New Bible storybooks bring parables of Jesus and Christmas in July

Did you know the ever-popular Arch ® Books for children have been around since 1965? I didn’t! To celebrate their 50th anniversary, Concordia Publishing House released some of these favorite Bible storybooks as the Best-Loved Christmas Stories and the Best-Loved Parables of Jesus, both of which the publisher kindly sent me to review.

Each book contains six of the previously published Arch ® Books in a sturdy, lightly padded hardback cover with the original or revised text and accompanying artwork inside. Each book also offers the work of a variety of talented artists and writers, who present Bible stories from various perspectives.

In the Best-Loved Christmas Stories, for example, “Mary’s Christmas Story” gives her view of that first Christmas while “Joseph’s Christmas Story” gives his. Other stories follow the star, shepherds, and wise men until the last story ends with the special joy and celebration found in the homes of young readers on Christmas morning.

You needn’t wait until Christmas, however, to read this book with your kids or grandchildren! As young children often say, “Tell me about when I was born,” they can readily connect, year-round, with stories about Jesus’ birth too.

Children also relate to the parables of Jesus, which give them a good story to remember even if it takes time for the full meaning to unfold. Most likely, that’s what Jesus expected when He first told the stories to grown-ups, who just didn’t get what He was saying! Maybe the meaning would “suddenly” come to them that night or the next morning or weeks later as they turned the stories over and over in their minds.

With the Best-Loved Parables of Jesus, children can do this too. The colorful artwork and poetic texts will help them to envision and recall “The Wise and Foolish Builders” as well as the Good Samaritan, lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son (aka Prodigal.)

The remaining story of “The Parable of the Talents” illustrates the talent from the Master as gold coins put to good use, but….

But Servant Three made a foolish choice:
He went home and dug a hole!
“I’ll put this deep into the ground
And keep his talent whole.”

After the parable has ended, the story goes on to ask young readers about the special gifts and abilities they have been given before closing with this good word:

Whatever our gifts that Jesus has given
Here’s what He has in store:
When we use our talents to honor Him,
He will bless them and give us more.


© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a traditionally published author of many books in all genres, including poetry and books or prayer.


Best-Loved Christmas Stories, hardback



Best-Loved Parables of Jesus, hardback



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Today’s Light Devotional Bible

As a lifelong lover of the Bible, I’ve read many reader’s editions and many, many study Bibles that helped me to learn a lot about God and God’s Family. Thankfully, that family includes me – and you. However, on the “Welcome” page of Today’s Light Devotional Bible, Jane Fryar reminds us that God is “not so much interested in your learning facts about Him, though that’s certainly part of the process. The holy, all-powerful, infinitely gracious God of the universe wants to reveal Himself to you. To you!”

Isn’t that awesome! Okay, so we live in an era where people call almost everything “awesome,” but God’s Word of love to us truly is!

As I read the review copy of this edition of the English Standard Version (ESV) that Concordia published and kindly sent to me, I wished I'd had it when I first began reading and studying the Bible as a preteen with little clue about what I was reading! Insightful comments by Jane Fryar remedy that situation by providing brief commentaries to help us “Get the Big Picture” then “Sharpen the Focus” for each book and most of the chapters in the Bible.

Those ongoing insights make this edition especially recommended for teens, young adults, and newcomers to the Bible. And, all of us will find a helpful layout throughout the text that correlates with the three checklists at the back of the book meant to guide our choices of a one-year reading plan, a two-year plan, or (what I'd like to try next) a plan to read the Bible chronologically.

But, what about the welcoming word that says the “God of the universe wants to reveal Himself to you”? How does Jane Fryar go about getting this across?

The examples extend beyond the space I have here, but to start at the beginning, “Get the Big Picture” says: “Genesis records many firsts – the first people, the first family, the first sin, the first city, the first musician, and more first besides. Today’s reading [One Year (Week 1, Monday) Genesis 1:1-3:24; Two Year (Week 1, Monday) Genesis 1:1-2:25] zeroes in on the first week of our world’s existence and on the first home God gave His human creatures. As you read, note the care God took as He made this home for us – the first paradise.”

