Bibles Bible Studies Books

Chuck Swindoll is definitely a gifted writer. There isn't a dull sentence in this book. I've been truly touched by Joseph's life and his devotion to God. However, I do think that this book focuses too much on Joseph instead of God. Swindoll talks of Joseph's integrity, his leadership and how we should emulate him. Of course, when there are great spiritual role-models, we are to look up to them but to emulate them is not our Christian goal. Following and serving Christ is our ultimate goal. Although, Joseph was a great man of God, I felt the book said too much of "Isn't Joseph great?" rather than "Isn't God, who used Joseph, great?"
The book should be read with a grain of salt. Three stars.

The preacher of my church preached one Sunday morning about Joseph, the fellow with the multi-colored coat fr. his father. Before getting into Joseph's life, the preacher told of how Jacob came into Rachel's family, and about Rachel's dad, Laban. Fascinating to me it was. I wanted to find a book to read about "Joseph, etc."--read what an author has penned. Charles R. Swindoll does an excellent job and in an excellent style of writing. I found the book to be a full-fledged account. Joseph's life was awesome.

This is yet another wonderful book in the series. Well worth the reading and study. Have ordered additional copies to give as gifts.

I really like the accuracy of the book. Charles Swindoll is one of my favorite pastors and authors. He didn't let me down with this book.

Although my favorite Joseph book is 'With Joseph in the University of Adversity: the Mizraim Principles', by Dr. Parks, this one is a close second! If you want a pastor's heart in the telling of the story--this one is best! If you want sound principles for everyday life that you or a graduate can use, and really well-organized--go with Parks (if you can get your hands on a copy!). Swindoll does this as part of a series, and it's excellent! These are the best two Joseph books around.

I'd heard about Max Lucado from others who thought he was good...so having found this devotional for less than $4 & less than $8 with shipping... decided to see what all the fuss is all about.

His insights & stories are good & the layout is good.

The bible was an excellent copy, everything the seller said and more. I am enjoying reading it everyday.

This devotional is wonderful, as are all the things Max Lucado does for the Lord. It is just the right mix of old and new testaments daily. Sometimes I am tempted to read several days at one time! I am ordering two more; one for my oldest granddaughter and one to keep in my car when I don't have time to "sit" at home first thing in the morning. Great daily help for your spiritual walk.

This book is a must reads for everday of your life. It is almost impossible to have a guideline for everyday of your life, but this book helps to guide you to more structure and stability. It is a must if you want to have peace everyday. Great.

Max Lucado is always wonderfully inspiring and brings out things in the bible in a way that I never really thought about before. He reinforces a point by the old testament first and then the new testament. I do wish the print were larger as it would be easier on the eyes.

I liked the consistent inclusion of the Divine Name represented by the letters YHWH and some of the interesting renderings of certain texts.

Our Disciple Bible Study used the first version of this book in our Basic Resource Library. When the original book "went missing" we had to reorder, and discovered to our delight that the new book now included The Five Books of Moses. What a wonderful resource for Bible study, or personal use! It has become one of my favorites and I plan to purchase the next volumes as well.

Never before have I experienced a translation of Old Testament scripture that truly brought me into what the essence of the text was. Fox makes it perfectly clear that these books were written in Hebrew, not English. I would reccommend this translation to anyone who is curious what it is like to peek in on an ancient text and learn from the first five books of Moses in the way it was more likely intended to be learned from.

I used to say that it was pointless to try to study the Bible without Hebrew - that it was impossible to "feel" the text, to get the humor, the irony, the poetry. Not anymore. This is a must for any student of the Bible, as it captures the liveliness and strangeness of the original and expose it as the allusive, alliterative, jabberwocky text that it is.

Hebrew is best, but this is, finally, a good second choice. It would be perfect if it had Hebrew written alongside - a great way to learn for students.

