The Moody Bible Commentary

DR. MICHAEL RYDELNIK is Vice President/Academic Dean and Professor of Jewish Studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute. He is also the host/Bible teacher on Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik, answering listener Bible questions on over 325 stations nationwide. The son of Holocaust survivors, Michael became a follower of Jesus the Messiah as a teenager. He is the author of several books as well as coeditor and contributor to The Moody Bible Commentary.

DR. MICHAEL VANLANINGHAM was Professor of Bible at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for more than twenty years. He is now the Director of Research at Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, IL. He received his M.Div. in Systematic Theology from Talbot Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in New Testament and Pauline Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has written a number of articles for The Master's Seminary Journal as well as other publications.

LOUIS A. BARBIERI, (B.A., Westmont College; Th.M., Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) is Chair of the Department of Theology at the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. He is the author of a number of books, including the Everyman’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Peter, The Moody Gospel Commentary: Mark, and The Life of Christ: Matthew. Dr. Barbieri and his wife of over forty years, Carol, reside in the Chicago area. They are the parents of three and grandparents of seven.

MICHAEL BOYLE is an interim pastor and previously served as a church planter, District Superintendent, and an Associate Professor of Pastoral Studies at Moody Bible Institute (2007-2018). He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (1980) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (2012). He and his wife Meloday have five adult married children and eight grandchildren. They make their home in Streamwood, IL.

JAMES COAKLEY has taught Bible at Moody Bible Institute for over twenty years in both the Seminary and Undergraduate school. He is married to Gayle and has two adult children and three grandchildren. He is a frequent tour leader to Bible lands and a frequent guest on several Moody Radio programs. He contributed to the Moody Bible Commentary and the Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy.

DR. CHARLIE DYER served for thirty-three years on the faculty and in the administration of three different institutions, including twenty years at Dallas Theological Seminary and ten years as Provost of the Moody Bible Institute. In 2010, Charlie became Professor-at-Large of Bible for Moody Bible Institute and host of The Land and the Book radio program, which is heard on more than 350 stations across the United States. For much of his time in ministry, Charlie has taken groups to Israel and the other lands of the Bible. In addition to his speaking, teaching, and guiding, Charlie has authored or coauthored numerous books, including The Rise of Babylon, What’s Next?, The Christian Traveler’s Guide to the Holy Land, 30 Days in the Land with Jesus, 30 Days in the Land of the Psalms, A Voice in the Wilderness, The ISIS Crisis, and Clash of Kingdoms. He also contributed to The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Nelson’s Old Testament Survey, and The Moody Bible Commentary.

DAVID B. FINKBEINER is Professor of Theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL, where he has taught since 1998. He served as Chair of the Theology Department for several years and he ministers in Chicago-area churches through preaching, teaching, and serving as an elder. David earned his Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife, Kathy, have three daughters, Katie, Emily, and Rebecca.

JOHN GOODRICH (BA, Moody Bible Institute; MDiv, ThM, Talbot School of Theology; Ph.D., University of Durham) is the dean and professor at Compass Bible Institute in Southern California. John's teaching and writing focus on the literature, context, and theology of the New Testament, with a particular interest in the interpretation of the Pauline epistles. He also is deeply committed to the church and to training people to be active in ministry. He has been married to Christin since 2005 and together they enjoy following UCLA football and spending time with their son, Justin.

DR. JOHN F. HART is professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute where he has ministered for the last 32 years. He holds a Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Theology degree from Grace Theological Seminary. He has written articles for several biblical journals and contributed chapters to two books. He is also the author of 50 Things You Need to Know about Heaven (Bethany House, 2014). He and his wife, Cindy, live in Valparaiso, IN, have been married for 40 years, and have two adult sons.

DR. JOHN JELINEK (Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary, Th.D., Grace Theological Seminary) is the former Dean of Education and Vice President and Academic Dean at Moody Theological Seminary. Prior to serving at Moody Seminary, Dr. Jelinek was professor of Theology and Academic Dean at the Michigan Theological Seminary for ten years and an associate professor at Baptist Bible Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA and at Alaska Bible College. He has published numerous articles and reviews in periodicals and books. His commentary on the biblical books of Amos and Leviticus is featured in The Moody Bible Commentary, published by Moody Publishers. Dr. Jelinek and his wife of 37 years, Linda, live in Willow Springs, IL and have three adult children, Rebekah, Micah John, and Anna.

JOHN KOESSLER is a professor emeritus at Moody Bible Institute where he served on the faculty since 1994. Prior to joining the Moody faculty, John served as pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, IL for nine years. He is an award-winning author who has written thirteen books and numerous magazine articles. He writes the monthly Theology Matters column for Today in the Word and is a frequent workshop leader at the Moody Pastor's Conference. John is married to Jane and they have two adult sons. They live in Ludington, MI.

