A new commentary for today's world, The Story of God Bible Commentary explains and illuminates each passage of Scripture in light of the Bible's grand story. The first commentary series to do so, SGBC offers a clear and compelling exposition of biblical texts, guiding everyday readers in how to creatively and faithfully live out the Bible in their own contexts. Its story-centric approach is ideal for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and laypeople alike. Each volume employs three main, easy-to-use sections designed to help readers live out God's story: LISTEN to the Story: Includes complete NIV text with references to other texts at work in each passage, encouraging the reader to hear it within the Bible's grand story. EXPLAIN the Story: Explores and illuminates each text as embedded in its canonical and historical setting. LIVE the Story: Reflects on how each text can be lived today and includes contemporary stories and illustrations to aid preachers, teachers, and students. — Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs— Commentators have derived a range of interpretations of the book of Ecclesiastes. For some, it's wholly in keeping with traditional biblical wisdom, while for others it is a radically unorthodox manifesto. Song of Songs has likewise been subject to a number of interpretations and challenges. Is it an allegory for God's love for his people, or is its intent plainer—an exposition of human love and sexuality? Edited by Scot McKnight and Tremper Longman III, and written by a number of top-notch theologians, The Story of God Bible Commentary series will bring relevant, balanced, and clear-minded theological insight to any biblical education or ministry.

This concise, carefully organized commentary for pastors presents biblical scholarship to inform authoritative expository preaching and teaching. Each chapter includes the big idea, key themes, and sermon illustrations.

The Understanding the Bible Commentary Series helps any reader navigate the strange and sometimes intimidating literary terrain of the Bible. These accessible volumes break down the barriers between the ancient and modern worlds so that the power and meaning of the biblical texts become transparent to contemporary readers. The contributors tackle the task of interpretation using the full range of critical methodologies and practices, yet they do so as people of faith who hold the text in the highest regard. Pastors, teachers, and lay people alike will cherish the easily understandable truth found in this commentary series.

The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.

This original commentary foregrounds at every turn the poetic genius of the Song of Songs, one of the most elusive texts of the Hebrew Bible. J. Cheryl Exum locates that genius in the way the Song not only tells but shows its readers that love is strong as death, thereby immortalizing love, as well as in the way the poet explores the nature of love by a mature sensitivity to how being in love is different for the woman and the man. Many long-standing conundrums in the interpretation of the book are offered persuasive solutions in Exum's verse by verse exegesis. 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.

The Song of Solomon, as its Hebrew title indicates, is "the best of songs." In it we hear the passionate melody of romantic love. But whose love is described? Is it a couple's love for each other, God's love for Israel or Christ's love for the church? This Old Testament book has fascinated and perplexed interpreters for centuries. They have felt uncomfortable--even embarrassed--when confronted with its strange and erotic imagery."The Song is a celebration of the nature of humanity---male and female created in God's image for mutal support and enjoyment. There is nothing here of the aggressive male and the reluctant or victimized female. They are one in their desires because their desires are God-given." So writes Lloyd Carr in this introduction and commentary to the Song of Solomon. With his own unique style, Carr skillfully explains the meaning of this ancient love story in a way that can be clearly grasped and applied for Christians living in today's world.

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon were all thought by the early church fathers to have derived from the hand of Solomon. To their minds the finest wisdom about the deeper issues of life was to be found in these books. This ACCS volume offers a rich trove of wisdom on Wisdom literature for the enrichment of the church today.