《The Book of The Acts of God》

FOREWORD9

PROLOGUE:INTRODUCING THE BIBLE11

CHAPTER 1:THE BIBLICAL POINT OF VIEW13

CHAPTER 2:THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD26

CHAPTER 3:HOW THE BIBLE CAME TO BE WRITTEN39

A．The Old Testament39

B．The New Testament47

C．Many Volumes,One Book49

PART ONE:THE HISTORIES OF ISRAEL53

CHAPTER 1:THE PRIESTLY HISTORY55

A．The Introduction(chapters ⅰ-ⅹⅰ)56

1．The Creation Stories(Genesis ⅰ-ⅱ)56

2．The ＇Fall＇ of Man(Genesis ⅲ)62

3．The Story of Civilization(Genesis ⅳ-ⅹⅰ)67

B．God Chooses a Peoplc:The Stories of the Patriarchs(Genesis ⅹⅱ-1)69

C．The Exodus:God Delivers the People from Slavery(Exodus ⅰ-ⅹⅷ)81

D．God Makes the People a Nation:The Covenant(Exodus ⅹⅸ-Numbers ⅹⅹⅹⅵ)92

CHAPTER 2:THE DEUTERONOMIC HISTORY OF ISRAEL IN HER LAND107

A．God＇s Gift of a Land(Joshua-Judges)110

B．The Problem of Government:The Monarchy(1-2 Samuel)120

C．God＇s Controversy with the Kings(1-2 Kings)129

1．Solomon131

2．Ahab and Jezebel135

3．The Fall of Northern Israel and Its Sequel in Judah138

4．The Last Days of Judah and Jerusalem140

CHAPTER 3:THE CHRONICLER＇S HISTORY OF JUDAH(1-2 Chronicles,Ezra,and Nehemiah)144

PART TWO:THE PROPHETIC,DEVOTIONAL,AND WISDOM LITERATURE153

CHAPTER 1:THE PROPHETS155

A．The Prophets of the Eighth Century B．C．157

B．The Prophets of the Seventh Century B．C．169

C．The Last of the Old Testament Prophets176

CHAPTER 2:THE DEVOTIONAL AND WISDOM LITERATURE189

A．The Psalms189

B．The Wisdom Literature196

CHAPTER 3:THE CLOSE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT212

PART THREE:BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT219

CHAPTER 1:HISTORICAL BACKGROUND-FROM THE MACCABEES TO JESUS221

CHAPTER 2:THE JEWISH COMMUNITY228

CHAPTER 3:THE JEWISH RELIGION231

A．Pharisaism and Rabbinic Judaism232

B．Apocalyptic235

1．The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs237

2．I Enoch237

C．Palestinian Sects239

D．The Damascus Covenanters240

E．The Qumr ？n Community240

F．John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth245

G．Hellenistic Judaism247

H．Josephus254

PART FOUR:THE NEW TESTAMENT257

CHAPTER 1:IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD259

CHAPTER 2:JESUS264

A．Introductory264

B．The Proclamation of Jesus269

C．The Demand of Radical Obedience273

D．Jesus＇ Teaching about God273

E．The Works of Healing275

F．The Cross277

G．Jesus＇ Self-Understanding282

CHAPTER 3:THE EARLIEST CHURCH288

A．From Easter to Pentecost288

B．The Life of the Earliest Church293

C．Greek-Speaking Jewish Christianity299

CHAPTER 4:NON-PAULINE HELLENISTIC CHRISTIANITY301

A．Introductory301

B．Its Preaching302

C．Its Sacramental Life309

D．The Synoptic Gospels313

1．Mark314

2．Matthew316

3．Luke317

CHAPTER 5:ST PAUL:THE FIRST THEOLOGIAN320

A．Critical Presuppositions320

B．Paul the Theologian322

C．Redemptive History323

1．Redemption333

2．Justification334

3．Reconciliation336

4．The Appropriation of Christ＇s Redeeming Work337

5．Victory339

6．Sacrifice341

7．The Resurrection343

8．The Spirit and the Church344

9．The Church345

10．The Sacraments347

11．The Person of Christ350

12．The Consummation353

CHAPTER 6:AFTER PAUL357

A．Ephesians357

B．Hebrews358

C．The Pastorals364

D．James366

E．I Peter369

F．Jude371

G．2 Peter372

CHAPTER 7:THE JOHANNINE LITERATURE374

A．The Apocalypse374

B．The Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles378

1．Authorship378

2．Affinities of Thought380

3．Literary and Oral Sources384

4．Authorship-Final Conclusion384

5．The Johannine Writings-An Interpretation385

6．The Farewell Discourses396

7．The Passion Narrative400

8．The Resurrection401

CHAPTER 8:EPILOGUE:THE UNITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT403

INDEX OF BIBLICAL REFERENCES405

INDEX OF NAMES417