This is not the only edition with English translation of the Pentateuch/Chumash that I own, and I don't think it's the only one anyone should own, but it is an essential part of my collection. Fox has combined precision in translation with interpretation and poetry, and the combination makes me run to it very often to see his version, which often makes a challenging and provocative comparison to more traditional translations. The type is large and well-spaced. My only criticism is that the Hebrew is not included; at times I'd like to be able to compare the original words to Fox's renderings, to see how they compare.

This is a great idea, but I wish the artist had spent a little more time on the illustrations and some color wouldn't hurt. But otherwise its a great way to get younger people into the bible. My artist eye is just a little harder to please :)

Although as a book it is very well done, some pages are badly cut. Overall it is a fair purchase

It's a very interesting book. the only thing is not to be in colour. But a very good idea

This is a great interpretation and summary of the old and new testament. I have some very minor theological quibbles with the summary but it is easy to see that this was a labour of love for both Siku and Akin. I love the application of a lot of manga styles to the story and art. I only wish it was longer and in colour - much like the gorgeous Heavy Metal work Siku has done in the past.

I think it is a great for any Christian who has an interest in the comic form or any anime/manga fan in general. Its an excellent way to introduce such fans to the Biblical account. Perhaps a Japanese language version one day as well?

Not crazy about the paraphrasing.
But Siko's artwork is excellent.
I like how Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant depicts a 20th century underboss.
I like somewhat that the creation story and the Moses story overlap.
The artwork for Job's story seems to set the story in modern time.

Very infomative and helpful in my understanding and interpreting the bible.

For those wanting to know how one does proper hermeneutics this book is a good place to start. The authors (Walter Kaiser and Moises Silva) are conservative evangelical scholars and write from that perspective. Kaiser (who is a champion of multiple applications from a single text) and Silva (a traditional Reformed scholar) join together to help lay people and teachers on this important subject. Not only is this book good for seminarians who want to get a taste of hermeneutical methods, it also has a lot of practical applications for the laity who want to know how to read the Bible properly for personal devotion and life. Kaiser and Silva both avoid dry intellectualism, and write from a pastoral perspective too. Most of the chapters are good (especially Kaiser's), and most people will find this work very readable. However, I do have one concern over this book. It is a chapter written by Silva (Chapter 14: "The Case for Calvinistic Hermeneutics"). He contends that "proper exegesis should be informed by theological reflection. To put it in the most shocking way possible: my theological system should tell me how to exegete" (p. 261). True, Reformed theology's strength lies in its consistency, logic, coherence, and history. However, this can be its downful also (by the way, I am a Calvinist too). For instance, most in the Reformed tradition argue that Israel and the Church lie in continuity. Therefore, Israel as an ethnic body has no future in God's redemptive program. This leads them to reinterpret certain passages that speak of a national conversion of Israel near the Parousia (cf. Romans 11:26) to mean "spiritual Israel" (or the Church) or a "remnant" throughout history. Another example is Revelation 20. Since a literal Millennial Kingdom in the future is not compatible with Reformed/Covenant theology, they argue that we must spiritualize Revelation 20 to mean the present age (or interpret the "first resurrection" to mean a spiritual resurrection). The danger of allowing a Reformed "systematic theology" to control our exegesis of certain passages can lead to eisegesis and a meaning that is totally different from what the inspired writers meant to say. Here are the main methods of hermeneutics in Christianity:

1. Roman Catholic Hermeneutics:

Exegesis<-----Tradition

2. Reformed Hermeneutics:

Exegesis<-----Systematic Theology

3. Fundamentalism and Arminianism:

Exegesis Only

4. Critical Scholarship:

Exegesis<-----History

5. Proper Biblical Hermeneutics:

Exegesis----->Systematic Theology

Proper hermeneutics is not imposed out of a certain systematic theology; it is developed from exegesis that leads to a systematic theology. Reformed theology fails in this respect. This book should be read by all pastors, seminarians, and lay people. It is an invaluable tool that needs to be in every Christian library.

This book by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. and Moises Silva is an excellent starting point for an investigation into all of the elements involved in Biblical hermeneutics (i.e. Biblical interpretation, as Silva so straightforwardly defines the term in the opening chapter).

