Tom Wright - Acts for Everyone

Tom Wright
Acts for Everyone (Part 1; Part 2)
London/Louisville: SPCK/WJK, 2007.
Available from SPCK
Available from Amazon.com

Tom Wright's popular level commentary series (New Testament for Everyone) is in two volumes and is what I would call a scholarly informed devotional on the Book of Acts. Wright works through the book methodically and provides a translation, an opening illustration, and a brief description of the text. Some of the illustrations are worth the price of the book including the story of the bishop who lamented that when Paul preached there was a riot, but when he preached, they serve tea! I found particurlarly helpful Wright's discussion of Acts 15 and his illustration and explanation of the text was one of the best I've read with good application. Time and again, Wright anchors the story in the life and worship of the Church as it is illuminated by the Spirit and unyielding in its proclamation of Christ. Wright also gives several interesting biographical cameos too. That said, this is definitely not an exegetical commentary, I wouldn't rely on this resource for sermon preparation and the like, but it would make a good adult Sunday school resource.

I also recommend Wright's sermon: "Shipwreck and Kingdom: Acts and the Anglican Communion" given to the Anglican Consultative Council in Nottingham, June 2005. This is a good taste of what the commentary is like.