Commentaries
Showing 701–800 of 1248 resultsSorted by latest
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Genesis
$24.99Add to cartThis outstanding commentary series just got better; now complete with sermon and teaching outlines at the beginning of each section.
General editor Lloyd J. Ogilvie brings together a team of skilled and exceptional communicators, blending sound scholarship with life-related instructions and useful outline for teaching and preaching.
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Jeremiah-Lamentations
$19.99Add to cartFor those on the firing line in pulpits, classes, study groups, and Bible fellowship clusters, here is a distinctly different kind of commentary. Mastering the Old Testament combines rich resources of the historical setting and textual interpretation with practical application to aid in contemporary Bible study. This commentary provides critical textual exposition, corollary verses or illustrations from other portions of the Bible, and classical or contemporary life-situation illustrations
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Daniel
$24.99Add to cartFor those on the firing line in the pulpits, classes, study groups, and Bible fellowship clusters, here is a distinctly different kind of commentary. Dr. Ferguson has combined detailed examination of the text of Daniel with a theologian’s ability to give an ordered elucidation of theological content. Mastering the Old Testament combines rich resources of the historical setting and textual interpretation with practical application to aid in contemporary Bible study. This commentary provides critical textual exposition, corollary verses or illustrations from other portions of the Bible, and classical or contemporary life-situation illustrations.
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1-2 Kings
$26.99Add to cartAs the English titles indicate, 1 and 2 Kings recount the history of the kings of Israel and Judah. In what way, we might wonder, do these records matter to us today? Dr. Dilday explains: “Even if you have no overbearing curiosity about the lives of the rich and famous, the accounts of the kings of Israel and Judah are still a valuable and intriguing subject for study. The books of Kings illustrate in vivid detail how the Almighty God deals with His people–yesterday and today!
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Leviticus : A Book Of Ritual And Ethics
$49.00Add to cartBuilding upon his life-long work on the Book of Leviticus, Milgrom makes this book accessible to all readers. He demonstrates the logic of Israel’s sacrificial system, the ethical dimensions of ancient worship, and the priestly forms of ritual.
”Values are what Leviticus is all about. They pervade every chapter and almost every verse. You may be surprised to read this, since the dominant view of Leviticus is that it consists only of rituals, such as sacrifices and impurities. This, too, is true: Leviticus does discuss rituals. However, underlying the rituals, the careful reader will find an intricate web of values that purports to model how we should relate to God and to each other.” _ from the Introduction
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1-2 Corinthians : Letters Of Correction
$16.49Add to cart“What did you get out of your Quiet Time today?” was the question Jack Wyrtzen asked Lou that motivated him to start spending personal time in the Word of God each day. Lou began using the Word of Life Quiet Time Diary, and from writing a sentence or two on a passage each day, Lou’s hunger grew for the Word, resulting in this commentary that comes to you. This devotional commentary on the epistles of 1 and 2 Corinthians will help you: Understand your Bible in a new and exciting way each day. Focus on at least one outstanding thought from the passage you are reading. Compare a real life illustration with what the writer is saying. Make a practical application to the verses you are reading each day. Get each member of your family involved with you in family devotions. Memorize a key verse from your passage each week. Cover the entire Bible in six years as you obtain more books in this series.
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Romans : A Roadmap For The Christian Life
$14.99Add to cart“What did you get out of your Quiet Time today?” was the question Jack Wyrtzen asked Lou that motivated him to start spending personal time in the Word of God each day. Lou began using the Word of Life Quiet Time Diary, and from writing a sentence or two on a passage each day, Lou’s hunger grew for the Word, resulting in this commentary that comes to you. This devotional commentary on the epistle of Romans will help you: Understand your Bible in a new and exciting way each day. Focus on at least one outstanding thought from the passage you are reading. Compare a real life illustration with what the writer is saying. Make a practical application to the verses you are reading each day. Get each member of your family involved with you in family devotions. Memorize a key verse from your passage each week. Cover the entire Bible in six years as you obtain more books in this series.
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Romans : Believers Church Bible Commentary
$29.99Add to cartThis commentary on Romans is a rich gift to the contemporary church, its lay leaders, pastors, and scholars. The eighteenth volume in the Believers Church Bible Commentary Series gives new eyes for readers to see what the central message of Romans really is. Growing out of years of scholarship on Romans, professor John E. Toews presents a provocative reinterpretation of Paul’s letter.
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Pauls Letter To The Romans
$48.99Add to cartContinuing his series of highly regarded and innovative socio-rhetorical commentaries on the New Testament, Ben Witherington now tackles Romans, perhaps the most profound and difficult book of the New Testament.
Interacting with recent treatments of this Pauline letter and with ancient Christian commentators, Witherington shows that the interpretation of Romans since the Reformation has been far too indebted to Augustinian readings of the text as filtered through Luther, Calvin, and others. Instead, Witherington urges a reading of the text in light of early Jewish theology, the historical situation of Rome, and Paul’s own rhetorical concerns.
Offering a new translation of the Greek text and new insights into Paul and his world, this commentary sheds fresh light on the meaning of Romans for its original audience and for Christian readers today.
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Isaiah 1-39 : Old Testament 10
$75.99Add to cartEdited by Steven A. McKinion, this volume of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture offers readers access to materials ranging from East to West and from the first through the eighth centuries, some appearing in English translation for the first time. Within this treasure house are riches to illumine the mind and fire the heart
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Matthew : Storyteller Interpreter Evangelist (Revised)
$34.00Add to cartFor the past ten years, the well-received first edition of this commentary has offered readers a way to look at scriptural texts that combines historical, narrative, and contemporary interests. Carter explores Matthew by approaching it from the perspective of the “authorial audience”-by identifying with and reading along with the audience imagined by the author. Now an updated second edition is available as part of a new series focusing on each of the gospel writers as storyteller, interpreter, and evangelist.
This edition preserves the essential identity of the original material, while adding new insights from Carter’s more recent readings of Matthew’s gospel in relation to the Roman Imperial world.
Four of the seventeen chapters have been significantly revised, and most have had minor changes. There are also new endnotes directing readers to Carter’s more recent published work on Matthew. Scholars and pastors will use the full bibliography and appendix on redaction and narrative approaches, while lay readers will appreciate the clear and straightforward text.
