Preface and Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations How to Use This Commentary The Need for a Cultural-Historical Commentary Gospels Matthew Mark Luke John Acts New Testament Letters Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galations Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation Glossary Maps Charts Old Testament Scripture Index
Christianity Today's Books of the Year Preaching's Preacher's Guide to the Best Bible Reference This revised edition of the standard reference work in its field has been expanded throughout to now provide even more up-to-date information by Craig Keener, one of the leading New Testament scholars on Jewish, Greek and Roman culture. 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 decades 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.
Craig S. Keener (PhD, Duke University) is professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary. Some of his seventeen books include Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, The Historical Jesus of the Gospels and commentaries on Matthew (The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary), John (2 vols.), Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Revelation, and a currently-being-published four-volume commentary on Acts. Four of his books, including The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament have won Christianity Today book awards.
