Few Christians would dispute that the book of Romans is one of the most powerful and influential books ever written. After all, Paul’s epistle has been the written force behind some of the most significant conversions of church history: St. Augustine was convicted of his sin after reading some verses from the thirteenth chapter; Martin Luther recovered the doctrine of salvation by faith from his study of Romans 1:17; John Wesley felt his heart “strangely warmed” and transformed while listening to the reading of Luther’s preface to the book of Romans; and John Bunyan was so inspired as he studied the great themes of Romans that he wrote the immortal Pilgrim’s Progress. There is no doubt about the power of the book of Romans.
Pastor Kent Hughes invites us now to experience the same power that was exhibited in the lives of great Church leaders such as Augustine, Luther, Wesley, and so many others. The fundamental truths expressed in Paul’s letter—the themes of justification by faith, abounding grace, and freedom from sin—come to life as we explore the book that has so challenged and nourished followers of Christ for centuries.
The three chapters of Matthew known as the Sermon on the Mount contain truths so rich and powerful that even a lifetime of study could not exhaust their depths. For centuries, Jesus’s majestic portrait of the kingdom of heaven and his unparalleled instructions for godliness have captivated Christians and non-Christians alike. In this classic commentary, now revised with a fresh look and ESV Bible references, seasoned pastor R. Kent Hughes guides readers through this glorious portion of the Bible with exegetical precision, expositional clarity, and practical sensitivity. Whether used by preachers, small group leaders, or individual laypersons, this resource will prove invaluable for illuminating the Sermon on the Mount’s enduring power to enliven hearts and transform minds.
Our culture holds the megaphone when it comes to talking about sex today. Yet the church has maintained a reputation for keeping quiet, hesitant to teach people about this sacred aspect of life. The Song of Solomon, however, holds nothing back as it sings loudly about the holy practice of sexuality and pushes us into the conversation with godly theology.
While this biblical text has been subject to a broader range of interpretation probably than any other book in the Bible, Wisdom Literature expert Doug O’Donnell offers this comprehensible guide to help uncoil its complexities and solve its riddles. He explores the poetry, themes, and wisdom of this song from a Christocentric perspective, and gives us a profound, rich, and witty reflection that encourages right thinking and behavior.
Showing how this “song of songs” is meant to teach us about biblical sexuality and God’s heart for his people, O’Donnell elucidates on the greatest subject of all time—love.
John Woodhouse walks us through this book passage by passage as it reveals how God’s purpose for the kings reaches far beyond what they could accomplish in their lifetimes. Their lives are part of a greater story, bearing witness about the King of kings, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world—building and strengthening our faith as we set our eyes on the kingdom that will last forever.
Reviews
“John Woodhouse’s commentary on 1 Kings is scintillating. It is characteristically full of sharp and original insight, searching application, and a refreshing, insistent focus on Jesus and his gospel as foreshadowed in the book of Kings. I am confident it will inspire many teachers and preachers to engage God’s people with the gospel treasure of this neglected part of Scripture.” — Kanishka Raffel, Anglican Dean of Sydney“With his usual precision and profound insight, Woodhouse digs up the treasures and wisdom of the gospel in this commentary. Readers will not only learn to expound the narrative of 1 Kings, but will also have their own hearts expounded and edified by the truth and hope of the gospel. Eight hundred pages full of treasures have shown me the glorious promise we have in Jesus Christ more clearly, more truly, and more deeply than I have seen it before. It is a joy to recommend this book to all fellow servants of Christ.” — Hank Lee, Assistant Minister, Enfield & Strathfield Anglican Church, Strathfield, Australia
John Woodhouse (DPhil, Victoria University of Manchester) served as principal of Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia, from 2002 to 2013. Previously, he worked in pastoral ministry in a suburb of Sydney. He has published articles in various academic journals and is the author of two volumes in Crossway’s Preaching the Word commentary series.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® (POSB) is a practical and comprehensive commentary set that gives the pastor or teacher everything they need to preach or teach God’s Word. Covering every book of the Bible, POSB is the perfect resource for expository or topical teaching.
With over a million copies sold in print, POSB is unlike any other commentary you will encounter. Each volume gives you detailed, verse-by-verse exposition for every Bible passage. Along with the biblical commentary, POSB includes extensive outlines with sub-points, thoughts on practical application, deeper studies on key biblical topics and themes, and full cross references.
You will quickly see the added value and ease of use that comes with having this commentary in your Olive Tree library. The Olive Tree edition separates the outlines and commentary to make POSB even easier to use. Instead of scrolling back and forth (or flipping pages), you can see the commentary and outlines side-by-side as you study or prepare your sermon. POSB is also fully functional with the Resource Guide and is configured to help you get to the information you need quickly. You can both drill down to the verse you want to study and easily find all the introductory material on each book of the Bible.
The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible makes it easy to create life-changing sermons and lessons. Everything you need to understand any passage of the Bible is right at your fingertips. And this resource is not just for preachers and teachers; it’s perfect for any Christian who wants to know God’s Word better.
POSB features include:
- Detailed outlines for every book of the Bible
- Well researched and easy to read commentary
- Practical application for godly living
- Deeper studies to dive into key topics and themes
- Full text cross references (no need to look them up)
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does what very few of today's students of the Bible could do for themselves. With the aid of computer technology, the vast array of writings from the church fathers—including much that is available only in the ancient languages—have been combed for their comment on Scripture. From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand-selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating and introducing it to today's readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church.
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is an ecumenical project, promoting a vital link of communication between the varied Christian traditions of today and their common ancient ancestors in the faith. On this shared ground, we listen as leading pastoral theologians of seven centuries gather around the text of Scripture and offer their best theological, spiritual and pastoral insights.
Today the historical-critical method of interpretation has nearly exhausted its claim on the biblical text and on the church. In its wake there is a widespread yearning among Christian individuals and communities for the wholesome, the deep and the enduring. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does not seek to replace those excellent commentaries that have been produced in the twentieth century. Rather, it supplements them, framing them with interpretive voices that have long sustained the church and only recently have fallen silent. It invites us to listen with appreciative ears and sympathetic minds as our ancient ancestors in the faith describe and interpret the scriptural vistas as they see them.
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a postcritical revival of the early commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria, a text artfully elaborated with ancient and authoritative reflections and insights. An uncommon companion for theological interpretation, spiritual reading, and wholesome teaching and preaching.
About the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon volume:
Among the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon were all thought by the early church fathers to have derived from the hand of Solomon. To their minds the finest wisdom about the deeper issues of life prior to the time of God's taking human form in Jesus Christ was to be found in these books. As in all the Old Testament they were quick to find types and intimations of Christ and his church which would make the ancient Word relevant to the Christians of their day.
Of extant commentaries on Ecclesiastes none is so profound as the eight homilies of Gregory of Nyssa, even though they cover only the first three chapters of the book. Joining Gregory among those most frequently excerpted in this volume are Augustine, Ambrose, Gregory the Great, Origen, John Cassian, John Chrysostom, Athanasius, Bede the Venerable and Jerome. Gregory of Nazianzus, Basil the Great and Cyril of Jerusalem lead a cast of other less frequently cited fathers, and then there remains a large cast of supporting players, some of whose work is translated here into English for the first time.
This volume edited by J. Robert Wright thus offers a rich trove of wisdom on Wisdom for the enrichment of the church today.
The book of Proverbs is the most practical book in the Bible. Its instruction in the art of living has been long tried and long proven. Its proverbial seeds of discernment are ready to be planted and rooted in the receptive soil of Wisdom's sons and daughters today.
In The Message of Proverbs the ancient voice of Lady Wisdom cries out again. She summons us to the life skills of godliness and helps us say no to the foolish and destructive enticements that inhabit the malls, campuses, housing divisions and office buildings of the postmodern world.But as much as we glean from the surface of Proverbs, there remains still more in its depths. David Atkinson's commentary wonderfully illumines the ancient cultural and religious background of the discourses and sayings of Proverbs. Wisdom's values are brought into sharp relief. More important, Atkinson brings the wisdom of Proverbs into conversation with the wisdom of God now more fully displayed in Christ. In this way the place of Proverbs in the pattern of God's Word is clearly accented.
About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:
Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.
The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.
The book of Psalms is a favorite of Christians, even though we frequently read it in portions and pieces, hopscotching through the familiar and avoiding the odd, the unpleasant and the difficult. But though the individual psalms arose from an assortment of times, experiences and settings, the book is composed in a deliberate pattern, not as a random anthology. The meaning of the Psalms is discovered in this pattern and order.
Michael Wilcock has written a sort of travel guide to the Psalms. In the first volume, he invites us to begin our journey through the gateway of Psalms 1 and 2, with their summons to obedience. In the second volume, The Message of Psalms 73--150, he ends with Psalm 150, singing its song of praise. In between we pass through all the "yes, buts" of faith--the conflicts, the burdens, the mysteries and the sufferings of life. In these laments and praises, hymns and liturgies, the Bible continues to speak clearly today.
About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:
Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.
The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® (POSB) is a practical and comprehensive commentary set that gives the pastor or teacher everything they need to preach or teach God’s Word. Covering every book of the Bible, POSB is the perfect resource for expository or topical teaching.
With over a million copies sold in print, POSB is unlike any other commentary you will encounter. Each volume gives you detailed, verse-by-verse exposition for every Bible passage. Along with the biblical commentary, POSB includes extensive outlines with sub-points, thoughts on practical application, deeper studies on key biblical topics and themes, and full cross references.
