The book of Psalms is a favorite of Christians, even though we frequently read it in portions and pieces, hopscotching through the familiar and avoiding the odd, the unpleasant and the difficult. But though the individual psalms arose from an assortment of times, experiences and settings, the book is composed in a deliberate pattern, not as a random anthology. The meaning of the Psalms is discovered in this pattern and order.

Michael Wilcock has written a sort of travel guide to the Psalms. In the first volume, he invites us to begin our journey through the gateway of Psalms 1 and 2, with their summons to obedience. In the second volume, The Message of Psalms 73--150, he ends with Psalm 150, singing its song of praise. In between we pass through all the "yes, buts" of faith--the conflicts, the burdens, the mysteries and the sufferings of life. In these laments and praises, hymns and liturgies, the Bible continues to speak clearly today.

About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:

Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.

The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.

The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® (POSB) is a practical and comprehensive commentary set that gives the pastor or teacher everything they need to preach or teach God’s Word. Covering every book of the Bible, POSB is the perfect resource for expository or topical teaching.

With over a million copies sold in print, POSB is unlike any other commentary you will encounter. Each volume gives you detailed, verse-by-verse exposition for every Bible passage. Along with the biblical commentary, POSB includes extensive outlines with sub-points, thoughts on practical application, deeper studies on key biblical topics and themes, and full cross references.

You will quickly see the added value and ease of use that comes with having this commentary in your Olive Tree library. The Olive Tree edition separates the outlines and commentary to make POSB even easier to use. Instead of scrolling back and forth (or flipping pages), you can see the commentary and outlines side-by-side as you study or prepare your sermon. POSB is also fully functional with the Resource Guide and is configured to help you get to the information you need quickly. You can both drill down to the verse you want to study and easily find all the introductory material on each book of the Bible.

The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible makes it easy to create life-changing sermons and lessons. Everything you need to understand any passage of the Bible is right at your fingertips. And this resource is not just for preachers and teachers; it’s perfect for any Christian who wants to know God’s Word better.

POSB features include:

• Detailed outlines for every book of the Bible
• Well researched and easy to read commentary
• Practical application for godly living
• Deeper studies to dive into key topics and themes
• Full text cross references (no need to look them up)

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does what very few of today's students of the Bible could do for themselves. With the aid of computer technology, the vast array of writings from the church fathers—including much that is available only in the ancient languages—have been combed for their comment on Scripture. From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand-selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating and introducing it to today's readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church.

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is an ecumenical project, promoting a vital link of communication between the varied Christian traditions of today and their common ancient ancestors in the faith. On this shared ground, we listen as leading pastoral theologians of seven centuries gather around the text of Scripture and offer their best theological, spiritual and pastoral insights.

Today the historical-critical method of interpretation has nearly exhausted its claim on the biblical text and on the church. In its wake there is a widespread yearning among Christian individuals and communities for the wholesome, the deep and the enduring. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does not seek to replace those excellent commentaries that have been produced in the twentieth century. Rather, it supplements them, framing them with interpretive voices that have long sustained the church and only recently have fallen silent. It invites us to listen with appreciative ears and sympathetic minds as our ancient ancestors in the faith describe and interpret the scriptural vistas as they see them.

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a postcritical revival of the early commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria, a text artfully elaborated with ancient and authoritative reflections and insights. An uncommon companion for theological interpretation, spiritual reading, and wholesome teaching and preaching.

About the Psalms 1-50 volume:

The Psalms have long served a vital role in the individual and corporate lives of Christians, expressing the full range of human emotions, including some that we are ashamed to admit. The Psalms reverberate with joy, groan in pain, whimper with sadness, grumble in disappointment and rage with anger.

The church fathers employed the Psalms widely. In liturgy they used them both as hymns and as Scripture readings. Within them they found pointers to Jesus both as Son of God and as Messiah. They also employed the Psalms widely as support for other New Testament teachings, as counsel on morals and as forms for prayer.

But the church fathers found more than pastoral insight in the Psalms. They found apologetic and doctrinal insight as well, as is attested by the more than sixty-five authors and more than 160 works excerpted in this commentary.

Especially noteworthy among the Greek-speaking authors cited are Hippolytus, Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, Athanasius, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, Didymus the Blind, Evagrius of Pontus, Diodore of Tarsus, John Chrysostom, Asterius the Homilist, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyr, Cyril of Alexandria and Hesychius of Jerusalem. Among noteworthy Latin authors we find Hilary of Poitiers, Ambrose of Milan, Jerome, Augustine, Arnobius the Younger and Cassiodorus.

Readers of these selections, some of which appear here for the first time in English, will glean from a rich treasury of deep devotion and profound theological reflection.

The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® (POSB) is a practical and comprehensive commentary set that gives the pastor or teacher everything they need to preach or teach God’s Word. Covering every book of the Bible, POSB is the perfect resource for expository or topical teaching.

With over a million copies sold in print, POSB is unlike any other commentary you will encounter. Each volume gives you detailed, verse-by-verse exposition for every Bible passage. Along with the biblical commentary, POSB includes extensive outlines with sub-points, thoughts on practical application, deeper studies on key biblical topics and themes, and full cross references.

