Do you think it’s important to study Bible history and customs of the land? What books would you recommend?

When I used to teach hermeneutics and Bible study methods at Multnomah Bible College in Portland, OR, I always emphasized Bible history and culture a lot. I think it really deepens your reservoir from which to draw.

Some of my favorite resources:

The IVP Bible Background Commentary on NT, Craig Keener, is really outstanding. The classic is Edersheim’s Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah which is still good. K. A. Kitchen’s Ancient Orient and Old Testament is interesting. Wight’s Manners and Customs’ of Bible Lands is old, but good. I like the newer Compact Handbook of ...