Other Books By F.F. Bruce
OTHER BOOKS BY
F.F. BRUCE
These ebooks were available at the time of ebook publication of The Epistles of John. More ebooks by F.F. Bruce and his friends will be available shortly. A complete list can be found at www.ffbruce.com. You can order these from your favorite ebook retailer.
ACTS
A Bible Study Commentary
ISBN: 978-1-912149-06-3
Written as part of Scripture Union’s Bible Study Commentary series, which encourages regular, systematic personal Bible reading, this commentary is also designed as a resource manual for group study. Acts is a pivotal book in the New Testament, says Bruce, “for it provided the sequel to the Gospels and the background to the apostolic letters.” F.F. Bruce’s The Book of Acts, a larger commentary, has been called “one of the best commentaries on this book of Scripture.”
DEFENDING FIRST-CENTURY FAITH
Christian Witness in the New Testament
ISBN: 978-1-912149-07-0
What is the gospel? And how was it first preached—and defended? Opposition of many kinds—religious, political and cultural—met the early Christians in their eagerness to tell the world about Jesus Christ. The problems that faced them have continued to rear their heads in new guises and we can learn much from the sensitive way the apostles tackled them. They adapted their approach, but never watered down their message. “The kingdom of God calls loudly for such men and women today,” writes the author. “Factual, fresh and inspiring . . . by the most outstanding evangelical scholar in Britain.” – The Christian Herald
IN RETROSPECT
Autobiographical Remembrances
ISBN: 978-1-912149-16-2
An intimate portrait of the life and times of one of the evangelical world’s most beloved biblical scholars. Although originally written for The Witness, a Christian monthly magazine, the chapters were revised and expanded so that we see a memorable picture of Bruce’s childhood in northern Scotland, his academic training at Aberdeen, Cambridge, and Vienna, and his career. Professor Bruce’s modesty and reserve show through. For instance, when mentioning his wife, Betty, he wrote, “She has been all I could wish. More might be said, but it isn’t going to be.” David Ewert said in Direction, “Once I started reading, I could not put the book down. Here is a book that will warm your heart, enlighten your mind and call you to faithfulness to Jesus and his church.”
MATTHEW
An Open Your Bible Commentary
ISBN: 978-1-909680-29-6
The Gospel of Matthew, written for Jewish Christians, focuses on who Jesus is, why he came, and how he fits into God’s bigger purposes. Matthew shows that Jesus is the long-expected Messiah, the bringer of God’s kingdom. The most prominent feature of this gospel is the teaching of Jesus, which is arranged in five discourses that dominate the book’s structure. Although each of nearly 100 readings in this commentary is short, the content is rich with careful explanation, devotional warmth, and practical relevance. An Amazon reviewer said, “Bruce is always helpful and once again much good insight here.”
NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY
Its Religious, Political, and Philosophical Context
The Jews, the Romans, and the Church
ISBN: 978-1-912149-14-8
This highly acclaimed book provides a wealth of fascinating information on the Roman and Jewish background of the New Testament, the life of Jesus, and the history of the early church. Kirkus Reviews summarizes: “Professor Bruce begins . . . discussing the political, social, intellectual and religious situation of the Hebrew nation as the background to Christ and Christianity. The life of Jesus is treated as a single phase of this era, with major emphasis reserved for the diffusion of Pauline Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. The book closes with . . . the position of Christianity in the Empire at the end of the New Testament period.” “An outstanding resource” (LibraryThing website). “The book on Church History for which we have been waiting.” (Christian Graduate)
PAUL AND HIS CONVERTS
How Paul Nurtured the Churches He Planted
ISBN: 978-1-912149-08-7
F.F. Bruce explains that this book “serves as an introductory handbook to the whole of Paul’s surviving correspondence with his converts in Europe”—to the churches in Corinth, Thessalonica, and Philippi. In this exposition of five of Paul’s letters, Bruce focuses on Paul’s pastoral care and the growth of the people he loved so much. Since we face today so many of the problems and issues Paul and his converts faced, this book acts as a guide for growth. How can we encourage and build up fellow believers? How can we correct their shortcomings? How can we fulfill the desire to see them become 100% Christians?
