Description
William Barclay
• 128pp
For anyone interested in the Bible, and for Bible Study Groups
'Anyone can simply open the Bible and read it. But the more we know about the Bible, the more thrilling and fascinating this book becomes. It makes all the difference who said a thing; it makes all he difference when it was said; it makes all the difference where it was said.' William Barclay
In this classic book, William Barclay shines new light on the New Testament, giving often-quoted passages new meaning.
Each book of the New Testament is explored in the light of one, single dominant idea – the one special issue that Barclay feels that the book was written to say. The result is a better understanding of the whole of the New Testament.
See also the William Barclay section for Daily Study Bibles and other titles by William Barclay.
EXTRACT
From Chapter 5, 'The Message of the Church'
Paul was a great preacher, because he began where his audience was, and with what they knew. He began with the here and now to get to the there and then. Let us look at the main lines of Paul's preaching.
(1) To Paul everything that went before was leading up to Jesus Christ. In history, God was preparing for Christ (Acts 13:16–26); in nature, God was calling on mankind to remember himself (Acts 14:15–17); even the inadequate religions of the heathen were preparations for the coming of Christ (Acts 17:22–7).
History, nature, the seeking mind of mankind – all find their climax in Christ.
(2) With Jesus Christ the new age dawned, and all the prophecies of God came true. This is Peter's great conviction (Acts 2:14–21). If we can even talk of such a thing as prophecy, then history is no knotless thread, no random succession of unrelented moments: history is in the arena of the action of God.