Discover:+How the springs at Hierapolis help us understand why Jesus described the church at Laodicea as ÔlukewarmÖ+The background and circumstances of certificates of divorce in Judaism+How Jewish dietary laws provided a powerful metaphor for GodÆs acceptance of the GentilesBrimming with lavish, full-color photos and graphics, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary walks you verse by verse through all the books of the New Testament. ItÆs like slipping on a set of glasses that lets you read the Bible through the eyes of a first-century reader! Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into gripping immediacy. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. YouÆll deepen your understanding of the teachings of Jesus. YouÆll discover the close, sometimes startling interplay between GodÆs kingdom and the practical affairs of the church. Best of all, youÆll gain a deepened awareness of the BibleÆs relevance for your life.Written in a clear, engaging style, this beautiful set provides a new and accessible approach that more technical expository and exegetical commentaries donÆt offer. It features:+Commentary based on relevant papyri, inscriptions, archaeological discoveries, and studies of Judaism, Roman culture, Hellenism, and other features of the world of the New Testament+Hundreds of full-color photographs, color illustrations, and line drawings+Copious maps, charts, and timelines+Sidebar articles and insights+ÔReflectionsÖ on the BibleÆs relevance for 21st-century livingWritten by leading evangelical contributors:Clinton E. Arnold (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen), General EditorS. M. Baugh (Ph.D., University of California, Irvine)Peter H. Davids (Ph.D., University of Manchester)David E. Garland (Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)David W. J. Gill (D.Phil., University of Oxford)George H. Guthrie (Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)Moyer V. Hubbard (D.Phil., University of Oxford)Andreas J. K÷stenberger (Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School)Ralph P. Martin (Ph.D., University of London, KingÆs College)Douglas J. Moo (Ph.D., University of St. Andrews)Mark L. Strauss (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen)Frank Thielman (Ph.D., Duke University)Jeffrey A. D. Weima (Ph.D., University of Toronto)Michael J. Wilkins (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary)Mark W. Wilson (D.Litt. et Phil., University of South Africa)Julie L. Wu (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary)Robert W. Yarbrough (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen)