The Tony Evans Bible Commentary


Tony Evans - 2019
    He is senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX and founder of The Urban Alternative, a ministry which promotes a kingdom agenda philosophy designed to enable people to live all of life underneath the comprehensive rule of God.   The Tony Evans Bible Commentary includes an introduction to each Bible book followed by passage-by-passage exposition of the entire Bible by Dr. Tony Evans. In addition, there is a special front matter section with introductory resources. The insights in this commentary will help explain God’s Word in a fresh way. Applying these truths will empower readers to have transformed lives that then transfer the values of the kingdom of God to others.   The Tony Evans Bible Commentary features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible's original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture's life-changing message and to share it with others.

Read the Bible for Life: Your Guide to Understanding and Living God's Word


George H. Guthrie - 2010
    Read the Bible for Life aims to improve biblical literacy in the culture and the church by simultaneously moving readers toward greater skill in reading the Bible well and toward a deeper commitment to applying Scripture to everyday life. Through a series of down-to-earth conversations with some of today’s brightest scholars, author George Guthrie discusses the basic tools and attitudes needed to read the Bible more effectively. Chapters focus on the various types of literature in Scripture and how to read them well. For instance, how should we read a psalm differently than we read a parable? How should we read a story of the Old Testament differently than we read a letter from Paul? How can we engage these various parts of Scripture in a way that is truly life-changing? The book also discusses issues such as reading the Bible in context, choosing and reading a Bible translation, reading in times of sorrow or suffering, and reading the Bible with your family. As we better understand how to read the Bible skillfully, we begin to see how every person of the Bible, every psalm, and every teaching fits into the Bible’s powerful, overarching story, and we begin to realize our place in the story God is still writing in the world. Endorsements "In the church's dry desert of biblical illiteracy, this book is a drink of cold, refreshing water. With pastoral sensitivity and practical skill, George Guthrie is equipping us to know, understand, and apply the treasures of God's Word in a way that will transform our lives and our communities for the glory of our God. I wholeheartedly recommend Read the Bible For Life for every Christian and every leader in the church." —David Platt, New York Times best-selling author of Radical "In a culture where biblical illiteracy continues to spread like the proverbial plague, George Guthrie has introduced a healing medicine in the form of Read the Bible for Life. This overview of the Bible's nature and content will be welcomed in churches intent on developing biblically grounded followers of Christ. The book's conversational approach provides an easy entry for a generation that tends to read only headlines. With fresh insights for the long time student of God's Word and accessible material for the new student, it is a resource I recommend for all believers."—Ed Stetzer, coauthor, Transformational Church "The genuine give and take of conversation is key to the Christian community's deeper grasp of the Scriptures. Read the Bible for Life is a celebration of biblical conversation between friends who really love the Word. Hopefully, lots of people will join in." —Michael Card, award-winning musician and author George H. Guthrie is the Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He helped establish and is now a Senior Fellow at Union’s Ryan Center for Biblical Studies, which is committed to promoting sound Bible reading, study, and interpretation at the grassroots level of the church. Guthrie has also participated in developing or revising several popular Bible translations including the HCSB, English Standard Version, and New Living Translation.

Paul and His Letters


John B. Polhill - 1999
    And yet his remarkable life remains shrouded in mystery. In this probing new book, John B. Polhill scrapes away the myths about this great man and uncovers the truth of his life and thought.Using Acts, the Pauline epistles, and reliable traditions from non-canonical sources, Polhill weaves together the remarkable story of Paul's transformation from persecutor to persecuted, producing a dynamic account of his entire ministry. By placing each of Paul's letters in its proper historical context, Polhill brings new light to these foundation stones of the Christian faith. He follows Paul from his early years in Tarsus and Jerusalem to his imprisonment and eventual martyrdom, painting a detailed, comprehensive portrait of Paul that will serve as an indispensable resource for students, teachers, and pastors alike.

