The early Christian church had a variety of Scriptures and other source material that informed their faith and shaped their thinking. But after a few centuries the church decided to keep the twenty-seven books of our present New Testament and to treat them as a canonical in faith and practice. But what of the other books? Many of them have survived and remain valuable for understanding the diversity of the early Christian church and the astounding claims of faith on which it was founded. Learning about these ancient documents need not threaten the church's current orthodoxy and authority; in fact, learning about these texts can help today's Christians form a deeper understanding of the early church.
In the years leading up to the Common Era, the Jewish people drew faith from hundreds of sacred writings, many of which claimed to contain the words of prophets, kings and patriarchs—even Adam. Similarly, the early Christians produced a wealth of texts that the established Church dismissed or branded heretical: they range from legends about the boy Jesus to the mystical Gnostic gospels. Because these powerful, often beautiful works were written out of the Jewish and Christian Bibles, for centuries most remained unknown outside a small circle of theologians and academics. With profound scholarship, Professor J. R. Porter has now gathered these ancient texts in a richly illustrated anthology, pairing translated extracts in accessible, modern language with commentaries that illuminate their character and importance.
A collection of texts written in the first couple centuries after the death of Christ. These texts, while not raising new theological issues are interesting documents to go over in an attempt to study and understand the early years of Christianity and those struggles that the church had to overcome to thrive during the martyrdom started by the Roman emperor Nero and continued by many of his predecessors throughout the years until Constantine. Included in this volume are the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the various versions of the Gospel of Thomas, the collection of additional Gospels of Peter and the Revelations of many first church founders such as Peter, John, Paul, Moses and Esdras. Within the book are many other books.
DIVOne of the most frustrating aspects of prayer is finding the right vocabulary to express what is in your heart. Praying the Scriptures inspires, illuminates, gives imagery, intelligence, adds intensity, and helps provide intimacy in prayer./div
The Messianic Aleph Tav Interlinear Scriptures (MATIS-NT) The GOSPELS, both Red Letter and Bold Black Editions, are the most unique Interlinear Study Bibles of the New Testament in the world. This work is a "Study Bible" and unique because it is the first true interlinear New Testament to combine both the John W. Etheridge Eastern Aramaic Peshitta in both Aramaic and Hebrew font compared to the Greek, word by word, in true interlinear form. This is the first time the Aramaic Peshitta has ever been in true interlinear form word by word. The John W. Etheridge Eastern Aramaic Peshitta English translation was provided by Lars Lindgren and incorporates his personal notes and also, the Hebrew pronunciation of the Aramaic is unique and was created and provided by Lars Lindgren of http://Dukhrana.com/ and used with his permission... all of which comes under copyright protection. The purpose of MATIS-NT is to provide a unique Study Bible whereby each Aramaic word and verse could be studied by comparing it to the Greek in an effort to obtain a deeper understanding of what the apostles were trying to express and the differences between the two New Testaments. MATIS-NT English translation began with the public domain version of the 1987 KJV and removed all the old English for easier reading. MATIS is also unique in regard to the Hebrew (OT) and Aramaic (NT) verses running in sequence from left to right with the English translation, while the Hebrew/Aramaic individual words are written properly from right to left. This combination is unique but makes it easier for beginners to study the Hebrew and Aramaic language in comparison to its English translation. The First Volume of MATIS is The TORAH, with the Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary. Volume Two, The WRITINGS, Volume Three, The PROPHETS and Volume Four, MATIS-NT The GOSPELS, with the Strong’s Greek Dictionary and Volume Five, The Acts - Revelation. MATIS Study Bibles also furthers the journey of the study of the Aleph/Tav Character Symbol by revealing thousands of words that originally incorporated this symbol in Paleo Hebrew, and also in Aramaic/Hebrew, and apparently for good reason! The MATIS Study Bible Collection is truly the perfect gift for the believer who is interested in studying the Hebrew Tanakh and Aramaic with the Greek B'rit Chadashah (New Testament) and desires to obtain a deeper understanding of what the originators, as well as our Creator was trying to express.
Top scholars of early Christianity and Judaism consider methodological issues, earliest Christianity’s Judaic setting, Gospel studies, and the emergence of later Christianity. These essays honor Bruce Chilton, recognizing his seminal contribution to the study of earliest Christianity in its Judaic setting.