Look Inside The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible

You will quickly see the added value and ease of use that comes with having this commentary in your Olive Tree library. The Olive Tree edition separates the outlines and commentary to make POSB even easier to use. Instead of scrolling back and forth (or flipping pages), you can see the commentary and outlines side-by-side as you study or prepare your sermon. POSB is also fully functional with the Resource Guide and is configured to help you get to the information you need quickly. You can both drill down to the verse you want to study and easily find all the introductory material on each book of the Bible.

The accompanying New Testament Master Subject Index makes it easy to perform a topical study. The Olive Tree edition allows you to use the resource like a Bible dictionary, so you can get to your topic quickly. Each topic links to the POSB commentary text and also includes links to related subjects.

The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible makes it easy to create life-changing sermons and lessons. Everything you need to understand any passage of the Bible is right at your fingertips. And this resource is not just for preachers and teachers; it’s perfect for any Christian who wants to know God’s Word better.

POSB features include:

• Detailed outlines for every book of the Bible
• Well researched and easy to read commentary
• Practical application for godly living
• Deeper studies to dive into key topics and themes
• Full text cross references (no need to look them up)

The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® (POSB) is a practical and comprehensive commentary set that gives the pastor or teacher everything they need to preach or teach God’s Word. Covering every book of the Bible, POSB is the perfect resource for expository or topical teaching.

With over a million copies sold in print, POSB is unlike any other commentary you will encounter. Each volume gives you detailed, verse-by-verse exposition for every Bible passage. Along with the biblical commentary, POSB includes extensive outlines with sub-points, thoughts on practical application, deeper studies on key biblical topics and themes, and full cross references.

You will quickly see the added value and ease of use that comes with having this commentary in your Olive Tree library. The Olive Tree edition separates the outlines and commentary to make POSB even easier to use. Instead of scrolling back and forth (or flipping pages), you can see the commentary and outlines side-by-side as you study or prepare your sermon. POSB is also fully functional with the Resource Guide and is configured to help you get to the information you need quickly. You can both drill down to the verse you want to study and easily find all the introductory material on each book of the Bible.

The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible makes it easy to create life-changing sermons and lessons. Everything you need to understand any passage of the Bible is right at your fingertips. And this resource is not just for preachers and teachers; it’s perfect for any Christian who wants to know God’s Word better.

POSB features include:

• Detailed outlines for every book of the Bible
• Well researched and easy to read commentary
• Practical application for godly living
• Deeper studies to dive into key topics and themes
• Full text cross references (no need to look them up)

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does what very few of today's students of the Bible could do for themselves. With the aid of computer technology, the vast array of writings from the church fathers—including much that is available only in the ancient languages—have been combed for their comment on Scripture. From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand-selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating and introducing it to today's readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church.

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is an ecumenical project, promoting a vital link of communication between the varied Christian traditions of today and their common ancient ancestors in the faith. On this shared ground, we listen as leading pastoral theologians of seven centuries gather around the text of Scripture and offer their best theological, spiritual and pastoral insights.

Today the historical-critical method of interpretation has nearly exhausted its claim on the biblical text and on the church. In its wake there is a widespread yearning among Christian individuals and communities for the wholesome, the deep and the enduring. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does not seek to replace those excellent commentaries that have been produced in the twentieth century. Rather, it supplements them, framing them with interpretive voices that have long sustained the church and only recently have fallen silent. It invites us to listen with appreciative ears and sympathetic minds as our ancient ancestors in the faith describe and interpret the scriptural vistas as they see them.

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a postcritical revival of the early commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria, a text artfully elaborated with ancient and authoritative reflections and insights. An uncommon companion for theological interpretation, spiritual reading, and wholesome teaching and preaching.

About the Psalms 51-150 volume:

The Psalms have long served a vital role in the individual and corporate lives of Christians, expressing the full range of human emotions, including some that we are ashamed to admit. The Psalms reverberate with joy, groan in pain, whimper with sadness, grumble in disappointment and rage with anger.

The church fathers employed the Psalms widely. In liturgy they used them both as hymns and as Scripture readings. Within them they found pointers to Jesus both as Son of God and as Messiah. They also employed the Psalms widely as support for other New Testament teachings, as counsel on morals and as forms for prayer.

Especially noteworthy was their use of Psalms in the great doctrinal controversies. The Psalms were used to oppose subordinationism, modalism, Arianism, Apollinarianism, Nestorianism, Eutychianism and Monophysitism, among others.

More than fifty church fathers are cited here from Ambrose to Zephyrinus. From the British Isles, Gaul and the Iberian Peninsula, we find Hilary of Poitiers, Prudentius, John Cassian, Valerian of Cimiez, Salvian the Presbyter, Caesarius of Arles, Martin of Bruga, Braulio of Saragossa and Bede. From Rome and Italy, we find Clement, Justin Martyr, Callistus, Hippolytus, Novatian, Rufinus, Maximus of Turin, Peter Chrysologus, Leo the Great, Cassiodorus and Gregory the Great. Carthage and North Africa are represented by Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine and Fulgentius. Fathers from Alexandria and Egypt include Clement, Origen, Dionysius, Pachomius, Athanasius, Cyril and Poemen. Constantinople and Asia Minor supply the Great Cappadocians--Basil the Great and the two Gregorys, from Nazianzus and Nyssa--plus Evagrius of Pontus and Nicetas of Remesiana. From Antioch and Syria we find Ephrem, John Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyr, Philoxenus of Mabbug, Sahdona and John of Damascus. Finally, Jerusalem, Palestine and Mesopotamia are represented by Eusebius of Caesarea, Aphrahat, Cyril, Jacob of Sarug, Jerome and Isaac of Nineveh.

