Critical to studying, understanding and applying the Bible is a knowledge of the Bible itself, as well as an understanding of the cultural background of the passage you're studying. With an understanding of the text's background you can more easily grasp the author's original concerns and purposes.
The Bible Background Commentary provides, in verse-b… Read more…
Crucial to understanding and apprehending the Bible is an understanding of the cultural, archaeological and historical background of the scripture you are studying. The author's purpose becomes much clearer with a more richly understood background.
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament sifts through the massive quantity of data, analysi… Read more…
According to James Montgomery Boice, Paul's great letter to the Ephesians is "a mini-course in theology, centered on the church." Writing to the church in a city much like modern-day New York, Paul laid out his mature vision of the Christian faith's central elements. The apostle set these fundamental doctrines in the context of the church as the body of Chri… Read more…
"Philippians is so simple and at the same time so profound that it speaks profitably to Christians at every level of spiritual understanding, age, and maturity."
As James Montgomery Boice points out, no book in the Bible is so filled with joy as Philippians. Even though Paul faced possible execution for his faith, he managed to remain joyful in the midst … Read more…
"The secret of success is to know God's Word, speak about it, meditate on it, and then, above all, do it. In God's world there is no substitute for full obedience."
Joshua was a soldier. According to James Montgomery Boice, he was "one of the most extraordinary military commanders of all time." But what sets Joshua apart from his predecessors and suc… Read more…
The Boice Commentary series combines careful scholarship and clear communication in a verse-by-verse and section by section reading of various biblical texts. Combining thoughtful interpretation with contemporary insight for daily living, James Montgomery Boice explains the meaning of the text and relates the text's concerns to the church, Christianity, and … Read more…
"Christianity has been the most powerful, transforming force in human history," says James Montgomery Boice, "and the book of Romans is the most basic, most comprehensive statement of true Christianity."
This collection of commentaries on Romans contains:
Volume 1: Justification by Faith (Romans 1-4)
Volume 2: The Reign of Grace (Romans 5-8)
Volume 3… Read more…
A set of three newly repackaged editions of classic commentaries from James Montgomery Boice who discusses the events of Genesis and how they set the stage for all of Scripture.
This commentary bundle includes:
Volume 1: Creation and Fall (Genesis 1-11)
Volume 2: A New Beginning (Genesis 12-36)
Volume 3: Living by Faith (Genesis 37-50)
Each volume … Read more…
Nave's Topical Bible Index is an indispensable tool for topical Bible study, this volume provides more than 100,000 hyperlinked
Scripture references arranged under more than 6,000 topical headings. Used by teachers, pastors, and Bible students for many
years as a reliable convenient way to study the word of God. Compiled by Orville J. Nave, A.M., D.… Read more…
Torrey's New Topical Textbook, by the beloved evangelist and Bible teacher R. A. Torrey (1856-1928), is a true gem among Bible study tools, one that deserves a place in the library of any serious Bible student. This work honors the authority of Scripture by gathering together in small, informative outlines the major verses that pertain to hundreds of impor… Read more…
Vincent's Word Studies combine a verse-by-verse commentary and Greek lexicon in a clear, coherent format.
This valuable resource brings out the richness and fullness of the precise Greek meaning, grammatical structure, history, derivation, and usage in a way that is accessible to the average English reader.
For both sermons and personal study, Christia… Read more…
Whether you're a serious Bible student probing through Psalm 19 or a first-time reader inspired by the promise of Psalm 23, this three-volume series on the book of Psalms explores each and every one of the psalms, uncovering deep reflections, wisdom for living, and verses of praise, confidence, and repentance.
This expositional commentary bundle includes:… Read more…
W. E. Vine's profound commentaries on the person and work of Christ in one volume.
William Edwy Vine, author of the celebrated Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, was one of the great evangelical Bible scholars of the twentieth century. He brought to all his writings a level of exegetical care and precision that is rare in any age, ensuring his … Read more…
Where are the Bible lands today? Where were Iraq and Iran in Bible times? The answers to these questions and countless others are found in Then & Now Bible Maps Essentials. This full-color reference tool contains 16 Bible maps that show ancient cities and countries in black with modern-day boundaries marked in red. Fantastic for comparing places in the news … Read more…
The Writings of John introduces students to the Gospel of John, the Johannine epistles, and Revelation, covering the texts themselves as well as issues of authorship, transmission, background, and interpretation. Books themselves receive paragraph-by-paragraph commentary, which includes applicable insight for the Christian life today.
