Walter Hansen begins his commentary with this piercing counsel: "Wherever ethnic rivalries are destroying societies, the book of Galatians calls Christians to express the truth of the gospel in communities where there are no ethnic or social or gender divisions.” With billions of people in need of hearing the gospel, this cuts to the heart of evangelistic … Read more…
For readers who both yearn to know God more deeply and desire to know their purpose before God, Ephesians offers an overarching picture of God’s intention for His church, with Jesus Christ at the center. Paul starts out with a beautiful doxology and then exhorts the church to prove its vocal praise with action. Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus rema… Read more…
Nothing hinders a church’s witness—and its day-to-day existence—like conflict from within. Paul, in his letter to the church in Philippi, responded to a church body whose personal battles were worsened by outside hostility and adversity. Paul thus chose to reinforce friendship and morality in his letter, along with their “partnership in the gospe… Read more…
Paul’s letter to the Colossians, who were absorbed with legalism and intellectual conflicts, emphasizes the essential need for belief in Christ and the calling of all Christians to demonstrate their faith in right relationship with others. Paul’s solution to a purely individual and intellectualized faith will ease believer’s hearts and minds even today… Read more…
The end times (eschatology) intrigued the early church as much as it does today’s church. The new church at Thessalonica, which Paul planted during his short time there, also wondered when the end might be. Paul composed two letters for them, so that they might have a fuller knowledge of the “last things.” Taken in tandem, they explain the “alread… Read more…
In the New International Commentary: The Book of Hosea, J. Andrew Dearman goes back to Hosea’s own cultural heritage—especially the covenant relationships that God had made with Israel through its troubled history. Dearman translates the ancient Hebrew himself, and makes a potentially clouded text clear in terms of its poetic style. Hosea’s story of Is… Read more…
Issues of leadership, wealth, right handling of cults, women in ministry, and even marriage as a social establishment—the very same issues faced by today’s church—are addressed by Paul in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. His compassionate advice to Timothy and Titus as they guide first century believers in Crete and Ephesus is advice modern churches still need… Read more…
The letter to the Hebrews is one of the longest, most striking arguments for the singularity and sovereignty of Christ in the New Testament. Today’s readers will be challenged to stretch their understanding of Christ and recommit their allegiance to Him in this portrayal of our High Priest, God’s only Son—whose life showed us how to live, whose death a… Read more…
Recipient of Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Award! What is the connection between faith and works? What does growing in faith look like? What hope do we share with those in the midst of hardships? How do we avoid becoming like the rich young man who wouldn’t give up his wealth, and how do we govern our tongues? As an apostle of Christ, James d… Read more…
This first part of Victor P. Hamilton’s New International Commentary on Genesis seeks to provide clarity on these first seventeen chapters—chapters that have been theologically essential (and debated) for many years. Hamilton writes an introduction that covers structure, composition, canonicity, the text itself, interpretive problems, and theology. Ha… Read more…
Read on as the beginnings of God’s chosen people unfold even further. Although the amount of pure content in Genesis can seem overwhelming, the New International Commentary: Genesis Chapters 18-50 seeks to make it more manageable while soundly explaining theology, issues of criticism, and crucial background information. Like the first chapters of Genesis, … Read more…
The modern church pays significantly less attention to this part of the Pentateuch. To many readers, the subjects of Leviticus—ritual, food, cleanliness, and purification laws—seem inapplicable to today’s church. What does Leviticus have to do with contemporary Christians? In the New International Commentary: The Book of Leviticus, Gordan Wenham ac… Read more…
Numbers is an account with two central figures: God and Israel. Although the account appears strange and even cruel at times, the difficulties presented by Numbers deserve to be honestly faced by today’s Bible readers. The New International Commentary: The Book of Numbers will also hone in on the recurring theme of following God without deviation—a theme… Read more…
