Study Commentaries

"Like a child eating cotton-candy at the circus, many people who expect to bite into something real end up with a mouthful of nothing. They waste priceless years on empty substitutes for reality." Through clever word pictures like this that strike the audience with their simple truth, acclaimed best-selling author and former pastor Warren Wiersbe shares priceless unchanging realities as he opens up the book of I John.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are synoptic in portraying the savior’s humanity in different aspects with his deity. Since Mark presents the savior as a slave, he does not tell his genealogy and status, because the ancestry of a slave is not worthy of note. Furthermore, in contrast to Matthew, who presents to us the savior’s marvelous teachings and parables concerning the heavenly kingdom, and John, who presents his profound revelations of the divine truths, Mark’s intention is not to impress us with the slave’s wonderful words, but with his excellent deeds in his gospel service.

The Book of Romans stands as one of the most profound and influential works in the New Testament. Penned by the Apostle Paul, this letter is a masterpiece of Christian theology, articulating foundational truths about humanity, sin, salvation, and the righteousness of God. Romans is not only a letter to the early church in Rome but also a timeless guide, calling believers across ages to understand the essence of the gospel, its implications for personal transformation, and its role in the unfolding story of God’s redemptive work. The book opens with a deep dive into the human condition and...

N. T. Wright explores Acts, illuminating the early Christians' zeal in spreading Jesus's message. The book of Acts brims with early Christians' zeal, global evangelism, and the real-life challenges faced by churches. It's a dynamic narrative of journeys, trials, and triumphs, offering inspiration for our spiritual journeys. Acts for Everyone, Part 2 follows Paul's ministry, concluding with his arrival in Rome in Acts 28.

The book of Revelation in the Bible is not meant to be a mystery. At least not to those who wish to know its meaning. It is not a fantasy, even though there are angels, scorpion men, creatures, demons being let loose and seven-headed beasts emerging from the sea. It is a message from Jesus to His followers. He wanted to reveal what was going to happen in the last days. But understanding it does require knowledge of the Bible- Old Testament and New. It is the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing to its readers. That blessing includes being informed because the events Revelation ...

From the majestic beauty of the wild Scottish landscape to the hidden traces of its history waiting to be uncovered in every town and village, Andrew McAlindon is enthralled by the country he is lucky enough to call home. As one of Scotland’s busiest tour guides in real life and online, Andy travels around the country to ancient sites such as castles, cemeteries, burial chambers and prisons, celebrating the history, folklore, superstitions and the fascinating people that make Scotland so unique. Lochs and Legends is Andy’s love letter to Scotland.

A comprehensive study guide with verse-by-verse commentary on all of Philippians. The theme is the mind of Christ in the believer and to love one another. Apostle Paul thanks the Philippians for their gift and their “fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (1:5). He is confident that “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6). Paul wants the Philippians (and us) to know that it is most excellent to suffer for sharing the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4) and the mystery (Ephesians 3:1-9). Prayer is the most ...

Popular writer and teacher Jeannine Brown shows how a narrative approach illuminates each of the Gospels and highlights the overarching stories. This book offers a corrective to tendencies to read the Gospels piecemeal, one story at a time. It is filled with examples that show how narrative criticism brings the text to life, making it ideal for courses on the Gospels. Listeners will gain hands-on tools and perspectives to interpret the Gospels as whole stories.

If you could spend a few minutes with the giants of faith in the Old Testament in person, what lessons would they share with you? In Learning from the Giants, John C. Maxwell draws on 50 years of studying the Bible to share the stories of Elijah, Elisha, Job, Jacob, Deborah, Isaiah, Jonah, Joshua and Daniel. These people fought and won epic battles, served kings, and endured great hardships for God to come out on the other side transformed through His grace.

How well do you understand the grace of God? As women, we try so hard to be perfect, get the Christian life just right and have all of the pieces in just the right places. The book of Hebrews is a deep and complex argument for the finality of Christ’s sacrifice and His completed work on the cross. It presents for us the importance of learning to balance our need for holy living with the grace of God and the blood of Jesus that sanctifies us and makes us holy. A Study of Hebrews takes you on a journey through this powerful book of the Bible, giving you a devotional reading sprinkled with ...