Think about it! God gave everything we needed to live in paradise from the beginning of time, rather than the end. Knowing this about God is good to know, of course, but more importantly, good to ponder and sink into our spirits. Then, as this edition encourages us to do, we, too, can "...see God’s power, creativity, wisdom, and tender concern for His human creatures – His children.” Yes, that’s you; yes, me.


© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a traditionally published author of many books in all genres, including poetry and books of prayer.


Today’s Light Devotional Bible, hardcover



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NIV Life Journey Bible

If you’ve ever read the bestselling book Boundaries, you’ll know why I was glad to get a review copy of the NIV Life Journey Bible from Zondervan. In addition to providing the revised text of the super-bestselling NIV (New International Version) Bible, this edition includes 20 essays and 300 “Insights” by Boundaries authors, Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. What a combination!

According to our Jewish ancestry, which came to all Christians through Christ, a person’s faith in God involves the body, mind, and spirit. In Luke 10:26-28 and Matthew 22:37, for example, Jesus tells us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength and all your mind.”

Most of us “get” the spiritual side of believing, the physical side of putting those beliefs into practice, and the mental side of opening our minds to the mind of Christ through prayerful Bible reading. In worship services, we also hear sermons or homilies on spiritual growth and the various ministries requiring our physical presence and, perhaps, a little grease from our elbows.

Many Bible resources have been developed to help us draw closer to God spiritually and materially or tangibly, but articles and notes in this edition help us to draw closer to God mentally too. As explained in the front matter, “The Insights feature will give you an inside track on tips for emotional and relationship health, including where signs of emotional health and maturity, or their absence, occur in various stories, teachings and events found in Scripture.”

When it comes to dealing with problems, the Book of Job has much to say! For example, “God’s Right: Saying No” gives us this “Insight” on Job 2:9-10, where “Job did not ‘make God bad’ in his own mind. In all of his complaining, he did not end his relationship with God. Job didn’t understand God, but he allowed God to be himself. Job never withdrew his love from God, even when he was angry with him. This is a real relationship, and he was rewarded for his faithfulness, honesty and devotion to God, even when God did not do what he (Job) wanted.”

Another “Insight” pertains to “Sharing All Our Feelings With God,” where “Job wanted to fully express his protest to God (see Job 13:3).” However, Christians “often fear being honest with God because it has not been safe to express honesty in our earthly relationships. Like Job we fear both abandonment and retaliation. ...Rest assured, however, that God desires truth….(and) seeks people who will have a real relationship with him.”

Nevertheless, suffering can be expected, and so the “Insight” on Job 42:1-17 addresses “Suffering of Different Kinds,” where, “One is suffering as a result of working on our character, and the other is suffering that happens as a result of being in a fallen world. The key is to be able to tell the difference between the two and apply the right kind of experience to each. Too often in the church those who have been victims of destructive events are told that God is trying to teach them a lesson or that what they are going through is a result of their own sin or a part of the growth process.” But as happened with Job, “In reality, they are innocently suffering.”

Either way, disappointment will most likely occur – in God, in ourselves, or in other people, and so, an essay in this well-done edition offers thoughtful responses to the important question: “How Should We Respond to Disappointment With God?”

We do, of course, have choices as the “Insight” for Revelation 3:20 reminds us saying: “God has no interest in violating our boundaries so that he can relate to us. He wants us to love him freely, not because he controls us into it…. Intimacy with God is based on freedom, as are all good choices.”

When we think of “trespassing” as over-stepping the boundaries, we can choose to trust God not to trespass against us! The more we recognize God as loving, trustworthy, and true, the more we want to remove the obstacles, misunderstandings, and other boundaries between us. This edition can help to show us how.

© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler is a lifelong student of the Bible, writer in all genres, and poet-author of many books and blogs.