Readers of these selections, some appearing in English for the first time, will glean from a rich treasury of deep devotion and profound theological reflection.

Paul's letters to the Christians in Corinth portray a young church struggling to live out the demands of the gospel amid the life of a thoroughly urban setting. In Reading Corinthians: A Literary and Theological Commentary, biblical scholar Charles Talbert helps his reader to grasp what was at stake in the conversations between Paul and the Corinthians. What we find there is not only a word for the struggling faithful in Corinth, but an always truthful word for the church today.

"Reading Corinthians makes an excellent companion for those who want to study in a thorough fashion one of the most revealing of Paul's letters." — The Bible Today

"This excellent piece of work should be of great value to undergraduates and seminarians as well as pastors and professors." — Religious Studies Review

"Talbert's successful experience as a teacher and pastor provides focus for his commentary so that he fulfills admirably the design of this volume, appealing to the nonspecialist, the informed lay person, the college or seminary student. To these audiences I would heartily recommend Reading Corinthians as a reliable guide to understanding Corinthians."— Catholic Biblical Quarterly

Charles H. Talbert is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the author of several other commentaries in this series, including Reading Luke, Reading John, and Reading Acts. He is also the author of Romans in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

Reading 1 Peter, Jude, and 2 Peter: A Literary and Theological Commentary is dedicated to the study of three late, little-known biblical works that historically have been relegated to the lesser works of the New Testament. Reading 1 Peter, Jude, and 2 Peter underscores the light that these letters shed upon one another and focuses on the snapshots they provide of early Christian communities as they encountered the social and religious environment in which they were situated.

Careful reading of 1 Peter reveals the complex world of the post-apostolic period. Jude and 2 Peter provide a sober look at the early community's evolution in doctrinal and moral terms.

Earl J. Richard is Professor of New Testament at Loyola University in New Orleans. He holds graduate degrees in theological and biblical studies from the University of Ottawa, Johns Hopkins University, and the Catholic University of America. He is the author of many books in the area of biblical studies, past president of the Society of Biblical Literature (southeast region), and a member of the Catholic Biblical Association.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

Answers to the usual introductory questions do not yield sufficient harvest to enable an intelligent reading of Acts. The approach of Reading Acts: A Literary and Theological Commentary is to ask how ancient Mediterranean auditors would have heard Acts when it was read in their presence. To be successful Talbert divides this approach into two parts— how Acts would have been heard in its precanonical context and in its canonical context.

Charles H. Talbert is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the Reading the New Testament commentary series editor and the author of several of the editions in the series, including Reading Luke, Reading John, and Reading Corinthians.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

Like other volumes in this unique series, Reading Colossians, Ephesians, & 2 Thessalonians: A Literary and Theological Commentary focuses on comprehending the major themes of the epistles and their relationship to the understanding of the early Christian communities. With the focus on the work in its entirety rather than a verse-by-verse methodology, this volume will appeal to the professional and nonprofessional alike, as well as to college and seminary students.

Bonnie Thurston is professor of religion at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

Cousar interprets three letters of Paul, each of which shows him in a different light. In Galatians, the apostle contends for the gospel against a group of Jewish Christian missionaries who have come into the congregation. In Philippians, Paul addresses his favorite community in intimate terms to offer thanks for a gift they have sent him and to urge them to maintain unity in the face of opposing forces. 1 Thessalonians, Paul's earliest letter, is written to encourage the congregation in that city to lead lives worthy of the gospel.

The commentary traces the movement of the letters, paragraph by paragraph, and pays particular attention to the literary character of the writing, and to the theological implications of the text for the church today.

Charles B. Cousar is the Samuel A. Cartledge Professor of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. He is the author of Galatians (Interpretation); Theology of the Cross, Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary based on the NRSV and The Letters of Paul.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

Reading Hebrews and James: A Literary and Theological Commentary provides a clear path through the unique and often divisive Letter to the Hebrews and Letter of James. Isaacs's commentary on these two letters expertly considers questions of authorship and historical context while also making both Hebrews and James undeniably relevant for today's faith. Preachers and teachers alike will benefit from the essential study that Reading Hebrews and James offers.

Marie E. Isaacs is head of the Department of Biblical Studies in Heythrop College, London, England. Her publications include The Concept of Spirit: Pneuma in Hellenistic Judaism and its Bearing on the New Testament and Sacred Space: An Approach to the Theology of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

"Marie E. Isaacs provides valuable and original readings of Hebrews and James that reveal the historical, literary, and religious contexts and messages of the books. Especially productive is her suggestion that Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who had continued to worship in the Temple in Jerusalem and who were devastated by the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E". — Edgar V. McKnight, Research Professor and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor Emeritus of Religion, Furman University

"Brief yet insightful, cautious yet judicious in weighing alternative interpretations, Marie Isaacs leads Christian interpreters to a fresh appreciation for two of the most enigmatic books of the New Testament. Hebrews and James are as vital for Christian instruction today as ever before. Students, pastors, and Bible study groups will find here an engaging guide for further, focused study of these letters." — Alan Culpepper, Dean / McAfee School of Theology

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

Reading John: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Fourth Gospel and Johannine Epistles concentrates on the literary and theological distinctives of the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles. New Testament scholar Charles Talbert's unique commentary considers the entire scope of these works attributed to John, their literary settings and particularities, and their continuing theological importance to the Christian story. Thoughtful and engaging, Reading John is an essential book for students and ministers studying the New Testament and the Johannine writings.

