The Bible Knowledge Commentary is an exposition of the Scriptures written and edited solely
by Dallas Seminary faculty members. It is designed for pastors, laypersons, Bible teachers, serious
Bible students, and others who want a comprehensive but brief and reliable commentary on the entire Bible.
Why another Bible commentary when so many commentaries are already available? Several
features make this two-volume set a distinctive Bible study tool.
First, The Bible Knowledge Commentary is written by faculty members of one
school-Dallas Theological Seminary. This commentary interprets the Scriptures consistently from the
grammatical-historical approach and from the pretribulational, premillennial perspective, for which
Dallas Seminary is well known. At the same time, the authors often present various views of passages
where differences of opinion exist within evangelical scholarship.
Second, this is the first two-volume commentary to be based on the New International
Version of the Holy Bible (1978 ed.). The NIV is widely accepted as a translation that faithfully renders
the biblical text into clear modern-day English. The Bible Knowledge Commentary thus becomes immediately
useful as a companion to one's personal Bible study.
Third, this commentary has features that not all commentaries include. (a) In their
comments on the biblical text, the writers discuss how the purpose of the book unfolds, how each part
fits with the whole and with what precedes and follows it. This helps readers see why the biblical authors
chose the material they did as their words were guided by the Holy Spirit's inspiration. (b) Problem
passages, puzzling Bible-time customs, and alleged contradictions are carefully considered and discussed.
(c) Insights from the latest in conservative biblical scholarship are incorporated in this volume. (d)
Many Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words, important to the understanding of certain passages, are discussed.
These words are transliterated for the benefit of readers not proficient in the biblical languages. Yet
those who do know these languages will also appreciate these comments. (e) Dozens of maps, charts, and
diagrams are included; they are placed conveniently with the Bible passages being discussed, not at the
end of the volume. (f) Numerous cross references to related or parallel passages are included with the
discussions on many passages.
The material on each Bible book includes an Introduction (discussion of items
such as authorship, date, purpose, unity, style, unique features), Outline, Commentary,
and Bibliography. In the Commentary section, summaries of entire sections of the text are
given, followed by detailed comments on the passage verse by verse and often phrase by phrase. All words
quoted from the NIV appear in boldface type, as do the verse numbers at the beginning of paragraphs. The
Bibliography entries, suggested for further study, are not all endorsed in their entirety by the
authors and editors. The writers and editors have listed both works they have consulted and others which
would be useful to reader.
Personal pronouns referring to Deity are capitalized, which often helps make it clear that the commentator
is writing about a Member of the Trinity. The word LORD, as in the NIV, is the English translation of
the Hebrew YHWH, often rendered Yahweh in English. Lord translates Adonay. When the
two names stand together as a compound name of God, they are rendered "Sovereign LORD," as in
the NIV.
The consulting editors-Dr. Kenneth L. Barker and Dr. Eugene H. Merrill on the Old Testament,
and Dr. Stanley D. Toussaint on the New Testament-have added to the quality of this commentary by reading
the manuscripts and offering helpful suggestions. Their work is greatly appreciated. We also express thanks
to Lloyd Cory, Victor Books Reference Editor, to Barbara Williams, whose careful editing enhanced the material
appreciably, to Production Coordinator Myrna Jean Hasse, to Jan Arroyo, and other people in the text
editing department at Scripture Press, who spent many long hours keyboarding and preparing pages for
typesetting, and to the several manuscript typists at Dallas Theological Seminary for their diligence.
This two-volume commentary is an exposition of the Bible, an explanation for the text of
Scripture, based on careful exegesis. It is not primarily a devotional commentary, or an exegetical work
giving details of lexicology, grammar, and syntax with extensive discussion of critical matters pertaining
to textual and background data. May this commentary deepen your insight into the Scriptures, as you seek
to have "the eyes of your heart…enlightened" (Eph. 1:18) by the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.
This book is designed to enrich your understanding and appreciation of the Scriptures,
God's inspired, inerrant Word, and to motivate you "not merely [to] listen to the Word" but
also to "do what it says" (James 1:22) and "also…to teach others" (2 Tim. 2:2).
John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck