What did Jesus and the early Christians believe about death, resurrection, heaven and hell, human destiny and God's ultimate purpose for creation? And what are the implications for Christian doctrine today? Drawing on his acclaimed work in biblical hermeneutics, Thiselton shows how methods and insights from the philosophy of language can clarify our perception of the New Testament data and help us develop a more rounded, coherent and biblically based understanding of God's planfor the world and for humanity.