The Concordia Commentary Series has been an indispensable resource for pastors, church workers, and biblical scholars for decades—enabling them to share and understand the Gospel with greater insight, clarity, and faithfulness to the original, God-given biblical text. The new Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series, a companion to the Concordia Commentary Series, expands the reach of the Concordia Commentaries and distills their wealth of biblical knowledge. 

Have there been times in your life when you’ve felt like you were at your breaking point? There have been many times in my life when I’ve felt overwhelmed to the point of questioning whether I was able to handle the challenges and situations I’ve faced.

As the father and his young adult daughter sat down to talk, she tried to express what she was going through, saying:

I’m so confused about who I am and where I’m going in life. When I was a child, life seemed simpler. Now my friendships seem to come and go. The dreams I had for my career haven’t been working out the way I hoped. I look inside and ask myself who I really am, but I’m not so sure anymore. I search my heart to try and discover what my passions are and where I should go next in life, but there, too, it all feels hazy and uncertain.

Have you ever been reading the Bible and come across a verse that was confusing? Or have you ever seen or heard someone quote a Bible verse and weren’t quite sure if it was being used accurately? When this happens, I find certain questions help clarify the meaning of such Bible verses. These questions help us to zoom out and see the broader context of the verse. Here are a few of my go-to questions.

It can happen at any time: Feelings of weakness and brokenness take over in hospital waiting rooms, just before a big presentation, or after unexpected phone calls. When the realities of living in a sinful world leave us empty, it’s tempting to search for a quick motivational quote, pep talk, or self-help book to bolster our efforts. Everywhere we look, we’re constantly encouraged to find strength by digging deeper into self-reliance. While slogans ultimately fall flat, God’s living and inerrant Word offers true comfort not by affirming our own strength but by showing our reliance on Christ. Easy to read, meditate on, and memorize, these five Bible verses offer strength grounded in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Anyone who has taken piano lessons or played a sport or learned a new language knows the importance of practice. A dedicated piano student plays every day at home. A language learner uses flash cards to memorize new vocabulary. An athlete runs drills, lifts weights, or studies new plays. Elite achievers often practice for hours a day.

The final moments of one’s life are tender, requiring pastoral care marked by compassion, prayer, and the promises of Christ. The “Commendation of the Dying” offers Scripture‑rooted words and prayers to comfort the faithful, strengthen hope in the resurrection, and entrust the dying into God’s gracious hands.

 “You might be a control freak.”

These words were spoken to me years ago during a summer internship as a hospital chaplain. As part of the internship program, my cohort had to write theological reflections related to our interactions with patients. In one paper, I explained my belief that God is in control, a belief I consistently shared with patients while ministering to them.

Often, listening to music is a passive activity. Parents absentmindedly turn on music playlists while cleaning, or drivers may flip to the local music station while on their commute. In these examples, music fills space more than it forms a relationship with the listener. While music can be enjoyed intuitively, deeper excitement and understanding come from active engagement with its elements, from hearing not just sound but structure, tension, and resolution.

"Everything happens for a reason!" It’s one of those phrases people say when they don’t know what to say. When we say it about a positive situation, it’s usually a lighthearted acknowledgment of a blessing or achievement.