In the midst of a cacophony of noise, finding true soul rest is nearly impossible. With so many responsibilities and distractions vying for our attention, too many of us have built unhealthy cycles of rest. As a result, we burn ourselves out, striving and straining against God’s intent for our lives. In Soul Rest, Curtis Zackery reveals how our misaligned view of rest has its roots in an identity that is out of rhythm with God. [Read more…]
Fighting Spiritual Fatigue with True Soul Rest
Speaking the Language of the Inquirer
Christian apologetics is often a difficult subject to tackle. Most books are directed toward Christians, helping them develop an apologetic method. But this approach ignores one of the most important aspects of apologetics: the audience. In his new book, Christianity Considered: A Guide for Skeptics and Seekers, John Frame directly addresses this shortcoming. As he puts it: “My goal is to speak the language of the inquirer, not that of theologians.” For the Christian reader, his work provides a deeper understanding of the intellectual milieu Christian apologetics faces in the modern era. In this excerpt, Frame introduces the structure for his inquiry into the Christian intellectual tradition: [Read more…]
The Fourth Gospel: A Dramatic Masterpiece
John is at once the most complex and the easiest to understand of all the Gospels. If we want a young seeker or new believer to read something that is both clear and filled with the gospel and good basic theology, we give them the Gospel of John. And if we want to study an incredibly deep theological masterpiece that stretches the brightest mind, we open the Gospel of John.
It is perhaps Grant Osborne’s favorite book of the Bible, and enthusiasm for it shines on every page of the newest volume in the Osborne New Testament Commentaries, John Verse by Verse. [Read more…]
JoAnna Hoyt on Writing an Evangelical Exegetical Commentary
Commentary writing is unlike any other type of writing. It’s a long and complex process that requires hundreds of hours of research before even a single word is put to the page. With multiple editorial and review passes that follow, the final product is a culmination of years of work and involves a whole team of people alongside the author.
This interview with JoAnna Hoyt, author of Amos, Jonah, & Micah: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary, will shed some light on this complicated writing process. [Read more…]
A Distinctive Commentary on the Gospels
Many familiar Gospel narratives are filled with geographic details that we gloss over because of our distance from the Holy Land. Yet climate, landscape, natural resources, and other features of geography leave a lasting mark on the societies and cultures that have developed within them. In a world of dirt roads and dry riverbeds, where shepherds watch their flocks in the hills and fishermen mend their nets by the sea, Jesus taught from hill and plain, using the surrounding landscape as the backdrop for his teaching. Jesus’ parables and illustrations are often brimming with geographic clues, but the significance of these distinctive details is often lost on us today.
The Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels puts readers in the sandals of the disciples as they travel throughout Israel with Jesus, explaining the significance of geography for mining the riches of the biblical text. With more than fifty Gospel stories expounded from this important geographical angle, you’re bound to take away something new from these well-worn stories.
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The Wisdom of Christ’s Atonement
Christians around the world will reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ this Easter weekend. In The Reconciling Wisdom of God, Adam Johnson explores the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection in light of God’s wisdom, rather than an act of justice. In this excerpt, Johnson reveals how this shift in perspective expands our understanding of Christ’s atonement.
The primary power and efficiency of Christ’s atonement do not lie in his death, for death is but an “uncouth hideous thing.” Rather, the power and efficiency of Christ’s atonement lie in his resurrection. On this side of the resurrection, death has a new countenance, a new hue. Color has been put in his face, and he has become a friend, full of favor and grace. [Read more…]
An Ancient Story with Astonishing Relevance
The traditional interpretation of the book of Ruth is a beautiful love story between the eponymous Moabite and Boaz, the wealthy Israelite landowner. But this book is not a Disney movie. In her new book, Carolyn Custis James reveals a bracing, more relevant interpretation of this Old Testament book. In this excerpt from Finding God in the Margins, we see how this ancient narrative speaks directly into many of the problems facing society today.
Where the book of Ruth lands in the Bible is significant. In the Jewish Bible, the book of Ruth is located after the book of Proverbs as a beautiful example of wisdom living, a.k.a. living in the fear of God. In the Christian Bible, Ruth follows the book of Judges and precedes 1 Samuel. Viewed at the macro level, this narrative forms a sturdy bridge between the “years when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1) and the monarchy of King David (4:18–22). At the micro level the story centers on urgent family issues and Ruth’s reinterpretation of three Mosaic laws: gleaning, levirate, and kinsman-redeemer. Ruth lives on the hungry side of the law, so her perspective differs dramatically from Boaz’s. His willingness to listen to her (which is one of the jaw-dropping aspects of this story) moves him from the letter to the spirit of the law. As a result, a hungry widow is fed, and a dying family is rescued.
Showcasing the Latest Releases from Lexham Press
The latest releases from Lexham Press cover a wide range of topics, but they’re all united by a common theme—helping you connect God’s Word to real life. Commentaries, bible studies, or theological works—these are powerful books that challenge you to think about what you truly believe. Whether it’s revealing the lies pastors are prone to believe or removing the filters we view Scripture through, reflecting on these hard truths help us reorient our lives towards Christ.
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False Friends and Dead Words
Earlier this week, Mark Ward examined some criticisms of the King James Version via the preface to the Revised Standard Version. He mentioned dead words and “false friends” as examples of how the English language has changed over 600 years. In this excerpt from his book, Authorized, Ward examines the case of a specific false friend: a word whose meaning has changed too subtly to notice.
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The Two Most Overlooked Pauline Epistles