DR. MICHAEL RYDELNIK is Professor of Jewish Studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute and the Host/Bible Teacher on Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik, answering listener Bible questions on over 225 stations nationwide across Moody Radio. The son of Holocaust survivors, he was raised in an observant Jewish home in Brooklyn, New York. As a high school student, Michael became a follower of Jesus the Messiah and began teaching the Bible almost immediately. Besides his work on The Moody Bible Commentary and The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy as Co-Editor and contributor, Michael is also the author of several books and numerous articles. His doctoral research focused on the Messiah in the Hebrew Bible. Michael and his wife Eva live in Chicago, love hiking with their collie and boxer, and have two terrific adult sons, a delightful daughter-in-law, and the cutest two grandchildren in the world.
DR. MICHAEL VANLANINGHAM was Professor of Bible at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for more than twenty years. He is now the Director of Research at Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, IL. He received his M.Div. in Systematic Theology from Talbot Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in New Testament and Pauline Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has written a number of articles for The Master's Seminary Journal as well as other publications.
Like unabridged dictionaries, there are commentaries that try to do
too much that they become weighty, bulky, and come in multiple
volumes that occupy space in our bookshelves. Then there are those
like abridged dictionaries that are conveniently packaged in a
smaller footprint but lack the depth and scope of coverage we need.
What if we can have both in a single volume? Not many commentaries
can do that. This new commentary by the faculty of Moody Bible
Institute is a worthy addition to this category of good single
volume commentaries. Called one of the "most ambitious projects
ever undertaken" by the Moody Bible Institute, it aims to provide
us with a concise, insightful, and informative enough for the
general reader. With thirty contributors, all the 66 books of the
Bible are covered with the hope that readers will adopt five basic
criteria for understanding.
Diligence in studying the Scriptures themselves Recognize that time
is needed, so be patient Empowerment for understanding comes from
the Holy Spirit Obedience is key to understanding Always room to
learn
What's Unique about this Commentary? It is a work done by MBI which
takes pride in their slogan: "The Name You Can Trust." Making it
understandable is foremost in the minds of the authors. It spends
time working with difficult verses, making use of the literal,
conservative, and consistent approach. It believes that the Old
Testament points to Jesus. While the contributors base their
commentary on the original languages, they also use the NASB
English translation as the main English translation.
I like the way the commentators weave in both Old and New Testament
references to engage a whole Bible perspective. For example, in
Genesis 3:1-6, the commentators do not simply deal with the sin of
Adam and Eve. They describe the lead-up to the sin, and teaches us
how often we can commit similar follies in our modern times. We get
mini-sermons as well, seeing direct applications apart from the
commentary on the ancient texts. Going through verse by verse at
times, the commentary explains the texts, highlights some of the
original languages' nuances, and also connects the theme to other
passages in the Bible. Where appropriate, there are extended
commentaries on applications that modern readers will appreciate.
Issues such as learning to apply timeless principles from Old
Testament laws and regulations; contrasting the consequences of
godlessness versus the promises of godliness; highlighting
devotional material from the Psalms; wisdom from Proverbs with
scholarship material from other commentaries apart from their own;
a structural framework on understanding the Song of Solomon with an
explanation of the different interpretative methods; and many more,
making the commentary a very integrated one that aims to bring the
central teachings across.
The New Testament is also marked with excellent scholarship,
applying and informing readers about the different schools of
interpretation such as source criticism, form criticism, redaction
criticism, and other ways of interpreting the gospels. Each book
begins with some explanation on authorship, approximate dates, who
the intended audiences are, the purpose of the book, and how the
book contributes to the overall thrust of the Bible. The
bibliography at the end of each book is a valuable resource to use.
This part alone makes this commentary an excellent primer to begin
any in-depth studies of each book.
So What?
