Bruce Waltke (Reformed Seminary) is one of the leading Old Testament scholars among evangelicals today. His newest publication is Genesis: A Commentary, published by Zondervan. Waltke combines solid scholarship with a teacher's touch that will make this a valuable addition to any preacher's library. In addition to his valuable exegetical insights, Waltke reflects on how the Bible's first book speaks to many of our pressing contemporary issues, from the environment to homosexuality.

One of the outstanding New Testament commentary series now in production is "The New International Greek Testament Commentary" from William B. Eerdmans Publishing. The series is well represented by The First Epistle to the Corinthians by Anthony Thiselton (University of Nottingham), one of the most gifted theologians in the world today. This exegetical and theological commentary is the most detailed and comprehensive commentary on the Greek text of First Corinthians available in English.

The "New Testament Commentary" series by Baker Books takes a more expositional approach, making it a useful tool for pastors and teachers. A recent release in this series is Revelation by Simon J. Kistemaker (Reformed Seminary), who helps his readers work through what can seem a maze of symbolic and figurative language in the last book of the Bible.

The publisher of the "Interpretation" commentary series also produces an "Interpretation Bible Studies" series through its Geneva Press imprint. The most recent release in this series is Philippians and Galatians by Stanley P. Saunders (Columbia Seminary). These small volumes are designed for small group or personal Bible studies, but often contain resources that can be of value to preachers.

One of the great losses to the church in the past year was the death of James Montgomery Boice, the gifted preacher and pastor of Philadelphia's Tenth Presbyterian Church. For many years I have enjoyed the contribution made by this outstanding Bible teacher on the radio and through his many books. Representative of his outstanding work is this two volume series on The Gospel of Matthew, published by Baker. Boice's work is an expositional commentary which grew out of his own preaching ministry. Any pastor preparing to preach in the gospel of Matthew will benefit from the insights of this talented expositor.

Another contemporary expositor who is serving the church through both pulpit and pen is R. Kent Hughes, pastor of the College Church in Wheaton, IL. His "Preaching the Word" series, published by Crossway Books, is one of the finest tools available for preachers. The newest release in that series is The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom. Filled with valuable insights from the text, useful illustrations and practical contemporary application, this book (and this series) are a "must-have" investment or any preacher.

Biblical Reference/Resources

Late last year saw the release of a major new reference work for Bible study. The Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, edited by David Noel Freedman (University of California, San Diego), contains nearly 5,000 articles concerning the books, persons, places, and major terms found in scripture. This substantial volume (1459 pages) includes the work of nearly 600 scholars, representing a broad range of theological approaches. The book contains some photos and other illustrations, though not as many as might have been expected in such a volume. It is a major contribution and is likely to find a place as a standard reference works for students of the Bible.