Book Review

Duane A. Garrett, Psalms 1-72 (POTC)

Garrett, Duane A.. Psalms 1-72. POTC; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2026. xxxiv+686 pp. Hb; $61.99.  Link to Eerdmans

Duane Garrett is John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament Interpretation and professor of biblical theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Garrett has published commentaries on Exodus (KEL, reviewed here), Job (EEC, reviewed here), Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs and Lamentations (WBC, with Paul House; NAC), Jeremiah and Lamentations (Kerux, reviewed here), Hosea and Joel (NAC), and Amos (Handbook on the Hebrew Text), and numerous other shorter commentaries and monographs.

This new commentary on Psalm 1-72 is the first volume of the new Pillar Old Testament Commentary. D. A. Carson remains as the editor for the New Testament. The Old Testament commentaries are edited by Eric J. Tully (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School). Tully is known for his work on Hosea and the recent Reading the Prophets as Christian Scripture (‎Baker Academic, 2022). Beginning with this commentary, Eerdmans has created a new imprint: Pillar Books. This will include all the Pillar commentaries and select monographs. Pillar commentaries now have a new logo on the spine. John Currid’s Joshua commentary will be the next volume published (due October 2026, reviewed here), with Gary V. Smith on 1 Chronicles in Spring 2027.Garrett Psalms 1-72

Garrett begins his sixty-four-page introduction by observing that “the Psalter gives us the vocabulary for prayer, confession, and praise” (1). The book is not really an overarching history of Israel, nor should it be read as a collection of messianic prophecies. This sets the tone for the commentary: Garrett will not engage in the increasingly popular typology found among many conservative commentators on the Psalms (see, for example, James Hamilton’s Reading Psalms as Scripture or his EBTC commentary on the Psalms).

Regarding the authorship and date of the Psalms, Garrett argues for a more personal and devotional function, even if they later found use in the Temple worship. The idea that the Psalter functioned as a handbook in the Second Temple period overlooks the oral nature of ancient music. People sang these songs everywhere. Psalms were often occasional and spontaneous (for example, the songs of Deborah, Hannah, Jonah, and Mary). None of those songs were composed for liturgical use, even if they later became part of temple liturgy. This is not to say that some psalms were composed as temple worship (the psalms of Korah, for example), but that cannot be the rule.

Are the superscriptions reliable for reconstructing historical context? Garrett answers common objections and concludes that the Hebrew superscriptions were added early, unlike the Septuagint, which contains obvious historical inaccuracies (for example, Psalm 137 could not have come from David). Many terms in the superscriptions were obscure when the Septuagint was translated, pointing to their antiquity. For example, the header for Psalm 5, “for the choir director,” is translated in the Septuagint as “for the end” (Εἰς τὸ τέλος).

Because many superscriptions identify David as an author, Garrett discusses the possibility that David authorship is reliable. In Samuel 16, David is described as a musician (cf. 2 Chron 29:30; David and Asaph are listed among Israel’s psalmists). It is therefore not implausible that David wrote some of the psalms. However, Garrett points out that some songs seem to be incompatible with David as the author. Psalm 5 refers to Zion and the temple, which post-date David.

He therefore suggests discussing authorship in the context of how ancient songs were composed and transmitted. For example, he cites Psalm 60:5-12 and Psalm 108:6-13, which are nearly identical. When David first sang Psalm 60, he would not have written it down with fixed, unalterable lyrics. As the song is sung repeatedly, transformations occur, in this case, with words used in different contexts. Garrett does not make this point, but this is what a modern ethnomusicologist would call “the folk process.” Singers adapted songs and tunes for many years, but only with the modern music publishing industry and the invention of recordings in the twentieth century did words and tunes become fixed. Artists as diverse as Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin adapted old folk and blues songs, resulting in quite different songs. David was not a Tin Pan Alley songwriter!

