A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition (18 vols.)

by Wilbur Glenn Williams; Stephen J. Lennox; Roger Hahn; David Smith

and

17 more

Publisher:

WPH

, 1996–2007

Overview

The 18-volume Wesleyan Bible Commentary Study Series promotes life change in believers by applying God’s authoritative truth in relevant, practical ways. This commentary will impact Bible students by providing fresh insight into God’s unchanging Word. Each biblical book is explained paragraph by paragraph, giving the reader both the big picture and sufficient detail to understand the meaning of significant words and phrases.

The Wesleyan Bible Study Commentary Series is an invaluable tool for preaching, lesson preparation, and personal or group Bible study. Contributors to this series have been selected based on their ability to soundly interpret God’s Word and apply its unchanging truth in fresh, practical ways. The results of scholarly research are presented in enough detail to clarify the meaning of important Greek and Hebrew words, but not in a way that leaves readers overwhelmed.

This series presents a Wesleyan-Arminian interpretation of Scripture in a clear and compelling fashion. Toward that end, this series has been developed with the cooperative effort of scholars, pastors, and church leaders in the tradition of John Wesley, Adam Clarke, and other renowned interpreters. Throughout the production of this series, authors and editors have approached each Bible passage with this question in mind: How will my life change when I fully understand and apply the Scriptures?

Key Features

• Complete outlines of the biblical book
• Select bibliography included in each volume
• Scripture references converted to hyperlinks to the Bibles in your library

Product Details

• Title: Wesleyan Bible Study Commentary Series
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Dates: 1996–2007
• Volumes: 18
• Pages: 5,168
• Resource ID: {34B57C87-C1F7-4868-B7DC-9A95AA6F1A6B}

Genesis

• Author: Wilbur Glenn Williams
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2000
• Pages: 324

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Genesis, of course is the first book of the Bible. It answers fundamental questions about human existence: How did the world begin? How did it come to be populated? Where did people come from? What is the purpose of creation?

Genesis describes how humanity got its beginning. But that’s not all. The book also describes how sin entered the world, the flood, and the lives of the patriarchs. More than story, however, this book contains overarching truths about how God reveals himself, and God’s purposes of salvation. No matter how far humans stray from God’s plan, God turns them back. From Adam and Eve at the beginning of Genesis to Joseph at its end, God emphasizes his covenant, and establishes binding relationship with the people whom he creates.

Wilbur Glenn Williams has been a professor of biblical literature and archaeology at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, for more than thirty years. Each year he leads group tours to the Bible lands and has visited Israel more than ninety times.

Psalms

• Author: Stephen J. Lennox
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1999
• Pages: 436

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Saint Athanasius, a church leader in the early 300s was “devoted to the Psalms,” which he believed provided a view of our souls. Whatever your particular situation, in Psalms you will find words to address your need.

The book of Psalms is the most familiar book in the Old Testament. Author Stephen Lennox shows us that the Psalms, though diverse, communicate one theme—God is King. God’s dominion encompasses the universe because he created and sustains it. This reign will never end because he is eternal and all-powerful.

Since the Bible is God’s revelation of himself, its primary benefit is to show us what God is like. The Psalms show us that God will bless those who make it their obsession to know and obey him, but those who disregard him will be punished. God knows the ways of the righteous and the wicked. He sees inside the heart.

Stephen J. Lennox is chairman of the Division of Religion and Philosophy at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. He has been an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church for sixteen years and pastored several Wesleyan churches in the United States.

Proverbs

• Author: Stephen J. Lennox
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 326

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The primary purpose for the book of Proverbs is to help people become wise through fearing the Lord. This fear is a reverence for God that determines how we live. And this reverence for God should occur because of our relationship with Him. The phrase, "the fear of the Lord," occurs more times in Proverbs than anywhere else in the Old Testament. Through its major parts, through its sections and subsections and through its various authors, Proverbs carries this common theme.

We can learn a great deal about human nature from Proverbs. But the observations we read are not intended to provide information alone. They are intended to produce a wise response. Much of Proverbs promises retribution; but the book also reminds us that things are not as simple as they appear, and that life is full of mysteries.

Out of his knowledge of Scriptures, author Stephen J. Lennox presents to us the helpful principles for living found in Proverbs. He shows us that God wants us to meet him in these pages. How can we learn about God? By understanding how he designed this world to operate—both in nature and human interaction—we learn something about the Designer. As we understand God, we find an unchanging moral compass to guide us.

Stephen J. Lennox is chairman of the Division of Religion and Philosophy at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. He has been an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church for sixteen years and pastored several Wesleyan churches in the United States.

