ESV Expository Commentary: Matthew–Luke

 

My first impression of the ESV Expository Commentary: Matthew–Luke, which Crossway kindly sent me to review, is undeniable heft! With 1156 pages and a three-inch depth from hardcover front to back, the very weight of this volume illustrates its own aim toward comprehensiveness.

 

Using the highly acclaimed ESV translation (English Standard Version) as the basis of this massive work, the scholarly team referred to biblical texts in the original languages and also to noncanonical sources such as the books often referred to as the Apocrypha as well as writing from the early church. In addition to thoroughness and accuracy, the contributors wanted the commentary to be “globally aware – aimed as much as possible at a global audience, in line with Crossway’s mission to provide the Bible and theologically responsible resources to as many people around the world as possible.”

 

Beginning, of course, with the Gospel of Matthew, the Introduction of twenty pages adds another six to provide an outline with these headings:

 

I. The Origin, Birth, and Identity of Jesus (1:1-2:23)

II. The Preparation and Early Ministry in Galilee (3:1-4:25)

III. The First Discourse: Discipleship in Jesus’ Kingdom (5:1-7:29)

IV. The Kingdom’s Growth under Jesus’ Authority (8:1-11:1)

V. The Kingdom’s Growth in the Face of Resistance (11:2-13:58)

VI. Training the Disciples among Crowds and Leaders (14:1-20:34)

VII. Conflict and Teaching in Jerusalem (21:1-23:39)

VIII. The Fifth Discourse: Trouble, Perseverance, and the Eschaton (24:1-25:46)

IX. Death and Resurrection (26:1-28:20)

 

Once the actual text begins, each passage is followed by a Section Overview, Section Outline, Comment, and Response, the latter of which helps readers to consider and apply the biblical truths just discussed.

 

For example, after presenting the ESV translation of Matthew 5:1-16, the section overview tells us:

 

“The Beatitudes only faintly overlap the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 or other virtue lists such as Colossians 3:12-15 and 2 Peter 1:5-8. They also contrast with classic Greco-Roman virtues: courage, wisdom, temperance, justice. They are equally distant from the contemporary praise of authenticity, tolerance, determination, and honesty. Indeed, the Beatitudes seem to be traits no society admires.”

 

Besides this listing of God’s priorities, we’re reminded that “The Beatitudes are steeped in the OT.” With those biblical roots often found in Psalms, “The Beatitudes also align closely with Matthew’s portrait of Jesus.” I’ve omitted the many scriptural references below as the overview goes onto to say:

 

“Seven of the eight beatitudes cite traits that Matthew later ascribes to Jesus, typically using the same Greek terms. Jesus repeatedly says that a disciple should be like his master. So Jesus blesses those who mourn, and Jesus mourns over Israel. Jesus blessed the meek, and he is meek. Likewise, Jesus pursues righteousness and shows mercy. He also grants and exhorts purity, offers peace, and endures persecution. Thus Jesus blessed disciples whose character conforms to his. Matthew frequently explores the way Jesus fulfills, and the disciples participate in the Beatitudes.”

 

Following an Outline of this section, the Comment on Matthew 5:1-5 tells us:

 

“Contextually, vast crowds are following Jesus at this time, largely because of his miracles. But Jesus seeks disciples, not merely a crowd of followers. The moment has come to describe the nature of discipleship.

 

“The first three beatitudes describe awareness of need. When Jesus says, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom,’ he establishes a kingdom virtue that clashes with other notions of virtue. To be poor in spirit is to know one’s spiritual neediness and dependence on God.”

 

The Response following each section calls us to consider what we’ve read as we evaluate our own lives and pray for God’s help. In the Response to Matthew 5:1-16, for example, we read:

 

“It is impossible to expound Matthew 5 without beginning to call for a response, as recent paragraphs show. First, every beatitude prompts self-examination…. Do I mourn sin in society or have I become cynical…. Am I merciful? Do I pursue peace or seek unnecessary conflict? Every question invites us to go deeper.”

 

Moving on to Mark, the Introduction provides this purpose for the book:

 

“The ultimate intent of Mark’s Gospel is to present and legitimize Jesus’ universal call to discipleship as he inaugurates God’s eternal and universal rule and build his eternal temple made of ‘living stones.’”