Reading Paul


Michael J. Gorman - 2007
    Gorman takes the apostle seriously, as someone who speaks for God and to us. After an overview not only of Paul's radical transformation from persecutor to proclaimer but also of his letter-writing in the context of Paul's new mission, Reading Paul explores the central themes of the apostle's gospel: Gorman places special emphasis on the theopolitical character of Paul's gospel and on the themes of cross and resurrection, multiculturalism in the church, and peacemaking and nonviolence as the way of Christ according to Paul. Gorman also offers a distinctive interpretation of justification by faith as participation in Christ--an interpretation that challenges standard approaches to these Pauline themes. Reading Paul demonstrates that the apostle of faith, hope, and love speaks not only to our deepest spiritual needs but also to the challenging times in which we live. Endorsements: ""This splendid introduction to the Apostle Paul is the best book of its kind: concise, wise, insightful, thoroughly conversant with the best recent scholarship yet thoroughly clear and readable. Against the numerous distorted preconceptions that occlude our reading of Paul, Gorman brilliantly sketches a picture of Paul's gospel as a gracious, world-transforming message of peace and reconciliation. I will assign this as required reading for students in my introductory New Testament course and put it in the hands of as many pastors and laypeople as possible."" --Richard B. Hays, George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament, The Divinity School, Duke University ""I once had the chance to meet a famous person of whom I was in awe. We met through a mutual friend who was able to coach me on how to better understand this person and not be so nervous around him. That's what Michael Gorman can do for people who want to get introduced to the apostle Paul. As someone who has gotten to know Paul by deeply immersing himself in Paul's writings for many years, Michael can be the mutual friend who orients you and helps you relax in the presence of a truly awe-inspiring person. For committed lay people to seminary students and pastors, this well-written and intelligent book will become a standard resource for reading Paul."" --Brian McLaren, author of A Generous Orthodoxy ""Michael Gorman has given us an extraordinary gift. He has written an eminently readable introduction to Paul's message that neither diminishes the apostle's practical wisdom nor domesticates it. He communicates the profound depth of Paul's thought in ways that are as inviting as they are challenging. Reading Paul is that rare book that deserves the widest possible readership."" --Joel B. Green, Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Fuller Theological Seminary ""Michael Gorman, already established as a perceptive and creative interpreter of Paul's letters, now offers us a user-friendly introduction to Paul the person. Gorman's book aptly fulfills the Companions series goal. He makes Paul our contemporary 'companion' by introducing major themes from Paul's letters in such a personal way. I warmly recommend this book to pastors, seminarians, and anyone interested in getting to know Paul better!"" --Fr. Ronald D. Witherup, SS, Provincial Superior of the U.S. Province of Sulpicians ""Reading Paul well means reading Paul specifically as Christian Scripture, 'the voice of God speaking to us, ' to use Michael Gorman's phrase. In this book, Gorman not only reads Paul well, he exemplifies a passion for helping others in the Church to do so. He elegantly weaves historical, social, and political aspects of Paul's context into a powerful theological reading of the apostle's letters that reverberates with contemporary implications for the church in North America. His lucid expo

Unprotected Texts: The Bible's Surprising Contradictions About Sex and Desire


Jennifer Wright Knust - 2011
    A terrific read by a top scholar.” —Bart Ehrman, author of Misquoting Jesus Boston University’s cutting-edge religion scholar Jennifer Wright Knust reveals the Bible’s contradictory messages about sex in this thoughtful, riveting, and timely reexploration of the letter of the gospels. In the tradition of Bart Erhman’s Jesus Interrupted and John Shelby Spong’s Sins of Scripture, Knust’s Unprotected Texts liberates us from the pervasive moralizing—the fickle dos and don’ts—so often dictated by religious demagogues. Knust’s powerful reading offers a return to the scripture, away from the mere slogans to which it is so often reduced.

Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi


Amy-Jill Levine - 2014
    Life in first-century Palestine was very different from our world today, and many traditional interpretations of Jesus’ stories ignore this disparity and have often allowed anti-Semitism and misogyny to color their perspectives.In this wise, entertaining, and educational book, Amy-Jill Levine offers a fresh, timely reinterpretation of Jesus’ narratives. In Short Stories by Jesus, she analyzes these “problems with parables,” taking readers back in time to understand how their original Jewish audience understood them. Levine reveals the parables’ connections to first-century economic and agricultural life, social customs and morality, Jewish scriptures and Roman culture. With this revitalized understanding, she interprets these moving stories for the contemporary reader, showing how the parables are not just about Jesus, but are also about us—and when read rightly, still challenge and provoke us two thousand years later.

