Well, time with family during Christmas ruined my attempt to finish up my reviews for the year, but I will finish them before classes start up again.  Anyhow, many other bloggers have commented on their top books of the 2009 year, so I decided that instead of repeating most of their thoughts, I would do a top list for the decade.  Of course this list is my personal favorites, (no claim to be objective here) and I will exclude commentaries, so here we go.

10. IVP Dictionaries (various editors) – Although Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (1992), Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (1993), and Dictionary of the Later New Testament (1997) were from the previous decade, New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (2000), Dictionary of New Testament Background (2000), Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch (2003), Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books (2005) and Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry and Writings (2008) are all from the 2000s.  These dictionaries are absolutely invaluable for students, teachers and pastors.  They act as portals into the depths of various topics in Biblical studies for students, succinct yet thorough introductions to material for teachers and tremendous time-savers and reference helps for pastors.

9. Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament – Peter Enns (2005) – Of course this book caused a significant amount of controversy and strife for many people, and I do not think Enns has gotten everything right (especially his understanding of the use of the OT in the NT), but his volume has opened the eyes of many non OT specialist students and pastors to many important issues in the interpretation of the OT and caused them to rethink and and sometimes reframe their theology of inspiration.  Whether you think that is a good thing or a bad thing may determine your view of the book and its author.

8. Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical-Linguistic Approach to Christian Theology – Kevin Vanhoozer (2005) – Like Vanhoozer’s earlier Is There a Meaning in this Text?: Bible, Reader & Morality of Literary Knowledge this volume not only changed the landscape of theological hermeneutics but has reshaped the how many readers (myself included) understand the relationship between Biblical studies and theology/ethics.  Thiselton’s The Hermeneutics of Doctrine may also be in the same category, but my preferences lean toward Vanhoozer.  I was selfishly sad when Vanhoozer left Trinity this year for Wheaton, before I was able to enjoy his teaching in class, but if it allows him more opportunity to write, then I cannot complain.

7. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament – ed. G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson (2007) – This book seems to be very polarizing, you either love it (as I do) or think it is just another evangelical attempt to provide an apology for a certain theology of scripture and revelation.  To those in the later camp, I suggest you leave the theological baggage at the door and look at the exegesis and content of this volume.  Consider the data and arguments put forward and see if patterns emerge.  Don’t neglect an extremely significant work and approach to a very important topic just so you distance your self from “conservatives”.  As for me, this might be in my top 3 most often referenced books.

6. An Old Testament Theology: A Canonical and Thematic Approach Bruce Waltke (2007) – I do not know how to say any different than I did in my review: “The most compelling aspect of this volume is Waltke himself.  The work does not break any new ground per se but approaches the study of Old Testament theology unlike most other works I have read.  Waltke’s desire for the reader to better know and love God by learning about his great acts in history comes out on every page.  It is unlikely this book will be used outside of evangelical institutions because of this approach, something I doubt Waltke would fret…the depth of the content, prose and reflection on what the covenant God of Israel has done is perfectly oriented for pastors, Bible and seminary students and informed laymen.  If you are looking for a text on the Old Testament that will stir you to love God more and earnestly follow Jesus, Bruce Waltke’s An Old Testament Theology may be your best bet.”

5. The Theology of Paul the Apostle – James D. G. Dunn (2006) – There are some classics works when it comes to a theology of Paul, and there have been some newer attempts, but Dunn’s volume is my far the best in terms of scope, approach and content.  One thing above all I have learned from reading Dunn is to not hold your preconceptions tightly and go whereever the text leads.  And while the text sometimes takes me places different than where it takes him, this book is the standard Pauline theology and probably will be for while.  If I did a best of for the past four decades, Dunn would probably show up on each.

UPDATE: El Bryan Libre’s sharp eye noticed that this volume was actually printed in 1998.  I was looking at the date for the printing of the 1st paperback edition.  I guess that means Fee’s Pauline Christology is back in!

4. The Resurrection of the Son of God – N. T. Wright (2003) – Just when you thought you could dismiss Wright’s work because you were a traditional conservative Reformed evangelical he comes out with The Resurrection of the Son of God, and he brings you not only the best defense of the historical physical resurrection of Jesus but also a treatment on resurrection in 2nd Temple Judaism, and to top it off a brilliant discussion of the relevance, hope and power in the Biblical understanding of resurrection.  Now if we could only get people to give him a fair reading elsewhere…we’ll see, but I doubt it.  Jesus and the Victory of God would certainly be on a Top of the 90′s list and I can confidently assume that the forthcoming work on Paul will be in the 2010′s in a decade.

3. Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity – Larry Hurtado (2005) – Both liberal and non-liberal (that means you author of #5) scholars had began to discredit the traditional understanding of Jesus’ divinity, not based simply on supposed late dates of the NT documents or even a naturalistic worldview, but that the earliest Christians did not understand Jesus as divine in the same way later Christian tradition did.  While it would not be right to simply call this volume an apology for traditional views of the divinity of Jesus, it certainly gave us a much better understanding of how the earliest Christians worshiped and understood Jesus as divine.

2. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony – Richard Bauckham (2008) – What Hurtado did for the understanding of the divinity of Jesus, this volume did for the reliability of Gospel accounts.  Most books of this scope usually set out to show how the individual narratives in the canonical Gospels fit the cultural and historical milieu of the 1st century.  While that approach can be very helpful, Bauckham’s approach to show the Gospel accounts as eyewitness account and reliable is of a different quality and a much needed and welcomed work.  With Hurtado, Bauckham might be the top scholar on early Christianity.

1. A Greek English Dictionary of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd edition – BDAG (2001) – When I was compiling this list I had my ten all set and then all of a sudden I realized that BDAG came out in 2001.  How could it not be #1!?  So I had to bump my previous #10 (sorry Pauline Christology, so close)  NT scholars, teachers, students and pastors probably refer to this book more than other on their self (I certainly do).  The advances in computer searching that made the update possible came in the 80s and 90s but BDAG came out in 2001 and we all are eternally grateful!

Honorable Mentions (in no specific order):

Pauline Christology (2007) – Gordon Fee

Stories With Intent (2008) – Klyne Snodgrass

Jesus Remembered (2003) & Beginning From Jerusalem (2008) – James D. G. Dunn

The Saving Righteousness of God (2007) – Michael Bird

The Mission of God (2006) – Christopher Wright

Backgrounds of Early Christianity (2003) – Everett Ferguson