R. Kent Hughes' Preaching the Word Upgrade (12 Volumes)

Genesis: Beginning and Blessing

R. Kent Hughes

The book of Genesis contains some of the most beautiful and well-known stories in the Bible: the garden, the flood, the tower of Babel, and the lives of the patriarchs. But these are more than just good stories. They lay the groundwork for God’s relationship with humanity and for his plan for our salvation, making Genesis foundational to understanding everything else that happens in the Bible.

Genesis reveals much about human nature and the nature of God. From the actions of the first man and woman, we see where our rebellious, sinful nature originates. And through the whole book we see the hand of a sovereign God who is loving and merciful, but also just and holy. Time and again in Genesis, God showers his grace upon undeserving humanity, giving us our first tastes of God’s enduring faithfulness that shines throughout the entire Bible.

R. Kent Hughes, respected pastor and author of many other commentaries in this series, takes readers back to the beginning of the Bible and moves through Genesis with careful exegesis. He explores the superbly crafted structure of the book as well as the weighty themes it contains. For those who preach, teach, and study God’s Word, this exceptionally detailed work will reveal much about the beginnings of God’s great story.

Exodus: Saved for God's Glory

Philip Graham Ryken

To read Exodus is to encounter God. The book is about the mercy, justice, holiness, and glory of almighty God, who rules history by his sovereign power, saves the people of his covenant, and delivers his people from bondage. Once heard, the stories recorded in Exodus leave a lasting impression. Readers return to these great acts of redemption again and again because they give captives the hope of freedom.

In this Preaching the Word volume, Philip Graham Ryken mines the majestic book of Exodus for knowledge of God’s character and instruction for his followers. So much can be learned about God through the accounts of his deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, his many divine interventions for them, and his transformation of them into an independent nation.

At once theologically instructive and decidedly practical, this commentary moves readers to great rejoicing at God’s work in the life of every person following him on the path to spiritual freedom. Ryken skillfully relates how the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery anticipated the salvation accomplished in Jesus Christ, proving that God remembers his covenant and always delivers on his promises. For those who preach, teach, and study God’s Word, this book is more than just a commentary; it is a celebration of God’s faithfulness.

Numbers: God's Presence in the Wilderness

Iain M. Duguid

The book of Numbers tells the story of the events occurring in the years between the nation of Israel’s exodus from Egypt and their entrance into the Promised Land. The lives of two generations are recorded: the first lacking in faith and receiving their just punishment from God and the second believing the Word of God and so entering into their inheritance as his children.

Like those generations of Israelites, Christians today are in the midst of a journey between events of deepest significance—the death of Christ that was the exodus from bondage to sin and death and Jesus’ second coming to usher his children into the true and final promised land as a glorious destination to the journey. Author Iain Duguid seeks to aid both pastors and laypeople on this journey by explaining the profundities of the biblical text, especially its less transparent portions, and communicating the lasting message of God’s devotion to those who follow him in faith.

Isaiah: God Saves Sinners

Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr.

Isaiah is widely considered the deepest, richest, and most theologically significant book in the Old Testament. It is, without question, a profound statement by God about his own sovereignty and majesty spoken through his chosen spokesman, the prophet Isaiah.

In this expository commentary on the book of Isaiah, Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr., argues that Isaiah imparts a single vision of God throughout all sixty-six chapters. It is a unified, woven whole presenting God’s revelation of himself to mankind, breaking through our pretense and clashing “with our intuitive sense of things.” Ortlund makes a point of man’s uninterest in God and his unfailing inclination to disbelief, and thus the need for God to “interrupt our familiar ways of thinking.”

The emphasis of this addition to the Preaching the Word series is this: God saves sinners. He saves them willfully and powerfully and needs no help from us, presenting himself in all his unmistakable glory. The message of Isaiah, shown thoroughly and thoughtfully in this commentary, will reignite a passion for the glory of God in the hearts of believers and will present that glory clearly and potently to those who have yet to be brought to saving faith.

Jeremiah and Lamentations: From Sorrow to Hope

Philip Graham Ryken

The "Weeping Prophet," the rabbis said, began wailing the moment he was born. Jeremiah had reason to weep--he witnessed the devastating consequences of life without God.

Sadly, the relativism Jeremiah saw in ancient Israel predominates in America today. That's why his words are so relevant for our lives. Better than anyone else, Jeremiah exemplifies through his courage, passion, even his sufferings, how believers can live for God in a society that has turned against Him.

While the book of Jeremiah shared the last, desperate days of the Jerusalem he loved, Lamentations expresses the cries of his heart. Yet they reveal more than the prophet's grief--they are an attempt to reflect on the meaning of human suffering. Lamentations gives voice to the deepest agonies, with the hope that some comfort may come from crying out to God for mercy. Together the two books illustrate the eternal principle that man reaps what he sows.

It is a lesson the world--and the church--needs to hear. With the heart of a pastor and the knowledge of a scholar, Philip Graham Ryken applies these words of life to us today. His commentary will not only help you understand and teach from these spiritually relevant books, but inspire you with the courage and passion of God's personal call for you to live in these times.

Daniel: The Triumph of God's Kingdom

Rodney Stortz

Containing both triumphant stories of God’s provision and difficult prophetic images, the book of Daniel stirs readers’ imagination and interest. Examples abound of Daniel’s unswerving dedication to the God of Israel, and the prophet describes the coming days in striking detail.

