Colossians & Philemon For You is written by Mark Meynell and published by The Good Book Company. It’s a part of the “God’s Word for You” series, and I am happy to review and recommend this excellent book to you.
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About the Author: Mark Meynell
I was not familiar with Mark Meynell as an author, but it didn’t take long for me to like his content and his writing style. He is a gifted Bible teacher, and this shows very clearly in this volume. In the introduction and first few chapters, Meynell had already helped me to grow in my love for the book of Colossians. He quickly reminds the reader of the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ, and how He truly changes everything!
Meynell goes verse by verse through Colossians, and though this is not a large, technical commentary, he surely provides a great amount of teaching per verse. Not only is the commentary excellent, but the charts and diagrams are extremely helpful teaching tools as well. Meynell understands the books of Colossians very well, and he was an excellent choice to have author this volume.
One Critique of Colossians & Philemon For You
My only complaint about this book is its treatment on Philemon. This particular book received less than 20 pages of attention. Now to be fair, the entire book of Philemon is only 25 verses long. I think that many readers may have appreciated more of a treatment on that book, however. Meynell’s treatment on the topic of slavery within Philemon is definitely to be commended, and I think his present-day application is well thought out and God-honoring.
“God’s Word For You” Series
As Carl Laferton (the series editor) mentions in the preface, the aim of this series is to be Bible-centered, Christ-glorifying, relevantly applied, and easily readable. Each volume is written in such a way so that the reader may read, feed, and and/or lead. In other words, this book could be read from cover to cover, or as a daily devotional, or as a resource that assists in preparation to lead others through the study of God’s Word. These are not technical commentaries dealing with original languages or interacting with historical and recent scholarship. However, they are verse by verse expository guides to books of the Bible. Though not intended to be exhaustive in their interaction with the text, they are nevertheless quite thorough in their treatment of each verse.
Layout and Content
Each chapter is divided into two parts. As one works through the chapter, each verse is found in bold (making it very easy for those who are using this as a resource to teach). There are also bold headings that help the reader to know what each section of the text is about. I also like the added touch of the indented quotes found on some of the pages.
Each chapter includes questions for reflections. Now, please hear me out at this point! Many books provide questions at the end of a chapter. I am guilty of skipping over those questions at times because of how poorly they can be written (not always practical; sometimes too easy, sometimes too complicated; etc.). Meynell writes out questions that are actually helpful and useful! Don’t skip over these.
Lastly, I just want to mention that there is a glossary included at the back of the book. Every now and then, the reader will come across a word that is gray, indicating that the word is found in the glossary due to it being a word that is not used in everyday language outside of the church. This can be very helpful!
I recommend this volume within the series “God’ Word for You”. I have come to love this series, and it is because of excellent volumes like this one by Meynell. Tolle Lege, take up and read!
Other Book Reviews in the “God’s Word For You” Series:
- 1 & 2 Samuel For You
- 1 & 2 Timothy For You
- 2 Corinthians For You
- Ephesians For You
- Exodus For You
- Galatians For You
- John For You
- Philippians For You
- Psalms For You
- Luke For You
- Revelation For You
- Romans For You
- Titus For You
Related Book Reviews by The Good Book Company:
Disclaimer: My thanks to The Good Book Company for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
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