The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.
Take in the full history of the Bible with a detailed account that focuses on its major empires, events and personalities. Written by a religious scholar who has taught at high school, college and adult levels, this historical exploration is organized around the major civilizations and epochs of the ancient world, beginning with Sumer and ending with Rome. Author Bruce W. Gore provides a thorough overview of major empires, such as the Assyrians or Babylonians, as well as more modest civilizations, such as the Phoenicians or Hittites. Learn how Cyrus the Persian, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and others changed the course of Christianity. In the course of historical exploration, this account also examines questions that may have puzzled readers of the Bible in the past: * Who was Sennacherib? * To which Assyrian king did Jonah preach, and did this make any difference in history? * What did the eight night visions of Zechariah mean in light of the rule of Darius the Persian? Study the Bible with an eye on its ancient setting and develop an understanding of its key people, places and civilizations with Historical and Chronological Context of the Bible.
Designed for the pastor and Bible teacher, the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament features today's top New Testament scholars and brings together commentary features rarely gathered together in one volume. With careful analysis and interpretation of the Greek text, the authors trace the flow of argument in each New Testament book, giving readers the tools they need to properly understand and communicate the meaning of the text. Commentary on each passage follows a clear structure to help readers grasp the flow and meaning of the text: Literary Context: A brief discussion of how the passage functions in the broader literary context of the book. Main Idea: A one- or two-sentence statement of the big idea or central thrust of the passage. Translation and Graphical Layout: Presents each commentator’s translation of the Greek text in a graphical layout to help the reader visualize, and thus better understand, the flow of thought within the text. Structure: Describes the flow of thought in the passage and explains how certain interpretive decisions regarding the relationship of the clauses were made in the passage. Exegetical Outline: The overall structure of the passage is described in a detailed exegetical outline. This will be particularly helpful for those who are looking for a way to concisely explain the flow of thought in the passage in a teaching or preaching setting. Explanation of the Text: Commentators examine words and images, grammatical details, relevant Old Testament and Jewish background to a particular concept, historical and cultural context, important text-critical issues, and various interpretive issues that surface. Theology in Application: The theological message of the passage is summarized. The author discusses the theology of the text in terms of its place within the book and in a broader biblical-theological context. Finally, each commentator provides some suggestions on what the message of the passage is for the church today. The Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series is the go-to resource for pastors and Bible teachers looking for deep but accessible study that equips them to connect the needs of Christians today with the biblical text.
The author praises Gratian’s zeal for instruction in the Faith, and speaks lowly of his own merits. Taught of God Himself, the Emperor stands in no need of human instruction; yet this his devoutness prepares the way to victory. The task appointed to the author is difficult: in the accomplishment whereof he will be guided not so much by reason and argument as by authority, especially that of the Nicene Council.
Behold, He Cometh is an essay-style commentary on the much disputed book of Revelation. By careful exegesis, the author gives a solidly Reformed, amillennial interpretation of scripture. This book sets forth in clear, concise language the comforting truths concerning the end times.
From the Introduction by Merrill C. Tenney: This commentary is an attempt to make plain the meaning of Revelation. With commendable reserve, Dr. Smith has restricted himself largely to interpretation by other passages of Scripture which are related to Revelation by actual quotation or by striking parallelism. His painstaking studies of vocabulary and of related ideas make the book valuable to the earnest student of the Bible. Dr. Smith is a futurist and a premillenarian, holding that all of the Book of Revelation beginning with the fourth chapter relates to the future period of judgment known as 'the great tribulation,' which will be followed by the personal return of Christ and by the establishment of His kingdom. In this regard he is in a long line of renowned commentators, including Seiss, Gaebelein, Ottman, and others. The distinguishing feature of this commentary is its use of Biblical statistics and comparisons. The uses of important terms in the Revelation are cataloged, and their interpretation is derived from their context. The appendices contain some extensive studies of individual topics, correlating information not easily obtainable elsewhere. Dr. Smith follows a literal interpretation except where avowed symbolism demands a different procedure. He has sought to make his exposition consistent in method and in results. His use of Greek is apt, and shows a careful investigation of the underlying vocabulary of the Greek text. This commentary will probably be the mainstay of premillennial exposition for some years to come.
The Book of Revelation is a work of profound theology. But its literary form makes it impenetrable to many modern readers and open to all kinds of misinterpretations. Richard Bauckham explains how the book's imagery conveyed meaning in its original context and how the book's theology is inseparable from its literary structure and composition. Revelation is seen to offer not an esoteric and encoded forecast of historical events but rather a theocentric vision of the coming of God's universal kingdom, contextualised in the late first-century world dominated by Roman power and ideology. It calls on Christians to confront the political idolatries of the time and to participate in God's purpose of gathering all the nations into his kingdom. Once Revelation is properly grounded in its original context it is seen to transcend that context and speak to the contemporary church. This study concludes by highlighting Revelation's continuing relevance for today.
G. K. Beale’s monumental New International Greek Testament Commentary volume on Revelation has been highly praised since its publication in 1999. This shorter commentary distills the superb grammatical analysis and exegesis from that tome (over 1,300 pages) into a book more accessible and pertinent to preachers, students, and general Christian readers. As in the original commentary, Beale views Revelation as an integrated whole, as a conscious continuation of the Old Testament prophetic books, and shows that recognizing Revelation’s nearly constant use of Old Testament allusions is key to unlocking its meaning. Interspersed throughout the volume are more than sixty sets of “Suggestions for Reflection” to help readers better grasp the relevance of Revelation to their lives and our world today.