Reading the New Testament, 2nd Series: Interview with Series Editor Todd D. Still

Helwys has launched a second series of the Reading the New Testament commentary. The new editor is Todd D. Still. He was kind enough to answer some questions about this new series. You can learn more about the series HERE.

The Original Reading the New Testament series was pretty good. What were some features of that series you liked? Are there standout volumes that appealed to you?

The 13-volume Reading the New Testament edited by Charles H. Talbert was—and remains—a valuable commentary series for any number of reasons. Neither too concise nor too expansive, volumes in this series are a manageable length. Instead of explicating every word, commentators analyze sections of Scripture, focusing upon both literary aspects and theological contents of the biblical texts in their original historical contexts—replete with probative parallels. While undergirded by considerable scholarship, the commentaries are non-technical. As a result, they are accessible to a broad readership.

Although I have benefited from any number of commentaries with the series, I have found Reading Matthew by David Garland and Reading Acts by Charles Talbert to be particularly insightful and helpful.

Why is a new RNT series (with new writers) needed?

While a number of the volumes in Reading the New Testament commentary series have aged well over time, like all series, some volumes are stronger than others. Additionally, a few of the volumes within the original series are now over thirty years old. Even though the biblical text is more than less stable, New Testament scholarship has moved on apace, making a revised version desirable if not essential. One might also note that whereas Dr. Talbert wrote four volumes within the original series (Luke, John, Acts, and 1-2 Corinthians), I will only contribute the volume of Galatians.

Who is the audience for this series?

The audience envisioned for Reading the New Testament: Second Series is serious, or at least curious, students of Scripture. Whether a lay reader, student, minister, or scholar, one ought to be able to find sure-footed commentary and fresh insights in the volumes comprising the series.

Why, as an editor, are you excited about the new series?

As a beneficiary of a number of the volumes in the first series, I am altogether eager for a new generation of Scripture students and teachers to have access to first-rate scholarship at a fair price. Indeed, I will go so far as to say that one will search in vain to find a mid-length, non-technical, affordable New Testament commentary series of comparable quality.

Can you share some of the planned contributors?

Four of the 17 volumes have already been published. Current contributors include Andrew Arterbury (Reading Luke),  Timothy Brookins (Reading 1 Corinthians), Alicia Myers (Reading John and 1-3 John), and David Starling (Reading Ephesians and Colossians).

Additional planned contributors include Scott Spencer (Reading Mark), Eric Barreto (Reading Acts), Jerry Sumney (Reading 2 Corinthians), Sean Winter (Reading Philippians and Philemon), Carla Works (Reading 1 & 2 Thessalonians), Nijay Gupta (Reading 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus), Rob Wall (Reading Hebrews), Steve Fowl (Reading James and Jude), Mariam Kovalishyn (Reading 1 & 2 Peter), and Jamie Davies (Reading Revelation). Matthew and Romans are not presently under contract, and I would warmly welcome inquires and recommendations for these two volumes.

Dr. Still, what else are you working on these days?

Being a dean of a seminary amid a pandemic! With respect to scholarship, too much and not enough at one and the same time! I will not burden or bore you with the laundry list of things on which I am presently working, am meant to be working, or will be working. Whether commentaries, monographs, articles, or edited volumes, technical or trade, in one way or another, all roads (tend to) lead to Paul.