Overview
The Apostle Paul found the gospel message so compelling that he became a rootless wanderer and endured hardships and deprivation to spread this good news throughout the Roman Empire. What was the “gift of righteousness” that Paul was so eager to share? David deSilva argues that it was far richer than the “get out of hell free” pass that some Christians have unintentionally reduced it to today.
In Transformation: The Heart of Paul’s Gospel, deSilva guides readers in expanding their definition of the gospel message as presented in Paul’s letters. He succinctly demonstrates that the gift of righteousness that Paul speaks of in Romans is nothing less than the means to transform and renew all of creation—including ourselves. Join deSilva as he explores Paul’s message of change and renewal, and prepare to be transformed in your own thinking in the process.
The Snapshots series, edited by renowned scholar Michael Bird, engages significant issues in contemporary biblical scholarship, making them accessible to busy students of the Word and applicable in the life of the church.
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Praise for Transformation
Sadly, too much of what passes for Christian theology puts the gospel in a straightjacket and imagines salvation as little more than cosmic paperwork. deSilva’s approach in Transformation, exegetically cogent and carefully argued, bursts with power and possibility appropriate to the life-changing purpose of the work of God in Jesus Christ. The Snapshots series is off to a great start!
— Nijay K. Gupta, Assistant Professor of New Testament, George Fox Evangelical Seminary
In Transformation, David deSilva opens up for us the life-changing gospel of Jesus that Paul preached but that many have reduced to a kind of easy-believism with little substance. Readers will benefit from David’s careful reading of Paul’s letters, his in-depth knowledge of Paul’s culture, and his understanding of Paul’s interpreters (and mis-interpreters). The result is an insightful re-introduction to the apostle and his message of transformation for individuals, communities, and the entire creation.
— Michael J. Gorman, Raymond E. Brown Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology, St. Mary’s Seminary & University
Christian interaction with the world has long been hobbled by a stunted picture of what it means to be a Christian. We fail at what we are called to do, because we have far too narrow a picture of what we are called to be. David deSilva seeks to broaden our picture of the good news through a close reading of the Apostle Paul's writings. But do not misunderstand, deSilva's no revisionist. He is not rejecting traditional approaches to Paul, he is refocusing our attention on the big picture: The Christian life is about transformation. And I can think of no more timely and important message than that. A must read for any Christian who desires to take seriously the call to be salt and light in the world.
— Jim Beilby, Professor of Theology, Bethel University
Key Features
- Proposes transformation as an appropriate framework for thinking about Paul’s gospel message
- Looks at the whole of Paul’s message in order to construct a comprehensive understanding of his teachings
- Lays out Paul’s vision for the transformation of the individual, of the community of faith, and of the cosmos as the essence of the good news
Contents
- Introduction: Hearing the Whole of Paul’s Good News
- Foundations for a Broader Understanding Paul’s Gospel of Transformation
- The Gospel Means the Transformation of the Individual: You Are Free to Become a New Person in Christ
- The Gospel Means the Transformation of Community: You Are Free to Relate to One Another in New Ways
- The Gospel Means the Transformation of the Cosmos: You Are Free from the World’s Rules to Witness to God’s Rule
Product Details
- Title: Transformation: The Heart of Paul’s Gospel
- Author: David deSilva
- Series Editor: Michael F. Bird
- Series: Snapshots
- Publisher: Lexham Press
- Publication Date: 2014
- Pages: 160
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Topic: Pauline Studies
About David deSilva
David deSilva (PhD, Emory University) is Trustees’ Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. He is author of An Introduction to the New Testament; Introducing the Apocrypha: Message, Context, and Significance; Honor, Patronage, Kinship and Purity, and a contributor to the Lexham Greek-English Interlinear Septuagint.
About Michael F. Bird
Michael F. Bird received his PhD from the University of Queensland in Australia. He is a lecturer in theology and postgraduate research at Ridley Melbourne College. He is the author of several volumes of Bible commentary and theological studies. Michael Bird is also co-moderator of the New Testament blog, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/euangelion.