PETER, STEPHEN, JAMES, AND JOHN
Non-Pauline Diversity in the Early Church
ISBN: 978-1-912149-18-6
This concise study describes four of the non-Pauline movements in the early church, each of which can be identified with a particular leader: Peter, acknowledged leader of the apostles; Stephen and the Hellenists (Jews who spoke Greek culturally and linguistically); James and the Church of Jerusalem; and John and his circle, including his influence at Ephesus. Writing for the website Church History 101, R.A. Baker says, “Bruce admits to being a ‘Paulinist,’ yet this text gives NT readers a better historical understanding of the non-Pauline traditions. . . . If you want to properly understand Paul, you need to understand historical context. This text does the job.”
SECOND THOUGHTS ON THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
The First Book to Read about the Story, the Scrolls, and their Significance
ISBN: 978-1-912149-00-1
“I felt as if I were discovering the Dead Sea Scrolls myself,” said one reviewer because “the book is exciting to read.” Although first written fewer than ten years after the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, this third edition (1964) is an excellent, readable introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls, “the greatest manuscript discovery of modern times.” F.F. Bruce’s balanced and thoughtful book answers the questions readers still want to know about the story, the Qumran community, the scrolls, and their significance for the histories of Judaism and Christianity and for biblical studies.
THE BOOKS AND THE PARCHMENTS
The Original Languages, Canon, Transmission and How We Got Our English Bible
ISBN: 978-1-912149-15-5
A classic text on the history and origins of the Bible, including the languages in which it was written, how the books of the Bible were chosen, and its transmission and its translation – from the earliest translations to the most popular English versions today. Included are sections on the “Lost Books of the Bible” and the Apocrypha and other early Christian books. Professor Bruce makes it clear that he was writing for “non-specialists . . . and . . . continued to bear in mind the questions which are most frequently asked about these matters, and to answer them to the best of my ability.” The Aberdeen Press and Journal described The Books and the Parchments as “sound scholarship, comprehensive knowledge, and a rare instinct for what is relevant . . . there is not a single dull page.”
THE DEITY OF CHRIST
Was Jesus a Fraud or Was He God?
ISBN: 978-1-912149-09-4
In New Testament times there did not seem to be any doubt that Jesus said he was God. But nearly 300 years later a priest in Alexandria, Egypt, taught that although Jesus had divine attributes, He Himself was not God—a viewpoint that remains among some groups today. Recognizing that the doctrine of the deity of Christ was under attack, Dr. William J. Martin, lecturer at University of Liverpool, and Dr. F.F. Bruce wrote a little book stating the case for the deity of Christ “with biblical reverence and theological power,” said Christianity Today. This edition also includes three articles by Professor Bruce about the deity of Christ, the incarnation, and the virgin birth from Precious Seed magazine.
THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS
A Verse-by-Verse Exposition
ISBN: 978-0-7554-9848-2
A thorough verse-by-verse exposition of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Bruce says that Ephesians unfolds God’s glorious purpose for the church, which should break down color and class barriers. “Only Christ can bring together people on either side of these barricades by first bringing them to himself.” This book is intended for the general Christian reader, not for the scholar. Therefore Bruce deals only lightly with textual, linguistic and other critical questions. Bruce’s main aim is to bring out the meaning and message of Paul’s Epistle. “An excellent concise commentary,” said one Amazon reviewer.
THE EPISTLES OF JOHN
A Verse-by-Verse Exposition
ISBN: 978-1-912149-29-2
The Epistles of John, addressed to the Asian Christians at the end of the first century, were written to encourage believers in the face of false teachings and to assure them that they were indeed following the truth of Christ. The temptation to conform the gospel to current fashions of thought is as real today as it was in the time of John.
