We know from Egypt and Mesopotamia that it was common to seal important documents--including theological documents--in the masonry or foundations of a palace or temple in order to inform a future king who might undertake restoration of the building.

What might the psalmist have in mind when asking God to remove transgressions "as far as the east is from the west" (Ps 103:12)?

In an Egyptian hymn to Amun-Re, the deity is praised for his judgment of the guilty. As a result of the god's discernment, the guilty is assigned to the East and the righteous to the West.

What is meant by the image of God "weighing the heart" (Prov 21:2)?

In Egyptian religious tradition we find the notion of the dead being judged before the gods. As the soul is examined, the dead person's heart is weighed in a scale against a feather symbolizing Truth. If the answers are correct and the heart does not outweigh the feather, the soul may enter the realm of everlasting life.

The narratives, genealogies, laws, poetry, proverbs and prophecies of the Old Testament are deeply rooted in history. Archaeologists, historians and social scientists have greatly advanced our knowledge of the ancient world of the Bible. When we illuminate the stories of Abraham or David, the imagery of the Psalms and Proverbs, or the prophecies of Isaiah or Jeremiah with this backlight of culture and history, these texts spring to new life.

This unique commentary joins The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament in giving historical, social and cultural background for each Old Testament passage. From Genesis through Malachi it gathers and condenses an abundance of specialized knowledge and makes it available to ordinary readers of the Old Testament. It will enrich your study of these biblical books in a way that no other commentary can do.

Written in clear, nontechnical language, this invaluable aid includes

_ a glossary of historical terms as well as ancient peoples, texts and inscriptions _ maps and charts of important historical resources _ expanded explanations of significant background issues _ introductory essays on the background of each book

"The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the Old Testament is a treasure of information crucial to know to enrich your understanding of the Bible. The authors are experts in the field of Old Testament and its ancient Near Eastern world and present the fruits of their research in an extremely accessible way to allow modern readers to bridge the horizon back to the ancient context of the Bible." Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Religious Studies, Westmont College

Read more The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-The_IVP_Bible_Background_Commentary_New_Testament-0830814051.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

Craig S. Keener presents fascinating, wonderfully useful information on the historical and cultural backgrounds of nearly every verse in the New Testament.

Read more The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-The_IVP_Introduction_to_the_Bible-0830828281.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

The Bible is a truly wonderful book. Millions of Christians through the ages and across the world have treasured it as their most valued possession, often insisting that anyone can pick up the Bible and read and understand it for themselves. But many of the details remain fuzzy until we find out more about their historical or literary setting. The IVP Introduction to the Bible is intended to reduce the fuzziness, in two ways: First, by providing background information to the whole Bible and each testament, as well as the gap between the testaments. Second, by introducing all the main sections of the Bible and each biblical book in turn. So the great biblical panorama is brought to life, first with broad brush strokes and then with fine art work. This Bible introduction is written by an international and interdenominational team of evangelical scholars, among them

* Desmond Alexander, author of From Paradise to the Promised Land

* Tremper Longman III, author of How to Read the Psalms and How to Read Proverbs

* Howard Marshall, author of New Testament Theology

* Mark Strauss, author of Four Portraits, One Jesus All are involved in teaching biblical studies at a theological college, seminary or university, and each writing in their area of specialization. As they guide you expertly through the details, your understanding of the Bible and its message will be greatly enhanced. Readers of all stripes, from curious non-Christians to serious students of the Bible, will find The IVP Introduction to the Bible a helpful and enjoyable resource.

Read more The IVP Introduction to the Bible]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-The_IVP_Atlas_of_Bible_History-0830824529.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

Taking a narrative approach, The IVP Atlas of Bible History draws you into the rich resources available today on the Bible's history, geography and archaeology. The many maps, photographs, drawings and reconstructions on every page help you see for yourself what the people of Bible times saw and did. The Atlas presents the latest findings in history and archaeology in a readable style that will appeal to anyone wanting to know more about the history of the Bible.

The world of the Bible deals with more than the modern state of Israel. Almost half of the events in the Bible are set outside this territory, and much of the Bible is addressed to people in other lands. Thus this atlas covers the world of the Bible, stretching from Spain to Iran, from Yemen to northern Greece. Trade widened these horizons even further to include India and possibly China and the east coast of Africa.

The history of the Bible is played out on the stages of Egypt, Rome, Babylon and Persia. Many of the places in the ancient world are still important today, like Jerusalem, Damascus and Athens. These all play their role in the story that has shaped the imaginations and dreams of peoples and nations for centuries. All this, and more, is found in the pages of this enlightening, wonderful book.

