Essential Guide to Biblical Life and Times

Over the years I’ve acquired a number of hefty books on Bible times, peoples, and places with lots of color photographs and all sorts of information to refer to as I study for my Bible discussion group or write about a Bible topic. When the slender review copy of the Essential Guide to Biblical Life and Times arrived from Saint Mary’s Press, however, I just started reading and enjoying it as I would almost any interesting book.

With short articles ranging from Afterlife, Agriculture, and Anointing to Torah, War, and Women, the author Martin C. Albl reminds us that the Bible not only came to us in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, but people “lived in societies and cultures…very different from our modern American experiences.”

In “Approaching the Biblical Societies and Cultures,” the author defines society as “social structures of institutions...established by a particular people,” whereas “Culture refers to the basic values, beliefs, and practices...shared by a special group.”

With the subjects of society and cultures clearly in focus, the book covers these major areas:

• social and political institutions, including study of the family or kinship system and political structures

• social customs, including dance, music, and hair and dress styles

• general cultural beliefs and values, including beliefs about human nature, sexuality, sickness and healing, and beliefs about the structure of the universe(cosmology)

• religious beliefs and institutions, including beliefs about purity, sacrifices, sin, and spiritual powers, as well as the synagogue and Temple systems in which these beliefs functioned

• economic structures, including professions in agriculture, fishing, and shepherding, as well as a consideration of the money, tax, and debt systems within the context of patron-client structures

Reading the book will give you a good idea of how the apostles went fishing or how the women did their hair and how everyone celebrated certain feast and festivals.

On a more spiritual level, I read with interest the “Afterlife” section, which depicts heaven from a particular perspective that may be unfamiliar to some of us now. For example, the article “Heaven” explained: “Whereas modern Christians tend to think of heaven as a spiritual reality only, the biblical writers did not distinguish clearly between the physical reality of the sky and a spiritual heaven.”

Later, a section on “Human Nature” shows the “New Testament View: Body, Soul, and Spirit,” saying, “We see the holistic nature of the New Testament view most clearly in Paul’s description of the resurrection body. It is not only a person’s spirit that is raised from the dead; the body will be raised as well...” so “a person’s body is renewed and perfected by being made alive through the spirit.”

Similarly, in the section on “Sickness and Health,” we read in “Healing and Salvation” that “Jesus’ healings in this world were a sign of the ultimate healing brought about by the Kingdom of God, inaugurated with the coming of Christ….”

Whether you’re just curious or ready to research a Bible-based saga, I highly recommend this book as a reader-friendly way to immerse yourself in the environment, envision Bible stories, and catch those little nuances that might be missed if we only “translate” what we read from our own lives and culture.


© 2014, Mary Sayler, reviewer

Essential Guide to Biblical Life and Times, paperback, Saint Mary’s Press



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Anselm Academic Study Bible

Before presenting the full text and footnotes to the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE), the Anselm Academic Study Bible provides a series of articles such as “The Formation of the Bible,” “Geography, Archaeology, and the Scriptures,” “Social Context of the Bible,” and “The Distinctiveness of Jesus,” where each article (and more!) contain highly interesting and helpful information.

For example, the article on geography lets us know the “territory controlled by the ancient Israelite kingdoms was relatively small – about the size of New Jersey.” And, in “Social Context,” we realize that “All of the cultures of the ancient Near East, along with Greek and Roman cultures, were honor cultures” where that status could “be earned or achieved,” which explains why King Saul, who had been victorious over thousands, became paranoid over David, who was honored for conquering “tens of thousands.”

In “The Formation of the Bible,” we discover that the Septuagint or Greek Bible was widely read during Jesus’ time and, therefore, provided over 90 percent of the Old Testament verses quoted in the New Testament. Although Catholic Bibles follow that translation, others do not, making the Apocrypha a source of confusion among various denominations. However, the article on “Deuterocanonical and Noncanonical Scriptures” not only explains this well but mentions various books written during Bible times that were not canonized but became a source of folktales and thought-provoking information not found in scripture.

Equally interesting, the article on “Jewish Biblical Interpretation” gives insight into common methods of study, biblical analysis, and interpretative thinking such as allegory, numeric value, and typology where something on earth represents a type of reality found in heaven. In addition, “Jewish and non-Jewish interpreters familiar with earlier Jewish commentary draw on rabbinic/ midrashic interpretation, with its attention to multiple meanings, plays on words, and intertextual conversations, to enhance literary-critical approaches.”

Understanding Jesus’ Jewish heritage helps us to recognize “The Many Faces of Jesus” as seen by early Christians and Gospel writers who “came to understand the person and mission of Jesus as the new Adam, the new Son of David, the new Passover, and the New Covenant that the Hebrew Scriptures foretold.” With this foundation, we’re better equipped to approach “A Brief History and Practice of Biblical Criticism” with its methods of studying the Bible through history, textual comparisons, translations, forms, sources, intent, and/or unifying themes.

As the article on “Contextual and Transformative Interpretation” explains, “different types of meaning within biblical texts” might focus on “The messianic meaning,” “The canonical meaning,” or “The communal meaning," but “One can read the Bible primarily for information, that is, to be intellectually enlightened, or for transformation, that is, to be personally changed.” Regarding the latter, “This integration of the meaning of the text and the world of the reader is the ultimate goal of interpretation.” With “meditative prayer or communal worship, the biblical texts become more personal and immediate,” for example, through Lectio Divina.

A subheading on “The Tradition of Lectio Divina” offers these bullet points for us to consider and live out:

• Lectio – Reading the Text with a Listening Ear.
• Meditatio – Reflecting on the Meaning and Message of the Text.
• Oratio – Praying in Response to Scripture.
• Contemplatio – Quietly Resting in God.
• Operatio – Faithful witness in Daily Life.


© 2014, Mary Sayler, reviewer


Anselm Academic Study Bible, paperback



Anselm Academic Study Bible, hardcover



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The Catholic Youth Bible

The Catholic Youth Bible from Saint Mary’s Press encourages young people to “Pray It,” “Study It,” and “Live It” as they read the Bible and apply scriptures to their lives. As the first page says, “This book can change your life.”

The “Welcome!” section explains “What Makes this Youth Bible CATHOLIC?” by saying, “For starters, its introductions and articles reflect Catholic interpretation of the Bible and make connections to Catholic beliefs and traditions. In addition, this Bible contains all seventy-three books and letters that form a complete Catholic Bible, seven more than most other Bibles…. Does this mean that other Christians cannot use The Catholic Youth Bible? Not at all. When it comes to the Scriptures, Christians from all cultures and denominations have more in common than they have differences.”

"Catholic" generally refers to the Roman Catholic Church, but the word also means "universal." To give you an idea of the type of insights you might expect, a “Catholic Social Teaching” sidebar on “The Cycle of Violence” explains, “Cain was a murderer. Some might say that he deserved the death penalty. But in Genesis 4:15, God marks Cain so that he is protected from being killed. God seeks to stop the cycle of violence."

As an example of a "Cultural Connection,” the sidebar for 1 Kings 5:10 tells readers, “The first Book of Kings says, ‘Solomon’s wisdom surpasses that of all the peoples of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.' ...Ancient southern Egypt included the country of modern Ethiopia. The people in these countries must have been well known for their wisdom in order for the biblical author to use them in a comparison with Solomon.”

Also regarding wisdom, an “Introduction to the Wisdom and Poetry Books” of the Bible says “In general, the wisdom writings have these characteristics,” which include “a search for harmony and the meaning of life” and “a fundamental belief that good and wise living is rewarded, whereas evil and foolish ways lead to ruin.”