 

The universal appeal of discipleship extended itself to children, too, as shown in Mark 9 and 10. In the Response to this passage:

 

“Jesus does not instruct his disciples to become childish. Instead he calls them to be childlike. In simple trust and humility before the God who atones. The power of humility resides in the fact that a humble person does not depend on his own limited strength. Rather, such a person entrusts himself to the powerful and deeply resourceful hand of God. Humility does not seek itself. Rather, it pursues God’s purposes in God’s way. In this way, a humble person may be very strong in character, since such a person trusts entirely in God’s power.”

 

Turning to the Gospel of Luke, we again find a lengthy Introduction, which, as do the others, includes:

 

Overview

Author

Date and Occasion

Genre and Literary Features

Theology of Luke

Relationship to the Rest of the Bible and to Christ

Preaching from Luke

Interpretive Challenges

 

To give you an idea of “Genre and Literary Features, this section on Luke “zeroes in on the birth of the Baptist and the experiences of his parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah. At the same time, in contrast with Matthew, Mary’s perspective on the birth of Jesus is featured, and thus we read about Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, the visit to Elizabeth, her song of praise, her pondering in her heart the things said and done in those days. Luke also relays the story of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, precipitated by the census commanded by Caesar Augustus. At the same time, only Luke tells us of the revelation of Jesus’ birth to shepherds and of their subsequent visit. Unique to Luke as well is the narrative of Jesus’ presentation in the temple and the words of Simeon and Anna on that occasion. Finally, only in the Lukan infancy narrative do we read the narrative of Jesus’ traveling with his parents to Jerusalem for Passover, where he stays behind for conversations with religious leaders in the temple.”

 

I’ve often wondered what became of those leaders and if they ever let themselves be led by Christ. But we can! With the Bible and Holy Spirit to guide us, this Expository Commentary from Crossway will help to open up The Way.

 

©2021, Mary Sayler, poet-writer, and lifelong lover of God’s Word

 

 

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The Koren Tanakh: The Torah, The Prophets, and The Writings

 

Last month we took a look at The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel: Samuel and before that Exodus, both published by Koren Publishers Jerusalem, who kindly sent me copies of those exquisitely produced, tabletop editions to review. This time, however, we have the entire first edition of The Koren Tanakh – a well-researched translation of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings.

 

Beginning back to front, the opening pages provide this clarifying statement:

 

“The Torah is eternal.

Humanity is ephemeral and dynamic.”

 

As God’s people on earth, our transient lives interact with God and one another while we await the Messiah. Meanwhile, we look to the Torah (first five books of the Hebrew Bible) to become better acquainted with our rich heritage and better understand God’s will for all peoples. But why do we need a new Hebrew-English translation?

 

The opening text explains:

 

“The Torah is the cornerstone of the world, of our People, and it forms the baseline of the Tanakh, the holy writings of God and His prophets. The changing nature of human society demands a fresh Tanakh translation which speaks to each and every one of us while remaining rooted in the eternal essence of the Torah. The Tanakh is a living script, the screenplay of the history of humanity from Creation to the present.”

 

God’s Word is living, and while spiritual truths do not change, our understanding does.

 

The contents and layout of this edition will help. For starters, we might begin by familiarizing ourselves with the timelines, charts, and maps placed in the front and back matter of the book to aid our study. Then, depending on the present time of year, we might proceed with the “Torah Readings For Special Days,” such as Numbers 28:1-15, p. 389 for Rosh Hodesh. Or the “Blessings Before and After Reading the Torah.”

 

As we continue into the actual scriptures, the index tabs on the outer edge of this thick volume enable us to flip from book to book or section to section. Unless, however, we can read Hebrew, we won’t necessarily know what we’ll find! Although my own language studies are sadly lacking, I suspect that rabbis, pastors, students, and biblical scholars will be delighted to see the contemporary English translation on the right side of each page aligned with the Hebrew text on the left.

 

With the name of each book presented in both the English and Hebrew version, we begin with “Bereshit/Genesis,” which translates the opening text of the Torah as:

 

“When God began creating heaven and earth, the earth was void and desolate, there was darkness on the face of the deep, and the spirit of God moved over the waters. God said, ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light. God saw the light: it was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness He called ‘night.’ There was evening, and there was morning – one day.”

