To the Jew First: The Case for Jewish Evangelism in Scripture and History
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”(Rom. 1:16 esv)Organized around the biblical mandate in Romans 1:16,To the Jew Firstis a comprehensive look at the biblical, theological, historical, and practical basis for Jewish evangelism. Featuring the scholarship of leading North American theologians—representing a range of theological views—it stands to become a widely used textbook and definitive resource for pastors, missionaries, and evangelists.ContributorsRichard A. AverbeckCraig A. BlaisingDarrell L. BockJ. Lanier BurnsArnold G. FruchtenbaumMitch GlaserArthur F. GlasserWalter C. Kaiser Jr.Kai Kjaer-HansenBarry R. LeventhalRichard L. Pratt Jr.Michael RydelnikMark A. SeifridDavid L. TurnerTopics DiscussedPart I,Bible, explores the meaning of Paul’s phrase “to the Jew first,” the role of Israel in God’s overarching plan of salvation, Jewish evangelism in the book of Acts, the relationship between evangelism and Jesus’ arguments with Jewish leaders, the work of the Holy Spirit in evangelism, and more.Part II,Theology,examines the future of Israel, the church’s stance toward Jewish evangelism in a post-Holocaust world, the gospel for the Jews from both a Dispensational and Reformed perspective, the theological implications of “to the Jew first,” and more.Part III,Mission, first looks at the history of Jewish missions in the past century; it then treats the missiological dimensions and importance of Jewish evangelism, as well as the gospel’s ramifications for both Jew and Gentile.Darrell L. Bock(Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) is research professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. A former president of the Evangelical Theological Society, he is the author of numerous works in New Testament studies, including notable commentaries on Luke and Acts.Mitch Glaser(Ph.D., Fuller Seminary) is the president of Chosen People Ministries. Mitch studied with the esteemed Charles Feinberg at Talbot School of Theology. A Messianic Jew, he has labored for more than thirty years in ministry among the Jewish people. His doctorate is in intercultural studies.