Contributors
We are proud to present this new Companion to the Bible to readers and students of the Bible. By its very nature as a Companion, this volume is by no means intended as a substitute for reading the biblical text itself. Rather, we envision the reader approaching Scripture with the Bible in one hand and the Companion in the other. In this way the Companion may serve as a guide to the Word, a practical resource for studying and reflecting on the biblical account. It may be used with any translation of the Bible.
The editors and contributors to this book have garnered a vast array of useful information and presented it in clear, reader-friendly fashion. Recognizing that some readers may be new to the Bible, with no previous background in biblical studies, contributors have kept technical matters to a minimum. Rather, the focus is on the content and meaning of the Bible, sensitively reflecting readers' concern for issues directly relevant to the quest for greater understanding and appreciation of what the Bible has to convey. Because the biblical text may at times appear difficult or puzzling, separated from the modern world over many centuries by language and culture, our goal has been to enable modern readers to benefit from the fruits of recent discoveries and the insights of responsible, current biblical scholarship into the lives and times of the inspired biblical writers and their setting.
In keeping with its aim of stimulating and guiding the Bible reader who seeks to grow in understanding what the text has to say, the Companion opens with an introductory essay, "What Is the Bible?" by the General Editors. Further setting the scene for studying the Bible as a whole are discussions of inspiration and authority, the formation, transmission, and translation of the biblical text, and surveys of the physical world of the Bible and aspects of daily life in its ancient setting.
The main focus of the Companion is the Bible itself. Each section dealing with the Old and New Testament begins with an introduction to the individual collections or genresfor the Old Testament, the Five Books or Pentateuch, the Historical Books, Poetry and Wisdom Literature, and the Prophets; for the New Testament, the Gospels and Acts, the Letters, and Revelation. The knowledgeable and lucid commentary by Connie Gundry Tappy summarizes and explains each book of the Bible, section by section, with fascinating insights into customs, natural phenomena, words and phrases, and more as recorded in the accounts. Articles by a host of foremost biblical scholars provide additional information on the setting and use of the Bible, with details of important historical, literary, and cultural interest that the student may encounter in reading or discussion.
Concluding the Companion are articles applying the sacred text to Christian faith and Christian living today. Handy reference tools include glossaries of terms, people, nations and groups, and places mentioned in the Bible.
A comprehensive work of this type depends on many talented persons who have generously shared their knowledge of the riches of the Bible, and the publishers wish to express gratitude to all who have directly or indirectly helped to make this Companion possible. Particular appreciation is due the General Editors, Robert L. Hubbard Jr. and Gordon D. Fee, distinguished scholars whose editorial expertise in shaping the volume is evident throughout. Thanks also to the consulting editors, T. Desmond Alexander, Joel B. Green, Richard N. Longenecker, Tremper Longman III, Marianne Meye Thompson, and Willem A. VanGemeren for their introductory articles and for vetting the respective articles. Connie Gundry Tappy has provided with precision and clarity a wealth of information and practical interpretation in the Commentary. John R. Kohlenberger III and Mike Peterson of Multnomah Graphics made significant contributions in the early stages of the project, and Richard Cleave graciously provided access to the resources of the Pictorial Archive.
We send forth this volume with the heart felt desire that it bring new appreciation to the power and relevance of Scripture and its manifold riches. May this book truly prove a treasured companion, serving its readers in fruitful understanding of what the Bible has to say to our age.
THE PUBLISHERS