Matthew

• Author: Roger Hahn
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2005
• Pages: 288

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The Gospel of Matthew has been read and loved by the church for almost two thousands years. In the early centuries of church history, it was the most quoted of all four Gospels. Its influence among New Testament scholarship has waned in the modern era, but it continues its profound influence on the life of the church. From Matthew’s Gospel come the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Great Commission. Thus the mission, worship, and the educational ministry of the church are all in profound debt to the first Gospel.

Roger L. Hahn is professor of New Testament and dean of the faculty at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. He is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, a pastor, a conference and camp speaker, and he teaches in a variety of contexts internationally.

Mark

• Author: David Smith
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2006
• Pages: 288

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The Gospel of Mark is “good news” housed in a story. Life in Christ as described in Mark is a process whereby one is asked to ponder seriously the words and the works of Jesus. The lessons are found in parables and miracles. But in the end, the story does not take place in mere human intellect or will. Instead, Mark’s story climaxes on the outskirts of Jerusalem, as countless onlookers mock the very words and work of Jesus. Humanity reviles what Jesus stands for. This commentary on Mark invites readers to enter into this story, to listen, to watch, and process the way God speaks words of life.

David Smith is associate professor of biblical studies and chair of the religion and philosophy division at Indiana Wesleyan University. He holds an M.A. in biblical studies and an M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Durham in England.

Luke

• Author: Ken Heer
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2006
• Pages: 336

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Luke’s Gospel, along with Matthew and Mark, presents a common story and relates substantially the same incidents of the life of Christ. Yet Luke is different, because it provides us with insights into the life and ministry of Jesus which complement and complete the picture given by the other writers. If Luke’s contribution were absent, the portrait would be incomplete. Without Luke, we would have no record of the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, the Rich Man and Lazarus, and the Unjust Judge. Only Luke gives us details about the birth of Jesus and John the Baptist. This commentary tells the story in the book of Luke and its unique window into Jesus’ ministry.

Kenneth Heer is the executive assistant to the Board of General Superintendents of the Wesleyan Church and Coordinator of the Leadership Development Journey. He has served twenty eight years in pastoral ministry and eighteen years in denominational leadership positions.

John

• Author: Joseph Dongell
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1997
• Pages: 260

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The purpose of the Gospel of John is “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Central to the Apostle John’s message is the idea of believing. Author Joe Dongell establishes that this believing does not call simply for optimism about life, nor a belief that God exists, but for faith and confidence in the truth that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.

His insights as a teacher and scholar of the Bible enable Dongell to expertly unfold the truths of Scripture and to draw readers into a more earnest study of the Word. He shows us that the relevance of Scripture is unsurpassed. It gives us more than help for daily living, more than “one source of truth among many.” It reveals that “believing” can lead to the redemption of souls and the transformation of lives. This foremost need of humankind is met by God’s grace through Christ—the Christ we see in the fourth Gospel as God in the flesh.

Dongell demonstrates that the Gospel of John is about a pilgrimage of growth for the weak in faith and a journey of discovery for the faithless, that they may know the Son of God.

Joseph R. Dongell is an associate professor of biblical studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He is an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church and teaches in a variety of church and parachurch settings.

Acts

• Author: Philip A. Bence
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 252

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

When we want to know about the life of Christ, we can look to four different inspired records: the Gospels. But Luke alone gives us the biblical history of the next thirty years: the book of Acts. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection offer the finished work of Christ. Yet, Jesus was just beginning his ministry of reaching the world. In Acts 1:8, Jesus told his followers, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Author Philip Bence brings his Bible teaching and missionary experience to bear as he unfolds the record of the early church’s missionary expansion. We see God’s progressive action, from the birth and establishment of the Christian church in Jerusalem, to the ongoing life of that church, its preparation for mission to “the ends of the earth,” and finally its movement out into the distant lands of the Roman Empire and specifically Rome, the Empire’s capital.

In the lives of people today, God continually wants to do that which is new. But he rarely works in individual lives or in great movements of people in a way that does not build on their previous history. The initial core of that history is explained clearly here in this volume on Acts. As these pages reveal God’s plan for the early church, let us listen for his plan for today and the future.

Philip A. Bence is the site director for McMaster Divinity College's Doctor of Ministry program based in Houghton, New York. He also serves as the pastor of two nearby churches. He is an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church and a former missionary teacher at Kingsley College in Melbourne, Australia.

Romans

• Author: Clarence L. Bence
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1995
• Pages: 248

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Every generation of believers must return to the letter of Romans and rediscover Paul’s great insight concerning God’s righteousness, which comes to sinful humans only by grace and through our faith. This commentary invites readers to step back through two thousand years of history to enter a world that politically, socially, and religiously is different from our own. Clarence L. Bence shows how Paul’s description of the human condition of sin and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ are as relevant now as they were in the days of the Roman Empire.

