Dr. Matthew S. Harmon

By DAVID GROUT
Media Relations, Grace College and Seminary

Dr. Matthew S. Harmon, professor of New Testament Studies at Grace College & Theological Seminary, recently published two books, “Studies in the Pauline Epistles: Essays in Honor of Douglas J. Moo” and “Philippians: A Mentor Commentary.”

“Studies in the Pauline Epistles: Essays in Honor of Douglas J. Moo”, published this past November by Zondervan, is a festschrift, a German word that loosely means celebratory writing. In academic circles it is a volume put together to honor prominent scholars for their contributions to their particular field of study.

“I studied under Dr. Moo at Wheaton and received my Ph.D. under his supervision,” said Harmon, who co-edited the project with Dr. Jay E. Smith. “I organized this project as an attempt to honor Dr. Moo for the outstanding scholarship in his ministry career as well as to try and give a snapshot of current trends in the study of Paul’s letters.”

The second publication, “Philippians: A Mentor Commentary”, is the realization of a longtime dream for Dr. Harmon, who started work on the commentary in 2008.

“Being able to spend several years immersed in Philippians was a fantastic experience, to see my own love for Christ deepen, to see my joy in the Gospel enriched, and my own heart expand to see the Gospel advance through partnerships in ministry was a remarkable experience,” Harmon notes.

“Philippians: A Mentor Commentary” will be a required text next session for New Testament Bible Exposition, an undergraduate class at Grace College.

“My hope is that the Philippians commentary becomes a resource for pastors, students, Bible study leaders, and for missionaries, to help them understand what Philippians means, how it applies to their individual lives, and how they can apply it to the life and ministry of the church.”

“The administration at Grace has been very supportive during this time,” said Harmon. “I was granted a one semester sabbatical in the spring of 2013, which played a significant role in me being able to finish the first draft of this commentary. The sabbatical, along with a reduced course load enabled me to be able to write and research.”

Both recent publications are available for purchase on Amazon and Christianbook.com. Copies are also available at Tree of Life Bookstore on the Grace College campus.

Harmon is also the author of “She Must and Shall Go Free: Paul’s Isaianic Gospel in Galatians.” Currently, he is at work on commentaries on Second Peter, Jude, and Galatians. Dr. Harmon blogs at www.matthewsharmon.com and can be found on Twitter @docharmon.