If you receive our weekly sales email, you may have noticed certain titles with a “Staff Pick” sticker on them. In this post, we let our staff tell you why they like these particular selections.
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (David Lang’s picks)
Whenever I study a passage of Scripture, and run into some background issue I don’t understand—mention of an unfamiliar object, custom, or ancient cultural perspective—I want immediate information about it so I can better understand the passage. Traditional commentaries often contain such background information, but it can be buried in the midst of long discussions of grammar, theology, etc. ZIBBCOT and ZIBBCNT let me zero in on the background explanations I need so I can get back to the biblical text I’m studying. The copious illustrations enable me to see the ancient artifacts rather than just relying on a written description. Both the text and the illustrations help me understand the historical and cultural context of the passage.
ZIBBCOT: Reg Price $199; Sale Price $119.40 | Buy Now
ZIBBCNT: Reg Price $139; Sale Price $83.40 | Buy Now
Orthodox Study Bible (Rick Mansfield’s Pick)
The Orthodox Study Bible is one of those rare titles that I own in both print and in Accordance. I often start my morning in the print edition with the Orthodox Church’s lectionary readings that are included with these study notes. Throughout the day, though, I find myself using the Accordance version of the OSB–either on my desktop computer or mobile phone–to look up the Church’s understanding of a passage. Often the notes contain insights from the Church Fathers, which act as a first stop before looking at a passage in more detail in a resources such as the ACCS. Plus, the OSB includes a very readable and modern translation of the Septuagint. You don’t have to be Orthodox to enjoy the Orthodox Study Bible. Anyone with an appreciation of church history and tradition will benefit from this resource in Accordance.
Reg Price $34.90; Sale Price $17.99 | Buy Now
MacArthur Bible Handbook (Richard Perry’s pick)
I find The MacArthur Bible Handbook to be one of the most comprehensive resources available to get an overview of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. This handbook covers key people, events, how a book relates to Christ, and offers explanations of hard to understand passages. There are lots of good Bible handbooks out there, but MacArthur’s goes well beyond the content of similar resources.
Reg Price $23.99; Sale Price $11.99 | Buy Now
What about you? What are your picks from this week’s sale? Let us know in the comments.