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Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The Gospel According to Matthew
New larger format, featuring larger text size and additional margin space for personal annotations! The larger format enhances both individual and group study. Based on the Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition, this volume leads readers through a penetrating study of the Gospel of Matthew, using the biblical text itself and the Church's own guidelines for understanding the Bible. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights and commentary by renowned Bible teachers Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, as well as time-tested interpretations from the Fathers of the Church. These helpful study notes make explicit what St. Matthew often assumes. Or they provide rich historical, cultural, geographical or theological information pertinent to the Gospel--information that bridges the distance between the biblical world and our own. The Ignatius Study Bible also includes Topical Essays, Word Studies and Charts. The Topical Essays explore the major themes of Matthew's Gospel, often relating them to the doctrines of the Church. The Word Studies explain the background to important Bible terms, while the Charts summarize crucial biblical information at a glance. Each page also includes an easy-to-use Cross-Reference Section that runs between the biblical text at the top of the page and the annotations at the bottom. Study Questions are provided for each chapter of the Gospel to deepen your personal study of God's Holy Word. There is also an introductory essay covering questions of authorship, date, destination, structure and themes. An outline of Matthew's Gospel and several maps are also included.
86 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2000
10 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Scott Hahn
415 books1,326 followersScott Hahn is a renowned Catholic theologian, apologist, speaker, and bestselling author whose work has had a profound impact on contemporary biblical theology and Catholic thought. A former Presbyterian minister, Hahn converted to Catholicism in 1986 after an intense personal and theological journey, which he details in his popular book Rome Sweet Home, co-written with his wife, Kimberly Hahn. Their story of conversion has inspired countless readers around the world and remains a landmark in modern Catholic apologetics.
Hahn holds the Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is also the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biblical literacy among the laity and biblical fluency among clergy. Through the Center, Hahn leads a wide range of initiatives, including publications, pilgrimages, Bible studies, and the scholarly journal Letter and Spirit.
Educated at Grove City College (B.A.), Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Systematic Theology), Hahn brings a deep academic foundation to his work. His dissertation, Kinship by Covenant, was later published by Yale University Press and received praise for its theological insight and scholarly rigor.
Throughout his career, Hahn has emphasized the covenant as the key to understanding salvation history, showing how the biblical narrative reveals a divine plan that unites all of humanity into God's family. His works explore themes such as the Eucharist, the role of Mary, the sacraments, and the authority of the Church, often drawing on the writings of the early Church Fathers to bridge the ancient faith with modern understanding.
He is the author or editor of over forty books, including The Lamb’s Supper, Hail, Holy Queen, First Comes Love, Letter and Spirit, Swear to God, Reasons to Believe, The Creed, The Fourth Cup, and Holy Is His Name. Many of his books have become staples in Catholic households, study groups, and seminaries.
In addition to his writing, Hahn is a highly sought-after speaker, having delivered thousands of lectures across the United States and abroad. He appears regularly on EWTN and has collaborated with Lighthouse Catholic Media to bring his teachings to an even broader audience.
Scott Hahn lives in Ohio with his wife Kimberly. They have six children and numerous grandchildren. Together, the Hahns continue to lead efforts in evangelization and Catholic education, embodying a lifelong commitment to deepening faith and understanding through Scripture and tradition.
Hahn holds the Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is also the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biblical literacy among the laity and biblical fluency among clergy. Through the Center, Hahn leads a wide range of initiatives, including publications, pilgrimages, Bible studies, and the scholarly journal Letter and Spirit.
Educated at Grove City College (B.A.), Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Systematic Theology), Hahn brings a deep academic foundation to his work. His dissertation, Kinship by Covenant, was later published by Yale University Press and received praise for its theological insight and scholarly rigor.
Throughout his career, Hahn has emphasized the covenant as the key to understanding salvation history, showing how the biblical narrative reveals a divine plan that unites all of humanity into God's family. His works explore themes such as the Eucharist, the role of Mary, the sacraments, and the authority of the Church, often drawing on the writings of the early Church Fathers to bridge the ancient faith with modern understanding.
He is the author or editor of over forty books, including The Lamb’s Supper, Hail, Holy Queen, First Comes Love, Letter and Spirit, Swear to God, Reasons to Believe, The Creed, The Fourth Cup, and Holy Is His Name. Many of his books have become staples in Catholic households, study groups, and seminaries.
In addition to his writing, Hahn is a highly sought-after speaker, having delivered thousands of lectures across the United States and abroad. He appears regularly on EWTN and has collaborated with Lighthouse Catholic Media to bring his teachings to an even broader audience.
Scott Hahn lives in Ohio with his wife Kimberly. They have six children and numerous grandchildren. Together, the Hahns continue to lead efforts in evangelization and Catholic education, embodying a lifelong commitment to deepening faith and understanding through Scripture and tradition.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 3, 2012
One of my favorite studies I have done. I really like the format and questions and the notes were so awesome!
January 25, 2016
great book to use as a resource for a bible study.
March 17, 2016
See the review for the RSV-CE book of Mark.
