The biblical queen Esther is one of Scripture's most fascinating persons, and the drama of the book bearing her name is clearly captured in this superb commentary. Carol Bechtel expertly explores the historical settings, literary structures, and theological themes that emerge in the book of Esther.

Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.

Love has been described in so many ways, but do we really understand what it means? This 30-day devotional in the Food for the Journey series drills down to what love really is, and how it is ultimately defined in and by God - a God who loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to rescue us from sin and reconcile us to himself. Covering passages from across the Old and New Testaments, in this devotional some of the Keswick Convention's best preachers - including Vaughan Roberts, David Coffey and Rico Tice - mine the riches of the Bible's wisdom on love. In self-contained daily devotions they show us how we rest assured that God's love is everlasting, unconditional and breathtaking in its immensity. In a small, slim paperback format, Love: Food for the Journey is perfect for carrying around with you on the go. Like all the Food for the Journey books, its undated format means you can start and finish at any time of the year, and work through it at your own pace. Uplifting and encouraging, this short devotional invites us to bask in God's love, appreciate afresh its depth and richness, and warm our hearts, equipping and empowering us to love and serve him better.

Christ knew we would never be happy without a personal, viable relationship with him and his Father. He knew the only way for us to truly know him would be to learn his story. This is why Jesus' last commission to his disciples was for them to study the Word in order to teach the Word to others.

Through intense study of the New Testament, "The Good News of the Apocalypse" shows you how to have a meaningful and an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Pastor Sedinger offers a complete overview of the books of the New Testament. She breaks down each book through guided readings and gives a thorough explanation of the book's events and message. In addition, Sedinger incorporates other biblical studies in her narrative to provide a well-rounded understanding of the New Testament.

At the heart of this study is the overwhelming importance of accepting Jesus as your personal savior and developing a relationship with him. Knowing about him is not enough to build this relationship. Instead, we must study Scripture and apply it to our lives. "The Good News of the Apocalypse" will help you in this remarkable journey by complementing your Bible reading and giving you a new understanding of the Gospel.

Troubled. Confused. Uncertain. After 3 years with Jesus there was so much the disciples didn't understand. They were still reeling from the news that someone in their inner circle would betray the Lord. Worse still, Jesus predicted that their fiery and courageous friend Peter would deny him, and that his death was imminent. It seemed unthinkable. What would Jesus say to them? What comfort could he possibly offer? Reclining around the meal table, Jesus answered questions, taught and prayed for his disciples. In this final tutorial, he wanted to remind them of his love and faithfulness. Regardless of what was to come and how things looked, he was in complete control, and events would indeed unfold according to his sovereign plan.

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZNW) is one of the oldest and most highly regarded international scholarly book series in the field of New Testament studies. Since 1923 it has been a forum for seminal works focusing on Early Christianity and related fields. The series is grounded in a historical-critical approach and also explores new methodological approaches that advance our understanding of the New Testament and its world.

This substantial commentary presents 1 Samuel as a sophisticated work of literature, where the reader is challenged with a narrative that is fraught with interpretative possibilities. In his distinctive literary reading Bodner lays special emphasis on the intriguing array of characters that populate the narrative, and on the plot, in its design and its configurations. Thus, a host of intriguing episodes and personalities are passed in review: from the symbolically charged closed womb of Hannah to the backwards fall and the broken neck of Eli, to the strange tour of the Ark of God through the menacing Philistine pentapolis, wreaking havoc. Then there is the complex portrayal of Samuel the prophet, the emergence of the fugitive David as a leader, and the eventual decline, madness, and necromancy of King Saul. Only through a literary study of its many ironies and ambiguities, Bodner amply shows, can the richness of this classic royal drama be fully appreciated.