All of Christianity has been deeply influenced by Deuteronomy (the second giving of the law); this book’s scope and force is absolutely breathtaking when considered from the standpoint of theology. Christ quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 in summarizing “all the law and the prophets.” And when Jesus faces Satan in the wilderness, he quotes exclusively from Deuter… Read more…
Whereas the Pentateuch is, largely, an account of Israel’s failures, Joshua is a success story. Here, God’s people finally take possession of the land promised to them. They conquer a great deal of kingdoms and experience the fullness of God’s blessings: “[n]ot one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed… Read more…
Ruth is permeated with God’s providential care for Ruth and her family. The New International Commentary: The Book of Ruth draws from recent scholarship to carefully address the book of Ruth’s literary, grammatical, and theological aspects. Hubbard highlights the literary mastery and distinct theological views within Ruth in order to offer a new date and… Read more…
David and Goliath, the call of Samuel, the witch of Endor, David and Bathsheba—these stories and people are familiar, even to some with no Biblical background. But the books of 1 and 2 Samuel are among the most difficult books in the Bible. The Hebrew text presents serious issues to translators and scholars alike. The social and religious customs depart in… Read more…
In the New International Commentary: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, F. Charles Fensham carefully walks readers through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah—two books that are central for a correct understanding of the origins of Judaism, particularly the roots of the Pharisees. This serves as invaluable background to Jesus’ interactions with the Jewish author… Read more…
Job is a book of unique renown. For people who undergo any kind of suffering, Job confronts the difficult question of theodicy (as C.S. Lewis puts it, “the problem of pain”). It challenges the blessing/reward theology found in the Pentateuch and the view that God ought not be confronted in times of trial. Job is honest with God about his pain, and is ric… Read more…
The eagerly awaited New International Commentary: The Book of Proverbs Chapters 1-15 has been carefully crafted for over twenty five years and is expected to set the bar in Proverbs research. Authored by the prominent Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke, this dual-volume commentary is undoubtedly the most thorough study of Proverbs available. Waltke’s wo… Read more…
The New International Commentary: The Book of Proverbs Chapters 15-31 has been carefully crafted for over twenty five years and is expected to set the bar in Proverbs research. Authored by the prominent Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke, this dual-volume commentary is undoubtedly the most thorough study of Proverbs available. Waltke’s work utilizes new… Read more…
Ecclesiastes both absorbing and unforgettable. It stands out in the OT because of its strikingly distinct message. Author Tremper Longman III gives the speaker of the book the name Qohelet, who confronts doubts common in our own time as well as his. Qohelet is compelled by the question, “Where can we finding meaning in the world?” And though his mantra s… Read more…
The Song of Songs focuses on the most important of human relationships—marriage. However, it is one of the lesser-studied books in the Bible in spite of its importance in our daily lives. In the New International Commentary: Song of Songs, Tremper Longman III explains the book for contemporary readers and examines the analogy of God's love for his people t… Read more…
This first installment of John N. Oswalt’s New International Commentary: The Book of Isaiah is excellent on all fronts: whether you approach from a theological, literary, or linguistic perspective, you can’t go wrong. Oswalt combines all these things with a great deal of historical context to provide a reliable commentary on Isaiah—an immensely vital p… Read more…
Chapters 40-66 of Isaiah are some of the most beautifully written chapters in the Bible. As the writer addresses Jews during and returning from the exile, you’ll find messages of hope and encouragement as Israel faces the challenge of rediscovering its identity as God’s chosen people. In the New International Commentary: Isaiah Chapters 40-66, widely … Read more…
The New International Commentary: The Book of Jeremiah by J.A. Thompson is advanced yet easy to read. It’s one of the best works on Jeremiah available today—it will help you understand this truly wonderful book that emphasizes God’s covenant love for his people. Aside from the commentary itself, Thompson’s book on Jeremiah seeks to solidify your know… Read more…
The first twenty four chapters of Ezekiel can seem impossible at times, with their symbolic language and downright extraordinary descriptions. With the New International Commentary: Ezekiel Chapters 1-24 by Daniel Block, the difference will seem like night and day as he guides you through these challenging chapters. Block first offers an introduction that ex… Read more…