Post-traumatic stress disorder was recognized as a psychiatric disorder in the latter part of the 19th century. In PTSD, Allan V. Horwitz traces the fluctuations in definitions of and responses to traumatic psychic conditions. Arguing that PTSD, perhaps more than any other diagnostic category, is a lens for showing major historical changes in conceptions of mental illness, he surveys the conditions most likely to produce traumas, the results of those traumas, and how to evaluate the claims of trauma victims.

Dig deep into the plain meaning of the Bible’s stories and commandments Would you like to know what the Old Testament (Pentateuch) is all about from a Jewish point of view? This book reveals the morals, ethics, and ideas behind the stories and commandments of one of the oldest books in the history of mankind – a book that serves as the foundation of Jewish and Christian religion. Given the difficult Hebrew in which the Old Testament was written and how challenging it is to translate and to explain, the author wanted to offer to the reader the simple meaning of the text (p’shat) in ...

Mahatma Gandhi took on a challenge to read his Bible. When he reached the book of Leviticus, he gave up. Most people determined to read their Bible give up when they reach this book. In this book, H.K. Holland breaks down the main concepts Moses addressed in the book of Leviticus. He walks you through the sacrifices, the priests, and the meaning of some purity and impurity laws. He shows you how the sacrifices were all pointing to the Great Sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Immerse yourself in the transformative power of God's Word with Devotional Commentary on the Amplified Bible's Unique Interpretations. This inspiring devotional journey explores key scriptures through the lens of the Amplified Bible, offering deep insights into the life-changing truths of Scripture. Each chapter unpacks the amplified meanings of God's Word, helping you to fully grasp the richness of His promises, His love, and His call on your life.

Two thousand years ago, the church at Colossae faced similar challenges. The Apostle Paul wrote a letter outlining the only way we can live complete lives: Christ. What can we learn today from this ancient church? Called by many scholars the "most profound letter Paul ever wrote," Colossians warrants a careful, faithful study. In this short, but exciting letter, Paul makes the case for the supremacy of Christ in all things. Best selling author and teacher Warren Wiersbe calls your attention to Paul's essential thoughts on living a complete life—Christ alone—in this easy-to-use commentary.

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

The Book of Enoch: A Complete Guide and Reference is the ultimate reference and guide to the book of 1 Enoch (The Ethiopic Book of Enoch). This guide and reference contains the author's notes and insights on the ancient text, as well as commentary, parallel Bible verses, references to 2 Enoch and 3 Enoch, history, prophecy, and the Calendar of Enoch. The author has included an amazing section on the application of the Calendar of Enoch to the prophecy of Daniel and "Daniel's Week of Years."

Reading the Bible doesn't need to be a difficult journey through strange and bewildering territory. How to Read the Bible Book by Book walks you through the Scriptures like an experienced tour guide, helping you understand each of its 66 books. For each book of the Bible, the authors start with a quick snapshot, then expand the view to help you better understand its message and how it fits into the grand narrative of the Bible. Written by two top evangelical scholars, this survey is designed to get you actually reading the Bible knowledgeably and understanding it accurately.

It can seem as though today's culture encourages weakness, not strength. And this attitude has crept into the church: Don't take a strong position of faith. Don't take a strong view of evangelism. Don't maintain strong moral values. Yet God's people are called to be soldiers, and to fight for His cause and kingdom. Based on the book of Joshua, Be Strong is an inspiring guide to pursuing a victorious life. Part of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's best-selling "BE" commentary series, Be Strong has now been updated with study questions and a new introduction by Ken Baugh.

The Mengzi is one of the very greatest works of world literature and philosophy, and it is perhaps the single most influential Confucian text of all time. Of all the Confucian classics, it is also the one most likely to speak to a contemporary audience. The Mengzi contains the dialogues, debates and sayings of Mengzi, a Confucian sage of the fourth century BCE. (He is also known by the Latinization of his name, 'Mencius'.)