Discover: -How the springs at Hierapolis help us understand why Jesus described the church at Laodicea as 'lukewarm' -The background and circumstances of certificates of divorce in Judaism-How Jewish dietary laws provided a powerful metaphor for God's acceptance of the GentilesBrimming with lavish, full-color photos and graphics, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary walks you verse by verse through all the books of the New Testament. It's like slipping on a set of glasses that lets you read the Bible through the eyes of a first-century reader! Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into gripping immediacy. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. You'll deepen your understanding of the teachings of Jesus. You'll discover the close, sometimes startling interplay between God's kingdom and the practical affairs of the church. Best of all, you'll gain a deepened awareness of the Bible's relevance for your life.Written in a clear, engaging style, this beautiful set provides a new and accessible approach that more technical expository and exegetical commentaries don't offer. It features: -Commentary based on relevant papyri, inscriptions, archaeological discoveries, and studies of Judaism, Roman culture, Hellenism, and other features of the world of the New Testament-Hundreds of full-color photographs, color illustrations, and line drawings-Copious maps, charts, and timelines-Sidebar articles and insights-'Reflections' on the Bible's relevance for 21st-century livingWritten by leading evangelical contributors: Clinton E. Arnold (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen), General EditorS. M. Baugh (Ph.D., University of California, Irvine)Peter H. Davids (Ph.D., University of Manchester)David E. Garland (Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)David W. J. Gill (D.Phil., University of Oxford)George H. Guthrie (Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)Moyer V. Hubbard (D.Phil., University of Oxford)Andreas J. K stenberger (Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School)Ralph P. Martin (Ph.D., University of London, King's College)Douglas J. Moo (Ph.D., University of St. Andrews)Mark L. Strauss (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen)Frank Thielman (Ph.D., Duke University)Jeffrey A. D. Weima (Ph.D., University of Toronto)Michael J. Wilkins (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary)Mark W. Wilson (D.Litt. et Phil., University of South Africa)Julie L. Wu (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary)Robert W. Yarbrough (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen)

Created in conjunction with an exhaustive critical commentary, this is an English translation of '1 Enoch' taking into consideration all of the textual data now available the Ethiopic version, the Greek texts and the Dead Sea Aramaic fragments.

Illuminating 10 key aspects from the Old Testament, renowned Bible teacher Philip Greenslade offers engaging insights into the Bible that are worth knowing.

10 Things Worth Knowing About The Old Testament answers the "how?" and "why?" questions people may have about the Bible to help them appreciate how and why it is God's Word for them today.

A great companion to Greenslade's book 10 Things Worth Knowing About The New Testament.

What transforms a once-average person to hero status? How does one become a villain? We'll explore the famous and infamous characters found in the Bible and dig a little into what the Bible says about them.

Villains: Cain, Pharaoh -- King of Egypt, Delilah, Goliath, Jezebel, Nebuchadnezzar, Haman, Herod the Great, Herod Antipas and Herodias, Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilate, Abimelech, Lot, The Levite who abandoned his concubine, etc.

Heroes: Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Samson, Deborah, David, Elizah, Esther, Mary, Jesus, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, Shiphrah and Puah, Rahab, Joshua, Widow of Zaraphath, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo, Mary, Marth, Tenth Leper, Zacchaeus, The Good Samaritan, Joseph, etc.

Part of a series from Museum of the Bible: 99 Astonishing Cities and Civilizations Found in the Bible, 99 Amazing Books and Films Inspired by the Bible, 99 Ancient Secrets and Mysteries of the Bible Explored, 99 Earth-Shattering Events Linked to the Bible, and 99 World-Changing People Influenced by the Bible.

The task of interpreting the Bible -- which was written by and to people living in very different cultural contexts from contemporary Western society -- can seem monumental. The opposite is also true: people can easily forget that studying the Bible is a type of cross-cultural encounter, instead reading their own cultural assumptions into biblical texts.
In A Cultural Handbook to the Bible John Pilch bridges this cultural divide by translating important social concepts and applying them to biblical texts. In short, accessible chapters Pilch discusses sixty-three topics related to the cosmos, the earth, persons, family, language, human consciousness, God and the spirit world, and entertainment. Pilch's fresh interpretations of the Bible challenge traditional views and explore topics often overlooked in commentaries. Each chapter concludes with a list of useful references from cultural anthropology or biblical studies, making this book an excellent resource for students of the Bible.