In the second section of his introduction, Garrett discusses the audience and occasion of the psalms. Biblical psalms mirror their cultural context as ancient Near Eastern prayers and hymns. He recommends Othmar Keel’s work, which traced similar motives and metaphors in the Hebrew Bible and the ancient world. However, Garrett warns his readers not to let parallel material govern their interpretation of the psalms. The original Sitz im Leben (“situation in life”) is impossible to know, and any given Psalm could have been composed for a generic situation or transformed to be less specific. Does the Psalmist actually need to be sick to write a song asking God for healing?

Garrett also discusses the Psalter’s structure and rhetoric. The Psalms are well known to have five subsections, but do they have a macrostructure? Is the Psalter a mini-canon that has a discernible narrative? He surveys several suggestions, such as a history of Israel, a history of the Davidic Dynasty, or a messianic or Christological reading in every psalm. Garrett concludes that most suggested macrostructures do not account for all the evidence. Some psalms simply do not fit the pattern. Most schemes rely on a reading of Psalm 2, 72, or 89 as “seams” hinting at a final editing of the whole Psalter, but even this can be challenged. Garrett does not deny that the Psalter has subsections, such as Psalms 42-83 as an “Elohistic Psalter” or the songs of Korah, Asaph, or the Songs of Ascent.  But he is less inclined toward complex theories of a final addition to the Psalter with an overarching plotline.

The second major section of the introduction concerns the rhetorical context of the psalms. Garrett begins with an overview and critique of form criticism, beginning with Hermann Gunkel. For Garrett, the formal elements of Psalm types offer little help, and a given psalm can rarely be classified as a single type. The search for an original Sitz im Leben is “dangerous and futile,” and Psalm headers are obscure and often unhelpful (21). Form criticism, therefore, adds little value and “seriously constrains interpretation” (22). He turns to the cultic interpretation popularized by Mowinckel. Some psalms may have arisen in the context of individual worship, but very few psalms explicitly reference a cultic context. Garrett examines the narrative, or salvation history view originally suggested by Gerald Wilson. The Psalms are messianic and can be read intertextually in the Psalter’s final editing. Garrett disagrees, because he thinks very few psalms have a coherent narrative (25) and any “grand narrative” imposes itself on the Psalter. Most suggestions for a “grand narrative” are “intricate but dubious patterns” (27). “A more promising approach” focuses on patterns of repetition in the Salter. There are duplicates, psalms, formulas, catchwords, and recurring motifs. He lists eighteen recurring themes, giving a deeper appreciation of the Psalmist’s poetry. For example, Garrett mentions enemies, mockers, false friends, complaints to God, and moral and spiritual instruction.

The most valuable part of his introduction is a long section on the nature of Hebrew poetry (40-57). This section could be read as a basic primer on Hebrew poetry. He begins by discussing meter, Masoretic cantillation, and parallelism. Parallelism is usually described as the most important feature of Hebrew poetry, although some scholars are moving away from, or past, parallelism as a formal category. Garrett provides a catalog of poetic and musical terms often used in the psalm superscriptions. Except for selah, these are brief introductions because the vocabulary is quite obscure.

Regarding the theology of the Psalter, Garrett begins by noting that the Psalter is so varied that it is difficult to make a general statement about the “theology of the psalms” (59). He offers several themes that appear often in the psalms, such as the importance of maintaining a holy life, enemies, and why the evil prosper. Since he has already rejected the idea of a grand narrative for the entire Psalter, he argues that the claim that the psalms are inherently messianic or Christocentric “cannot be substantiated” (59). Nevertheless, he discusses messianic prophecy at length and warns readers to discuss messianic prophecy in the psalms carefully. It is often too forced, or the result of “special pleading.” Any righteous character in the psalms reflects the character of Christ. Some messianic texts are considered fulfilled in the New Testament, but what that means is sometimes unclear. His example is in Acts 1:15-16, where Peter cites Psalms 69:25 and 109:8 as fulfilled. But was that prophecy? Or was Judas just the ultimate wicked man described in the Psalm?