The writings of Joh… Read more…
Alfred Edersheim is a well-known Biblical scholar and a Jewish convert to Christianity. His Bible History of the Old Testament was originally published in seven volumes. This classic work is enriched by Edersheim's deep devotion to the authority of the Scriptures, his ability to make the Scriptures come alive in their ancient context, and his encyclopedic … Read more…
Dake's Study Notes are the same notes found in Dake's Annotated Reference Bible. Written by Rev. Finis Jennings Dake (1902-1987) and first published in 1963, it is a monumental achievement, the product of over 100,000 hours of Bible study over 43 years. It includes over 35,000 notes and comments (more than any other study Bible), over 500,000 cross-referenc… Read more…
Are you at home in the Company of Jesus?
In A Walk with God, respected theologian, R.C. Sproul helps us walk with Jesus as a friend through over 100 passages from the Gospel of Luke.
Learning to live with Jesus at the center of our world is the secret to a meaningful life. Jesus is the pre-eminent character in history - even time is divided by his birt… Read more…
A set of two inspirational commentaries on the message of the Minor Prophets. Respected preacher James Montgomery Boice discusses the life and works of each prophet, starting with Hosea and ending with Malachi.
This two-volume bundle contains:
Volume 1: Hosea through Jonah
Volume 2: Micah through Malachi
Each volume is also available for individua… Read more…
The Gospel of Matthew, said James Montgomery Boice, is "the first of the Gospels, the longest, the most Jewish, the most evangelistic, and, in many was, the most compelling."
This bundle includes two volumes also available for individual purchase:
Volume 1: The King and His Kingdom
Volume 2: The Triumph of the King
This two-volume expositional and… Read more…
Preaching pastors, ministers, and priests know how quickly Sundays come and go. The Lectionary Commentary, Vol. 1 will not slow the pace of the weekly calendar, but it will help assure that sermon preparation begins with a solid engagement with Scripture. This indispensable work gathers exegetical essays on biblical texts from the Revised Common Lectionary. … Read more…
Preaching pastors, ministers, and priests know how quickly Sundays come and go. The Lectionary Commentary, Vol. 2 will not slow the pace of the weekly calendar, but it will help assure that sermon preparation begins with a solid engagement with Scripture. This indispensable work gathers exegetical essays on biblical texts from the Revised Common Lectionary. … Read more…
The Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms provides fundamental information regarding the meaning, background, context, and application of the Psalms. In addition to practical application, numerous charts are included that provide information about the various types of psalms (messianic, prophetic, etc.) along with a quick reference list of psalms that lend… Read more…
In this addition to the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms series, Craig Bartholomew, coauthor of the well-received Drama of Scripture and a leading voice in the call for a renewal of theological biblical interpretation, combines a careful exegetical reading of the book of Ecclesiastes with keen theological insights. Along with helpful … Read more…
This is the second volume in the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms series.
In Proverbs, Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III offers an accessible commentary on one of Scripture's most frequently quoted and visited books. With his deft exegetical and expositional skill, the resulting work is full of fresh insight into the meaning … Read more…
In this first volume of a three-volume commentary on the book of Psalms, Old Testament scholar John Goldingay provides a lucid introduction to the Psalter and fresh commentary on Psalms 1-41 as a part of the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms series. Writing with a scholar's eye and a pastor's heart, Goldingay considers the literary, hi… Read more…
In the fourth volume of the Baker Commentary of the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms and the second volume of his three-volume commentary on the book of Psalms, Old Testament scholar John Goldingay provides fresh commentary on Psalms 42-89. He considers the literary, historical, and grammatical dimensions of the text as well as its theological implications.
… Read more…
In this third and final volume of his commentary on the book of Psalms in the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms series, Old Testament scholar John Goldingay provides fresh insights on Psalms 90-150. He considers the literary, historical, and grammatical dimensions of the text as well as its theological implications.
