Commentaries

In this addition to the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), Daniel Keating interprets First and Second Peter and Jude for pastoral ministers and lay readers alike. The seventeen-volume CCSS series, which will cover the entire New Testament, relates Scripture to life, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively.

Praise for the CCSS
"These commentaries are both exegetically sound and spiritually nourishing. They are indispensable tools for preaching, catechesis, evangelization, and other forms of pastoral ministry."--Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM Cap, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Comprehensive and understandable, the New Collegeville Bible Commentary series brings the timeless messages and relevance of the Old Testament to today s readers. With recent scholarship, this series provides vital background and addresses important questions such as authorship and cultural context. The New Collegeville Bible Commentary books use the New American Bible translation and will appeal to preachers, teachers, Bible study groups, and all readers of the Bible. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah relate the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon during the rule of the early Persian kings. For a long time, interpretations of these two books by Christian exegetes characterized the Judaism of the post-exilic age as narrow and nationalistic. This interpretation led to a separation of post-exilic Judaism from its pre-exilic Israelite roots that allowed for a supersessionist reading of the Old Testament based on perceived deficiencies in the religious views of the post-exilic era. Informed by recent advances in our knowledge of the Persian Empire, this commentary, demonstrates that Ezra and Nehemiah offer a compelling story of a people s attempt to reassemble the fragments of their heritage as they face the future in a greatly changed world.

Comprehensive and understandable, the New Collegeville Bible Commentary series brings the timeless messages and relevance of the Old Testament to today s readers. With recent scholarship, this series provides vital background and addresses important questions such as authorship and cultural context. The New Collegeville Bible Commentary books use the New American Bible translation and will appeal to preachers, teachers, Bible study groups, and all readers of the Bible. In the era in which the Chronicler writes, the pressing question is: How will Judeans reestablish themselves after the Babylonian exile? The Chronicler s answer is to encourage the people of Israel to live out of their memory of God s mercy and compassion. Knowing and cherishing the books of Samuel and Kings, the writer interprets their message differently because the people of his era face new challenges to their life and faith. This commentary highlights the special character of First and Second Chronicles by pointing out subtle ways in which the Chronicler changes the story of Israel. Many of these slight changes in wording reflect theological shifts in the postexilic era. The Chronicler sees a need for a strong spiritual center that is clearly located in the Jerusalem temple and its life of worship and prayer. Alienated northern tribes may enter this religious world by participating in temple worship. New and original materials describe the services and the roles of Levites and priests at the temple. Kings foster worship and demonstrate a spirituality of repentance. Israel can again become a people united if all join together in worship. To the discouraged, this history offers hope!

Comprehensive and understandable, the New Collegeville Bible Commentary series brings the timeless messages and relevance of the Old Testament to today s readers. With recent scholarship, this series provides vital background and addresses important questions such as authorship and cultural context. The New Collegeville Bible Commentary books use the New American Bible translation and will appeal to preachers, teachers, Bible study groups, and all readers of the Bible. First and Second Samuel tell the story of the beginnings of monarchy in ancient Israel. These two powerful narratives present many great figures of biblical history Samuel, Saul, and David and explore the complex interaction of historical developments and human fidelity under God. In the books of Samuel, characters interact to influence and persuade, to express motivation and desire, and to shape the reader s understanding of the issues that faced the Israelites as they responded to God s invitation to covenant. Through the medium of story, the reader shares in the perennial struggle to discover, in the midst of personal and political conflict, God's ways for humanity.

Comprehensive and understandable, the New Collegeville Bible Commentary series brings the timeless messages and relevance of the Old Testament to today s readers. With recent scholarship, this series provides vital background and addresses important questions such as authorship and cultural context. The New Collegeville Bible Commentary books use the New American Bible translation and will appeal to preachers, teachers, Bible study groups, and all readers of the Bible. The books of Joshua and Judges provide religious perspective on Israel s successes and failures from the time that Joshua begins to lead the Israelites after Moses death until the rise of the monarchy. The stories of these two books show the God of Israel still guiding the life of his people. In Genesis, God makes a twofold promise to Abraham: many descendants and the making of a great nation (Gen 12:2ff). In the book of Joshua, we find this promise brought to this fulfillment as the Israelites come to Canaan, the land of promise. During the span of the 150 years covered in Judges, considerable importance is attached to the religious and political development of the tribal life of the Israelites. This is well before the time of national unity; in Judges, the people are bound together solely by their faith in YHWH. In this rich and insight-filled commentary, Roland Faley draws out the Deuteronomistic thesis in Joshua and Judges: A people of faith, even if they wander, cannot fail.

In this addition to the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), a seasoned scholar interprets First Corinthians for pastoral ministers and lay readers alike. The CCSS series, which will cover the entire New Testament, relates Scripture to life, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively in teaching, preaching, evangelization, and other forms of ministry.

Praise for the CCSS

"A landmark achievement in theological interpretation of Scripture in and for the Church. Highly recommended for all!"--Michael J. Gorman, St. Mary's Seminary and University, Baltimore