Slave of Christ: Volume 8 A New Testament Metaphor for Total Devotion to Christ(New Studies in Biblical Theology)

The New Testament finds many ways to depict the relationship of Christians and their Lord. They are his disciples, sons, daughters and friends. But it is perhaps too little recognized that they are also his slaves.In this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume, Murray J. Harris sets out to uncover what it means to be a slave of Christ. He begins by assessing the nature of actual slavery in the Greco-Roman world and the New Testament's attitude towards it. Drawing insights from this, he goes on to unfold the metaphor of slavery to Christ. Among the topics discussed are slavery and spiritual freedom, lordship, ownership, and privilege.Slave of Christ is a model of good biblical theology, providing insights both for future study of the Bible and for practical application.Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.

Table of Contents:
Series Preface Author's Preface Abbreviations 1. Introduction Reasons for This Study The Metaphor of Slavery The Expression 'Slave(s) of God' The Expression 'Slave(s) of Christ' 2. Slavery in the Roman Empire in the First Century AD Jewish Slavery Greek Slavery Roman Slavery Ancient and Modern Slavery 3. The New Testament Attitude Towards Physical Slavery Slaves and Slave-owning The 'slave-free' Contrast Imagery Drawn from Slavery Aspects of Slavery Repudiated New Attitudes Inculcated Paul's Letter to Philemon Concluding Observations 4. Slavery and freedom Freedom and Slavery Freedom from Slavery Freedom for Slavery Freedom in Slavery 5. Slavery and Lordship The Earliest Christological Confessions The Term Kyrios The Correlativity of Lordship and Slavery Slavery As a Yoke The Slave's Service Slavery to Other People 6. Slavery and Ownership The Fact of Ownership The Means of Ownership The Mark of Ownership 7. Slavery and Privilege The View of G. Sass The View of D. B. Martin Slavery to Christ--For the Few? 'Slave of Christ': its Relation to 'Slave of God' Connotations of Doulos 8. 'Slave of Christ': its Significance in the New Testament Slave Imagery and its Origin The Negative Connotations of Slave Terminology Slavery to Christ as a Wholly Positive Image John 15:15, Galatians 4:7, and the Limitations of the Metaphor The Ideal Conditions of Slavery to Christ 9. 'Slave of Christ': Four New Testament Examples Dorcas Onesiphorus Priscilla and Aquila Appendixes 1. The Use of Doulos in the Septuagint 2. New Testament Terms Denoting Slavery 3. The Translation of Doulos in English Versions of the New Testament Bibliography Index of Authors Index of Subjects Index of Principal Greek and Latin Terms and Phrases Index of Biblical References Index of Other Ancient Authors and Writings

About the Author :
Harris is professor emeritus of New Testament exegesis and theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Formerly, he was warden of Tyndale House at Cambridge University in England. His Ph.D. is from the University of Manchester, where he studied under F. F. Bruce.

Review :
I hope that you are familiar with InterVarsity Press' series titles "New Studies in Biblical Theology.". . .I would like to introduce it to you be previewing one of the volumes that has greatly impacted my view of the Christian life. I appreciate the help in working through the Biblical data provided here by Murray J. Harris. I highly recommend this study to you. "Combines meticulous scholarship and the careful unpacking of a biblical theme that is widely neglected. . . . A most valuable work."