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Matthew
$24.99Add to cartFor those on a firing line–in pulpits, classes, Bible study groups, and fellowships, this is a distinctly different kind of commentary. This series combines historical setting and textual interpretation with spiritual insights and contemporary illustrations that are specifically designed for those endowed with the privilege of communicating God’s Word. The end result is a commentary by preachers/teachers for other preachers/teachers that is the ultimate resource for sermon and lesson preparation.
Features:Outlines
Section by section expositions
Illustrations
Applications
Dr. Myron S. Augsburger is a world-recognized scholar, preacher, and teacher. He served as President of Eastern Mennonite University, President of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, inner-city pastor in Washington, D.C., and adjunct professor of theology for several seminaries. He has written more than 20 books. Now retired, he lectures worldwide, including overseas ministries in India, Croatia, and Ethiopia. He and his artist wife, Esther, have three daughters.
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2 Corinthians
$17.00Add to cart1. Suffering And Encouragement
2. Tough Love And Victory
3. Our Mission And Our Glory
4. Christians Courage
5. Ambassadors Far From Home
6. Portrait Of A Passionate Pastor
7. Good News About Giving
8. Authority Of A Fool
9. Powerful Weaklings
10. Last Words : Grace Love And CommunionAdditional Info
“But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)Readers of Second Corinthians are likely to agree that Peter was right about Paul’s letters: “There are some things in them [that are] hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). This accessible Bible Study will help to explain some of those hard things, especially by focusing on what is delightful and inspiring about the biblical book. In 2 Corinthians we find promises of a glorious life after death, interesting and thought-provoking figures of speech describing followers of Christ, powerful stewardship messages, an amazing example of humility and proper respect, and much more. By the end of this study it will be easy to see why the folk at Corinth so loved and revered Paul that they collected this letter and others to save for future generations of believers.
Interpretation Bible Studies (IBS) offers solid biblical content in a creative study format. Forged in the tradition of the celebrated Interpretation commentary series, IBS makes biblical insight available in a dynamic, flexible, and user-friendly resource. Designed for adults and older youth, Interpretation Bible Studies can be used in small groups, in church school classes, in large group presentations, or in personal study. Each volume focuses on ten key passages from a book of the Bible and can serve as the basis for a ten-session study or be easily modified for shorter or longer schedules. Featuring maps, illustrations, definitions of key terms, interesting biblical facts and features, questions for reflection or discussion, as well as leader’s guide in each book with suggestions for group use, IBS combines a great heritage of scholarship with a fresh approach to biblical study.
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Apocalyptic Literature
$25.99Add to cartNowhere is the biblical text stranger than in the apocalyptic literature of the Old and New Testaments. In this volume, Stephen L. Cook makes the puzzling visions and symbols intelligible to modern readers. He begins with definitions of apocalypticism and apocalyptic literature as he introduces readers to the social and historical worlds of the apocalyptic groups. He then addresses the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation and other important but lesser-known examples.
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Psalms 73-150
$37.99Add to cartThe Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries series is designed to provide critical yet accessible information for college and seminary students as well as pastors. In Psalms 73-150, Clifford explains the pattern and progression within the Psalms while attending to the richness of their words and the texture of their imagery.
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12 Prophets : Old Testament 14
$75.99Add to cartIn this rich and vital resource edited by Alberto Ferreiro you will find excerpts, some translated here into English for the first time, from more than thirty church fathers, ranging in time from Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (late first and early second centuries) to Gregory the Great, Braulio of Saragossa and Bede the Venerable (late sixth to early eighth centuries). Geographically the sources range from the great Cappadocians–Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa–John Chrysostom, Ephrem the Syrian and Hippolytus in the East to Ambrose, Augustine, Cyprian and Tertullian in the West and Origen, Cyril and Pachomius in Egypt.
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Building Of A Church
$15.99Add to cartTruly God is worthy of glory, honor, and praise because of who He is and for what He has done for the whole human race. The Creator of the Universe put aside His majesty and glory and came to earth to sacrifice His own life so that you might spend eternity with Him. As you read this book, you will get a glimpse of an awesome God who loves you and is waiting to give you His gift of life. His plans and thoughts toward you are great; they will change your life forever! “It is a pleasure to provide an endorsement to this compilation of God-inspired poems from Sis. Charlotte. We recognize that this is a fulfillment of a dream, borne out of hours of intimate time with our Heavenly Father. Given the timeliness of this book, we could draw a thought from the book of Esther, Chapter 4:13: ‘…for such a time as this.’ However, I think it more appropriate to focus on Esther, Chapter 5:4: ‘If it pleases the king….’ I am quite sure the King is pleased, because destiny and purpose are being fulfilled. We pray that as you read, you will be inspired, uplifted, and strengthened.” -Pastors Ken and Arzella Baker New Covenant Evangelistic Christian Center
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Mark
$15.99Add to cart“What did you get out of your Quiet Time today?” was the question Jack Wyrtzen asked Lou that motivated him to start spending personal time in the Word of God each day. Lou began using the Word of Life Quiet Time Diary. From writing a sentence or two on a passage each day, Lou’s hunger grew for the Word, resulting in this commentary that comes to you. THIS DEVOTIONAL COMMENTARY WILL HELP YOU: Understand your Bible in a new and exciting way each day. Focus on at least one outstanding thought from the passage you are reading. Compare a real life illustration with what the writer is saying. Make a practical application to the verses you are reading each day. Get each member of your family involved with you in family devotions. Memorize a key verse from your passage each week. Cover the entire Bible in six years as you obtain more books in this series.
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1-2 Kings
$49.00Add to cartThe reigns of David and Solomon are often considered the high point in the Hebrew monarchy. Fritz combines historical, literary, and archaeological approaches to create this engaging synthesis. Unlike pedants who get bogged down in technical details, he offers a holistic vision.
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Esther And Ruth (Student/Study Guide)
$17.00Add to cartIn classic Interpretation Bible Studies style, Patricia Tull leads the reader through a ten-session study of the entire Old Testament books of Esther, with its stories of faithfulness, courage, and survival, and the ethical questions posed by its ending, and Ruth, with its themes of community, loyalty, and friendship.