NIV, Life Journey Bible, hardcover





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Psalms and The Wisdom of God

We’ve talked about the Psalms before in The One Year Book of Psalms, a daily devotional from Tyndale, highly recommended for individual use. Recently, Crossway sent me review copies of the Psalms: A 12-Week Study and also The Wisdom of God, a 10-week study which includes 5 weeks on the Psalms. Whether for personal use or group study, I highly recommend both books.

As previously mentioned, studying psalms and wisdom books of the Bible gives an excellent foundation for prayer, poetry, and biblical insights into the people of God, who have turned to these books over the centuries for guidance. More importantly, both books from Crossway show how Psalms provide insight into the mind of Christ as they repeatedly point to Him, prophetically and poetically.

From Crossway’s Knowing the Bible series, Psalms: A 12-Week Study coordinates somewhat with the ESV Study Bible, but any translation you or your Bible study group chooses will, of course, be fine as you proceed numerically through the Psalms.

Beginning with the “Week 1: Overview,” the text offers a helpful outline of the five “books” within the book of Psalms. For instance, Book 1 includes Psalm 1-41, many of which were written by King David where “Prayers issuing from a situation of distress dominate” and are “punctuated by statements of confidence in the God who alone can save.”

In Book 2, Psalms 42-72 present the Korah collection where “Once again, lament and distress dominate the content of these prayers, which now also include a communal voice.” In Book 3, the “tone darkens” as it brings “most of the psalms of Asaph (Psalms 73-83), as well as another set or Korah psalms (Psalm 84-85; 87-88).” However, Book 4 (Psalms 90-106) “may be seen as the first response to the problems raised by the third book.” Then Book 5 (Psalms 107-150) “declares that God does answer prayer (Psalm 107) and concludes with five Hallelujah psalms….”

In addition, a footnote in this Overview tells us “the basic type of psalms can be summarized as laments (presenting a trouble situation to the Lord), hymns of praise (calling believers to admire God’s attributes) and hymns of thanksgiving (thanking God for an answered prayer). There are also hymns celebrating God’s law…, wisdom psalms…, songs of confidence…, historical psalms…, and prophetic hymns (echoing themes found in the Prophets, especially calling God’s people to covenant faithfulness).”

Throughout the study guide, a consistent format considers the setting, glimpses of the Gospel, theological terms, and personal implications with ample room for writing responses in “Reflection and Discussion.” Besides the high quality of information provided, Bible students and discussion groups will appreciate the high quality of the paper, cover, and print in this well-done series.

In the Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament series, previously included in a review of Bible Study Resources, Nancy Guthrie gives us insight in studying The Wisdom of God: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms and Wisdom Books.

As a 10-week study that also includes the books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon, five of those weeks focus on the Psalms. Instead of a sequential study, however, the author groups the psalms, not by book, but by divisions of “Psalms: The Songs of Jesus,” “Blessing and Perishing in the Psalms,” “The Royal Psalms,” “Repentance in the Psalms,” and “The Suffering and Glory of Messiah in the Psalms.” The wise insights and personable writing style make you feel as though you’re having a deep conversation with Nancy about the scriptures, but this series works well in group study too.

If you’re as interested in the psalms and wisdom books of the Bible as I am, you might decide to do what I did: Soak up both of these excellent resources from Crossway.

© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a lifelong lover of the Bible, writer in all genres, and poet-author of many books.


Psalms: A 12-Week Study from the Knowing the Bible series, paperback



The Wisdom of God (A 10-week Bible Study): Seeing Jesus in the Psalms and Wisdom Book, paperback



Outside Eden,paperback


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NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers

Until Zondervan sent me a review copy of the NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, I hadn’t read the New International Readers Version of the Bible, which relies on the NIV but uses shorter words and sentences to encourage children to read the Bible themselves. Great idea! and well-done....

More than a Bible storybook that retells stories for children, the NIrV might be called an English translation for school kids. For example, Genesis 1 begins: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth didn’t have any shape. And it was empty.”

