It is not, however, out of reach. The ability to identify the main themes of any passage is a skill you can learn, even as you seek to apply its truth to your own life. Covenant and Kingdom: The DNA of the Bible guides you on a Scriptural quest for knowledge and understanding. Stories and verse from the Old and New Testaments are woven together and cross-referenced, until the connections are clear and indisputable, like DNA from the Bible. Although the great Biblical themes of Covenant and Kingdom find their fullest expression in Jesus, Covenant goes all the way back to the beginning, when the only thing required was to maintain the "oneness" that God had created. After the Fall, the way was blocked; yet, God built a bridge, in Covenant, back to us. In Jesus, that Covenant was fulfilled, as on the cross, he offered himself as the ultimate blood sacrifice. The Bible is about God, our Father, inviting us to know him in a very real and personal way.Covenant and Kingdom: The DNA of the Bible provides guidance to the path of understanding that it will take to develop, to the fullest, your own individual relationship with God.

    Boyd adds another counterintuitive and provocative thesis to his corpus. While conservative scholars and pastors have struggled for years to show that the Bible is without errors, Boyd considers this a fool's errand. Instead, he says, we should embrace the mistakes and contradictions in Scripture, for they show that God chose to use fallible humans to communicate timeless truths. Just as God ultimately came to save humanity in the form of a human, God chose to impart truth through the imperfect medium of human writing. Instead of the Bible's imperfections being a reason to attack its veracity, these "problems" actually support the trustworthiness of Christian Scripture. Inspired Imperfection is required reading for anyone who's questioned the Bible because of its contradictions.

    It puts together the story of Jesus' life and message told by the people who knew him best--his disciples and friends--as recorded in the four Gospels of the Bible. Although the words were written over 2000 years ago, his message of peace, hope, love, and forgiveness still resonates with people of all races, nationalities, educational, and economic backgrounds. Some like what he said, while others disagree, but almost everyone finds him compelling. The story of Jesus comes to us from four different authors, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, written over a period of nearly seventy years. The message and uniqueness of Jesus remain the same, but each author tells the story from his perspective and for his purpose. Some writers wrote more; others wrote less. But what if we could read it as one single story from beginning to end? This book does just that by combining the four reports of Jesus' life into a single chronological story, using the easy-to-read text of the NIRV Bible. Take a new look at Jesus-- his life, his miracles, and his teachings--and to come to your own conclusions about the carpenter from Nazareth.

    This classic work successfully portrays the streets, the marketplaces, the religious conflicts, the people, and the places of Jesus' earthly ministry.Edersheim divides his work into five sections, or books: Book 1 "The Preparation for the Gospel"Introductory historical, religious, political, and cultural material based on the author's extensive knowledge of Jewish lore and customs. Book 2 "From Bethlehem to Jordan"The background of Herod and his reign, St. John the Baptist and his message, and the birth and baptism of Jesus. Book 3 "From Jordan to the Mount of Transfiguration"Thirty-seven chapters explore the miracles and teachings of Jesus' early ministry. Book 4 "The Descent into the Valley of Humiliation"A history of the latter part of Jesus' ministry from the Transfiguration to the journey to Jerusalem. Book 5 "The Cross and the Crown"A chronicle of each day of Passion Week, from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection. AppendicesValuable background material on Jewish history, tradition, and law"

    He is the most pious and pithy, sound and sensible, suggestive and sober, terse and trustworthy . . . he is deeply spiritual, heavenly, profitable; finding good matter in every text, and from all deducting the most practical and judicious lessons . . . It is the Christian's companion, suitable to everybody, instructive to all."" Charles H. SpurgeonFrom Genesis to Revelation, Matthew Henry successfully combines practical application, devotional insight, and scholarship on the entire Bible. Henry has profound insights on the content, message and nature of God's divine revelation. Perfect for all readers of the Bible who want a convenient, comprehensive commentary.- Includes the entire text of Matthew Henry's original multi-volume commentary- Modern easy-to-read type- Portable- Attractive and affordable

