Bible Commentaries

Esther by Reid (TOTC)

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esther

This is the first volume in the latest round of revisions in the outstanding Tyndale Old Testament Commentary (TOTC) series. The editorship has fallen into the capable hands of David Firth. Debra Reid supplies this replacement of the well-respected Baldwin volume in a winning way.

The Introduction, in 55 pages, covers the bases well for a volume of this size. If you are like me, you do not the excessive discussion on the literary style of the book as it often appears a charade to attack the historicity of Esther. Still, Reid covers what one must know to realize what scholars debate here. Canonization issues are sufficiently covered too.

I gleaned more when Reid turned to a discussion of style. She taught me several things I had not noticed before. Thinks like there is little direct speech in Esther, or how key the narrator is as compared to, say, Ruth, and character discussions are all very fascinating.

The commentary proper is even better still. The unique thing was the female perspective. There was no capitulation to feminism, but deep insights throughout. All in all, this is a fine, economical volume and I recommend 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.

1 & 2 Samuel (Apollos Old Testament Commentary) by David Firth

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samuel firth

This commentary on two of the more exciting books of the Bible is a real asset to pastors and Bible students. Firth is becoming quite the prolific commentator of late and tackles here another historical book of the Bible (since he rightfully argues the two are one book).

His Introduction is sufficient, and at 48 pages for a larger Bible book, it is quite succinct. While he writes well on genre and purpose, I couldn’t follow his thinking on authorship or sources–in fairness, it wasn’t radical. His explanation on narrative was insightful, but his discussion on central themes were spot on and the best the Introduction had to offer.

The commentary was by the far the best value in the book. He followed the standard Apollos setup with translation, notes on the text (just the right coverage for pastors), form and structure (with enough detail to explain its short discussion in the Introduction), comment (thought-provoking), and explanation (where he well ties it together).

I looked at several passages and enjoyed what he shared. He took extra care in the most famous passages (David and Goliath, for example). I had read criticism before I received this volume on his analysis of David with Bathsheba, and while I might fully agree with him there, he argued his point well. David did, as he said, not completely hide his sin from those he sent to get Bathsheba. He feels that David was more interested in getting Uriah out of the way to get the child than to hide his sin. I doubt that is true, but it does make you think!

This is a fine volume. As a point of comparison, this volume is fair superior to the well known Word Biblical Commentary volumes covering the same material. I highly recommend 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.

Prophetic Lament By Rah

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rah

Here is the latest volume in the Resonate series of unique commentaries published by IVP. Song-Chang Rah brings different perspective to the Book of Lamentations than you would get in other volumes. He highlights the Biblical genre of lament that is clearly a dynamic part of Lamentations. He attempts modern application as well as the subtitle “A Call for Justice in Troubled Times” suggests.

The volume succeeds when he discusses lament in the Bible. He reminds us that lament is much more prevalent in the Bible than in our theological understanding today. His chapter on the historical context of Lamentations is well done. He explains how the funeral dirge is classic lament. When he exegetes the text, he does well. His writing skills are engaging and good enough to make commentary reading pleasant. 

The volumes stumbles in some of his modern application and even a few historical theological conclusions. His comparison of a theology of suffering versus a theology of celebration will really make you think. His modern example of slavery in the earlier days of our country as he made you feel their plight and heartfelt lament was superb. But when he credited (?) dispensational theology for giving us “an individualistic soul-saving soteriology”, which was actually akin to revival, and discusses it as a bad thing–that is hard to swallow.

His focus on race problems in our country today as an application of his theme is marred by his unquestioned acceptance of the most liberal recounting of events. Had he been more balanced there, he would have been easier to follow. He seems so obsessed on race that I wondered as I read if he had been the victim of some particularly ugly racism in his own life. I found no value in his epilogue on Ferguson.

If you look past racial politics and focus on his commentary, you will find value here. For me, it is not a first-line resource, but a fine secondary resource to gain additional, helpful insights.

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.