Interpretation Bible Studies (IBS) offers solid biblical content in a creative study format. Forged in the tradition of the celebrated Interpretation commentary series, IBS makes the same depth of biblical insight available in a dynamic, flexible, and user-friendly resource. Designed for adults and older youth, Interpretation Bible Studies can be used in small groups, in church school classes, in large group presentations, or in personal study.
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2 Corinthians : A Commentary
$68.00Add to cartThis commentary on II Corinthians in the New Testament Library continues the exemplary quality of the series. Frank Matera provides a commentary that is a close study of the backgrounds and language of the text while also providing important theological insights into the message of Paul for his time and for the contemporary church.
The New Testament Library offers authoritative commentary on every book and major aspect of the New Testament, as well as classic volumes of scholarship. The commentaries in this series provide fresh translations based on the best available ancient manuscripts, offer critical portrayals of the historical world in which the books were created, pay careful attention to their literary design, and present a theologically perceptive exposition of the text.
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1-3 John And Revelation
$24.99Add to cartThis outstanding commentary series just got getter; now complete with sermons and teaching outlines after each section and a special CD sampler with both lock and unlocked titles
General editor Lloyd J. Ogilvie brings together a team of skilled and exceptional communicators, blending sound scholarship with life-related instructions and useful outline for teaching and preaching.
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Joshua : A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching
$40.00Add to cartThis commentary clearly presents the episodes in the book of Joshua as the people of Israel face the challenges of entering into the land of promise. Both the historical and theological meanings of the book are presented throughout this most helpful commentary.
Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.
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1 Samuel
$58.99Add to cartThis newest volume in the FOTL series presents a valuable form-critical analysis of 1 Samuel, highlighting both the literary development of the text itself and its meanings for its audience. A skilled student of the Hebrew scriptures and their ancient context, Antony Campbell shows modern readers the process of editing and reworking that shaped 1 Samuel’s final form. His revealing study sheds light on tensions and contradicitions that exist in the present text, and it also allows for a more satisfying discussion of the text’s literary structure and the particular purpose and message of each distinct unit. As Campbell shows, 1 Samuel deals with a massive change in the way of life of ancient Israel. Samuel, the first prophet, here emerges to preside, and to annoint David as Israel’s next king and the first established head of a royal dynasty. The book of 1 Samuel captures the work of God within this interplay of sociopolitical forces, and Campbell fruitfully explores the text as a repository of traditions of great significance for Israel and a paradigm of Israel’s use of narrative for theological expression.
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Lamentations
$26.99Add to cartBergant’s commentary opens to students and pastors the visceral poetry of Lamentations, a book that plumbs the depth of biblical Israel’s despair over the destruction of Jerusalem. The security of Jerusalem signaled divine protection of the whole nation, so Jerusalem’s destruction was perceived as a sign that God had abandoned the entire people. The Book of Lamentations is a cry to God for mercy. The horrors detailed within its five short chapters reveal the extent of human cruelty and the resiliency of the human spirit to endure such cruelty. Unlike many biblical books, Lamentations ends on an unresolved note. Will God eventually hear the cry of the people? Will God, as in days gone by, step in with mercy and salvation?
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Qoheleth
$39.00Add to cartOne of the most literary—yet one of the most perplexing—books in the Old Testament, Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) has roused the interest of poets, philosophers, and historians. Rather than seeing the book as a cynic’s swan song, Lohfink discovers elements of joy and a call for a more balanced view of life.
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Are You The One Who Was To Come
$17.99Add to cartWith scores of commentaries available from every possible theological perspective, is it possible that a pastor from a small town in Pennsylvania, authoring his first book, can have a new and insightful approach to the book of Hebrews? Dr. Woods’ commentary supports his conviction that the letter to the Hebrews was written to Jews saved under the old covenant by faith in a coming Messiah. He skillfully demonstrates that the book was written to convince these Old Testament saints to put their faith in Jesus, the Messiah who had come. Using this approach, Dr. Woods clarifies the difficult passages of Hebrews without corrupting the text or manipulating it to conform to one’s theological bent. In particular, the passages that are sometimes used to support the possibility of losing one’s salvation are carefully examined and their meanings precisely clarified. This book presents new and biblically accurate insights into the overall argument of the letter to the Hebrews that need to be understood by the evangelical community. It is a must read for any student of Hebrews.
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Revelation : Believers Church Bible Commentary
$34.99Add to cartThe message of Revelation speaks to Christians for all times, and historically has especially encouraged persecuted groups. Today Christians in many parts of the world are also at opposition to the worldview of the time. Revelation gives strength to those who are oppressed, and John R. Yeatts’ new commentary attends to themes of martyrdom, suffering, service in the world, hope, the triumph of Christ, and the role of the church in bearing witness to the triumphant Christ.
The commentary includes clear biblical commentary, relationships between various portions of scripture, and applications drawn from the Anabaptist tradition and the larger Christian community.
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Leviticus : A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching
$45.00Add to cartInterpretation: A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching is a set of full-length commentaries written specifically for those who interpret the Bible through teaching and preaching in the church.
The writers were chosen for their proven abilities as biblical scholars and their experience as teachers and/or preachers. Each has an outstanding record of publication demonstrating a keen sense for biblical interpretation and expository writing.
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Psalms Volume 1 Print On Demand Title
$51.99Add to cartIn this monumental work, his most ambitious undertaking, the late Samuel Terrien brings together a lifetime of scholarship on Psalms, long the wellspring of Jewish spirituality as well as the main hymnal of the Christian church.
The book’s insightful and clearly written introduction treats such subjects as the longevity and ecumenicity of the psalms, their Near Eastern background, the Hebrew text and ancient versions, their music, their strophic structure, their literary genre, their theology, and their relation to the New Testament. In the commentary itself Terrien freshly elucidates the theological significance of these collected poems by putting readers in touch with the formal versatility and religious passion of the psalmists themselves. While Terrien always engages in scientific exegesis before drawing theological conclusions, he is careful to allow full expression to the theological – and, especially, the doxological – voice of these unmatched spiritual songs. The result is a commentary that provides a link between the archaic language of Psalms and the intellectual demands of modern thinking and spirituality.
