When you watch a sporting event on television, the broadcast crew typically includes two commentators. The play-by-play commentator tells you what is happening as a play unfolds, while the “color analyst” follows up with a more detailed explanation of why the play worked or didn’t work, what the coach or player might have been thinking at the moment, and so forth. The color analyst’s job is to give you an insider’s perspective, drawing you into the human drama behind the athletic event.
Like a play-by-play commentator, most study Bibles give you information about what is happening in a particular passage, but they aren’t always able to give you a sense of the “local color.” The Archaeological Study Bible is different. Like a “color analyst,” it focuses on the historical and cultural background of a passage, explaining how some of the things which may seem foreign to us made perfect sense in their original context. It’s a study Bible that offers you an “insider’s perspective,” drawing you into the human drama behind the Biblical text.
Want to find out more about the Archaeological Study Bible? Dr. J, who has the voice and manner to be a great color commentator himself, has just released a new podcast in which he discusses the Archaeological Study Bible’s distinctives and demonstrates how to use it in Accordance.
The Archaeological Study Bible is currently on sale through January 20th.