Michael J. Wilkins

Brimming with 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.

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context. To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible. Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved. This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context.To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections:Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context.Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible.Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved.This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.Volumes and authors in The NIV Application Commentary, New Testament Set: Matthew - Revelation, 20-Volume Collection include:Matthew by Michael J. WilkinsMark by David E. GarlandLuke by Darrell L. BockJohn by Gary M. BurgeActs by Ajith FernandoRomans by Douglas J. Moo1 Corinthians by Craig L. Blomberg2 Corinthians by Scott J. HafemannGalatians by Scot McKnightEphesians by Klyne SnodgrassPhilippians by Frank ThielmanColossians, Philemon by David E. Garland1 and 2 Thessalonians by Michael W. Holmes1 and 2 Timothy, Titus by Walter L. LiefeldHebrews by George H. GuthrieJames by David P. Nystrom1 Peter by Scot McKnight2 Peter, Jude by Douglas J. MooLetters of John by Gary M. BurgeRevelation by Craig S. KeenerThis set features newly designed covers for the volumes, updated from their original editions.

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context.To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections:Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context.Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible.Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved.This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.Volumes and authors in The NIV Application Commentary, New Testament Set: Matthew - Revelation, 20-Volume Collection include:Matthew by Michael J. WilkinsMark by David E. GarlandLuke by Darrell L. BockJohn by Gary M. BurgeActs by Ajith FernandoRomans by Douglas J. Moo1 Corinthians by Craig L. Blomberg2 Corinthians by Scott J. HafemannGalatians by Scot McKnightEphesians by Klyne SnodgrassPhilippians by Frank ThielmanColossians, Philemon by David E. Garland1 and 2 Thessalonians by Michael W. Holmes1 and 2 Timothy, Titus by Walter L. LiefeldHebrews by George H. GuthrieJames by David P. Nystrom1 Peter by Scot McKnight2 Peter, Jude by Douglas J. MooLetters of John by Gary M. BurgeRevelation by Craig S. Keener

A Theology of Matthew's Gospel develops the perspective that Matthew wrote his Gospel to identify, defend, and proclaim Jesus Immanuel, "God with us," as the Davidic Messiah who fulfilled the OT expectations of humanity's redemption. Matthew's Gospel establishes Jesus's identity as the heir to the promises of Israel's throne through king David, and heir to the promises of blessing to all the nations through the patriarch Abraham (1:1). So, this first Gospel offers evangelistic hope in Jesus's message of the gospel to Jews, contending that they should turn to Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah (Matt 11:2-6). But, strikingly, Matthew's Gospel also offers evangelistic hope to Gentiles, emphasizing that salvation through Jesus Messiah is available to all the nations (28:19).The book emphasizes the three horizons that comprise Matthew's gospel: history, theology, and literature. The first horizon focuses on Jesus's historical ministry. Here Matthew provides for us a record of God's activities in history in the arrival of Jesus Messiah and the kingdom of heaven. The second horizon develops Matthew's theological perspective for his audience(s). Here we attempt to understand and isolate Matthew's unique theological perspective of God's activities in Jesus Messiah. This is a central focus, emphasizing Matthew's theological perspective of the Old Testament, Christology, the kingdom of heaven, discipleship, the Church/church, Israel (past, present, and future), the death and resurrection of Jesus, mission/commission, and eschatology/eternity. The third horizon emphasizes today's reader(s) engaging with Matthew's Gospel as literature. Here we attempt to capture the significance of the perspective of today's reader's understanding of Jesus Messiah's activities in history and Matthew's theological perspective for the contemporary church.In this book we view Matthew's perspective of God's activities in Jesus's unfolding earthly ministry. The alternating sections of narrative and discourse provide for his readers Jesus's example to follow and Jesus's words to obey. Therefore, Matthew's Gospel is at least in part a manual on discipleship to Jesus Messiah in the kingdom of heaven. In the six Narratives, Matthew reveals Jesus's true identity in his deeds, and introduces themes that will lead to instructions to Jesus's disciples in the Discourses. The six Narratives provide the example that Jesus's disciples are commanded to obey. In the five Discourses, Matthew records Jesus's instructions, commands, parables, directives and prophecies that will guide his followers in their discipleship to Jesus until the end of the age. Combined, the narratives of Jesus's life provide Jesus's example to follow, and the discourses give Jesus's instructions to obey, and are the basis of our ongoing transformation to become like Jesus.