August 3, 2024
AN APOLOGETICAL COMMENTARY TO MATTHEW'S GOSPEL
The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (also available in the complete edition) is intended to "lead the reader through Scripture according to the Church's guidelines---faithful to the canon, to the tradition, and to the creeds. The Church's interpretive principles have thus shaped the component parts of this book, and they are designed to make the reader's study as effective and rewarding as possible." (Pg. 10)
Authors Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch note concerning 1:3-6, "The inclusion of women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and the wife of Uriah) in a Jewish genealogy is unusual, but not unprecedented... All are Gentiles (Canaanite, Canaanite, Moabite, and Hittite, respectively), and three (all but Ruth) are associated with sexual immorality... These irregularities may reflect an apologetic strategy... By listing the immoral women in the generations before Solomon, Matthew implies that if these women did not disqualify Solomon as the royal son of David, then neither do they disqualify Jesus, who assumes the same title as the Messiah... Indeed, Solomon's birth through the immorally arranged marriage of David and Uriah's wife (2 Sam 11) stands in vivid contrast to Mary's virginal conception of Jesus by the Spirit." (Pg. 17)
They observe about the word "until" in 1:25, "The Greek 'heos' does not imply that Joseph and Mary had marital relations following Jesus' birth. This conjunction is often used ... to indicate a select period of time, without implying change in the future... Here Matthew emphasizes only that Joseph had no involvement in Mary's pregnancy BEFORE Jesus' birth. Mary's perpetual virginity is firmly established in Church tradition." (Pg. 18)
They argue, "Matthew does not regard the OT as a simple, pre-written script of Jesus' life... Matthew's OT citations appear to be unlikely candidates for messianic prophecies, were he not peering at deeper mysteries within their literal meaning... Matthew's reference to the 'Nazarene' (Mt. 2:23) is difficult even to locate. Thus Matthew is not assembling the most obvious OT prophesies about the Messiah and neatly attaching them to Jesus... That Matthew gathers obscure texts to interpret Jesus' infancy suggests that history is controlling his story, not the OT." (Pg. 20) They further add about 2:23 ["He shall be called a Nazarene"] "No OT prophecy corresponds to this exact wording. Matthew apparently paraphrases the message of several prophets into a summary statement about the Messiah." (Pg. 21)
About Jesus' statement in 24:36 ["But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only"], they suggest, "Christ's professed ignorance of this day and hour may be understood as hyperbole (overstatement), a teaching device used by Jewish rabbis and Jesus himself... Tradition maintains that Jesus' apparent ignorance is not a literal statement, but a figurative expression; for the Father and the Son share everything in common, including their divine knowledge... Here Jesus does not display any human knowledge of the time when the Father will send the Son to judge all nations, because this mystery lies beyond the scope of what the Father intends the Son to reveal." (Pg. 62)
Hahn's/Mitch's commentaries will be of great use to conservative Catholics---particularly those with an apologetic interest.
The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (also available in the complete edition) is intended to "lead the reader through Scripture according to the Church's guidelines---faithful to the canon, to the tradition, and to the creeds. The Church's interpretive principles have thus shaped the component parts of this book, and they are designed to make the reader's study as effective and rewarding as possible." (Pg. 10)
Authors Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch note concerning 1:3-6, "The inclusion of women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and the wife of Uriah) in a Jewish genealogy is unusual, but not unprecedented... All are Gentiles (Canaanite, Canaanite, Moabite, and Hittite, respectively), and three (all but Ruth) are associated with sexual immorality... These irregularities may reflect an apologetic strategy... By listing the immoral women in the generations before Solomon, Matthew implies that if these women did not disqualify Solomon as the royal son of David, then neither do they disqualify Jesus, who assumes the same title as the Messiah... Indeed, Solomon's birth through the immorally arranged marriage of David and Uriah's wife (2 Sam 11) stands in vivid contrast to Mary's virginal conception of Jesus by the Spirit." (Pg. 17)
They observe about the word "until" in 1:25, "The Greek 'heos' does not imply that Joseph and Mary had marital relations following Jesus' birth. This conjunction is often used ... to indicate a select period of time, without implying change in the future... Here Matthew emphasizes only that Joseph had no involvement in Mary's pregnancy BEFORE Jesus' birth. Mary's perpetual virginity is firmly established in Church tradition." (Pg. 18)
They argue, "Matthew does not regard the OT as a simple, pre-written script of Jesus' life... Matthew's OT citations appear to be unlikely candidates for messianic prophecies, were he not peering at deeper mysteries within their literal meaning... Matthew's reference to the 'Nazarene' (Mt. 2:23) is difficult even to locate. Thus Matthew is not assembling the most obvious OT prophesies about the Messiah and neatly attaching them to Jesus... That Matthew gathers obscure texts to interpret Jesus' infancy suggests that history is controlling his story, not the OT." (Pg. 20) They further add about 2:23 ["He shall be called a Nazarene"] "No OT prophecy corresponds to this exact wording. Matthew apparently paraphrases the message of several prophets into a summary statement about the Messiah." (Pg. 21)
About Jesus' statement in 24:36 ["But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only"], they suggest, "Christ's professed ignorance of this day and hour may be understood as hyperbole (overstatement), a teaching device used by Jewish rabbis and Jesus himself... Tradition maintains that Jesus' apparent ignorance is not a literal statement, but a figurative expression; for the Father and the Son share everything in common, including their divine knowledge... Here Jesus does not display any human knowledge of the time when the Father will send the Son to judge all nations, because this mystery lies beyond the scope of what the Father intends the Son to reveal." (Pg. 62)
Hahn's/Mitch's commentaries will be of great use to conservative Catholics---particularly those with an apologetic interest.
December 31, 2018
I love this series bc there are explanations of things I had wondered about and footnotes that are helpful
February 27, 2019
An easy to use commentary with wide margins for your notes. Really helped to prepare for Bible study and the Catholic Version gives teachings with references for the Catechism.
January 28, 2025
Great books for Bible study.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews