Tony Evans - The Tony Evans Bible Commentary

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Tony Evans Bible Commentary

Copyright 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers

Nashville, Tennessee. All Rights Reserved.

Some material in the Bible book introductions was previously published in the Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary , 2013, by B&H Publishing Group. Used by permission.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible and CSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

The interior of the Tony Evans Bible Commentary was designed and typeset by 2k/denmark, Hjbjerg, Denmark. Proofreading was provided by Peachtree Publishing Services, Peachtree City, Georgia.

ISBN: 978-0-8054-9942-1

BISAC: REL00605/RELIGION/Biblical

Commentary/General

Printed in China

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TONY EVANS BIBLE COMMENTARY

General Information

Commentary

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A work of this magnitude requires an enormously committed support system. The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (and its companion The Tony Evans Study Bible ) has been years in the making. It is for this reason I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who enabled this project to reach its completion.

First of all, I want to thank the B&H Publishing family for their hard work. This includes Trevin Wax who oversaw the publishing of this work. I am also grateful for the investment of time and energy given by the managing editor, Chris Cowan, with whom I spent countless hours critiquing, constructing, and reviewing the content of my exposition of every paragraph of Gods Holy Word. Thanks also to B&Hs editorial and production team, including J. D. Green, Lloyd Mullens, Garry Fulton, Dustin Curtis, and Bethany McShurley for the wonderful and professional way they put this project together.

A special thanks goes to my good friend Phil Rawley for his hard work and tremendous contribution with regard to certain elements of content. Thanks also go to Jeff Godby and 2K/DENMARK for their design and typesetting expertise.

I am also very grateful to my longtime executive assistant, Mrs. Sylvia Stewart, for the endless time and effort she put into keeping up with all the administrative duties connected with this project amidst all her other responsibilities. Finally, my appreciation goes to Mrs. Heather Hair, who helped to strategize, organize, and manage all the moving parts of this work during this multi-year process in an efficient and excellent way.

DR. TONY EVANS

Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, is founder and president of The Urban Alternative, served as chaplain of the NBAs Dallas Mavericks and the NFLs Dallas Cowboys, and is author of over one hundred books, booklets, and Bible studies. The first African American to earn a doctorate of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, he has been named one of the 12 Most Effective Preachers in the English-Speaking World by Baylor University.

Dr. Evans holds the honor of writing and publishing the first full-Bible commentary and study Bible by an African American. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans , can be heard on more than 1,300 US outlets daily and in more than 130 countries.

Dr. Evans launched the Tony Evans Training Center in 2017, an online learning platform providing quality seminary-style courses for a fraction of the cost to any person in any place. The goal is to increase biblical literacy and to advance Gods kingdom agenda not only among lay people but also among those Christian leaders who cannot afford or find the time for formal ongoing education.

For more information, visit TonyEvans.org.

INTRODUCTION

This commentary is based on a simple yet profound biblical worldview: the glory of God through the advancement of his kingdom. This is the unifying theme of Scripture, from Genesis through Revelation. The concept of Gods kingdom is what ties all of the Bible together. When this central point of connectivity is lost to the reader, it is easy for Scripture to seem like a series of disconnected stories, events, personalities, and doctrines that do not strategically and thematically connect to one another.

The word kingdom means rule or authority. When linked to God, it refers to the rule of God in both heaven and earth encompassing both eternity and time. It is therefore comprehensive in nature. This kingdom is composed of a ruler (God), subjects (angels and people), a realm (creation), and regulations (laws).

The Bible unfolds how Gods kingdom operates in the affairs of the world and how God receives glory through his kingdom rule, even when that rule is being opposed by both angels and human beings. While Gods kingdom rule takes various forms with varying laws through varying administrations (i.e., dispensations), it nonetheless maintains its central goal of bringing God glory whether through blessing or judgment.

The kingdom agenda , then, is the visible manifestation of the comprehensive rule of God over every area of life. Gods kingdom agenda is carried out through four covenantal spheres: the individual, the family, the church, and the government (i.e., nations). A covenant is a divinely created relational bond through which God administrates his kingdom program. It establishes a legal relationship in the spiritual realm that is to be lived out in the physical realm. To operate and function underneath the umbrella of Gods kingdom covenants and guidelines is to position the specific covenantal relationship (i.e., individual, family, church, government) to experience Gods greatest involvement and benefits within that covenantal sphere. Conversely, to operate outside of and in opposition to Gods kingdom covenant is to experience the negative consequences of not being aligned and covenantally covered.

This commentary is designed to reflect this kingdom perspective through an exposition of each of the sixty-six books of the Holy Scriptures. My goal is that this work will serve as a valuable study resource for serious students of the Bible by combining exegesis, exposition, and exhortation that creates a relevant kingdom mindset.

As you use this study tool, remember:

1. Study the Scriptures with a view to meeting with God, not just learning about him.
2. Study the Scriptures by routinely asking, What should I do in light of what I have learned?
3. Study the Scriptures in their context in order to be accurate in your understanding of what the biblical authors are saying.
4. Study the Scriptures in prayer and in dependency on the Holy Spirit to open up your mind and heart to the meaning and contemporary relevancy and application of the text.
5. Study the Scripture with a kingdom mindset, seeking to identify Gods rule over every area of life.

While nothing can be added to or subtracted from Gods inerrant Word, it is my sincere hope that this tool will aid you in your understanding and application of the Bible to your life. For additional study notes, articles, and supporting materials, see also The Tony Evans Study Bible: Advancing Gods Kingdom Agenda . Most importantly, it is my prayer that your reading, studying, and obedience to the written Word will lead you into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the living Word, Jesus Christ, as kingdom disciples as you live all of life under his kingdom rule.

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