In this careful verse-by-verse exposition, based on the Revised Version of 1881, F.F. Bruce brings out the message of John’s three short letters for today as well as for when they were written. He denounces, for instance, “political, social or economic presuppositions which are inconsistent with the Father’s love” as “one form or worldliness.” Drawing on his years of scholarship, Bruce presents the meaning of the epistles in a straightforward and understandable way, touching only lightly on textual, critical, and linguistic questions. An Amazon reviewer said, “I found that I have a much fuller understanding of the Johannine epistles as a whole and am able to better make sense of them as a result of this book.”
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
A Verse-by-Verse Exposition
ISBN: 978-1-912149-28-5
“Exactly the sort of work [written] for ordinary Christians who want to know their Bible better,” said D.A. Carson of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
John wrote his Gospel so “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that, believing, you may have life in his name.” For nearly 2,000 years the Gospel’s “straight, unequivocal words about sin and salvation somehow go home,” Bruce quotes, “and carry conviction to the most abandoned, while its direct invitation wins a response that nothing else does.”
This outstanding commentary is easy to read, informative, and intended for the general reader interested in serious Bible study. The translation used is Bruce’s own. He sets passages in their historical and cultural context, compares them with the other three Gospel accounts, and opens the meaning of the verses. The book has won such praises as “scholarly, concise, and practical”; “the best overall commentary on the Gospel of John”; and “clear-headed and consistently informative.” Walter Elwell, former professor of Bible and Theology at Wheaton College, said Professor Bruce’s commentary “draws out the rich depths of this marvelous Gospel.”
Insert the following between “The New Testament Development of Old Testament Themes” and “The Pauline Circle” –
THE NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS
Are They Reliable?
ISBN: 978-1-912149-30-8
Sixth edition
Foreword by N.T. Wright
Christianity Today voted The New Testament Documents one of the top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals.
In this modern classic, one of evangelicalism’s most respected scholars makes a clear case for the historical trustworthiness of the New Testament. In concise, clearly written chapters, Bruce explores the canon and dating of the New Testament, the nature of the Gospels, the life and writings of Paul, and archaeological and literary sources of the New Testament period. The result is an expert, convincing and thoroughly engaging affirmation of the reliability of the New Testament documents.
N.T. Wright says in his introduction, “Fred Bruce was simply one of those people who knew more than most, could marshall his knowledge and present it clearly and simply. . . . There are many recent books which explore the New Testament from a wide variety of angles. But this book is far from being out of date. Indeed, it remains one of the best popular introductions available. Enjoy it; think about it; use it as the basis for further exploration.”
This edition also contains an article entitled “Are the New Testament Documents Still Reliable?” that Professor Bruce wrote 35 years after the first publication of the book.
THE LETTERS OF PAUL
An Expanded Paraphrase
ISBN: 978-1-912149-10-0
“This book is perhaps the most accessible introduction to the writings of St. Paul ever written in modern English, said an Amazon reviewer. That’s because Professor Bruce does not approach his “expanded paraphrase” as a Bible translator, but as a storyteller recounting the life of Paul after his conversion and his correspondence with churches and individuals. Bruce’s historical setting of the letters and his effort to make the “course of Paul’s argument as clear as possible” will open familiar passages with new insight and understanding. The Letters of Paul “is really a treasure – it is illuminating and beautiful,” says Goodreads reviewer Milton Goodwin.
The 13 letters of Paul are in approximate chronological order with a fascinating historical background for each. Originally published as a diglot with the Revised Version of 1881, this edition contains only Professor Bruce’s paraphrase so that the reader can compare it with a favorite translation.
THE NEW TESTAMENT DEVELOPMENT OF OLD TESTAMENT THEMES
Seven Old Testament Themes Perfectly Fulfilled in Jesus Christ
ISBN: 978-1-912149-01-8
After His resurrection, Jesus met two disciples and explained everything the Old Testament said about Himself. F.F. Bruce opens the context of the New Testament writers’ understanding of the Old Testament by focusing on seven Old Testament themes that, he says, “are fulfilled in Jesus.” This book demonstrates Bruce’s academic credibility.
• The rule of God over all creation is fulfilled in Christ’s kingship.
