Discover · How the springs at Hierapolis help us understand why Jesus described the church at Laodicea as "lukewarm" · The background and circumstances of certificates of divorce in Judaism · How Jewish dietary laws provided a powerful metaphor for God's acceptance of the Gentiles Brimming with lavish, full-color photos and graphics, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary walks you verse by verse through all the books of the New Testament. It's like slipping on a set of glasses that lets you read the Bible through the eyes of a first-century reader! Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into gripping immediacy. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. You'll deepen your understanding of the teachings of Jesus. You'll discover the close, sometimes startling interplay between God's kingdom and the practical affairs of the church. Best of all, you'll gain a deepened awareness of the Bible's relevance for your life. Written in a clear, engaging style, this beautiful set provides a new and accessible approach that more technical expository and exegetical commentaries don't offer. It features: · Commentary based on relevant papyri, inscriptions, archaeological discoveries, and studies of Judaism, Roman culture, Hellenism, and other features of the world of the New Testament · Hundreds of full-color photographs, color illustrations, and line drawings · Copious maps, charts, and timelines · Sidebar articles and insights · "Reflections" on the Bible's relevance for 21st-century living Written by leading evangelical contributors: Clinton E. Arnold (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen), General Editor S. M. Baugh (Ph.D., University of California, Irvine) Peter H. Davids (Ph.D., University of Manchester) David E. Garland (Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) David W. J. Gill (D.Phil., University of Oxford) George H. Guthrie (Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) Moyer V. Hubbard (D.Phil., University of Oxford) Andreas J. K'stenberger (Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) Ralph P. Martin (Ph.D., University of London, King's College) Douglas J. Moo (Ph.D., University of St. Andrews) Mark L. Strauss (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) Frank Thielman (Ph.D., Duke University) Jeffrey A. D. Weima (Ph.D., University of Toronto) Michael J. Wilkins (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary) Mark W. Wilson (D.Litt. et Phil., University of South Africa) Julie L. Wu (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary) Robert W. Yarbrough (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary includes Matthew, Mark, Luke (Volume One) John, Acts (Volume Two) Romans to Philemon (Volume Three) Hebrews to Revelation (Volume Four)

From the Back Cover
Discover - How the springs at Hierapolis help us understand why Jesus described the church at Laodicea as 'lukewarm' - The background and circumstances of certificates of divorce in Judaism - How Jewish dietary laws provided a powerful metaphor for God's acceptance of the Gentiles Brimming with lavish, full-color photos and graphics, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary walks you verse by verse through all the books of the New Testament. It's like slipping on a set of glasses that lets you read the Bible through the eyes of a first-century reader! Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into gripping immediacy. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. You'll deepen your understanding of the teachings of Jesus. You'll discover the close, sometimes startling interplay between God's kingdom and the practical affairs of the church. Best of all, you'll gain a deepened awareness of the Bible's relevance for your life. Written in a clear, engaging style, this beautiful set provides a new and accessible approach that more technical expository and exegetical commentaries don't offer. It features: - Commentary based on relevant papyri, inscriptions, archaeological discoveries, and studies of Judaism, Roman culture, Hellenism, and other features of the world of the New Testament - Hundreds of full-color photographs, color illustrations, and line drawings - Copious maps, charts, and timelines - Sidebar articles and insights - 'Reflections' on the Bible's relevance for 21st-century living Written by leading evangelical contributors: Clinton E. Arnold (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen), General Editor S. M. Baugh (Ph.D., University of California, Irvine) Peter H. Davids (Ph.D., University of Manchester) David E. Garland (Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) David W. J. Gill (D.Phil., University of Oxford) George H. Guthrie (Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) Moyer V. Hubbard (D.Phil., University of Oxford) Andreas J. K stenberger (Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) Ralph P. Martin (Ph.D., University of London, King's College) Douglas J. Moo (Ph.D., University of St. Andrews) Mark L. Strauss (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) Frank Thielman (Ph.D., Duke University) Jeffrey A. D. Weima (Ph.D., University of Toronto) Michael J. Wilkins (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary) Mark W. Wilson (D.Litt. et Phil., University of South Africa) Julie L. Wu (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary) Robert W. Yarbrough (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary includes Matthew, Mark, Luke (Volume One) John, Acts (Volume Two) Romans to Philemon (Volume Three) Hebrews to Revelation (Volume Four)

About the Author

Clinton E. Arnold (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is Dean and Professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology in LaMirada, California.

