Paul
His Life and Teaching
About
"A significant contribution to Pauline studies. As one of the few substantial works on Paul written by an evangelical, it will probably find its place as a textbook in many colleges."--John Aloisi,
The apostle Paul and his significance for the New Testament and Christianity is a perennial topic of interest, but few evangelical surveys of his life offer a truly holistic picture of the man and his world. To fill the void, John McRay offers Paul: His Life and Teaching.
This scholarly yet accessible work, now available in paperback, explores the apostle's pre-conversion days, missionary travels, and theological contributions. A specialist in archaeology, the author draws on his more than forty years of teaching experience as well as knowledge gained from extensive travels to the places Paul visited. Paul is a comprehensive and readable presentation of Paul's ministry and theology that weaves together historical backgrounds, archaeological discoveries, and theological themes.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part examines aspects of Paul's life as a Roman citizen and the leader of the early Christian church, including Paul's place within the Jewish rabbinic traditions. McRay details Paul's sudden, intense conversion and the beginning of his ministry and concludes with an exploration of Paul's journeys. The second part offers a detailed treatment of the form, structure, and theology of Paul's letters as they relate to the world in which he lived, also highlighting their continuing importance today. Included in this examination are discussions of Paul's theology of the atonement, understanding of the law of Moses, and view of the church.
Professors and students will appreciate the book's broad scholarship and the pedagogical features found throughout, including links to other resources, maps, diagrams, and photos taken by the author during his travels. Pastors and church leaders will use it as a reference, and laypeople will gain a deeper understanding of Paul and his contribution to the Christian church.
The Author
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John McRay
John McRay (PhD, University of Chicago) is professor emeritus of New Testament and archaeology at Wheaton College Graduate School in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the author of Paul: His Life and Teaching and Archaeology and the New Testament and...
Continue reading about John McRay
Reviews
"The strength of this book is the author's extensive knowledge of the geography and archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean world."--J. E. Lunceford, Choice
"A significant introduction to the life and work of the apostle Paul."--Preaching
"A good introduction to the apostle's life and teaching."--Gordon Houser, The Mennonite
"[McRay] has written a work that fills a definite gap. . . . This book is a significant contribution to Pauline studies. As one of the few substantial works on Paul written by an evangelical, it will probably find its place as a textbook in many colleges."--John Aloisi, Westminster Theological Journal
"The presentation is clear and illuminating, and many will profit from the author's expertise."--International Review of Biblical Studies
"McRay's book should be a welcome addition to the field. . . . This book will provide an informed overview of the topic."--John D. Harvey, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
"A gem of a purchase that will prove to be one of your most-used volumes in the years ahead. . . . McRay's prose is lively and engaging. . . . Because of his awareness of recent studies, McRay was able to convince me to shift significantly the timelines I have been using. In fact, McRay's summary chronology on page 61 is later expanded with a great amount of helpful detail to six pages. . . . Glean[s] an incredible amount of useful background and interpretive insight that will benefit pastors, students, teachers, and all who wish to dig into Paul's letters."--Wayne Brouwer, Calvin Theological Journal
"McRay explicitly addresses the undergraduate college student. . . . [He] accomplishes his purpose, to provide a readable introduction to Paul's life and teaching for undergraduates."--Duane Warden, Stone-Campbell Journal
"McRay includes many photographs and interesting archaeological information. I can recommend the 'Paul's Life' section as an informative, evangelical, college-level text."--Robert J. Cara, Themelios
"Aiming this textbook at the college level, McRay makes excellent use of charts, maps, and pictures from his travels. . . . McRay's chronology of Paul's life is straightforward and effectively harmonizes the Acts narrative with the Pauline NT writings. . . . First century background information offered is helpful, such as descriptions of ancient cities, Roman customs, and rabbinic practices. The second half of the book, on Paul's teaching, gives clear descriptions of Pauline theology. . . . McRay offers a novel examination of discernable patterns of Paul's use of pronouns as a key to understanding Paul's theology. . . . This book is valuable for students, pastors and teachers."--James R. Wicker, Southwestern Journal of Theology
"McRay's commentary on the life of the Apostle Paul is an excellent resource for ministers, teachers, and students wishing to add to their New Testament library. . . . I found McRay's text to be very helpful as it placed much of Paul's writing, travels, and theology in the context of ancient history. . . . McRay provides a good overview of Pauline theology by discussing many of Paul's letters in conjunction with Acts and the history of the early church. He weaves Paul's travels with the letters and provides the reader with both a chronological guide to the ministry of Paul and the early church."--Ron Clark, Restoration Quarterly
"Having travelled to the Mediterranean world more than sixty times, [McRay] has an encyclopedic knowledge of his subject and is a leading scholar in his field. Those who have read his earlier work will welcome McRay's efforts to devote his considerable skills to the life and teaching of the apostle Paul. . . . McRay describes most of the places that Paul visited in Acts. Typically he provides more historical and geographical information than is given by commentaries on Acts. This feature makes the book a very useful companion volume for the student of Acts. . . . McRay's strengths lie in the fields of archaeology and history. . . Where the book deals with Paul's background and the details of Acts, it is a veritable treasure trove of information and insights. . . . For the reader who is interested in the life and times of Paul and the historical background to his missionary endeavors, this is an excellent read."--Vox Reformata