• The salvation of God, as demonstrated in the Exodus, is fulfilled in Christ’s death and resurrection.
• The victory of God, as promised in the return from exile, is fulfilled in Christ’s victory over sin and death.
• The people of God, established by His covenant with Israel, is fulfilled in Christ’s calling twelve disciples to be the beginning of a “New Israel.”
• The promises God gave to David’s kingship are fulfilled in Christ’s kingship.
• The servant messiah, especially as found in Isaiah 40-55, is fulfilled in Christ, who came to “not to be served, but to serve.”
• The shepherd king, especially as found in Zechariah, is fulfilled in Christ who presented himself as the Shepherd of Israel.
THE PAULINE CIRCLE
Engaging Portraits of Paul’s Friends, Co-workers, Hosts and Hostesses
ISBN: 978-1-912149-17-9
“Paul,” writes F.F. Bruce, “attracted friends around him as a magnet attracts iron filings. He had that warm and outgoing kind of personality which draws out people’s good will and affection.” The New Testament evidence for Paul’s wide circle of friends is plentiful, both in Paul’s own writings and in the Book of Acts.
In each of the first ten chapters, Professor Bruce engagingly pictures one of Paul’s associates: Ananias and the disciples at Damascus, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Luke, Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos, Titus, Onesimus, and Mark. The last two chapters briefly introduce co-workers and hosts and hostesses, who “had no other motive in being so helpful than love of Paul and love of the Master whom he served.”
In creating these portraits, Bruce examines the relationships of the first-century Christians and gives a clear understanding of people who influenced the New Testament church.
THE SPREADING FLAME
The Rise and Progress of Christianity from Its First Beginning to A.D. 800
ISBN: 978-1-912149-11-7
The picture that emerges from this story of the early church – from its infancy to the conversion of the English in about A.D. 800 – is one of a church that is an unquenchable spiritual force organized for tribulation. Its spiritual resources are never stronger than in times of seeming disaster. Bruce gives the reader a feel for the evangelistic fervor of the Apostles and the early Christians in a narrative filled with solid, well-reasoned, richly researched facts. “The way in which Bruce conveys the sweeping narrative of the New Testament is simply enthralling. I found myself not being able to put the book down,” said blogger and campus minister Chris Hall. “The book on Church History for which we have been waiting” – Christian Graduate
UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL CRITICISM
What It Is * What It Does * Why It Matters
ISBN: 978-1-912149-12-4
Introduction by David Capes, Associate Dean, Wheaton College
The term “biblical criticism” simply means discerning the most accurate text of the Bible (“textual criticism”) and then exploring issues such as who wrote the various books of the Bible, when they were written, and the circumstances of the writing (“higher criticism”). Yet because the word “criticism” can imply fault-finding and because some prominent biblical critics come to their study with skepticism of the historical value of the Bible, biblical criticism often stirs up suspicion or even hostility. F.F. Bruce assures us that we don’t have to be afraid of biblical criticism – textual, higher, source, form, or other approaches. Instead, he says, biblical criticism “can serve to confirm the validity of the Gospel record.” He explains and demonstrates biblical criticism “in non-technical language,” says biographer Tim Grass. “The essays in this book are clearly and concisely written,” says Dr. David Capes. “They demonstrate a deep knowledge of the subject, and they flow from an even deeper and abiding commitment to Christ and faith.”
This ebook includes articles originally appearing in Christianity Today, Essential Christianity, Precious Seed, and The Christian Librarian.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE WORK OF CHRIST
Jesus Past, Present and Future
ISBN: 978-1-912149-13-1
Who was Jesus? What did He do? What is He doing now? And what is He going to do? F.F. Bruce lets the Bible speak for itself in this brief but illuminating introduction to the past, present, and future work of Jesus. The book is a perfect starting point for both individual and group study. Each page exhibits Bruce’s spiritual maturity and his intimacy with Christ. “By his present work,” says the author, “Christ gives his people the grace to endure; his future work will bring them final salvation and victory.”