Bible Commentary

For centuries, The Book of Enoch has intrigued scholars, theologians, and seekers of truth. This ancient manuscript, once considered lost, reveals a universe of angelic beings, divine secrets, and cosmic battles. It challenges conventional religious thought, offering a glimpse into the pre-flood world and the cosmic order as envisioned by its author.

The gospel of Mark comes alive in N. T. Wright's updated, listener-friendly translation and insightful commentary. He guides the listener through the world of the New Testament, explaining the ideas and events that shaped the gospel writer's account of the life of Jesus. Breaking down the gospel of Mark into brief, easy-to-study segments, Wright shows how the message of this ancient book speaks powerfully to the spiritual longings of contemporary listeners. New Christians and longtime followers of Jesus alike will find inspiration and practical wisdom for their journey within this book.

An easy approach to get kids familiar with Jesus. Who Was Jesus, Really? takes us further into deeper teachings and the works of Jesus, reveals Jesus as the healer in a world filled with sickness and disease, and how it is a faith booster for you to claim your healing in Jesus’ name. This book also focuses on some of Jesus’ parables, which he used to emphasize the issue of covetousness. Jesus does not want us to be greedy. He points our attention to being rich toward God. Open the book and open your heart!

Prostitution, incest, drunkenness at the Lord's table, sectarianism, and babble all were problems in Paul's rag-tag startup church in Corinth. Paul's letter was a course-correction for many in the church, bringing people back to the Gospel as the basis for right unity, sexual ethics, observation of the sacraments, and worship.

In 15 New Testament Words of Life, New Testament expert Nijay Gupta explores the most important words found in the New Testament. He makes their meaning clear so that these words can become—once again—life giving words for modern Christians as they were for early Jesus-followers. For those first readers of the New Testament who chose to follow Jesus, these words were words of life and they can be again for Jesus-followers in the modern world.

I and II Kings provide a record of Israel's history from the beginning of the movement to place Solomon on David's throne through the end of the reign of Zedekiah, Judah's last king. There are great lessons to be learned from Israel's desire to be "like those around us" and its consequences.

In The Bible’s Cutting Room Floor, acclaimed author and translator Dr. Joel M. Hoffman gives us the stories and other texts that didn’t make it into the Bible even though they offer penetrating insight into the Bible and its teachings. The Book of Genesis tells us about Adam and Eve’s time in the Garden of Eden, but not their saga after they get kicked out or the lessons they have for us about good and evil.

Jesus Christ has been given the name above all names, the highest seat of honor, the right to reign and rule. Yet the busyness of our lives and the diversions of this world often distract us from knowing the most important person we could ever know. Perhaps we need some help to see Jesus afresh. In this thoughtful study and worshipful reflection, two influential pastors draw on decades of pastoral experience in order to guide us through the whole sweep of Scripture and examine seven key qualities of Jesus's identity and ministry.

God has provided a tactful and solemn weapon for us to use in our daily Christian walk, but we must understand what we have and how to use it. In Making the Most Use of Your Bible, Dr. Ricardo Holloway has provided brief summaries and scripture examples for each book of the Bible, an explanation of the intertestamental books, and book reference charts for the Old and New Testaments.

Christianity has obscured the fact that Jesus taught Judaism. This loss is visible in many ways, such as the misinterpretation of many New Testament Scriptures. This book rediscovers the unyielding, even strengthened, commitment to the Law by Jesus and the New Testament authors. With both Bible citations and historical references, this book restores a full understanding of the gospel of the Jewish kingdom.

The two books of Samuel form a basic foundational study in the Old Testament. An understanding of this basic history is essential, not only to understanding the Old and New Testaments, but in gaining a valid perspective of eschatological issues as well.

Here is Thomas Jefferson's classic abridgment of the Bible, in which Jefferson sculpted the words and ideas of Christ into a resounding moral philosophy. On and off for 17 years (including his term in the White House), Jefferson cut and pasted the philosophy of Jesus Christ, as recorded in Scripture, into one compact statement. He omitted any references to the virgin birth, miraculous healings, demonic possession, or supernatural events of any kind. His aim was to distinguish the moral philosophy of Christ from the religion that was later created around Christ.

Over the past 70 years, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, has evolved from a virtually unknown and little-used pamphlet to an imposing and comprehensive compendium of mental disorder. Its nearly 300 conditions have become the touchstones for the diagnoses that patients receive, students are taught, researchers study, insurers reimburse, and drug companies promote.

God has many ways of teaching us. Jesus taught by example. Men looked at how he lived, and decided to walk that way also. He also taught by precept, speaking directly to people, in a way we might call teaching today. But his favorite way of teaching was through the use of the parable. He loved to tell stories—stories with spiritual meanings. "In the fall of 1987," Jamie said, "I visited Israel with a camera crew. We had obtained permission from the Israeli government to set up cameras at ten of the sites where Jesus told his best-known parables.

The book of Acts bursts with the passion of early Christians embracing God's work and spreading Jesus's message worldwide. It also lays bare the challenges churches face, demonstrating that 'normal church life' has never been plain sailing. Acts is a dynamic narrative of journeys, trials, and triumphs, inspiring us in our own spiritual journeys. Acts, Part 1 spans from Luke's introduction to Herod's death in chapter 12.

What is this book good for? It establishes a clear linear understanding of biblical text in its purpose of driving the listener to see how faithfully God executes His purpose in creation. The covenantal framework from Adam to Christ, and from creation to consummation, is a most apt way of seeing the flow of the entire biblical text. One is lifted in the journey and is able to see the entire scope of Divine Providence work out the divine decree from generation to generation, book to book, event to event, person to person.

This thoroughly enjoyable new commentary, The Pillar of the Truth, gives background for the three letters, brings out parallels between the Apostolic age and Israel's time in the wilderness, and, in step-by-step fashion, shows how the Apostle Paul was preparing the nascent Church for institutionalization.

"Finishing Well" is the name of the game. Here was a rich, young ruler - a first century "yuppie" if you will - who, although getting off to a rather problematic beginning, finished well, indeed. A rich young ruler questioned Christ about what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Mark's Gospel includes a detail that Matthew and Luke failed to mention: "And Jesus looking upon him loved him..." This hints at the possibility that young John Mark himself may have been that rich young man.

The gospel of John comes alive in N. T. Wright's updated, listener-friendly translation and insightful commentary. He guides the listener through the world of the New Testament, explaining the ideas and events that shaped the gospel writer's account of the life of Jesus. Breaking down the gospel of John into brief, easy-to-study segments, Wright shows how the message of this ancient book speaks powerfully to the spiritual longings of contemporary listeners. New Christians and longtime followers of Jesus alike will find inspiration and practical wisdom for their journey within this book.

Christian men and women across the country experience leadership in many different ways. Some lead a congregation, youth group or ministry, some in their homes, businesses, or non-professional organizations. The lives of many followers of Christ are marked by a combination of these roles. In Leadership by the Book, Brent Garrison offers examples from each book of the Old and New Testaments of how God's servants have led his people