Charles H. Talbert is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the Reading the New Testament commentary series editor and the author of several of the editions in the series, including Reading Luke, Reading Acts, and Reading Corinthians.

Talbert's commentary maintains the special focus that keeps this series from just rehasing the more thorough classic commentaries.It is an original, very close reading of the final form of the Gospel and Letters of John for their religious content, in light both of ancient Greco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian writings, and of present-day pastoral concerns...[A] commendable work of mature scholarship. — Theological Studies

It pleases me to see the announcement of a revision of Talbert’s already excellent analysis of John. What impresses me is definitely his close reading of the original text, coming up with fresh and acute insights. He is not content to state the obvious and revisit the commonplace. He finds new light. Dr. Talbert will inform the student and inspire the preacher with perspectives freshly found. — Peter Rhea Jones, Professor of Preaching and New Testament, McAfee School of Theology Mercer University

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

Reading Luke: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Third Gospel concentrates on the literary and theological distinctives of the third Gospel. Charles Talbert’s effective and insightful commentary enables its reader to see and feel the full force of the literary masterpiece that begins the Christian story in the birth of Jesus Christ and continues in the Acts of the Apostles. Reading Luke is an essential book for students and ministers studying Luke-Acts.

Charles Talbert is Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the Reading the New Testament commentary series editor and the author of several of the editions in the series, including Reading Acts, Reading John, and Reading Corinthians. He is also the author of Romans in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series.

"Charles Talbert, perhaps the foremost interpreter of Luke-Acts among biblical scholars in the United States, has produced an unusual and highly readable commentary. Reading Luke will reward every serious student of Luke-Acts with an abundance of astute observations and insights." — Faith & Mission

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

In Reading Mark: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Second Gospel, Dowd examines the Gospel of Mark from literary and theological perspectives, suggesting what the text may have meant to its first-century audience of Gentile and Jewish Christians. Mark is a Greco-Roman biography of Jesus written in an apocalyptic mode. Its theology is based on the message of the prophet Isaiah— the proclamation of release from bondage and a march toward freedom along the "way of the Lord."

Sharyn Dowd is an associate professor of religion at Baylor University, Waco, Texas.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

Reading Matthew: A Literary and Theological Commentary provides thorough guidance through Matthew's story of Jesus. Garland's commentary reveals the movement of the story's plot while also highlighting the theology of Matthew. Reading Matthew is an essential book for students and ministers studying the first Gospel.

"Garland's commentary is an eminently worthy addition to this series. Following a brief but instructive introduction in which he deals with such matters as the various reasons for which Matthew wrote his Gospel, Garland confidently guides the reader through Matthew's story of Jesus. Commenting on the text section by section, Garland apprises the reader of the movement of the story's plat and highlights through the theology that Matthew conveys through the art form of narration. Pastors and students will not only benefit greatly from this commentary but will also applaud both the incisvieness of Garland's comments and the clarity of his prose." — Jack Dean Kingsbury, Aubrey Lee Professor of Biblical Theology, Union Theological Seminary in Virginia

David E. Garland is professor of religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

In Reading Paul's Letters to Individuals: A Literary and Theological Commentary, Gloer and Stepp interpret Paul’s letter to Philemon and the Pastoral Epistles—Titus and 1 & 2 Timothy. Philemon tells a simple and straight-forward story of Philemon and his escaped slave Onesimus. How can the story of an escaped slave returned to his master hold any meaning for believers today? Indeed, in Philemon we encounter a practical working out of Paul’s foundational theological ideas—grace, faith, atonement, reconciliation, freedom in Christ, new creation, and the ethical life that stems from these.

In their study of the Pastoral Epistles, Gloer and Stepp describe the continuation of Paul’s missionary work, the internal and external conflicts, and Paul’s gradual withdrawal from the work that has defined his life. In Paul’s absence, how will the churches address the conflicts and persecution? They survive and thrive by trusting the successors that Paul provided for them.

Like other volumes in this unique series, Reading Paul’s Letters to Individuals focuses on comprehending the major themes of the epistles and their relationship to the understanding of the early Christian communities. With the focus on the work in its entirety rather than a verse-by-verse methodology, this volume will appeal to the professional and nonprofessional alike, as well as to college and seminary students.

W. Hulitt Gloer (Ph. D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of Preaching and Christian Scripture at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. In addition to his extensive service as a pastor and professor, Dr. Gloer is the author of As You Go: An Honest Look at Jesus' First Disciples and An Exegetical and Theological Study of Paul's Understanding of New Creation and Reconciliation in 2 Cor. 5:14-21. Gloer and his wife, Sheila, have two adult sons, Jeremy and Joshua.

Perry L. Stepp (Ph.D., Baylor University) is a professor of Biblical Studies and Theology and the Dean of the Sack School of Bible & Ministry at Kentucky Christian University. He is also the author of Leadership Succession in the World of the Pauline Circle and several articles on New Testament themes. His focus as a scholar is on exploring the theological content of New Testament texts by the application of tools from literary criticism, ancient and modern. In addition to his academic work, he has pastored several churches in the Midwest and Southwest.

