Ephesians: The Story of God Bible Commentary

Mark D. Roberts (PhD, Harvard University) is executive director of the Max De Pree Center for Leadership at Fuller Seminary. Previously, he was senior director of Laity Lodge and senior pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Southern California. He studied at Harvard University, where he received a PhD in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has written several books, including his most recent: Can We Trust the Gospels? (Crossway, 2007).

Scot McKnight is Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lisle, Illinois. He is the author of more than eighty books, including the award-winning The Jesus Creed as well as The King Jesus Gospel, A Fellowship of Differents, One.Life, The Blue Parakeet, and Kingdom Conspiracy. He maintains an active blog at www.christianitytoday.com/scot-mcknight. He and his wife, Kristen, live in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where they enjoy long walks, gardening, and cooking.

An extremely valuable and long overdue series that includes comment on the cultural context of the text, careful exegesis, and guidance on reading the whole Bible as a unity that testifies to Christ as our Savior and Lord. -- Graeme Goldsworthy, author of According to Plan

Getting a story is about more than merely enjoying it. It means hearing it, understanding it, and above all, being impacted by it. This commentary series hopes that its readers not only hear and understand the story, but are impacted by it to live in as Christian a way as possible. The editors and contributors set that table very well and open up the biblical story in ways that move us to act with sensitivity and understanding. That makes hearing the story as these authors tell it well worth the time. Well done. -- Darrell L. Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary

I love The Story of God Bible Commentary series. It makes the text sing, and helps us hear the story afresh. -- John Ortberg, Senior Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

I’m a storyteller. Through writing and speaking I talk and teach about understanding the Story of God throughout Scripture and about letting God reveal more of his story as I live it out. Thus I am thrilled to have a commentary series based on the Story of God---a commentary that helps me to Listen to the Story, that Explains the Story, and then encourages me to probe how to Live the Story. A perfect tool for helping every follower of Jesus to walk in the story that God is writing for them. -- Judy Douglass, Director of Womens Resources, Cru

In this promising new series of commentaries, believing biblical scholars bring not only their expertise but their own commitment to Jesus and insights into today’s culture to the Scriptures. The result is a commentary series that is anchored in the text but lives and breathes in the world of today’s church with its variegated pattern of socioeconomic, ethnic, and national diversity. Pastors, Bible study leaders, and Christians of all types who are looking for a substantive and practical guide through the Scriptures will find these volumes helpful. -- Frank Thielman, Beeson Divinity School

Pastors and lay people will welcome this new series, which seeks to make the message of the Scriptures clear and to guide readers in appropriating biblical texts for life today. -- Daniel I. Block, Wheaton College and Graduate School

The Bible is the story of God and his dealings with humanity from creation to new creation. The Bible is made up more of stories than of any other literary genre. Even the psalms, proverbs, prophecies, letters, and the Apocalypse make complete sense only when set in the context of the grand narrative of the entire Bible. This commentary series breaks new ground by taking all these observations seriously. It asks commentators to listen to the text, to explain the text, and to live the text. Some of the material in these sections overlaps with introduction, detailed textual analysis, and application, respectively, but only some. The most riveting and valuable part of the commentaries are the stories that can appear in any of these sections, from any part of the globe and any part of church history, illustrating the text in any of these areas. Ideal for preaching and teaching. -- Craig L. Blomberg, Denver Seminary

The Story of God Bible Commentary series invites readers to probe how the message of the text relates to our situations today. Engagingly readable, it not only explores the biblical text but offers a range of applications and interesting illustrations. -- Craig S. Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary

The Story of God Bible Commentary series is unique in its approach to exploring the Bible. Its easy-to- use format and practical guidance bring God’s grand story to modern-day life so anyone can understand how it applies today. -- Andy Stanley, North Point Ministries