The Baker Commenta… Read more…
Song of Songs is the first of six volumes in the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms series. This series is tailored to the distinctives of poetry and wisdom literature. Features include:
Emphasis on the message of the biblical book
Special attention to poetic structure and literary devices
Incisive comments based on the author's tr… Read more…
In this final volume in the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms series, Tremper Longman offers an accessible commentary on one of Scripture's most intriguing books. With his deft exegetical and expositional skill, the resulting work is full of fresh insight into the meaning of the text.
In addition to the helpful translation and commen… Read more…
How exactly does one become wise? With the overwhelming flood of information and opinion in our times—much of it a mixture of spin, sound bites, and trivialities—it is crucial we turn back to the Bible and pay close attention to the deep insights that have stood the test of time.
Proverbs 1:20 tells us that “Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the … Read more…
The book of Ecclesiastes is "about life, the way it really is," writes commentator Philip Ryken. Readers throughout the ages have been drawn to the way it honestly wrestles with the tedium of work, injustices in this life, the ravages of age, and the inevitability of death. But its wisdom, according to Ryken, is in teaching people to trust God with life's qu… Read more…
Widely read among the early church for its focus on the teachings of Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew is uniquely suited as a guide for discipleship. Craig Keener expertly presents this first-century work as pertinent to modern believers as well by explaining Jesus’ teachings on how to live at any time.
Introductory materials describe the context of the gos… Read more…
The Gospel of Mark is generally considered to be the earliest written gospel. Only in later years have scholars searched beneath its brisk, seemingly uncomplicated surface to investigate its hidden theological elegance.
Author Ronald Kernaghan leads readers into a compelling examination of Mark as a parable—a dynamic account that challenges us to live … Read more…
In our age of aggressive evil and apathetic faith, the Gospel of Mark resounds with the dynamic power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps the most dramatic and action-packed of the synoptic Gospels, Mark's writing continues to inspire increased commitment in the Church at large.
Mark's portrayal of Christ as the Servant-Savior takes on fresh relevance in th… Read more…
John’s purpose in the Gospel of John is two-fold: to encourage believers and to demonstrate reasons to believe and proclaim Jesus as Messiah, the divine Son of God. Both first century believers and modern Christians can be inspired by this account of the significance of Jesus’ life and teachings.
Rodney A. Whitacre’s commentary explains what John m… Read more…
This second volume covers Mark 9:2-16:20, the culmination of Jesus's ministry on earth. Seen in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, challenged by religious skeptics, the Christ moves inexorably toward the cross, where history's greatest battle would be fought and won. And so we, like the ancient world, are confronted with the crucified and risen Christ an… Read more…
Following the ascension of Jesus, the strife-torn, ethnically diverse backwater of the Roman Empire known as Palestine was a hostile environment for the gospel. Despite that, the gospel flourished -- from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the known world.
In Acts, the sequel to his Gospel, Luke describes how the Holy Spirit transformed a small … Read more…
Not many books of the Bible have so impacted the movement of church history like Paul’s epistle to the Romans.
Think of Augustine’s heart-rending conversion in the fourth century, or Martin Luther’s monumental rediscovery of justification by faith in the 16th. Think of John Wesley’s conversion and how it influenced the church to realize the need f… Read more…
The church of Corinth and the issues it faced are quite similar to those of today’s churches. We face ethnic, religious, economic, and social barriers. Churches split over matters of authority, sexual practice, gender, marriage, and divorce.
Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians to give them practical solutions to these problems. In this commentary… Read more…
While each of the Gospels presents Christ with a distinct emphasis, the Gospel of John focuses on His greatness. As the timeless Creator-God of the universe. As the Word made flesh. As the gracious Lover of our souls who is the only Way to the Father.
Instead of detailing the facts and events of His earthly life, as the other Gospel writers did, John conc… Read more…
When Paul wrote his second letter to the church in Corinth, he was addressing some of the same materialistic issues and tendencies towards decadence that assail churches today. Paul’s tactics and time-proven ministerial insights are still relevant ways of addressing these very problems.