The decision to set apart the Pauline letters to individuals is itself immediately interesting and effective in giving these epistles a distinctive place. These commentaries reflect current scholarship such as rhetorical criticism and story/characters and social historical studies. Both primary sources and good modern analyses are interspersed effectively. Words are not wasted, making the commentaries accessible. The reader is rewarded. Clarity and brevity speak well for themselves in these lively commentaries. —Peter Rhea Jones, Gannon Professor of Preaching and Professor of New Testament, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

"Trafton has produced a clear, understandable, insightful reading of the book of Revelation - not an easy task for a book that has left many readers puzzled and confused. One of the particular strengths of Trafton's commentary is his close attention to the structure of John's work and the internal connections between various passages of the book. Readers will also benefit from Trafton's identification of John's extensive indebtedness to the Hebrew Bible for much of his imagery and ideas." — Mitchell G. Reddish, O.L. Walker Professor of Christian Studies and Chair, Department of Religious Studies, Stetson University

Joseph L. Trafton is Distinguished University Professor of Religious Studies at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He has written extensively on Second Temple Judaism and serves as a contributor to the Princeton Theological Seminary Dead Sea Scrolls Project.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

The Epistle to the Romans is considered to be the classic of Reformation theology. Luke Timothy Johnson, a scholar from the Roman Catholic tradition, invests this commentary with breadth of perspective and clarity of expression. He focuses on understanding the key themes and their relationship to the whole of Pauline writings and the shaping of Christianity.

Luke Timothy Johnson is the R.W. Woodruff professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Edited by Charles H. Talbert, Distinguished Professor of Religion at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the Reading the New Testament Commentary Series presents cutting edge biblical research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.

You can also purchase the entire Reading the New Testament 13 volume commentary series from Olive Tree.

A lost treasure for large segments of the modern world, the book of Deuteronomy powerfully repays contemporary readers’ attention. It represents Scripture pulsing with immediacy, offering gripping discourses that yank readers out of the doldrums and back to Mount Horeb and an encounter with divine Word issuing forth from blazing fire.

God’s presence and Word in Deuteronomy stir deep longing for God and move readers to a place of intimacy with divine otherness, holism, and will for person-centered community. The consistently theological interpretation reveals the centrality of Deuteronomy for faith and powerfully counters critical accusations about violence, intolerance, and polytheism in the book.

Reviews

"Stephen Cook’s new commentary on Deuteronomy captures the reforming spirit of this biblical book. With his own fresh and dynamic voice, Cook unleashes the forceful, commanding voice of Deuteronomy. Read in light of Cook’s long and deep scholarship, Deuteronomy emerges as a powerful source for theological reflection for the church today. Most highly recommended for courses in seminaries, divinity schools, and programs in theology." - Mark S. Smith, Skirball Professor of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, New York University

"Stephen Cook’s new theological commentary puts Deuteronomy’s compelling reinterpretation of an earlier minority tradition in ancient Israel in lively dialogue with other like-minded representatives of this “outsider” stream of tradition within the Old Testament (Hosea, Micah, Jeremiah, Malachi, the Elohist, Psalms of Asaph, Joshua–2 Kings). All this is done in service to Cook’s overall aim to bring out the “vibrant liveliness and pressing relevance” of Deuteronomy as a resource for constructive theological formation for contemporary people of faith today. An insightful and accessible study of the theology and ethics of Deuteronomy." — Dennis Olson, Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology Chair, Biblical Studies Department, Princeton Theological Seminary

"Stephen L. Cook provides an accessible yet profound theological commentary on the theologically rich book of Deuteronomy. Often thought-provoking and always insightful, Cook’s contribution illumines the ancient biblical text so modern readers, particularly lay and clergy, can come to a deeper understanding not only of the book itself but also of the God who reveals himself through it." — Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College

Stephen L. Cook serves as the Catherine N. McBurney Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Virginia Theological Seminary. He did his doctoral training in Old Testament at Yale after having earning the M.Div. degree at Yale’s Divinity School. Stephen has served in several capacities as an officer of the Society of Biblical Literature and is currently chair of the executive committee, the Catholic Biblical Association, Baltimore-Washington Region.

Edited by Mark E. Biddle, Russell T. Cherry Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the Reading the Old Testament commentary series presents cutting-edge biblical research in accessible language.

In this new volume in the Reading the Old Testament commentary series, biblical scholar Marvin A. Sweeney considers one of the most interesting and compelling books of the Hebrew Bible. Ezekiel is simultaneously one of the Bible’s most difficult and perplexing books as it presents the visions and oracles of Ezekiel, a Judean priest and prophet exiled to Babylonia in the sixth century BCE.

The book of Ezekiel points to the return of YHWH to the holy temple at the center of a reconstituted Israel and creation at large. As such, the book of Ezekiel portrays the purging of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the people, to reconstitute them as part of a new creation at the conclusion of the book. With Jerusalem, the Temple, and the people so purged, YHWH stands once again in the holy center of the created world. As Sweeney writes in his introduction, the book of Ezekiel ultimately represents “a profound attempt to encounter the holy in the profane world, and based on that encounter, to sanctify the world in which we live.”

