Few church members still argue whether or not salvation requires circumcision, but the writers of The NIV Application Commentary series believe Bible passages dealing with ancient issues like this still speak to today's church.

While nearly everyone understands the contemporary application of the Apostle John's words, "Amen, Come, Lord Jesus," portions of the gospel of Matthew, the letter of James, and nearly the entire Old Testament often need cultural translation before 20th century churches in Chicago and Los Angeles can apply their message.

The authors of The NIV Application Commentary series make this 2,000 year leap in relevance by looking at each passage from three perspectives: Original Meaning, Bridging Contexts, and Contemporary Significance.

• Original Meaning: explains the text's usage in its original, ancient culture.
• Bridging Contexts: relates the world of the Bible to today's world by focusing on both the timely and timeless aspects of the texts.
• Contemporary Significance: identifies contemporary situations analogous to the text, explores the variety of possible applications, and points out where Christians legitimately disagree.

The NIV Application Commentary series is a work in progress. The entire New Testament set is complete; Old Testament volumes are just beginning to be published.