Exalting Jesus in Hebrews


R. Albert Mohler Jr. - 2017
    Edited by David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, this new commentary series, projected to be 48 volumes, takes a Christ-centered approach to expositing each book of the Bible. Rather than a verse-by-verse approach, the authors have crafted chapters that explain and apply key passages in their assigned Bible books.   Readers will learn to see Christ in all aspects of Scripture, and they will be encouraged by the devotional nature of each exposition presented as sermons and divided into chapters that conclude with a “Reflect & Discuss” section, making this series ideal for small group study, personal devotion, and even sermon preparation. It’s not academic but rather presents an easy reading, practical and friendly commentary.   The author of Exalting Jesus in Hebrews is Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

New Catholic Answer Bible


Paul Thigpen - 2005
    The New Catholic Answer Bible now has double the number of answers to questions about Catholic beliefs, practices, and their foundation in Scripture.The New Catholic Answer Bible is still the right choice for those who want to: Learn more about the Catholic Faith Increase their knowledge of Scripture and deepen their appreciation for it Better respond when others ask them about the Catholic Church and its teachings The New Catholic Answer Bible is a wonderful gift for a family member or friend who is in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) or has recently joined the Church.

What Saint Paul Really Said: Was Paul of Tarsus the Real Founder of Christianity?


N.T. Wright - 1997
    Wright, a world authority on the life and letters of Paul, responds to A.N. Wilson's claim that it was Paul and not Jesus who founded Christianity. He delivers a devastating critique, contending that Paul was a faithful witness and herald of Jesus Christ.

Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible


Michael F. Bird - 2021
    It is a must read for any serious Bible reader who desires an informed and mature view of the Bible that will enrich their faith.

Paul and the Gift


John M.G. Barclay - 2015
    He offers a new appraisal of Paul's theology of the Christ-event as gift as it comes to expression in Galatians and Romans, and he presents a nuanced and detailed discussion of the history of reception of Paul. This exegetically responsible, theologically informed, hermeneutically useful book shows that a respectful, though not uncritical, reading of Paul contains resources that remain important for Christians today.

Announcing the Kingdom: The Story of God's Mission in the Bible


Arthur F. Glasser - 2003
    It investigates the development of the kingdom of God theme in the Old Testament, describing what the concept tells us about God's mission in creation, the flood, and the covenant with Abraham. It then describes God's mission through the nation of Israel during the exodus, at Mt. Sinai, and through the kings of Israel. The book then examines God's mission as Israel is sent into exile and the stage is set for the Messiah's coming. Finally, the book considers the fulfillment of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ and the church. It examines Jesus' parables and ministry, his proclamation of God's kingdom among the nations, and the work of the Holy Spirit through the church. Announcing the Kingdom is the product of Arthur Glasser's more than thirty years of teaching and has been used by thousands of students at Fuller Theological Seminary. Now revised by Glasser's colleagues, this study provides mission workers and students with a new understanding of their calling and its biblical foundation.

Teaching of Jesus Concerning the Kingdom of God and the Church


Geerhardus Vos - 1903
    

Exalting Jesus in Philippians


Tony Merida - 2016
    Akin, and Tony Merida, this new commentary series, projected to be 48 volumes, takes a Christ- centered approach to expositing each book of the Bible. Rather than a verse-by-verse approach, the authors have crafted chapters that explain and apply key passages in their assigned Bible books. Readers will learn to see Christ in all aspects of Scripture, and they will be encouraged by the devotional nature of each exposition. Projected contributors to the series include notable authors such as Russell D. Moore, Al Mohler, Matt Chandler, Mark Dever, and others.

Hell, A Final Word: The Surprising Things I Found in the Bible


Edward Fudge - 2012
    But, between the extremes of universal salvation and everlasting torment, there shines a third view, known as annihilationism or conditional immortality, claiming the most biblical support of all.