Ben Witherington III 
Letters and Homilies for Jewish Christians [EPUB ebook] 
A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on Hebrews, James and Jude

Preface
Abbreviations
Part 1: The Sermon to the Hebrews
Introduction to Hebrews
Authorship, Provenance and Date of Hebrews
Intertextuality, Greek Style, Rhetoric and Literary Structure of Hebrews
The Heavenly High Priest: Christology in Hebrews
Recognition and Canonization of Hebrews
Bibliography on Hebrews
Hebrews
Exordium: The Radiance of the Son (Heb 1:1-4)
A Closer Look: God and the Son: The Question of Divine Identity
A Closer Look: The Psalms in Hebrews and Elsewhere in the New Testament and Their Christological Use
Exposition and Exhortation, Round One: The Sevenfold Witness and the
Greater Salvation (Heb 1:5-2:4)
Exposition and Exhortation, Round Two: Lower Than the Angels,
Greater Than Moses, Gone Through the Heavens, Entering His Rest
(Heb 2:5-3:19)
A Closer Look: The Rhetoric of Encomium: Heroic Trailblazer, Liberator and High Priest
A Closer Look: The Completion/Perfection of Jesus and His Brothers and Sisters
The One Greater Than Moses Requires a Better Response and Provides a Better Result (Heb 3:1-19)
The ‘Rest’ of the Story (Heb 4:1-13)
A Closer Look: Sabbath Rest for Jewish Christians?
A Closer Look: The End and Aims of Eschatology in Hebrews
Exposition and Exhortation, Round Three: The Well-Tested High Priest (Heb 4:14-5:10)
Exhortation: Avoid Apostasy, Imitate Those Persevering (Heb 5:11-6:12)
A Closer Look: The Exegetical Arm-Wrestling of Protestants over
Hebrews 6:1-6: A ‘Taste’ of the Debate
Transitus: The Forefather and the Foreshadowed Priest (Heb 6:13-20)
A Closer Look: Let Us Praise Our High Priest
Central Exposition, Part One: Abraham, Melchizedek and Jesus (Heb 7:1-8:6)
A Closer Look: Covenant or Testament?
Central Exposition, Part Two: Christ, the Sacrifice of the New Covenant (Heb 8:7-10:18)
Exhortation: Holding on Unswervingly as the Day Approaches (Heb 10:19-39)
The Rough Ride to the Kingdom (Heb 11:1-12:17)
A Closer Look: The Use of Examples in Epideictic Rhetoric
A Closer Look: Resident Aliens in Their Own City
A Closer Look: A Guide for Those Perplexed by Hebrews 11:32-38
Peroration: Theophanies Behind and Before Them (Heb 12:18-29)
A Closer Look: Realized Eschatology in Hebrews?
Final Exhortations and Epistolary Closing (Heb 13:1-25)
Bridging the Horizons
The Conquest of Faith and the Climax of History (Heb 12:1-4, 18-29)
Part 2: James the Homily
Introduction to James
Text History and Interpretation of James
Language of James
Voice and Rhetorical Character of James
Jesus? Sayings in James
Authorship of James
Social Ethos of James?s Audience and Home Congregation
Structure of James
Bibliography on James
James
Epistolary Prescript (Jas 1:1)
Exordium: Of Trials and Temptations and Standing the Test (Jas 1:2-18)
A Closer Look: Being Frank with Francis
Propositio: Quick Listening, Slowing Speaking, Insistent Doing of the Word (Jas 1:19-27)
A Closer Look: The Word or the Law? James?s View
Elaboration of Themes, Part One: Rich and Poor, Word and Deed (Jas 2:1-26)
A Closer Look: The Voice of Jesus in the Rhetoric of James
A Closer Look: Dueling Apostles? The Discussion Ancient and Modern
Elaboration of Themes, Part Two: Teachers Taming the Tongue (Jas 3:1-18)
A Closer Look: James: Sapiential Scribe or Creative Sage?
Elaboration of Themes, Part Three: Combating the Desires and Antiwisdom of the Mercenary and Military Mentality (Jas 4:1-5:6)
A Closer Look: The Social Setting of James Once More
A Closer Look: The Use of the Terms ‘Lord’ and ‘Righteous One’ in James 5
Peroration: Wait, Pray, Rescue the Wandering for the Lord Is Coming (Jas 5:7-20)
James and the Author of Hebrews?Twin Sons of Different Mothers?
Bridging the Horizons
Part 3: Jude–Another Brother's Sermon
Introduction to Jude
Jude–the Man
Galilee and the Hellenizing of the Holy Land
Jude–the Discourse: Its Rhetoric and Relationships
Jude?s Audience
Greek Text of Jude
Bibliography on Jude
Jude
Epistolary Prescript and Opening Discourse Elements: ‘Necessity Arose’

Ben Witherington III is Amos Professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary and a well-known expert in his field. He is the author of over forty books, including Conflict and Community in Corinth and a two-volume New Testament theology, The Indelible Image. He speaks widely, is a frequent guest on radio and television, and blogs at patheos.com.