Matthew

In this new commentary, the prolific scholar Ben Witherington III turns his attention to the Gospel of Matthew. The commentary appears in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series, which is designed to bridge the gap between credible biblical scholarship and the needs of students and less-specialized readers. To this end, the series adopts a very helpful “user-friendly” format that incorporates maps, photographs, and works of art. It also makes extensive use of colored sidebars (or special-interest boxes) that provide more detailed information on a range of issues. These sidebars are accompanied by an icon that identifies whether they relate to matters of language, culture, interpretation, or additional resources. Finally, the commentary comes with a CD-ROM that includes the commentary text, sidebars, and all the other visual aids found in the printed version. The end result is that the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series lives up to its promises in terms of presentation. With its large pages and wide margins, its extensive use of art and photographs, and the constant appearance of the sidebars, the final product is an attractive and readable text. All of this, of course, is enhanced by the accompanying CD-ROM. Prior to the commentary proper, Witherington begins with the obligatory discussion of introductory matters. [Full Review]