The latter half of Ezekiel doesn’t necessarily land you out of the woods in terms of clarity—if anything, God’s constant anger and apparently confusing language here can be distressing. But the New International Commentary: Ezekiel Chapters 25-48 by Daniel Block walks you through these chapters verse-by-verse and brings out Ezekiel’s content and mean… Read more…
Despite the popularity of the Minor Prophets’ focus on social justice, they are often overshadowed by the rest of the Bible. Additionally, they are home to a host of historical/literary challenges that scholars have been working with for decades—challenges that all Christians should be aware of. In the New International Commentary: Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, … Read more…
History and prophecy are closely connected when it comes to God’s chosen people. The books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah make this explicit in the eyes of O. Palmer Robertson, who, in showing the historical context of these books in the New International Commentary: Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, presents the compelling argument that Biblical history … Read more…
Haggai and Malachi are two significant but sometimes marginalized books. The New International Commentary: Haggai and Malachi by Pieter A. Verhoef is a comprehensive, critical interpretation and explanation of these two books in terms of how their messages are connected to today’s church. In his introductions to these books, Verhoef includes information… Read more…
Recipient of Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Award! Peter’s letter encouraged his readers: not only as they endured suffering, but also as they persevered in holding fast to Christ in unbelieving and hostile world. Peter’s letter is full of practical advice for right familial and social living, not to mention for interacting with a culture that … Read more…
In Simon Peter’s eyes, the mercy of forgiveness is, perhaps, matched only by the awe of experiencing trust after his threefold denial. That redemptive event in Peter’s life fueled profound letters—letters of caution and hope, grave counsel, and unimaginable promise. Jude is too often ignored because of its short length and forceful content. Regardl… Read more…
Divided by discord, the church John wrote his letters to greatly needed his firm instruction to rediscover Christ-centered love and unity. His letters to that church are easily adapted to modern gatherings of believers, which are often challenged by disputes –whether internal or external. In a pluralistic society, visibly holding fast to gospel truth is im… Read more…
Perspectives on Revelation are everywhere. One affirms that its events reflect happenings contemporary to John’s life. An alternate view sees Revelation as a prophetic summary of church history. Yet another presents the account as a perfect forecast of the end times. However, as J. Ramsey Michaels argues, these positions nullify Revelation’s meaning to … Read more…
What can we gain from studying the Book of Genesis? According to James Montgomery Boice, starting at the beginning of everything causes us to think about God and to understand ourselves as fallen, yet redeemable. This knowledge not only deepen our understanding of the Christian faith but also enhances our ability to impart the gospel's truth to a world despe… Read more…
In this commentary on Genesis 12-36, Boice traces the "new beginning" of God's plan of redemption, which arose out of God's relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. By delving into the patriarchs' lives, Boice demonstrates how much they are like us and how easily we relate to them, both in triumphs and failures. The second of three volumes on the Book… Read more…
No man in Scripture lived more consistently and completely for God than did Joseph, a favorite son of Jacob. In times of adversity and in times of prosperity-both of which offered the temptation to deny God and his lordship-Joseph remained steadfast. Living by Faith is the third and final volume on Genesis. Volume 1 focused on God's relationship to the co… Read more…
Nehemiah was a great leader. According to James Montgomery Boice, Nehemiah's leadership abilities were born from his submission to God, his ability to focus on the right goals, his wisdom in handling complex situations, and his courage to act decisively. "But the most important thing about Nehemiah," says Boice, "is that he was a man of God, and because he w… Read more…
Whether you're a serious Bible student probing through Psalm 19 or a first-time reader inspired by the promise of Psalm 23, this first volume on the book of Psalms explores each of the first forty-one psalms, uncovering deep reflections, wisdom for living, and verses of praise, confidence, and repentance. Psalm 1 stresses the importance of God's guidance … Read more…