The Bible is both a divine and a human book. It is the inspired word of God for his people, whether in biblical times or for the church today. It is also a fully human book, written by different people in a variety of cultural settings. Knowledge of biblical language and society is essential if the meaning of the human writer is to be grasped fully. The Apollos Old Testament Commentary aims to take with equal seriousness the divine and human aspects of Scripture. It expounds the books of the Old Testament in a scholarly manner accessible to nonexperts, and shows the relevance of the Old Testament to modern readers. This commentary begins with an Introduction, which gives an overview of the issues of date, authorship, sources and so on, but which also outlines more fully than usual the theology of 1 & 2 Samuel, and provides pointers toward its interpretation and contemporary application. The annotated Translation of the Hebrew text by the author forms the basis for the subsequent commentary. The Form and Structure section examines the context of a passage, its use of rhetorical devices, and source and form-critical issues. The Comment section is a thorough, detailed exegesis of the historical and theological meaning of the passage. The Explanation--the goal of the commentary--offers a full exposition of the theological message within the framework of biblical theology, and a commitment to the inspiration and authority of the Old Testament. Written by an international team of scholars, the commentaries are intended primarily to serve the needs of those who preach from the Old Testament. They are equally suitable for use by scholars and all serious students of the Bible.

Each volume in the Exegetical Summaries series works through the original text phrase by phrase. English equivalents are provided for all Hebrew and Greek words, making this an excellent reference for exegetes of all levels. Questions that occur to exegetes as they study the text are stated and then answered by summarizing the ways many scholars have interpreted the text. This information should help translators or students in making their own exegetical decisions. As a basis for discussion, a semi-literal translation of the text is given. The first question to be answered is the meaning of key words in context. Information from standard lexicons is given and then translations of the word are cited from a dozen major Bible versions and from commentaries that offer their own translations of the text. Questions about the grammar and discourse structure of the original languages are answered by summarizing the views of many commentators. When exegetical disagreements appear in the commentaries and versions, the various interpretations are listed. This book is not intended to replace the commentaries that are consulted. Rather than being a stand-alone commentary, this book summarizes many important details of exegesis that should be considered in studying the biblical text. Richard Blight has served as a translation consultant with SIL since 1960. He completed the translation of the New Testament for the Tenango Otomi people of Mexico in 1975. In addition to authoring numerous articles and books, he is the senior editor of the Exegetical Summaries series.

A landmark new Bible study resource by Chuck Swindoll! For forty-five years, Chuck Swindoll has dedicated himself to communicating the truths of the Bible with accuracy, insight, clarity, and practicality. Now, drawing on a lifetime of knowledge and practical experience, Chuck brings to life each New Testament book in all its color and personality and offers his greatest, most far-reaching work. Swindoll's New Testament Insights series is the legacy of a master teacher and communicator to everyone who loves the Bible and wants to understand it better. Combining rich, rock-solid scholarship with a storyteller's imagery and passion, Chuck sweeps readers into the immediacy of the Scriptures to gain remarkable new insights into the Bible. God's Word comes alive, filled with drama, power, and truth, as readers journey with Chuck chapter by chapter through the New Testament. In the newest volume of this series, Swindoll takes us inside 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus to discover its narrative drive, overarching message, and joyous implications for our lives. It is a stirring exploration of the New Testament's foremost manifesto of faith, righteousness, grace, identification with Christ, and bright hope for the future. Visit www.SwindollInsights.com for video, downloads, and more information about the exciting Swindoll's New Testament Insights series!

With this study--companion to the masterful two-volume The Gospel According to John--Raymond E. Brown completed his trilogy on the Johannine corpus. Meticulous in detail, exhaustive in analysis, persuasive in argument, it examines controversies that have long troubled both biblical scholars and lay readers. Questions of authorship, composition, and dating, as well as the debate over source theories, are discussed at length; but these are kept subordinate to the overall question of meaning.
What gives this commentary special interest and excitement is the bold, imaginative reconstruction of the setting of the Johannine work--in particular of the "opposition figures," who are only dimly sketched in the Epistles--so that we see clearly that the author is writing to his flock both about the dangers and difficulties confronting them, and about the eternal life that is theirs by the gift of God. In this way, the Epistles of John become intelligible as broadsides in a critical engagement between the forces of light and darkness.
In addition to his superb textual analysis of the letters, Raymond Brown has brought to life the community in which these works were formed and shaped. We are forcefully reminded that the Gospel and the Epistles were addressed to very real people living in the first century a.d., people with religious problems not unlike our own. In all respects, The Epistles of John stands out as a model of biblical scholarship and study.