Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary (THOTC)

Geoffrey Grogan here tackles the growing field of Psalms research and presents an accessible theological treatment of the Psalter. He begins by surveying and evaluating the main scholarly approaches to Psalms and then provides exegesis of all the psalms, emphasizing their distinctive messages. Grogan follows with a full discussion of the Psalter's theological themes, highlighting the implications of its fivefold arrangement. He considers the massive contribution of the Psalter to biblical theology, including the way the psalms were used and interpreted by Jesus and the New Testament writers. The volume closes with an analysis of the contemporary relevance of the Psalms and a step-by-step guide to preparing a Psalms sermon, based on Psalm 8.

A distinctively theological take on the book of Micah Readers of the book of Micah learn a great deal about God: he is a mighty God who controls the nations, yet he is also concerned with everyday matters like equity, poverty, and care for widows and orphans. In presenting this transcendent-yet-immanent God, Micah's message revolves around themes of justice, judgment, and salvation that continue to carry great significance today. In this theological commentary on the book of Micah, Stephen Dempster places the text in conversation with the larger story of Scripture. After discussing questions of structure and authorship in his introduction, Dempster systematically works through the text, drawing links to the broader biblical story throughout. In the second part of his commentary Dempster offers theological discussion that further explicates the most significant themes in Micah and their applicability to today's Christians.

In this erudite yet accessible commentary Ernest Lucas elucidates the book of Proverbs both exegetically and thematically. Explicating the text in light of its ancient Near Eastern context, Lucas also shows the relevance of Proverbs for the twenty-first century, speaking as it does to such issues as character formation, gender relations, wealth and poverty, interpersonal communication, science and religion, and care for the environment. Lucas uniquely identifies "proverbial clusters" in his critical exegesis of the biblical text and uses them as the basis for interpreting individual proverbs. Several substantial theological essays at the end of the book illuminate major ethical, pastoral, and spiritual themes in Proverbs. Ably unpacking the rich wisdom embedded in the book of Proverbs, Lucas's accessible theological commentary is perfect for pastors, teachers, and students.

Two features especially distinguish the Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary series: theological exegesis and theological reflection. Both of these features are fully realized in this THOTC volume on Ezra and Nehemiah by David J. Shepherd and Christopher J. H. Wright. Following an introduction and concise, verse-by-verse commentary on both books, Shepherd and Wright highlight key ways in which these Old Testament texts continue to speak to us today. They closely examine what Ezra and Nehemiah tell us about God and the people of Israel, reflect practically on leadership, and engage critically with those portions of the text (such as Ezra's dissolution of the Judeans' marriages with foreigners) that present special problems for contemporary readers. Offering deep theological insight throughout, this volume will prove essential for students, pastors, and other Christian leaders seeking to engage in theological interpretation of Scripture.

In this commentary James McKeown treats Genesis as a book of beginnings and a foundational sourcebook for biblical theology. He begins with exegesis of the Hebrew text, highlighting the recurrence of key words, phrases, and themes throughout the book. He also draws attention to passages particularly pertinent to earlier readers either facing or returning from exile, offering a historical context outside a solely Christian perspective. The second half of the book unpacks the numerous theological horizons of Genesis - main unifying themes (descendants, blessing, land); key theological teachings of Genesis (creation, fall, character and image of God, life of faith); and the contribution of Genesis to theology today, including its impact on science, ecology, and feminist theology. McKeown's Genesis provides a solid examination of a scriptural book that reflects the struggles and hopes of its readers - ancient and modern - and offers encouragement for their walk with God.

In this commentary James McKeown approaches the book of Ruth as part of the whole canon of Scripture, exploring not only the content of the book itself but also its relationship to other biblical books. He shows in particular how Ruth overflows with allusions to Genesis. The themes of "blessing," "seed," and "land" are common to both books, and studying Genesis and Ruth together provides profound insights into the providential working of God to fulfill the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In addition to his exegetical commentary on the text of Ruth, McKeown provides useful background material on how the book has been interpreted throughout history, including Jewish interpretation, and he focuses on Ruth's theology and its application. His discussion also touches on such related topics as universalism, feminist studies, and the missiological significance of the book of Ruth. McKeown's insightful commentary will enable students, pastors, and laypeople to better understand the ancient book of Ruth so that they can better apply its message and wisdom today.

Judges is a book for our time. It forces readers to come face to face with the way that faith speaks into the situations we encounter and read about in our newsfeeds. Warfare, authoritarianism, sexual exploitation, tribalism-these are a few of the repercussions from not having our social order oriented toward God. In this commentary David Beldman expounds the story of God and Israel that unfolds in the book of Judges, highlighting the vital message it speaks to contemporary Christians who strive to live lives of integrity and undivided loyalty to Jesus under the constant pressure of the idols of twenty-first-century culture.

The book of Habakkuk has much to teach us about suffering and complaint, faith and fear, and the fidelity of God in times of trouble; it generates reflection on prayer, peace, violence, and faithfulness. In this volume-one of the few commentaries examining Habakkuk by itself-Heath Thomas explores this overlooked Old Testament prophet in order to hear God's word for us today.

In this commentary Old Testament scholar Bo Lim and theologian Daniel Castelo work together to help the church recover, read, and proclaim the prophetic book of Hosea in a way that is both faithful to its message and relevant to our contemporary context. Though the book of Hosea is rich with imagery and metaphor that can be difficult to interpret, Lim and Castelo show that, with its focus on corporate and structural sin, Hosea contains a critically important message for today's church.