This child-friendly edition also includes inserts and sidebars to highlight or explain Bible principles. For example, “Words to Treasure” features key verses such as Genesis 1:1 to memorize and “Did You Know” to clarify words and concepts such as “1:1 The word create means to ‘make something new.’ Genesis tells us that God is the creator of all things.”

Also in the beginning, “Live It!” articles begin with such titles as “You’re Special” followed by an encouragement to “Read Genesis 1:26-27. God made us in his own image. We are God’s very special creation./ Look at pictures of your mom or dad when they were children. How were they like you? How were they different?... / God made you in his image too. You are special to God. He loves you. Write a message to God to thank him for loving you.”

Other child-friendly features include full page inserts such as the “Ten Commandments for Kids” and small sidebars such as “Life in Bible Times” and “People in Bible Times.”

In Acts, for instance, we read about “Purple Cloth,” which explains that “Purple dye came from crushing the shells of tiny purple sea creatures. Hundreds of these shellfish were needed to make enough purple to dye one robe. So purple cloth was very expensive….” Then, on the adjacent page, “People in Bible Times” talks about Lydia, who “sold beautiful purple cloth. One day she heard Paul talk about the gospel. Lydia believed what Paul said….”

Believing comes from hearing and receiving the Word of God. With this Bible to accompany children throughout childhood, they can hear on their language level then read and re-read God’s word as though the Bible were written especially for them.


© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a lifelong lover of the Bible and traditionally published author of many books in all genres.


NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, paperback



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NIV Teen Study Bible

Lauded as the “Bestselling Bible for Teens,” the NIV Teen Study Bible published by Zondervan comes in a variety of cover choices, ranging from my paperback review copy to the attractive leather-like cover in the compact edition shown below. Regardless of the appearance outside, the inside includes helpful sidebars and interesting inserts by Larry and Sue Richards, who obviously had teens in mind in this updated version of the reader-friendly New International Version (NIV)of the Bible.

For example, the front matter provides The Apostles Creed, used by many denominations as a clear statement of faith. Then, a “We Believe” page lists, verse-by-verse, relevant biblical references throughout the text, so young people can see how the creed came about and what each phrase means.

In Genesis, for instance, a “We Believe” page addresses the belief that “God is ‘the Maker of Heaven and Earth’,” then goes on to explain how “Genesis 1 teaches that God created the universe. Life didn’t ‘just happen’ as molecules bumped into each other. How do you know? Psalm 19:1 and Romans 1:18-20 suggest that you look around. If you saw a shiny new Mustang in a junkyard, would you think it ‘evolved’ from the junkyard parts?” With the universe far “more complex than a Mustang,” we can be sure of God’s good work and, more importantly, know “that the heavenly Father who loves you is the all-powerful creator of the universe.”

Scattered throughout this highly recommended edition, you’ll also find Introductions to each book of the Bible, Q&As of Bible trivia, teen-friendly side bars, and article inserts such as “Dear Jordan.” For instance, a “Dear Jordan” question in Genesis asks why it’s so hard to resist temptation, while a question in Job wants to know why God didn’t heal a friend who died. In Romans, another teen asks about her relationship with her parents, and in each case, “Jordan” provides a biblically sound response.

Christian teens will also appreciate the additional helps in the back matter such as the “Bible Truth Index” and “Teen Life Index,” each of which addresses subjects young people wonder about -- alcohol, anger, dating, swearing, and even zits! Odd, perhaps, but God cares about every aspect of us and our lives as this teen-loving edition clearly shows.

© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a lifelong lover of the Bible and traditionally published author of many books in all genres.


NIV Teen Study Bible, paperback




NIV Teen Study Bible, compact edition, leather-look cover




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The Lutheran Study Bible

When Concordia sent a copy of The Lutheran Study Bible in the English Standard Version (ESV) for me to review, I noticed the heft, of course, but, more importantly, the sturdiness and quality of this hardback edition, which I later discovered was printed, Smyth-sewn, and manufactured in the United States. Yea!