WINFRED NEELY (BA, DMin Trinity International University; MA Wheaton) is currently working towards an advanced research degree in Old Testament at the University of Bristol, England. He is an ordained minister of the gospel and was a professor of hermeneutics, homiletics, and pastoral studies at Moody Bible Institute of Chicago for more than twenty years. Prior to joining the faculty at Moody, Winfred served churches in the city of Chicago and is currently interim pastor of the Judson Baptist Church in Oak Park, IL. He brings to his ministry a global perspective, having served as a missionary/pastor in Senegal, West Africa, for nine years. He is also involved in a global equipping ministry, speaking and conducting workshops and training events at churches and conferences in the US and abroad. He and his wife, Stephne, have been married for forty years and have four adult children and nine grandchildren. He takes acting classes from time to time and is an ardent fan of science fiction films such as Star Wars and Star Trek.

BRYAN O'NEAL (M.A., Purdue University; Ph.D., Purdue University) served as the Vice President and Dean of Moody Distance Learning, as well as Interim Dean of Moody Undergraduate School. He edited and contributed to Standing Firm: The Doctrinal Commitments of Moody Bible Institute and was a contributor to The Moody Handbook of Preaching, Proclaiming Jesus, and The Moody Bible Commentary. He and his wife Denise have been married for over 30 years and have three wonderful daughters and one wonderful granddaughter.

GERALD PETERMAN is Professor of Bible and Director of Biblical and Theological Studies at Moody Bible Institute. Before coming to Moody he taught at Palm Beach Atlantic College in West Palm Beach, FL, spent 4 1/2 years doing church planting for the Evangelical Free Church in central Florida and in south central Iowa, and also served eight years in the Air National Guard as a Chaplain. Peterman also serves part-time at his local church. For Moody Publishers he has written Joy and Tears: The Emotional Life of the Christian (2013) and Between Pain and Grace: A Biblical Theology of Suffering with Dr. Andrew Schmutzer. Research interests include New Testament Greek Language and Exegesis, Greek and Roman Background to the New Testament, and Biblical Theology. Gerald has been married to Marjory since January 1984, with two adult daughters, Bethany and Grace.

HARRY SHIELDS has served pastorates in Illinois and Colorado and currently serves on the graduate school faculty of the Moody Bible Institute. He is co-author of Caring for Souls: Counseling under the Authority of Scripture. He and his wife have two adult sons, who are also involved in local church ministries. Harry and his wife, Carol, reside in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

BILL THRASHER serves as the lead faculty member in the Master's Program in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship at Moody Theological Seminary. He is a frequent speaker for churches and retreats across the country. His ministry interests include campus discipleship, singles ministry, and evangelism. He is author of Believing God for His Best, A Journey to Victorious Praying, Principles of Christian Living from Romans 5-8, The Attributes of God in Pauline Theology, Living the Life God Has Planned, Putting God Back into the Holidays, and God As He Wants You to Know Him. Bill and his wife, Penny, live in the Chicago area and have three sons—Will, Michael, and David. His website is www.victoriouspraying.com.

J. BRIAN TUCKER is Professor of New Testament at Moody Theological Seminary in Plymouth, MI, and External Affiliate at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London. He is coeditor of The T & T Clark Social Identity Commentary on the New Testament and the author or coauthor of several books including Reading Romans after Supersessionism, and All Together Different. Brian earned his DMin from Michigan Theological Seminary and his PhD from the University of Wales, Lampeter. In his spare time he enjoys science fiction and playing and listening to jazz.

KEVIN D. ZUBER is Chief Academic Officer and Professor of Theology at The Master's Seminary in Los Angeles, California. Before that he was a professor at Moody Bible Institute for seventeen years and he also served as a teaching pastor at Grace Bible Church Northwest in Schaumburg, IL. Over the years, Kevin has ministered around the world, teaching graduate and undergraduate classes in Asia, Africa, and Europe. He is a graduate of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary, and he holds a Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity school. Kevin is married to Diane, and they have two sons, David and Christopher.

Like unabridged dictionaries, there are commentaries that try to do too much that they become weighty, bulky, and come in multiple volumes that occupy space in our bookshelves. Then there are those like abridged dictionaries that are conveniently packaged in a smaller footprint but lack the depth and scope of coverage we need. What if we can have both in a single volume? Not many commentaries can do that. This new commentary by the faculty of Moody Bible Institute is a worthy addition to this category of good single volume commentaries. Called one of the "most ambitious projects ever undertaken" by the Moody Bible Institute, it aims to provide us with a concise, insightful, and informative enough for the general reader. With thirty contributors, all the 66 books of the Bible are covered with the hope that readers will adopt five basic criteria for understanding.

Diligence in studying the Scriptures themselves Recognize that time is needed, so be patient Empowerment for understanding comes from the Holy Spirit Obedience is key to understanding Always room to learn

What's Unique about this Commentary? It is a work done by MBI which takes pride in their slogan: "The Name You Can Trust." Making it understandable is foremost in the minds of the authors. It spends time working with difficult verses, making use of the literal, conservative, and consistent approach. It believes that the Old Testament points to Jesus. While the contributors base their commentary on the original languages, they also use the NASB English translation as the main English translation.

