Jacob Elias

Jacob

Professor Emeritus of New Testament

  • B.A., University of Saskatchewan, 1964
  • B.D., Mennonite Biblical Seminary, 1968
  • Th.D., Toronto School of Theology, 1978

Email: jelias@ambs.edu
Phone: 574 296-6201

Curriculum Vitae

To download a print-quality photo, click on the small photo at right.

When he teaches, Jacob works at creating an environment in which transforming learning can occur. By singing the Lord's Prayer in Greek, simulating the experiences of believers in Corinth, or viewing slides or videos about the Bible lands, students in his courses experience the biblical text in its context.

Jacob served as pastor in Vancouver, British Columbia (1968-74) before coming to AMBS in 1977. He was director of field education at AMBS (1978-81), then dean (1981-90). Jacob taught at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India, in 1991 and at Good News Theological College and Seminary, Accra, Ghana, in 1999. Since 2001 Jacob and Lillian, his wife, have served as co-pastors of Parkview Mennonite Church, Kokomo, Ind.

"My identity as pastor and Bible teacher continues to be shaped and challenged by my study of Paul's pastoral and missionary theology. As a Jew trained in the Scriptures and transformed by the revelation of Christ to him, Paul felt called to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through letters Paul extended pastoral care to the churches that emerged.

My desire is to invite students to walk with Paul and our other sisters and brothers in Christ within the biblical story both to gain theological understanding and to be equipped for faithful ministry in our time and place."

Scholarship

  • Remember the Future: The Pastoral Theology of Paul the Apostle (Herald Press, 2005)
  • "A New Testament Model for Ministry and Leadership" in The Heart of the Matter: Pastoral Ministry in Anabaptist Perspective (Cascadia, 2004)
  • "The New has Come: An Exegetical and Theological Discussion of 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:10" in Beautiful upon the Mountains: Biblical Essays on Mission, Peace, and the Reign of God (Institute of Mennonite Studies / Herald Press, 2003)
  • "Faithfulness and Unity in Romans" in Without Spot or Wrinkle (Occasional Papers 21, Institute of Mennonite Studies, 2000)
  • 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Believers Church Bible Commentary (Herald, 1995)

Speakers Bureau Presentations

  • Paul's Theology and Ethics
  • Ministry and Leadership in the New Testament
  • Remember the Future: The Pastoral Theology of Paul the Apostle