I greatly appreciated, too, how Concordia wasted no time or space getting to basic beliefs by printing “The Lord’s Prayer” on the inside hardcover followed by a “Brief Service of the Word” (order of worship) and prayers such as this “Prayer to See God’s Ways:”

“Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears. Please show me
now Your ways, that I may gain Christ and be found in
Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes
from the Law, but that which comes through faith
in Christ. Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light
to my path. Give me life, O Lord, according to Your
Word, and I will declare Your greatness. Amen.”

In the high quality opening pages, you’ll also find clearly labeled maps of the Holy Lands and a moving painting portraying Jesus, while the back matter include blank pages for writing notes. In between, the paper seems a bit thin, presumably to lessen the overall thickness and weight of the book, but, even with a little bleed-through, the text is easily readable.

As mentioned, the text chosen by Concordia is the ESV, known for accuracy and poetic grace when read aloud. With that translation literally in hand, hundreds of workers from Lutheran churches around the world were asked to read portions of the Bible and present questions, which a team of Bible scholars then addressed in the footnotes. Those questions numbered under 1,500 but resulted in over 26,500 study notes from a Lutheran perspective.

Other unique features to this impressive edition reportedly include “Insights from early church, medieval and Reformation era church fathers,” over 200 informative articles, and “over 2,000 application notes and prayers for every part of the Bible.”

Since I’ve been studying biblical wisdom, I turned to the Book of Job where I found interesting information on the “Legal Language in Job,” which helps to place that poetic debate into context. For ex., “In the ancient Near East, the elders of a community would typically hold court in a city gate (Jb 29:7). In the ancient city of Gezer, archaeologists have found stone benches in the gate chambers where the elders sat…. Parties in dispute would approach them at the gate, explain their case, and count on a wise ruling…. Job served as such an elder, and his friends likely did as well… The Book of Job never mentions that its setting is the city gate, but its dialogues are filled with the legal language of such proceedings (e.g., 10:2, 23:1-7; 29:7-17, 21-25; 31:11, 13, 21, 35-37).”

In Job’s case, however, his “friends” ruled against him. Although Job “was famous for defending the defenseless (29:15-17), he did not have the skill to argue his case before the ultimate judge: the Lord.” When he eventually realized he needed an arbitrator or mediator, he cried, ‘I know that my Redeemer lives’ (19:25).” As a note in chapter 28 attests, “People cannot find wisdom by their own reason or strength. God alone can give it through His declaration – His Word. St. Paul calls Christ Jesus ‘our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.’ (1 Co 1:30).”

To better grasp such terminology common to the Christian faith, a concordance in the back offers scriptural references while, in the front pages, “Luther’s Small Catechism” addresses issues of his day and ours.

For instance, in asking “What does this mean?” of sanctification, the catechism explains: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith./ In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith./ In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers./ On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ./ This is most certainly true.”

The many prayers, quotes from church fathers, and contemporary articles in this highly recommended edition consider the challenges we all have as Christians while letting us know that members of the clergy, laity, academia, and community of faith around the world join us in our struggles and our common faith.

© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is a lifelong lover of the Bible and traditionally published author of many books in all genres, including poetry.


The Lutheran Study Bible, hardcover



The Lutheran Study Bible, black bonded leather, thumb-indexed



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Little Rock Catholic Study Bible

While leading round table discussions in one of my favorite Bible study groups, I became familiar with the excellent study materials provided by the Little Rock Bible Study series, edited by Catherine Upchurch. So when I saw she also edited the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible, I immediately requested a review copy, which she graciously sent right away.

For some reason I thought Little Rock might produce all of the supplemental materials in this edition, so I was surprised to discover the extensive footnotes and introductions to each book were the same ones found in the Catholic study Bible from Oxford I reviewed a couple of years ago. However, the more I leafed through the pleasantly smooth, bright white pages of the Little Rock edition, the more I saw unique aspects that encourage Bible study and reading.

First of all, the quality paperback binding allows the book to lay flat, so you’re not constantly trying to keep pages from closing like an elevator door. This especially matters to me when I’m interacting with a Bible, jotting thoughts and notes in the margins, which the cross-referencing columns with lots of white space in this edition nicely allow me to do.

