Bach's "preaching" reflected what he read. The many sermon collections and commentaries in his personal library provided him with the necessary background for composing cantatas that interpreted and proclaimed the Word.

Only one item from Bach's library survives, as far as we know: the three-volume Deutsche Bibel (German Bible), edited by Abraham Calov and published in 1681-1682. Calov inserted Luther's comments on various Scripture passages or, if he could not find a comment by Luther, supplied his own.

The Calov Bible commentary is a vital source for understanding Bach's approach to Scripture. Each volume contains Bach's handwritten monogram. Bach underlined many passages, in both red and black ink and, most importantly, wrote his own comments in the margins. These markings give us a glimpse into Bach's personal beliefs and how he understood his vocation. Here are a few examples:

Exodus 15 records the song of praise sung antiphonally by those who had been released from slavery in Egypt, ...

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