As General Editor of the NIV Study Bible for the past thirty-five years, I want to pay tribute to the work of several leading scholars who served with me to develop and revise this massive work. These men sacrificed much time and energy, bringing all of their expertise and vast experience to this project before they were called home to glory.
Edwin H. Palmer, who had served so capably as Executive Secretary of the NIV Committee on Bible Translation and as coordinator of all translation work on the NIV, was appointed General Editor of the NIV Study Bible by Zondervan in 1979. On September 16, 1980, he departed this life to “be with Christ, which is better by far” (Php 1:23). Before his death, however, he had laid most of the plans for the NIV Study Bible, had recruited the majority of the contributors, and had done some editorial work on the first manuscripts submitted. I gratefully acknowledge his significant contribution to the earliest stages of the 1985 edition of this project.
Donald W. Burdick was one of the original Associate Editors of the original 1985 edition of the NIV Study Bible, with special responsibility for the New Testament. He departed this life on January 4, 1996, to be “at home with the Lord” (2Co 5:8) before work commenced in 1997 on the 2002 revision. I gratefully acknowledge his outstanding work on the original NIV Study Bible.
Walter W. Wessel was also one of the Associate Editors of the original NIV Study Bible (1985), as well as of the 2002 revision, with special responsibility for the New Testament. Although he was physically unable to be present at our final work session in March 2002, his handwritten proposals were available to us. Then he went home to be with his Lord on April 21, 2002. We thankfully acknowledge his substantial contributions to the original and revised NIV Study Bible. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord . . . they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them” (Rev 14:13).
John H. Stek was also one of the Associate Editors of the original NIV Study Bible (1985), as well as of the 2002 revision and the 2008 update, with special responsibility for the Old Testament (though, because of his comprehensive grasp of the whole range of biblical exegesis and biblical theology, he also made significant contributions to the New Testament). Then the Lord took him to glory on June 6, 2009. “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Ps 73:24). John leaves a huge void, and he is sorely missed.
Ronald F. Youngblood, who passed from earth to heaven on July 5, 2014, was also one of the Associate Editors of the original NIV Study Bible (1985), as well as of the 2002 revision, the 2008 update, and the 2011 edition, with special responsibility for the Old Testament. Now his “light and momentary troubles are achieving . . . an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2Co 4:17). I will miss him greatly, but I will see him again.
Kenneth L. Barker, General Editor