Study Commentaries

Contemporary commentaries humorously interpret stories in the Old and New Testaments.

For C. S. Lewis, reason and logic are the sensible way to approach faith and ethics. Much of the 20th century's ills are caused by ill-founded beliefs and opinions. Lewis' original approach remains as vital today as ever. He is able to take the most convoluted subject, turn it side on and shed bright illumination on it. To be able to see along things rather than at them - just like a beam of sunlight that invades the darkness of a toolshed - is, to Lewis, the way to understanding.

For Apostolic believers, the gift of the Holy Spirit defines who we are. From the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter of Revelation, the Holy Spirit is evident in shaping our lives. A typical Bible commentary offers verse-by-verse analysis, usually of a single book of the Bible. This book resembles Bible commentaries in its thorough and comprehensive scope and its canonical survey of the Holy Spirit in Scripture. But unlike commentaries, this book gives us knowledge to undergird our Pentecostal experience.

Here is the multi award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options. This is a full-cast, unabridged performance, with comprehensive commentary and analysis, enabling students to fully understand and appreciate the play. Judge for yourself whether Lear is "a man more sinned against than sinning" in this moral tale that pits wisdom and age against ambition and youth. Experience and examine the power of Shakespeare's most cruel and violent tragedy.

Reading the Bible can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. God is a genius, and he left us a key for practical, life-changing Bible study. If you try to open your Bible to the exact center, there’s a good chance you’ll land on it. Psalm 119 is a masterwork of literature. It’s the longest chapter of the Bible, strategically placed as if to say, “Don’t miss this”! It’s the place in scripture that talks the most about scripture. The psalmist teaches his students what to search for when they read and what they can expect if they practice what they’ve learned.

For 70 years, we have been taught that Jesus died on the cross from asphyxiation (strangulation) because in the hanging position he was unable to exhale. This theory is not based on sound science. This audiobook explains the medical cause of Jesus's death and why even Pilate was surprised how soon Jesus had died. The dramatic changes that took place in Jesus's body from the Last Supper until death are described in layman's terms.

Christian Wiman explores the relationships between art and faith, death and fame, heaven and oblivion. Above all, He Held Radical Light is a love letter to poetry, filled with moving, surprising, and sometimes funny encounters with the poets Wiman has known.

With childlilke boldness and profound logic, Martin Zender exposes the spiritual bankruptcy of the religious institution. Zender's mastery of satire separates him from the pious; his Scriptural expertise launches him as the primary spokesman for those who desire God, but don't trust the establishments that boast His name.

This classic essay from Jon Krakauer is now available as an unabridged audiobook download. This essay is also included in the Classic Krakauer collection. From the best-selling author of Missoula and Into the Wild: a selection of the singular investigative journalism that made Krakauer famous, covering topics from avalanches on Mt. Everest to a volcano in Washington state; from a wilderness therapy program for teens to an extraordinary cave in New Mexico so unearthly that is used by NASA to better understand Mars.

More than a message of Christ’s triumph, the final chapters of the Gospel of John describe how we can triumph as well. Volume 5 covers chapters 18-21 and deals with the culmination of Christ’s earthly ministry, centering on his betrayal, trial, death, and resurrection.

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 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.

Based on more than 20 years of research and spiritual practice, written by a man who is both a spiritual practitioner and award-winning scientist, Essential Spirituality shows how you can apply the seven practices central to all the world's major religions in your daily life. Filled with stories, myths, case histories, prayers, and practical advice, this extraordinary work has the power to change your life.

The Secrets of the Eternal Book decodes some of the Bible’s most enigmatic, yet oft-cited epochs. The author’s lively and easygoing style makes for a smooth entrance into the depths of perception, where one changes one’s world simply by contemplation and desire. While listening, you will gently rise beyond the level of physical events as they are described in the Bible, and you will find Pharaoh, Moses, Adam, and Eve that lie within you.

The Gospel according to John has always been recognized as different from the "synoptic" accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But what explains the difference? In this new translation and verse-by-verse commentary, Michael Pakaluk suggests an answer and unlocks a 2,000-year-old mystery. Mary's Voice in the Gospel According to John reveals the subtle but powerful influence of the mother of Jesus on the fourth Gospel.

Winner of the John W. Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Human Sciences, Jaroslav Pelikan is Professor Emeritus of history at Yale University and past president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This examination of the history of the Bible reflects half a century of study and research by the author. In Whose Bible Is It?, Pelikan traces the transformation of the Bible from its earliest oral traditions to its modern forms.

Ever since he was given a copy of Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World for his ninth birthday, Dom has been obsessed with the world of cryptozoology—monster hunting—and in Scary Monsters and Super Creeps, he heads to six completely different destinations to investigate local monster sightings. Are the monsters all the product of fevered minds, or is there a sliver of truth somewhere in the madness? Either way, the search gives Dom an excuse to dive into six fascinating destinations on a gloriously nutty adventure.

Dr. Stauffer and Dr. Ray methodically, systematically, and scripturally consider many of the end times details concerning the timing of the Rapture. This concise commentary on the prophetic events of First and Second Thessalonians provides definitive and undeniable proofs showing that the scripture holds the answer when freed from private interpretation.

A multitude of Biblical stories have been censored, mistranslated, ignored, and even banned by religious authorities due to their erotic, violent, or mysterious content. Here, Jonathan Kirsch recounts some of the most startling and explicit writings from the Old Testament.

Also: The Old Testament: An Introduction, Part 1 and Part 2

Într-o dimineață din primăvara anului 1953, Aldous Huxley ia patru zecimi de gram de mescalină și așteaptă răbdător să vadă ce se întâmplă. După un timp, constată că totul, de la florile din vază până la cutele pantalonilor, e complet schimbat: culorile sunt mai intense și mai luminoase, iar timpul și spațiul par să nu aibă nici o importanță. Huxley notează cu lux de amănunte senzațiile trăite în Porțile percepției, conchizând că halucinogenele stimulează creativitatea și brodând pe marginea efectelor pe care asemenea experiențe le-ar putea avea asupra artei și religiei.