An Ancient Commentary Available for the First Time in EnglishFor the first time in English, discover the full text of Theodoret of Cyrrhus's Commentary on Isaiah. As part of the Ancient Christian Texts series, this volume provides a unique look into the biblical interpretation of the early church. Long thought to be lost, this commentary was rediscovered in 1899 and is now accessible in English to scholars, pastors, and students.Theodoret of Cyrrhu...

"We believe in one God, the Father." The opening clause of the Nicene Creed can be summed up in a single word—monotheism. In the early centuries of the church, this striking doctrine stood starkly against a cultural background of multiple deities and spiritual powers. While it clearly builds on its Jewish heritage, calling God "Father" anticipates the Father-Son relationship in the Godhead that early Christians knew and robustly upheld.The first article of...

Ambrosiaster ("Star of Ambrose") is the name given to the anonymous author of the earliest complete Latin commentary on the thirteen epistles of Paul. The commentaries were thought to have been written by Ambrose throughout the Middle Ages, but their authorship was challenged by Erasmus, whose arguments have proved decisive.Here for the first time Ambrosiaster's commentaries on Romans and the Corinthian correspondence are made available in English translation, ably translated and e...

Jerome (c. 347-419), one of the West's four doctors of the church, was recognized early on as one of the church's foremost translators, commentators and advocates of Christian asceticism. Skilled in Hebrew and Greek in addition to his native Latin, he was thoroughly familiar with Jewish traditions and brought them to bear on his understanding of the Old Testament. In 405 Jerome completed his Latin translation of the Old Testament, based on the Hebrew text, and not long afterward began to w...

Interest in the book of Revelation in the Western tradition is stronger and earlier than that in the East. The earliest full commentary on the Apocalypse is that of Victorinus of Petovium written in the mid to late third century by the earliest exegete to write in Latin. Victorinus interpreted Revelation in millennialist terms, a mode of interpretation already evident in works by Irenaeus, as well as in modest allegorical terms.Caesarius of Arles wrote in the early sixth century an...

The Reformation was a time of tremendous upheaval, renewal, and vitality in the life of the church. The challenge to maintain and develop faithful Christian belief and practice in the midst of great disruption was reflected in the theology of thesixteenth century.In this volume, which serves as a companion to IVP Academic's Reformation Commentary on Scripture, theologian and church historian Gerald L. Bray immerses readers in the world of Reformation theology. He introduces the range of th...

Credo Book Award Winner—Translated Work—Medieval or ReformationDiscover the world of sixteenth-century interpretation of RevelationKnown as one of the most enigmatic books of the Bible, Revelation has sparked centuries of diverse theological debate, capturing the imaginations of Reformers navigating a time of immense upheaval. This volume, part of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture series, invites readers to engage with the perspective...

Renowned evangelical theologian Gerald Bray provides a clear and coherent account of the church in biblical, historical, and theological perspective. He tells the story of the church in its many manifestations through time, starting with its appearance in the New Testament, moving through centuries of persecution and triumph, and discussing how and why the ancient church broke up at the Reformation. Along the way, Bray looks at the four classic marks of the church--its oneness, holiness, c...

The gospel of justification by faith alone was discovered afresh by the Reformers in the epistolary turrets of the New Testament: the letters to the Galatians and the Ephesians. At the epicenter of the exegetical revolution that rocked the Reformation era was Paul's letter to the Galatians. There Luther, Calvin, Bullinger and scores of others perceived the true gospel of Paul enlightening a situation parallel to their own times--the encroachment of false teachers and apostates upon the tru...

Paul's letters to the Corinthian church have left a mark on Christian Scripture in a way that could never have been predicted. Here the pastoral issues of a first-century Christian community in what Chrysostom identified as "still the first city in Greece" stand out in bold relief. How was a community shaped by the cross to find its expression in a city that Chrysostom knew to be "full of orators and philosophers" and that "prided itself . . . above all on its great wealth"? How was church...

A Christianity Today 1999 Book of the YearSt. Paul's Letter to the Romans has long been considered the theological high-water mark of the New Testament. It was no less regarded by the ancient church, and patristic interpreters have left us an abundance of valuable comment on Romans.This Ancient Christian Commentary on Romans collects the best and most representative of patristic commentary and homily on Romans, and it brings to the public some valuable materia...

The history of Britain and Ireland cannot be understood apart from the Christian faith that has shaped their identity. Introduced when these nations were still in their infancy, Christianity provided the framework for their moral, cultural, and social development from the very beginning.In this comprehensive and engaging overview, Gerald Bray traces the remarkable creativity and resilience of Christianity across the centuries. He shows how the faith has continually...