Abraham: His Life and Times by William J. Deane

Caravaggio's Sacrifice of Isaac - public domain - Source: Wikipedia
Caravaggio’s Sacrifice of Isaac – public domain – Source: Wikipedia

William J. Deane [1853-1943] provides a detailed study of the life of Abraham and assumes that the biblical account is reliable and accurate. This title is in the public domain.

William J. Deane [1853-1943], Abraham: His Life and Times. London: James Nisbet & Co., n.d. Hbk. pp.179. [Click to visit the download page for this title]

Contents

  • Preface
    1. Abram’s Birthplace
    2. First Call
    3. Second Call
    4. The Promised Land
    5. Egypt
    6. Separation
    7. Chedorlaomer
    8. The Covenant
    9. Hagar – Circumcision
    10. Sodom
    11. Gerar and Beersheba
    12. Temptation
    13. Machpaleh
    14. Isaac’s Marriage
    15. Closing years – Death

Preface

The materials for the facts of the life of Abraham are found in Holy Scripture, in the Book of Genesis, and in some of the later writings. I have taken it for granted that these statements are authentic, and have not thought it necessary to follow Ewald and his school in distinguishing the various authors of them, assigning this to” the Book of origins,” and that to the First narrator, and that to the Second, and so on. Nor have 1 esteemed the details thus given as accretions that have grown up round a great central figure in the lapse of centuries, the outcome of hero-worship, the result of a natural desire to accumulate on a great forefather anything that would tend to elevate his personal character ·or exalt the favour with which he was regarded by God…

Charles Ellicott’s Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles

Charles John Ellicott [1819-1905]
By Herbert R. Barraud (died 1896), Public Domain Source: Wikipedia.
In order to get the most from Bishop Charles Ellicott’s commentary on the Pastoral Epistles you will need a good grasp of Greek. Despite its age, this commentary still seems to be in demand, so I was very pleased to find one at Book Aid recently. This title is in the public domain.

Charles John Ellicott [1819-1905], The Pastoral Epistles of St. Paul: With a critical and Grammatical commentary and a revised translation, 3rd edn. London: Longmans, Green Reader & Dyer, 1869. Hbk. pp.263. [Click to visit the download page for this title]

Table of Contents

  • Preface to the Third Edition
  • Preface to the Second Edition
  • Preface to the First Edition
  • Introduction
  • Commentary on 1 Timothy
  • Introduction
  • Commentary on 2 Timothy
  • Introduction
  • Commentary on Titus
  • Translation: The First Epistle to Timothy
  • Translation: The Second Epistle to Timothy
  • Translation: The Epistle to Titus

Introduction

The date and general circumstances under which this and the accompanying Epistles were written have long been the subjects of discussion and controversy.

As our opinion on these points must first be stated, it may be said briefly,-(a) that when we duly consider that close connexion in thought, subject, expressions, and style, which exists between the First Epistle to Timothy and the other two Pastoral Epistles, it seems in the highest degree incredible that they could have been composed at intervals of time widely separated from each other. When we further consider (b) the almost insuperable difficulty in assigning any period for the composition of this group of Epistles in that portion of the Apostle’s life and labours included in the Acts; (c) the equally great or even greater difficulty in harmonizing the notes of time and place in these Epistles with those specified in the Apostle’s journeys as recorded by St Luke…

Biblical Interpretation by Edwin Cyril Blackman

Edwin Cyril Blackman, Biblical Interpretation. The Old Difficulties and the New OpportunityThis book on biblical interpretation deals with the issue of biblical authority and surveys the history of biblical interpretation. According to the blurb on the dustjacket the author “…shows the Bible is still the Word of God for mankind, and the work of the scholars enables it to be more easily understood and proclaimed by this generation”. Edwin Cyril Blackman is perhaps best known for his classic work Marcion and His Influence (SPCK, 1948).

This book is still in copyright. Permission to reproduce it on-line has been granted by E.C. Blackman’s family and the United Reformed Church. It can be used for educational purposes, but not sold for profit without permission from the copyright holders.

Edwin Cyril Blackman, Biblical Interpretation. The Old Difficulties and the New Opportunity. London: Independent Press Ltd., 1957. Hbk. pp.212. [Click to visit the download page for this title]

Contents

  • Preface
    1. Introductory
    2. The Question of Authority
    3. The Development of Exegesis
    4. Modern Criticism
    5. The Present Task in Biblical Interpretation
  • Index

Preface

The aim of this book is to serve ‘the cause of true exposition. The three longer chapters IV-VI are more obviously related to that purpose than the others. Chapter IV is historical, and tries to give an impression of how Christian teachers and preachers through nineteen centuries have in fact expounded the Bible. Chapter VI is intended to be a climax in that it ventures to lay down canons of exegesis for the preacher today. It seemed advisable to preface these larger chapters with some discussion of issues about which it is essential for the preacher to have a right judgment: the significance of the Bible as Revelation, the authority of the Bible in the setting of the general problem of moral and spiritual authority, and the function and limits of historical criticism as applied to the Bible….

For more resources on biblical hermeneutics click here.