You will quickly see the added value and ease of use that comes with having this commentary in your Olive Tree library. The Olive Tree edition separates the outlines and commentary to make POSB even easier to use. Instead of scrolling back and forth (or flipping pages), you can see the commentary and outlines side-by-side as you study or prepare your sermon. POSB is also fully functional with the Resource Guide and is configured to help you get to the information you need quickly. You can both drill down to the verse you want to study and easily find all the introductory material on each book of the Bible.
The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible makes it easy to create life-changing sermons and lessons. Everything you need to understand any passage of the Bible is right at your fingertips. And this resource is not just for preachers and teachers; it’s perfect for any Christian who wants to know God’s Word better.
POSB features include:
- Detailed outlines for every book of the Bible
- Well researched and easy to read commentary
- Practical application for godly living
- Deeper studies to dive into key topics and themes
- Full text cross references (no need to look them up)
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does what very few of today's students of the Bible could do for themselves. With the aid of computer technology, the vast array of writings from the church fathers—including much that is available only in the ancient languages—have been combed for their comment on Scripture. From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand-selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating and introducing it to today's readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church.
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is an ecumenical project, promoting a vital link of communication between the varied Christian traditions of today and their common ancient ancestors in the faith. On this shared ground, we listen as leading pastoral theologians of seven centuries gather around the text of Scripture and offer their best theological, spiritual and pastoral insights.
Today the historical-critical method of interpretation has nearly exhausted its claim on the biblical text and on the church. In its wake there is a widespread yearning among Christian individuals and communities for the wholesome, the deep and the enduring. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does not seek to replace those excellent commentaries that have been produced in the twentieth century. Rather, it supplements them, framing them with interpretive voices that have long sustained the church and only recently have fallen silent. It invites us to listen with appreciative ears and sympathetic minds as our ancient ancestors in the faith describe and interpret the scriptural vistas as they see them.
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a postcritical revival of the early commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria, a text artfully elaborated with ancient and authoritative reflections and insights. An uncommon companion for theological interpretation, spiritual reading, and wholesome teaching and preaching.
About the Psalms 1-50 volume:
The Psalms have long served a vital role in the individual and corporate lives of Christians, expressing the full range of human emotions, including some that we are ashamed to admit. The Psalms reverberate with joy, groan in pain, whimper with sadness, grumble in disappointment and rage with anger.
The church fathers employed the Psalms widely. In liturgy they used them both as hymns and as Scripture readings. Within them they found pointers to Jesus both as Son of God and as Messiah. They also employed the Psalms widely as support for other New Testament teachings, as counsel on morals and as forms for prayer.
But the church fathers found more than pastoral insight in the Psalms. They found apologetic and doctrinal insight as well, as is attested by the more than sixty-five authors and more than 160 works excerpted in this commentary.
Especially noteworthy among the Greek-speaking authors cited are Hippolytus, Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, Athanasius, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, Didymus the Blind, Evagrius of Pontus, Diodore of Tarsus, John Chrysostom, Asterius the Homilist, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyr, Cyril of Alexandria and Hesychius of Jerusalem. Among noteworthy Latin authors we find Hilary of Poitiers, Ambrose of Milan, Jerome, Augustine, Arnobius the Younger and Cassiodorus.
Readers of these selections, some of which appear here for the first time in English, will glean from a rich treasury of deep devotion and profound theological reflection.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® (POSB) is a practical and comprehensive commentary set that gives the pastor or teacher everything they need to preach or teach God’s Word. Covering every book of the Bible, POSB is the perfect resource for expository or topical teaching.
With over a million copies sold in print, POSB is unlike any other commentary you will encounter. Each volume gives you detailed, verse-by-verse exposition for every Bible passage. Along with the biblical commentary, POSB includes extensive outlines with sub-points, thoughts on practical application, deeper studies on key biblical topics and themes, and full cross references.
Look Inside The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible
You will quickly see the added value and ease of use that comes with having this commentary in your Olive Tree library. The Olive Tree edition separates the outlines and commentary to make POSB even easier to use. Instead of scrolling back and forth (or flipping pages), you can see the commentary and outlines side-by-side as you study or prepare your sermon. POSB is also fully functional with the Resource Guide and is configured to help you get to the information you need quickly. You can both drill down to the verse you want to study and easily find all the introductory material on each book of the Bible.
The accompanying New Testament Master Subject Index makes it easy to perform a topical study. The Olive Tree edition allows you to use the resource like a Bible dictionary, so you can get to your topic quickly. Each topic links to the POSB commentary text and also includes links to related subjects.