Throughout this book the nature of Daniel’s God is revealed to us. God’s plans for the future judgment and deliverance of this world, and his followers’ relationship with him throughout these events, mark the book. He is a God who loves his people and is in sovereign control over all the events of this world. His knowledge and control over both present circumstances and future events is undeniable.

In this study of Daniel, Pastor Rodney Stortz showcases the coming triumph of God’s kingdom. Stortz’s careful exegesis and perceptive applications focus on personal holiness, the wisdom and power of God, and the importance of Daniel’s prophecies concerning the Messiah, the Antichrist, and Antiochus Epiphanes. In addition, this commentary uses the light of the New Testament to unseal Daniel’s scroll, giving a clear understanding of his prophecies. This expositional commentary shows plainly how central the book of Daniel is for understanding coming judgment and the necessity for faithful living until then.

The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom

R. Kent Hughes

Within the three chapters of Matthew known as the Sermon on the Mount are truths so rich and deep that no matter how often or how closely we examine their words, they continually bring new relevance to our lives. Do you want to know what kind of character you should have as a Christian? What should define your outer way of life and your inner habit of mind? Then study the Sermon. Ponder each sentence and test yourself by it.

There is no other section of Scripture that brings you face to face with your own humanity and the grace of salvation as the Sermon does. As Christ masterfully expounds on the Kingdom of Heaven, He presents believers with the perfect standard of the Christian life. He challenges the genuineness of our words and actions, allowing us to know exactly where we stand in relation to the Kingdom. Both humbling and encouraging, it is the greatest message ever preached.

Kent Hughes faithfully explores the words that penetrate our hearts, and brings forth the lessons from this matchless model of the Christian life.

Luke: That You May Know the Truth (Volume 1)

R. Kent Hughes

Luke’s carefully researched and “orderly account” of the life of Christ is one of the finest pieces of historical writing in all of ancient literature. Yet it also accomplishes its divinely appointed – and more personal – purpose: that people of every century “may know the truth”.

In this volume, R. Kent Hughes’ covers the first eleven chapters of Luke with precision and refreshing originality. Luke the historian--with his painstaking reporting--will make you certain about the truth of not only his Gospel, but the gospel. Luke the theologian--with his careful recounting of Christ's mercy and compassion--will touch you with God's love and grace. And Luke the physician--with his heart for people, especially the less privileged--will help you to love others more deeply. This may well be the only commentary you'll ever need to teach and preach the power, the celebration, the glorious message of Luke's beloved Gospel.

Luke: That You May Know the Truth (Volume 2)

R. Kent Hughes

"Those who study Luke cannot stay the same," says commentator R. Kent Hughes. "He took great pains to present the gospel with maximum power under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The result is a compelling story." Especially when it is read and studied in sequence, as Hughes has done in these two volumes.

This second volume of Hughes’ commentary on Luke starts with chapter 11 and concludes with Christ’s Ascension in chapter 24 of the gospel. Luke the historian--with his painstaking reporting--will make you certain about the truth of not only his Gospel, but the gospel. Luke the theologian--with his careful recounting of Christ's mercy and compassion--will touch you with God's love and grace. And Luke the physician--with his heart for people, especially the less privileged--will help you to love others more deeply. This may well be the only commentary you'll ever need to teach and preach the power, the celebration, the glorious message of Luke's beloved Gospel.

John: That You May Believe

R. Kent Hughes

While each of the Gospels presents Christ with a distinct emphasis, the Gospel of John focuses on His greatness. As the timeless Creator-God of the universe. As the Word made flesh. As the gracious Lover of our souls who is the only Way to the Father.

Instead of detailing the facts and events of His earthly life, as the other Gospel writers did, John concentrates on the meaning of Jesus' words and the message of His works, clearly presenting Him as the long-awaited Messiah with one mission in mind--to do the work of the Father who sent Him.

Follow along with Pastor Kent Hughes in this engaging, verse-by-verse commentary as he leads you through this magnificent Gospel. His careful exposition and wise application will guide you to a richer understanding of not only God's greatness, but of His great goodness to us all.

2 Corinthians: Power in Weakness

R. Kent Hughes

During Paul’s ministry, Corinth was a newly rebuilt, bustling, important city in the Roman Empire. It was a place full of pride, individualism, wealth, and religious pluralism. No wonder its inhabitants held little regard for Paul’s message!

Sound familiar? Our contemporary culture has much in common with ancient Corinth. The relevance of this book to churches today is astounding. Paul delivers powerful theology that turns the values of the ancient Roman world upside-down—the grace of God, the centrality of the cross, and God’s power made perfect in weakness. He challenges us to live counterculturally.

In this commentary on 2 Corinthians, Pastor R. Kent Hughes carefully examines this letter from the apostle Paul to the church in Corinth, continuing to provide rich biblical insight for the body of Christ.

1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: To Guard the Deposit

R. Kent Hughes & Bryan Chapell

There are substantial reasons to be energized by the prospect of studying the Pastoral letters of Paul. Between them they teach the proper ordering of the church (1 Timothy), present a developed challenge to all who call themselves disciples of Christ (2 Timothy), and suggest God's plan and priorities for mature ministry (Titus)--all so that the Lord may be most glorified.