For centuries the Jewish community in Europe possessed a copy of Matthew in the Hebrew language. The Jews' use of this document during the Middle Ages is imperfectly known. Occasionally excerpts from it appeared in polemical writings against Christianity. By the end of the fourteenth century, however, the entire Hebrew Gospel appeared in the polemical treatise Even Bonham, by the Spanish writer Shem-Tob ben -Isaac ben- Shaprut. An important thrust to this volume is to establish that the Hebrew Matthew of the Even Bohan predates the fourteenth century. It shares many readings with ancient Christian writings, some of which were lost in antiquity only to reappear in modern times. These included Codex Sinaiticus, the Old Syriac version, the Coptic Gospel of Thomas, and a host of others. It also analyzes the language, artistic touches, and theology of the Hebrew Gospel.

In the early 1970's, due to serious epistemological flaws, the demise of traditional New Testament research paradigms became imminent. A new generation of scholars started the search for a fresh approach, based on scientifically sound principles. Working within the stimulating atmosphere of the New Testament Society of South Africa, the author was one of the pioneers in developing a new, multi-dimensional research approach for New Testament studies. The articles in the present volume, written over a period of 25 years, reflect part of this journey, as viewed from a Pauline perspective. Combining the positive aspects of the traditional biblical research paradigms with the important insights of modern linguistics, literary science, semantics and pragmatics, particularly rhetoric, the author investigates the convergence of various influences in Paul's pre-christian career. He proposes new possibilities of understanding Paul's language and style, such as hyperbolical contrasts, typical of his Semitic background. Various aspects of his strategies of persuasion are investigated, such as creating an ethos, vilification, alienation and re-identification. The majority of articles concentrate on central elements in Pauline theology: belief in the resurrection of Jesus, the centrality of grace, the in Christ and related formulae, faith and obedience, justification in Romans, Christian identity, ethics and ethos, as portrayed in Romans.

There are times in our lives when we especially need encouragement, which gives us the determination to keep going whatever our circumstances. During times of distress, joy, and hopelessness, David poured out his heart to the Lord and documented it in the Psalms. We, too, live in a fallen world, which is at enmity with God. But immersing ourselves in God's Word lifts our heads and enables us to live life filled with hope. Within these pages, you will find a 40-day journey of discovery, exploring vital and life-changing principles from God's Word. These devotionals, built around key verses in the Psalms, reflect on how God encouraged David, and they provide daily encouragement for Christians today. End-of-chapter prayers and an opportunity to journal help anchor the daily truths into the reality of your own life.

The current interest in reading the Gospels as narratives has reclaimed aspects of these texts that historical-critical approaches failed to respect. The richness of these newer readings can, however, disguise their limitations as literary-critical exercises. Developing Hans Frei's concern for theological reading, David Lee reworks the narratology of the Dutch literary theorist Mieke Bal to produce a theological narrative reading practice that formally respects the text as scripture while leaving open the possible meanings that readers may construct for themselves in the act of reading. Lee demonstrates his approach through readings of the Narrator and the characters Jesus and the Demons as aspects of a composite Lukan narrative Christology.>

In this fresh and gripping exposition, David Prior writes first of all as a pastor. His conviction is that 1 Corinthians is uniquely a tract for our times. His aim is that churches will recognise the problems and tensions inherent in being God's people in the increasingly urban world today, and not be ignorant of the true spirituality that is the work of the Holy Spirit. He wishes for each of them as a body to grow to express the total lordship of Christ. For Paul, he points out, Corinth as a strategic test case: if the gospel of Christ could change lives there, it could do so anywhere. He saw in the Corinthian believers the rich resources for Christian ministry and mission that are present in every local church.

This much-needed commentary provides an authoritative guide to a better understanding of the often-neglected book of Micah. If gives insight into the individual sayings of Micah, to the way they were understood and used as they were gathered into the growing collection, and to their role in the final form of the document. "I am convinced," says Dr. Mays, that Micah "is not just a collection of prophetic sayings, but is the outcome of a history of prophetic proclamations and is itself in its final form prophecy." The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.

Take your Bible reading to a deeper, more personal level with this thoughtfully designed journal. It offers three simple writing prompts that loosely guide you through The Bible Recap chronological reading plan. The open-ended nature of the questions--and the pattern they help you establish through daily repetition--is ideal for building your understanding of Scripture, section by section, day after day. With a lay-flat binding that provides a comfortable writing experience, this journal will help you get the most out of your time in God's Word. Getting to know Him will grow your faith and strengthen your joy, because He's where the joy is! Praise for The Bible Recap "I have grown closer to God in ways I couldn't expect." "It has helped me understand the Bible like never before." "More than a Bible study, it is a God study."