    Four grim horsemen, the Antichrist, the ten-horned beast, the ultimate battle at Armageddon, the "mark of the beast." It's no wonder that these images have griped the imagination of so many--and have been variously interpreted as symbolizing everything from Hitler and Gorbachev to credit cards and the Internet.Is the book of Revelation a blueprint for the future? A book of powerful symbolic imagery with warnings for the church? Is it essentially an imaginative depiction of historical events in the first century?Four Views on the Book of Revelation explores four interpretations of the book of the Apocalypse:Preterist – a historical interpretation, arguing that most of John’s prophecies occurred in the first century, soon after his writing of them.Idealist – a spiritual or symbolic interpretation, arguing that the events in Revelation are not literal, and that apocalyptic literature requires a different approach than the Gospels or Epistles.Classical dispensationalism – a literal interpretation based on a reading of Revelation that pays close attention to the rules of grammar and the separate eras of covenantal history.Progressive dispensationalism – a modification of classical that has its root in the understanding of Christ's reign beginning immediately after the resurrection.The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

    Its central figure, the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), was and is a Jew. Vicarious atonement, salvation, immersion (baptism), the new covenant and the very concept of a Messiah are all Jewish. In sum, the New Testament is built upon and completes the Hebrew Scriptures.Freshly rendered from the original Greek into enjoyable modern English by a Messianic Jew (a Jew who honors Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel), the "Jewish New Testament" challenges Jews to understand that Yeshua is a friend to every Jewish heart and the New Testament a Jewish book filled with truths to be accepted and acted upon. At the same time, while reaffirming the equality of Gentiles and Jews in the Messianic Community, it challenges Christians to acknowledge the Jewishness of their faith and their oneness with the Jewish people.

    This contribution to The New International Commentary on the New Testament is a revision of Robert Mounce's original entry on the book of Revelation and reflects more than twenty additional years of mature thought and the latest in scholarship.

    KOstenberger's new commentary on the Gospel of John draws on extensive research and engages the best of contemporary scholarship, yet provides a readable study that will be beneficial to students, pastors, and scholars.After considering the historical context of the letter as well as its relation to other New Testament writings, KOstenberger turns to his exegetical work. An introduction to each exegetical unit is provided along with the author's own translation of the Greek text. In the course of his verse-by-verse comments, KOstenberger incorporates references to other ancient writings that help explain the book's theological, cultural, and social context. Where appropriate, he draws upon the work of other commentators and provides extensive notes for further reading and research.

    Not a dry textbook, it's written in magazine style by critically acclaimed Christian journalist and Bible history author Stephen M. Miller. Color maps, photos, and paintings transport readers to sacred lands. There, they'll meet fascinating people: lovers and liars, healers and hoodlums, warriors and wimps. This captivating book will appeal to Bible newcomers as well as long-time Christians.

    This beloved classic will give new meaning to the ageless Shepherd Psalm, enriching your trust in and love for the Lord who watches closely over you.

    This intensive guide to the Gospels surveys the largest source of eyewitness information about Jesus' life and ministry--the books of the four apostles who watched Him, spoke with Him, and served Him during his years on earth.

    There are no verse references, and Scripture segments are seamlessly woven together with transition text into a single grand narrative. For those intimidated or overwhelmed by the unabridged Bible, The Story helps people understand God’s Word more fully and engage with it more easily.Simple, accessible, and easy to use, churches are finding The Story a powerful way to engage their people in Bible reading like never before. As The Story brings the Bible to life, the broad scope of God’s message will penetrate hearts. People of all ages will be swept up in the story of God’s love and God’s plan for their lives.God goes to great lengths to rescue lost and hurting people. That is what The Story is all about: the story of the Bible, God’s great love affair with humanity. Condensed into 31 accessible chapters, The Story sweeps you into the unfolding progression of Bible characters and events from Genesis to Revelation. Using the clear, accessible text of the NIV Bible, it allows the stories, poems, and teachings of the Bible to read like a novel. And like any good story, The Story is filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance, and redemption; and this story’s true! “This book tells the grandest, most compelling story of all time: the story of a true God who loves his children, who established for them a way of salvation and provided a route to eternity. Each story in these 31 chapters reveals the God of grace---the God who speaks; the God who acts; the God who listens; the God whose love for his people culminated in his sacrifice of Jesus, his only Son, to atone for the sins of humanity.”

    Each chapter includes practical "Try this" suggestions and ends with a quick checklist for preachers to consider when preaching from each of the six genres. Readers will learn how to expand their repertoire of creative, interesting, and relevant sermons.

    In this concise yet thorough book, Eric J. Bargerhuff helps you fully understand the meaning of David and Goliath, Jonah and the Big Fish, the Woman Caught in Adultery, and other well-known Bible stories.Providing fascinating historical and scriptural insights, Bargerhuff helps you sort through modern-day distortions of fifteen well-known Bible stories and grasp their original meaning and purpose for us today.