Ethical Dimensions of the Prophets - by Joseph Jensen (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Do the Old Testament prophets have a stake in modern ethics? They had a great impact in shaping Israel's ethics, and they should also have an impact on ours, writes biblical scholar Joseph Jensen.

In Ethical Dimensions of the Prophets, Jensen shows us how the prophets never soft-peddled God's message. Jeremiah lashed out against a tyrannical king. Hosea accused Israel of harlotry for worshiping false gods. And Amos railed about the God's wrath because Israel failed to behave compassionately toward the weak and the poor.

Jensen wants readers to hear the prophets in their own terms as they addressed their biblical contemporaries. Yet he asserts that the teachings of the prophets contain valuable lessons for us to ponder and apply today, particularly when it comes to social justice. This book is designed for readers eager to move beyond an introductory understanding of the Bible.

Review Quotes

. . . a useful and challenging work.Trinity Seminary Review

The book will be of interest to students of the Old Testament as well as all those wishing to know more about the origins of the Judaeo-Christian ethical stance.Catholic Library World

The scholarly work has readers hearing the prophets in their own terms as they addressed their contemporaries. It includes valuable lessons for modern-day readers to ponder and apply today, particularly when it comes to social justice.Crux

This book helps fill a void in the study of ancient Israel's prophetic literature.The Catholic Biblical Quarterly

. . . a thoughtful discussion of the teachings of the prophets, written for intermediate to advanced Biblical scholars. Ethical Dimensions of the Prophets especially notes the strength and fervency of the prophets' messages of social equality, the importance of justice, and the evils of tyranny. A serious-minded discussion that reviews the prophets both in terms of their era and in terms of how their message in ethics and morals speaks to modern times.The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Jensen makes a significant contribution to biblical ethics with the understanding of prophetic ethics as linked with values and a way of living in response to a defining covenant relationship. As such it is important reading for the biblically-orientated ethicist and theological.Catholic Studies

The book is full of astute observations . . .Interpretation