Recognized as a masterly commentary when it first appeared, Frederick Dale Bruner's study of Matthew is now available as a greatly revised and expanded two-volume work -- the result of seven years of careful refinement, enrichment, and updating. Through this commentary, crafted especially for teachers, pastors, and Bible students, Bruner aims "to help God's people love what Matthew's Gospel says." Bruner's work is at once broadly historical and deeply theological. It is historical in drawing extensively on great church teachers through the centuries and on the classical Christian creeds and confessions. It is theological in that it unpacks the doctrines in each passage, chapter, and section of the Gospel. Consciously attempting to bridge past and present, Bruner asks both what Matthew's Gospel said to its first hearers and what it says to readers today. As a result, his commentary is profoundly relevant to contemporary congregations and to those who guide them. Bruner's commentary is replete with lively, verse-by-verse discussion of Matthew's text. While each chapter expounds a specific topic or doctrine, the book's format consists of a vivid, original translation of the text followed by faithful exegesis and critical analysis, a survey of historical commentary on the text, and current applications of the text or theme under study. In this revision Bruner continues to draw on the best in modern scholarship -- including recent work by W. D. Davies and Dale C. Allison Jr., by Ulrich Luz, and by many others -- adding new voices to the reading of Matthew. At the same time he cites the classic commentaries of Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Bengel, and the rest, who, like Bruner himself, were not simply doctrinal teachers but also careful exegetes of Scripture. Such breadth and depth of learning assure that Bruner's Matthew will remain, as a reviewer for Interpretation wrote, "the most dog-eared commentary on the shelf." Volume 1 of Bruner's commentary is called The Christbook because the first twelve chapters of Matthew are focused on the nature and work of Christ. As Bruner proceeds through these chapters, he shows how Matthew presents, step by step, central themes of Christology: Jesus' coming (chapters 1 4), his teaching (5 7), his miracles (8 9), his sermon on mission (10), and his person (11 12). Throughout the book there are also thoughtful discussions of significant topics such as baptism, marriage, Jewish-Christian relations, and heaven and hell. Eminently readable, rich in biblical insight, and ecumenical in tone, Bruner's two-volume commentary on Matthew now stands among the best in the field.

A Christian ABC book with unique, visual, and enjoyable ways to learn the basics of Christianity. This book guides you from A to Z with special Biblical lessons of love for all ages. Each letter is educational and has spiritual significance. In these 26 letters, you will find close to 100 ancient and modern images used in the past 2000 years to express Christianity.

In The Christian Man, Patrick Morley--bestselling author of The Man in the Mirror--offers men practical ways to deal with life's problems and become the men of God they aspire to be. No man fails on purpose. Quite the opposite. When our feet hit the floor every morning, we're looking for a win. But these are turbulent times to be a man. In gathering material for this book, Morley interviewed many men. Their input was powerful. And transparent. They agreed that it's increasingly difficult to juggle all their responsibilities as men, husbands, fathers, friends, workers, churchmen, and citizens. No one understands what you're going through more than men's expert Patrick Morley, author of the landmark bestseller The Man in the Mirror, which has sold over 4 million copies. And now, Morley has put together a game plan so you can get that win you're looking for. The Christian Man is filled with powerful stories and refreshingly practical answers to questions like: How can I lead a more balanced life? How can I have a deeper walk with God? What makes a great husband? How can I become a dad who makes a difference? How should I think about my work? What's the right way to deal with lust? By the end of this must-read book, you will know how to intentionally release the power of God on the issues that matter most to you. You'll be able to walk with confidence in the one identity that matters most: The Christian Man.

A Lutheran minister concisely and straightforwardly answers more than five hundred questions relating to Christian belief and ritual. This is a must for pastors, students, teachers--anyone interested in understanding why Christians of all denominations live and worship as they do.

Exploring the mysteries of death and the afterlife, this religious guide seeks to answer some of life's most pressing and universal questions by drawing from truths central to the Christian tradition. Fascinating stories and philosophical reflections accompany prayers and descriptions of death rituals to help explain what the soul means in Catholicism and how to care for it in life and in death. A thoughtful investigation about how to approach death, this spiritual resource postulates that the way to secure the fate of the soul after death is to prepare for this eternity by making the right choices throughout life.

Drawing on great church teachers through the centuries and on the classical Christian creeds and confessions, this book asks both what Matthew's Gospel said to its first hearers and what it says to readers today. It shows how the focus of Matthew shifts, from Jesus teaching about who he is to teaching mainly about what his church is.

The author of a much-loved two volume Matthew commentary (1990) that he greatly revised and expanded fourteen years later, Frederick Dale Bruner now offers The Gospel of John: A Commentary -- more rich fruit of his lifetime of study and teaching. Rather than relying primarily on recent scholarship, Bruner honors and draws from the church's major John commentators throughout history, including Augustine, Chrysostom, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Bultmann, Barrett, and many more. Alongside this "historical interpretation" is Bruner's own contemporary interpretation, which incorporates a lucid translation of the text, references to recent scholarship, and his pastoral application of the Gospel to present-day experience. Like Bruner's other work, this commentary is rich in biblical insights, broadly historical, and deeply theological. Here is what Eugene Peterson said about Bruner's earlier work on Matthew: "This is the kind of commentary I most want -- a theological wrestling with Scripture. Frederick Dale Bruner grapples with the text not only as a technical exegete (although he does that very well) but as a church theologian, caring passionately about what these words tell us about God and ourselves. His Matthew commentary is in the grand traditions of Augustine, Calvin, and Luther -- expansive and leisurely, loving the text, the people in it, and the Christians who read it." The same could well be said about the present John commentary, which promises to be another invaluable resource for pastors, teachers, and laypeople alike.

I love to read. I hate to read. I don't have time to read. I only read Christian books. I'm not good at reading. There's too much to read. Chances are, you've thought or said one of these exact phrases before because reading is important and in many ways unavoidable. Learn how to better read, what to read, when to read, and why you should read with this helpful guide from accomplished reader Tony Reinke. Offered here is a theology for reading and practical suggestions for reading widely, reading well, and for making it all worthwhile.