The Faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah: A Gospel Emphasis

by Walter D. Zorn

Publisher:

Wipf and Stock

, 2020

Overview

Strange how one little word, the Greek word pistis, can make a profound difference in understanding the Bible. Pistis is usually translated "faith," but in different contexts of the New Testament the word can have several other meanings such as "faithfulness," "trustworthiness," "solemn promise or oath," "proof or pledge," "conviction," and "doctrine (of the Christian faith)." This book will challenge the reader's understanding of Paul's expression pistis Christou, "faith/faithfulness of Christ," and the use of the pistis word group (verb, noun, and adjective) throughout the New Testament. Given the Old Testament background to this word, one will learn how the apostle Paul utilized an obscure phrase from the prophet Habakkuk to refer to a coming Messiah who in turn lived in faithfulness to the Father's will to die on a cross for the sins of the world. This book will reveal how the gospel is emphasized throughout the New Testament in terms of "the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah." New and fresh interpretations of various texts will challenge the traditional understandings of such texts. When a person comprehends pistis as God's faithfulness and the Messiah's faithfulness, the only human response is pistis itself, meaning faithfulness as described in Hebrews 11. God is faithful and Jesus is faithful. Will he find us faithful?

Praise for The Faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah

“Walter Zorn has done biblical scholarship a service. Not only does he make a strong case for taking pistis Iesou as ‘the faithfulness of Jesus’ instead of ‘[our] faith in Jesus,’ but he also works out the implications of this understanding throughout the New Testament canon.”

—Carl Bridges, Lecturer in Bible, Johnson University



“Finding grace, challenge, and scholarship in the same book is rare. With careful scholarship, Dr. Zorn shows that New Testament writers focus on Jesus’ faithfulness as God’s means for offering a new gift of grace. Thankfully God’s grace is grounded in Jesus’ faithfulness, not mine, or yours.”

—Ron Simkins, author of Truth, Tears, Turning, and Trusting



“Dr. Zorn summons the battle cry of the reformation, ‘Sola Fide’ (Hab 2:4) for a prediction that Messiah’s faithfulness would secure salvation for faithful followers. Jesus’ faithfulness through temptations, trials, and death fulfilled that prediction and the law’s ‘no blood no forgiveness.’ Zorn’s work deepens the NT means and message of salvation and offers the reader strong incentive to faithfulness in Christian life and witness.”

—Thomas G. Ewald, author of Judas and the Criminal Mind



“For over forty years, Dr. Zorn passionately engaged in a thorough reading and analysis of the writings of past and present scholars on both sides of the ‘the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah’ debate. His study of the Greek word, pistis, leads to insightful applications in each book of the New Testament.”

—Nancy J. Olson, Director of Library Services, Lincoln Christian University

Product Details

• Title: The Faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah: A Gospel Emphasis
• Author: Walter D. Zorn
• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Print Publication Date: 2020
• Logos Release Date: 2020
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Ebook
• ISBNs: 9781725283152, 9781725283138, 1725283131, 9781725283145, 172528314X, 1725283158
• Resource ID: LLS:9781725283152
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-04-22T17:42:59Z

About the Author

Walter D. Zorn is professor emeritus of Old Testament and biblical languages at Lincoln Christian University, Lincoln, Illinois. He earned his PhD from Michigan State University having written a dissertation on “Mark and the Samaritans.” He is the coauthor and author of two volumes of a Psalms commentary in the College Press NIV Commentary Series (1999, 2004). He contributed chapters on Psalms and Wisdom Literature in an Old Testament Introduction in the same series. Zorn wrote commentary for the Standard Publishing Commentary for Teachers for many years.