These beautiful and eloquent books contain some of the most striking poetry and prophecy in the entire Old Testament. The book of Isaiah has been remarkably influential on art, music, political theory, missions, and evangelism over a long period of time, and many who are unfamiliar with Scripture can still recognize phrases and concepts from this great book. Likewise, the books of Jeremiah and Lamentation reveal God’s unfailing love in the middle of struggle, God’s faithfulness in times of transition, and God’s warnings against sinful excess. Larry L. Walker’s commentary on Isaiah, and Elmer A. Martens’ commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations bring the vivid imagery and poignant prophecy to life. 

Recommendations 

An enormously helpful series for the layperson and pastor alike because it centers on the theological message of each book and ties it directly to the text. This approach has been needed for some time and will be an invaluable supplement to other commentary series. 

—Grant Osborne 

A treasure house of insight into the biblical text. Written by some of the best scholars working today, it is an essential tool for pastors, students, church leaders, and lay people who want to understand the text and know how it relates to our lives today. Like the New Living Translation text it uses as its base, this commentary series is extremely readable. 

—Tremper Longman 

About the Authors  

Elmer A. Martens, PhD, is professor emeritus of Old Testament and president emeritus at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary (Fresno, California), where he has taught for over 30 years. He is the author of God's Design, A Focus on Old Testament Theology, and a commentary on Jeremiah (Herald Press). He was coeditor of The Flowering of Old Testament Theology and served for several years as the editor of the journal Direction. 

Larry L. Walker, PhD, held a professional teaching career with time split between Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Mid-America Baptist Seminary. Since his retirement in 1998, he has done adjunct teaching at several seminaries. He authored a commentary on Zephaniah for the Expositor's Bible Commentary and is also a contributor to the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. 

Series Introduction 

The Cornerstone Biblical Commentary series (18 volumes) is the product of nearly 40 scholars, many of whom participated in the creation of the NLT. The contributors to this series, who are well-known and represent a wide spectrum of theological positions within the evangelical community, have built each volume to help pastors, teachers, and students of the Bible understand every thought contained in the Bible. In short, this will be one of the premier resources for those seeking an accessible but fairly high-level discussion of scriptural interpretation.