The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible makes it easy to create life-changing sermons and lessons. Everything you need to understand any passage of the Bible is right at your fingertips. And this resource is not just for preachers and teachers; it’s perfect for any Christian who wants to know God’s Word better.
POSB features include:
- Detailed outlines for every book of the Bible
- Well researched and easy to read commentary
- Practical application for godly living
- Deeper studies to dive into key topics and themes
- Full text cross references (no need to look them up)
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® (POSB) is a practical and comprehensive commentary set that gives the pastor or teacher everything they need to preach or teach God’s Word. Covering every book of the Bible, POSB is the perfect resource for expository or topical teaching.
With over a million copies sold in print, POSB is unlike any other commentary you will encounter. Each volume gives you detailed, verse-by-verse exposition for every Bible passage. Along with the biblical commentary, POSB includes extensive outlines with sub-points, thoughts on practical application, deeper studies on key biblical topics and themes, and full cross references.
You will quickly see the added value and ease of use that comes with having this commentary in your Olive Tree library. The Olive Tree edition separates the outlines and commentary to make POSB even easier to use. Instead of scrolling back and forth (or flipping pages), you can see the commentary and outlines side-by-side as you study or prepare your sermon. POSB is also fully functional with the Resource Guide and is configured to help you get to the information you need quickly. You can both drill down to the verse you want to study and easily find all the introductory material on each book of the Bible.
The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible makes it easy to create life-changing sermons and lessons. Everything you need to understand any passage of the Bible is right at your fingertips. And this resource is not just for preachers and teachers; it’s perfect for any Christian who wants to know God’s Word better.
POSB features include:
- Detailed outlines for every book of the Bible
- Well researched and easy to read commentary
- Practical application for godly living
- Deeper studies to dive into key topics and themes
- Full text cross references (no need to look them up)
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does what very few of today's students of the Bible could do for themselves. With the aid of computer technology, the vast array of writings from the church fathers—including much that is available only in the ancient languages—have been combed for their comment on Scripture. From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand-selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating and introducing it to today's readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church.
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is an ecumenical project, promoting a vital link of communication between the varied Christian traditions of today and their common ancient ancestors in the faith. On this shared ground, we listen as leading pastoral theologians of seven centuries gather around the text of Scripture and offer their best theological, spiritual and pastoral insights.
Today the historical-critical method of interpretation has nearly exhausted its claim on the biblical text and on the church. In its wake there is a widespread yearning among Christian individuals and communities for the wholesome, the deep and the enduring. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does not seek to replace those excellent commentaries that have been produced in the twentieth century. Rather, it supplements them, framing them with interpretive voices that have long sustained the church and only recently have fallen silent. It invites us to listen with appreciative ears and sympathetic minds as our ancient ancestors in the faith describe and interpret the scriptural vistas as they see them.
The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a postcritical revival of the early commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria, a text artfully elaborated with ancient and authoritative reflections and insights. An uncommon companion for theological interpretation, spiritual reading, and wholesome teaching and preaching.
About the Psalms 51-150 volume:
The Psalms have long served a vital role in the individual and corporate lives of Christians, expressing the full range of human emotions, including some that we are ashamed to admit. The Psalms reverberate with joy, groan in pain, whimper with sadness, grumble in disappointment and rage with anger.
The church fathers employed the Psalms widely. In liturgy they used them both as hymns and as Scripture readings. Within them they found pointers to Jesus both as Son of God and as Messiah. They also employed the Psalms widely as support for other New Testament teachings, as counsel on morals and as forms for prayer.
Especially noteworthy was their use of Psalms in the great doctrinal controversies. The Psalms were used to oppose subordinationism, modalism, Arianism, Apollinarianism, Nestorianism, Eutychianism and Monophysitism, among others.
More than fifty church fathers are cited here from Ambrose to Zephyrinus. From the British Isles, Gaul and the Iberian Peninsula, we find Hilary of Poitiers, Prudentius, John Cassian, Valerian of Cimiez, Salvian the Presbyter, Caesarius of Arles, Martin of Bruga, Braulio of Saragossa and Bede. From Rome and Italy, we find Clement, Justin Martyr, Callistus, Hippolytus, Novatian, Rufinus, Maximus of Turin, Peter Chrysologus, Leo the Great, Cassiodorus and Gregory the Great. Carthage and North Africa are represented by Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine and Fulgentius. Fathers from Alexandria and Egypt include Clement, Origen, Dionysius, Pachomius, Athanasius, Cyril and Poemen. Constantinople and Asia Minor supply the Great Cappadocians--Basil the Great and the two Gregorys, from Nazianzus and Nyssa--plus Evagrius of Pontus and Nicetas of Remesiana. From Antioch and Syria we find Ephrem, John Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyr, Philoxenus of Mabbug, Sahdona and John of Damascus. Finally, Jerusalem, Palestine and Mesopotamia are represented by Eusebius of Caesarea, Aphrahat, Cyril, Jacob of Sarug, Jerome and Isaac of Nineveh.
Readers of these selections, some appearing in English for the first time, will glean from a rich treasury of deep devotion and profound theological reflection.
Other features: Provides pastors, teachers, and students with up-to-date evangelical scholarship. Both exegetical and translation commentary. Part of an 18-volume collection. Features New Living Translation Text.
Mark D. Futato, Ph.D., The Catholic University of America, is Robert L. Maclellan Professor of Old Testament and academic dean at Reformed Theological Seminary in Florida. He is the author of several books and articles, including Beginning Biblical Hebrew and Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook. He has also contributed to The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible and The New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. Dr. Futato is an ordained minister and served on the translation team for the book of Psalms in the New Living Translation.
George M. Schwabb, Sr., Ph.D., Westminster Theological Seminary, is associate professor of Old Testament at Erskine Theological Seminary in South Carolina. He is ordained in the Second Presbytery of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Evangelical Theological Society. He has authored numerous scholarly publications, including Hope in the Midst of a Hostile World: The Gospel According to Daniel. He served as a reviewer for Psalms and the wisdom books for the New Century Version.
Paul's letters to the Christians in Corinth portray a young church struggling to live out the demands of the gospel amid the life of a thoroughly urban setting. In Reading Corinthians: A Literary and Theological Commentary, biblical scholar Charles Talbert helps his reader to grasp what was at stake in the conversations between Paul and the Corinthians. What we find there is not only a word for the struggling faithful in Corinth, but an always truthful word for the church today.
"Reading Corinthians makes an excellent companion for those who want to study in a thorough fashion one of the most revealing of Paul's letters." — The Bible Today
"This excellent piece of work should be of great value to undergraduates and seminarians as well as pastors and professors." — Religious Studies Review
"Talbert's successful experience as a teacher and pastor provides focus for his commentary so that he fulfills admirably the design of this volume, appealing to the nonspecialist, the informed lay person, the college or seminary student. To these audiences I would heartily recommend Reading Corinthians as a reliable guide to understanding Corinthians."— Catholic Biblical Quarterly
Charles H. Talbert is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the author of several other commentaries in this series, including Reading Luke, Reading John, and Reading Acts. He is also the author of Romans in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
Reading 1 Peter, Jude, and 2 Peter: A Literary and Theological Commentary is dedicated to the study of three late, little-known biblical works that historically have been relegated to the lesser works of the New Testament. Reading 1 Peter, Jude, and 2 Peter underscores the light that these letters shed upon one another and focuses on the snapshots they provide of early Christian communities as they encountered the social and religious environment in which they were situated.
Careful reading of 1 Peter reveals the complex world of the post-apostolic period. Jude and 2 Peter provide a sober look at the early community's evolution in doctrinal and moral terms.
Earl J. Richard is Professor of New Testament at Loyola University in New Orleans. He holds graduate degrees in theological and biblical studies from the University of Ottawa, Johns Hopkins University, and the Catholic University of America. He is the author of many books in the area of biblical studies, past president of the Society of Biblical Literature (southeast region), and a member of the Catholic Biblical Association.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
Answers to the usual introductory questions do not yield sufficient harvest to enable an intelligent reading of Acts. The approach of Reading Acts: A Literary and Theological Commentary is to ask how ancient Mediterranean auditors would have heard Acts when it was read in their presence. To be successful Talbert divides this approach into two parts— how Acts would have been heard in its precanonical context and in its canonical context.
Charles H. Talbert is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the Reading the New Testament commentary series editor and the author of several of the editions in the series, including Reading Luke, Reading John, and Reading Corinthians.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
Like other volumes in this unique series, Reading Colossians, Ephesians, & 2 Thessalonians: A Literary and Theological Commentary focuses on comprehending the major themes of the epistles and their relationship to the understanding of the early Christian communities. With the focus on the work in its entirety rather than a verse-by-verse methodology, this volume will appeal to the professional and nonprofessional alike, as well as to college and seminary students.
Bonnie Thurston is professor of religion at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
Cousar 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 earliest 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.
Charles B. Cousar is the Samuel A. Cartledge Professor of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. He is the author of Galatians (Interpretation); Theology of the Cross, Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary based on the NRSV and The Letters of Paul.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
Reading Hebrews and James: A Literary and Theological Commentary 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.
