The Moody Bible Commentary

by Michael Rydelnik (Editor), Michael Vanlaningham (Editor), Louis A. Barbieri (Contribution by), Michael Boyle (Contribution by), James Coakley (Contribution by)

Overview

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Now you can study the Bible with the faculty of the Moody Bible Institute!

Imagine having a team of 30 Moody Bible Institute professors helping you study the Bible. Now you can with this in-depth, user-friendly, one-volume commentary. 

General editors Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham have led a team of contributors whose academic training, practical church experience, and teaching competency make this commentary excellent for anyone who needs help understanding the Scriptures.

This comprehensive and reliable reference work should be the first place Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, missionaries, and pastors turn to for biblical insight. Scripture being commented on is shown in bold print for easy reference, and maps and charts provide visual aids for learning. Additional study helps include bibliographies for further reading and a subject and Scripture index. 

The Moody Bible Commentary is an all-in-one Bible study resource that will help you better understand and apply God's written revelation to all of life.  

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ISBN-13:	9780802490186
Publisher:	Moody Publishers
Publication date:	03/15/2014
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About the Author

DR. MICHAEL RYDELNIK is Vice President/Academic Dean and Professor of Jewish Studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute. He is also 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 coeditor and contributor, Michael is also the author of 50 Most Important Bible Questions, The Messianic Hope: Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic?, and Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict. 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 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.
CHARLES DYER (B.A., Washington Bible College; Th.M. and Ph.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) served for ten years as provost of Moody Bible Institute before becoming professor-at-large of Bible and host of The Land and the Book radio program. He is the author of numerous books, including A Voice in the Wilderness, What's Next?, The Rise of Babylon, and The New Christian Traveler's Guide to the Holy Land. His most recent book is Character Counts: The Power of Personal Integrity.
JOHN KOESSLER (D.Min., Trinity International University; M.Div., Biblical Theology Seminary) is Chairman and Professor in the Pastoral Studies Department at the Moody Bible Institute. He is author of a number of books including True Discipleship, God Our Father, and Names of Israel. John and his wife, Jane, live in northwest Indiana and have two sons.

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The Moody Bible Commentary

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By Michael Rydelnik, Michael Vanlanigham

Moody Publishers

Copyright © 2014 The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8024-9018-6

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CHAPTER 1

THE OLD TESTAMENT

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GENESIS

MULTIPLE FACULTY CONTRIBUTORS

OUTLINE

Introduction

I. Primeval History: Establishing the Need for Redemption (1:1–11:26)

A. Perfect Creation: The Absence of Sin (1:1–2:25)

1. An Overview of Perfection (1:2–2:3)
a. Inanimate Perfection (1:1-19)
b. Animate (Animal) Perfection (1:20-25)
c. Human Perfection (1:26–2:3)

2. A Close-Up on the Human Ideal (2:4-25)
a. The Ideal Creation of Man (2:4-7)
b. The Ideal Place of Man (2:8-14)
c. The Ideal Responsibility of Man (2:15-25)

B. Fallen Humanity: The Advent of Sin (3:1-21)

1. The Lead-up to Sin (3:1-6)
a. Step One: Wrongly Recalling God's Word (3:1-3)
b. Step Two: Wrongly Assessing God's Purpose (3:4-5)
c. Step Three: Wrongly Approving What Seems "Good" (3:6)

2. Humanity's Response to Sin (3:7-8)
a. Conviction (3:7a)
b. Division from Each Other (3:7b)
c. Division from God (3:8)

3. God's Response to Sin (3:9-21)
a. Gentle Confrontation (3:9-13)
b. Merciful Chastisement (3:14-20)
c. Gracious Forgiveness (3:21)

C. Dire Consequences: The Aftermath of Sin (3:22–4:26)

1. Exile: The Communal Aftermath of Sin (3:22-24)
a. The Problem (3:22)
b. God's Gracious Solution (3:23)
c. The "Eastward" Paradigm (3:24)

2. Murder: The Personal Aftermath of Sin (4:1-22)
a. The Priority of Heart Attitude (4:1-8)
b. God's Mercy, Again (4:9-12)
c. Cain's Repentance and God's Grace (4:13-22)

3. Injustice: The Legal Aftermath of Sin (4:23-26)
a. Injustice as a Result of Ignoring God's Example (4:23-24)
b. Injustice Not Preclusive of God's Blessing (4:25)
c. Injustice as a Catalyst for Turning People to God (4:26)

D. Fallen World: The Attachment of Sin (5:1–11:26)

1. Break in the Prosecution: God's Blessing Despite Depravity (5:1–6:8)
a. Hope of Redemption (5:1-32)
b. God's Gracious "Cap" on Depravity (6:1-4)
c. Measure of True "Spirituality" (6:5-8)

2. The Flood: Humanity's Chance to "Come Clean" of Depravity (6:9–9:29)
a. Prelude: A Righteous Remnant in a Depraved World (6:9-10)
b. Corruption of the Land (6:11-12)
c. God's Covenant with Noah (6:13-20)
d. God's Provision for Life (6:21-22)
e. Entering the Ark (7:1-9)
f. Prevailing of the Flood (7:10-24)
g. Subsiding of the Flood (8:1-14)
h. Exiting the Ark (8:15-22)
i. God's Provision for Life (9:1-7)
j. God's Covenant with Noah and All Life (9:8-17)
k. Corruption of the Land (9:18-19)
l. Postlude: A Righteous Remnant in a Depraved World (9:20-29)

3. The Depth of Depravity in Post-Flood Humanity (10:1–11:26)
a. Setting the Stage for Universal Rebellion (10:1-32)
b. Rebellion Expressed: The Rise and Fall of Universal Human Pride (11:1-9)
c. Transition to Pardon (11:10-26)

II. Patriarchal History: Delineating the Path of Redemption (11:27–50:26)

A. Descendants of Terah: God Making His Own Name for Man (11:27–25:11)

1. The Abrahamic Covenant: God's Promise for Israel and the Nations (11:27–12:20)
a. God's Sovereign Choice: Abram's Passivity (11:27-32)
b. God's Gracious Promises: Resetting Abram's Direction (12:1-9)
c. God's Unshakable Hold: Abram's Deep Depravity (12:10-20)

2. Living in the Land: God's Affirmation of the Covenant (13:1–14:24)
a. Affirming Abram's Right to the Land (13:1-18)
b. Affirming Abram's Might and Prosperity (14:1-16)
c. Affirming Abram's Blessing and Status (14:17-24)

3. Ratifying the Covenant: God's Compromise with Weak Faith (15:1-21)
a. Answering Abram's Doubt about the Son (15:1-5)
b. Affirming Abram's Imperfect Faith (15:6)
c. Answering Abram's Doubt about the Land (15:7-21)

4. Doubting God: The Fall Reprised (16:1-16)
a. The Temptation (16:1-4a)
b. The Human Consequences (16:4b-6)
c. The Divine Response (16:7-16)

5. Circumcision: The Sign of the Covenant (17:1-16)
a. The Effected Covenant as the Basis of the Rite (17:1-8)
b. Content of the Rite (17:9-16)
c. Abram's Response to the Rite (17:17-27)

6. An Expression of Divine Fellowship (18:1-33)
a. God Affirming His Empathy with Abraham (18:1-8)
b. God Affirming His Grace toward Abraham (18:9-15)
c. God Affirming His Justice to Abraham (18:16-33)

7. A Paradigm of Corporate Judgment (19:1-29)
a. Cause of Judgment (19:1-11)
b. Distinction of Judgment (19:12-22)
c. Purpose of Judgment (19:23-29)

8. Persistence of Sin (19:30–20:18)
a. Struggles of Lot's Household (19:30-38)
b. Struggles of Abraham's Household (20:1-16)
c. God's Faithfulness and Grace in Sanctification (20:17-18)

9. Sovereignty of God in Blessing (21:1-34)
a. God's Sovereignty in Blessing Abraham and Sarah (21:1-8)
b. God's Sovereignty in Blessing Hagar and Sarah (21:9-21)
c. God's Sovereignty in Blessing Abimelech and His People (21:22-34)

10. The Pinnacle of Abraham's Faith (22:1-19)
a. God's Call to Faith (22:1-2)
b. Abraham's Expression of Faith (22:3-9)
c. The Angel's Affirmation of Faith (22:10-19)