Other features insert notes on “Praying with the Bible,” which help readers to “discover that God’s story is our story. God’s life is intimately connected with our lives.” Therefore, this section also provides “Tips for Praying with the Bible” and information about Lectio Divina, “a very ancient art for praying with the Bible… a prayer technique for reading the Bible slowly and contemplatively, allowing God’s word to shed insights on your life.”

Another series of page inserts concern “Living Biblical Principles” where readers are encouraged to:

• See God in Everything
• Trust in God Always
• Stand Up for the Poor and Vulnerable
• Be Courageous
• Serve Humbly
• Share the Faith

A section of photographs of biblical images will help young people to envision various items and places in the Holy Lands, but more importantly, lists of “The Names of God in the Old Testament” and the “Titles of Jesus of Nazareth” can help readers to deepen their faith and get to know the nature and character of our loving God.

© 2014, Mary Sayler, reviewer


The Catholic Youth Bible, paperback


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Break Through!

In this well-done edition, Saint Mary’s Press presents Break Through! The Bible for Young Catholics in the contemporary Good News Translation that appeals to readers of all ages.

The beginning pages include a “Salvation History Time Line” that shows the sequence in which the books of the Bible occurred as God breaks through to people, and people break through to God in the unique, ongoing relationship we, too, can be blessed to enjoy.

To encourage interaction with God’s Word, this edition includes sidebars throughout the text to show readers how to “Study It!” but also “Pray It!” and “Live It!” too. In the opening pages, for example, “Study It!” begins by explaining that “The main purpose of the Study It articles is to help you understand what the original author of the story was trying to get across.”

Then, “Pray It!” sidebars focus on “Talking with God,” wondering, for example, “Am I Like Cain?” before praying “Please help me to let go of the anger and jealousy that’s in my heart. Replace it with kindness, fairness, and the ability to see myself as you see me.”

Similarly, the sidebars for “Live It!” encourage young readers to keep on “Following God in Everyday Life,” wisely showing how to go about this. In Romans 12, for example, “Live It!” lets children know, “Sometimes certain messages in our world try to teach us things that are not what God wants for us. In chapter 12 Paul gives us a list of rules for living the life that God intended. Notice how different that list is from some of the things you see or hear every day.”

Other excellent features of this edition include “Break Through!” sections that present Bible stories as interesting conversations and interviews with Bible people. The back matter then has an index to those lively stories followed by an index of the articles for “Pray It! Study It! Live It! and Catholic Connections.”

A user-friendly glossary and a series of time-tested, traditional prayers have also been included in the back matter to aid spiritual growth. In addition, a set of clearly drawn maps will help children to picture Bible journeys but also see the geographical placement of “The Holy Lands in Modern Times.”

© 2014, Mary Sayler, reviewer


Break Through! The Bible for Young Catholics, paperback



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Bible stories for young readers

In the best-selling Arch Books series, Concordia Publishing House presents inexpensive but nicely done Bible stories for elementary school children, grandchildren, Sunday School classes, and religious study groups in parochial schools.

The colorful illustrations and child-appropriate language in rhythmically rhyming text make each of these little paperbacks a good gift for children 5 to 9 to read to themselves, but the word to "Dear Parents" at the end of each book in the series encourages parents and teachers to act and interact too.

For example, The Great Commission: “Jesus Said, Go and Tell!” shows that even a child can lead others to Christ. The especially well-written text and appealing artwork make this title highly recommended for use with children in any church denomination.

The Great Commission: “Jesus Said, Go and Tell!” paperback


With Easter coming, another highly recommended choice is Good Friday, which helps young children familiar with the term to understand why such a sad day could be good.

Good Friday, paperback


Another excellent choice to read with children just before Easter is John’s Easter Story as told by the apostle who stayed near the cross, witnessed the empty tomb, and took Jesus’ Mother Mary into his home.

John’s Easter Story, paperback



© 2014, Mary Sayler, reviewer
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