As the first four pages point out, other unique features include quick summaries of each book, author, content, and characters with definitions and descriptions interspersed for clarification and interest. For instance, you'll find helpful "Archaeological insights," "Social justice teachings," "Prayer starters," "Liturgical use of Scripture," "Cultural Connections," and "Photographs."

Interestingly, these features also provided a visually appealing layout. Opening the pages to Matthew 5, for example, lightly colored insets separate helpful mini-comments and definitions from the biblical text. As one note tells us, “The Beatitudes recorded in Matthew have an ageless quality that has fascinated every generation of Christians. The church has variously seen them as signs of the kingdom of God, ideals to be striven after, or unique virtues meant primarily for Jesus’ followers.” So, in #1716, “The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the Beatitudes ‘the heart of Jesus’ preaching’.”

Then, beneath a clear, concise definition of a beatitude, we see a sidebar on “Applying the Beatitudes” that says, “The U.S. bishops noted the importance of the Beatitudes in implementing economic justice for all people in their pastoral letter on the topic,” which the note goes on to quote:

“We write to share our teaching, to raise questions, to challenge one another to live our faith in the world. We write as heirs of the biblical prophets who summon us ‘to do the right and to love goodness and to walk humbly with your God’ (Micah 6:8). We write as followers of Jesus who told us in the Sermon on the Mount: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are the meek… Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness….’ These words challenge us not only as believers but also as consumers, citizens, workers, and owners.” Therefore, “The challenge for us is to discover in our own place and time what it means to be ‘poor in spirit’ and ‘the salt of the earth’ and what it means to serve ‘the least among us’ and to ‘hunger and thirst for righteousness’.”

If one were to prayerfully read every word, every sidebar, every note in this highly recommended edition, perhaps we could begin to meet that challenge, with God's help, individually and as the church Body of Christ alive in the world and empowered in Jesus’ Name.

© 2014, Mary Sayler, poet, writer, lifelong Bible lover, and reviewer


Little Rock Catholic Study Bible, paperback



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Bible study resources

When several job transfers necessitated a number of moves around the country, my family and I had the opportunity to become active members of many church denominations. In each, a sweet spirit, strong faith, and love for Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior quickly became apparent, and we also discovered excellent Bible study resources throughout the Body of Christ.

For instance, in a Southern Baptist Church, our pastor led a Bible study class with materials from the forerunner of the Explore the Bible Series now published by Lifeway Christian Resources.

In the Roman Catholic Church, we discovered the Little Rock Scripture Study series published in partnership with Liturgical Press that allowed round table discussions with video accompaniment.

When I began to lead Bible studies, I wanted to encourage lots of group discussion, so I found materials on all sorts of Bible topics in the LifeGuide ® Bible Studies produced by Intervarsity Press and various Bible Study Guides published by Abington.

I highly recommend all of those materials and now want to add to the list a new series of five books by Nancy Guthrie: Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament, published by Crossway.

Lord willing, this summer I’ll be studying in depth two of the topics I need to absorb slowly: the wisdom books of the Bible and the biblical books of prophecy. But, for now, I’ll give you an idea of the first three books in this series, which cover the Pentateuch aka first five books of the Torah.

Looking through each of the books in this series, Nancy Guthrie consistently uses an engaging style, fresh insight, and a flexible format that can be adapted to your specific needs. For instance, if you want to study the Bible in-depth by yourself, this series makes an excellent choice. Or, if you want to do a Bible lecture class with material provided for you, this works very well for that too, with or without supplemental DVDs you can purchase from the publisher or Amazon. If you want a family study at home or a Bible study discussion group, the series will also accommodate those needs.

