Bible Commentary for Teens: The Jesus of the Gospels
Bible study is an important part of our family and homeschool time. When the kids are younger, it’s easy to do fun and simple Bible activities and read from the children’s Bibles that we have. As our daughters have gotten older, I’ve tried to find meatier resources for them that they can use for independent Bible study time. This includes moving into more detailed Bible commentary resources.
The Jesus of the Gospels from Kregel Academic is a thorough examination of the first four books of the New Testament, detailing the life and works of Jesus. It’s an excellent introduction to Bible commentary as your teen advances into more in-depth Bible study time.
Bible Commentary for Teens
- Why is The Jesus of the Gospels different from other Bible commentaries I’ve read?
- What makes it a good fit for homeschool high school students?
There are several key reasons I feel it’s a good option for homeschool Bible study.
1. It’s written by Andreas J. Kostenberger, who is not only a prominent New Testament scholar, but also a homeschooling dad. He wrote this book with his own college-aged children in mind, saying this:
I wanted them to have a reliable guide by their side as they read the Gospels, informed by sound scholarship but accessible and jargon-free. Surveying the market, I found that most books on Jesus were either written for other scholars or penned in a popular, if not sensational, vein.
In other words, the author wrote The Jesus of the Gospels to make Bible commentary accessible to teens and young adults instead of just scholars, yet remain true to the Biblical accounts. I believe he has met that goal with this book.
2. Although you can’t judge a book by its cover, this book happens to have a unique binding called gritty laminate, which makes it tougher than standard paperback books. Your teen can bend the cover without tearing it, easily wipe off fingerprints or other smudges from the cover, and highlight the pages without fear of ripping them or bleeding through. It gives it more of a textbook type quality as compared to typical Bible commentary paperbacks that I’ve used in the past.
3. The life of Jesus is fascinating enough without sensationalizing or embellishing anything. The author sets out to provide an accurate Bible commentary based strictly on the scriptures without opinion or overstatement. He does just that while giving us a thorough examination and explanation of the Gospels.
4. I believe that knowing Jesus is the foundation of everything in life. Bible commentaries such as this help us to get to know Jesus through his life, his words, and with historical context. Reading the Bible is the best way to do this, but having a good Bible commentary resource can only enhance that and help our teens gain understanding and take ownership of their faith while they work out a personal relationship with Jesus.
Homeschool Bible Study
I set out to read The Jesus of the Gospels myself before giving it to my oldest daughter (18). As I was reading it during my morning Bible study time, my younger daughters (10 & 12) were also having their own devotional time. It wasn’t long before all three of them were asking about the book and we were having discussions about it. I soon handed it over to my oldest daughter and she has been going through it on her own.
I did not make this book required reading, although you could certainly use this as part of your homeschool Bible curriculum. My daughters wanted to know more because I took an interest in it and talked about it. This is one of the teachable moments of passing on our faith to our children. There are so many ways to make talking about Jesus a natural part of your day that your children just want to learn more on their own terms.
My oldest daughter has commented on the layout of the book and how it has helped her to understand context that she had missed before when reading the Bible. It has encouraged her to think even more deeply about the scriptures.
The Jesus of the Gospels
You can read a sample of The Jesus of the Gospels or purchase it directly from Kregel Academic. You can also find it available for purchase on Amazon. There’s even a Kindle version if you prefer. Read more about tools to grow your faith on the new Kregel Academic blog.
If you want to encourage your teen in their faith walk and deeper Bible study (or even want a resource you can use yourself), I highly recommend The Jesus of the Gospels as a great place to start.
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