Throughout his exposition Terrien shows great respect for the scribal testimony of the Jewish tradition, especially the consonants of the Masoretic text. He likewise displays great care in finding the most accurate meaning for Hebrew words of obscure origin. This meticulous work renders a translation of Psalms more reliable than those of Terrien’s predecessors. He also draws on many fruitful gains of structural analysis in discerning the strophic divisions within the Hebrew text. Often he finds unity of composition where earlier critics denied it. And for readers interested in specific aspects of translation and interpretation, Terrien has appended bibliographical lists of modern works on each psalm.
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Daniel
$36.00Add to cartBooks in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist pastors and students in their study of the Bible as a guide to Christian faith and practice. Each volume presents the text under discussion, explains the biblical book in its original historical context, and explores the text’s significance for faithful living today. These books are an ideal resource for preparing a text-based sermon and for use in advanced Bible study groups.
The book of Daniel is concerned with religious persecution. Daniel’s message in this apocalyptic text, however, assures that God will deliver those who trust God, refuse to worship other gods, and keep Jewish tradition in the face of persecution, C.L. Seow examines this difficult and provocative book and explores it relevance to faith and the church today.
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Son To Me
$21.00Add to cartPeter Leithart’s typological reading of the unified book of 1 and 2 Samuel unleashes the literary power of this key Old Testament narrative. By giving careful attention to the book’s literary structures and its patterns of types and antitypes, the symbolic world of Samuel reveals a cumulative and cohesive story. Leithart’s reading of Samuel enhances our understanding of New Testament Christology and gives us a framework for applying the Old Testament to our own lives, as the book comes alive as a tragic and beautiful story of the rebirth of Israel in difficult times.
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Revelation The End Time Story
$18.99Add to cartRevelation-The End Time Story is a verse-by-verse devotional commentary divided up into short segments designed to take the reader through the book of Revelation within two months in a user-friendly style. After all, Revelation is so relevant to current events that it needs to be studied on a regular basis. John wrote, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” The time is very near. The story is unfolding before our very eyes. This commentary, therefore, will shed insight into the happenings of the world and its future.
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Psalms Volume 2 Print On Demand Title
$48.99Add to cartIn this monumental work, his most ambitious undertaking, the late Samuel Terrien brings together a lifetime of scholarship on Psalms, long the wellspring of Jewish spirituality as well as the main hymnal of the Christian church.
The book’s insightful and clearly written introduction treats such subjects as the longevity and ecumenicity of the psalms, their Near Eastern background, the Hebrew text and ancient versions, their music, their strophic structure, their literary genre, their theology, and their relation to the New Testament. In the commentary itself Terrien freshly elucidates the theological significance of these collected poems by putting readers in touch with the formal versatility and religious passion of the psalmists themselves. While Terrien always engages in scientific exegesis before drawing theological conclusions, he is careful to allow full expression to the theological – and, especially, the doxological – voice of these unmatched spiritual songs. The result is a commentary that provides a link between the archaic language of Psalms and the intellectual demands of modern thinking and spirituality.
Throughout his exposition Terrien shows great respect for the scribal testimony of the Jewish tradition, especially the consonants of the Masoretic text. He likewise displays great care in finding the most accurate meaning for Hebrew words of obscure origin. This meticulous work renders a translation of Psalms more reliable than those of Terrien’s predecessors. He also draws on many fruitful gains of structural analysis in discerning the strophic divisions within the Hebrew text. Often he finds unity of composition where earlier critics denied it. And for readers interested in specific aspects of translation and interpretation, Terrien has appended bibliographical lists of modern works on each psalm.
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Judges : A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching
$40.00Add to cartInterpretation: A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching is a set of full-length commentaries written specifically for those who interpret the Bible through teaching and preaching in the church.
The writers were chosen for their proven abilities as biblical scholars and their experience as teachers and/or preachers. Each has an outstanding record of publication demonstrating a keen sense for biblical interpretation and expository writing.
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Psalms 1-72
$37.99Add to cartThis commentary helps a modern “pray-er” of the psalms to understand the connections of each psalm to the rest of the Bible, and to discern how the great theological themes of covenant, divine mercy and justice, and human response play out through the psalms in prayer. It gives attention to Christian (and Jewish) reception of the psalms, and seeks to resolve such troubling ethical issues as ethno-centrism, hatred of enemies, and expressions of revenge that do occur in them. While interacting with classic and contemporary commentaries as it provides a literary, theological, and ethical analysis of each psalm, this work distinctively seeks to make the psalms available as a true book of prayer for contemporary believers.
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Isaiah 28-39
$89.00Add to cartNow complete! “Wildberger’s commentary has turned out to be his life’s work and it is itself a noble tribute to a scholar who is theologically sensitive, aware of differing opinions, and fair in dealing with them. It is the best existing commentary on the book of Isaiah,”—Catholic Biblical Quarterly.
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1-2 Timothy And Titus
$77.00Add to cartThe Old Testament Library has become one of the legendary series of our era, known for its rich historical/literary insights based on an extensive review of the text and its major themes. Collins is the first author to carry this approach over to the New Testament. The same hallmarks are evident.
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Gospel Of Matthew
$35.99Add to cart264 Pages
Additional Info
)”Brief and highly readable, this commentary does not dwell on the point/counterpoint of current criticism, but shows the theological as well as the historical-critical meaning of the text. Intended to help the reader in liturgy, preaching, and in study,”—Religious Studies Review. -
Jude 2 Peter
$24.99Add to cartIn this volume of the Abingdon New Testament Commentaries series, Steven J. Kraftchick both studies these two epistles in their late first-century context and discusses their relevance to the contemporary Christian church. The author discusses the importance of the insider/outsider language, the harsh polemical tone of both letters, and their reliance upon the Old Testament and both early Jewish and Greco-Roman thought.
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Deuteronomy
$75.00Add to cartDeuteronomy focuses on God’s covenant with his people Israel, the laws they were to obey, and blessings and curses that ensued. Nelson fully elaborates on the Ten Commandments and the meaning of the various criminal and ceremonial statutes—all understood against the customs of neighboring cultures.