Some Suggested Thoughts on How to Use This Book Read it in the morning to gather strength and inspiration for the day, or at evening at the close of the day. This book of meditative thoughts can be used for family devotions, to show concern for others by sharing its thoughts with friends. "THIS BOOK CAN ALSO SERVE AS A TIE THAT BINDS" In order to feel closer to loved ones and friends living miles away, you can stay in touch by agreeing to read the same meditative thought at the same time each day. Since 1991, the author of this book has been doing a Thought For The Day on Clear Channel Radio Savannah, Georgia WSOK 1230 AM, "Joy In The Morning." "I pray that God will anoint this book and that each meditation will change lives and be a source of comfort to all who read them" - Matthew S. Brown

The 'pivot pattern' is a unique type of chiasmus, a linguistic pattern characterized by an inversion of the internal order of a phrase or passage. The main idea is found primarily at its pivot, while its elements, normally of an uneven number, are distributed on both sides of the pivot in a mirrored symmetry. Klaus undertakes here to compile a 'grammar' of the pattern, and to characterize, exemplify and differentiate its various forms.>

Where is God when the world falls apart, when he doesn't seem to care? Ezekiel brought God's word to his people at the lowest point in their history, suffering the trauma of exile. But with exile comes the opportunity to renew their faith and hope in God himself. Although God had judged his people, he would also restore them and dwell with them forever - promises which find their ultimate fulfilment in Christ. Antony Billington's six-session guide, with his astute mini-features, skilful questions, and timely notes, will help you explore how Ezekiel's message of challenge and comfort speaks today, enabling you to live in the light of God's presence, Monday through Sunday - whatever you're facing.

Do you long for a closer, deeper walk with God? Would you like to know more about what the Bible says about spiritual intimacy? We say we know about God's love in our heads, but has it really percolated through to our hearts? The Bible employs the metaphor of Christ, the Lover, and believers, his beloved. Yet this rich relationship potential is relatively unexplored in modern popular books, and we are the poorer for it. Using Song of Songs and other Bible sources, the author explores the dynamics of our relationship. We come to understand more fully what it is for Christ to love us and for us to love him. Contents Desire - You're the one I want Show me your face Jesus is not my boyfriend, but... Is the Song of Songs really about me and Jesus? Insecurity Delight Springtime Belonging Distance Christ finds us beautiful Christ gets crazy for love Finally, consummation Distant again Spiritual intimacy betrayed and lost through porn Porn-spoiled lives restored Reconciled Still beautiful to him Spirals of longing and love Conclusion: the power of spiritual marriage in the storms This portrayal of the living dynamics of a believer's relationship with Christ cannot fail to transform our devotional life profoundly.

When reading the Book of Daniel, you'll be inspired by Daniel's integrity and amazed by his God-given prophecies. Many of these events have already taken place or are now unfolding exactly as predicted. The Smart Guide to the Bible: The Book of Daniel will help you understand and prepare for God's triumphant plan. Learn about: Obeying God Priorities Prophecies & Prophets Trusting God Spiritual Warfare God's Sovereignty End-of-the-Age Powers And More! The Smart Guide to the Bible is a series of simplified commentaries designed to uncomplicate God's word for everyday Bible readers. Every page contains handy features or learning aids like these: cross-references to other Scriptures brief commentaries from experts points to ponder the big picture of how passages fit with the entire Bible practical tips for applying biblical truths to life simple definitions of key words and concepts interesting maps, charts, and illustrations wrap-ups of each biblical passage study questions Whether you're new to the Bible, a long-time student of Scripture, or somewhere in between, you'll appreciate the many ways The Smart Guide to the Bible: The Book of Daniel goes far beyond your typical Bible study tool. The practical, relevant helps on each page lead you to get the most out of God's word.