James - (NIV Application Commentary) by David P Nystrom (Hardcover)

About the Book

Explore James as the book was understood in the first century. With this volume, pastors, teachers, Bible study leaders, and students can explore the dynamic issues and themes of the book of James and discover how to apply these truths to lives today. Part of a unique commentary series that focuses on how the Scriptures can relate to modern life.

Book Synopsis

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context.

To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections:

• Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context.
• Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible.
• Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved.

This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

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From the Back Cover

Straight to the point, practical, affirming, convicting---that's the book of James. In it, we see a picture of early Christians wrestling to apply the teachings of Jesus to their everyday lives. And we see a community plagued by divisiveness and hypocrisy, with an emphasis on wealth and status. James pulls no punches addressing these issues, calling for a faith that shows itself in moral actions: in speech, in interpersonal relationships, in economic and social justice. He also lays out a theology of the redemptive value of suffering. In our day when the behavior and attitudes of professed Christians are often not much different from the surrounding culture, in our society of great wealth, and in our culture that abhors suffering, the challenging message of James is greatly needed. Exploring the links between the Bible and our own times, David Nystrom shares perspectives on the book of James that reveal its enduring relevance for our twenty-first-century lives. This series promises to become an indispensable tool for every pastor and teacher who seeks to make the Bible's timeless message speak to this generation. Billy Graham The NIV Application Commentary dares to go where few scholars have gone before---into the real world of biblical application faced by pastors and teachers every day. This is everything a good commentary should be. Leith Anderson Pastor, Wooddale Church Most Bible commentaries take us on a one-way trip from our world to the world of the Bible. But they leave us there, assuming that we can somehow make the return journey on our own. They focus on the original meaning of the passage but don't discuss its contemporary application. The information they offer is valuable---but the job is only half done! The NIV Application Commentary Series helps bring both halves of the interpretive task together. This unique, award-winning series shows readers how to bring an ancient message into our postmodern context. It explains not only what the Bible meant but also how it speaks powerfully today.

Review Quotes

"At a time when many pastors are deeply in need of inspiration and encouragement, these volumes would be a good investment for congregations."--Christianity Today

"Brings the ancient and powerful Word of God into the present so that it can be heard and believed with all the freshness of a new day."--Eugene H. Peterson

"There are commentaries that provide insights into the historical, cultural, and literary contexts of the Bible. Others get us into the pastoral application of the text for our cultural moment. Wouldn't it be nice to have a commentary series that does both with excellence? That's exactly what NIVAC accomplishes. This series is one of the first places I turn to in my theological process for exegesis and building the bridge of application."--Joel Muddamalle, director of theology and research, Proverbs 31 Ministries

The NIV Application Commentary series has been an essential resource for a generation of pastors and laypeople seeking a deeper understanding of the biblical text and its relevance today. The series features careful exposition of the text by some of the most well-respected evangelical scholars alive today with an eye to contemporary relevance. I'm delighted to commend it to a new generation for personal and group Bible study, preaching, and classroom use.--Carmen Joy Imes, associate professor of Old Testament, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University