1. Jan 02 – Hope in the midst of a hostile world: The gospel according to Daniel
George M. Schwab
I used this short book in preparation to preach 4 sermons on the book of Daniel. As it’s not a technical book it should be used as a complement to other more technically oriented commentaries.
Reformed view, thus not dispensational.
Schwab suggests that Michael may be the angel of the Lord – Hence a christophony.
Gives several understanding of the 70 weeks.
3/5
2. Jan 17 – The Promise of the future
Cornelius P. Venema
Excellent treatment of all things latter days. Through an Amill position Venema looks at the majority held millennial views, spending a chapter on each view. ie. A chapter on Premill, Post Mill and A- Mill examining each in detail. Critical of the dispensational view Venema is convincing in his support of the A-mill position.
Also, quite a bit of time is spent on the doctrine of eternal conscious torment in hell, while also addressing the topic of rewards in the New World.
A whole chapter is dedicated to Rev 20 and it is superb!
4.8 oo 5
3. Jan 22 – Sanctification
Kelly Kapic
The Holiness homily is entertaining and then seems to fall into an academic mosh pit.
The reformed baptist will have much to disagree with chapter 4 as Brannin Ellis builds the case for those baptised in Christ as those forming union in Christ AND seals a participation in church matters, including infants – non-professing believers.
The essay on Wesley and Barth is beyond the grasp of the common layman.
Horton’s chapter along with Ivor Davidson’s chapter (9) was the stand out. Worth getting your hands on both those essays. Davidson’s doxological rendition of God’s holiness was a beautiful read and without a doubt the best essay I have read in the last two or three years.
Peter Moore’s treatment of gnome in Chrysostom the golden mouth and his Sanctification preaching method was enlightening!
Mixed Bag
3.8 oo 5
4. Jan 23 – Covenant and Commandment: works, obedience and faithfulness in the Christian life – NSBT 33
Bradley Green
Justified by grace through faith alone, and it is by faith alone we are also sanctified. It is an added or should we say an emphasis of the reformed view; Justification by faith alone but not a faith that is alone? According to Green’s monograph, the faith that justifies is also the same faith that sanctifies.
Towards the end we see Green affirm Blocher’s view of a Edenic covenant of creation rather than of works. Although a works covenant is not denied! What Green supports is the view that Adam had the ability to remain with life, eating from the tree of life and that was a bestowal of grace. The fall was banishment from the presence of God in Eden, removal from the access to the tree of life. Hence, the covenant stipulated in Eden was one of obedience given grace bestowed as life already given to Adam and Eve.
3oo5.
5. Feb 01 – The Kingdom of God
Jeffrey D Johnson
Excellent. The most straightforward book on understanding reformed baptist covenant theology. The explanation of the Abrahamic covenant – with two diverging covenants: One of promise and grace the other by works was excellent!
Johnson’s paragraphs summaries were very helpful to understand the historical redemption of man through God the Son.
The book is broken into two parts, the first being the exegetical discussion of covenant theology and the second an overview of God’s historical redemption.
4.7oo5
6. Feb 05 – Reading Mark in Context
Blackwell, Goodrich & Maston Eds.
The book goes through the major sections of the gospel of Mark by comparing contemporary second temple jewish literature. The book provides another dimension to the westerner’s interpretation of the gospel.
Very helpful to understand the context of Mark
4oo5
7. Feb 16 – Reading Mark’s Christology under Caesar
Adam Winn
Winn calls his approach to the commentary of Mark as Historical Narratival!
Dating Mark after the destruction of the temple, Winn recounts several similarities with Vespasian and Jesus, suggesting the Roman audience might’ve read the gospel as an apologetic to the deification of the Imperial Rulers?
Winn’s section on the humiliation as a literary analogy of a Roman Triumph was insightful. The historical context, although taken from a latter date; Post-Temple destruction under Vespasian’s reign is crucial to most of Winn’s arguments.
Regardless it was an excellent treatment of Mark under the historical and political Roman shadow.
4oo5
8. Feb 27 – Putting the Truth to Work: The theory and practice of biblical application
Daniel M. Doriani
Helpful textbook with plenty of, as you would expect from the title, practical steps to follow in preaching/teaching through a text and applying its universal truth.
The chapter on “Identifying the text” was also very helpful.
Also, Doriani spends several sections looking at how to interpret a narrative and then preach/teach from it. The method is detailed and very easy to follow. High recommended to anyone wishing to learn how to not only grapple with narratives, but how to explain them in detail, with valid application.