Aprende la retadora pero importante tarea de transportar el mensaje antiguo de la Palabra de Dios a un contexto moderno y claro, utilizando Los Comentarios B blicos con aplicaci n NVI.Estos comentarios adem s de enfocarse en la aplicaci n de un pasaje, tambi n nos permite pensar en el proceso por el cual se desarrolla un texto en su sentido original hasta llegar a su significado contempor neo. Son verdaderos comentarios, no exposiciones populares. Siendo obras de referencia y no de literatura devocional.En cada comentario encontrar s: El significado del texto b blico en su contexto del primer siglo (Sentido Original)La conexi n entre el contexto original de la Biblia y su aplicaci n contempor neo (Construyendo Puentes)La aplicaci n de un mensaje b blico contempor neo con el mismo poder que fue escrito en el pasado.NVI Application Commentary: MatthewLearn the exciting but important task of translating the ancient message of God's Word into a clear modern context using the NIV Bible Commentaries with application.These commentaries not only focus on the application of a passage, but also allow us to think about the process by which a text develops from its original meaning to its contemporary sense. These are true commentaries, not popular expositions. Being works of reference and not devotional literature.In each commentary you will find: The meaning of the biblical text in its first century context (Original Meaning).The connection between the original context of the Bible and its contemporary application (Building Bridges).The application of a contemporary biblical message with the same power as it was written in the past.

""A Disciple...will be like his teacher."" (Luke 6:40) What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? The ultimate goal of discipleship is to be like the Teacher--to be like Jesus Himself. Every Christian wants to understand what that means. But even if we understand it, is it possible? Michael Wilkins asserts that it's not only possible, it's a life that all Christians are called to--not just a select few. So why do we so seldom experience it? As Wilkins points out, even the first followers of Jesus had a hard time grasping what it meant to be His disciples. Like them, our difficulty often lies in not clearly understanding who Jesus is, not recognizing the resources available to us as God's children, or not believing who we are to be as Christ's followers. But like the early disciples, our lives can radically change. If we want to follow Jesus, we can become like Him. ""Jesus takes us exactly as He finds us,"" writes Wilkins, ""and transforms us into His likeness."" So come, learn what it means to walk with Jesus and reflect His image to the real world.

There is an abundant need today for biblically grounded and practically applied theology. In this book, a New Testament scholar and a theologian team up to offer readers a robust introduction to biblical and theological studies. This readable guide outlines a distinctly evangelical approach to studying the Bible and theology, highlighting the proper methods for understanding and synthesizing the teachings of the Bible, leading to deeper knowledge of God, ourselves, and how we are to meaningfully apply his Word to our lives. Part of the Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition series.

La mayor a de los comentarios b blicos solo son un viaje de ida: nos llevan del siglo veintiuno al siglo primero. Pero nos dejan all , dando por sentado que de alg n modo sabremos regresar por nosotros mismos. Dicho de otro modo, se centran en el significado original del pasaje, sin embargo, no se adentran en su aplicaci n a la vida contempor nea. La informaci n que ofrecen es muy valiosa, pero resulta tan solo una ayuda a medias. Los Comentarios B blicos con Aplicaci n NVI nos ayudan con las dos partes de la tarea interpretativa, es decir, tambi n nos ayudan a aplicar un mensaje de otra poca a nuestro contexto actual. Esta serie no solo nos explica lo que signific para los lectores originales, sino que nos demuestra que tambi n hay un mensaje poderoso para la iglesia de hoy. Para lograrlo analiza cada pasaje en tres partes: 1. Sentido original. 2. Construyendo puentes entre los contextos del autor b blico y el nuestro. 3. Significado contempor neo

¿Quién fue Jesús ¿Qué hizo ¿Qué dijo La Historia ofrece respuestas a estas preguntas. Pero, ¿podemos confiar en esas respuestas tradicionales ¿Cuáles son los fundamentos del Cristianismo ¿Las audaces afirmaciones de la Iglesia ¿O el carácter y las acciones de una persona histórica 'El Seminario de Jesús', un grupo de eruditos de EE.UU. que rechaza al Jesús de la fe cristiana, ha investigado y dado respuesta a estas preguntas, y sus conclusiones han aparecido en publicaciones de gran difusión no sólo norteamericanas, sino también españolas --por ejemplo, en 'El País'. Básicamente, declaran que el Nuevo Testamento no es fiable y que Jesús no fue más que un ser humano normal. Jesus bajo sospecha es una defensa de la historicidad de Jesús, realizada por una serie de expertos evangélicos, para ofrecer una respuesta clara, directa y muy bien argumentada al 'Seminario de Jesús'.

In the aftermath of the waves of discipleship programs that have swept over the church in the last 30 years, clergy, and laypersons alike are more confused than ever about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. What should a disciple of Jesus look and act like today? What is the relationship between discipleship and salvation, between discipleship and sanctification, between discipleship and ministry? How were disciples of Jesus different from other disciples in the ancient world? How did the early church carry out Jesus' agenda in "making disciples of all the nations"? In Following the Master, Michael J. Wilkins addresses these and many other questions that perplex the church today- not by offering another discipleship program or manual but by presenting a comprehensive biblical theology of discipleship. Following the Master compares other forms of master-disciple relationships in existence in the ancient Judaism and Greco-Roman world, traces Jesus' steps as he called and developed disciples, and Mediterranean world as it followed Jesus' command to make disciples. Following the Master lays the groundwork necessary for developing biblical discipleship ministries in the church, on the mission field, and in parachurch ministries. It is essential reading for all pastors, students, and Christian workers.