Marie E. Isaacs is head of the Department of Biblical Studies in Heythrop College, London, England. Her publications include The Concept of Spirit: Pneuma in Hellenistic Judaism and its Bearing on the New Testament and Sacred Space: An Approach to the Theology of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
"Marie E. Isaacs provides valuable and original readings of Hebrews and James that reveal the historical, literary, and religious contexts and messages of the books. Especially productive is her suggestion that Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who had continued to worship in the Temple in Jerusalem and who were devastated by the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E". — Edgar V. McKnight, Research Professor and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor Emeritus of Religion, Furman University
"Brief yet insightful, cautious yet judicious in weighing alternative interpretations, Marie Isaacs leads Christian interpreters to a fresh appreciation for two of the most enigmatic books of the New Testament. Hebrews and James are as vital for Christian instruction today as ever before. Students, pastors, and Bible study groups will find here an engaging guide for further, focused study of these letters." — Alan Culpepper, Dean / McAfee School of Theology
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
Reading John: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Fourth Gospel and Johannine Epistles concentrates on the literary and theological distinctives of the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles. New Testament scholar Charles Talbert's unique commentary considers the entire scope of these works attributed to John, their literary settings and particularities, and their continuing theological importance to the Christian story. Thoughtful and engaging, Reading John is an essential book for students and ministers studying the New Testament and the Johannine writings.
Charles H. Talbert is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the Reading the New Testament commentary series editor and the author of several of the editions in the series, including Reading Luke, Reading Acts, and Reading Corinthians.
Talbert's commentary maintains the special focus that keeps this series from just rehasing the more thorough classic commentaries.It is an original, very close reading of the final form of the Gospel and Letters of John for their religious content, in light both of ancient Greco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian writings, and of present-day pastoral concerns...[A] commendable work of mature scholarship. — Theological Studies
It pleases me to see the announcement of a revision of Talbert’s already excellent analysis of John. What impresses me is definitely his close reading of the original text, coming up with fresh and acute insights. He is not content to state the obvious and revisit the commonplace. He finds new light. Dr. Talbert will inform the student and inspire the preacher with perspectives freshly found. — Peter Rhea Jones, Professor of Preaching and New Testament, McAfee School of Theology Mercer University
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
Reading Luke: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Third Gospel concentrates on the literary and theological distinctives of the third Gospel. Charles Talbert’s effective and insightful commentary enables its reader to see and feel the full force of the literary masterpiece that begins the Christian story in the birth of Jesus Christ and continues in the Acts of the Apostles. Reading Luke is an essential book for students and ministers studying Luke-Acts.
Charles Talbert is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the Reading the New Testament commentary series editor and the author of several of the editions in the series, including Reading Acts, Reading John, and Reading Corinthians. He is also the author of Romans in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series.
"Charles Talbert, perhaps the foremost interpreter of Luke-Acts among biblical scholars in the United States, has produced an unusual and highly readable commentary. Reading Luke will reward every serious student of Luke-Acts with an abundance of astute observations and insights." — Faith & Mission
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
In Reading Mark: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Second Gospel, Dowd examines the Gospel of Mark from literary and theological perspectives, suggesting what the text may have meant to its first-century audience of Gentile and Jewish Christians. Mark is a Greco-Roman biography of Jesus written in an apocalyptic mode. Its theology is based on the message of the prophet Isaiah— the proclamation of release from bondage and a march toward freedom along the "way of the Lord."
Sharyn Dowd is an associate professor of religion at Baylor University, Waco, Texas.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
Reading Matthew: A Literary and Theological Commentary provides thorough guidance through Matthew's story of Jesus. Garland's commentary reveals the movement of the story's plot while also highlighting the theology of Matthew. Reading Matthew is an essential book for students and ministers studying the first Gospel.
"Garland's commentary is an eminently worthy addition to this series. Following a brief but instructive introduction in which he deals with such matters as the various reasons for which Matthew wrote his Gospel, Garland confidently guides the reader through Matthew's story of Jesus. Commenting on the text section by section, Garland apprises the reader of the movement of the story's plat and highlights through the theology that Matthew conveys through the art form of narration. Pastors and students will not only benefit greatly from this commentary but will also applaud both the incisvieness of Garland's comments and the clarity of his prose." — Jack Dean Kingsbury, Aubrey Lee Professor of Biblical Theology, Union Theological Seminary in Virginia
David E. Garland is professor of religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
In Reading Paul's Letters to Individuals: A Literary and Theological Commentary, Gloer and Stepp interpret Paul’s letter to Philemon and the Pastoral Epistles—Titus and 1 & 2 Timothy. Philemon tells a simple and straight-forward story of Philemon and his escaped slave Onesimus. How can the story of an escaped slave returned to his master hold any meaning for believers today? Indeed, in Philemon we encounter a practical working out of Paul’s foundational theological ideas—grace, faith, atonement, reconciliation, freedom in Christ, new creation, and the ethical life that stems from these.
In their study of the Pastoral Epistles, Gloer and Stepp describe the continuation of Paul’s missionary work, the internal and external conflicts, and Paul’s gradual withdrawal from the work that has defined his life. In Paul’s absence, how will the churches address the conflicts and persecution? They survive and thrive by trusting the successors that Paul provided for them.
Like other volumes in this unique series, Reading Paul’s Letters to Individuals focuses on comprehending the major themes of the epistles and their relationship to the understanding of the early Christian communities. With the focus on the work in its entirety rather than a verse-by-verse methodology, this volume will appeal to the professional and nonprofessional alike, as well as to college and seminary students.
W. Hulitt Gloer (Ph. D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of Preaching and Christian Scripture at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. In addition to his extensive service as a pastor and professor, Dr. Gloer is the author of As You Go: An Honest Look at Jesus' First Disciples and An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul's Understanding of New Creation and Reconciliation in 2 Cor. 5:14-21. Gloer and his wife, Sheila, have two adult sons, Jeremy and Joshua.
Perry L. Stepp (Ph.D., Baylor University) is a professor of Biblical Studies and Theology and the Dean of the Sack School of Bible & Ministry at Kentucky Christian University. He is also the author of Leadership Succession in the World of the Pauline Circle and several articles on New Testament themes. His focus as a scholar is on exploring the theological content of New Testament texts by the application of tools from literary criticism, ancient and modern. In addition to his academic work, he has pastored several churches in the Midwest and Southwest.
The decision to set apart the Pauline letters to individuals is itself immediately interesting and effective in giving these epistles a distinctive place. These commentaries reflect current scholarship such as rhetorical criticism and story/characters and social historical studies. Both primary sources and good modern analyses are interspersed effectively. Words are not wasted, making the commentaries accessible. The reader is rewarded. Clarity and brevity speak well for themselves in these lively commentaries. —Peter Rhea Jones, Gannon Professor of Preaching and Professor of New Testament, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
"Trafton has produced a clear, understandable, insightful reading of the book of Revelation - not an easy task for a book that has left many readers puzzled and confused. One of the particular strengths of Trafton's commentary is his close attention to the structure of John's work and the internal connections between various passages of the book. Readers will also benefit from Trafton's identification of John's extensive indebtedness to the Hebrew Bible for much of his imagery and ideas." — Mitchell G. Reddish, O.L. Walker Professor of Christian Studies and Chair, Department of Religious Studies, Stetson University
Joseph L. Trafton is Distinguished University Professor of Religious Studies at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He has written extensively on Second Temple Judaism and serves as a contributor to the Princeton Theological Seminary Dead Sea Scrolls Project.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
The Epistle to the Romans is considered to be the classic of Reformation theology. Luke Timothy Johnson, a scholar from the Roman Catholic tradition, invests this commentary with breadth of perspective and clarity of expression. He focuses on understanding the key themes and their relationship to the whole of Pauline writings and the shaping of Christianity.
Luke Timothy Johnson is the R.W. Woodruff professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.
A lost treasure for large segments of the modern world, the book of Deuteronomy powerfully repays contemporary readers’ attention. It represents Scripture pulsing with immediacy, offering gripping discourses that yank readers out of the doldrums and back to Mount Horeb and an encounter with divine Word issuing forth from blazing fire.
God’s presence and Word in Deuteronomy stir deep longing for God and move readers to a place of intimacy with divine otherness, holism, and will for person-centered community. The consistently theological interpretation reveals the centrality of Deuteronomy for faith and powerfully counters critical accusations about violence, intolerance, and polytheism in the book.
Reviews
"Stephen Cook’s new commentary on Deuteronomy captures the reforming spirit of this biblical book. With his own fresh and dynamic voice, Cook unleashes the forceful, commanding voice of Deuteronomy. Read in light of Cook’s long and deep scholarship, Deuteronomy emerges as a powerful source for theological reflection for the church today. Most highly recommended for courses in seminaries, divinity schools, and programs in theology." - Mark S. Smith, Skirball Professor of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, New York University
"Stephen Cook’s new theological commentary puts Deuteronomy’s compelling reinterpretation of an earlier minority tradition in ancient Israel in lively dialogue with other like-minded representatives of this “outsider” stream of tradition within the Old Testament (Hosea, Micah, Jeremiah, Malachi, the Elohist, Psalms of Asaph, Joshua–2 Kings). All this is done in service to Cook’s overall aim to bring out the “vibrant liveliness and pressing relevance” of Deuteronomy as a resource for constructive theological formation for contemporary people of faith today. An insightful and accessible study of the theology and ethics of Deuteronomy." — Dennis Olson, Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology Chair, Biblical Studies Department, Princeton Theological Seminary
"Stephen L. Cook provides an accessible yet profound theological commentary on the theologically rich book of Deuteronomy. Often thought-provoking and always insightful, Cook’s contribution illumines the ancient biblical text so modern readers, particularly lay and clergy, can come to a deeper understanding not only of the book itself but also of the God who reveals himself through it." — Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College
Stephen L. Cook serves as the Catherine N. McBurney Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Virginia Theological Seminary. He did his doctoral training in Old Testament at Yale after having earning the M.Div. degree at Yale’s Divinity School. Stephen has served in several capacities as an officer of the Society of Biblical Literature and is currently chair of the executive committee, the Catholic Biblical Association, Baltimore-Washington Region.