As you’ve surely surmised from the title, the purpose of this study is to help you see Jesus in the Bible from Genesis through Revelation and beyond. For example, when you think of the story of Noah and the ark, you’ll begin to see the ark as foreshadowing the grace and refuge found in Jesus Christ. You’ll also see how the reference to Noah in Matthew 24:39 shows that the next coming of Christ won’t necessarily cause believers to suddenly disappear as often thought but that unbelievers may be swept away, as they were in the days of Noah. Also, in book one, The Promised One, you’ll hear how God promised Abraham a great nation and a great name, but “he was not told to do something to earn this. God’s promise of blessing was a sheer gift of grace.”

In book 2, The Lamb of God: Seeing Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy, the author’s relevant examples and personal style encourage study and clearly show what Jesus meant in John 5, when He said, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.” The Exodus from Egypt, the Passover, the sacrificial lamb, and even the Ten Commandments take on even more depth and meaning when seen in Christ.

For example, the commandment to have no graven images reflects new light when we see Jesus as the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15.) And, keeping the Sabbath holy “points us to Christ in whom we find ultimate and eternal rest.”

Similarly, book 3, The Son of David: Seeing Jesus in the Historical Books, shows that “The kingdom established in the Promised Land of Canaan has much to reveal to us in shadow form about the larger kingdom that God is bringing and the greater king who sits on its throne.” For example, “In Joshua, as we witness Moses’s successor lead the people of God into rest in the land that God gave to them, we’ll see how the greater Joshua, Jesus, leads his people into rest.”

How? “Jesus came telling us exactly how we should respond to his kingdom at hand.” And, as the historical books of the Bible remind us, “There is only one kingdom that proves true, one kingdom that will last forever, one kingdom with a King on the throne worthy of worship and able to reign over this world and to reign in our hearts in true righteousness.” That King, of course, is Jesus Christ to Whom the entire Bible points as this series beautifully shows.

© 2014, Mary Sayler, reviewer


The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis, paperback



The Lamb of God: Seeing Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy, paperback



The Son of David: Seeing Jesus in the Historical Books, paperback




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Creeds, Councils, and Confessions in Christ and the church

In Know the Creeds and Councils published by Zondervan, author Justin S. Holcomb, a professor of theology and Episcopal priest, gives a concise, well-balanced overview of church creeds and councils that arose for various reasons over many centuries.

As explained in the Introduction, the “English word ‘creed’ comes from the Latin word credo, which means ‘I believe’,” with creeds "developed by early Christians to defend against subtle pagan influences and to establish key beliefs.” For example, the opening lines of the Nicene Creed, established in 325 A.D., clearly state:

I believe in God,
The Father Almighty
Maker of Heaven and Earth
Of all that is seen and unseen….

In the early church, “creeds were meant to be used by groups – not just a summary of what everyone in the room agrees upon but a promise made and kept as a group. Creeds were initially used in baptism, during which the baptismal candidate recited a formula or responded to questions, thereby publicly confessing belief in Jesus Christ." Eventually, easy-to-learn creeds gave converts the basic elements of the Christian faith and "were also used in church liturgies ... uniting the congregation in common confession. Far from being a device of the ivory tower, creeds were the way that ordinary” people “could learn about and pledge their lives to the God of the Bible.”

Confessions, however, differ in that they “often define a particular group’s belief in secondary issues such as infant baptism, the end times, predestination, the Lord’s Supper, and the order of salvation.” So, while creeds aimed to preserve the Christian faith for all peoples, places, and times, “confessions tried to apply the faith to the here and now.” Since this often came about because of a theological debate, “the issues emphasized in any particular confession may say more about cross-denominational arguments than anything else….”

Interestingly though, a study of confessions, creeds, catechisms, and councils can draw us closer together in the church Body of Christ as we begin to see and respect differing points of view and various possibilities for interpretation. Such approaches have biblical precedence too. For instance Acts 15 tells us of the first recorded church council, which occurred in Jerusalem to address the issue of “how Jewish and Gentile Christians would relate to one another on a daily basis.”

Even in modern times, “Councils bring together Christians from all over the world – not just the best and brightest thinkers, the flashiest preachers, or the most fervent activists but a cross section of informed Christian leaders. Ideally, the diversity that a council brings – both in the origins of the attendees and in their viewpoints – ensures that all viewpoints are fairly represented. Having asked the Spirit to guide their decisions, these Christians then try to work out a solution to the questions at hand that is best in line with Scripture.”

