I read this book when i was 18. I am 33 now and can say that this book is foundational for the way i read, interpret, and understand scripture. It opened my eyes to reading it as it would have been read by its original audience. This is one of maybe 5 (if that) life-changing books i've ever read - pillars of my thinking. The basic premise is that the Bible cannot mean what it never meant. Thus, understanding the Bible's literary, historical & cultural context is critically important to applying & meditating on the Bible's message. It takes hard work to understand the original authors, and no one should ever shy away from this work who wishes to rightly know & live the Bible.If i could give this 100 stars, i would. I also strongly recommend reading Mortimer Adler's "How to Read a Book," which is referred to in Fee's & Stuart's book here.