A year has passed since I decided to begin a commentary on Proverbs. I had planned to have it ready to go by this time – I failed. I don’t care to go into the details of what has consumed my time and energies over the past year – but life has been filled with work and ministry (praise God). So what now?
- I’m leaving my studies of Proverbs for the time being. Instead I’m undertaking a smaller book (Nahum). With only three chapters this will provide me with a “easier” place to work out my methodology.
- I’m reducing my expectations of myself regarding research before writing the volume. My goal is an orthodox, evangelical volume – not to innovate. For this reason I will reserve myself to a few commentaries and will not attempt to settle or innovate upon outstanding disputes. At this juncture (for Nahum) this looks to be the NAC, NICOT, NIVAC, DSB, and BKC.
- That said, I’ll still be spending a lot of time with the text itself – albeit through translations (I don’t know Hebrew) – I expect the NLT, NJB, NASB, NIV, NET, ESV, MSG, Lexham, and so on to play a significant role through repeated readings.
- I hope to complement these personal studies with discussions (in-person) with various individuals who have familiarity with Nahum and may be able to provide insights and comments which will be useful in the final volume.
- I’m reminding myself that b/c this is a free volume that will be largely delivered online I can considered it a first draft and yet publish it. I will use an iterative approach and hopefully in twenty years I will be able to present a volume which has been expanded with the knowledge I will accumulate in the meantime. At the same time, I believe this volume will be useful.
I expect the next volume after Nahum to be Jonah – a personal favorite of mine. Yes, yes, I’m going chronologically backwards. =)
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