Grant Osborne’s Philippians: Verse by Verse is the latest in the Osborne New Testament Commentary series and certainly deserves notice. Our perusal and spot-checking found the happy qualities you would expect: well-informed, close to the text, and well worth the time. Below are the endorsements for the book.
Endorsements
Richard E. Averbeck, professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages, director of the PhD program in theological studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School:
Grant Osborne is one of the premier New Testament commentators of our day. This commentary and the series of which it is a part draws upon Dr. Osborne’s vast academic and ministry experience, and places it at the disposal of innumerable pastors and teachers around the world. The commentary introduces and treats difficult and critical problems, but the focus is on careful in-depth exposition of the meaning of the text verse by verse and its application in the life of the believer and the church. It is an offering of love to the Lord Jesus and his people that will bear much fruit for generations to come.
Jon C. Laansma, associate professor of Greek and New Testament, Wheaton College and Graduate School:
Grant Osborne embodies the mind of Christ (Phil 2:5–11) as he places his years of expert study in the service of this Pauline message and of the church to which this letter was sent. Students, teachers, mentors, small group leaders, and others will find here a sure-footed and reliable guide to Philippians.
Todd Habegger, senior pastor, Village Church of Gurnee (IL):
Dr. Osborne’s latest work on Philippians adds to a commentary series that will become a favorite resource for the many preachers and teachers who are looking for straightforward clarity in both interpreting and applying God’s Word. There are rich exegetical insights on every page—including wonderful word studies from the original Greek text—all presented without becoming overly technical or academic. Bible students and communicators will equally appreciate the wealth of practical theology and useable application points which effectively point to the enduring relevance of the message of Philippians.
Mark Keown, senior lecturer in New Testament, Laidlaw College (Auckland, New Zealand):
As with all Grant Osborne’s previous writings, this Philippians commentary is excellent. It fills a critical need in the church, bridging the gap between the more technical commentaries available and the needs of the people of God engaged in the world. The exegetical analysis is critically insightful. It fulfills its stated purpose: to provide a resource that will enhance devotional reading of Scripture and biblical studies in local churches. This is appropriate to Philippians and the other writings of the New Testament, as they were written from a deep desire to enhance the spiritual lives of the communities of God’s people. I believe that the Apostle Paul would be delighted that this work is available to God’s people today.
Scot McKnight, Julius R. Mantey Chair of New Testament, Northern Seminary:
With this new series, readers will have before them what we—his students—experienced in all of Professor Osborne’s classes: patient regard for every word in the text, exegetical finesse, a preference for an eclectic resolution to the options facing the interpreter, a sensitivity to theological questions, and most of all a reverence for God’s word.
Andreas J. Köstenberger, founder, Biblical Foundations; senior research professor of New Testament and biblical theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary:
The Osborne New Testament Commentaries draw from the deep well of a lifetime of serious study and teaching. They present significant interpretive insights in a highly accessible, spiritually nurturing format. This is a tremendous resource that will serve a new generation of Bible readers well for years to come. Highly recommended!
Craig L. Blomberg, distinguished professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary:
Grant Osborne has spent his entire professional career teaching and writing about good principles for the interpretation of Scripture and then modeling them in his own scholarship, not least in commentaries on numerous New Testament books. The Osborne New Testament Commentaries, therefore, are a welcome new series by a veteran New Testament scholar determined to spend as much time as God gives him in his retirement years distilling the conclusions of the finest of scholarship without bogging down the reader in detailed interaction with all the various perspectives that have been suggested. If all the volumes are as good as this inaugural work on Revelation, the series will become a most welcome resource for the busy pastor or teacher.
Stanley E. Porter, president, dean, professor of New Testament, and Roy A. Hope Chair in Christian Worldview, McMaster Divinity College:
Like many others in the church and academy, I have greatly benefitted from the writings of Grant Osborne over the course of my professional career. Grant has a gift for summarizing the salient points in a passage and making clear what he thinks the text means—as well as making it relevant and applicable to believers at all levels of biblical maturity. I especially commend the usefulness of these verse by verse commentaries for pastors and lay leaders.
David S. Dockery, president, Trinity International University:
For years I have found Grant Osborne’s commentaries to be reliable and thoughtful guides for those wanting to better understand the New Testament. Indeed, Osborne has mastered the art of writing sound, helpful, and readable commentaries and I am confident that this new series will continue the level of excellence that we have come to expect from him. How exciting to think that pastors, students, and laity will all be able to benefit for years to come from the wise and insightful interpretation provided by Professor Osborne in this new series. The Osborne New Testament Commentaries will be a great gift for the people of God.
George H. Guthrie, Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible, Union University
One of my most valued role models, Grant Osborne is a first-tier biblical scholar who brings to the text of Scripture a rich depth of insight that is both accessible and devotional. Grant loves Christ, loves the Word, and loves the church, and those loves are embodied in this wonderful new commentary series, which I cannot recommend highly enough.
Ray Van Neste, professor of biblical studies, director of the R.C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies, Union University:
Grant Osborne is ideally suited to write a series of concise commentaries on the New Testament. His exegetical and hermeneutical skills are well known, and anyone who has had the privilege of being in his classes also knows his pastoral heart and wisdom.
H. Wayne Johnson, associate academic dean and associate professor of pastoral theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School:
Grant Osborne is an eminent New Testament scholar and warm-hearted professor who loves the Word of God. Through decades of effective teaching at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and church ministry around the world, he has demonstrated an ability to guide his readers in a careful understanding of the Bible. The volumes in this accessible commentary series help readers understand the text clearly and accurately. But they also draw us to consider the implications of the text, providing key insights on faithful application and preaching that reflect a lifetime of ministry experience. This unique combination of scholarship and practical experience makes this series an invaluable resource for all students of God’s Word, and especially those who are called to preach and teach.