Seminary professor contributes commentaries for newly published women’s study Bible

In addition to the diligent work Liberty University Theological Seminary faculty members put into training the next generation of church and ministry leaders, many of them, like Biblical Studies Professor Dr. Jillian Ross, also dedicate significant time to impact the Kingdom through outside endeavors. Ross wrote study notes on the books of Judges and Esther for the new CSB Women’s Study Bible (2026) published by Holman Bible Publishers, an imprint of Lifeway, in January.

Ross was part of an all-female team of evangelical biblical, historical, and linguistic scholars who contributed study notes. She has extensive knowledge on Old Testament studies, having published her dissertation, “A People Heeds Not Scripture: Allusions in Judges” in 2023. She is currently working on another book on Judges with Professor Dr. Gary Yates as well as commentaries on Judges for WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. and Esther for Baker Publishing Group.

“To be able to take my scholarship and bring it to the church in an accessible way was something I had wanted to do and was excited to do,” she said.

Ross said an outreach on domestic violence that she led through the YWCA informed her work with the CSB project, specifically the section on Judges. She noted Judges chronicles the progressive spiritual and moral decline of Israel through the mistreatment and marginalization of women and the weak.

“Because it’s written from an evangelical perspective, I was overjoyed to be able to say some things that truly benefit the church and that have the church in mind. A lot of the notes are applicable to anybody — male or female — but to have that sweet spot that is targeting needs (of women today) was a joy for me because I had worked in a variety of ministries [and at a safehouse] up until last year for about eight years at my church.”

Ross is the director of Liberty’s biblical languages programs (focusing residential programs that have languages like the Master of Arts in Biblical Interpretation, Master of Divinity in Biblical Interpretation, and Greek and Biblical Languages undergraduate minors. She teaches graduate and doctoral courses on Hebrew, research methodology, and more. She said her ultimate goal is to support the seminary in its mission “to come alongside the local church in its quest to fulfill the Great Commission” by properly training current and future church leaders.

“I feel that when we are training students who may or may not become writers, all of them should be contributing to the local church. Most of them will be teaching in some capacity,” Ross said. “To be able to write at a lay level is showing them how to take biblical scholarship and bring it down. But to also write at that academic high level, you are contributing to a deeper understanding of Scripture for the scholarly community and the church.”

As someone who felt called to ministry at a young age, Ross said she appreciates the opportunity to share her passion for God’s Word with her seminary students.

“I think we have some of the most astounding students. I just love the culture here. Scripture says we have generally 80 years (on earth). That next generation is always coming up until the Lord returns. To be able to have this wonderful group of students who are hungry to learn the Word and serve the Lord and to be part of that is a blessing I would have never realized or come up with on my own.”