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Esther : A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching
$40.00Add to cartA superlative guide for studying an often neglected—yet rewarding—book of the Old Testament. Providing critical background information on Esther’s historical setting and literary construction, Bechtel expertly captures the drama of the narrative and prompts contemporary readers to explore theological themes such as the challenge of living faithfully in an unfaithful culture.
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Jeremiah (Student/Study Guide)
$17.00Add to cartIn classic Interpretation Bible Studies style, Robert Laha leads a ten-session study into the stories of suffering, tragedy, and ultimately, hope found in the book of Jeremiah. Chapters discuss Jeremiah’s world and call, unfaithfulness, God’s judgment, lament, Jeremiah’s confessions, prophetic signs, false prophets, the Letter to the Babylonian Exiles, and consolation and hope. Like all IBS volumes, Laha’s Jeremiah features maps, illustrations, definitions of key terms, interesting biblical facts, questions for reflection, as well as leaders’ suggestions for groups use.
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Epistle To The Philippians (Anniversary)
$33.00Add to cartKarl Barth is known as one of the greatest Christian theologians of modern times. While Barth’s writings are permeated by biblical citations and exegesis, there are only a few examples of Barth’s interpretation of an entire biblical book. This book is one of those. This reprint of Karl Barth’s exposition of the book of Philippians is now made available again. Two new introductory essays by Bruce L. McCormack of Princeton Theological Seminary and Francis B. Watson of the University of Aberdeen examine the significance of Barth’s theological exegesis of Philippians and introduce Barth’s approach to biblical interpretation. Karl Barth was one of the major theologians of the twentieth century. He is remembered for his voluminous theological writings, especially his Church Dogmatics.
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Lamentations : A Comentary Old Testament Library
$50.00Add to cartTraditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, Lamentations gives the impression of being an eyewitness account to Jerusalem’s destruction, written when the horror of the tragic event was still fresh. Berlin’s deft study weaves together the theology, poetry, and historical background of this little-discussed book.
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Joshua-Ruth
$40.00Add to cartWho is God? How does God act in our lives? How are we to act as God’s faithful people? Joshua, Judges, and Ruth represent a chorus of voices reflecting on Israel’s earliest days in its land. The main storyline is straightforward: in Joshua, God empowers an obedient Israel to conquer the Promised Land; in Judges, Israel’s faithlessness and God’s wrath lead to a downward spiral of sin, subjugation, and social disintegration; and Ruth narrates a story of divine blessing worked out through human loyalty. Within the overarching plot, multiple voices wrestle with a range of issues including faithfulness and faithlessness, identity, leadership, and the nature of providence. Pressler explores these themes in their historical context while also presenting their relevance for the church today.
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Prophetic Literature : An Introduction
$38.00Add to cartRespected scholar David Petersen provides a systematic and comprehensive introduction to the prophetic literature. Petersen takes into account the major advances in current research as he examines both the latter prophets (Isaiah- Malachi) as well as the Hebrew texts that describe the work and words of Israel’s prophets (e.g., Elijah and Elisha in 1 & 2 Kings).
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Ruth Jonah Esther
$29.99Add to cartIn three of the Bible’s most compelling short stories, Eugene F. Roop draws attention to the distinctive narrative characteristics of these magnificent dramas. Such scrutiny opens new vistas of interpretation that can undergird the faith, life, and neighborly relations of the church. As we enter the world of these struggles and events, we will experience in the stories sorrow and laughter, hope and loyalty, and God’s mercy and grace.
This readable commentary series is for all who seek more fully to understand the original message of Scripture and its meaning for today-Sunday school teachers, members of Bible study groups, students, pastors, and other seekers.
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Tree Of Life (Reprinted)
$33.99Add to cartSince 1990 Roland Murphy’s The Tree of Life has been a standard introduction to the wisdom literature of the Bible. Now The Tree of Life is available in a third edition, complete with a new preface by the author and a special supplement that surveys the latest developments in wisdom research.
This superb study devotes a chapter to each of the wisdom writings of scripture, interpreting each work in a way that clearly lays out the development of Israel’s search for wisdom throughout its tumultuous history.
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Lamentations : A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching
$40.00Add to cartThe destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., which led to the exile of the people of Israel, drastically changed the community’s life. In the midst of this darkness, the five poems collected as the biblical book of Lamentations emerged as a life-embracing work. This sophisticated yet accessible commentary now makes the message of Lamentations come alive for Christian existence today. The distinctiveness of the Palestinian voice found in these poems is maintained as they bear witness to the horror and pain of human suffering. Yet, beneath the words, a determined will to live emerges and confronts human suffering, probes God and God’s actions, and anticipates a new kind of human community that will arise from Zion, even in the midst of God’s silence.
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Matthew 14-28 : New Testament Volume 1B
$75.99Add to cartThe Gospel of Matthew stands out as a favorite biblical text among patristic commentators. The patristic commentary tradition on Matthew begins with Origen’s pioneering twenty-five-volume commentary on the First Gospel in the mid-third century. In the Latin-speaking West, where commentaries did not appear until about a century later, the first commentary on Matthew was written by Hilary of Poitiers in the mid-fourth century.
From that point the First Gospel became one of the texts most frequently commented on in patristic exegesis. Outstanding examples are Jerome’s four-volume commentary and the valuable but anonymous and incomplete Opus imperfectum in Matthaeum. Then there are the Greek catena fragments derived from commentaries by Theodore of Heraclea, Apollinaris of Laodicea, Theodore of Mopsuestia and Cyril of Alexandria.
The ancient homilies also provide ample comment, including John Chrysostom’s ninety homilies and Chromatius of Aquileia’s fifty-nine homilies on the Gospel of Matthew. In addition, there are various Sunday and feast-day homilies from towering figures such as Augustine and Gregory the Great as well as other fathers.
This rich abundance of patristic comment, much of it presented here in English translation for the first time by editor Manlio Simonetti, provides a bountiful and varied feast of ancient interpretation of the First Gospel.
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Commentary On The Gospel Of Matthew
$27.95Add to cartA Commentary of the Gospel of Matthew presents a thorough and penetrating study of Matthew’s Gospel. Anyone looking for a good blend of biblical scholarship and ideas for personal reflection will find such an approach in this eight-week study.
