The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction—covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography—a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation—the author’s own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes—the author’s notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting—a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment—verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation—brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography—occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.

The Psalms have long served a vital role in the individual and corporate lives of Christians. The church fathers employed the Psalms widely—as hymns, Scripture readings, counsel on morals, forms for prayer, and apologetic and doctrinal wisdom. In this ACCS volume readers will find rich comment and theological reflection from more than sixty-five ancient authors.

This book explores why and how Paul uses Scripture (Old Testament) in Phil 2:10-16. It tests the suggestion that a cluster of tacit references to specific books of Scripture is integral or foundational to Paul's epistolary argument. If the problem in Philippi is the disinclination to accept suffering and death as intrinsic to gospel citizenship, then the muted allusions lead to a single, central theme: "God's approval of suffering and death for the sake of Christ." McAuley argues this theme is the crucial intertext that unifies and gives significance to the whole letter. Previous scholarly efforts to discover congruence between the contexts of Philippians and the Old Testament have rested on a heuristic approach focused on surface-level themes and "facticities" recorded in Paul's text, leading to mixed results. In this investigation McAuley sets forth a new theoretical and exegetical framework that draws on insights from theories of intertextuality, allusion, and rhetorical situation to offer a fresh interpretation of Philippians.

In Glory, Grace, and Truth, Alexander Tsutserov argues that three concepts of the revelation of God as Jesus are unfolded throughout the Gospel of John in terms of a ratification of the covenant of the presence of God. The covenantal aspects of "glory," confirming the presence of God, are evident in Jesus: the visible appearance of God; the intrinsic character of God; the miraculous splendor of God (in Jesus's incomparable signs, deeds, wonders, and marvelous acts); and the divine honor of God (in the Son glorified by the Father). "Grace upon grace" alludes to the requests to confirm the presence of God. All believers gained the grace of the presence of God in Jesus, rather than Moses alone encountering the grace of the presence at Sinai. The Gospel of John depicts ratification of the covenant of the presence of God in Jesus according with the covenantal articles. "Grace and truth" alludes to Exodus 34:6. Each allusion in John depicts the full graciousness and integrity of God's character. The Son possesses and bestows the Father's character onto believers by means of the Holy Spirit, who is full of "grace and truth." The divine character and the divine Law complement each other in believers, thus fulfilling the Scripture. In essence, the revelations of God at Sinai and in Jesus are the same. In quality, the latter surpasses the former in all three aspects: glory, grace, and truth.

But God saw something special in David when nobody else did, and called him to the throne. He was a shepherd. Military hero. Outlaw. King. Adulterer. Murderer. Penitent father. But most of all the he was a man after God's own heart. David had an instinct for the divine. He poured out his passion for God in song. He danced before God. He wept before God. As a result, Scripture says more about him than about Christ. Artists have sculpted him. Libraries of books have been written about him. All because at the center of David was God. This volume, the first of three, covers the story of David through his friendship with Jonathan. Passion is catching. Let David's God-saturated life fan the flames of faith. All of us, sometimes, just go through the motions. As you read, may David's passion for God become yours, and your heart like His.

Worship and music have been intimately connected since biblical times. Yet music in worship has become a point of contention-a great chasm separating the young and the not-so-young, the conservative and the liberal, and, quite possibly, the members of the church you attend. Is there a solution to this ongoing battle? Are there really certain styles of music that are good and others that are bad? How are we to honor God with our diverse musical tastes and talents? Lilianne Doukhan takes on this sensitive issue with a remarkable combination of finesse and refreshing candor. Building upon the foundation of what music is and what it is not, she explores the experience and meaning of music, its history down through the centuries, the current challenges of music ministry, and the genuine role of music as a component of worship. Book jacket.

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context. To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible. Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved. This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

Weariness. Wonder. Joy. Longing. Anger. These are the feelings of the Psalms: honest expressions of pain and joy penned by real people in the midst of real life circumstances. Though they were written centuries ago, the Psalms still resonate deeply with us today, giving voice to our thoughts and longings: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD." (Psalm 130:1) "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1) "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." (Psalm 84:2) In Learning to Pray Through the Psalms, James W. Sire teaches us to take our appreciation for this rich book of Scripture a step further. Choosing ten specific psalms, Sire offers background information that helps us read each one with deeper insight and then lays out a meditative, step-by-step approach to using the psalmists' words as a guide for our own personal conversation with God. A group study is also included in each chapter, along with a guide for praying through the psalm in community. The Lord loves when his people pray. And his Word is a powerful tool for framing honest, intimate prayers. Sire's innovative approach will enrich our minds and our souls as we read more perceptively and pray with all of our emotions.

In two places in the First Gospel (Matt 10:5b-6; 15:24) the Messianic mission of Jesus and his disciples is limited to a group called ‘the lost sheep of the house of Israel’. In light of Matthew’s intense interest in Jesus’ Davidic Messiahship and the Jewish Shepard-King traditions surrounding King David it is argued that the 'lost sheep of the house of Israel' refers to remnants of the former northern kingdom of Israel who continued to reside in the northern region of the ideal Land of Israel.

Interpretation of Scripture occurs within one’s worldview and culture, which enhances our understanding and ability to apply Scripture in the world. However, few books address Bible interpretation from an African perspective and no other textbook uses the intercultural approach found here. This book brings both an awareness of how one’s African context gives a lens to hermeneutics, but also how to interpret texts with integrity despite our cultural influences. African Hermeneutics was born of Prof Elizabeth Mburu’s frustration at only having textbooks that predominantly followed a Western worldview to teach her African students. Mburu’s approach to hermeneutics is one that begins in Africa, moving from the known to the unknown as students learn to apply her ‘four-legged stool model’ to biblical texts, namely examining: the parallels to African contexts, the theological context, the literary context, and the historical and cultural context. This textbook will help students and pastors interpret Scripture with greater accuracy in their own context, allowing for faithful application in their local contexts.