Edited by Mark E. Biddle, Russell T. Cherry Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the Reading the Old Testament commentary series presents cutting-edge biblical research in accessible language.
In this new volume in the Reading the Old Testament commentary series, biblical scholar Marvin A. Sweeney considers one of the most interesting and compelling books of the Hebrew Bible. Ezekiel is simultaneously one of the Bible’s most difficult and perplexing books as it presents the visions and oracles of Ezekiel, a Judean priest and prophet exiled to Babylonia in the sixth century BCE.
The book of Ezekiel points to the return of YHWH to the holy temple at the center of a reconstituted Israel and creation at large. As such, the book of Ezekiel portrays the purging of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the people, to reconstitute them as part of a new creation at the conclusion of the book. With Jerusalem, the Temple, and the people so purged, YHWH stands once again in the holy center of the created world. As Sweeney writes in his introduction, the book of Ezekiel ultimately represents “a profound attempt to encounter the holy in the profane world, and based on that encounter, to sanctify the world in which we live.”
Marvin A. Sweeney is Professor of Hebrew Bible at the Claremont Lincoln University and Claremont School of Theology and Professor of Bible and Faculty Chair at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California, where he teaches courses in Hebrew Bible and the History of Judaism and Jewish Thought. He holds the Ph.D. and M.A. in Religion from the Claremont Graduate School and the A.B. in Political Science and Religious Studies (with distinction) from the University of Illinois. He has also studied at the Princeton Theological Seminary, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Brandeis University. He is the author of twelve volumes, including Tanak: A Theological and Critical Introduction to the Jewish Bible, Reading the Hebrew Bible after the Shoah: Engaging Holocaust Theology, and The Prophetic Literature. He has written more than 100 articles and 550 reviews.
Edited by Mark E. Biddle, Russell T. Cherry Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the Reading the Old Testament com- mentary series presents cutting-edge biblical research in accessible language.
Genesis, a book of wondrous stories, is also a profound exploration of the human condition. From Cain and Abel to Joseph and his brothers, the narrative focuses on the corrosive effects of envy and resentment. Ultimately, it shows a path toward reconciliation.
Julie Galambush applies current historical, archaeological, and literary scholarship to create a nuanced and highly accessible commentary, explaining the history behind the writing of Genesis, the customs and laws that “went without saying” for ancient readers, and even the puns that enrich the original Hebrew but are lost in translation. She also addresses the challenges facing contemporary Jews and Christians who accept Genesis as sacred Scripture but reject practices the Genesis authors readily accepted, such as slavery and the “gifting” of women as concubines. Reading Genesis invites any reader, religious or otherwise, to listen in and to join in on this ancient conversation on what it means to be human.
Julie Galambush is Walter G. Mason Distinguished Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Emerita, at The College of William & Mary. She holds bachelor of arts and master of divinity degrees from Yale University and a doctorate in Old Testament Studies from Emory University and is a frequent lecturer in churches and synagogues.
Edited by Mark E. Biddle, Russell T. Cherry Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the Reading the Old Testament commentary series presents cutting-edge biblical research in accessible language.
Reviews
"Reading Genesis is an amazing piece of work with a literary flair par excellence. It is readily accessible to all readers, with new insights even for trained scholars as well. It is rich in information, including comparative material from the ancient Near Eastern world, that is sure to enlighten all readers. Galambush’s feminist concerns and insights also shine through as she raises the women in Genesis to prominence. A must read for everyone interested in understanding Genesis!" — Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan President and Professor of Hebrew Bible, Claremont School of Theology
"Julie Galambush is a gifted and engaging teacher. Her new introduction to the book of Genesis engages the complexities of that notoriously difficult book with clarity, scholarly skill, humanity, and a welcome sense of humor." — Barbara Nevling Porter, Research Associate Harvard Semitic Museum and Director of the Casco Bay Assyriological Institute
"Reading Genesis is a learned, beautifully written commentary that is truly for every serious reader of the Bible. It speaks to the reader who is searching for spiritual insight without compromising an iota of serious scholarship. Julie Galambush knows the field of contemporary Bible studies as well as the traditional commentaries. Most of all, Dr. Galambush is a careful reader who knows how to go deeply into the text’s many layers." — Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel, Temple Micah, Washington, DC
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