11. Family Matters (22:20–23:20)
a. Keeping Up with the Relatives (22:20-24)
b. Mourning Sarah (23:1-2)
c. Purchasing the Family Burial Plot (23:3-20)

12. Finding Rebekah in Mesopotamia (24:1-67)
a. Abraham's Petition (24:1-9)
b. God's Answer (24:10-49)
c. The People's Response (24:50-67)

13. Transferring the Torch to Isaac (25:1-11)
a. Abraham's Affirmation of Isaac (25:1-6)
b. Isaac and Ishmael's Burial of Abraham (25:7-10)
c. God's Affirmation of Isaac (25:11)

B. Descendants of Ishmael: A Locus of Conflict with God's People (25:12-18)

C. Descendants of Isaac: Learning to Wait on God (25:19–35:29)

1. Jacob and Esau: The Sons of Isaac (25:19-34)
a. Barrenness of Rebekah (25:19-21a)
b. Birth of Jacob and Esau (25:21b-26)
c. Sale of Esau's Birthright (25:27-34)

2. Isaac: Struggles of a Patriarch (26:1-33)
a. Struggling to Trust in God's Promises: Isaac Lies about Rebekah (26:1-17)
b. Struggling to Live with Sinful Men: Isaac Quarrels with the Men of Gerar (26:18-25)
c. Struggling to Recognize the Sovereignty of God: Isaac Makes a Covenant with Abimelech (26:26-33)

3. Jacob: Successor of Isaac (26:34–35:29)
a. In the Land: Striving with Esau (26:34–28:9)
(1) Prologue: Esau Marries Foreign Women (26:34-35)
(2) Body: Jacob Strives for a Blessing (27:1–28:5)
(3) Epilogue: Esau Marries Foreign Women (28:6-9)
b. Outside the Land: Striving with Laban (28:10–31:55)
(1) Jacob's Journey (28:10-22)
(2) Jacob's Marriages (29:1-30)
(3) Jacob's Children (29:31–30:24)
(4) Jacob's Prosperity (30:25-43)
(5) Jacob's Flight (31:1–32:2)
c. Return to the Land: Striving Resolved with People and God (32:3–35:29)
(1) The Restoration of Jacob and Esau (32:3–33:20)
(a) Jacob's Fear of Esau (32:3-23)
(b) Jacob's Fight with God (32:24-32)
(c) Jacob's Restoration with Esau (33:1-17)
(d) Jacob's Restoration to the Land (33:18-20)
(2) The Rape of Dinah (34:1-31)
(3) The Close of the Jacob Story (35:1-29)

D. Descendants of Esau: Another Locus of Conflict with God's People (36:1–37:1)

E. Descendants of Jacob: God's Providence over Joseph and Israel (37:2–50:26)

1. Joseph in the Pit (37:2–40:23)
a. Joseph Is Sold into Slavery by His Brothers (37:2-36)
b. Judah Receives a Male Heir by Deception (38:1-30)
c. Joseph Is Falsely Accused by Potiphar's Wife (39:1-23)
d. Joseph Is Forgotten by the Cupbearer (40:1-23)

2. Joseph as Prime Minister (41:1–50:26)
a. Joseph Becomes Prime Minister (41:1-57)
b. Joseph Tests His Brothers (42:1–44:34)
(1) The Conscience Test (42:1-38)
(2) The Character Test (43:1-34)
(3) The Compassion Test (44:1-34)
c. Joseph Reconciles with His Brothers (45:1-28)
d. Joseph Cares for All Egypt (46:1–47:26)
(1) Joseph Provides for the Family of Israel (46:1–47:12)
(2) Joseph Provides for the People of Egypt (47:13-19)
(3) Joseph Provides for Pharaoh (47:20-26)
e. Joseph Receives the Blessing for His Sons (47:27–48:22)
f. Jacob Blesses the Twelve Tribes (49:1-33)
g. Joseph Believes God to the End (50:1-26)

INTRODUCTION

Author—Traditional View. Jewish and Christian traditions consistently affirm that Moses was the writer of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible.

