Study Commentaries

It’s not easy to take responsibility in life. Whether it’s in our jobs, our finances, or even our relationships, we all struggle to take ownership of our habits and choices. Yet personal accountability is essential to both our personal and spiritual growth. Based on the book of 1 Kings, this study offers a compelling contrast between those who are accountable to God and others, and those who continually shift the blame to others.

Centuries ago, sound theology and good fiction were friends and not strangers. Decades ago, authors strove not for self-expression and self-disclosure but for a mastery of craft and language and books that transformed the reader with wisdom and love. In more recent years, the old ideals have been exchanged for lesser ones. Few guides to writing, which tend to focus on mechanics, point of view, and plot, address the more important matters of meaning, depth, and heart. But it is the latter qualities that make a book a blessing and gift to both writer and reader.

God’s people were never meant to blend in. Instead, we’re called to stand out from the crowd, and become a beacon of hope. But nothing dims our light more than conformity, when voices that once proclaimed truth begin to quietly yield to a noisy world. Based on the books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, this study offers an eye-opening look at the high price of conformity, and shares how we can stay distinct from our surroundings.

Find true success through a life of integrity and character. We all long to succeed in every area of life, in our careers, our relationships, and our finances. But in the daily pursuit of our dreams, we can forget to examine just how we measure success. The book of 1 Samuel offers striking contrasts between succeeding God’s way and trying to achieve goals by any means necessary. This guide examines the life of King David, and shares how we can find true success through our character, conduct, and lifestyle.

Der Held muss in die weite Welt hinaus und Abenteuer erleben, um ein Held zu werden – und eine Geschichte zu haben. Und was ist mit der Heldin? Doris Dörrie erzählt von drei Reisen – nach San Francisco, nach Japan und nach Marokko – und davon, als Frau in der Welt unterwegs zu sein. Sich dem Ungewissen, Fremden auszusetzen heißt immer auch, den eigenen Ängsten, Abhängigkeiten, Verlusten ins Auge zu sehen. Und dabei zur Heldin der eigenen Geschichte zu werden.

The world has become a confusing place. Every day we are confronted with cloudy moral issues that once seemed clear. When did the simple things get so complicated? But instead of wondering how we got here, maybe we should revisit how we got started. And there's no better place to start than the beginning of God's Word, the book of Genesis.

We serve a holy God. And as His children, God longs for us to pursue a life that is pleasing to Him. But what does this look like? The book of Leviticus provides the answer. Originally written for the ancient Israelites, Leviticus continues to offer timeless principles for living that remain relevant to believers today. This study examines those principles, and explores how we can cultivate holiness in our daily lives.

Duffy engages with some of the central aspects of Western religion in the thousand years between the decline of pagan Rome and the rise of the Protestant Reformation. In the process, he opens windows on the vibrant and multifaceted beliefs and practices by which medieval people made sense of their world: the fear of death and the impact of devastating pandemic, holy war against Islam and the invention of the blood libel against the Jews, provision for the afterlife and the continuing power of the dead over the living, the meaning of pilgrimage and the evolution of Christian music.

The Walter Brueggemann Library brings together the wide-ranging and enlivening thought of popular biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann over his storied career. Each volume collects previously published work on a biblical theme that has deeply informed Brueggemann's scholarship.

Around the World in Seventy-Two Days, the 1890 book by Nellie Bly, chronicles her sensational 72-day trip around the world for the tabloid newspaper, New York World. On November 14, 1889, she boarded the steamer Augusta Victoria on her journey of 23,899 miles with the goal of finishing in 75 days. Her journey took her through England, France, Italy, the Suez Canal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan to San Francisco where she boarded a private chartered train which brought her to New York on January 25, 1890, 72 days and six hours after leaving.

From time immemorial, prayer has provided comfort in our darkest hours, stirred us to action beyond what we thought possible, and shown us the way through seemingly insurmountable challenges. In this engaging tour of world history, author and historian Jean-Pierre Isbouts takes us on an inspiring tour of 10 prayers that played a pivotal role in world events.

Here is the multi award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options. This is a full-cast, unabridged performance, with comprehensive commentary and analysis, enabling students to fully understand and appreciate the play. Judge for yourself whether Lear is "a man more sinned against than sinning" in this moral tale that pits wisdom and age against ambition and youth. Experience and examine the power of Shakespeare's most cruel and violent tragedy.

The book of Mark―the first and shortest Gospel written―serves as both a historical and theological account, connecting Jesus to the whole storyline of the Bible. Mark writes against the backdrop of the Old Testament and draws from other New Testament writers, specifically Peter and Paul, to articulate many themes that are found in the rest of the New Testament.

Is it really possible to love one's enemies? That's the question that sparked a fascinating and, at times, terrifying journey into the heart of the Middle East during the summer of 2008. It was a trip that began in Egypt, passed beneath the steel-and-glass high-rises of Saudi Arabia, then wound through the bullet-pocked alleyways of Beirut and dusty streets of Damascus, before ending at the cradle of the world's three major religions: Jerusalem.

Freedom is a central theme in our world. It’s become a rallying cry for people, groups, even entire nations. But freedom without boundaries can be costly. Based on the book of Exodus, this study offers an eye-opening look at the pitfalls of deliverance without discipline, and shares the freedom found through a loving submission to God and His will for us.

The book of Revelation stands out as one of the most intriguing, yet least understood books of the Bible. From the sobering letters to the seven churches to the amazing visions and epic battles, millions of Christians have toiled to understand the meaning of this mysterious book. Trust Dr. Warren Wiersbe, pastor and Bible teacher for over forty years, to take you chapter-by-chapter through the various topics in this important book, all the while, keeping a steady eye on the main message of the book: Christ is the victor, and in Christ, we are also victorious.

The book, Fifty Bible Devotionals, is a book described by its title. The author has been active for over 40 years in teaching and preaching from God's word. It has become his close companion over those years, as he daily takes the time around 5:00 AM to read and study its pages. Each one is built upon a passage of scripture that can be applied to our daily lives. They can also be used as the subject or topic for a bible study as well as the jumping-off point for sermons.

More than a message of Christ’s triumph, the final chapters of the Gospel of John describe how we can triumph as well. Volume 5 covers chapters 18-21 and deals with the culmination of Christ’s earthly ministry, centering on his betrayal, trial, death, and resurrection.

Our God longs to restore that which is broken. Fractured relationships. Hurting families. Divided churches. No situation is beyond His grace. And most miraculous of all? He chooses to use broken people to heal broken situations. The book of 2 Samuel is a remarkable testimony to this truth. Here we find King David, a godly man reeling from tragic choices, struggling to unify a nation torn apart by civil war. This study looks at God’s passion for restoring lives, relationships and His church, by working through those who are simply available to Him.

This two-volume expositional commentary on one of the Bible’s most powerful books integrates rigorous scholarship and clear communication. Boice not only explains the meaning of the text verse by verse and section by section, he relates the text’s concerns to the world in which we live, the life of the church, and the realities of the Christian life. Based on messages preached at Philadelphia’s world-renowned Tenth Presbyterian Church, The Gospel of Matthew displays Dr. Boice’s hallmark blend of thoughtful interpretation and contemporary insight for daily living.