4.2oo5
9. Mar 04 – For the Glory of God
Daniel I Block
Block discusses the vital question of what does God require in our worship. Block’s focus is more on what does God prescribe and less on what is considered enjoyable or desirable
Just excellent!
5oo5
10. Mar 20 – Christ Crucified; Understanding the Atonement
Donald Macleod
4oo5
11. Mar 22 – Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament
Christ Wright
Does not affirm the covenant of works.
Nor the protoevangelium outright.
3.3oo5
12. April 02 – Union with Christ
A theology of retrieval. Returning to the classics to help enlarge their vision and exceed possibilities of the present.
Salvation is nothing less than a new identity in Christ.
Billings in chapter two discusses the reformed doctrine of total depravity with its counter part of total communion. I fond that very interesting.
Also, his engagement with Calvin on the beatific vision and the understanding of accomodation. Drawing upon Junius and Bavinck and their use of archetypal and ektypal knowledge; will Jesus for all eternity be our mediator even before face of God?
Chapter 4 confronts the modern preoccupation with the gospel and justice. Billings does a fine job, although at times complex arguing to demonstrate that although the gospel is not a call to justice, a call for our heroic actions, the gospel effects demand social justice.
3.8oo5
13. April 04 – Marriage, Divorce, and remarriage
Jay Adams
Excellent treatment of the permissible view
4oo5
14. April 17 – Hell under Fire
Eds. Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson
Sinclair Ferguson’s last chapter on the preacher and hell was excellent. Full of biblical counsel on preaching Hell with tears.
4.3oo5
15. May 01 – The Creedal Imperative
Carl R. Trueman
Excellent primer to creeds and confessions and a solid advocate to creeds and confessions.
3.2oo5
16. May 06 – The Russian Revolution
Sean McMeekin
Not for a beginner. There is too many names and cities to keep track without losing one’s way. That said, it was a helpful book in learning how the acts of socialism made their way into the Russian government.
3oo5
17. May 08 – Who am I (Booklet).
Jeremy Bridges.
3.5oo5
18. May 09 – Holding Hands, Holding Hearts
Richard Phillips and Sharon Phillips
Excellent book. Not just on “christian” dating. But on marriage.
Very useful for any christian couple setting out to partner with another christian.
5/5.
19. May 15 – The doctrine of endless punishment
William G. Shedd
Sheol is hell defended
3.4oo5
20. May 22 – Marriage: And the Mystery of the Gospel (booklet 117).
Ray Ortlund
Biblical theology on marriage. The beginning chapters concentrating in Genesis were worth the read. At 40 pages it was almost 50% which left less room for developing the biblical theological thread and still remain a booklet.
3.7oo5
21. May 24 – The Meaning of Marriage
Tim Keller
Less expositional and more pastoral with contemporaneous engagement.
The epilogue of 4 or 5 guidelines were helpful more in a sense of examples.
3.5/5
22. June 10 – Divorce
John Murray
Comprehensive, exegetical study. Permissible view
4.3oo5
23. June 11 – Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage
Jim Newheiser
Question and answer format but very well structured and answers what appears almost every conceivable question (I’m exaggerating of course0. Permissible view.
4.6oo5
24. June 13 – God’s Good Design
Claire Smith
Excellent handling of the text, easy to follow exegesis and her conclusions convincing. Complementarian.
4.7/5
25. June 18 – The Sabbath
Abraham Joshua Heschel
A jewish philosopher’s view of the Sabbath.
3.2oo5
26. June 20 – The Forgotten Fear
Albert N. Martin
4oo5
27. June 22 – The Plague
Albert Camus
Camus explores the philosophical view of life s the absurd in his novel The Plague.
3oo5
28. June 28 – The Consequences of ideas
R.C. Sproul
4oo5
29. June 30 – Jesus through the Old Testament
Graeme Goldsworthy
A brisk run through the major points on how to read the bible and see Jesus through various types. For the layman. Very good
4.3oo5
30. July 03 – Running for my life
Lopez Lomong
Lomong’s incredible story of being kidnapped as a 6 year old from his mother’s arms during a church service in South Sudan to being adopted by an American couple, to becoming an Olympian.
3.5oo5
31. July 10 – The Son of Man in Mark (1967 copy)
Morna D. Hooker
Excellent treatment of the key passages in which the title Son of Man is used by Jesus in Marks gospel.
4.7oo5
32. July – 11 Church Membership
Jonathan Leeman
4oo5
33. July 11 – Things not seen
Jon Bloom
Good for Sunday school, bed time stories.
2.8oo5
34. Aug 01 – The power and the glory
Grahame Greene
Novel
3oo5
35. Aug 07 – Critical Race Theory
Ricard Delgado and Jean Stefanic
3oo5
36. Aug 10 – Jesus on every page
David Murray
Several things I disagreed with. Especially as he begins suggesting “using the personal name [Jesus] more than His offical title [Christ].”
Also being a presbyterian holds to different understand of the covenantalism as a reformed Baptist would understand it.
2.2oo5
37. August 17 – Praying
J.I Packer and Carolyn Nystrom
The book offers a run through of a biblical understanding of prayer with its intention to inspire the reader to pray with reverence
3oo5
38. Aug 22 – Stand: A call for the endurance of the saints.
Ed. John Piper and Justin Taylor.
Personal examples of servants of God, pastors, preachers who have endured the hardship of ministry the the Lord has placed them on.
3oo5
39. Sept 01 – The Divine Christ
David B. Capes
Excellent resource. Capes explores the use of Yahweh “texts” in the NT and examines the correlation with the divine name and the use of kyrios, and ending with a chapter on Paul’s high Christology
4.5oo5.
40. Sept 18 – God’s Love
R.C. Sproul
Sproul investigate the unfathomable and incomprehensible love of God. A whole chapter is dedicated to hesed. Chapter 7 on the threefold love of God is worth the read. Broken into God’s Love of Benevolence, Beneficence and complacency, Sproul explains the complexity to God’s love. Sproul only spends minor Tim eon the threefold will of God; Decretive, Preceptive and Permissive. Sproul addressing ever so light on th eImpassibility of God, holding to a God of passions.
“[to regard God] as having no feelings. This robs God of His personal character and reduces Him to an impersonal force or blob of cosmic energy.” (153).
3.5oo5.
41. Sept 20 – Union with Christ
Constantine R. Campbell
This is an exhaustive review of the doctrine of Union with Christ. Campbell’s Magnus opus begins exploring the main “voices”. Followed by an excellent run through the exegesis of all relevant accounts of “In” Christ. 32 verses are considered to directly relate to the theme of Union and each is looked upon. Campbell then explores each use of “εν χριστω, Εισ χριστον, ευν χριτω, Δια χριστου” followed by metaphors and then a theological study for the remainder of the book.
At times Campbells view seems to reject federal headship and original imputed sin to man (344f)
Such a essential resource!
4.6oo5.
42. Oct 7 – Praying Life
Paul E. Miller.
Uses a lot of his family experiences to derive answered prayer. His suggestions should remain suggestions. Seems to have left very little (last 5 pages) to unanswered and suffering through prayer.
It’s understood his life of caring for the disabled is a prayer of suffering but it seems most of the book is concerned with answered prayer in the positive request. Not enough is said in the answered “no” through prayer. Some is said, not enough.
2.7oo5. Useful but the diamonds are definitely hidden in the rough.
43. Oct 13 – The Mystery of Christ
Samuel Renihan
Exceptional. Finally a book that wasn’t apologetic in design nor polemic in its tone. It is a run through on Reformed Baptist Covenant Theology. It is a no brainer; this book deserves to be in the library of every reformed baptist.
5/5
44. Oct 17 – The Art of biblical Narrative
Robert Alter
Alter begins with an excellent exposition of Gen 38 (Judah and Tamar) teaching how to read the stories in the bibles as Jewish narratives. Highlighting what to watch out for, where to pay attention. Not for those outside the academy.
He regards sections of the bible as historicised fiction.
3oo5
45. Nov 28 – Jesus’ blood and Righteousness
Brian Vickers
The defence of traditional reformed imputation.
Vickers gives a convincing case for both the non-imputation of sin and the imputation of righteousness. He seeks with an exegetical approach to demonstrate how the active and passive obedience of Christ although nuanced is but one obedience for the imputed righteousness of the saved. Vickers however, demonstrates how the righteousness of God is not our own but that of the son appropriated by faith located in union with Christ.
Excellent scholarly work.
4.6oo5
46. Dec 20 – The Kingdom of God
Ed. Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson.
3oo5
47. Dec 28 – Bullies
Ben Shapiro.
3oo5
48. Dec 28 – Delighting in the Law of the Lord.
Jerram Barrs
Unfortunately this book was not helpful in gaining much delight in the Law of the Lord for the simple reason, the Law itself (The Decalogue) was not discussed with any meaning exegesis.
Nor was there any explanation to the discontinuity/continuity of the Law held within the New Covenant. The Law and the New Covenant was mentioned in the last three pages, inadequately addressed.
I would say the title is extremely misleading.
2.5oo5