In this thorough commentary of 2 Corinthians,Linda L. Belleville pr… Read more…
Walter Hansen begins his commentary with this piercing counsel: "Wherever ethnic rivalries are destroying societies, the book of Galatians calls Christians to express the truth of the gospel in communities where there are no ethnic or social or gender divisions.” With billions of people in need of hearing the gospel, this cuts to the heart of evangelistic … Read more…
For readers who both yearn to know God more deeply and desire to know their purpose before God, Ephesians offers an overarching picture of God’s intention for His church, with Jesus Christ at the center. Paul starts out with a beautiful doxology and then exhorts the church to prove its vocal praise with action. Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus rema… Read more…
Nothing hinders a church’s witness—and its day-to-day existence—like conflict from within. Paul, in his letter to the church in Philippi, responded to a church body whose personal battles were worsened by outside hostility and adversity.
Paul thus chose to reinforce friendship and morality in his letter, along with their “partnership in the gospe… Read more…
Paul’s letter to the Colossians, who were absorbed with legalism and intellectual conflicts, emphasizes the essential need for belief in Christ and the calling of all Christians to demonstrate their faith in right relationship with others. Paul’s solution to a purely individual and intellectualized faith will ease believer’s hearts and minds even today… Read more…
The end times (eschatology) intrigued the early church as much as it does today’s church.
The new church at Thessalonica, which Paul planted during his short time there, also wondered when the end might be. Paul composed two letters for them, so that they might have a fuller knowledge of the “last things.” Taken in tandem, they explain the “alread… Read more…
In our day of massive religious confusion, the message of Colossians is among the most timely of all the New Testament books. Today many seek to exclude belief in God from every corner of modern life. Others flaunt "New Age" ideas about God and Christ which collide with the Scriptures. Confusion reigns and many are in need of knowing the Truth.
Christians… Read more…
Issues of leadership, wealth, right handling of cults, women in ministry, and even marriage as a social establishment—the very same issues faced by today’s church—are addressed by Paul in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. His compassionate advice to Timothy and Titus as they guide first century believers in Crete and Ephesus is advice modern churches still need… Read more…
Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica to encourage them to live in the light of the gospel. In his two letters he addresses a number of topics, including the persecution they were enduring, the second coming of Christ, and how they were to live in the present times. While the letters were written nearly two thousand years ago, pastor James H. Grant Jr. in… Read more…
The letter to the Hebrews is one of the longest, most striking arguments for the singularity and sovereignty of Christ in the New Testament. Today’s readers will be challenged to stretch their understanding of Christ and recommit their allegiance to Him in this portrayal of our High Priest, God’s only Son—whose life showed us how to live, whose death a… Read more…
Recipient of Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Award!
What is the connection between faith and works? What does growing in faith look like? What hope do we share with those in the midst of hardships? How do we avoid becoming like the rich young man who wouldn’t give up his wealth, and how do we govern our tongues?
As an apostle of Christ, James d… Read more…
Recipient of Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Award!
Peter’s letter encouraged his readers: not only as they endured suffering, but also as they persevered in holding fast to Christ in unbelieving and hostile world. Peter’s letter is full of practical advice for right familial and social living, not to mention for interacting with a culture that … Read more…
In Simon Peter’s eyes, the mercy of forgiveness is, perhaps, matched only by the awe of experiencing trust after his threefold denial. That redemptive event in Peter’s life fueled profound letters—letters of caution and hope, grave counsel, and unimaginable promise.
Jude is too often ignored because of its short length and forceful content. Regardl… Read more…
Divided by discord, the church John wrote his letters to greatly needed his firm instruction to rediscover Christ-centered love and unity. His letters to that church are easily adapted to modern gatherings of believers, which are often challenged by disputes –whether internal or external. In a pluralistic society, visibly holding fast to gospel truth is im… Read more…
Manna Bible Maps - Free Sample includes three full-color maps of Bible lands. These maps include a corresponding glossary of geographic terms for each map.
