Gordon J. Wenham

What did Jesus really say about divorce and remarriage? Challenging the evangelical near-consensus that Jesus permitted divorce and remarriage in certain circumstances, Gordon Wenham argues that while Jesus permitted separation in cases of sexual immorality, he did not permit divorce and remarriage. Presenting a revisitation and expansion of several decades of thought and debate on the topic, Wenham builds his case from a close reading of Jesus' teaching in the Gospels, showing how his teaching pushed against the culture of his day. In addition, Wenham brings in insights from ancient Near Eastern marriage laws, the Old Testament, the writings of Paul, and the earliest Christian interpreters of the Gospel divorce texts. Readers will be challenged by a careful biblical argument that provides a counterpoint to the majority view. No study on divorce and remarriage will be complete without considering Jesus, Divorce, and Remarriage.

Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Pentateuch offers a clear overview of the "five books of Moses," as well as an introduction to the historical and textual questions that modern scholarship has posed and the answers it has proposed. This critically informed, textually sensitive introduction to the Pentateuch introduces students tothe basic features of the Pentateuchthe social world of the Biblethe latest scholarship on the composition of the Pentateuchliterary techniques and formstheme, composition and rhetorical function of the PentateuchIn this textbook you will find double-column formatting for ease of use, annotated bibliographies for further reading, sidebar explorations of select historical and textual topics in greater detail, a glossary of terms, and relevant charts and maps.

The Psalms are the most-read part of the Old Testament, but their importance for ethics has often been overlooked. However, the Psalms offer some of the most potent ethical instruction in the Bible. In this book internationally renowned Old Testament scholar Gordon Wenham examines the source of the Psalms' power, reflects on their main ethical themes, and shows how they function as prayers that change us. Wenham makes an important contribution to biblical scholarship and breaks new ground in discussions of Old Testament ethics, yet he writes accessibly, making this book invaluable for students, scholars, and pastors.

"Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah" is one of the best-known hymns in the world. Yet the book of numbers, whose story that hymn summarizes, is seldom read. Why?" Its very title puts the modern reader off," writes Gordon Wenham. "In ancient time numbers were seen as mysterious and symbolic, a key to reality and the mind of God himself. Today they are associated with computers and the depersonalization that threatens our society." In his effort to bridge the great gulf between the book and our age, Wenham first explains the background of Numbers, discussing its structure, sources, date and authorship as well as its theology and Christian use. A passage-by-passage analysis follows, which draws useful insights on Old Testament ritual from modern social anthropology. The original, unrevised text of this volume has been completely retypeset and printed in a larger, more attractive format with the new cover design for the series..

How do the grand stories of Israel and her heroes, as well as the many seemingly mundane incidents found in these narrative stories, help guide today's readers in their daily behavior? Renowned scholar Gordon Wenham offers Story as Torah, a succinct monograph demonstrating how Old Testament narratives can indeed function as "Torah," informing one's ethical choices. He uses the books of Genesis and Judges as test cases, working with texts that offer clear moral guidance as well as those in which the ethical teaching is at first glance dubious. This accessible book will help seminarians, pastors, and other students of the Bible use Old Testament narratives responsibly.