David Rensberger shows here how the Epistles of John spoke to the emerging concerns of an early Christian community that cherished John's Gospel. The Epistles apply many of the themes of the Gospel to new situations. In particular the Elder, who writes these epistles, reminds his readers that their love of God must be made concrete in the love they show their fellow Christians. At the same time, Rensberger shows how these letters face the problems of theological disagreement and church division, and how they can help Christians today better understand theological diversity and the struggle for church unity.

Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their study of the Bible as a guide to Christian faith and practice. Each volume explains the biblical book in its original historical context and explores its significance for faithful living today. These books are ideal for individual study and for Bible study classes and groups.

Engages the reader by amplifying the biblical resonances echoing in our own world today by disclosing how God's Word is embodied and made known by those we least expect.

The Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries provide compact, critical commentaries on the books of the Old Testament for the use of theological students and pastors. The commentaries are also useful for upper-level college or university students and for those responsible for teaching in congregational settings. In addition to providing basic information and insights into the Old Testament writings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful interpretation, to assist students of the Old Testament in coming to an informed and critical engagement with the biblical texts themselves.

This study of the Books of Kings unfolds with attention and sensitivity to the immense literary artistry that craft these narratives. While setting forth the literary and theological significance of these traditions concerning the major figures in these canonical books, i.e. Israel's Kings, this commentary consistently trains our attention upon the minor characters also resident in these stories. Fixing upon these individuals as well as the prophets, the exegetical discussion often discloses how God's Word is embodied and made known by those we might least expect. While steadfastly avoiding analogical readings, the theological and ethical exposition skillfully engage the reader by amplifying the resonances in these texts echoing in our own world today.

The vision for this series is to provide for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and lay people a clear and compelling exposition of texts of the Bible in the context of the Bible's Story, and to provide discussion and instantiations of how the Bible's Story is lived today.

The purpose of the Story of God Bible Commentary Series is to explain and illuminate Scripture as God's Story, with each Old Testament text examined as embedded in its canonical and historical setting, in order to foster discernment in living the Story faithfully and creatively with and for the Church in the 21st century.

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.