The book is divided into four major parts (each part contains multiple chapters) which progressively build on one another; the interaction between the co-authors, as they take turns writing individual chapters, is remarkable. Kaiser and Silva do not always agree on all points, but the respectful interplay between their sometimes differing outlooks provides an example of what true scholarship is all about.

The four parts of the book have the following headings: 1) The Search for Meaning: Initial Directions (which includes general background information); 2) Understanding the Text: Meaning in Literary Genres; 3) Responding to the Text: Meaning and Application; and 4) The Search for Meaning: Further Challenges (which includes chapters on both the history of interpretation and contemporary approaches to interpretation).

The best thing about this book is that it is not so much a treatise on scholarly interpretation (though it certainly is scholarly), but that it attempts to help the reader to learn both how to interpret the Bible and then how to apply that interpretation to life. As the jacket copy of the book states, "In a culture that prizes individuality and personal freedom, the primary question is no longer 'Is it true?' but rather 'Does it matter?' Hence, the question of relevancy has taken precedence over the question 'What does the text mean?' This book therefore confronts the question of the meaning of meaning and shows how evangelicals may still clearly hear the Word from God amid the cacophony of the age."

For those who wish to pursue further study, especially in the areas of genre and critical approaches, the authors provide copious footnotes and an annotated bibliography at the end of the book. This is an excellent introduction to hermeneutics that is accessible to scholars and laypersons alike.

This work was the central text for a seminary course in Hermeneutics, and I had anticipated a somewhat dry, calculated, formula based approach to Biblical interpretation. What I received was a tool chest of invaluable exegetical tools with which to treat the Word of the Living God with the highest honor that it deserves. Drs. Kaiser and Silva are very obviously not only theologians and scholars of the first order, they are lovers of God's Word, and they pursue Him in their lives and work. Their instruction shines the very passion of knowing and following Jesus, while using every intellectual tool that He has given us. This book has changed my approach to preaching and teaching, and will maintain a spot in my library...I plan to read and refer to it till the covers fall off!

I picked this book up as a peremptory safety measure to reading William Webb's work on what he calls Redemptive Movement Hermeneutic: "Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis". His is a commendable yet seemingly flawed work--I'll get to writing that review later.

Kaiser & Silva provide a brief but broad historical survey of hermeneutics, from the early rabbinic approaches for the Torah, to current principles held in regard today. It is a great "top-down" book, in that it provides a realistic context for those who attempt to unpack the scriptures. People of faith have been attempting this since receiving inspired texts, with varying depths of success and failure.

The voicings of the esteemed scholars are distinct, and I found the book rather choppy reading, like a multi-movement symphony alternating between 2 solo instruments: Kaiser's historic and subtle cello vs. Silva's warm, thoughtful oboe.

Personally, I found Silva's synopsis on the work and contribution of some twentieth century philosophers very resonant, in that we need to consider the 3 cultural horizons of the writer, the original audience, and our own baggage which we bring to the scriptures. A humble awareness of our experiential shapings is critical in approaching the Bible.

I hope the Church today can continue to redeem James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." I find that our human experience, tradition and expectations can dominate the Church, rather than what it (the Bible) says. The Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics supplies us a with a refreshing conclusion to work out our salvation with some humility, if not fear and trembling, that our old selves present barriers to understanding, as shown throughout the history of hermeneutical studies.

I also agree with the authors that the Word and the Spirit are sufficient for individual growth and the acqusition of Truth. Where members of the body of Christ collide is why accurate and authoritative interpretation is so required.

Most Christian professionals have little understanding of what happened after the first half of the first century. This book carries perspective beyond that point to the understanding of the formation the Orthodox Chrtistianity (Western Orthodox). An essential tool for interpreting the New Testament and its developemnt into theologies that form the religion's beginning today. Christianity is not the religion of Jesus. It is the religion that developed about Jesus and this book helps us understand that early period. The interpretation of its impact on us today is up to current individuals.