Although that ideal does not always go as hoped, each chapter of this book takes us through problems and purposes the church has addressed, giving us an informed approach to issues that concern us today. Or, as Dr. Holcomb puts it: “Learning how Christians through history have wrestled with the tough questions of our faith gives us a valuable perspective that deepens our understanding of the Christian faith, increases our dependence on God’s revelation in Jesus Christ and Holy Scriptures, fuels our worship of God, increases our love for each other, and motivates mission to the world.”

For those who believe in ecumenism and the need for church unity – not to make us uniformly alike, but to unite us as One in the One Body of Christ at work in the world today, this book comes highly recommended.

© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer


Know the Creeds and Councils, paperback



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The One Year Book of Psalms

As a Christian poet, I’m naturally (and, most likely, supernaturally) drawn to the biblical Psalms. Over the years I’ve collected a number of books that approach these prayer-poems from various angles, ranging from poetic retellings to lengthy discussions about as dry as parchment left out in the sun. However, The One Year Book of Psalms brings another perspective by placing a lively New Living Translation of each Psalm on one page with a related word or reading on the page adjacent.

Published by Tyndale House, this highly recommended book gives us entry into “exquisite poetry, crisp theology, and stirring history,” but, as the Preface goes on to say, Psalms “are far more than all that. Most of all, they are intensely personal. The Psalms meet us where we are, and they take us to where we ought to be. You don’t have to dress up for the Psalms. Come as you are.”

We’re free to bring our real selves to these biblical writings mainly because the Psalmists did! Their honest responses to life and their vulnerability in laying themselves open before God (and us too) give credibility to their faith whether they're expressing their fears, worries, laments, thanksgivings, or praise. We, too, have been there, working through our doubts and bouncing along our up and down emotions, so I felt stunned when I heard someone admit, “I don’t like reading Psalms! I just don’t get them.”

Frankly, this could mean low esteem of God or high expectations for ourselves, straining to “be good,” in which cases, the Psalms might seem shocking. For most of us though, Psalms can become remote whenever the customs, situations, or surroundings seem too distant from our own experiences or background for us to connect well. But, that’s where the readings accompanying each Psalm in this book come to our rescue!

For example, Psalm 24 “may have been written in honor of the Ark coming at last to Mount Zion (I Chronicles 13:8), but that’s only part of the story…. As it approached the city, the gates were commanded to open. The Ark came in, and King David came in," then David’s call to “Open up, ancient gates” not only spoke to that present moment, but also prophetically to the coming of the King of Glory, Jesus Christ.

Many Psalms and, indeed, the whole Bible point to Jesus, so when we read Psalm 68 and see “The Psalmist’s View of the World” where “The kings of all the other nations are coming to pay tribute to the Lord in Jerusalem," we have hope for the future as peoples everywhere return to God.

Besides helping us to envision the situations, scenes, or prophetic possibilities in many Psalms, the adjacent readings in this book also give us a glimpse of some ways the Psalms have spoken to and through social reformers, historical and political leaders, hymn writers, and poets, each of whom brings new insights.

For example, Isaac “Watts had written his first hymn in his teenage years as a protest to his father, a minister. Watts had complained about singing from the old psalter that had been around for over a hundred years, and his father told him, ‘If you don’t like these hymns, write better ones.’ So he did.” Watts then “wrote metrical versions of all the Psalms” with his timeless rendering of Psalm 98 coming to us as “Joy to the World.” Later, George Frideric Handel, who was partially paralyzed and recovering from “bankruptcy after several musical failures,” produced the music for Watts’ poem in the gorgeous masterpiece known as Handel’s’ Messiah.

Lord willing, these blessed prayer-poems and the readings about them will continue to uplift, inspire, and empower us for the work we've been given to do in Jesus' Name.


© 2014, Mary Sayler, reviewer


The One Year Book of Psalms, paperback



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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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