Many Christians share the assumption that the preaching of the word of God is at the heart of God's plans for the gospel in our age; that it is vital for the church's health; and that it is the central task of the pastor-teacher. Many helpful books on preaching are available, but the vast majority are concerned with 'how to"; relatively few focus primarily on the character and theology of preaching according to Scripture. Two key, interrelated questions need to be addressed. First, is there such a thing as 'preaching' that is mandated in the post-apostolic context - and, if there is, how is it defined and characterized? Second, how does post-apostolic 'preaching' relate to the preaching of the Old Testament prophets and of Jesus and his apostles? Jonathan Griffiths seeks answers to these questions in the New Testament. In Part 1, he gives an overview of the theology of the word of God, surveys Greek terms related to preaching and looks at teaching concerning the scope and character of other word ministries in the life of the church. In Part 2, his exegetical studies concentrate on teaching that relates especially to the post-apostolic context. In Part 3, he summarizes the exegetical findings, sets them within the context of biblical theology and proposes a number of broad theological implications -- Back Cover.