Now available in trade paper! Explore the interwoven lives of King Herod and Mary, Mother of Jesus as New York Times bestselling author Kathie Lee Gifford brings these biblical figures into a new light. Follow Herod from boyhood as he strives and fails throughout his life to become a beloved king. Walk in the steps of Mary of Nazareth as she navigates the repercussions of Herod's deadly obsession. Delve into the complex history of Herod the Great--his rise to power and ultimate fall in pursuit to be the "King of the Jews." Under a flourishing yet tumultuous background of Jerusalem, consider Mary of Nazareth's place under Herod's rule and the promise of a Messiah to free her people. Kathie Lee Gifford with Bryan M. Litfin, Ph.D. deftly weave a truthful historical narrative full of accurate details and sweeping prose that ushers in the true King and glorifies God's powerful plan to bring a savior into the world through unlikely means. A coda between the authors, full of honest revelation and insightful meaning, follows each chapter for added in-depth reading. The first installment in the Ancient Evil, Living Hope series, Herod and Mary begins with the tragic life of King Herod--Christianity's first true persecutor. As an impressionable boy, he is forever marked by the raw power of Rome. Throughout the course of Herod's career, he gains power, fame, and riches beyond belief. Yet murderous intrigues stalk this man--and infect his own dark soul. Under the rule of King Herod, Jerusalem becomes a prominent city of wealth and prosperity, but Mary saw the struggle of her people under a tyrant. Like all Jewish women, she knew the promises of Torah and longed for a deliverer. But no one could have prepared her for what the angel of God revealed: that the Messiah wouldn't arrive with the blaring of trumpets, the clash of arms, or the fanfare of a mighty host. He would arrive as an infant within her own womb. The light of the world was born in a cave: not a king who maims and destroys, but the gentle King of the Jews. This riveting narrative nonfiction work reveals deep insight to how Herod came to power, how corruption and an ancient evil threatened the stability of a nation, and how a teenage Mary was called to traverse these obstacles to bring the Savior, Jesus, our living hope, into the world.

“One of the most marked and hopeful signs of our time is the increasing attention given on all sides to the study of Holy Scripture. Those who believe and love the Bible, who have experienced its truth and power, can only rejoice at such an issue. They know that ‘the Word of God liveth and abideth for ever,’ that ‘not one tittle’ of it ‘shall fail;’ and that it is ‘able to make wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.’ Accordingly they have no reason to dread the results either of scientific investigation, or of searching inquiry into ‘those things which are most surely believed among us.’ For, the more the Bible is studied, the deeper will be our conviction that ‘the foundation of God standeth sure.’” — Alfred Edersheim, from the Preface. Alfred Edersheim (1825-1889), was raised Jewish. He studied at the University of Vienna and New College, Edinburgh. After finding faith in the Messiah, he was ordained in the Free Church of Scotland, and later the Church of England. His books continue to be highly influential in bringing to life the background and details of the Old Testament historical accounts. His ‘Church History’ series is especially intended for students, young people, and anyone who desires to deepen their understanding of the Bible. The Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry finds, restores and republishes good, readable books from Lutheran authors and those of other sound Christian traditions. All titles are available at little to no cost in proofread and freshly typeset editions. Many free e-books are available at our website LutheranLibrary.org. Please enjoy this book and let others know about this completely volunteer service to God’s people. May the Lord bless you and bring you peace.

"Scriptural Vitality challenges the view that the Persian and Hellenistic periods constitute a time of decay, a period of 'late Judaism', languishing between an original, vibrant Judaism and the birth of Christianity. Instead, Hindy Najman argues that the Second Temple period was one of untethered creativity and poetic imagination, of dynamism exemplified through philosophical translation, poetic composition, and a convergence of ancient Mediterranean cultures that gave birth to hermeneutic innovation. Building on Nietzsche's critique of classical philology and drawing on new ways of reading the Dead Sea Scrolls, the author carries out a radical rethinking of biblical studies. Instead of seeking to reconstruct the original text and to find its original author or at least the original context of its production, Najman celebrates textual pluriformity and transformation, tracing ways in which texts and meanings proliferated within interpretive communities through new performances and fresh articulations of the past. Engaging with thinkers such as Friedrich Schlegel and Peter Szondi, whom biblicists have rarely considered, biblical philology is reimagined as the forward-moving study of the poetic processes by which Jewish communities re-created their past and revitalized their present. The Second Temple period emerges as a golden age of creativity, whose traces may still be discerned in Judaism and Christianity today." --

"Josephus" by Norman Bentwich is a biography that provides a comprehensive and insightful account of the life and works of Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian and scholar from the first century AD. Bentwich delves into Josephus' early years, his experiences during the Jewish-Roman War, and his subsequent collaboration with the Roman Empire. The book explores Josephus' significant contributions to Jewish historiography, particularly his works "The Jewish War" and "Jewish Antiquities," which document the events and culture of ancient Judea. Bentwich analyzes Josephus' writings in the context of his political circumstances, shedding light on his motivations and the challenges he faced as a Jewish leader collaborating with the Romans. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Bentwich paints a vivid picture of Josephus' life, offering readers valuable insights into the political, social, and religious dynamics of ancient Judea. The biography also explores Josephus' controversial reputation among Jews and Christians, his impact on historiography, and his enduring influence on the understanding of Jewish history.

A philisophical approach to the Christian story of creation.