ReviewsOne of the most useful available reference tools for pastors and laypeople alike, and I frequently recommend it from the pulpit. The reader simply has to look up his comments on a passage to find out, for example, why it was momentous that the prodigal son received sandals and a ring when he returned to his father. Although background material is often notoriously slippery and debatable, Keener makes it useful for students of the Scripture., Specifically designed to meet the needs of pastors and students who have less access to scholarly resources and less time to mine exegetical details. As such, it is extremely accessible and user friendly, a welcome addition to the pastor's bookshelf., A phenomenal work. I know of no other New Testament reference that brings together so much information and insight into one volume. Keener has gathered a host of background material from a broad range of ancient and modern sources and put them literally at the preacher's fingertips., Carefully researched yet accessible for the busy pastor or other reader, this commentary puts years of research at the reader's fingertips, passage by passage, in a single volume., Most one-volume, single-author Bible commentaries or study Bibles are erratic in their coverage. . . . Craig Keener's work is an astonishing exception. . . . He can be trusted in almost every statement he makes, and even his more interpretative opinions are consistently well-grounded. Keener has given preachers and lay Christians alike an invaluable resource for years to come., We can no more ignore the humanness of the writers of the [Bible's] written word than we can discount the humanity of the living Lord. But their humanness had cultural connotations. . . . It is therefore not only helpful, but also necessary, for us to know of their cultures the better to understand the inspired word.The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testamentwill prove most helpful in this regard., Like an intriguing archaeological dig, Keener's work surfaces the cultural and worldview assumptions of the New Testament., A rich and lucid resource for understanding God's Word. This work is presented in a way that serves the needs of pastors in their sermon preparation, as well as lay members in personal Bible studies., I never study a New Testament passage without consulting this excellent work, and do commend it at every opportunity! . . . For us 'working communicators' it is often a great shortcut to a quick remembrance of the background to passages and at other times, truly enlightening., Here is a book many people have been waiting for. . . . The IVP Bible Background Commentary should prove to be a truly useful book., This book will meet a significant need. . . . The discerning reader will detect how well Keener has drawn on the results of much recent research and presented it in a way that pastors and laypeople will be able to grasp., We can no more ignore the humanness of the writers of the [Bible's] written word than we can discount the humanity of the living Lord. But their humanness had cultural connotations. . . . It is therefore not only helpful, but also necessary, for us to know of their cultures the better to understand the inspired word. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament will prove most helpful in this regard., Keener has gathered a host of background material from a broad range of ancient and modern sources and put them literally at the preacher's fingertips., Here is a book many people have been waiting for. . . .The IVP Bible Background Commentaryshould prove to be a truly useful book., Every biblical text has cultural assumptions. Like an intriguing archaeological dig, Keener's work surfaces the cultural and worldview assumptions of the New Testament. This work brings background to the foreground, so the text's meaning is more accessible to all.
TitleLeadingThe
Table Of ContentAbbreviationsHow to Use This CommentaryThe Need for a Cultural-Historical CommentaryGospelsMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsNew Testament LettersRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalationsEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelationGlossaryMaps & Charts
SynopsisCraig S. Keener presents fascinating, wonderfully useful information on the historical and cultural backgrounds of nearly every verse in the New Testament., "To get to "Love Me Tender," they'll have to shake things up. " Kevin Fraser has a good life-a good job, good friends and a nursing degree within his grasp. There's not a lot of excitement to be found in Asheville, but so what? He doesn't need excitement. Or love, for that matter. Until a big man with an Elvis fixation and the voice to match shows up in his ER and changes his point of view. A diabetes diagnosis isn't the end of the world, just one more problem Owen Hicks doesn't need. It hasn't been easy finding his place in the Cherokee tribe, his family and the world at large since he came out. On top of that, learning to manage the disease that killed his mother is a daunting challenge. He counts himself lucky that the nursing student he befriended in the hospital is willing and able to help. As their fast friendship deepens into something both of them want-yet fear-pressures from without and within stretch their bond to the breaking point. The only way to find the strength to love each other is to find the courage to let go...and hope love is strong enough to bring them together again. Warning: This book contains medical drama, relationship drama, sex, silliness and a Cherokee Elvis. Sorry, no fried banana sandwiches. Thank ya very much., Voted one of Christianity Today's 1995 Books of the Year!To understand and apply the Bible well, you need two crucial sources of information. One is the Bible itself. The other is an understanding of the cultural background of the passage you're reading.Only with the background can you grasp the author's original concerns and purposes. This unique commentary provides, in verse-by-verse format, the crucial cultural background you need for responsible--and richer--Bible study. It includes a glossary of cultural terms and important historical figures, maps and charts, up-to-date bibliographies, and introductory essays about cultural background information for each book of the New Testament.Based on ten years of in-depth study, this accessible and bestselling commentary is valuable for pastors in sermon preparation, for Sunday-school and other church teachers as they build lessons, for missionaries concerned not to import their own cultural biases into the Bible, for college and seminary students in classroom assignments, and for everyday Bible readers seeking to deepen and enhance their study of Scripture., Voted one of Christianity Today's 1995 Books of the Year! To understand and apply the Bible well, you need two crucial sources of information. One is the Bible itself. The other is an understanding of the cultural background of the passage you're reading. Only with the background can you grasp the author's original concerns and purposes. This unique commentary provides, in verse-by-verse format, the crucial cultural background you need for responsible--and richer--Bible study. It includes a glossary of cultural terms and important historical figures, maps and charts, up-to-date bibliographies, and introductory essays about cultural background information for each book of the New Testament. Based on ten years of in-depth study, this accessible and bestselling commentary is valuable for pastors in sermon preparation, for Sunday-school and other church teachers as they build lessons, for missionaries concerned not to import their own cultural biases into the Bible, for college and seminary students in classroom assignments, and for everyday Bible readers seeking to deepen and enhance their study of Scripture.