The Herman Bavinck body of work keeps growing! As every new title drops, our stores become fuller. To my mind, he’s one of the real master intellectuals out there. If he’s written on a subject, it was be a crime not to consult it if that’s the subject you’re working through.
You have surely heard of his Reformed Dogmatics. There are scholars who are devoting their career, like editor John Bolt here, to uncovering and freshly translating his work. I’ve only recently heard of a new set called Reformed Ethics and it looks like many are considering this work on Social Ethics as part of that set. Still, it’s unique enough to have this separate title.
We must commend the editors for taking mere notes, filling them out with careful honesty to make sure they’re authentic Bavinck, and even pulling in his other writings to fill the gaps. Your ideas must be valuable to get a group of editors to invest that kind of time to bring them to light.
The first section talks society. It approaches issues that dominate on some level political debate today. Its gift is its utterly dispassionate portrayal of politics as if what God said is all that matters. His argument that Jesus is not a social reformer, that is, He doesn’t work directly through larger social structures, is profound.
Next, he addresses art and scholarship. The section on art is less interesting to me, but others will appreciate it. Scholarship would do well to fall in line with him today.
When he next turns to the state, we find something desperately lacking today. He speaks calmly about issues that should be informed biblically rather than with our flavor of politics. The caldron of public debate today is so toxic that this book seems as if it comes from a distant time. The views explained, however, have more of a timeless quality. He is so judicious in his comments, yet so true to principle.
The next section on “the church” is stated to be different that his ecclesiology one in his Reformed Dogmatics. Here it’s more missions and its social impact. Perhaps we could say he’s arguing for the gospel over a mere social gospel.
When he approaches humanity and the kingdom of God, he defines the Kingdom as the highest good. Your views of prophecy might lead you away from him, but there are nuggets here for any viewpoint.
This completes what will likely be the last set of books by Bavinck to come out. His name is sufficient to suggest you will want 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.
Though I’m a conservative Bible student, I have long given a look at a more critical commentary to have a better overall view. The OTL and NLT are most likely the ones I choose (sometimes the Interpretation series). I know going in that I’m not going to agree on most background or historical issues and am prepared for it. Often there’s some theological thoughts worth feeding into a more orthodox view and I’m glad to have them. With my specific expectations made clear, I have often given a good rating to such works; that is, it provided what I was looking for in the volume. Let me stay upfront, I’m really struggling to give that good recommendation to this volume.
What’s the problem? It’s the entire premise of the commentary itself. The author takes favorite subjects of our day and squeezes them into the text and then passes them off as this is what we ought to think about in arriving at an interpretation. The problem is that in so doing the author has squeezed the very life itself out of the text. For example, she loves to talk about a postcolonial interpretation. That is such a loaded term whose meaning really comes from politics, not Christianity. (I would not want this in a commentary even it more closely resembled my own views). Had she only suggested that the wounds Jonah or Israel felt from Assyria impacted them in many ways, I could at least entertain it. In fact, I’m sure the geopolitics of that era had profound effects. But it seemed to me, that she meant it in a way that it retained all of its 2025 political implications. I’m sorry, but I don’t think 2025 defines the book of Jonah. Believe it or not, the postcolonial viewpoint was the least controversial one of those she chose to be the prism to view Jonah through.
From that muddied rubric, she weaved the overall theme that this is a trauma-informed book. I’m sure Jonah would have found many things that happened in this little book as very traumatic, but this book is not about rubbing his brow and helping him through his trauma. This book was about showing him where he was wrong, and from that vantage point working through the things that he was finding painful, even if he shouldn’t have found them so. Again, had the author only offered that as an application after arriving at an interpretation, I could’ve bought into it. Life brings trauma, and sometimes I bring trauma into my own life, but the Lord will help me work through it and it most likely will involve showing me where I am wrong.
In the introduction, when she really goes big picture, notice how she writes about the divine paradox. There is something of a paradox when we think about theodicy, but I wonder if the biggest paradox is the corner that she herself has backed this little book into through a novel approach that obscures far more than it brings to light. 