 

Midway in the Nevi’im/ Prophets, we find Yeshaya/ Isaiah with these opening verses from Chapter 55:

 

“You who are thirsty, all, come to water; you who have no silver, come, take food and eat; come and take food without silver, wine and milk without cost, for why should you weigh out your silver for no bread, your labor bringing you no fullness? Listen – listen to Me: let goodness nourish you, and let your souls delight in plenty. Turn your ear to Me and come; listen, that your souls may live; let Me forge an everlasting covenant with you, like David’s faithful promises, for I make him a witness to the nations, a leader, a ruler of nations; for you shall call out, call, to a people you know not, and a people who know you not will come running out to you for the sake of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your glory.             Seek out the Lord while He is to be found; call to Him – now, when He is close.”

 

The more we read God’s Word, the more apt we are to feel that closeness. Regardless of our feelings, though, we know God is with us because the Bible consistently says so! Therefore, no matter the circumstances, we, as Psalm 100 exhorts us, can choose to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise… for the Lord is good; His loving-kindness is forever, His faithfulness for all generations.”

 

©2021, Mary Sayler, poet-writer, reviewer, and life-long student of God’s Word

 

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The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel: Samuel

 

This fresh English translation of Samuel has the beauty of a coffee table book with slick, thick quality paper and ample illustrations of historical and archaeological significance.

Published by Koren Publishers Jerusalem, who kindly sent me a copy to review, the book of Samuel in The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel is a new translation into English, accompanied by its original Jewish text. As part of a series with a consistent Orthodox worldview, the book’s photographs and illustrative artwork help us to visualize the times, place, and culture within which the book of Samuel occurred.

You’ll find more information on this unique series in the prior post on the book of Exodus. However, some things bear repeating. For example, the book opens in the opposite direction of most books produced in English. Also important to know, the “Introduction to the Series” defines the word “Tanakh” as “…an acronym composed of the Hebrew letters t n k h, referring to the fundamental collections of writing on which Judaism is based: Torah (the five books of Moses), Nevi’im (the Prophets), and Ketuvim (the Writings).”

Often called the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament by Christians and others, the Tanakh contains God-inspired texts written over many, many hundreds of years, yet it’s never antiquated! It continues to influence literature all over the world and provides a deeper understanding of the roots of Judaism and Christianity. Therefore, this book and, indeed, the whole series still under development, give us relevant biblical backgrounds and perspectives in informative sidebars, illustrations, and articles.

In this edition of Samuel, for example, an article on “Royal apologetics” introduces us to a “…genre consisting of texts that attempt to justify the rule of a sovereign in cases in which there is some question about the order of succession. The conceptual ideal of the ancient world – as it still is in most contemporary monarchies – was to have the oldest son of a king follow him on the throne. However, in many instances this general rule was breached, whether because of palace intrigue, usurpation, or infighting among the sons of one father or one or more of the mothers. The royal apology, usual written at the instigation of the ruler was meant to justify his irregular assumption of rule.” Such conditions occurred more than once in the book of Samuel.

Many of us know this one book as two volumes (First and Second Samuel), but the biblical stories and progression of the Hebrew people into the Jewish nation remain the same and continue to inform our understanding of the Bible.

Remember, for example, how young Samuel spent a night in the temple? “This narrative can be understood better within the context of the ancient Near East where, in a process called incubation, people who wanted to receive a divine message would spend a night in the temple area.”

Also in this edition, the pages “The Philistines” discuss origins of these “…neighbors and enemies of the Israelites and Judahites throughout most of the Iron Age – the era parallel to the period of the Judges and the First Temple (ca. 1200-586 BCE).”

And it’s no wonder they didn’t get along! As the text says: “The Philistines had a unique diet and culture of food preparation. For example, most Philistine sites indicate a preference for pig and dog meat….”

Also, “Current research suggests a more complex picture. Archaeological remains of the early Philistines indicate that their origins are diverse, from various areas in the Aegean, Cyprus, southern Anatolia, and even the Balkans.” Thus, “…migrants and local populations mixed, creating a hybrid material culture” with diverse gods and religious practices.

The many interesting articles throughout the book cover a variety of topics in these categories:

Archaeology
Near East
Language
Flora and Fauna
Egyptology
Mishkan – “Helps readers visualize what the Tabernacle might have looked like….”
Geography
Halakha – “Links modern Jewish law to the text that is the basis for contemporary Jewish ritual or practice. For example, II Samuel 22:51 appears in the Grace after Meals.”