Deuteronomy (TOTC) by Edward Woods

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deuteronomy

Here is another replacement volume in the venerable Tyndale Commentary series. This volume replaces the 1974 volume by Thompson and is superior to it. This bodes well for the Tyndale series holding its high place among commentaries.

Woods gives a lengthy, for this type series at least, Introduction. My favorite part is that the author’s love for Deuteronomy shines throughout. These type make the best commentary reading. His case for Deuteronomy being pivotal is well done and convincing. His discussion on authorship touches the scholarly bases without falling for their excesses.

His description of literary features is illuminating. His comparison to law codes may seem a little overdone, but too many scholars discuss it for him not to mention it. His expansion of comparing Deuteronomy, and particularly the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy, to the rest of the Pentateuch was helpful. Finally, his discussion of theology was the best part of the Introduction. It really helped put Deuteronomy in perspective.

The Commentary proper was helpful, thoughtful, and never trite. This will be a fine volume to consult for years to come. I highly recommend 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.

Ruth (Apollos Old Testament Commentary) by L. Daniel Hawk

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Here in the latest of the fine Apollos Old Testament Commentary series published by IVP we find a surprising volume solely on the little book of Ruth. Though often attached to Judges in the commentary world, this book is often more loved and well known than its larger companions. Most Christians love studying Ruth. Daniel Hawk gives us a thoughtful volume on Ruth that, in my judgment, takes its own track. In analyzing structure he reads ethnicity as a key component to understanding Ruth. While there are theological points to the Israel versus Moab points of the story and the ironic turn of events, I cannot personally elevate that as highly as he does as the crux of understanding Ruth. Still, it highlights points other commentaries miss.

His Introduction covers the normal territory and he well summarizes what scholarship has so far thought. His discussion on how some classify the book—true story, idyll, novella, folk tale—only reminds me that such discussions would never have arisen had not scholarship decided to attack the historicity of the Bible in generations past. While I agree with his assessment that Ruth “resists classification”, I wish he had given a stronger word on its complete veracity.

What is valuable is the perceptive observations he often makes that you can use as a takeoff to study. For example, he says, “While the narrator begins and ends with males, the first and last characters to speak in the story are women.” I found myself underlining many such observations in both the Introduction and the Commentary itself.

This volume would not be my first choice on Ruth, but I count it a helpful additional resource and well worth having. The Apollos continues to shape up as a fine series.

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.

Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary

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holman

As a pastor I think I have found the perfect resource to recommend to folks serious about studying the Bible–this new whole Bible commentary by Holman Reference, edited by E. Ray Clendenen and Jeremy Royal Howard. This volume is perfect for the person trying to read the Bible but struggling with certain passages. Even if you have been studying the Bible for years, you will still find this a real asset.

You have some measure of commentary on every verse. It may not give all the detail you would want on that verse (no one-volume commentary can), but you can at least grasp the general idea. There are fine maps as you see in other Holman resources as well interesting pictures. It really has a nice look.

While I do not know the names of all the contributing scholars here, I see many that are known to be outstanding scholars. Each book gets a short background, themes (message and purpose), how it fits in the Bible as a whole (Contribution to the Bible), and Structure. These are well done.

The only thing missing is an Introduction to the Bible as a whole or of each Testament, but no volume can have everything.

I highly recommend this commentary!

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.

The Message of Kings (BST) by John Olley

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kings

Here is another fine, helpful title in The Bible Speaks Today series. The books of I and II KIngs are inexplicably overlooked by many, which is mind boggling considering how strong in thrills and high in theology those books are. This economical volume is ideal for teachers and pastors to get some real help.

The volume begins with a helpful Introduction of 38 pages. It gives sufficient historical background, but I felt its strengths were in identifying themes. When you read that section you will likely agree with his conclusions as he reasons well. Discussing “flawed heroes and failed reforms” was spot on. He addressed a few quirking scholarly rabbit trails, but fortunately never fell for them.

The Commentary section, comprising the bulk of the book, was good. Since I have done a great deal of study on Elijah and Elisha, I dug carefully in his comments there. They were filled with substance of the kind to help an expositor. He even threw in a further reflections section midway through Elijah’s life. Quality seemed consistent throughout.

374 pages on the two books of Kings seems just right for this series. I recommend this volume for those studying these two wonderful books of the Bible.

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.

Paul And His Letters by John Polhill

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paul

Are you looking for a book that digs into who Paul is and then naturally works its way to the 13 books conservative scholarship attributes to Paul’s hand? You will want to check out this accessible volume that is widely used by seminarians and pastors alike. Polhill is a highly respected Pauline scholar, having also produced a commentary on Acts, who is the perfect choice for this volume.

He first fleshes out Paul with penetrating insight. You get an idea of the key elements of Paul’s early history that molded him for the work God had for him. Roman citizen, Jew, and Pharisee, Paul was a complex person. His zeal was legendary, first for the bad and then the good. His meeting with Christ, which Polhill devotes a whole chapter, changed everything.

As the book develops, Polhill traces Paul through Acts and begins tying his letters to the narrative. Some reviewers, who feel that he offers too brief a commentary of these books, miss the point entirely. It is not a commentary at all, but a description of introductory and background issues from Paul’s life. The point is showing the essence of each letter, and what, humanly speaking, brought about the need of the letter. For its actual goal, the volume wonderfully succeeded. It occasionally traced rabbit trails of more eccentric scholarship, but usually sided on the conservative side.

This book will find its home next to F.F. Bruce and Conybeare and Howson on my shelves. Plus, it is the most recent of the three. I highly recommend 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.

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi (TOTC) by Andrew Hill

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totc hill

Here is another fine entry in the highly respected Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series. This is a replacement volume for Baldwin, so this title has big shoes to fill. I was immediately surprised by the size of the volume coming in at 368 pages. Apparently the series editors felt comfortable giving Mr. Hill the space he felt he needed.

Since Mr. Hill already has written a volume on Malachi in the Anchor Bible series, a series known to revel in minutiae, I feared that this volume might have trouble sticking to the target audience of Bible students and pastors. While it does read slightly more academic than some in the series, that was not a problem.

He begins by discussing the three together, even seeing some measure or connections between them. He sees a unity in The Day Of The Lord found in each. He was at his best when he sees a parallel to many in our day being jaded by religion. Historical context is given first, which is crucial in my judgment. We also get a clear, succinct Introduction for each book separately.

The commentary itself is of sufficient quantity to help you get to the bottom of what the text is saying. I noticed real insights on many occasions. It is a real asset for studying this portion of Scripture. As a added bonus, it is quite economical for a serious commentary. I recommend 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.

Second Corinthians (PNTC) by Mark Seifrid

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pillar

This volume faithfully extends the respect afforded the prestigious Pillar New Testament Commentary series published by Eerdmans and edited by D. A. Carson. It has several features to commend itself to pastors, perhaps even more than for scholars, though it is without question a scholarly volume.

He has an unusually short Introduction. It is clear and penetrating, but much shorter than we are used to. That is not, however, a liability as he just works the discussion into the commentary. He also just ignores the more ridiculous and unfounded discussions that clutter many commentaries. I find that refreshing as some of those discussions do not merit one drop of ink.

Some have criticized Seifrid for not interacting enough with other scholars. His focus was clearly more on expounding the text than esoteric scholarly rabbit trails. Again, that is a plus too! It seems to me that he was only sticking to the design of the series he was contributing to. I have heard others criticize him for some “Lutheran” theology. I am not a Lutheran, but hearing viewpoints that don’t exactly match every other commentary is not a bad thing either.

Taking the commentary here on its own, you will find well written and helpful exegesis to help get at the meaning of the text. I predict pastors will actually prefer it, as I do, over some of the other volumes out there. He gives us more insight into Paul and to what is going on in this second letter. I appreciate his taking this letter as a unified whole as well.

The positives here are many and I highly recommend this volume for teaching and preaching Second Corinthians.

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.

Find my reviews of other commentaries here.