Book arrived in good condition and in a timely manner.

Professor Ehrmann has assembled a nice collection of Christian (orthodox and heterodox) writings from the period immediately following the New Testament and before the Council of Nicea. Although these are not brand new translations and all are readily available in other collections, the easy-to-read double column textbook format, the thematic way the texts are categorized, and the brief, helpful introductions make this anthology well worth its price. This volume and Ehrmann's other anthology THE NEW TESTAMENT AND OTHER EARLY CHRISTIAN WRITINGS are essential companions to his THE NEW TESTAMENT: A HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION TO THE EARLY CHRISTIAN WRITINGS.

On the frustrating side, there is much overlap between Ehrmann's two anthologies--in fact, I ended up buying them both because it was too much trouble to compare the tables of contents to see which volume included more non-New Testament works. Also somewhat disappointing was the fact that there are no bibliographic references to the supplied texts (each chapter introduction concludes with a short list of general topic books "For Further Reading"). I would, at least, like to know if there are other respected translations or commentaries in print on any of these texts. Another oddity: The Didache is split into three parts and presented out of sequence (with the document's brief chapter 6 being omitted altogether). This is not inappropriate, considering that Ehrmann has arranged his texts topically so readers can read significant key documents in relation to one another (such as, The Structure of Early Christianity [Did ch 11-15]; The Development of the Liturgy [Did 7-10]; Leading the Upright Life [Did 1-5]).

This is a nice, handy collection of key texts that I'm sure I'll return to over and over, especially as I read other books about the beginnings of the early Church.

I used this book in a course on Early Judaism and Early Christianity, which I took as an undergraduate. Although one may read a secondary reader, there is nothing like reading a well-chosen sampling of primary texts - and the selections here are just that: well-chosen.

Although the Church traces its lineage and heritage through a particular history - the New Testament, followed by the Apostolic Fathers and they themselves followed by the Church Fathers - in reading this volume one immediately notices a spectrum of thought, filled with every subtle shade of variation that one could imagine. It is in reading the differences and polemical writings contained here that makes the battles between traditions so fascinating: after the New Testament, one can rightly speak of earliest Christianities. Somehow or another, though, they all find their raison d'etre in Jesus, the itinerant Jewis Hasid from Nazareth.

Perhaps one may be generous enough to say that every writing in this book seeks to answer Christ's question to the Apostles: "Who do you say that I am?" From Gnostic writings and proto-orthodox Church Fathers to apocryphal Gospels and "lost" Epistles, one is thrust into a mass of movements, each of which claims to have the answer to this question. (And, as a side note, it turns out that the views of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches are, in fact, among the most ancient of these various other traditions.)

Ehrman's introductions are short and to the point; they are helpful and note where writings develop earlier, more historical traditions, if writings were later declared orthodox or heretical and what the polemical context was of a particular piece. He also notes where texts were once used and where they were popular, and if and when they fell out of favor. Lastly, and most interestingly to this reader, is the short section that notes the development of the canon of the New Testament and how many books that are now taken for granted were hotly debated in those early centuries.

One could easily spend hundreds of dollars collecting the various works that were important to and written by early Christians/s/s/s/s/...; this book is a wonderful, well-written selection of those works. As a supplement to studies in early Christianity, Judaism and/or later Antiquity, it will prove to be quite helpful and informative. For the interested lay person, this book will also prove to be both informative and an excellent introduction to the subject. In short, it is a profitable read.

Though the Church in the Second and Third Centuries is a "Dark Age" in the minds of most Christians, the darkness is not due to lack of data. The 19th Century series "The Ante-Nicene Fathers" runs to 5,000-some large pages in small type - and it was not complete even in its own day. Subsequent discoveries, most notably the Nag Hammadi library of Gnostic-Christian literature, have added much to our knowledge or, oftentimes, to our perplexity.

