“Keener writes in clear, non-technical language for the lay person. His commentary is a valuable tool for teachers, small-group leaders, pastors, missionaries (who are trying not to impose their own cultural biases in their new setting), and all who enjoy digging deeper in their personal study of God’s Word.”—Discipleship Journal
“The product of a decade of work, this commentary is indispensable for Bible study. . . . By selectively providing background information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, Keener admirably bridges the cultural gaps experienced by modern readers of the Bible. . . . Sermons and lessons will be greatly enhanced by referencing this excellent resource.”—Ministries Today
“Well-written in a style suitable for both professional students and daily disciples.”—World Christian
“A stunning work destined certainly to become a standard resource for study of the New Testament. . . . Though produced by a competent scholar, it is not . . . intended to be a technical, scholarly work . . . for me Keener’s work is going to be a prime reference tool and constant companion from now on in my personal study of the New Testament text.”—Journal of Psychology and Theology
“Keener has accomplished a monumental task in assimilating a vast amount of primary and secondary material on first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman culture and making it accessible to nonspecialist readers. In addition, he displays a wide knowledge of New Testament scholarship (Pauline studies, gospels studies, etc.). To make this commentary useful to a diverse audience, Keener has minimized theological comments and emphasized historical, cultural, and social background. The text is clearly written and fairly free of technical jargon. . . . This volume should be a useful addition to public, academic, and seminary libraries.”—Library Journal
“The commentary will be of value to pastors in sermon preparation . . . written in a clear, non-technical language and arranged verse by verse. It provides at least some cultural background for nearly every verse in the New Testament. . . . You need to have it in your theological library.”—A. M. E. Zion Quarterly Review
“A few hours with this volume will rapidly convince one that Craig Keener . . . is a rising star among evangelical New Testament scholars. . . . Written simply and clearly, though meticulously researched, this book will be a valuable acquisition for every thoughtful student, pastor, and teacher who tries to understand the original setting for any passage in the New Testament. . . . [C]arefully researched and judiciously written from an orthodox Christian perspective to provide dependable information without overt theological bias. I heartily recommend it.”—Enrichment (Assemblies of God)
“This is a splendid book to have next to your Bible . . . a fascinating Bible study resource.”—Good News (United Methodist)
“An excellent resource for pastors and teachers. . . . This is background information that most pastors’ libraries will not contain, which makes it a vital tool for serious Bible study and preaching.”—The Communicator (Nazarene)
“In the American Christian publishing world, a world filled with adequate but probably unnecessary commentaries and Christian helps, Craig Keener . . . has done the remarkable. He has produced a work that was genuinely needed but not envisioned—until now.”—Faith and Mission (Southeastern Seminary, Southern Baptist)
“A fine tool for personal Bible study . . . Unlike a typical commentary, which interprets the meaning of each text, Keener’s book offers insights which enable readers to study individual texts with greater personal involvement and practical gain. The author, an evangelical Protestant, is remarkably balanced and unbiased in his analysis, making this quite suitable for Catholic use—a valuable supplement to a good concordance, commentary, and Bible dictionary.”—The Bulletin of Applied Biblical Studies (The Franciscan University of Steubenville)
“One of the most useful available reference tools for pastors and laypeople alike, and I frequently recommend it from the pulpit. The reader simply has to look up his comments on a passage to find out, for example, why it was momentous that the prodigal son received sandals and a ring when he returned to his father. Although background material is often notoriously slippery and debatable, Keener makes it useful for students of the Scripture.”—Gary Shogren, Biblical Theological Seminary
“Keener succeeds in being informative and, this reviewer thinks, more than fair in trying not to impose his views on the texts. . . . Keener, as he promised, wrote a ‘popular’ rather than a scholarly book. Keener’s scholarly credentials are strong and his book is a God-send to busy pastors. As already indicated, it is of great help to Bible students who do not have access to a theological library.”—Southwestern Journal of Theology (Southern Baptist)
“Specifically designed to meet the needs of pastors and students who have less access to scholarly resources and less time to mine exegetical details. As such, it is extremely accessible and user friendly, a welcome addition to the pastor’s bookshelf.”—Christopher Hall, Eastern University
“Carefully researched yet accessible for the busy pastor or other reader, this commentary puts years of research at the reader’s fingertips, passage by passage, in a single volume.”—George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God