But Garrett concedes that David’s experience in the songs often uncannily mirrors Jesus and can be described as “literally fulfilled.” Psalm 22 is his example. Some psalms referred to David kings in such exalted terms that they go beyond David’s actual descendants. This could be hyperbole (or propaganda?), or it could be considered messianic prophecy. Garrett considers Psalm 2 and Psalm 45 examples of oracular psalms, prophecies about David and his kingdom that are clearly eschatological. “Although some psalms are distinctly messianic, it is not correct to speak of psalms as messianic narrative” (62). Garrett cites with approval Ben Witherington’s observation that Isaiah was the “go-to source” for messianic texts, not the Psalms.

Garrett’s commentary on each psalm begins with a brief overview and introduction to the song, along with a fresh translation of the Hebrew text. He transliterates all Hebrew and uses footnotes for textual, lexical, and syntactical details. Readers without specialized Hebrew training should have no trouble following the commentary. He breaks the Psalm into major sections and summarizes his outline in the headings. He then provides a verse-by-verse commentary, making comments on keywords and grammar to illuminate the poetry. These are not too detailed. He provides 577 pages of commentary for 72 psalms, so on average only about eight pages per Psalm. After the commentary, Garrett adds about a page on the psalm’s theology. This might be considered “application” for sermons, but it is not a homiletical guide. Because he rejects a grand narrative for the entire Psalter, he rarely makes inner-Psalter connections, though he does relate the Psalm to the larger narrative of the Bible and Christian theology.

Conclusion. Pillar Commentaries are advertised as “careful, clear and conservative.” Garrett’s commentary on Psalms 1-72 is certainly that. But “conservative” needs careful and clear definition. This commentary is not conservative in the sense that it rejects the academic study of the text, nor does it refuse to interact with voices outside of the conservative bubble. The Pillar series as a whole is conservative because the authors believe the whole Bible is God’s word. Garrett therefore interprets the Psalms in a way that illuminates their complex poetry while also speaking to Christian theology and spirituality. As he says in his preface, Garrett’s goal is to help readers “see how every psalm has a profound meaning for the church” (xv). This commentary will serve pastors and teachers well as they present Israel’s poetry to a modern audience.

 

Other Pillar Commentaries reviewed:

 

NB: Thanks to Eerdmans for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book. This did not influence my thoughts regarding the work.

Andreas J. Köstenberger, Introducing Jesus: The Fourfold Gospel

Köstenberger, Andreas J. Introducing Jesus: The Fourfold Gospel. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Academic, 2026. 248 pp. Pb. $19.99   Link to Kregel Academic  

Andreas Köstenberger is well known for his work on the Gospel of John, including A Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters (Zondervan, 2009) and his new two-volume commentary in the Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series (Logos, 2026). He served as the editor of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society for twenty-two years. This new book is an introductory textbook on Jesus and the Gospels, condensing his Jesus of the Gospels: An Introduction (Kregel, 2020).

Andreas Köstenberger, Introducing Jesus

Köstenberger aims to provide an accessible textbook for high school and college students, as well as interested laypeople. His five main goals have not changed (p. 19-20), nor have his theological assumptions. But since this book is a primer on the Gospels, Introducing Jesus omits many technical details from his larger book. For example, although this book mentions a few key names for historical Jesus studies, the larger textbook has much more detail on the history of interpretation. The original text has many richly detailed footnotes; this primer has none. But this is not a problem since the target audience of the two books is quite different. Do college students ever look at footnotes? Köstenberger rarely addresses Synoptic parallels, and he does not cover source, form, or redaction criticism. But given the goals of Introducing Jesus, these critical methods are not important.

After an introductory chapter, Köstenberger covers each of the four gospels in four chapters (except for Mark, which receives only two chapters). There is no discussion of authorship or origins of the gospels, although there is a brief one- or two-page introduction before each new unit of the book that introduces the author, the distinctive contributions of each gospel, and some major emphases. Köstenberger then provides a running commentary for each gospel. In terms of depth, his comments are more than one might encounter in a good study Bible. He is brief and to the point (again, something that will appeal to students, even if that frustrates professors). Chapters begin with a chart outlining the section of the gospel under consideration, and occasional charts appear throughout the book. For example, one chart summarizes Jesus’s resurrection appearances (p. 196-97). Each chapter ends with a  few discussion questions and a short devotional reading based on the chapter’s content.