Video: How Bible Maps work in the Olive Tree Bible App
Free sample maps:
Egyptian Empire
Conquest of Canaan
Kingdom of Saul
Manna Bible Maps Study Set contains 21 maps and is also avai… Read more…
In John, the second volume in the St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary series, Dr. Sproul deals with major themes in his easily understandable style. Readers will find invaluable insights into the goals John had in writing his Gospel, the background for Jesus’ time, and the meanings of some of John’s most difficult passages. This introduction to the Go… Read more…
How to Read the Bible Book by Book helps people read the Bible as a whole by showing how each book fits into the grand narrative of Scripture.
Reading the Bible need not be a haphazard journey through strange and bewildering territory. Like an experienced tour guide, How to Read the Bible Book by Book walks you through the Scriptures. For each book of the… Read more…
In the Christian Church the Gospel of Matthew has been considered the most important portrait of Jesus’ life and message. Containing Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and a uniquely rich collection of parables, among many other things, Matthew has made a major contribution to the church throughout the centuries, and it still has much to say to the church today.… Read more…
This new Pillar volume offers exceptional commentary on Mark that clearly shows the second Gospel — though it was a product of the earliest Christian community — to be both relevant and sorely needed in today's church.
Written by a biblical scholar who has devoted thirty years to the study of the second Gospel, this commentary aims primarily to interp… Read more…
David Peterson's comprehensive commentary offers thorough exegesis and exposition of the Acts of the Apostles, drawing on recent scholarship in the fields of narrative criticism and theological analysis, incorporating insights into historical-social background, and investigating why Luke presents his material in the way he does.
In view of how long the bo… Read more…
This comprehensive commentary presents a sound reading of 1 Corinthians, taking full account of its Old Testament and Jewish roots and demonstrating Paul’s primary concern for the unity and purity of the church and the glory of God. Roy Ciampa and Brian Rosner’s well-informed, careful exegesis touches on an astonishingly wide range of important yet sensi… Read more…
From a foremost authority on the New Testament comes a major new commentary on Ephesians—a letter of truth, love, and unity to our superficial world.
A model of the scholarly excellence, this volume in the Pillar New Testament Commentary series provides a rich exposition of Ephesians, one of the most significant documents ever written. Using the fruits … Read more…
In this commentary G. Walter Hansen offers rich exposition of the text of Philippians as well as wisdom and maturity in its application. In so doing he emphasizes partnership—the social and corporate dimensions of community—in the progress of the gospel.
After a select bibliography, Hansen's introduction sets forth the historical setting of the church… Read more…
Exhibiting the same brilliant exegesis and sound practical insight found in his previous works, noted commentator Douglas J. Moo in this new volume not only explains accurately the meaning of the letters to the Colossians and to Philemon but also applies that meaning powerfully to twenty-first-century readers. Moo both interacts with the Greek text of these … Read more…
In this commentary Gene Green reads Paul's two letters to the Thessalonians in light of the canon of Scripture and of new knowledge about the first-century world of Thessalonica. This fruitful approach helps illuminate the impact of the gospel on its original readers and, in turn, shows how potent a force it can be for the church and society today.
The bo… Read more…
In this carefully crafted commentary Peter O'Brien distinctively harvests the results of recent scholarship on the letter to the Hebrews, especially in relation to the genre of the document and the flow of its discourse. This volume is purposely neither unduly technical nor unhelpfully brief. Its careful exegesis and exposition combined with its theological … Read more…
Few books in the New Testament are better known or more often quoted as the Letter of James. Because James is so concise, so intensely practical, and so filled with memorable metaphors and illustrations, it has become one of the two or three most popular New Testament books in the church.
This highly original commentary seeks to make the Letter of James c… Read more…
Filling a notable gap in scholarship on 2 Peter and Jude, Peter Davids artfully unpacks these two neglected but fascinating epistles that deal with the confrontation between the Greco-Roman world and the burgeoning first-century Jesus communities. Davids firmly grasps the overall structure of these oft-maligned epistles and presents a strong case for 2 Peter… Read more…
This Pillar commentary seeks to clearly explain the meaning of John’s letters to teachers, pastors, and general readers looking for a reliable resource for personal study. Colin Kruse introduces the important issues involved in interpreting the Johannine letters, gives verse-by-verse comments, and provides extensive discussion of John’s major theological… Read more…