S. M. Baugh (PhD, University of California, Irvine) is professor of New Testament at Westminster Seminary in Escondido, California.

Peter H. Davids (PhD, University of Manchester) is visiting professor in Christianity at Houston Baptist University and visiting professor of Bible and applied theology Houston Graduate School of Theology. He is author of numerous books, including Reading Jude with New Eyes, The Epistle of James (NIGTC), The Epistle of 1 Peter (NICNT), James (NIBC), and A Biblical Theology of James, Peter, and Jude. He coedited with Ralph P. Martin The Dictionary of the Latter New Testament and Its Developments.

David E. Garland (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is William B. Hinson Professor of Christian Scriptures and dean for academic affairs at George W. Truett Seminary, Baylor University. He is the New Testament editor for the revised Expositor's Bible Commentary and the author of various books and commentaries, including Mark and Colossians/Philemon in the NIV Application Commentary, and the article on Mark in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary. He and his wife, Diana, reside in Waco, Texas.

David W. J. Gill (DPhil, University of Oxford) is sub-dean of the faculty of arts and social studies and senior lecturer in the department of classics and ancient history at University of Wales Swansea, United Kingdom.

George H. Guthrie (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as the Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. As a specialist in New Testament and Greek, he is the author of numerous articles and four books including the volume Hebrews in the NIV Application Commentary series.

Moyer V. Hubbard (DPhil, University of Oxford) is an assistant professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, Los Angeles, California.

Andreas K'stenberger is Senior Research Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He is the author of numerous works on John, including his commentary in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series, "John" in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, and "John" in Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary.

Ralph P. Martin (1925-2013) was Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Fuller Theological Seminary and a New Testament Editor for the Word Biblical Commentary series. He earned the BA and MA from the University of Manchester, England, and the PhD from King's College, University of London. He was the author of numerous studies and commentaries on the New Testament, including Worship in the Early Church, the volume on Philippians in The Tyndale New Testament Commentary series. He also wrote 2 Corinthians and James in the WBC series.

Douglas J. Moo (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is the Kenneth T. Wessner Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. His work centers on understanding the text of the New Testament and its application today. He has written extensively in several commentary series, including the NIV Application Commentary, Pillar Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentary, and the New International Commentary on the New Testament.

Mark Strauss (PhD, Aberdeen) is professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary in San Diego. He has written The Davidic Messiah in Luke-Acts, Distorting Scripture?: The Challenge of Bible Translation and Gender Accuracy, Luke in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary series, and Mark in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament.

Frank Thielman (PhD, Duke University) is Presbyterian professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama. He is the author of Philippians in the NIV Application Commentary series.

Jeffrey A. D. Weima (PhD, University of Toronto) is a professor of New Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Michael J. Wilkins (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is dean of the faculty and professor of New Testament language and literature at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and the author of several books.

Mark W. Wilson (DLitt et Phil) is the director of the Asia Minor Research Center in Antalya, Turkey. He also serves as Visiting Professor of Early Christianity at Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA, as well as Associate Professor Extraordinary of New Testament at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and Research Fellow in the Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies at the University of South Africa. He wrote the commentary on Revelation in the Zondervan Bible Backgrounds Commentary series. His most recent book Biblical Turkey is a guide to the Jewish and Christian sites of Asia Minor.

Julie L. Wu (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President and Professor of New Testament, China Bible Seminary in Hong Kong, China.

Robert W. Yarbrough (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is chair and professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.