Köstenberger provides some teaching resources on his website, Biblical Foundations, including discussion questions, quizzes, exams (with a key for teachers), devotional reflections, and visual charts. The discussion questions match those at the end of each chapter in the book. The same applies to the devotional reflections. Under visual charts, there is a single-page PDF outlining each gospel. Each chapter includes a short, objective five-question quiz, but the four unit exams contain three essay questions each (and the final has two open-ended questions). I noticed that anyone could download the answer key. Perhaps changing this file to a password-protected PDF is a good idea.

Conclusion. Köstenberger’s Introducing Jesus certainly achieves its goal of condensing his larger, more academic textbook for use in lower-level classrooms. In this, the book is similar to Mark Strauss’s Introducing Jesus (Zondervan 2018), which condenses his Four Portraits, One Jesus (Second edition, Zondervan, 2020). By providing a brief running commentary for each gospel, Köstenberger’s book will be a valuable resource for laypeople working their way through the first four books of the New Testament.

 

NB: Thanks to Kregel for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book. This did not influence my thoughts regarding the work.

Lynneth Miller Renberg and Adam R. Renberg, Candles in the Darkness: Experiencing Advent with the Early and Medieval Church

Renberg, Lynneth Miller, and Adam R. Renberg. Candles in the Darkness: Experiencing Advent with the Early and Medieval Church. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2026. 182 pp., Hb. $29.99   Link to IVP Academic  

Lynneth Miller Renberg (PhD, Baylor University) is associate professor of history and associate director of the Honors College at Anderson University. She is the author of several publications, including Women, Dance, and Parish Religion in England, 1300–1600: Negotiating the Steps of Faith (Boyd and Brewer, 2022). She co-edited The Cursed Carolers in Context (Routledge, 2021). Her husband, Adam R. Renberg (PhD, University of St Andrews), is an assistant professor of theology at Anderson University and a theologian-in-residence and teaching pastor at Capstone Church. His publications include The Son Is Truly Son: The Trinitarian and Christological Theology of Eusebius of Caesarea (Brepols, 2021). Both contribute to The Anxious Bench.

Candles in the Darkness is not simply a Christmas devotional book. The book combines the insights of a historian (Lynneth) and a theologian (Adam). In their introduction, the Renbergs introduce the reader to Egeria, a woman who made a pilgrimage from Spain to Jerusalem in AD 382. In a letter, she described a Christmas procession from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, “walking from cradle to cross” and celebrating the coming of the Light of the World. The authors of this set of Christmas devotionals invite their readers to make the same kind of pilgrimage over the four weeks of Advent and the twelve days of Christmas.

Christmas Devotion

Each daily reading for Advent and the twelve days of Christmas includes Scripture to read, explore, and meditate on. Following Scripture is a meditation from a historical figure and a modern meditation written by the authors. Finally, each devotion ends with a prayer intended to spark the reader’s own prayers, drawn from Scripture or another historical figure. Each day’s readings are brief, rarely more than three pages.

Most readers will be familiar with Augustine, Anselm, or Francis of Assisi (or at least have heard of these names). But the Renbergs include readings from many unheard voices, including women who wrote spiritual reflections and had a significant impact on the church’s spiritual life. Hildegard of Bingen (ca. 1089-1179) is perhaps the most well-known female mystical writer included in the book. But readers will sample Macrina the Younger (ca. 327-379), the ninth-century Frankish noblewoman Dhouda, and Paula the Elder (ca. 347-404). The book also includes several obscure medieval liturgies, such as the Gregorian Sacramentary and Ethiopian liturgies, and books of poetry such as the Book of Exeter (ca. 970). At the very least, reading Candles in the Darkness may spark an interest in church history beyond “the usual suspects.”

Some readers might wonder how helpful an ancient writer can be. After all, many writers use typological or allegorical interpretations that miss the meaning of Scripture (from a modern reader’s perspective). As the Renbergs explain in their introduction to the book, ancient writers invite readers to “enter the text as active participants” (9). Any allegorical readings are faithful attempts to read behind the text. This sort of reading requires both the discipline of the mind and the heart (10).