Marvin A. Sweeney is Professor of Hebrew Bible at the Claremont Lincoln University and Claremont School of Theology and Professor of Bible and Faculty Chair at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California, where he teaches courses in Hebrew Bible and the History of Judaism and Jewish Thought. He holds the Ph.D. and M.A. in Religion from the Claremont Graduate School and the A.B. in Political Science and Religious Studies (with distinction) from the University of Illinois. He has also studied at the Princeton Theological Seminary, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Brandeis University. He is the author of twelve volumes, including Tanak: A Theological and Critical Introduction to the Jewish Bible, Reading the Hebrew Bible after the Shoah: Engaging Holocaust Theology, and The Prophetic Literature. He has written more than 100 articles and 550 reviews.

Edited by Mark E. Biddle, Russell T. Cherry Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the Reading the Old Testament com- mentary series presents cutting-edge biblical research in accessible language.

Genesis, a book of wondrous stories, is also a profound exploration of the human condition. From Cain and Abel to Joseph and his brothers, the narrative focuses on the corrosive effects of envy and resentment. Ultimately, it shows a path toward reconciliation.

Julie Galambush applies current historical, archaeological, and literary scholarship to create a nuanced and highly accessible commentary, explaining the history behind the writing of Genesis, the customs and laws that “went without saying” for ancient readers, and even the puns that enrich the original Hebrew but are lost in translation. She also addresses the challenges facing contemporary Jews and Christians who accept Genesis as sacred Scripture but reject practices the Genesis authors readily accepted, such as slavery and the “gifting” of women as concubines. Reading Genesis invites any reader, religious or otherwise, to listen in and to join in on this ancient conversation on what it means to be human.

Julie Galambush is Walter G. Mason Distinguished Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Emerita, at The College of William & Mary. She holds bachelor of arts and master of divinity degrees from Yale University and a doctorate in Old Testament Studies from Emory University and is a frequent lecturer in churches and synagogues.

Edited by Mark E. Biddle, Russell T. Cherry Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the Reading the Old Testament commentary series presents cutting-edge biblical research in accessible language.

Reviews

"Reading Genesis is an amazing piece of work with a literary flair par excellence. It is readily accessible to all readers, with new insights even for trained scholars as well. It is rich in information, including comparative material from the ancient Near Eastern world, that is sure to enlighten all readers. Galambush’s feminist concerns and insights also shine through as she raises the women in Genesis to prominence. A must read for everyone interested in understanding Genesis!" — Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan President and Professor of Hebrew Bible, Claremont School of Theology

"Julie Galambush is a gifted and engaging teacher. Her new introduction to the book of Genesis engages the complexities of that notoriously difficult book with clarity, scholarly skill, humanity, and a welcome sense of humor." — Barbara Nevling Porter, Research Associate Harvard Semitic Museum and Director of the Casco Bay Assyriological Institute

"Reading Genesis is a learned, beautifully written commentary that is truly for every serious reader of the Bible. It speaks to the reader who is searching for spiritual insight without compromising an iota of serious scholarship. Julie Galambush knows the field of contemporary Bible studies as well as the traditional commentaries. Most of all, Dr. Galambush is a careful reader who knows how to go deeply into the text’s many layers." — Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel, Temple Micah, Washington, DC

In this volume in the Reading the Old Testament commentary series, Terence E. Fretheim explores themes of indictment, judgment, and salvation in Hosea–Micah. The indictment against the people of God especially involves issues of idolatry, as well as abuse of the poor and needy. The effects of such behaviors are often horrendous in their severity. While God is often the subject of such judgments, the consequences, like fruit, grow out of the deed itself. Issues of indictment and judgment are not finally ends in themselves, but in the service of the salvation of God.

Review

"The Smyth & Helwys series is a perfect venue for Fretheim’s interpretive skills. He is among the best readers of texts now at work, and here his consummate skill is everywhere evident. In addition to the nuts and bolts of historical criticism that he handles succinctly, he moves readily into the rhetorical strategies performed in the text and finally to his forte of theological interpretation. His exposition is a welcome and reliable probe of difficult texts that continue, he makes clear, to insist upon their own compelling contemporaneity." — Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary

Terence E. Fretheim is Elva B. Lovell Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He graduated from Luther College (BA, 1956), Luther Theological Seminary (BD, 1960), and Princeton Theological Seminary (PhD, 1967). He has taught at Augsburg College and Theological Seminary (1961–1963, 1967–1968) and Luther Seminary (1968–2013). Through the years he has taught for shorter periods of time at several theological schools in the US and also abroad (Malaysia; Hong Kong; Cairo). He has been a speaker at numerous church gatherings across the country. He is the author of 23 books, including Jeremiah in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary Series.

In this commentary, Hyun Chul Paul Kim brings together innovative interpretive approaches and the proposals of various scholars to interpret the book of Isaiah in light of the ancient literature/culture, intertextual allusions/correlations, and socio-historical contexts of the empires. While closely exegeting key issues of each chapter, the commentary also explores interpretive relevance and significance between ancient texts and the modern world. Engaging with theological messages of the book of Isaiah as a unified whole, the commentary will both illuminate and inspire readers to wrestle with its theological implications for today’s church and society.

