Anders Max - 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon

Today's church hungers for Bible teaching, and Bible teachers hunger for resources to guide them in teaching God's Word. The Holman New Testament Commentary provides the church with the food to feed the spiritually hungry in an easily digestible format. The result: new spiritual vitality that the church can readily use.

Bible teaching should result in new interest in the Scriptures, expanded Bible knowledge, discovery of specific scriptural principles, relevant applications, and exciting living. The unique format of the Holman New Testament Commentary includes sections to achieve these results for every New Testament book.

Opening quotations from some of the church's best writers lead to an introductory illustration and discussion that draw individuals and study groups into the Word of God. In a Nutshell summarizes the content and teaching of the chapter. Verse-by-verse commentary answers the church's questions rather than raising issues scholars usually admit they cannot adequately solve. Bible principles and specific contemporary applications encourage students to move from Bible to contemporary times. A specific modern illustration then ties application vividly to present life. A brief prayer aids the student to commit his or her daily life to the principles and applications found in the Bible chapter being studied. For those still hungry for more, Deeper Discoveries take the student into a more personal, deeper study of the words, phrases, and themes of God's Word. Finally, a teaching outline provides transitional statements and conclusions along with an outline to assist the teacher in group Bible studies.

It is the editors' prayer that this new resource for local church Bible teaching will enrich the ministry of group, as well as individual, Bible study, and that it will lead God's people to truly be people of the Book, living out what God calls us to be.

Twelve volumes designed for Bible study and teaching to enrich the local church and God's people.

Introduction to

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LETTER PROFILE: FIRST THESSALONIANS

• While in Corinth, Paul, Silas, and Timothy jointly authored a letter to the Christians in Thessalonica around A.D. 51.
• Sent to a young, inexperienced assembly of believers in the city of Thessalonica, many of whom were Gentiles.
• Letter written by Paul, but with the greeting and support of Silas and Timothy who had been with Paul when he first traveled to Thessalonica. The three men were jailed, then run out of town. Timothy was later sent back to encourage the believers.
• Paul praised the Thessalonians' faith; defended his ministry against outsiders' attacks; and laid down basic theology about righteous living in a decaying culture, and the final hope of all believers, both living and deadeternity with God.

AUTHOR PROFILE: PAUL

• Jewish-born in Tarsus, near the Lebanese border in modern Turkey
• Roman citizen.
• Prominent, Jewish religious leader, highly educated as a Pharisee.
• Persecuted Christians before his own dramatic conversion in A.D. 35.
• Visited Thessalonica on his second missionary journey about A.D. 51 (see Acts 17). There he witnessed instant conversions followed by strong persecution.
• Known for his tireless pioneer work to Gentiles.
• Imprisoned by Nero's regime in A.D. 67 in Rome (see 2 Tim. 4), where he was executed the next year.

CITY PROFILE: THESSALONICA

• An urban center of the Roman Empire, the city of Thessalonica had strong Greek culture; it was built in 315 B.C. by Cassander, a general under Alexander the Great.
• Located in European Macedonia, present-day Balkans; the city's population in the first century was about two hundred thousand.
• Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia, was a booming commercial center located at the crossroads of the great road from the north and the main east-west trade route.