A glossary defines other important words; an index helps locate specific pages on A-to-Z topics; and source credits are amply acknowledged. The page “Correspondence between Names” provides clarity too. For example, the Tanakh uses the name “Moshe,” conventionally translated as “Moses” and “Shlomo” instead of “Solomon.” The original spellings in the Hebrew language are also included.

There’s much more to see, say, and enjoy in this edition of Samuel, which I highly recommend for anyone who wants to know more about “The Making of the Monarchy” and the grounding of the Jewish nation.

 

© 2021, Reviewed by Mary Harwell Sayler, who welcomes review copies of new translations, revisions, and editions of the Bible.

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100 Best Bible Verses to Overcome Worry & Anxiety

 

Over two-dozen insightful people contributed to the new devotional book, 100 Best Bible Verses to Overcome Worry & Anxiety, which Bethany House kindly sent me to review.

 

With only a couple of pages per scriptural quotation, each exudes wisdom, comfort, and spiritual insight to calm fears and disperse worry. The carefully selected verses from both the Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament) and New Testament begin each page with this helpful format:

 

• Bible verse
• Context
• Meaning
• Application
• Additional Readings

 

For example, this familiar verse begins one of the devotionals:

 

“The Lord is my shepherd,
I lack nothing,” Psalm 23:1

 

The “Context” then reminds us that David wrote this psalm as a young shepherd before becoming King of Israel.

 

In the next section, “Meaning,” the last paragraph says:

 

“There is nothing you need that God hasn’t provided. The same shepherd who would put himself in harm’s way to protect you will also make sure you have exactly what you need to thrive.”

 

Then, “Application” helps us to understand how “…we also need to consider what this psalm says to those worried about everyday things…. You lack nothing! God will provide and protect. If he promises to be with us even in death – and showed it through the sacrifice of his own Son – he will also be with us in this life, leading you to the pastures and water you need to sustain and nourish you."

“Additional Reading” suggests John 10:11-18 and Luke 15:3-7.

 

Although God is with us always, we can expect hardships to arise. Nevertheless, James 1:2 tells us to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”  This sounds impossible at first – almost ridiculous! But the “Application” for this verse reminds us:

 

“Jesus never promised that we would live free from difficulty. Use your trials as opportunities to produce stronger, richer faith and character. Use your trials to draw closer than ever to your Savior. Share your experiences with someone walking through a similar situation to offer comfort or advice. Ask Jesus to help you view these hard times as periods of joy, and ask him to refine your faith in the process.”

 

For many years, Romans 8:28 has helped me regain perspective and redirect focus from myself or my concerns to God. Apparently this was true for the Apostle Paul too. After acknowledging our suffering, he writes these faith-building words:

 

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

 

This assurance lets us know that, no matter what, God will bring forth good! And so, even in the middle of the worse moments, we can choose to offer a sacrifice of praise. The “Application” for Romans 8:28 also encourages us to:

 

“Spend time today worshiping the Lord for all he has given you! Life is difficult, yes. But finding moments to celebrate his glory is endlessly important. When you’re feeling like everything is not okay, and you can’t see his good plan, a little bit of worship can quickly remind you of his presence and his goodness. So cry out, ‘Hallelujah” Sing your favorite worship song and give him praise today.”

Amen! 

 

©2021, Mary Sayler, poet-writer, reviewer, and author-compiler of Kneeling on the Promises of God

 

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Which translation of the Bible do you like best?

 

When a service person came to our house this week, he saw the books in my little office and asked, “Do you think you have enough Bibles?” Probably not! But that started us talking about which translations we prefer and why.

 

As you might have guessed by now, I love them all! (Well, almost! I had to decline a review copy of an edition that omitted “negative” parts!) Although I use only the most respected translations to prepare for my Bible study discussion group, I like to see for myself what synonyms various translators choose, especially in difficult to understand passages. Sometimes a paraphrased version can help to clarify as can texts from the Aramaic or other languages used in biblical times. And, of course, researching specific verses and topics on Bible Gateway helps to provide a clearer understanding of scriptures too.

 

Having grown up reading the King James Version every night – and often being perplexed by its beautifully poetic but archaic language, I’ve found that, the more I read contemporary versions, the more I return to the KJV and, hallelujah, “get it!”