This is one of the must-haves for any preacher or pastor, student
or teacher of the Word. Sometimes, there are commentaries that are
heavy on the technical details but light on the practical
applications. Others are too focused on the contemporary and lacks
the heavy-lifting needed to be able to see the original texts for
what they are. Creating a balance is also not an easy task
especially when multiple contributors are involved. On top of that,
the books of the Bible are of different genre and commentary will
have to be adapted according to the way and purposes the book are
written. That is why it is very difficult to apply any one standard
commentary for all the books. Perhaps, readers can learn to take a
step back and not allow structures and frameworks to become overly
distracting. Read the Bible for what it is saying. Take time to
pray and seek God for illumination and discernment about the texts.
Study the texts for ourselves. Then use this commentary to shed
more light on the texts. We need to agree with what the
contributors are saying, but we can accept that there is another
way to look at the texts. After all, students of the Bible learn
best not by becoming dogmatic over their own philosophy but to be
humble to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit can use anyone to teach
us, including using this excellent 1-volume commentary on the
Bible.
One more thing. As with the use of commentaries, even though there
is an increasing use of electronic references, I feel that having a
printed commentary is valuable too. Just to have the look and feel
of a book opened in front of us enables us to study the Bible
without becoming too easily distracted by pop up windows, the
Internet, social media prompts, and other electronic beeps.
This book is provided to me courtesy of Moody Publishers and
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered
above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.Conrade
YapRating: 5 out of 5 starsThe Moody Bible Commentary, a
comprehensive one-volume commentary of the whole Bible, provides an
objective look at the historical and cultural backgrounds of each
book and help readers interpret Scripture in light of Scripture.
Editors Dr. Michael Rydelnik and Dr. Michael Vanlaningham deliver a
reliable and well-rounded resourcefor students of the Bible.
While it's clear that the writers are experts on their subjects,
they write in a way that, while academic, is clearly understandable
for any reader. The Moody Bible Commentary includes an outline of
each book of the Bible, an introduction to each book, and then a
more in-depth commentary following the outline given.
Honestly, I didn't read the entire commentary. The ebook review
copy I received boasted 4,050 pages! But I flipped through every
page and found the layout and font to be pleasing to the eye, not
overly tiring like some commentaries. I did read chapters on some
of my favorite books, like Deuteronomy, Ruth, John, Romans, Titus,
and James. I also read the commentary on some difficult passages. I
appreciated that the editors and authors seemed to treat things
fairly, often showing varying viewpoints, but tempering it with
logical explanations of which views are most plausible.
I absolutely loved the charts, maps and illustrations throughout
the book. For visual learners, they add so much to the meaning of
various Scriptures. For example, in the chapter on the book of
Leviticus, one chart outlines "The Laws of Sacrifice," while an
illustration of the Tabernacle makes the tent of meeting come
alive. I also enjoyed how the editors placed an emphasis on reading
the Old Testament through New Testament lenses as they helped
readers see types of Christ throughout the Old Testament and even
compared "The High Priests' Ministries and the Great High Priest's
Ministry" in one chart. For those of us who are historically
challenged, charts of the Kings of Israel (the Northern Kingdom)
and the Kings of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) help keep things in
perspective. In the New Testament, charts help readers grasp "The
Eight Signs in John" as well as "Jesus' Seven I Am Claims." And,
readers come to a clearer understanding of the book of James with
the chart outlining "Parallels Between James and the Sermon on the
Mount." Of course The Moody Bible Commentary wouldn't be complete
without the Scripture index and subject index at the end, which
help readers easily navigate the extensive volume.
If you are looking for a one-volume commentary on the entire Bible,
The Moody Bible Commentary fits the bill. It's reliable and
academic, yet accessible to anyone. I highly recommend it for
serious students of the Bible. It's got all you need--outlines,
historical backgrounds, objective explanations, and charts, maps
and illustrations that aid in clarifying meaning. This is one
reference book you'll rely on time and again as you dig deeper into
God's Word.Reviewed by Laura Langley Net GalleyRating: 5 out of 5
stars
This is a really helpful reference book for Bible study. It has a
commentary on specific verses as well as broader themes. It also
makes connections with other Biblical references. It was a little
bulky to manage electronically since it is so much
information.Rating: 5 out of 5 starsReviewed by Melissa Hinnen, Net
Galley
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