Deus Misereatur

  One time, a little over two decades ago, I taught an adult class at my church on the Old Testament biblical book, Leviticus . After one of those classes a parishioner walked up and disgustedly asked, “Why are you teaching on that book? Seriously?! None of it really matters anymore.” Even after I showed her how it clearly showed up in the New Testament, such as in Hebrews, she harrumphed and wheeled around and stormed off dismayed. So, needless to say, I was delighted when Jay Sklar, a professor of Old Testament and vice president of academics at Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, produced a new commentary on Leviticus. This 864-page hardback is part of Zondervan’s Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible (ZECOT). Though written with those who have the technical skills in mind, it reads well and will be easily followed even by those with little to no Hebrew in their tool bag.   The format is fairly standard for the ZECO...

  No one, just no one in their right mind writes a commentary on the book of Numbers, the fourth book of the Hebrew Scriptures. No one with any sense would dare delve into the tedium and trivialities of censuses and ancestry. No one with any sense, right? But lo-and-behold, Jay Sklar, vice president of academics and professor of Old Testament at Covenant Seminary, St. Louis Missouri, did just that! Adding his voice to “The Story of God Bible Commentary” series put out by Zondervan Academic, Sklar gives readers a 472-page hardback that will walk them through all of Numbers in a way that will surprise them. This straightforward, readable, and engaging (yes, I said it) commentary will take those who dare, and give them hope and direction and, most of all, it will give them Jesus.   As is standard in Zondervan’s “The Story of God Bible Commentary” the Scripture text is the NIV (2011) as the starting point of each chapter. Then it works through the passage by explaining what wa...

Leviticus Bible Study by Jay Sklar My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Are you willing to give Leviticus a chance?" That is the question that drives this in-depth and intensive study guide on Leviticus. Scott Behm, California Lawyer and Covenant Seminary graduate, teamed up with Jay Sklar, Covenant Seminary professor and Commentary-on-Leviticus writer, to give Bible students a roomy, 236 page softback workbook through Leviticus. The book is set up for individual use as well as group study, and ideal for older teens, young adults, empty-nesters, and the hoary-haired. It's friendly on the eyes and fuel for the soul! "Leviticus Bible Study" is a 29-week investigation that works through each chapter from two angles. The lion's share of the material is for individual preparation to be digested piecemeal through the week. There are reflection questions, a prayer, queries to be answered, applications and ways to respond. Did I mention that it's roomy, with loads of ...

Leviticus: An Introduction and Commentary by Jay Sklar My rating: 5 of 5 stars Years ago I taught a series of classes through Leviticus for the congregation I served then in west Texas. One day as we were wading through a particularly difficult passage, one of the women shouted out, "Why are we even studying this book? It doesn't make any sense and it doesn't matter, anyway!" Jay Sklar, professor of Old Testament and dean of faculty at Covenant Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, gives students of the Bible renewed reasons to read and relish this biblical book in his 336 page softback commentary, "Leviticus". This third volume in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series hands parishioners, pastors, and professors a learned, and yet lucid resource that will be referred to for years. Sklar's introduction alone is worth the price of the book. In the introduction the author maps out reasons for Leviticus, and how it should be read and heard. The author s...