Summary
We approach Daniel by Wendy Widder with a readiness to be challenged and instructed, because this is a commentary that does not shy away from the text’s difficult questions, yet serves pastors and teachers with earnest care. Widder engages the Hebrew text through detailed discourse analysis, tracking the flow of argument and the literary logic that carries the book from imperial courts to visions of world history and divine judgement, and then to visions of hope. She attends to the place of Daniel in the Old Testament canon, and helps readers see how the text’s own structure shapes its message and application.
The commentary assumes some familiarity with Hebrew, yet the author’s exposition never becomes opaque. We find steady attention to the primary sense of the passages, inviting us to let the biblical author’s intent shape our proclamation and teaching.
Why Should I Own This Commentary?
We recommend this volume because it combines serious exegetical engagement with shepherding concern. Widder’s work consistently moves from careful observation of the Hebrew text toward theological reflection on what it means to live in the light of God’s sovereignty, justice, and mercy. For pastors preparing expositional sermons, her discourse-level analysis offers a framework that honours the text’s complexity and resists reduction to simplistic moral points.
Her structure and attention to literary form help the preacher trace themes of faithfulness under foreign rule, the Lord’s control over history, and the call to trust God in contexts of pressure and uncertainty. This is a stamina building commentary that rewards sustained engagement with the book itself.
Closing Recommendation
We recommend Daniel for pastors and teachers who want an exegetical commentary that respects both the Hebrew text and the theological depth of the book. It is demanding but enriching, helping the reader to preach and teach with confidence and care.
Wendy Widder
Testament scholar working in the contemporary period, writing with a clear concern for the church and its teachers.
She is best known for her commentary on Daniel in The Story of God Bible Commentary series, where she combines literary sensitivity, historical awareness, and theological clarity. Her work attends carefully to Daniel’s setting in exile, the shaping power of narrative and vision, and the book’s call to faithful endurance under pressure.
Widder is valued for her pedagogical clarity and restraint. She avoids speculative readings, explains difficult material patiently, and helps pastors communicate Daniel’s message without sensationalism or loss of hope.
Recommended titles include Daniel, The Story of God Bible Commentary.