This volume gathers writings about the Spirit and Christ by notable scholars including Richard Bauckham, D. A. Carson, James Dunn, and many others. Covering topics that are relevant for the worldwide church today -- the life-giving work of the Spirit, the Spirit in Luke and Acts, the gift of the Spirit in John 19-20, pneumatology and justifi cation, community life through the Spirit, and more -- the twenty essays included will be a welcome resource for scholars and ministers. The Spirit and Christ in the New Testament and Christian Theology is also a fitting tribute to honoree Max Turner, whose outstanding scholarship has focused on pneumatology and Christology.Contributors: Richard Bauckham Cornelis Bennema D. A. Carson James D. G. Dunn Conrad Gempf Joel B. Green Desta Heliso Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen Anthony N. S. Lane John R. Levison I. Howard Marshall Graham McFarlane Robert P. Menzies Steve Motyer André Munzinger Volker Rabens Mark L. Strauss John Christopher Thomas Chris Tilling Robert W. Wall Steve Walton
What did exhortations to follow Jesus or imitate Christ mean to early Christians? Cornelis Bennema examines mimesis as a religious-ethical concept in early Christianitythe imitation of Jesus (and other exemplars) to become a better, more Christlike person. Situating appeals for imitation in the New Testament and Apostolic Fathers within the cultural and social context of the broader Greco-Roman world, Bennema shows how early Christian mimesis was not about literal replication, but instead was a creative, cognitive, and transformative means for shaping conduct and character. As part of this study, Bennema explores key questions about the historic origins of early Christian mimesis; the language that early Christian authors used to articulate the concept of mimesis; the scope, nature, and workings of mimesis in each major section of early Christian literature; and how early Christians navigated the challenges of imitating exemplars (such as Paul or Jesus) who were not physically present. Offering well-researched answers to these questions, Bennema provides readers with a nuanced and informative picture of exhortations to imitation in the New Testament and Apostolic Fathers.