Kirk and Obach pay special attention to how Matthew’s Gospel focuses the reader’s attention on the teachings of Jesus.
Rev. Albert Kirk is a pastor and religious educator in the Diocese of Memphis. Robert E. Obach is coordinator of Adult Education for the Diocese of Memphis. They are co-authors of A Commentary on the Gospel of Luke and A Commentary on the Gospel of John.
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Lamentations : A Commentary
$45.00Add to cartThe Old Testament Library provides an authoritative treatment of every major and important aspect of the Old Testament. This commentary on Lamentations offers a fresh translation, discussing questions of historical background and literary architecture before providing a theologically sensitive exposition of the text. Adele Berlin is Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Maryland. She has served on the editorial boards for the Journal of Biblical Literature, Semeia, Hebrew Annual Review, Journal of the Ancient Near East Society, Hebrew Studies, and Jewish Quarterly Review.
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Reading Hebrews And James
$33.25Add to cartReading Hebrews and James provides a clear path through the unique and often divisive Letter to the Hebrews and Letter of James. Isaacs’s commentary on these two letters expertly considers questions of authorship and historical context while also making both Hebrews and James undeniably relevant for today’s faith. Preachers and teachers alike will benefit from the essential study that Reading Hebrews and James offers
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Ephesians : Believers Church Bible Commentary
$29.99Add to cartEphesians presents a volatile mix of assurance, exhilarating worship, and forceful exhortation. The letter convinces Thomas R. Yoder Neufeld that the grace-gift of faithfulness leads to worship. Power, peace, and new creation are gifts of grace equipping the church to participate in God’s reconciling embrace. This commentary guides readers to a life-changing encounter with Ephesians, probing interpretations, refreshing Christian teaching, and calling everyone to “walk” accordingly, with a song in heart and throat.
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Reading Galatians Phillippians And 1 Thessalonians (Revised)
$34.25Add to cartCousar interprets three letters of Paul, each of which shows him in a different light. In Galatians, the apostle contends for the gospel against a group of Jewish Christian missionaries who have come into the congregation. In Philippians, Paul addresses his favorite community in intimate terms to offer thanks for a gift they have sent him and to urge them to maintain unity in the face of opposing forces. 1 Thessalonians, Paul’s first letter, is written to encourage the congregation in that city to lead lives worthy of the gospel.
The commentary traces the movement of the letters, paragraph by paragraph, and pays particular attention to the literary character of the writing, and to the theological implications of the text for the church today.
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Synoptic Gospels : An Introduction (Expanded)
$35.00Add to cartThis revision and update fills the gap between brief treatments of the Synoptics by New Testament introductions and exhaustive commentaries. Deploying the full range of critical and literary methods, the volume explores the major issues of faith that influenced the writers of the Gospels.
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Deuteronomy
$45.99Add to cartThe Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries series provides compact, critical commentaries on the books of the Old Testament for the use of theological students and pastors. The commentaries are also for upper-level college or university students and to those responsible for teaching in congregational settings. In addition to providing basic information and insights into the Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful interpretation, to assist students of the OT in coming to an informed and critical engagement with the biblical texts themselves. Brueggemann takes full account of the most important current scholarship and secondary literature, while not attempting to summarize that literature or to engage in technical academic debate. The fundamental concern of this and every volume is analysis and discussion of the literary, socio-historical, theological, and ethical dimensions of the biblical texts themselves. Each volume attends to issues of special concern to students of the Bible: literary genre, structure and character of writing, occasion and situational context of the writing, wider social and historical context, the theological and ethical significance of the writing within these several contexts, and other similar issues. In this volume on Deuteronomy, Brueggemann show the importance of the biblical book for the shape and substance of Israel’s faith. Deuteronomy gave classic articulation to the main themes characteristic of Judaism, and, derivatively, of Christianity. In examining the relationship of Israel to God, Brueggemann makes suggestion on how such covenant fidelity might be lived out by believers today.
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Daniel
$25.99Add to cartThe Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries provides compact, critical commentaries on the books of the Old Testament for the use of theological students and pastors. The commentaries are also useful for upper-level college or univesity students and for those responsible for teaching in congregational settings. In addition to providing basic information and insights into the Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful interpretation, to assist students of the OT in coming to an informed and critical engagement with the biblical texts themselves. Gowan takes full account of the most important current scholarship and secondary literature, while not attempting to engage in technical academic debate. The fundamental concern of this and every volume is analysis and discussion of the literary, sociohistorical, theological, and ethical dimensions of the biblical texts themselves. Each volume attends to issues of special concern to students of the Bible: literary genre, structure and character of the writing, occasion and situational context of the writing, wider social and historical context, the theological and ethical significance of the writing within these several contexts, and the like. Daniel-one of the most misused books of the Bible-is read in this commentary as a powerful message concerning hope and responsibility for believers who, for various reasons, have to face the theological question, “Who’s in charge here?” The book of Daniel insists that the God of Israel is in charge, in spite of what circumstances may indicate; then finds ways, through story and vision, to reassure the faithful that there is a future for them after all.
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Matthew 1-13 : New Testament Volume 1A
$75.99Add to cartBeginning with Origen’s pioneering third-century commentary, the latest installment of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture features patristic scholarship and exegesis of the first gospel from the period of Clement of Rome to John of Damascus in the eighth century. Homilies from Chrysostom, Chromatius, Augustine, and others provide added insight. Includes the RSV Scripture text.
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1-2 Chronicles
$40.00Add to cartPaul Hooker suggests here that 1 and 2 Chronicles are not a “history of Israel,” but rather a theological reflection on the story of Israel’s faith. The Chronicler uses the narratives of Samuel and Kings, skillfully edited and augmented, to develop his vision of Israel. At the center of that vision lies the assertion that Israel is the people of God, selected by God from among all the nations, and set apart to worship God in the place of God’s choosing(Jerusalem) and in the manner of God’s intent(according to the instructions of the Torah). His ultimate purpose, however, is not to dwell on long ago. Rather he seeks to sketch the lines of Israel’s future as the people of God by drawing on the resources of Israel’s past. Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their study of the Bible as a guide to Christian faith and practice. Each volume: Explains the biblical book in its original historical context Explores its significance for faithful living today Is ideal for individual study and for Bible study classes and Basic Overview: Theologically Progressive Non-Technical(no knowledge of Greek or Hebrew needed) Based on the NRSV Bible translation Written from a historical perspective Ideal for individual study and for Bible study classes and groups groups.
