A Companion to the New Testament

Matthew L. Skinner is Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he has taught courses in interpreting the New Testament for over fifteen years. His previous books include Intrusive God, Disruptive Gospel: Encountering the Divine in the Book of Acts (Brazos Press, 2015) and The Trial Narratives: Conflict, Power, and Identity in the New Testament (Westminster John Knox Press, 2010). He has also contributed to a number of resources for church leaders, scholars, and students, including The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology (Oxford University Press, 2015), The New Interpreter's Bible One-Volume Commentary (Abingdon Press, 2010), and Theological Bible Commentary (Westminster John Knox Press, 2009). He has written about the Bible and its interpretation for the websites Working Preacher, ON Scripture, and Huffington Post Religion and is a longtime co-host of a popular podcast for preachers, Sermon Brainwave.

For a textbook, there are some impressively constructed and theologically profound sentences throughout that will delight the reader. For teachers, ministers, church members, and students, Companion to the New Testament: Paul and the Pauline Letters provides ample opportunities to learn from the content and theological beauty of Skinner's reading of Paul's letters. --Kara Lyons-Pardue "Currents in Theology and Mission" I recommend this volume to students and interpreters of Paul. It uses simple, nontechnical language, with explanations that aid easy understanding. Of the many interpretations of Paul and his letters that exist, this monograph excels for the attention it dedicates to backgrounds and influences. --Mary Sylvia Nwachukwu "Catholic Biblical Quarterly" Pauline textbooks are a dime a dozen, but Skinner's Companion provides seminarians and graduate students a competent guide through the theological maze of the Pauline corpus. A seasoned seminary teacher and well-published NT scholar, Skinner anticipates student questions, outlines the material logically and clearly, and deals deftly with potential obstacles (for example, the issue of authorship or the role of women in the Pauline mission). --Carla Swafford Works "Religious Studies Review" Skinner writes for an audience that includes especially students (theological schools, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates), but the work will be useful, and accessible, to others who have interest in exploring the content and contemporary relevance of the New Testament. The three volumes reflect the breadth and depth of knowledge and the skill of a superb exegete and master teacher. --John T. Carroll "Interpretation: Journal of Bible and Theology" Teachers who share Skinner's concern for opening the meaning of the New Testament for their students will want to consider these volumes. -- "The Bible Today"