221. Books on Old Testament theology

Further Reading:

Tremper Longman and Peter Enns, eds. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry, & Writings, 2009.

This dictionary provides scholarly articles and interpretations on scriptures from Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ruth, and Esther.

Gerhard von Rad Old Testament Theology, 2001.

First published in 1962, this work presents the Old Testament in the context of German theology.

Edmund Wilson The Scrolls from the Dead Sea, 1955.

In the late 1940s, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in Palestine. American critic Edmund Wilson shares ongoing debates about them among theologians and scholars. He also discusses what they may reveal about the life of Jesus.

222. Historical books of Old Testament

Geoffrey W. Bromilley Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (abridged), 1985.

Each entry focuses on the theological meaning of the words in this one-volume dictionary, which includes tables of the words in English and Greek. Cross-references direct you to the unabridged edition.

Walter Duckat Beggar to King: All the Occupations of Biblical Times, 1968.

Walter Duckat discusses the skill sets of over 200 occupations mentioned in the Bible among the Hebrews, Egyptians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, and other cultures from the era.

Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Andrea L. Weiss, ed. The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, 2008.

Women discuss what The Torah means to them. Biblical accounts of women, from Lilith to Esther, are covered. The book examines the relationships of Jewish women as presented in lore and stories as well.

Elaine Pagels Adam, Eve, and the Serpent: Sex and Politics in Early Christianity, 1989.

Prominent Biblical scholar Elaine Pagels reinterprets the meaning of one of the first stories in the Bible. She discusses the impact the common interpretation had on Christian history.

Gunther Plaut The Torah: A Modern Commentary, 1981.

The original edition of this volume was first published in 1981, but was completely updated in 2016 to include gender-neutral translations. Genesis is also presented in a fresh translation. It contains an index and aliyot markers, making it a valuable reference.

226.  Books on the Gospels and Acts

Janet Soskice Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels, 2009.

Janet Soskice tells the story of how, in 1892, two middle-aged sisters from Scotland uncovered one of the oldest existing copies of the Gospels, written in ancient Syriac, the same language spoken by Jesus. The story is an incredible account of self-taught scholarship.

Garry Wills What the Gospels Meant, 2008.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Garry Wills interprets the four gospels.

For more information on the Further Reading series, see Further Reading: Start Here.