Clarence L. Bence is a professor of church history and theology at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. He is an ordained minister of The Wesleyan Church, a former pastor and administrator, and speaks extensively at camps, retreats and college campuses.

1 & 2 Corinthians

• Author: Kenneth Schenck
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2006
• Pages: 335

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Corinth was a big city with a long history by the time Paul arrived there in the first century. Disunity was the central problem, and the fundamental solution was love. Of all the books in the Bible, the letters to the church in Corinth read like a catalog of issues the church faces today. Human sexuality, divorce, tongues, disputable matters, church unity—these issues are as pressing today as they ever have been. The Corinthians also remind us of our own struggle to get along with each other in the church. This commentary introduces readers to the central problems in the church in Corinth, along with God’s revelation in the midst of turmoil—both then and now.

Kenneth Schenck is associate professor of biblical studies at Indiana Wesleyan University. He holds an M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary and an M.A. in classical languages and literature from the University of Kentucky. His doctoral work at the University of Durham in England focused on the letter to the Hebrews.

Galatians, Philippians, Colossians

• Authors: Earle Wilson, Alex Deasley, and Barry Callen
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2007
• Pages: 352

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Who were the opponents to the gospel in Galatia with whom Paul was so angry? What was their reaction to Paul’s word of rebuke and correction? What is the relationship between the Mosaic Law and the Gospel? What is the message for believers today who, like the Galatians, have been called to salvation in “this present age of wickedness”? In studying Galatians, you will find a sincere attempt to answer these and other questions that were critical to the people then, and to us today.

Philippians offers a fresh understanding of the social situation and consequent pressures in Philippi in Paul’s day. Paul holds up the humble submission of Christ as the pattern to be followed. The commentary thus seeks both to explain the meaning of the text and to show its application to the Church’s life today.

The New Testament’s message is “Jesus Is Lord!” Colossians focuses on the all-sufficient Christ. The Lord Jesus deserves the place, not a place in the lives of Christians. The Colossian Christians were being diverted by alluring alternatives. Paul resisted this, as we must today in the face of extreme fundamentalisms and secular mysticisms. We must know the non-negotiable essence of the Christian gospel.

Earle L. Wilson has served as a pastor, a professor, and a college president. Since 1984, he has been a General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church. He has earned B.S., Th.B., B.D., and Th.M. degrees and awarded a D.D.

Alex R.G. Deasley has received B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees. He spent several years in the pastoral ministry and educational work in Scotland, England, Canada, and the United States. He is now engaged in a worldwide ministry of preaching, teaching, and writings.

Barry L. Callen has served as a professor at Anderson University since 1966. He is editor of Anderson University Press and, since 1992, editor of the Wesleyan Theological Journal. He has earned B.A., M.Div., M.Th., D.Rel., and Ed.D. degrees.

Ephesians

• Author: Mark A. Holmes
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1997
• Pages: 206

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Everyone can be an heir to God's kingdom—Jew and Gentile alike—says Paul in his Ephesian letter. This is the mystery of the gospel, revealed by God to this Apostle to the Gentiles. But this is not a mystery to God. He has planned this salvation since Creation, for all humankind, through His Son, Christ Jesus.

Paul goes on to reveal several guidelines for living in a manner worthy of this salvation. Author Mark Holmes, a pastor and teacher of God's Word, aptly expounds Paul's teachings, showing that the subjects addressed within these guidelines are "a lifestyle and understanding of God. . . relationships with the world and society. . . goals, dreams, worship practices, and even the means by which one follows the will of God."

Holmes links Paul's words with a Trinitarian theme: God's initiation of the plan of salvation, Jesus' sacrifice in the working of the plan, and the Holy Spirit's power to sustain the holy life of those who choose this salvation. "If ever there were an owner's manual for the Christian, the Ephesian letter would be it."

Mark Holmes is an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church. He has pastored Wesleyan churches in western Pennsylvania and Wisconsin for fifteen years, including his current pastorate in Superior, Wisconsin.

1 & 2 Thessalonians

• Author: Warren Woolsey
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1997
• Pages: 173

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The Apostle Paul's letters to the Thessalonians have much to say about how to act as God's church. Paul tells us that the Thessalonians were a model church for their fellow Christians. Through the exploration of Paul's letter to the Thessalonians and an analysis of the Thessalonian church, Warren Woolsey gives us a clear picture of how the Thessalonians are an example for us today.

Woolsey takes us step-by-step through 1 and 2 Thessalonians, which are "crammed with reminders, instructions, warnings, and encouragement" for Paul's young church. Pained by having to be separated from them, Paul wrote these two letters to continue the ministry he had started among them. A model pastor, Paul had poured his life into the Thessalonian church. He had become like family to them, and he wished to keep on helping them along in their growth in the faith.