Conclusion. Candles in the Darkness is a well-written Christmas devotional that invites readers into the unfamiliar world of medieval Christianity to think more deeply about Christ’s coming into the world. Although intended for reading during the Advent season, the book will reward readers at any time of the year.

Randall L. McKinion and Jason K. Lee, Joshua (Kerux)

McKinion, Randall L. and Jason K. Lee. Joshua. A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching. Kerux Commentaries. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Ministry, 2026. 301 pp. Hb. $28.99   Link to Kregel Ministry  

Kregel’s Kerux commentary series combines rich exegetical commentary with timely preaching to help pastors and teachers prepare sermons and lessons for the church. In this new commentary on 1 Corinthians, Randall L. McKinion (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) provides the exegesis. McKinion is Professor of Old Testament at Cedarville University. Jason K. Lee (PhD, University of Aberdeen) contributes to the preaching helps for the commentary. Formerly Professor of Theological Studies, Director of Center for Biblical Integration at Cedarville, Jason K. Lee (PhD, University of Aberdeen) now serves as Provost and Vice President of Academic Administration at the University of Mobile and is a Discipleship Pastor at Heritage Fellowship Church in Springfield, Ohio. Lee edited the Matthew volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture.

McKinion Joshua Kerux

Like other volumes in the Kerux series, McKinion and Lee divide Joshua into “preaching units” in three parts: Entering the Land (Joshua 1-12, twelve units), Distributing the Land (Joshua 13-21, five units), and the Final Days of Joshua (Joshua 22-24, four units). Observe that more than half the commentary covers the first twelve chapters of Joshua. This reflects the main problem with any commentary on Joshua, especially for one focusing on preaching the text. The first half of the book has all the exciting, preachable stories. The second half is rich in geographical detail but very difficult to preach or teach through. Except for the final challenge from Joshua, the second half of the book makes for difficult (boring?) sermons.

The twelve-page introduction begins with a brief discussion of authorship. Joshua 24:26 indicates that “Joshua wrote a book called torah” (34). But even the most conservative reader should not assume that the author of the biblical book is Joshua. McKinion and Lee do not accept the compositional theories of the Deuteronomic historian, as expressed by Martin Noth (34). Nevertheless, they state, “when considering the Books of Joshua through Kings, the reader, and the preacher of the Old Testament may no longer do so without recourse to the claims made about the Deuteronomic history” (35). Throughout the commentary, they consider how Josh will relate backward to the Torah, especially the book of Deuteronomy.

All this affects the book’s date. If the book’s origin is with the “historical Joshua,” even this depends on the date of the Exodus. But the final form of the book dates to the exile. The book uses the phrase “to this day” several times (e.g., 4:9, 5:9; 7:26). This may reflect an explanation of a given condition, an unusual object, or a practice. (an etiology). However, this is of no help since we do not know when “this day” was (37).

McKinion and Lee “take seriously, the historical veracity of the book’s claims” (37). They agree with a lengthy citation from Brevard Childs, distinguishing between the tasks of biblical interpretation and historical reconstruction. Both conservatives and liberals overemphasize historical reconstruction when approaching Joshua and miss the biblical and theological message. “This commentary has tried to take this warning seriously” (37). Are McKinion and Lee successful? In the main commentary, there is a little historical argument. Joshua is assumed to be accurate, so there are no lengthy excurses on the walls of Jericho, for example. There are other resources for the archaeology of the conquest, both positive and negative. This commentary is focused on preaching and teaching Joshua in the local church.

Regarding the theology of Joshua, McKinion and Lee focus on three major themes drawn from Joshan 21:43-45. First, Yahweh gave all the land to Israel that he had promised their fathers (21:43). Second, Yahweh gave Israel rest from their enemies as he promised their fathers (21:44). Third, none of Yahweh’s good words to Israel has failed (21:45). These main contours of the books theology are developed into a series of paragraphs on the promises to the fathers, the promise of the land, rest in the land, the coming heir the king, the importance of the Torah, serving the Lord, Joshua has a spirit filled wise man, and faith and trust in the Lord.

