This latest in the NICOT series is massive, especially to get through only chapter 6. I can sum this one up quickly. If you are coming to this commentary for academic concerns, you will feel like you’ve received candy from your stocking on Christmas morning. If you are more into sermon prep or regular Bible study, not so much. To be fair, this work approaches commentary writing in the pattern that has developed over the last couple decades in this series, though maybe even a bit more detail.

There are good things to share here, but let me share my concerns. First, more weight was laid upon genre than it could bear. The genre “court tales” is simply overused to explain Daniel at large here. Assumptions are made and then those conventions are too often made the central argument to what’s going on. Second, the history of composition and the corresponding historical background of those times also carries too much. I love a big commentary, but I’m not sure we need 30 pages there. Finally, the structure and theology sections were weak. For these reasons, the long Introduction was not too helpful to me.

Again, with an eye to fairness, more scholars would think I’m off base than the authors here, but I think, for example, pastors would agree with me.

On the plus side, the scholarly work here will be graded exceptional in those circles. When something is addressed, no one can deny the sweat evident in the work. Additionally, the commentary hits a higher gear in the commentary proper. Check out the background on young men like Daniel being taken into the service of Babylon. That’s what I call thoroughness!

I’m a fan of this series, and I’ll want the follow up volume to have the full coverage of the commentary proper, but let’s rate it 5 stars for scholars and 4 stars for the rest of us.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

It’s been at least 25 years ago that I picked up this volume’s predecessor in the NAC series. I’ve used it many times to advantage over those years. Count me as happy this one got a revision and landed in the CSC series here. Reading again his now improved Introduction reminds me of why I like Blomberg on Matthew. I’ve gotten more out of it than volumes in several larger academic series.

Ironically enough, I recently reviewed a fine theology on Matthew. Following up so soon with this volume makes me really appreciate how in so many less pages than that huge volume he still covered all the key things sufficiently well. I agree with most of his conclusions and even appreciate how he weighed things. In other words, he had a great understanding of which issues were important and which ones were not so much.

His section on structure was fairly brief, but most people are in fairly close agreement over Matthew’s structure. It’s the theology section beginning on page 10 that was his best. Again, he took the topics in order of importance and I think he nailed it as he really grasps what Matthew is all about.

I marked up several pages for things I need to go back and add to my own studies on Matthew. It was a real help to me. As I have already mentioned, I have used the commentary section for years. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

This is a great volume that is perfect for pastors or teachers or those just doing some really serious Bible study. You simply can’t go wrong with this one. 

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Can you believe this is the second major commentary on Zephaniah in the last few months? Perhaps even more surprising, I must label this volume a winner just like I did the other recent one in the ZECOT. To be sure, they possess different strengths. Both are very unique contributions that don’t mimic each other at all. Some readers are definitely going to favor this one. It’s deep, but very understandable. The last portion of the Introduction does get into the minutiae a bit, but it’s different minutiae than the other one too. I don’t know if I can sell you on having two standalone commentaries on Zephaniah, but that is actually what I think you should do.

One of the reasons that Mr. Chisholm can write so many interesting things in a different lane is that he is open to dispensational theology. Don’t expect a dispensational treatise, as I’m not suggesting that at all; but it can just give some very interesting viewpoints that other commentaries do not. Still, all the basic things you look for are here as well.

The introduction is outstanding and full of learning. It didn’t have as much on structure, but it did seem to have better linkage with the rest of the Old Testament. Its historical background was excellent, but I felt the book was at his best at bringing in material that really illuminated the big picture. He even has some pages that suggest possibilities for a sermon series on Zephaniah. You don’t see that too often.

The scholarly conclusions and the theology are both warmly conservative. The amount of research that he did is very impressive. The introduction runs to 140 pages! They held my interest all the way through.

Mr. Chisholm is a name that has always come up favorably over the years I have been doing Bible study. He has still got it.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.