"Best Bible Books: NT Resources" (John Glynn)

TITLE: Best Bible Books: New Testament Resources
AUTHOR: John Glynn
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2018, (336 pages).

We are blessed with a rich collection of biblical resources. Not only are there many reliable translations of the Bible in different languages, there are also many reputable commentaries, atlases, historical documents, ancient languages helps, and all kinds of resources for all levels of learning. With all the information available, there is another problem. How do we choose? How do we differentiate the good and the not so good; the different theological perspectives; and the many that have been published but unknown to large segments of the public. What about levels for beginners to advanced; Bible study guides to scholarly references; preaching helps and pastoral research? Amid the clutter of materials, many churches and leaders need to budget for the most appropriate set of materials at the right price. Even if we have the budget to buy complete sets of Bible materials, we still need a catalog or some guides to help us understand the resources we have and do not have. Enter this reference book that sheds light on all of the above. This thick volume contains many useful annotated references to the best Bible resources available now for all levels, across different technical difficulty. There is even a price indication! Now in its 11th edition, this volume has gotten so huge that it is dedicated to just New Testament resources. A separate volume is being prepared for the Old Testament. Some of the features include:

• Recommended Bible translations
• Bible study resources
• Reference tools
• Ancient languages lexicons / Language tools
• Concordance and dictionaries
• Comprehensive list of Commentaries for all NT books
• "Must Have" recommendations for pastors and preachers
• Pros and cons of single volume commentaries
• "Preferred" resources to help one make quick decisions
• Categorization of what is "Best," "Better," and "Good."
• An "Ultimate" NT Commentary Collection
• 
  

Every page is filled with information to help our decision making. Even for those who are familiar with seminary level materials, there is still a lot that they can benefit from.

Three Thoughts
First, this is a fantastic resource to have. In Bible schools, I remember having to ask professors or fellow students for a list of best resources when it comes to either research, reference, or purchase. Very often, the lists that many of us get from friends tend to be subjective. We need something that spans the spectrum of publishers and scans the best of the best; and the best of the rest. In one volume, we could not only save time but also money involved. This is probably the best single upfront investment prior to investing big money for other materials. It is a small fee to pay for the potentially large benefits we could possibly get. The best part of the book is the chapter on building a must-have library of resources. We get expert tips about the available resources and what we need to complete the library. It would be a shame if the best available are unknown to us. Thanks to this volume, we could get a good grasp of what is available out there.

Second, this book helps one plan the budgets for the best resources needed for the ministry of the Word. Many churches have annual budgets and they often base their numbers on previous years spending. Apart from the financial number, there is not much guidance with regard to budgeting for the best without breaking the bank. I remember my final year as a seminary student where the local bookstore was offering special deals for graduating students. For the limited amount of money I have, it becomes challenging to decide which to buy. Nowadays, with the widespread use of online stores, it is easier to buy anything at anytime. Unfortunately, places like Amazon often recommend on the basis of mass popularity or price sensitivity rather than suitability.

Finally, this volume helps us plan purchases based on what is most needful. The list is quite comprehensive as far as evangelicals are concerned. Many churches, students, or full time ministry workers have very limited budgets and could be tempted to just buy the cheapest resources which may not be necessarily appropriate. Using online recommendations can have their various biases based on some personalization algorithms that are also subjective. This book offers not just a good balance but a clear rational guide. In order to get the best Bible books, get this book first.

The late John Glynn was a freelance academic writer and has published widely with Kregel Publications.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Kregel Academic without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.