3)

The First Epistle to the Thessalonians is the oldest of the writings which have been gathered into the New Testament. In reading it we can sense the powerful impact made by St Paul's preaching of the Gospel as well as the Apostle's continuing prayerful concern for this new mission church. We also discover St Paul's understanding of the Second Coming of Christ as he deals with the perennial question of "those who have fallen asleep." 
This important contribution to Orthodox biblical studies offers many helpful insights for all who wish to understand the bible better, experts and novices alike. Its author, Fr Paul Tarazi, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at St Vladimir's Seminary, clearly demonstrates the importance of discovering what the scriptural text itself is saying.All four books indicate the importance of the Scriptures in Orthodox thought today.

1 Thessalonians: A Commentary (English and Ancient Greek Edition)

This is the fourth and final volume of Fr. Tarazi's New Testament introduction tetralogy. In addition to his exegesis on the Book of Matthew, Fr. Tarazi discusses the formation of the New Testament canon and the Gospel of Matthew, which he argues was intentionally written as the closing book within this canon. "Fr. Tarazi's application of his investigative, creative, kerygmatic, canon exegesis has generated a manuscript filled with unique interpretations and bold positions on the Gospel according to Matthew and on the New Testament canon." John Fotopoulos, Ph.D. Associate Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame "Matthew and the Canon is the crowning achievement of the New Testament series...As in the preceding volumes, Tarazi does not offer a conventional introduction to Matthew, but rather comments on each pericope with precise exegetical notes. By doing this, Tarazi allows his reader to be introduced to the Gospel text, rather than to the latest theories of modern criticism." Daniel Alberto Ayuch Associate Professor of New Testament University of Balamand The V. Rev. Dr. Paul Nadim Tarazi is Professor of Biblical Studies and Languages at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. He is the author of three previously published volumes to the New Testament introduction series, a three-volume introduction to the Old Testament, Galatians: A Commentary, and 1 Thessalonians: A Commentary. His audio bible commentaries on the books of the New Testament are available online through The Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS).

Matthew and the Canon (The New Testament: Introduction)

Ocabs Press

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