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Philippians And Galatians (Student/Study Guide)
$17.00Add to cartThe letters to the Philippian and Galatian congregations illustrate well the passion and intensity of Paul’s writing. Together these letters provide a compelling portrait of a complex original thinker who probably was the most significant missionary of his day, a theologian and social critic of rare power and insight whose legacy continues today to spark heated debate. Yet if we can catch even a little of Paul’s vision, we are likely to be transformed. We may find ourselves called, like Paul himself, to a fresh vision of what God is doing in the world and to participation in the crucified body of Christ.
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Message Of Ezekiel
$30.99Add to cartChristopher J.H. Wright masterfully opens our eyes to see and understand the message of Ezkiel. Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God – its departure and return – is first set within Israel’s history and then in the culmination of God’s promises in Christ. Embedded in the pattern of the strange, the bizarre and the wonderful is a word that still speaks to God’s people today.
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Psalms Part 2 And Lamentations
$53.99Add to cartPsalms, Part 2, and Lamentations is Volume XV of The Forms of the Old Testament Literature, a series that aims to present a form- critical analysis of every book and each unit in the Hebrew Bible. Fundamentally exegetical, the FOTL volumes examine the structure, genre, setting, and intention of the biblical literature in question. They also study the history behind the form-critical discussion of the material, attempt to bring consistency to the terminology for the genres and formulas of the biblical literature, and expose the exegetical procedures so as to enable students and pastors to engage in their own analysis and interpretation of the Old Testament texts.
This volume completes Erhard Gerstenberger’s widely praised discussion of the psalms literature begun in Volume XIV, and includes as well an admirable study of the book of Lamentations. Gerstenberger interprets the different kinds of songs and prayers that comprise the book of Psalms in light of their socio-historical settings and provides a concise formal and structural analysis of each biblical text based on an illuminating comparison with other ancient Near Eastern prayers and hymns. Seeing the biblical writings in relation to the social, cultic, religious, and theological conceptions of Israel’s neighoring peoples allows contemporary readers to better grasp the purpose and spiritual meaning of the psalms and Lamentations to the Jewish community that composed them.
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1-2 Chronicles : A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching
$50.00Add to cartThe great Christian scholar St. Jerome said that in First and Second Chronicles we find “the meaning of the whole of sacred history.” Yet these two Old Testament books are not popular and are seldom studied or preached upon in Christian churches. Steven Tuell shows how the books of Chronicles present the revelation of God’s plan and purposes through the story of Israel, emphasizing the important place that King David and his line play within that story. Using up-to-date scholarship, Tuell focuses on the theological message of these books-that the purpose of life is to seek God in the words of Scripture and in the worship of the temple: that those who seek and find God’s will and purpose for their lives, and live accordingly, experience blessing; and that God’s presence and activity are found in the events of ordinary life.
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Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy
$75.99Add to cartLet the wisdom of the early church fathers inform your reading of the Old Testament. Patristic interpreters from Greek, Latin, and Syriac traditions engage Scripture, offering spiritual and intellectual insights on critical issues of contemporary Christian faith and practice. Of particular note in this new ACCS volume are reflections from Origen’s 27th homily on Numbers.
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Bible Handbook To Revelation
$32.99Add to cartAs the climactic book of the New Testament, Revelation takes its readers through the pangs and throes of the world’s death and then ushers them into the brilliance of the new and eternal state to come. Revelation is one of the Bible’s “bookends,” finishing with a triumphal sweep what Genesis begins. Yet because of its pictoral language and the complexity of its message, Revelation is often overlooked by believers who are convinced it’s too difficult to understand.
In this theological and textual guide to the book of Revelation, leading evangelical educators combine their efforts to examine the issues that most interest and sometimes trouble twenty-first century readers. With verse-by-verse explanations and background analysis, this handbook is a tremendous aid to understanding the scope of Revelation. Topics covered include a comparison of the ways the book of Revelations has been interpreted throughout history, as well as an understanding of the book’s structure. Other articles probe the book’s presentation of the persons of the Trinity, the church, humanity, angels, salvation, and judgment.
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Epistles Of John
$34.00Add to cartDavid Rensberger shows here how the Epistles of John spoke to the emerging concerns of an early Christian community that cherished John’s Gospel. The Epistles apply many of the themes of the Gospel to new situations. In particular the Elder, who writes these epistles, reminds his readers that their love of God must be made concrete in the love they show their fellow Christians. At the same time, Rensberger shows how these letters face the problems of theological disagreement and church division, and how they can help Christians today better understand theological diversity and the struggle for church unity.
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Epistle To The Romans
$24.99Add to cartEffectively minister from the book of Romans as it comes alive in this verse by verse commentary. The Epistle to the Romans is a valuable tool for theological study, referencing, bible study, sermon preparation, teaching, and instruction, as well as a tremendous source for personal enrichment.
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Ecclesiastes : Ancient Wisdom When All Else Fails
$18.99Add to cartIVP Print On Demand Title
Recipient of a 2002 Christianity Today Award of Merit! “Meaningless!” says Ecclesiastes. “All is meaningless!” We live. We work. We die. Even with our best efforts to find lasting enjoyment and significance, we are faced with the conclusion that there is nothing new under the sun. Despite this gloomy assessment (or perhaps because of it), people have been drawn to the Middle Eastern wisdom of this enigmatic book for thousands of years. Its brutal honesty doesn’t flinch from life’s difficulties or its thorniest problems. The new translation and interpretive paraphrase provided here by T. M. Moore artfully unveils the ancient mysteries of this often puzzling book. By its very cynicism, Ecclesiastes seems to suggest that to find what is of enduring value we must embrace the hard things, not avoid them. With notes and a useful study guide, Moore skillfully shows us that the dark side will have its say. The question is, will it have the last word?
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Joel And Obadiah
$50.00Add to cartIn Joel and Obadiah, John Barton furnishes a fresh translation of the ancient manuscripts and discusses questions of historical background and literary architecture before providing a theologically sensitive and critically informed interpretation of the text.