Moses is identified—either explicitly or implicitly—as the writer of the Pentateuch more often than any other writer is identified with any other biblical book(s). Mosaic authorship can be supported with several lines of evidence. (1) The Pentateuch claims this for itself (Ex 17:14; 24:4, 7; 34:27;Nm 33:1-2; Dt 31:9). (2) Other OT books claim Mosaic authorship (see, e.g., Jos 1:78; 8:32, 34; 22:5; 23:6; 1Kg 2:3; 2Kg 14:6; 21:8; Ezr 6:18; 2Ch 25:4; Dn 9:1113; Mal 4:4). (3) Mosaic authorship is also the view of the NT (Mk 12:26; Lk 24:27; Jn 5:46; 2Co 3:15). (4) The details included in the Pentateuch point to an eyewitness author (Ex 15:27; Nm 2:1-31; 11:7-8), not an author writing centuries later. (5) The author was knowledgeable about Egyptian names, words, customs, and geography. Such knowledge indicates a writer from Egypt (Gn 13:10; 16:1-3; 33:18; 41:43), as Moses was, not an author or editor from Israel many centuries later. (6) Above all, the Lord Jesus Christ identified Moses as the author of the Torah. He stated (Jn 7:22) that Moses "gave" the Israelites the account of circumcision (Gn 17), whereas the rite itself was given to and handed down from "the fathers," that is, the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This shows that the Lord Jesus did indeed recognize Mosaic authorship.

Author—Documentary Hypothesis. The Pentateuch was one of the first portions of the Bible in the post-Enlightenment period to be seriously reexamined by humanist-inclined scholars. The starting point for these scholars' research was the conviction that the Bible is a purely (or primarily) human literary product, representing a collection of various ancient Near Eastern sources, both historical and mythological, which were collected, systematized, edited, and refashioned over centuries of time.

The application to the Pentateuch (and thus to Genesis) of this less-than-traditional approach was consolidated toward the beginning of the 19th century under the rubric of what has come to be known as the "documentary" or "JEDP" theory of the Pentateuch's origins. According to this theory the Pentateuch is comprised of at least four different sources (Jahwistic, Elohistic, Deuteronomic, and Priestly), each of which is characterized by certain distinct features and emphases.

The ideological starting point of this view and its attendant methodology is, necessarily, that Moses did not write (or, at the very least, may not have written) the Pentateuch. A review of some of the "proofs" of this assertion illustrates the tenuousness, and even the circular logic through which the data are sifted:

1. The Different Names for God. In the Torah, different names for God are used in different passages, so advocates of the documentary hypothesis claim that this indicates different sources. For example, God is called Elohim in Gn 1:1–2:3 but called Yahweh Elohim (the LORD God) in Gn 2:4–3:24. This, however, does not derive from two separate sources but rather two distinct emphases. Elohim is the name for God as the Almighty Creator of the universe, while Yahweh is the relational, covenant name for God. It makes sense therefore, that the passage that describes the creation of the world would use Elohim, but the passage that describes the creation of humanity would use His relational name. Moreover, multiple names for God appear in other literature, such as Homer's epics and the Quran, without requiring different sources.

2. The Presence of Duplications. In the Torah, there are several accounts that some claim are repetitions of the same event. For example, it is claimed that there are two creation accounts (1:1–2:3; 2:4-25), two covenant accounts (chaps. 15, 17); two banishments of Hagar (chaps. 16, 21); two name changes for Jacob (32:28; 35:10); two times Abraham claims Sarah as his sister, as does Isaac once (12:11-13; 20:11-13; 26:7); two complaints about food resolved by manna and quail (Ex 16:1-21; Nm 11:4-35); and two times water came from the rock (Ex 17:1-7; Nm 20:8-13). However, several possible reasons exist for these repetitions that do not require multiple sources. These events happened repeatedly, and the author included them for emphasis, or to show patterns of behavior, or to complement one another. In each case, there are good literary reasons for these repetitions.