Professor Ehrman's selection of readings gives an overview of this vast forest. He has selected 76 works, mostly self-contained excerpts, though a few are complete. In addition to familiar items that cannot be omitted from such a collection (e. g., the Epistle to Diognetos, large parts of the Epistles of St. Ignatios, and selections from Justin Martyr, Tertullian and Origen), we are given much that later generations found heretical, dubious or silly: apocryphal Scriptures, esoteric Gnostic speculation and writings by Christians who refused to recognize any separation between their faith and Judaism. The texts are arranged thematically (e. g., "The Attack on Christianity: Persecution and Martyrdom in the Early Church", "Anti-Judaic Polemic", "The Development of the Liturgy") in such a way that neighboring pieces illuminate one another.

The translations have all appeared in print before, and the editor deserves credit for choosing clear, readable versions. His introductions, while well-suited to the intended audience, are open to criticism. On the positive side, they are judicious and nonpartisan, avoiding (except on the topic of the ministry of women in the early Church, where no mainstream modernist can afford to be completely candid) speculation beyond the evidence. On the negative, they are so judicious that the untutored reader is left unaware of controversies that have a major impact on the meaning of the texts. To take a significant instance, Prof. Ehrman blandly states that "most scholars" date the manual of Church discipline known as the "Didache" to c. 100 A.D. True enough, but some date it much earlier and some much later, and its value as evidence depends crucially on the time and place from which it came.

All in all, for anyone who would like to know more about pre-Nicene Church history, this volume is, if not the last word, a useful and interesting preface.

This practical guide helps the sermon exegete from a number of excellent angles. For example, the author provides a glimpse at how to arrange the minor prophets with the major prophets in the OT by timeline or by themes for preaching.

I will write more as I dig into this tool. For now, let me say that what I have seen is very helpful and I'm glad I bought a copy.

I am taking Dr. Walton for an Ancient Near Eastern course at Wheaton. I find him to be an excellent teacher. His knowledge of the subject and his style of communication help open up whole new worlds of understanding for the Old Testament. I think anything he has written is probably worth owning if you are a bible teacher or preacher.

R.C. Sproul does it again with an awesome book covering the basics of biblical Hermeneutics (The science of biblical interpretation). I would add the forgotten science of biblical interpretation. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in studying scripture. Though the book is not as in depth as what someone would get from seminary, this book covers the basic. How have we come up with so many different interpretations of scripture, such as the Health, wealth and prosperity gospel? Because not many seem to follow the ancient traditions of biblical interpretation. This includes, language, historical context, literary styles, etc.

A well-written and organized study of the historical-gramatical methodology in simple terms. Once again Dr. Sprould takes a somewhat difficult and complex topic and brings out the essential elements important to all Christians. A must have for understanding the common reformed protestant approach to interpretting scripture. Every bible teacher and preacher will find it useful in their ministry for digging deep into the text and brining it out for others. It is an immensely helpful work for everyday bible study as well.

If you're a pastor or seminary student who needs a good but basic book on Scripture and hermeneutics then this book is a great place to start. R. C. Sproul Sr. does a good job telling his readers the nature of Scripture and how to interpret it. The reason why Sproul insists that all Christians must have a good understanding of Scripture is because "No Christian can avoid theology. Every Christian is a theologian. Perhaps not a theologian in the technical or professional sense, but a theologian nevertheless. The issue for Christians is not whether we are going to be theologians but whether we are going to be good theologians or bad ones" (p. 22). What a statement! That statement should be imprinted in the minds of every born-again Christian. In this age where many professing Christians are seduced into false philosophies and depraved ideologies this statement should jolt them into shaking them out of their theological and exegetical complacency. In this book Sproul does a good job showing how we as Christians can have a proper understanding of Scripture.

The book consists of six chapters. The first chapter pretty much goes over the basics of Scripture and why we should study it. Here, Sproul gives us a good summary of how we are to apply Scripture in our personal Bible studies (those immersed in the prosperity or seeker-friendly movements should definitely read his section on "The Sensuous Christian").

