The essays in this volume are an expression of appreciation of Wendell Lee Willis, who recently retired after a distinguished career as a classroom teacher, colleague, and scholar. Current and former colleagues have written to advance Wendell's research interests in the various contexts of early Christianity, particularly in the apostle Paul, New Testament ethics, and ecclesiology. Essays include discussions of issues related to Paul's correspondence with the church in Corinth and the depiction of Paul in Acts, Jesus's parables, meals, and the religious and socio-political world in which Christianity arose.

James W. Thompson is Scholar in Residence at the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University. He is the author of the Paideia commentaries on Hebrews (2008) and Philippians (2016); and The Church according to Paul: Rediscovering the Community Conformed to Christ (2014).
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Richard A. Wright is Associate Professor of New Testament at the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University. He has published on the cultural world of early Christianity.