Review

"Hyun Chul Paul Kim presents a compelling commentary on the book of Isaiah, a book that would be considered politically incorrect in our contemporary world. He deftly combines the details of a diachronic, or historical, analysis of the various elements of the book with an overarching synchronic, or literary, perspective that unites the book as a whole. His work is fundamentally intertextual in that it explores the relationships between Isaiah and ancient and contemporary worlds. This accessible commentary will both prompt and enable students to engage this endlessly fascinating book. — Marvin A. Sweeney, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, California, Professor of Tanak, Academy for Jewish Religion California, Los Angeles, California

Hyun Chul Paul Kim is the Harold B. Williams Professor of Hebrew Bible at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. He is the co-author of You Are My People: An Introduction to Prophetic Literature and co-editor of The Desert Will Bloom: Poetic Visions in Isaiah, Formation and Intertextuality in Isaiah 24–27, and Concerning the Nations: Essays on the Oracles against the Nations in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. A former co-chair of the Formation of the Book of Isaiah group at SBL and a recent Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Korea, he is currently a co-chair of the Intertextuality and the Hebrew Bible consultation at SBL.

In this new volume from the Reading the Old Testament commentary series, biblical scholar Corrine Carvalho explores the book of Jeremiah—where books are burned in the palace and the temple is a jail. Reflecting the ways that communal tragedy permeates communal identity, the book of Jeremiah as literary text embodies the confusion, disorientation, and search for meaning that all such tragedy elicits. Just as the fall of Jerusalem fractured the Judean community and undercut every foundation on which it built its identity, so too the book itself (or more properly, the scroll) jumbles images, genres, and perspectives.

Carvalho’s study of the book of Jeremiah engages the text as a collection of literature. To be sure, some of this literature has roots in oral performance, but it comes down to us as a written text. It is a complex collection, however, with little inherent cohesion. In fact, it has been preserved in two different arrangements, one found in the Hebrew version and the other in the Greek. Both versions presume that the audience hears this material against a particular historical backdrop. This book fleshes out Jeremiah’s historical horizon, but it does so in order to clarify the literature rather than as an end in itself.

Corrine Carvalho is a professor in the theology department at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1991, she earned her PhD from Yale, where she specialized in the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament studies. She also has a MA in Old Testament from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and a BA in Latin from the University of San Francisco, where she graduated magna cum laude.

Edited by Mark E. Biddle, Russell T. Cherry Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, the Reading the Old Testament commentary series presents cutting-edge biblical research in accessible language.

At issue in the Book of Job is a question with which most all of us struggle at some point in life, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” James Crenshaw has devoted his life to studying the disturbing matter of theodicy—divine justice—that troubles many people of faith. Few individuals come from reading Job unmoved. If they seek answers, they likely will be disappointed. And, many find the depiction of God troubling. If God were merely to meet our expectations, the Creator would hardly be anything more than our own projections into the heavens. Perhaps the ancient poet serves readers best by starkly portraying the brutal reality that life and this world are not fair, and that justice is a human project.

Reviews

"Crenshaw's study of Job is rich in insight and a brilliant contribution to scholarship. As a renown scholar in the interpretation of wisdom texts, this volume should be found on the bookshelves of every biblical scholar who is interested in wisdom literature and the interpretation of Job." — Leo G. Perdue, Brite Divinity School

"Excellent commentaries on Job abound; Jim Crenshaw’s 'reading' of Job adds to the list and raises the bar. If contemporary readers wish to enter fully into Job’s world, his irreparable losses, his relentless questions about the moral order of the universe God has created, they can find no better guide for the journey than a commentator whose expertise, artfulness, and eloquence are acutely attuned to the admonitions of Shakespeare’s King Lear: 'If thou wilt weep my fortunes, take my eyes.' Crenshaw has read, felt, and immersed himself in Job’s fortunes with eyes and heart chastened by a world overfull with inexplicable suffering that continues to claw at the heavens – Joban-like – for justice." — Samuel E. Balentine, Professor of Old Testament, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA.

"James Crenshaw is the preeminent interpreter of biblical wisdom in this generation. His work is distinguished by his deep existential concern, especially on the subject of theodicy, which is at the heart of the book of Job. This is a work not only of exegesis, but of biblical theology in the best sense." — John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament, Yale University

"James Crenshaw, one of the foremost scholars of wisdom literature, brings over forty years of scholarship and teaching to bear on his reading of the book of Job. Respected not only for the breadth of his knowledge but also for the passion with which he explores difficult theological questions of human suffering and divine justice, Crenshaw has written a commentary marked not only by careful exegesis but also by deep insight into the many perennial issues raised by the book of Job." — Carol A. Newsom, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Old Testament, Candler School of Theology, Emory University

James L. Crenshaw is Robert L. Flowers Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Duke University. Widely published, he is one of the world’s leading scholars on Old Testament study, focusing especially on wisdom and poetry.

Reading Joshua was written for anyone who wishes to engage critically one of the most, if not the most, problematic and troublesome books in the Bible. Using the best of current historical-critical studies by mainstream biblical scholars, and the most recent archaeological discoveries and theorizing, Laughlin questions both the historicity of the stories presented in the book as well as the basic theological ideology presented through these stories: namely that Yahweh ordered the indiscriminate butchery of the Canaanites. This ideology is criticized for what it is: a xenophobic and genocidal approach to the issue of how human beings should act toward one another in a multi-cultural world. Read against the backdrop of the Babylonian Exile (sixth century BCE), these stories may have served well the purpose(s) of their author(s). Thus these troubling accounts may have had their time and place, but that time and place is not the twenty-first-century world in which we now find ourselves.