Read more The IVP Atlas of Bible History]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-The_Ivp_Women_s_Bible_Commentary-083081437X.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

Read more The Ivp Women's Bible Commentary]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-Dictionary_of_the_Later_New_Testament_Its_Developments_The_IVP_Bible_Dictionary_Series-0830817794.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

The third volume in this series of reference works includes in its scope the book of Acts, the general epistles or Peter, James, Jude and John, and the books of Hebrews and Revelation. Historical data through A.D. 150 is included as well.

Read more Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-Colossians_Philemon_The_Ivp_New_Testament_Commentary_Series-0830840125.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

To the Colossians, preoccupied with legal codes and intellectual disputes, Paul wrote a letter stressing not only the centrality of Christ but also the need for Christians to live out their faith in genuine community. Paul's antidote to a privatized and intellectualized faith will provide relief to many Christians today. To Philemon, a powerful church leader, Paul wrote a strong personal letter asking him to embark on a new relationship with his slave Onesimus. As a model for conflict resolution and mutual relations within the Christian community, Paul's letter has much to offer the church today. Throughout this commentary, Robert W. Wall explains what each letter meant to its original hearers and its application for us today.

Read more Colossians & Philemon (The Ivp New Testament Commentary Series)]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-Dictionary_of_Jesus_and_the_Gospels_The_IVP_Bible_Dictionary_Series-0830817778.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

Recipient of a Christianity Today 1993 Critics Choice Award! Third Place Winner of Christianity Today's Book of the Year list award! The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels is unique among reference books on the Bible, the first volume of its kind since James Hastings published his Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels in 1909. In the more than eight decades since Hastings our understanding of Jesus, the Evangelists and their world has grown remarkably. New interpretive methods have illumined the text, the ever-changing profile of modern culture has put new questions to the Gospels, and our understanding of the Judaism of Jesus' day has advanced in ways that could not have been predicted in Hasting's day. But for many readers of the Gospels the new outlook on the Gospels remains hidden within technical journals and academic monographs. The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels bridges the gap between scholars and those pastors, teachers, students and lay people desiring in-depth treatment of select topics in an accesible and summary format. The topics range from cross-sectional themes (such as faith, law, Sabbath) to methods of interpretation (such as form criticism, redaction criticism, and death of Jesus) to each of the four Gospels as a whole. Some articles--such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, rabbinic traditions and revolutionary movements at the time of Jesus--provide significant background information to the Gospels. Others reflect recent and less familiar issues in Jesus and Gospel studies, such as divine man, ancient rhetoric and the chreiai (aphorisms). Contemporary concerns of general interest are discussed in articles covering such topics as healing, the demonic and the historical reliability of the Gospels. And for those entrusted with communicating the message of the Gospels, there is an extensive article on preaching from the Gospels. The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels presents the fruit of evangelical New Testament scholarship at the end of the twentieth century--committed to the authority of Scripture, utilizing the best of critical methods, and maintaining dialog with contemporary scholarship and challenges facing the church. IVP Extra! Check out the Essential IVP Reference Collection which includes this work and many others all in one handy--and powerful--CD-ROM package! Features & Benefits

* nearly 200 in-depth articles

* the first work of its kind since James Hastings' Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels (1909)

* will be used as the comprehensive text for seminary classes

* all articles are written exclusively for the DJG

* does not duplicate the material presented in even multi-volume Bible dictionaries

* includes hundreds of cross-references, extensive bibliographies, subject and Gospel Scripture indexes

* first volume in a landmark Bible reference series that now has more than 100,000 total copies in print

Read more Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-Dictionary_of_Paul_and_His_Letters_The_IVP_Bible_Dictionary_Series-0830817786.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

Designed to bring students, teachers, pastors and general readers up-to-date and up-to-speed, this dictionary presents more information than any other single work, dealing exhaustively with Pauline theology, literature, background and scholarship.

Read more Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)]]> http://thaitextbook.com/reviews-2_Corinthians_IVP_New_Testament_Commentary_Series-0830818081.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:44:45 -0500

Few church squabbles today come close to matching the intensity of that faced by Paul in the commercial and hedonistic hotbed of Corinth. As Linda Belleville introduces and comments on Paul's second letter to the Corinthian church, she shows clearly how Paul's strategies and counsel can serve as a helpful model for the contemporary church as it seeks to live out the gospel in a culture marked by individualism and materialism.

Read more 2 Corinthians (IVP New Testament Commentary Series)]]>