Understanding the New Testament - Böcker

John Weston has spent many years leading tours of Biblical sites in the Middle East. Now he has brought together a series of meditations, first on the Isle of Patmos, and then on each of the seven churches in present-day Turkey which are mentioned in the early chapters of the book of Revelation in the Bible. With his attractive, alliterative style, the author transports the reader to the place where the Apostle John saw his apocalyptic vision of Jesus Christ. What was it like? What were the themes which were unfolded to him? Reading the first chapter, one could almost be sitting in the Apostle's cave on the Isle of Patmos as the tour guide sets the scene! At appropriate points the explanation is reinforced with a familiar (or unfamiliar) hymn. John, in his vision, received dictated letters for seven first-century churches in cities of the country which is now Turkey. The author leads the reader to each church in turn and the significance of the correspondence it received is reviewed from historical, prophetic and topical points of view. Strong arguments are advanced for the continuing relevance of these letters to churches and individual Christians today.The tour ends with a grand review of each place visited and the comparative lessons to be learned. So is the book simply a tour guide? As preparation for, a souvenir of, or a virtual replacement for a tour of Patmos and the Seven Churches, this book is ideal. But it is much more than that. As an easy-to-read meditation on the early chapters of the book of Revelation, considered within the framework of the prophetic and practical teachings of the rest of the Old and New Testaments, it is a valuable aid to those who really want to know the relevance of Revelation for the twenty-first century Christian.

Hamilton Smith (1862-1943), born in Barnes, Surrey, the son of a sea captain, was employed in the office of his uncle's building firm, where he was later joined by his cousin F B Hole. By 1901, married and living in Sutton, Surrey, with his wife and young family, he had retired from the building trade and entered full-time upon the task of building up the church of God. Later in life, he moved to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, his wife Rachel's home county. His personal ministry was delivered in the United Kingdom, but his written ministry continues to be read worldwide. Along with H P Barker, A J Pollock, J T Mawson and F B Hole he frequently contributed articles to "Scripture Truth" magazine, which often provided the basis for books later published by the Central Bible Truth Depot. Hamilton Smith's written expositions of the Scriptures are brief: in keeping with a desire "to be nothing and to give Christ all the glory". Yet they are clear and very much to the point: "If we present doctrines with all the arguments for and against, leaving our hearers to judge whether it be true or not, we shall hardly be speaking with authority, but rather as those who are groping for the truth.We are to speak as those who, by grace, know the certainty of the truth they proclaim." He is probably best known for his Old Testament character studies, but he also wrote topical studies and expositions of Bible books. The present volume consists of a verse-by-verse study of the Gospel of Mark, with particular emphasis on the dispensational approach to its interpretation and application.

Hamilton Smith (1862-1943), born in Barnes, Surrey, the son of a sea captain, was employed in the office of his uncle's building firm, where he was later joined by his cousin F B Hole. By 1901, married and living in Sutton, Surrey, with his wife and young family, he had retired from the building trade and entered full-time upon the task of building up the church of God. Later in life, he moved to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, his wife Rachel's home county. His personal ministry was delivered in the United Kingdom, but his written ministry continues to be read worldwide. Along with H P Barker, A J Pollock, J T Mawson and F B Hole he frequently contributed articles to "Scripture Truth" magazine, which often provided the basis for books later published by the Central Bible Truth Depot. Hamilton Smith's written expositions of the Scriptures are brief: in keeping with a desire "to be nothing and to give Christ all the glory". Yet they are clear and very much to the point: "If we present doctrines with all the arguments for and against, leaving our hearers to judge whether it be true or not, we shall hardly be speaking with authority, but rather as those who are groping for the truth.We are to speak as those who, by grace, know the certainty of the truth they proclaim." He is probably best known for his Old Testament character studies, but he also wrote topical studies and expositions of Bible books. The present volume consists of a verse-by-verse study of the Gospel of Mark, with particular emphasis on the dispensational approach to its interpretation and application.