There’s even a problem on the scholarship side. Look at the bibliography. It is an echo chamber. She only brought those fringe works in which turned her writing into a self-fulfilling prophecy. If scholarship at large were consulted, I don’t think the top five or ten works that would be voted for even appeared.
The author can write from whichever perspective she chooses, but when it is this far out, it is quite over-the-top to tell the rest of us that that’s the way it should be viewed by everyone. That would be better offered in her memoirs than in a major, reputable series like the OTL. I think if we could bring Jonah back, he wouldn’t understand what this commentary is even talking about.
My bias is clear in this review, but I think as someone who has found value in other volumes in this series, it’s fair to say that there is something more going on here than simply being a more critical offering. 
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 amazing how many volumes Banner of Truth has given us of Calvin sermons in new translations. When Calvin gets freshly translated, you can see easily what a spectacular expository preacher he was. I know it’s debatable to say, but I think it’s his best gift. In any event, this book of sermons on Isaiah 53 continues that tradition of great sermons that I have enjoyed in previous volumes.
This collection of sermons has long been highly valued. It’s been printed several times, and as the Introduction shows, has received English translation a few times too. Those translations are already a bit stale, so this volume is welcomed.
Perhaps this set of sermons by Calvin is, if you can believe it, even more on themes of Soteriology than some of the others I’ve encountered. Credit Isaiah 52:13-53:12 as the reason. That exquisite picture of our suffering Savior naturally leads to those great theological themes.
This may sound odd, or maybe it’s just me, but I thought the sermons got better as they went. Let’s call it building to a crescendo. I know many have access to Calvin’s commentary on Isaiah, but this a different resource entirely. I vote for using them both.
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.
This series has found a niche—seeing the Old Testament’s influence upon the book being studied. That’s going to be, obviously, a bigger deal in some NT books than others, but it’s still a rich vein to mine. The main flow of the argument is always advanced in this series even if the OT is not as prevalent in the present passage. In that sense, it serves as a helpful commentary even if it has its unique vantage point.
In this volume on John, which has plenty of connections to the OT, we have another successful entry. Karen Jobes has major experience in both exegetical work and Johannine literature. She is well equipped to write this volume.
The Introduction is fairly brief, but is fully in line with all I’ve seen so far in the series. She showed scholarly awareness and was quite sympathetic to conservative conclusions. I thought her connection to the OT as John’s “verbal artistry” was interesting. That’s a good angle.
The commentary was well done, thorough for its commentary style, and insightful. I loved the blurbs on going deeper as well as those on structure. It’s a nice secondary help as you study John that will add tangibly to your understanding. Mark’s Gospel is my favorite in this series, but this is a good 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.
More and more I find the ESBT my favorite theological series. Yes, it takes a slice of biblical theology in each volume, but not so narrow a one as most such series. Somehow these swaths of theology always take in the broad horizon as its spectrum. Other series often are one tree on that vast horizon. In this volume its wisdom that becomes the scaffolding to see the Bible at large. I love looking at theology that way.
A few prominent scholars actually say wisdom is the main organizing focus of Scripture. That’s multiple fields too far for me, but that is not at all the vibe Mitchell Chase gave as I read this book. It was more an attitude of you will find the fascinating theme of wisdom, particularly in terms of a path of life, all across the Bible. He shows that wisdom is not only to be found in Wisdom Literature in Scripture, but lurking throughout. I felt both his premise and wisdom’s place in theology overall as well reasoned and proven.
He finds the theme of wisdom in Eden in the first paragraphs of Scripture. For that matter, most all the books in this series begin there. Genesis 1-3 is rich beyond description for sure and obviously foundational to a level many overlook. Its essentiality would make theology not beginning there a bit suspect.
When he finally got to Wisdom Literature, he handled it well. Why more scholars don’t see Song of Solomon the way he does is beyond me. Perhaps wisdom is not quite as prominent in the NT, but he held my interest to the end. Ending the book with where wisdom ends was the perfect ending.
What really put this book over the top was its warmth. Here passion for theology met exegetical competence and blended beautifully. One sentence might be a theological nugget while the next might be a devotional one. I recommend the series and this fine, new book.