3. The Presence of Anachronisms. It is claimed that when the text notes that "the Canaanite was then in the land" (Gn 12:6; 13:7) it reflects authorship at a time long after Moses when the Canaanites no longer were the dominant people in the land. Hence, the author was informing the audience of a prior state of affairs. However, the statements may simply imply that Moses, writing to the generation about to enter the land, sought to remind them that the Canaanites were also there in the days of the patriarchs. Another alleged anachronism is that the ancient city of Laish is called Dan (Gn 14:14), a name only given to that city after the conquest of Canaan (Jos 19:47; Jdg 18:29). However, calling the city Dan in the account of Abraham may be a result of a later scribe, when copying the Torah before the close of the OT canon, updating the city name, so that later generations would be able to identify the city under discussion. Another alleged anachronism is the statement that certain kings reigned in Edom "before any king reigned over the sons of Israel" (Gn 36:31), implying that this was written many years after Moses when there was kingship in Israel. But this could merely be Moses anticipating that Israel would one day have a king (cf. Dt 17:14-20) or even an editorial comment by a later scribe, copying the text before the close of the OT canon, and reflecting that Israel did indeed have kings later.

Clearly, these and other alleged anachronisms are easily resolved by recognizing that later scribes, writing before the close of the OT canon, would bring place names and circumstances up to date so that the readers could better understand the text.

4. The Characterization of Moses. This claim is that the Torah speaks of Moses as if he were a character in the narrative and not the author. For example, in the Torah, Moses is spoken of in the third person. This claim presupposes that the early Israelites were either unacquainted with or literarily too unsophisticated to employ the technique of third-person self-reference. However, this technique is attested in many instances throughout the OT (as in Ezra, Nehemiah, and most of the prophetic books) as well as in the NT and early postbiblical Hebrew literature. Another example is that the Torah reports that Moses "was very humble, more than every human on the face of the earth" (Nm 12:3). It is difficult to picture the humblest man on earth writing these words. However, this is a problem only if the concept of humility is understood as "marked by meekness or modesty," "low in rank," or "deferential." But the Hebrew term 'anav conveys the fundamental idea of "unworthiness," "needy," or even "afflicted" (see, e.g., Pss 10:16; 34:3; Is 29:19; 61:1). One other example is that the Torah includes an account of Moses' death (Dt 34). However, all that this indicates is that Moses did not write the last part of Dt and that God used a later prophet to add these words.

Date. Moses probably wrote the Pentateuch during the Israelites' 40-year sojourn in the wilderness (c. 1446–1406 BC), completing the literary work shortly before his death (see Dt 33:1). The dating of the Pentateuch is derived from dates mentioned in 1Kg 6:1. There it says that Solomon began construction of the temple in "the fourth year" of his reign, approximately 967/966 BC, also stating that it was 480 years after the exodus. This would make the date of the exodus 1447/1446 BC. With a 40-year wilderness wandering, the date of the Pentateuch's completion would be approximately 1406 BC.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from The Moody Bible Commentary by Michael Rydelnik, Michael Vanlanigham. Copyright © 2014 The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Excerpted by permission of Moody Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword,
Contributors,
Acknowledgments,
List of Abbreviations,
Introduction,
The Old Testament,
Genesis,
Exodus,
Leviticus,
Numbers,
Deuteronomy,
Joshua,
Judges,
Ruth,
1 Samuel,
2 Samuel,
1 Kings,
2 Kings,
1 Chronicles,
2 Chronicles,
Ezra,
Nehemiah,
Esther,
Job,
Psalms,
Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes,
Song of Solomon,
Isaiah,
Jeremiah,
Lamentations,
Ezekiel,
Daniel,
Hosea,
Joel,
Amos,
Obadiah,
Jonah,
Micah,
Nahum,
Habakkuk,
Zephaniah,
Haggai,
Zechariah,
Malachi,
The New Testament,
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke,
John,
Acts,
Romans,
1 Corinthians,
2 Corinthians,
Galatians,
Ephesians,
Philippians,
Colossians,
1 Thessalonians,
2 Thessalonians,
1 Timothy,
2 Timothy,
Titus,
Philemon,
Hebrews,
James,
1 Peter,
2 Peter,
1 John,
2 John,
3 John,
Jude,
Revelation,
Scripture Index,
Subject Index,

Editorial Reviews

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 stars

The 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 Galley

Rating: 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 stars

Reviewed by Melissa Hinnen, Net Galley 

From the Publisher