The theological section avoids making Joshua into a type of Jesus and interpreting everything in the book as foreshadowing Jesus. It also avoids the annoying tendency to make Joshua a model for contemporary leadership (Joshua the CEO?). They do discuss Joshua-Jesus typology. (59–60), but they avoid flattening out the book to the extent that Joshua is just a pattern for future Christology.

The Kerux series uses sidebars in the body of the commentary. In this volume, McKinion and Lee frequently provide a sidebar entitled “Where Have I Seen This Before?” (including an excellent chart on pages 80-82). These are intertextual links to the Torah. But these are far more than “Joshua is a new Moses.” In addition to these, there are several examples of intratextual illusions within Joshua. For example, there is a box comparing Joshua 3:7 and 4:14. McKinion and Lee include additional notes on the influence of Deuteronomy 31 on the book of Joshua and Chronicles (57-58).

The exegetical notes are based on the Hebrew text, which appears without transliteration. Grammatical and lexical details appear in sidebars labeled Translation Analysis. Readers without Hebrew will have no trouble reading the body of the commentary. Since chapters cover large sections of Joshua (often two or more chapters), the exegetical comments mostly cover paragraphs and individual verses.

In the commentary’s preaching sections, Lee offers assistance to the pastor or teacher preparing sermons on Joshua. This is much easier in the first twelve chapters of the book. The distribution of the land (Joshua 13-21) is divided into four parts (with the Levites and Cities of Refuge as a separate chapter. It is possible that this whole section could have been a single sermon on the theme of land and rest (see the sidebar on rest, 242-44). Lee divides his “creativity in preaching” section into a historical/literary option and a digital/life experience. For the first option, he gives an illustration drawn from history (although sometimes recent history). For the second, he offers an illustration that is more modern (popular books, films, YouTube videos, or common life experience).

I notice one shortcoming of the commentary. McKinion and Lee do not deal with the problem of violence in Joshua. Other than a sidebar on “devoted things” (125), little is said about God’s command to completely destroy Jericho and kill everyone in the city. Often, Joshua commentaries devote a section of the introduction of a major excursus to the “Canaanite Genocide.” For example, in his recent commentary in the Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (reviewed here), David Firth observes that Joshua narrates history in accordance with the conventions of the period. Following John Walton, he observes that ancient people believed land belonged to their god, who gives it to whom he chooses. The land did not belong to any one people. The land always belongs to God, who gave it to Abraham and his descendants.

Conclusion. This criticism aside, McKinion and Lee provide good exegetical notes and preaching tips to help pastors and teachers present Joshua to their congregations, which is the goal of the Kerux series. The commentary will be helpful to anyone wanting to dig deeper into this important Old Testament book.

Other volumes reviewed in this series:

NB: Thanks to Kregel for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book. This did not influence my thoughts regarding the work.

Paul D. Weaver, Faith-Affirming Findings

Weaver, Paul D. Faith-Affirming Findings: 50 Archaeological Discoveries that Validate the Historicity and Reliability of Scripture.  Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Academic, 2026. 360 pp. Hb. $46.99   Link to Kregel Academic

Paul D. Weaver (PhD, Baptist Bible Seminary) serves as Associate Professor of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary. His 2018 doctoral dissertation was entitled “From Archaeology to Exegesis: Archaeological Discoveries of Ancient Corinth and the Exegesis of First Corinthians.” Weaver edited the Learn the Word Bible Survey series and hosts the Bible and Theology Matters podcast.

In the forward and acknowledgments to the book, Weaver states that the goal of Faith-Affirming Findings is to provide “careful and accurate description of discoveries found throughout the land of the Bible” (17) and that the book is self-consciously “biblical archaeology” (19). In addition, the book has an apologetic agenda, as implied by the title. The discoveries included in the book are “particularly relevant to the preacher, teacher, and Bible study leader” (27). Weaver says, “these discoveries will strengthen your beliefs and affirm your faith in the historicity and reliability of scripture” (27).

