(Say the Jesus Creed morning and evening during Lent.)
OK, I don’t normally get so corny for the titles of posts, but “B3” is how I often refer in my notes to Ben Witherington. B3 writes commentaries 4U. Ben is a commentary machine and I want to bring to your attention three more … and I’m trying to figure out how close he is to having a commentary on every book of the NT.
His newest commentaries are lucid, pastorally-useful, safe, theological; we now have a three-volume set from IVP on the General Epistles. Ben Witherington III (hence, B3) has a history of focusing on the socio-rhetorical intent of books and these commentaries live up to this history and carry it forward.
One of B3’s strengths is that he avoids getting bogged down in endless discussions of options and literature that turn commentaries on 4 page letters into 400 page disquisitions. B3 gets right to it; unfolds how he understands the letter; interacts with some literature but has no desire to document it all. Thanks Ben.
I cannot think of a commentary writer today more suited to the pulpit than Witherington’s many commentaries.
Letters and Homilies for Hellenized Christians 1: Titus, 1-2 Timothy and 1-3 John
Letters and Homilies for Hellenized Christians 2: 1-2 Peter
Letters and Homilies for Jewish Christians: Hebrews, James and Jude