Best Books of 2016 (Gupta)

Last updated on: December 17, 2016 at 10:37 am by Nijay Gupta

Best Books of 2016 (Gupta) 2016-12-17T10:37:18-08:00 Nijay Gupta

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Well folks, it is that time of the year! Best biblical studies books of 2016.

book-contest-judging

**Overall Best Book: The Crosses of Pompeii (Bruce Longenecker)**

BWL

What an incredibly interesting book! This is how you build an argument and topple a specious consensus. You can find an interview I conducted previously with Longenecker about this book HERE. Several years ago, when my family and I were visiting Rome, we chose to visit Ostia Antica instead of Pompeii. Now I am regretting our laziness!

Longenecker is not done talking about Pompeii. Head over to Fortress Press’ website and check out some of his other projects.

Best Gospels Book: Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels

ESG

This award deservedly goes to Richard Hays for his much anticipated Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Hays is such a creative theologian, and is able to bring fresh insight to so many Gospel texts through his famous intertextual readings. We already received a foretaste in his Reading Backwards, but this “big brother” volume gets down and dirty in many passages from the Gospels.

**Best Paul Book: Paul and the Gift (John Barclay)**

I was not able to call it in 2015 because I did not read the book, but now it is time – Paul and the Gift. As many have already said, it is a game-changer, and will be a starting point for new discussions of Paul’s theology – Sanders on covenantal nomism and Barclay on gift and grace, these two must be reckoned with. I think there is more to be said (ahem, I am trying to make my own modest contribution in a coming monograph), but Barclay has set a high bar for methodology and attention to the details. He is also a dynamic theological thinker.

Honorable Mention: Paul and the Apocalyptic Imagination (ed. Blackwell, Goodrich, and Maston). The buzzword “apocalyptic” is put under the microscope and analyzed by specialists.

**Best Commentary: When in Romans (Beverly Gaventa)**

Actually, this is not technically a commentary, but I want to give this award to Beverly Gaventa for her When in Romans. It is more of a collection of short essays on Romans, but it is well deserving of merit and acclaim. She writes compellingly and this is an appetizing foretaste of her Romans commentary.

Honorable Mention: The “Wisdom Commentary Series” from Liturgical launched this year – it is a full-fledged commentary series that draws from feminist interpretation. I have had a chance to read much of the 1-2 Thessalonians volume and it is a really helpful treatment, esp in a context where some scholars believe the church was “all male.” This commentary (rightly IMO) challenges that view.

Honorable Mention: 1-2 Thessalonians, Two Horizons (Andy Johnson). Between Weima, Fee, Malherbe, and the future ICC from Donfried, pretty much every nook and cranny of 1-2 Thess has been covered by scholarship. But Johnson does a great service of thinking theologically about these letters, on their own, but also within the canon and Christian thought. He draws out the Missio Dei in these letters, and also important ways that we can refresh holiness language in theology today.

Best Language Book: The Greek Verb Revisited (ed. S. Runge and C. Fresch)

Hot off the presses, I just got my copy (this week) of The Greek Verb Revisited. I happened to be in Cambridge (UK) just when this conference was taking place, and I got a sense for the buzz and excitement around this important discussion. I have been making my Greek students drool at the prospects of this volume for months, and I now know it really will impact biblical Greek studies. I plan on having my students interact with some of this.

Honorable Mention: Intermediate Greek Grammar (D. Mathewson, E. Emig). Since I received this book in early fall, I have been using it to supplement my lectures from Croy. Croy is weakest in the area of verbal aspect, and Mathewson/Emig simplify their up-to-date approach to syntax making it more attractive over alternatives.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 1, 2016

Destroyer of the Gods by Larry Hurtado (Gupta)

Next Post

December 29, 2016 Paul in the Greco-Roman World 2nd ed (Gupta)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category (Mis)Understanding Philippians 10 Things I Can't Live Without 2023 New Books 30 OT HB Scholars to Read and Follow 5 Books Series 50-2-Follow Academia Christian Theologians to Read and Follow Cruciform Scripture: Contributor Reflections Crux Sola TV Editors Behind Great Books in NT Studies Education Gendering the Holy Spirit Gupta FB Live Lectures In Faith and Doubt In Their Own Words Living the King Jesus Gospel My Top 6 OT Commentaries New Testament Resource Guide New Word Biblical Themes Nijay's A Very Library Christmas Shopping Guide Notes from an Editor Notes on New Books NTRG OT in the NT Paul Seminary Now The Bible in God's World The Word Felt Among Us SPENCER Translating Philippians Uncategorized Why I Use Accordance Women in Ministry

Select a Month March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz