Pastors are tasked with the incredibly demanding job of caring for the spiritual, emotional, and, at times‚ physical needs of their people. While seminary is helpful preparation for many of the challenges pastors face, there’s far more to pastoral ministry than what can be covered in the classroom. Designed as a reference guide for nearly every situation a pastor will face, this comprehensive book by seasoned pastors Kent Hughes and Doug O’Donnell is packed full of biblical wisdom and practical guidance related to the reality of pastoral ministry in the trenches. From officiating weddings to conducting funerals to visiting the sick, this book will equip pastors and church leaders with the knowledge they need to effectively minister to their flocks, both within the walls of the church and beyond.

The wisdom literature of the Old Testament can be daunting. Sidney Greidanus, in the book’s foreword, describes Old Testament wisdom literature as “one of the more difficult genres to interpret and preach.”  Yet the numerous proverbs and sayings meet us in everyday life, teaching us much about understanding and applying the gospel.  

Pastor Douglas O’Donnell writes, “Just as every book of the Old Testament adds light to our understanding of Jesus, so the revelation of God in the person of Christ enlightens our understanding of the Old Testament.” Not only do the wisdom books teach us about Jesus Christ, but we understand the books better in light of the revelation of God’s Son. 

O’Donnell opens up the genre of wisdom literature through six chapters that look at how the gospel shines through Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job. He specifically centers on the first and last chapters of each book, noting how the texts illustrate “the wisdom of God in the sufferings of our Savior.” Pastors, church leaders, and students of Scripture will find this thoughtful volume demonstrative of seeing the gospel in the Wisdom Literature. 

The book of Psalms powerfully resonates with the whole spectrum of human emotions and experiences, resounding with heartfelt praise, humble confession, and honest lament.

Plumbing the theological depths, this guide explains the biblical text with clarity and passion—exploring the Bible’s ability to transform our emotions and incline our hearts toward worship.

Over the course of 12 weeks, each study in this series explores a book of the Bible and:

• Asks thoughtful questions to spur discussion

• Shows how each passage unveils the gospel

• Ties the text in with the whole story of Scripture

• Illuminates the doctrines taught in each passage

• Invites you to discover practical implications

• Helps you better understand and apply God’s Word

A Passage-by-Passage Commentary on Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon

Designed to strengthen the global church with a widely accessible, theologically sound, and pastorally wise resource for understanding and applying the overarching storyline of the Bible, the ESV Expository Commentary features the full text of the ESV Bible passage by passage, with crisp and theologically rich exposition and application. Editors Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton, and Jay Sklar have gathered a team of experienced pastor-theologians to provide a new generation of pastors and other teachers of the Bible around the world with a globally minded commentary rich in biblical theology and broadly Reformed doctrine, making the message of redemption found in all of Scripture clear and available to all.

With contributions from a team of pastors and scholars, this commentary’s contributors include:

C. John Collins (Psalms)
Ryan Patrick O’Dowd (Proverbs)
Max Rogland (Ecclesiastes)
Douglas Sean O’Donnell (Song of Solomon)

• In-Depth: Features passage-by-passage commentary on the books of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, taking a biblical-theological and broadly Reformed approach to interpreting and applying the text
• Experienced Old Testament Scholars: Contributions by C. John Collins, Ryan Patrick O’Dowd, Max Rogland, and Douglas Sean O’Donnell 
• Perfect for In-Depth Bible Study: Includes introductions to each book featuring an outline, key themes, author and date information, literary features, relationship to the rest of the Bible, and interpretive challenges
• Practical: Characterized by sound exegesis, biblical theology, global awareness, accessible application, and pastoral usefulness 

Designed to strengthen the global church with a widely accessible, theologically sound, and pastorally wise resource for understanding and applying the overarching storyline of the Bible, this commentary series features the full text of the ESV Bible passage by passage, with crisp and theologically rich exposition and application. Editors Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar have gathered a team of experienced pastor-theologians to provide a new generation of pastors and other teachers of the Bible around the world with a globally minded commentary series rich in biblical theology and broadly Reformed doctrine, making the message of redemption found in all of Scripture clear and available to all.

Contributors to this volume include:

W. Brian Aucker
Eric Ortlund
Douglas Sean O’Donnell

The Sacred Duty and Delight of Handling the Word of God

In order to understand, appreciate, and faithfully preach the word of God, pastors must discern the literary nature of the Bible. Instead of just acknowledging the various genres of Scripture, pastors and teachers should allow these genres to influence how the text is approached and communicated. In The Beauty and Power of Biblical Exposition, they will learn how to both read and preach the Bible as a literary anthology. 

To accomplish this, Douglas Sean O’Donnell and Leland Ryken teach pastors how to faithfully preach while keeping the original authors’ intentions in mind, helping them grow in their craft and love for God’s word. They explain how to read six genres—including narratives, parables, epistles, poetry, proverbs, and visionary writings—for the purpose of captivating congregations with the richness of Scripture.

• Written for Pastors: Especially young pastors or those just out of seminary 
• Practical: Contains guides, tables, and examples to help develop sermons
• Heartfelt: Written with the desire for pastors to learn and grow as communicators

Jesus is King. Standing as a central theme of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’s kingly authority has profound implications for how we live in the world and interact with those around us. In this reader-friendly commentary, seasoned pastor Doug O’Donnell leads us through the first book of the New Testament, highlighting key themes and offering helpful illustrations for preaching. Drawing on years of pastoral experience, O’Donnell shows how Matthew’s various emphases—including Jesus’s messianic titles, fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, teaching on the kingdom of heaven, and present and future role as judge—all relate to Christ's kingship. Designed to help pastors faithfully preach God’s Word, this commentary ultimately highlights Matthew’s call to all people to worship and obey Jesus, our humble King and gracious Savior.

Part of the Preaching the Word series.

Our culture holds the megaphone when it comes to talking about sex today. Yet the church has maintained a reputation for keeping quiet, hesitant to teach people about this sacred aspect of life. The Song of Solomon, however, holds nothing back as it sings loudly about the holy practice of sexuality and pushes us into the conversation with godly theology.

While this biblical text has been subject to a broader range of interpretation probably than any other book in the Bible, Wisdom Literature expert Doug O’Donnell offers this comprehensible guide to help uncoil its complexities and solve its riddles. He explores the poetry, themes, and wisdom of this song from a Christocentric perspective, and gives us a profound, rich, and witty reflection that encourages right thinking and behavior.

Showing how this “song of songs” is meant to teach us about biblical sexuality and God’s heart for his people, O’Donnell elucidates on the greatest subject of all time—love.

Part of the Preaching the Word series.

Engaging 12-Week Study Helps Readers Better Understand and Apply God’s Word

The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God’s Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) “Gospel Glimpses” highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) “Whole-Bible Connections” show how any given passage connects to the Bible’s overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) “Theological Soundings” identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture.
 
In The Parables of Jesus, Douglas Sean O'Donnell helps readers study some of Scripture’s most famous narrative parables—including the good Samaritan, the prodigal son, and the rich fool—and understand their place in the storyline of Scripture.

• Helpful Bible Study Resource: Features date and historical background, theological context for the Bible passage, “Whole-Bible Connections,” compelling reflection questions, and more
• In-Depth: Ties the biblical text in with the whole story of Scripture, shows how each passage unveils the gospel, and illuminates the doctrines taught in each passage
• Part of the Knowing the Bible Series: With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies help Christians see and cherish the message of God’s grace on every page of the Bible

The concept of "faith" holds a central position in New Testament and early Christian thought, yet this concept has not received the careful attention it deserves in the Synoptic Gospels. The present study offers a comprehensive analysis of "faith" as a key motif in the Gospel of Matthew, where it plays a major role in communicating this Gospel's vision for how readers should respond to the person and message of Jesus. The argument propounded is that Matthew's unique narrative portrayal of the Canaanite woman's faith (15:21-28) is used for pedagogical purposes, namely, that by comparing and contrasting her "great faith" with those characters expressing "no faith" and "little faith," Matthew uses Jesus's quantitative πίστ-terms to teach on the nature of true faith. She embodies Matthew's theological vision of faith! Even though she is a gentile outsider/enemy, she comprehends the universal scope and abundant blessings of Jesus's mission. Moreover, she acknowledges Jesus's messianic identity, correctly perceiving him to be both David's royal heir and David's Lord. Finally, based on who she perceives Jesus to be and the purpose of his mission, she demonstrates faith as trust manifested in action.