An Old Testament Theology

An Old Testament Theology, by Bruce K. Waltke ★★★★
This book was a heavy read taking me several months and a number of interruptions to complete the entire text of 969 pages. It was a very rewarding read, as Dr. Waltke was able to impart insights into the Old Testament text that few scholars would be capable of. Every chapter was a treasure house of a new understanding of old and familiar texts. Dr. Waltke is truly regarded as one of the pre-eminent scholars of the Hebrew language and Old Testament theology and is regarded as such by both conservatives and liberals alike. Yet, there is a dark shadow cast over this text. It seems like Waltke, in trying to appease all camps, will often give unnecessary ground to the liberal school of redaction criticism. For example, his discussion of creation is superb, yet he lapses into the theistic evolution interpretation of creation for no compelling textual reason. Throughout the book, he hedges. For Isaiah, he admits that Isaiah I, II, and III were possibly written by the same person, yet allows for a liberal interpretation that each book of Isaiah was written hundreds of years apart. His arguments against Solomon being the author of Ecclesiastes seems a touch weak. I could point out many other examples if I could have remembered them. This should not discourage anybody from reading this text as it is a goldmine of Scripture truth. One must only read the text with caution and discernment.