I like the way the commentators weave in both Old and New Testament references to engage a whole Bible perspective. For example, in Genesis 3:1-6, the commentators do not simply deal with the sin of Adam and Eve. They describe the lead-up to the sin, and teaches us how often we can commit similar follies in our modern times. We get mini-sermons as well, seeing direct applications apart from the commentary on the ancient texts. Going through verse by verse at times, the commentary explains the texts, highlights some of the original languages' nuances, and also connects the theme to other passages in the Bible. Where appropriate, there are extended commentaries on applications that modern readers will appreciate. Issues such as learning to apply timeless principles from Old Testament laws and regulations; contrasting the consequences of godlessness versus the promises of godliness; highlighting devotional material from the Psalms; wisdom from Proverbs with scholarship material from other commentaries apart from their own; a structural framework on understanding the Song of Solomon with an explanation of the different interpretative methods; and many more, making the commentary a very integrated one that aims to bring the central teachings across.

The New Testament is also marked with excellent scholarship, applying and informing readers about the different schools of interpretation such as source criticism, form criticism, redaction criticism, and other ways of interpreting the gospels. Each book begins with some explanation on authorship, approximate dates, who the intended audiences are, the purpose of the book, and how the book contributes to the overall thrust of the Bible. The bibliography at the end of each book is a valuable resource to use. This part alone makes this commentary an excellent primer to begin any in-depth studies of each book.

So What?

This is one of the must-haves for any preacher or pastor, student or teacher of the Word. Sometimes, there are commentaries that are heavy on the technical details but light on the practical applications. Others are too focused on the contemporary and lacks the heavy-lifting needed to be able to see the original texts for what they are. Creating a balance is also not an easy task especially when multiple contributors are involved. On top of that, the books of the Bible are of different genre and commentary will have to be adapted according to the way and purposes the book are written. That is why it is very difficult to apply any one standard commentary for all the books. Perhaps, readers can learn to take a step back and not allow structures and frameworks to become overly distracting. Read the Bible for what it is saying. Take time to pray and seek God for illumination and discernment about the texts. Study the texts for ourselves. Then use this commentary to shed more light on the texts. We need to agree with what the contributors are saying, but we can accept that there is another way to look at the texts. After all, students of the Bible learn best not by becoming dogmatic over their own philosophy but to be humble to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit can use anyone to teach us, including using this excellent 1-volume commentary on the Bible.

One more thing. As with the use of commentaries, even though there is an increasing use of electronic references, I feel that having a printed commentary is valuable too. Just to have the look and feel of a book opened in front of us enables us to study the Bible without becoming too easily distracted by pop up windows, the Internet, social media prompts, and other electronic beeps.

This book is provided to me courtesy of Moody Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Conrade YapRating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Moody Bible Commentary, a comprehensive one-volume commentary of the whole Bible, provides an objective look at the historical and cultural backgrounds of each book and help readers interpret Scripture in light of Scripture. Editors Dr. Michael Rydelnik and Dr. Michael Vanlaningham deliver a reliable and well-rounded resource for students of the Bible.

While it’s clear that the writers are experts on their subjects, they write in a way that, while academic, is clearly understandable for any reader. The Moody Bible Commentary includes an outline of each book of the Bible, an introduction to each book, and then a more in-depth commentary following the outline given.

Honestly, I didn’t read the entire commentary. The ebook review copy I received boasted 4,050 pages! But I flipped through every page and found the layout and font to be pleasing to the eye, not overly tiring like some commentaries. I did read chapters on some of my favorite books, like Deuteronomy, Ruth, John, Romans, Titus, and James. I also read the commentary on some difficult passages. I appreciated that the editors and authors seemed to treat things fairly, often showing varying viewpoints, but tempering it with logical explanations of which views are most plausible.

I absolutely loved the charts, maps and illustrations throughout the book. For visual learners, they add so much to the meaning of various Scriptures. For example, in the chapter on the book of Leviticus, one chart outlines "The Laws of Sacrifice," while an illustration of the Tabernacle makes the tent of meeting come alive. I also enjoyed how the editors placed an emphasis on reading the Old Testament through New Testament lenses as they helped readers see types of Christ throughout the Old Testament and even compared "The High Priests’ Ministries and the Great High Priest’s Ministry" in one chart. For those of us who are historically challenged, charts of the Kings of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and the Kings of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) help keep things in perspective. In the New Testament, charts help readers grasp "The Eight Signs in John" as well as "Jesus’ Seven I Am Claims." And, readers come to a clearer understanding of the book of James with the chart outlining "Parallels Between James and the Sermon on the Mount." Of course The Moody Bible Commentary wouldn’t be complete without the Scripture index and subject index at the end, which help readers easily navigate the extensive volume.

If you are looking for a one-volume commentary on the entire Bible, The Moody Bible Commentary fits the bill. It’s reliable and academic, yet accessible to anyone. I highly recommend it for serious students of the Bible. It’s got all you need—outlines, historical backgrounds, objective explanations, and charts, maps and illustrations that aid in clarifying meaning. This is one reference book you’ll rely on time and again as you dig deeper into God’s Word.

Reviewed by Laura Langley Net Galley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is a really helpful reference book for Bible study. It has a commentary on specific verses as well as broader themes. It also makes connections with other Biblical references. It was a little bulky to manage electronically since it is so much information.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed by Melissa Hinnen, Net Galley