 

Since my criteria are accuracy, readability, and, yes, poetic musicality, I regularly turn to KJV but also to the New Living Translation (NLT), Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), and Christian Standard Bible (CSB.) The New Revised Standard (NRSV) gets opened often too, and for accuracy, so does the New American Standard (NASB.)

 

The English Standard Version (ESV) is highly noted for accuracy, but its lack of musicality keeps it from being my favorite. The New International Version (NIV) is known for accessibility, but it, too, lacks the poetic quality that, as a poet myself, I prefer.

 

But what about you? Which translation of the Bible do you like best and why?

 

Your comments about your preference(s) are very, very welcomed in the Comments section below, but not put-downs about other people’s choices.

 

If you discover your favorite has not been reviewed on this blog, please let me know! You can find out by typing the name of the edition in the Search box in the upper right side of the page.

 

Regardless of your translation of choice, may the Lord bless your reading of God’s Word.

 

©2021, Mary Harwell Sayler, poet, author, and compiler of the Book of Bible Prayers and Kneeling on the Promises of God

 

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Amplified Holy Bible XL Edition

 

The Amplified Study Bible (large print) , which I reviewed a couple of years ago, sits on my desk for regular reference in preparing for a Bible talk or group discussion. But sometimes I just want a reader’s edition to read from my comfy chair.

The thing is, my eyes object to the smaller fonts in most of the reader-editions I’ve bought or been given over the years, so my quest of late has been to find my favorite translations using fonts between 11 and 14 points. That’s exactly what I found in the Amplified Holy Bible XL Edition, but more important, the AMP is one of my “go-to” Bibles for accuracy.

Another is the New American Standard Bible I mention because both NASB and AMP have been produced by the Lockman Foundation, whose website explains: “The Lockman Foundation is a nonprofit, nondenominational ministry dedicated to the translation, publication, and distribution of the New American Standard Bible (NASB), Amplified Bible (AMP), La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA), Nueva Biblia de las Américas (NBLA), and other biblical resources.”

The Foreword of the AMP XL says: “The Amplified Bible has been produced with the conviction that the words of Scripture as originally penned in the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek were inspired by God. Since they are the eternal Word of God, the Holy Scriptures speak with fresh power to each generation, to give wisdom that leads to salvation, that people may serve Christ to the glory of God.”

To clarify the goal of the Lockman Foundation even more, “The Fourfold Aim” in the front matter of the AMP XL states:

1. These publications shall be true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

2. They shall be grammatically correct.

3. They shall be understandable to the people.

4. They shall give the Lord Jesus Christ His proper place, the place which the Word gives Him; therefore, no translation work will ever be personalized.

Besides preferring the capitalization of pronouns referring to God, I appreciate the synonyms and definitions that amplify, without changing, the meaning of the text. This particular edition, however, appeals to me because of its 12.5 font, quality leathersoft binding, and unique size that’s almost 8” square and opens flat on my lap as I sit in my comfy chair and read, read, read.

©2021,Mary Harwell Sayler

 

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ESV Journaling Bible

 

Many of us who long to get closer to God are apt to jot down our thoughts, questions, prayers, poems, or insights as we read the Bible. Almost any wide-margin Bible gives us room to do that as our written words interact with the written Word of God.

 

If we want to read the Bible straight through, as we would any book or family saga, we might choose a conversational translation or a paraphrase, but for journaling, an excellent choice is a word-for-word translation as our words respond to what God has to say.

 

Consider, for example, a message from a friend. Would you prefer to receive word from the bearer of news or would you rather hear directly from your friends themselves before responding? The translators of the English Standard Version of the Bible (ESV) aimed in that direction.

 

In the Preface of the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, which Crossway kindly sent me to review, the “Translation Philosophy” states:

 

“The ESV is an ‘essentially literal’ translation that seeks as far as possible to reproduce the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. As such, its emphasis is on ‘word-for-word' correspondence, at the same time taking full account of differences in grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. Thus it seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and exact force of the original.”

 

When we hear directly from our friends, we can catch their voice inflections, listen to what they actually have to say, and respond appropriately.

 

Not only does the ESV Single Column Journaling Bible give you that opportunity, this edition comes in a variety of patterns. Inside those cloth-over-board covers, the cream-colored Smyth-sewn pages have lines awaiting a word from you.

 

©2021, Mary Harwell Sayler

 

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