Through this commentary, Woolsey interprets Paul's letters and help readers apply Paul's words to their own lives. An experienced teacher and scholar of God's Word, Woolsey gives us an important volume for those who love the Bible and desire to obey its teaching.

Warren Woolsey is a professor emeritus of New Testament and missions at Houghton College in Houghton, NY, where he taught for twenty-seven years. He has been an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church for forty-six years and has also served as a Wesleyan missionary to Sierra Leone.

1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon

• Authors: Robert Black and Ronald McClung
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 288

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

A cult at work with the congregation. The role of women in the church. Money and materialism in Christian circles. Integrity in the ministry. It reads like a checklist of challenges facing today's church, but it's actually an index of the issues dealt with two thousand years ago in Paul's Pastoral Epistles. The overarching theme of these letters resonates with the church in our age too: the need for spiritual leadership.

Dr. Robert Black is a professor at Southern Wesleyan University. A third-generation minister and a former pastor, he frequently serves as a Bible teacher at church conferences and writes adult Bible study curricula.

Ronald McClung is a writer and ordained minister with more than thirty-three years of pastoral experience. He currently serves as a district superintendent in The Wesleyan Church.

Hebrews

• Author: Gareth Lee Cockerill
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1999
• Pages: 316

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

No other book of the New Testament draws so much of its imagery and textual basis from the Old Testament as does Hebrews. Learn who Melchizedek is and why Jesus is called our high priest, as Cockerill leads you into the mystery, symbolism, and practical application of Hebrews.

Gareth L. Cockerill is a professor of New Testament and biblical theology at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He is the New Testament editor of The Wesley Bible and writes Bible study material for adult Sunday school curriculum. He has written scholarly articles, is involved in several research and writing projects, and most summers serves as a camp meeting Bible teacher. He is also a former missionary with The Wesleyan Church in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

James

• Author: J. Michael Walters
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 1998
• Pages: 215

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

In a world where image is everything, the Epistle of James calls Christians to "get real!" Author J. Michael Walters echoes James's cry that "virtual spirituality" cannot sustain authentic faith. The call to "true religion," as Walters labels it, is a call to arms for every disciple of our day.

Walters reminds us that few aspects of the human experience are as prone to being phony as is religious faith. Christianity can become a matter of believing certain things without any real effect on the rest of life. There must be a recovery of authenticity in people's faith practices and a total commitment of their hearts to God. That is the intent of this epistle. James means to call his readers home.

As one schooled in the disciplines of pastoral ministry, Walters identifies in the epistle's writer a pastor's heart filled with conviction and compassion. James has gained a well-deserved reputation for presenting a no-nonsense approach to Christianity. He minces no words as he calls his readers back to the foundations of an authentic, biblical faith. Back to true religion, as opposed to the empty hype of pretend religion. Back to the practice of wholehearted spirituality that has characterized the authentic people of God from the beginning.

J. Michael Walters is a professor of Christian ministries, the director of ministerial education, and preacher-in-residence at Houghton College in Houghton, NY. He has been an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church for twenty years and most recently served as pastor of Houghton Wesleyan Church (1982-95).

1 & 2 Peter, 1–3 John, Jude

• Author: David Case and David W. Holdren
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2005
• Pages: 288

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

This commentary explores key issues that may explain why 2 Peter is one of the least read books of the Bible. The relationship between 2 Peter and Jude is given special attention, and five major objections to the Christian message, as presented by false teachers, are presented and Peter's rebuttal to each is noted. 1, 2 & 3 John and Jude are written with pastors and local church teachers in mind. Drawing on biblical scholarship, this commentary offers clear applications that impact the daily life of followers of Christ, providing insight on the nature of Christ, the dynamic power of love, and the essence of holy living.

David A. Case is the chair of the division of Bible and theology of Ohio Christian University, where he has served since 1970. Dr. Case is ordained in the Churches of Christ in Christian Union.

David W. Holdren is executive pastor at Cypress Wesleyan Church and Principal for Cypress Christian School. An ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church, Dr. Holdren served as a general superintendent from 2000–2005.

Revelation

• Author: Richard K. Eckley
• Publisher: Wesleyan Publishing House
• Publication Date: 2006
• Pages: 237

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The book of Revelation, like no other text, offers Christians a cosmic perspective on the implications of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its author offers readers a look into a new world where the enemies of Christ's followers are punished, and the people of God are given their rightful place in a world of blessedness and joy. This commentary will take your study of Revelation deeper than any other interpretation you've encountered.

Richard K. Eckley is professor of theology at Houghton College, and an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church. He holds a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology in New Testament Studies from Princeton Theology Seminary. His doctoral work at Duquesne University explored the intersection between the Wesleyan doctrine of the Holy Spirit and current ecumenical theology.