Contents
Abbreviations
Preface
1. Patron and vindicator: God in Mark
Focus and Plan of Investigation
What's in a name? The Names of God in Mark
Patron-Client: God in Relationship
Redefining God's Holiness
What do we know if we know this?
2. Provident, Benevolent, Foolish and Shameful: God in Matthew
Finding God in Matthw
The Nature of God: Covenant and Providence
God in Relationship; Patron and Beneactor
God, Benefactor-Patron, and Jesus, Favorite and Faithful Client
The Kingdom in Matthew
Matthew and his sources: comparative theology
Benefaction, Providence, and theodicy: God in the Acts of Apostles
Introduction
God in relationship: Patron Benefactor-Client Relationships
God and Pruvidence
God and Theodicy
What do we know if we know this?
4. A systematic theology: God in Romans
Introduction, Topic, and Development
Systematic God-Talk in Greco-Roman Philosophy
Paul's theological system: Epistemology, Physics, and Ethics
Paul's Systematic Discussion of the Nature of God
God's Two Powers: Creation and Just judgment
Impartialiy and Inclusively
Diatribal false Questions
Summary and Further Quetions
5. Patronage and Honor, Order and Disorder: God in 1 Corinthians
New crisis, New Theology
God, Paul, Jesus and the Corinthians: Patron-Client Relations
The Honor of God
The God of Order and Holiness
The God of Disorder and Reversal
Summaryand Further Questions
6. Theologies in Conflict: Paul's God in Galatians
Introduction
Patterns of Thought and Persuasion: Rhetoric and Ancient Theology
God as Patron and Benefactor
God's maps of Times: The Two Covenants
God's Attributes and Powers
Summary and Further Topics
7. Who else is called "God"? Jesus in the Fourth Gospel
Introduction
Jesus, Equal to God: God's Two Powers
No One Has Ever Seen God: Jesus, the Appearing Deity of the Scriptures
Jesusas "I AM"
Conclusion
8. Who else is called "God"? Jesus in Hebrews
Focus and Hypothesis
The Shape of Hellenistic God-Talk
Jesus, True God of Heroized Mortal?
Confirmation and Conclusions
Conclusion
Summary
Where do we go from here?
Appendix 1: God-in-Relationship: Patron - Broker - Client
Appendix 2: Be Holy, as I Am Holy: God, Purity, and Order
Appendix 3: Honorand Shame
Bibliography
Index of Subjects
Index of Scripture and Literature

Neyrey here interprets eight key New Testament books, providing a fresh look at theologies in the early church and introducing readers to the diverse ways in which the New Testament writers "render to God the things that are God's." He begins with two Gospels, Mark and Matthew, and moves on to the Acts of the Apostles and three of Paul's letters (Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Galatians). He then examines the formal and precise ways in which Jesus is called God in the Gospel of John and concludes with a discussion of how Hebrews uses "eternity" as a fundamental concept for understanding God. Using a social-science methodology, he offers unique perspective on the biblical text.