John, Acts: Volume Two

Discover· How the springs at Hierapolis help us understand why Jesus described the church at Laodicea as “lukewarm”· The background and circumstances of certificates of divorce in Judaism· How Jewish dietary laws provided a powerful metaphor for God’s acceptance of the GentilesBrimming with lavish, full-color photos and graphics, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary walks you verse by verse through all the books of the New Testament. It’s like slipping on a set of glasses that lets you read the Bible through the eyes of a first-century reader! Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into gripping immediacy. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. You’ll deepen your understanding of the teachings of Jesus. You’ll discover the close, sometimes startling interplay between God’s kingdom and the practical affairs of the church. Best of all, you’ll gain a deepened awareness of the Bible’s relevance for your life.Written in a clear, engaging style, this beautiful set provides a new and accessible approach that more technical expository and exegetical commentaries don’t offer. It features:· Commentary based on relevant papyri, inscriptions, archaeological discoveries, and studies of Judaism, Roman culture, Hellenism, and other features of the world of the New Testament· Hundreds of full-color photographs, color illustrations, and line drawings· Copious maps, charts, and timelines· Sidebar articles and insights· “Reflections” on the Bible’s relevance for 21st-century livingWritten by leading evangelical contributors: Clinton E. Arnold (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen), General EditorS. M. Baugh (Ph.D., University of California, Irvine)Peter H. Davids (Ph.D., University of Manchester)David E. Garland (Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)David W. J. Gill (D.Phil., University of Oxford)George H. Guthrie (Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)Moyer V. Hubbard (D.Phil., University of Oxford)Andreas J. Köstenberger (Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School)Ralph P. Martin (Ph.D., University of London, King’s College)Douglas J. Moo (Ph.D., University of St. Andrews)Mark L. Strauss (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen)Frank Thielman (Ph.D., Duke University)Jeffrey A. D. Weima (Ph.D., University of Toronto)Michael J. Wilkins (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary)Mark W. Wilson (D.Litt. et Phil., University of South Africa)Julie L. Wu (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary)Robert W. Yarbrough (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen)Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary includesMatthew, Mark, Luke (Volume One)John, Acts (Volume Two)Romans to Philemon (Volume Three)Hebrews to Revelation (Volume Four)

Clinton E. Arnold (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is Dean and Professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology in LaMirada, California.

S. M. Baugh (PhD, University of California, Irvine) is professor of New Testament at Westminster Seminary in Escondido, California.

Peter H. Davids (PhD, University of Manchester) is visiting professor in Christianity at Houston Baptist University and visiting professor of Bible and applied theology Houston Graduate School of Theology. He is author of numerous books, including Reading Jude with New Eyes, The Epistle of James (NIGTC), The Epistle of 1 Peter (NICNT), James (NIBC), and A Biblical Theology of James, Peter, and Jude. He coedited with Ralph P. Martin The Dictionary of the Latter New Testament and Its Developments.

David E. Garland (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is William B. Hinson Professor of Christian Scriptures and dean for academic affairs at George W. Truett Seminary, Baylor University. He is the New Testament editor for the revised Expositor's Bible Commentary and the author of various books and commentaries, including Mark and Colossians/Philemon in the NIV Application Commentary, and the article on Mark in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary. He and his wife, Diana, reside in Waco, Texas.

David W. J. Gill (DPhil, University of Oxford) is sub-dean of the faculty of arts and social studies and senior lecturer in the department of classics and ancient history at University of Wales Swansea, United Kingdom.