Faith Affirming Findings

The introduction begins by defining some important terms. By “biblical archaeology,” Weaver means he is interested in the archaeology pertaining to the biblical texts. There are many locations in Israel and Turkey that are well excavated and important, but not useful as background for the New Testament. There is far more archaeology that pertains to the world of the Bible, but not necessarily to particular texts.

Weaver suggests that biblical archaeology sheds light on the cultural and historical setting of the Bible. This includes people, places, and things mentioned in the Bible. This will contribute to the overall historical reliability of scripture. There are some limitations to biblical archaeology. He suggested archaeology cannot prove crucial, theological claims of the Bible. Christian faith requires belief and trust that archaeology cannot provide (22).

Since archaeology requires interpretation, Weaver’s introduction also provides a few pages outlining the controversial minimalist/maximalist debate with respect to biblical archaeology. Minimalists assume that “the Bible is guilty until proven otherwise” (23). It presumes there are historical errors or mythological elements in the text since the writers were driven by an agenda. Maximalists, on the other hand, assume the Bible is historically reliable: “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence” (25). Weaver is clear: “I am in unabashed maximalist” (25). This is a brief overview of a debate among archaeologists, and it is good that Weaver states his position. However, the complexity of this debate is often the subject of entire books, and there is often a wider range of views than either minimalist or maximalist.

The book is divided into five sections. First, four chapters on the pre-kingdom. Second, Weaver devotes twelve chapters to discoveries pertaining to the kingdom, beginning with the House of David Stele and ending with Sennacherib’s Prism. In the third section, 11 discoveries from the exile and post-exilic period. From Nebuchadnezzar’s tablet through a chapter on biblical names found on seals and bullae. The fourth section collects twelve discoveries from the gospels, including the Jerusalem temple to the “crucifixion heel.” The final section of the book covers the apostolic era (the Book of Acts and beyond). These eleven discoveries begin with the politarch inscription (Acts 17:6) and conclude with the John Rylands fragment (p52), an early witness to the Gospel of John. It is not surprising that, given the topic of his dissertation, there are four chapters that focus on Corinth (Acts 18). Two chapters on Gallio (one on the bema seat and one on the Delphi inscription), a chapter on the Isthmian Games, and one on meat markets.

Each chapter follows the same general outline. The chapter begins by listing the relevant Scripture and then a brief description of the discovery. He then describes the artifact or site and provides a longer section on its significance for understanding specific biblical texts. Each chapter concludes with the location of the artifact (museum, etc.). Weaver some bibliography “for further study.” These are generally solid academic works, although I do notice quite a few Biblical Archaeology Review articles. If you are a BAR subscriber, these articles are available in their archive. Finally, each chapter ends with a QR code that links to a specific Faith Affirming podcast on YouTube. The book is illustrated with over 100 full-color photos.

Conclusion. On several occasions, I have presented a “top 10 archaeological finds” list for pastors and laypeople, covering both the Old and the New Testaments. My goals were similar to Weaver’s, although our lists differ slightly. I understand that selecting fifty examples evenly split between the Old and New Testaments is challenging. Informed readers will protest that Weaver has omitted some obscure site or find that they think is “the most important thing ever.” But consider Weaver’s goals. These are faith, affirming fines. Although I might want to see a longer chapter on the Dead Sea Scrolls or the importance of Arad (one of the highlights of my Israel tours—for me), Weaver has selected his fifty examples because of his apologetic interest.

The book is well written and illustrated and will be useful to pastors, teachers, and laypeople interested in the archaeology of the Bible. Weaver provides sufficient footnotes and a bibliography to point readers to more detailed and professional studies of these important finds and sites. Although it can be read from beginning to end, readers are encouraged to read sections that interest them (or randomly flip through the book and look at the pictures!) This will be an excellent resource for anyone who wants to understand the Bible in its historical and cultural context.

 

NB: Thanks to Kregel Academic for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book. This did not influence my thoughts regarding the work