Reviews

"Authentic native of the Bible Belt, fully conversant with mainstream biblical scholarship, and experienced archaeologist, John Laughlin offers a new translation and refreshing no-nonsense commentary on one of the most troubling books of the Bible. He pulls no punches. For starters, he conveys and confirms the thinking of both mainstream biblical scholars and Palestinian archaeologists that the Joshua story of how the Israelites conquered Canaan and purged the land of its native population never really happened. And the really troubling thing for him is that the writers of Joshua 'have their god not only approving such actions but also ordering them in the first place.' - J. Maxwell Miller, Professor Emeritus, Emory University

"Laughlin has produced an unflinching critical commentary on the book of Joshua, basing his analysis on extensive research into the latest and best archaeological evidence. By adding a touch of 'moderate' postmodernism, he provides an analysis that places this book into its own historical and ideological context—without preconceived religious notions of what Joshua is 'supposed to say.' Laughlin gives us not only a critical commentary on the text, but also a critical commentary on the ideology that created the text. - Jeffrey A. Fager, Professor of Religion and Philosophy (ret.)

John C. H. Laughlin is Professor Emeritus of Religion at Averett University in Danville, Virginia. He earned a BA from Wake Forest and MDiv and PhD from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A teacher for more than forty years, Laughlin specializes in the Jewish Scriptures, archaeology, and philosophy. He has served as a field supervisor for many seasons of archaeological field work in Israel, including at Tel Dan, Capernaum, Banias (Caesarea Philippi), and Kursi. He is the author of numerous articles and book reviews, and his own books include Archaeology and the Bible and Fifty Major Cities in the Bible.

Reading the Old Testament book of Judges presents a number of significant challenges related to social contexts, historical settings, and literary characteristics. Acknowledging and examining these difficulties provides a point of entry into the world of Judges and promises to enrich the reading experience.

How should we read the book of Judges? For several decades, biblical scholars have been debating the merits of two contrasting approaches to biblical interpretation: a synchronic approach, which attempts to see the text as a whole, as opposed to a diachronic approach, which asks questions about history and development of the text.

This commentary draws on historical-critical methods to shed light on this historic period and the role of Judges in Israel’s history. At the same time, Mark Biddle acknowledges that the relevance for modern reader lies in the text as a whole and not in the details of its developmental history.

Biddle tackles the kinds of issues (violence, patriarchy, tribalism) that may inhibit our ability to receive this text as inspired Scripture. This volume makes clear that the power of this biblical narrative derives in large part from its unvarnished portrayals of human foibles and failures—and of God’s steadfast commitment to relationship with humankind nonetheless.

Mark E. Biddle holds degrees from Samford University, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Rueschlikon Baptist Theological Seminary, and the University of Zurich. In addition to editing the Reading the Old Testament series, he is the author of Deuteronomy in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series.

Nahum–Malachi, the last six books of the Christian Old Testament, span the period from the end of the Assyrian empire in the 7th century BCE to the fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the emergence of Persia in the 5th century BCE. But these books also have a collective identity as the latter half of the Book of the Twelve-the ancient Jewish and Christian designation for the so-called "minor" prophets. This commentary maintains a balance between reading each of these six books in its own historical and social setting and considering the interrelationships and canonical functions of these books within the Book of the Twelve as a whole. Jesus ben Sirach wrote that "the Twelve Prophets...comforted the people of Jacob and delivered them with confident hope" (Sir 49:10). This commentary, following ben Sirach, proposes that the theme of the Book of the Twelve is a comforting word of hope and deliverance.

Reviews

"Steven Tuell has written a lucid, concise, and informative commentary on the last six books of the Book of the Twelve Prophets. His commentary addresses historical, compositional, and theological issues in a manner that will be especially accessible for undergraduate and seminary students in Christian colleges, universities, and theological seminaries." — Marvin A. Sweeney, Claremont School of Theology and Academy for Jewish Religion

"Steven Tuell has addressed his considerable skill as a good reader of texts to the much neglected six “minor” prophets who close the Christian Old Testament. By his alert, steady attentiveness he shows why these neglected books merit attention, and why the neglect of them is a misfortune. Tuell’s reading is fresh, reliable, and suggestive. His commentary will be, in time to come, a substantial reference point for our continuing work and study." — Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary

"With admirable clarity and characteristically well-informed insight, Steven Tuell’s exegesis engages the historical particularity of the final six witnesses collected into the prophetical “Book of the Twelve.” Citing Sirach 49:10 as his mandate, he is also keenly attentive to the ways these individual voices contribute to the theological vitality of the book as a whole. In short, readers will appreciate that he achieves the balance he sets as his interpretative goal." — S. Dean McBride, Jr. Professor Emeritus of Biblical Hebrew and Old Testament Interpretation, Union Presbyterian Seminary Richmond, Virginia

"This well-written book by a leading scholar in prophetic literature is a welcome addition to the literature on the minor prophets. Both graduate students and pastors, especially, will appreciate the erudite discussions of issues of trans- mission, translation, and structure, coupled with a keen theological sense of how these texts speak to the world today." — Corrine Carvalho, Professor of Theology University of St. Thomas

Steven Tuell is the James A. Kelso Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, where he has taught since 2005. His research interests are biblical prophecy, particularly the book of Ezekiel and the Book of the Twelve, and the biblical literature of the early Persian Period. An ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, Tuell has served churches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Virginia. He and his wife, Wendy, have three adult sons.