Showing titles in Commentaries

In this lively reading of Ecclesiastes, Doug Wilson reveals its powerful lessons of vanity, joy, celebration, and the sovereignty of God.

One of the principal theological themes of the Hebrew Bible is the relationship between Israel and God. At the heart of this bond is the supernatural experience at Sinai. The Torah focuses on the uniqueness of God and His relationship with the people of Israel. The singularity of this relationship amidst surrounding polytheistic cultures is so much emphasized that Israel’s principal contribution to the world of religious ideology is often regarded as uncompromising covenantal monotheism. Israelite identity and in later centuries Jewish identity was also expressed in terms of ethnicity and...

God did not curse Eve or limit women in any way. Sadly, modern translations of Genesis 3:16 make it look like God did both. God didn't curse Adam either, but God did speak to him in a way exactly parallel to the other rebel in the Garden of Eden, the serpent-tempter. And two curses were imposed by God because of them.

Reading the Bible can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. God is a genius, and he left us a key for practical, life-changing Bible study. If you try to open your Bible to the exact center, there’s a good chance you’ll land on it. Psalm 119 is a masterwork of literature. It’s the longest chapter of the Bible, strategically placed as if to say, “Don’t miss this”! It’s the place in scripture that talks the most about scripture. The psalmist teaches his students what to search for when they read and what they can expect if they practice what they’ve learned.

Can the Bible be approached both as sacred scripture and as a historical and literary text? For many people, it must be one or the other. How can we read the Bible both ways? The Bible and the Believer brings together three distinguished biblical scholars--one Jewish, one Catholic, and one Protestant--to illustrate how to read the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament critically and religiously.

This book is about The Black Hebrew Israelites: They no longer wish to be identified by this title for various reasons they still vehemently use Scriptures out of context with an attempt to prove that Jesus and the Jews (Judah) were black, and that the America Negroes who experienced the Transatlantic Slave Trade were black Jews.

The modern conception of sacrifice is at once cast as a victory of self-discipline over desire and condescended to as destructive and archaic abnegation. But even in the Old Testament, the dual natures of sacrifice, embodying both ritual slaughter and moral rectitude, were at odds. In this analysis, Terry Eagleton makes a compelling argument that the idea of sacrifice has long been misunderstood. Pursuing the complex lineage of sacrifice in a lyrical discourse, Eagleton focuses on the Old and New Testaments, offering a virtuosic analysis of the crucifixion.

Embark on a profound journey through the intricate passages of Revelation with 'The Unveiling of Revelation' by James Kiely. Born from eight years of dedication and passion, this meticulously crafted work invites listeners to explore Scripture in a transformative way. At its core, 'The Unveiling of Revelation' is a commitment to understanding the timeless truths within the book of Revelation.

'Why is it better for me to forgive someone and take on the cost of that forgiveness myself?' In his new audiobook, renowned pastor and author Timothy Keller grapples with this thorny question: why we should forgive those who hurt us. It is the heart of the gospel, but it's not solely important on a religious level; the matter of forgiveness has a huge impact on social and cultural levels, in terms of how we deal with the people, and problems, in our lives.

Is God speaking to you? How does God speak to us today? What is God saying to you? How can you know God's will? Who does God speak to? What does God's voice sound like? If you've always wanted to know the answers to these questions, but are confused about God's methods of communication, open this refreshing book that compares and contrasts the two most popular approaches to hearing God speak. This is the second edition of this book, which has been revised and updated from the original edition.

A multitude of Biblical stories have been censored, mistranslated, ignored, and even banned by religious authorities due to their erotic, violent, or mysterious content. Here, Jonathan Kirsch recounts some of the most startling and explicit writings from the Old Testament.

Also: The Old Testament: An Introduction, Part 1 and Part 2

Using a method taught by an Orthodox Christian priest for almost 20 years, you'll learn the easy way, the right way, how to interpret the Bible according to the 2000 year practice of the Orthodox Church. Now, using this simple method you'll learn the best way to make sense of difficult passages of the Scriptures, and put this important discipline to use for maximum spiritual benefit.

Wills turns his remarkable gift for biblical analysis to the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Wills examines the goals, methods, and styles of the evangelists and how these shaped the gospels' messages.

“I didn’t think he’d do it. I really didn’t think he would. I thought he’d say, whoa, hold on, wait a minute. We made a deal, remember, the land, the blessing, the nation, the descendants as numerous as the sands on the shore and the stars in the sky.” So begins James Goodman’s original and urgent encounter with one of the most compelling and resonant stories ever told - God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

"The Bible tells us of Jesus' birth and of His being in the temple in Jerusalem when He was a boy of 12. But then there is no further mention of Him until about 20 years later when He starts His ministry. Where was He? Why did the Bible not say? After an intensive search and study of The Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient documents, I found where God gave instructions, through His Prophets, for the preparation of a place in the wilderness for His Son Jesus. The instructions were followed. A place was prepared." (Walter Parks)

Did you know that Jesus made puns? Did you know that Paul never calls himself or the churches he writes to “Christian?” Did you know that we don’t know who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews, or if it’s even really a letter? James F. McGrath sheds light on these and many other surprising realities of Scripture in The A to Z of the New Testament. Cutting through common myths and misunderstandings of problematic bible passages, James F. McGrath opens up expert knowledge to laypeople in his friendly introduction to New Testament studies.

Persecution. It is not a matter of “if” it will come upon us, but a question of “when” it will happen. When it happens, will we remain faithful to God, even if the trials and persecution are unto death? We, as believers, face difficulties every day in the form of trials, tribulations, sorrows, and disappointments. With each problem, there is a test of our faith. The Bible states that because sin is increasing, the hearts of many will grow cold. God is looking for the faithful few who will stand as warriors and be righteous witnesses. This verse-by-verse commentary on John chapter 16...

Essentially, all of mankind is on some sort of exodus. However, the path of fallen man is vastly different from that of the righteous. Apart from Jesus Christ and his atoning work, the exodus of a fallen humanity means only a further descent from sin into death. But in Christ, the exodus is now a glorious ascent into the justice and dominion of the everlasting Kingdom of God.

In this concise, engaging book, noted New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson takes listeners on a journey back to the time of the early Roman Empire, when the New Testament was written in ordinary Greek (koine) by the first Christians. The author explains how the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and Revelation evolved into the canon of sacred writings for the Christian religion, and how they reflect a reinterpretation of the symbolic world and societal forces of first-century Greco-Roman and Jewish life.

Trusting Jesus is hard. It requires following the unseen into an unknown and believing Jesus' words over and against the threats we see or the fears we feel. Through the imaginative retelling of 35 Bible stories, Not by Sight gives us glimpses of what it means to walk by faith, counsel for how to trust God's promises more than our perceptions, and the way to find rest in the faithfulness of God.