A Brief Tribute to Gordon J. Wenham - by L. Michael Morales

Author, and doctoral student of Wenham, L. Michael Morales, offers a brief tribute to Gordon J. Wenham, who passed into glory recently.

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While sleeping peacefully on the morning of May 13, 2025, Gordon Wenham entered the glorious, heavenly presence of his Savior. He was a renown, world-class scholar justly esteemed by many internationally. Arguably, his Genesis volumes in the Word Biblical Commentary series remain unrivaled, and his Leviticus and Numbers commentaries continue to be used widely even for devotional readings. This is because Gordon, while a rigorous scholar, was also genuinely humble, writing simply and concisely, and avoiding academic jargon. He possessed a remarkable gift for understatement. For example, in a now-classic article, “Sanctuary Symbolism in the Garden of Eden Story,” which exposed a major fault line in Source Criticism, Gordon closed his presentation with the irenic submission that the sources may be ideologically closer to each other than was usually held.[1] A nearly up-to-date bibliography of his extraordinary output can be found in his festschrift, Reading the Law: Studies in Honor of Gordon J. Wenham.[2]

              What stands out to me (and likely to many of his loved ones as well), however, was his piety. The most impactful memories of my time under his thesis supervision were when he prayed with me before going over my submissions. He would quiet himself for a lengthy moment before beginning to pray, and then his voice would convey such awe and reverence, a profound awareness that we were approaching the majestic throne room of the transcendent Creator. His prayers were followed by moments of silence, too, and his expression was of one who was waking from a dream. Needless to say, biblical studies was not merely academics for Gordon Wenham, but a spiritual vocation. His wife Lynne shared in that calling as they offered warmhearted hospitality to students in their home. Through his publications, teaching, and doctoral supervision, mostly in the Hebrew Scriptures, Gordon sought to strengthen the Church of Jesus Christ.

On a few occasions during days of decline and physical distress, as I had the privilege of reading Scripture to him over the phone, he, as a child of God with child-like faith, drew comfort and encouragement from the gospel promises of his Lord, and in the blessed hope of his resurrection. May those same promises, and that same Savior, now be a strong comfort and source of peace to his dear family.

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 2:21-23, NKJV)

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away… And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, God himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1, 3-4; NKJV)

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Gordon's association with IVP spanned several decades. His Tyndale Old Testament Commentary on Numbers has been in print continuously since 1981, and remains available digitally - it is universally well regarded. He served as a Consulting Editor on the most recent iteration of the New Bible Commentary - as well as contributing an introduction to 'The Pentateuch', and the commentary on Genesis. Perhaps his greatest contribution to IVP, and a key part of his legacy to the church worldwide, was his pioneering of the Apollos Old Testament Commentary, alongside David W. Baker. Gordon's editorial input was much valued, over 22 years, with a number of his students and friends contributing to the series. He was replaced as series editor by Beth M. Stovell recently, but it was a poignant joy that Morales was able to publish his magisterial 2 volume commentary on Numbers 1-19 and Numbers 20-36 in 2024.

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[1] Gordon J. Wenham, “Sanctuary Symbolism in the Garden of Eden Story” in Proceedings of the Ninth World Congress of Jewish Studies, Division A: The Period of the Bible (Jerusalem: World Union of Jewish Studies, 1986), 19-25.

[2] See Reading the Law: Studies in Honor of Gordon J. Wenham, J. Gordon McConville and Karl Möller, eds. (LOHB/OTS 461; London: T&T Clark, 2007), pages 297-302