You are holding in your hands one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken in the storied history of the Moody Bible Institute. Seven years in the making, this major work, the Moody Bible Commentary, provides an outstanding new tool to help laypeople and pastors alike grow in their knowledge of God’s Word and understand how its timeless principles apply to life today.
Unlike many other commentaries, this resource represents a consistent theological approach to the Bible. All thirty contributors are members of the stellar faculties of Moody’s undergraduate school or its seminary. They bring a careful, literal hermeneutic to the Word, mining the biblical text for fresh insights into its meaning. However, they do not require the reader to possess skills in Hebrew or Greek. They highlight the truths in a clear, concise manner, providing transliterations of words from the text so that everyone can benefit from their research.
As you make use of this valuable work, you will appreciate its simple format. Each book of the Bible is skillfully introduced, providing the reader with an understanding of the historical setting, the author, the audience, and any interpretive issues. An outline for each book is provided, allowing you to trace the argument or story line of the book. This outline is then incorporated into the text of the commentary so that you can continue to follow the progression of thought in each Bible book.
The comments on the text are concise but insightful. Writing from a conservative, evangelical perspective that reaches across denominational lines, the authors tackle the knotty issues as they emerge in the text. Difficult passages are not ignored. Debated topics are honestly discussed, and, when scholarship yields no clear consensus as to meaning, the authors do not artificially create one. In addition, contemporary issues addressed by the Bible are clearly noted. Thus, in reading, you will find a wonderful weaving of biblical scholarship, theological insight, and practical application.
At the Moody Bible Institute, we seek to richly equip people with the truth of God’s Word. We believe that every person’s greatest need has always been, and continues to be, a saving relationship with God made possible through a deepening knowledge of His revelation in the Bible. We recognize that not everyone can sit in our classrooms and absorb the teaching of our fine faculty. This commentary, in a real way, extends their instruction to your home, your classroom, your pulpit, and your life.
May this volume help you grow in your knowledge of the Word and, through application and obedience, become “complete in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).
J. PAUL NYQUIST, PhD
PRESIDENT, The Moody Bible Institute