Resources I Found Helpful When Preaching Through Nehemiah

By Tim Raymond

In my last article, I described my experience preaching through the book of Nehemiah and briefly mused on the challenges of preaching the book in its redemptive historical context. In this entry, I’d like to point our readers to some of the resources I found most helpful for rightly understanding the meaning and significance of Nehemiah and especially for understanding its place in biblical theology. I’ll first mention a few recommended commentaries, and then consider some more specialized resources. Again, consider this one of those blog posts you print out and file away for later use. I write as a busy pastor to other busy pastors committed to sound scholarship and expositional preaching.

Recommended Commentaries on Nehemiah (listed in the order I found them useful):

• Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther: New American Commentary by Mervin Breneman – I found this commentary surprisingly helpful. The author, a long-time SBC missionary to Argentina, is also a very capable scholar (holding a PhD from Brandeis) with the ability to digest scholarly minutia and communicate its significance in clear language. In preaching through books, I usually find myself relying on one commentary in particular as a go-to, foundational commentary, and for Nehemiah, this became the one.
• Ezra, Nehemiah: Word Biblical Commentary by H. G. M. Williamson – I despise the format of the Word Biblical Commentary and find most of its authors to the left of where I am theologically, but this one is particularly good. It includes lengthy discussions of critical matters (e.g., does this passage belong in Nehemiah or was it inserted by some later redactor?) that I usually skipped over, but when Williamson addressed the meaning and significance of the text, he really seemed to get it. He even delves a bit into contemporary application, which is unusual in my limited interaction with this series. A good one to check out, especially if you’re comfortable working with Hebrew.
• Ezra & Nehemiah: Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries by Derek Kidner – Kidner was one of those rare scholars who was able to say much in few words while holding the reader’s interest. This commentary shouldn’t be neglected because of its rather brief length. The author is not only a capable exegete but also understands biblical theology and that shines through from time to time. Because of its brevity, however, it should be supplemented with one of the above.

Recommended Resources for Understanding Nehemiah’s Place in Biblical Theology (listed in the order I found them helpful):

• Renovator’s Dream, the Interactive Bible Study workbook on Nehemiah published by Matthias Media – It’s possible that our readers may not be familiar with Matthias Media. They’re a publishing house based out of Sydney, Australia, creators of the well-known 2 Ways to Live evangelistic tract, and consistently produce high-quality Bible study resources that are particularly strong in the area of biblical theology (most of the writers for Matthias Media having been heavily influenced by the renowned faculty of Moore Theological College). Their Interactive Bible Study workbooks are designed to teach laymen how to study the Bible by studying the Bible and are particularly strong in showing how a book of the Bible fits into the overall scheme of redemptive history. This one on Nehemiah is an absolute gem. Without it, I’d be at a loss for understanding why Nehemiah is in the Bible and its role in redemptive history. The authors of this workbook even interact with popular interpretations of Nehemiah (e.g., “Just like Nehemiah, God’s going to help us build our administration building!”) and demonstrate why they’re faulty. If I could only recommend one resource for understanding Nehemiah’s biblical theology, this would be the one. Moreover, I distributed about 20 copies of this workbook to interested individuals in our congregation, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. It’s one you should really check out.
• The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, Fall 2005 – This series of articles, dedicated to understanding and preaching Nehemiah, is a goldmine. Fortunately, all the articles are currently free at the SBTS website. I printed them out, punched holes in them, and stuck them in a 3-ring binder along with a few other journal articles dealing with Nehemiah. The articles by Betts, Gentry, Dempster, and Fuller are particularly helpful in understanding why Nehemiah is in the Bible and its role in biblical theology.
• A Passion for Faithfulness: Wisdom from the Book of Nehemiah by J.I. Packer – You may be surprised to learn that the same guy who wrote Knowing God also produced a series of sermons going through the book of Nehemiah. Occasionally Packer slips into moralizing, but on the whole, this volume is very helpful. His insights into how Nehemiah chapters 4 through 6 fit into the overall scheme of Gospel history were a lifesaver when I was bewildered as to how to preach these chapters. For what it’s worth, he takes more of a Puritan approach to biblical theology than, say, the Moore Theological College approach (though they’re not contradictory). This book is also particularly strong on the practical application of Nehemiah.

Like I mentioned in my last article, my congregation loved our study through Nehemiah. I don’t recall ever hearing more frequent encouraging comments after sermons than during this series. The lessons on prayer, spiritual renewal, and God’s grand drama of redemption were apparently very helpful. Brother-pastors, Nehemiah is a book your people need to hear preached and the lessons contained in Nehemiah will, if preached accurately, engage and excite your people. My prayer is that these two articles on preaching Nehemiah will encourage and equip you for better preaching this precious portion of God’s Word.

Tim Raymond has been the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Muncie, Indiana since April 2006. He received his MDiv from the Baptist Bible Seminary of Pennsylvania in 2004 and has pursued further education through the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation. Tim grew up outside Syracuse, NY and previously served at Berean Baptist Church, Nicholson, PA (member and teacher during college and seminary) and Calvary Baptist Church, Sandusky, Ohio (seminary internship location). Tim met his wife Bethany at college, and they were married in May 2001. Tim enjoys reading, camping, wrestling with his three sons, and attempting to sleep.