The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.
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Genesis
$40.00Add to cartNot only does the book of Genesis begin our Bible, but it also can serve to begin the discussion of a variety of important topics as well: the question of origins, tensions between genders and between siblings, the reality of sin, the saga of human family, and the promise of God’s covenant. In this perceptive and helpful commentary, W. Sibley Towner relates the theological issues in Genesis to faith issues in the church today.
Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their study of the Bible as a guide to Christian faith and practice. Each volume explains the biblical book in its original historical context and explores its significance for faithful living today. These books are ideal for individual study and for Bible study classes and groups.
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Mark : Believers Church Bible Commentary
$29.99Add to cart20 Chapters
Additional Info
Mark’s Gospel Speaks plainly, yet sometimes in riddles, of God as revealed in Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Son of God. Mark presents God’s reign, its present hiddenness and future glory, and its surprising way of coming. Mark tells of discipleship, its costs, rewards, failures, and renewel. Mark is also about Jesus and his followers crossing barriers to pass Gods grace on to those formerly excluded. Mark’s resurrection message is open-ended. Readers supply their own ending, not just in words, but by following the resurrected Lord. -
Liturgical Works
$39.99Add to cartAmong the manuscripts of the Dead Sea Scrolls are numerousfragments of liturgical texts: daily and festival prayers, songs and praises, and other fascinating documents. This inaugural volume in the Eerdmans Commentaries on the Dead Sea Scrolls series explores these important ancient texts, throwing new light on the ritual life of Jews at the turn of the common era. Beginning with a general introduction to the Qumran library and Jewish liturgical traditions, James Davila situates the liturgical texts found at Qumran in their historical context in translation of these Hewbrew texts and provides detailed line-by-line explanations of each document. Throughout his book Davila shows how the Qumran liturgical texts draw on and develop traditions from the Hebrew Bible, and he explores their significance as background to Jewish liturgy, Jewish mysticism, and Christian origins. This volume and the complete commentary project will become the standard reference work on the Dead Sea Scrolls.
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Isaiah (Student/Study Guide)
$17.00Add to cartMany of the verses of Isaiah are familiar to us as beloved passages we read and sing each Christmas and Easter season. But Isaiah is more than just a holiday reading. Isaiah speaks of God’s relationship to the prophet, the people, the kings, and the servant. Isaiah’s message invites us to explore God’s personal character and develop a deeper understanding of the living God, the Holy One of Israel.
Interpretation Bible Studies (IBS) offers solid biblical content in a creative study format. Forged in the tradition of the celebrated Interpretation commentary series, IBS makes the same depth of biblical insight available in a dynamic, flexible, and user-friendly resource. Designed for adults and older youth, IBS can be used in small groups, in church school classes, in large group presentations, or in personal study.
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Gospel Of Mark
$47.99Add to cart472 Pages
Additional Info
This superb commentary offers the first sustained attempt to read the Gospel of Mark both as an ancient biography and as a form of ancient rhetoric. Leading New Testament scholar Ben Witherington applies to Mark the socio-rhetorical approach for which he is well known, opening a fresh new perspective on the earliest Gospel. Witherington’s work provides us with a fascinating view of how the life and teachings of Jesus were presented to a largely non-Jewish auidence – and what this presentation of Jesus still holds for Christians today. -
Joel And Obadiah
$45.00Add to cartIn Joel and Obadiah, John Barton furnishes a fresh translation of the ancient manuscripts and discusses questions of historical background and literary architecture before providing a theologically sensitive and critically informed interpretation of the text.
The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.
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Romans : From Biblical Text To Contemporary Life
$53.99Add to cartOur culture does not encourage thoughtful reflection on truth. Yet living the gospel in a postmodern culture demands that Christians understand and internalize the truth about God and his plan for the world. Paul’s letter to the Romans remains one of the most important expressions of Christian truth ever written. Its message forces us to evaluate who we are, who God is, and what our place in this world ought to be. Going beyond the usual commentary, this volume brings the meaning of Paul’s great letter into the twenty-first century. Douglas Moo comments on the text and then explores issues in Paul’s culture and in ours that help us understand the ultimate meaning of each paragraph. A final section suggests ways in which the eternal theology of Romans can be understood and lived out in our modern culture.
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Genesis 1-11 : Old Testament 1
$75.99Add to cartWhat did the early church fathers have to say about the beginning chapters of Genesis? Their pastoral and theological interpretations speak clearly to us in this commentary, offering spiritual and intellectual sustenance. Ancient Greek, Latin, Coptic, and Syriac writings are rendered in a lucid English translation. Includes the complete RSV text for Genesis 1–11.
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Isaiah
$80.00Add to cartInternationally renowned scholar Brevard Childs writes on what is arguably the Old Testament’s most important theological book-Isaiah. Childs provides a fresh translation from the original Hebrew and discusses questions of text, language, historical background, and literary architecture. His critically informed, theological interpretaion of the text provides a creative and reading of Isaiah.
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Old Testament : IVP Bible Background Commentary
$50.99Add to cartWhat was the significance of serpents in biblical times? Why was pork considered unclean? Drawing from various ancient texts and resources, this unique commentary clarifies historical references, social and cultural backgrounds, and archaeological discoveries in an accessible and lucid style that sparkles with interest and enlarges your understanding of Scripture.
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Exodus : Believers Church Bible Commentary
$34.99Add to cart1. The Salvation Of Moses
2. The Commissioning Of Moses
3. Realization Focus On Isreal
4. The Commissioning Of IsraelAdditional Info
To whom does primary allegiance belong? To great human empires, or to the God whose elusive presence we can never fully grasp?Waldemar Janzen offers a fresh approach to the book of Exodus. The liberation from Egypt is a prelude to Israel’s unique calling to model before the nations a new life of service under God.
Through the subtly prepared servant Moses, God wages a dramatic battle with Egypt’s ruler for the release of enslaved Israel. The watching Israel wavers: “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Even after Israel covenants to be God’s priestly kingdom and holy nation, Israel worships a golden calf. Once more God’s brace wrests Israel away, this time from slavery to doubts, fears, and self-centeredness. The people then focus faith on the imageless presence of God in their midst. God still wrestles for his people today.