The second chapter deals with personal Bible study and private interpretation. In this chapter Sproul helps us to see what kind of pitfalls to avoid when doing personal quiet time. Too often Christians read a particular passage in the Bible in the way THEY want to understand it. Sproul reminds us that such a narrow privatistic interpretation of biblical passages can lead to doctrinal subjectivism (this is a serious problem these days for many Christians).

The third chapter is a short lesson on the meaning of hermeneutics. Though it is not deep and comprehensive for those doing indepth biblical studies, it is still scholarly enough for laypeople to get their feet wet on the issue of biblical hermeneutics. Here, Sproul goes over the basic issues of hermeneutics like the analogy of faith, literal interpretation, the Medieval quadriga, the grammatico-historical method, source criticism, etc. Though the issues discussed in this chapter are topics that primarily biblical scholars are deeply involved with, Sproul writes in a matter so that the layperson can even understand what those issues mean.

The fourth chapter is basically the "meat" of the book. Sproul goes over every issue you can think of in regards to the practical rules of biblical interpretation. This chapter is a must read for seminary students or bible study leaders who want to get a good grasp of how one should read and apply the biblical text. Though it is not extensive and deep, readers will still find this chapter very helpful for their personal use (if one wants a more scholarly book on exegesis he or she should check out the works by Gordon Fee [NT] and Douglas Stuart [OT]).

The fifth chapter deals with the relationship between culture and the bible. Here, Sproul basically tells the reader the two pitfalls common to modern-day Christians: 1) reading the Bible totally outside of its original historical and cultural context, and 2) reading the Bible without any regard for how it can apply to the modern-day Christian. Both extremes are to be avoided if we are to properly interpret and apply Scripture.

The sixth chapter is basically a resource list of what tools (translations, concordances, commentaries, etc.) can aid in proper biblical interpretation. This is the only chapter I had a problem with. The main reason being is that this book was originally published in 1977 and, therefore, many resource suggestions by Sproul will be outdated. I also found it to be too shallow and unhelpful. (Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart do a much better job on exegetical resources in their respective works.)

Overall, I would highly recommend this book for pastors, seminary students, and even laypeople who want to get a good understanding of Scripture and hermeneutics. It is also easy to read and accessible. It will surely help you in your personal bible study and public ministry.

I was shocked when I came to the review titled "Only the few know scripture" by "buttonguy". He couldn't have possibly read this book. Sproul is saying the complete opposite of what this reviewer posted.

Quote from the first chapter:
...If we can read the newspaper, we can read the Bible. In fact, I would venture to guess that more difficult words and concepts are expressed on the front page of a newspaper than on most pages of the Bible"

This book is awesome!

I actually listened to the audio version of this book on CD. RC Sproul is a very easy to listen to speaker and he has a gift of making difficult concepts seem easy.

Contrary to a few reviews here, Sproul is not advocating an elitist approach to Scripture where only the "pro" dare to wrestle with Scriptural interpretation and understanding. Quite the opposite. Sproul is seeking to put the tools into the hands of his listeners.

Over and over he provides general principles and approaches that should help to keep the reader from falling into common errors that have been present and prevalent within the Church for many years.

The one proviso that I picked up on, and it isn't so much a criticism as it is an observation is that Sproul is a reformed theologian and he is not afraid to select some passages for use as an example as to how it is possible to "get something wrong." Some of his choices are bravely chosen from those that are among the more controversial, such as women's role in the church and some on the charismatic gifts. Sproul gives a brave rendering as to why these should be understood as he understands them from the traditional reformed position. In doing so he fails to give all the information available from other positions that makes their positions equally viable. In fairness, that may be beyond the scope of his purpose, but in that event I still think it behooves the speaker to be a little more generous and less dogmatic where there are non-cardinal issues being addressed. Perhaps it is asking too much.

Nevertheless this is an excellent resource to get in good layman's terms the most important Biblical Study tools to navigate the Scripture and avoid many of the pitfalls experienced when common fallacies in logic and approach to a literary and historical document are violated, even by well-meaning Christians who hold the text's inspiration and relevance in highest regard.

A very worthwhile read or listen.