In this lay-level commentary, we look at an overview of the book of Matthew, take a closer look at the Sermon on the Mount, parables about the kingdom of God, and several other notable parts of Matthew. Some chapters are by Tim Finlay and Jim Herst, Paul Kroll, and Joseph Tkach.

Almost 2,000 years ago, a Jewish carpenter began to preach. He was popular with some people, but he made others angry. Officials said he was a threat to national security, and they arranged for his death. His only weapon was his message. The crowds seemed to like it, but "good" people didn't. He said it was about love—so why did anyone hate it? What was the message that got Jesus killed? Do we need it now?

What is human life for? Just to live a few years and then go into nothingness? Or is it to live forever? Even if we could live forever, would we want to live the way we are now, or do we want a better life? The Bible says that we were made in the image of God, and that Jesus is the image of God, and we are being made like him. We can't do it, but God can do it in us.

How does the Bible describe the birth of Jesus, and what lessons can we learn from the way that our Savior was born?This is a collection of articles from Grace Communion International. Articles about the Incarnation are in a separate e-book.

A simple paraphrase of the Gospel of Matthew, at a grade 6 reading level. This is a paraphrase, designed for easy reading, not for serious study. Paraphrases are commentaries in disguise – people put their own ideas into the text. This is unavoidable – even a translation must make choices about the meaning of words – but I have tried to keep my own commentary to a minimum. I just want to say the same thing, in the way that I might explain it to one of my grandchildren. I explain theologica...

When Christians read the Old Testament, they are often puzzled. They find many laws that seem to be part of Christianity, and yet they also find many laws that no one obeys. Laws of sacrifice, rituals and civil laws are mixed together with laws that tell people how to get along with others.How can a Christian know which laws to keep? Does the Bible tell us? This series of Bible studies explores this topic in detail. You will need to look up each of the scriptures you find listed, be...

A systematic examination of each scripture about the Sabbath, with careful attention to what it says and what it does not say. Special attention is given to Genesis 1, the teachings of Jesus, and the practice of Paul. The book concludes with a summary chapter addressing the most common arguments. Conclusion: Christians are not required to observe the seventh-day Sabbath.

This is a paraphrase, designed for easy reading, not for serious study. Paraphrases are commentaries in disguise – people put their own ideas into the text. This is unavoidable – even a translation must make choices about the meaning of words. But in a paraphrase, we must often ask, What does this mean? We want to say the same thing, in the way that we might explain it to a child who lives in a city, not the agricultural world of first-century Judea. In this paraphrase, we explain theologi...

A brief introduction to major sections of the Bible, with a summary chapter explaining the larger story that ties it all together. Introductory chapters by the late John Halford; overview chapter by Michael D. Morrison, PhD, who also edited the book.

In this lay level commentary, Michael Morrison, instructor in New Testament at Grace Communion Seminary, examines the story-flow and each verse of Philippians. Paul encourages the believers in Philippi to imitate the self-sacrificing love of Jesus, and he points out several examples of people who have done so.

In the books of Moses, God told his people to keep several annual festivals: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. Are these festivals still required for Christians? We analyze the biblical evidence and conclude that no, we do not have to keep them. Then what were they for? We look at how these festivals had details that symbolized the work of Jesus Christ. Even so, not all details have symbolic meaning.

Christians sometimes wonder why the Old Testament and New Testament are different. Some theologians stress similarity, but others stress differences. In this book, we examine every biblical occurrence of the Hebrew and Greek words for covenant. We also look at related subjects: "the law of Moses," whether tithing is commanded for Christians, and the role of the Ten Commandments in Christian ethics