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.
Don’t let the clunky title fool you. This is a great book. I’d come to believe that molinism was the way out of the conundrum of sorting divine sovereignty and human responsibility, but it was this book that led me fully to the invigorating air of clarity. Stratton’s gift is logical argumentation that guides you by the hand to conclusions.
So persuasive was his logical arguments that I went online and watched debates he had with others. It was as if others brought their knives to his gunfight. Strangely enough, some he debated were even more polished in the art of debate, but he just seemed to have them where it counted—actual arguments. It didn’t hurt that he was gracious either. Fortunately, that gracious spirit is also found in this book, though he is relentless in marshaling arguments and looking at the subject from all different angles.
The first two chapters are foundational and I suggest you take your time with them. Here is where you will make a quick observation. This is not casual reading. Make sure you notice that there is no fault in Stratton’s writing, but just that this is a deep subject. I think if you read an occasional paragraph over, and read slowly at all times, you will find this work quite lucid. In my judgment, we have for so long talked in broad generalities about things, and have just not followed through on what they mean. I think there’s a lot of layers inside us that have to be worked through. For example, he will explain what he calls exhaustive divine determinism (EDD), which he wisely defines as “all events are casually determined by God”. When I say there are many things that we have not thought through, you will see the profound implications if God has truly caused every single thing that happens, including every choice that’s ever made.
You probably already know, and it’s an argument that Stratton makes, that a lot of people can kind of agree with libertarian freedom until we touch upon salvation. Then we enter old battlegrounds where we must stay true to our alma mater, so to speak. Then, the focus shifts from merely seeking the truth to the propping up of the home team. I am being a bit vague on purpose here because a lot of people predetermine what they’re going to think about a book like this before they ever read the first word. This book is such a great one and it deserves better.
Chapters 3-10 survey historical periods successively to see how the debates crystallized. Sometimes I think this is not always helpful for a theological work, but in this case, it really is essential. Quite simply, many things, including definitions and categories, have all sprung from debates rather than a direct study of scripture.
Chapters 12-13 bring us back to direct theological issues. What libertarian freedom and its logical necessity simply must be addressed. I thought Stratton was masterful in showing that there logically must be some level of libertarian freedom.
The next chapter introduces us to Luis de Molina. He was a guy who made a brilliant observation that God must possess middle knowledge. Far more than anything about the guy himself, is the scriptural and logical weight of what he said. To my mind, it is profound.
Chapter 15 is the capstone of the book. Here he makes his arguments for middle knowledge and molinism. It is hard for me to see how someone coming with an open mind and a desire for truth could walk away without agreeing with what is presented here.
Chapter 16 is something of an icing-on-the-cake type of chapter. There is some apologetic ways that this teaching can help us. It’s not the heart of the book, but it is very interesting.
I rarely use the term “tour de force ” because it can be so cliche, but it fits here. Another thing I rarely say for the same reason is that I wish this book were so much better known, but I can hardly think of when I meant it more. 
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.
A book on the theology of Revelation likely makes you ask, what is the author’s approach to prophecy, followed by you deciding if you find it interesting all based on that approach being in your lane. What would you think if I told you that you could have a fantastic book on Revelation’s theology and it made no difference at all what your interpretive preferences were? This volume is that book!
In fact, I’m sure Mr. Duvall and I do not agree in our approaches to prophecy and I love this book. I hardly can describe all I found that enlightened me and opened avenues that I will want to travel in future studies. All the volumes in this series so far are impressive, but this is one of the best. Perhaps it is the intense coverage of a smaller portion of Scripture. Perhaps it’s just the fascination of the Revelation. Whatever it is, it’s simply the case.
By the end of chapter 6 you have mostly covered areas typically found in a traditional introduction of a major commentary. When chapter 7 addresses grammar it delves into symbolic language. Some of us might believe not everything he finds symbolic actually is, but he gives nice coverage. The next chapter covers the prevalent use of the OT found in Revelation. Chapter 10 overviews the major interpretive systems that so often dominate discussions and he is gentle in his presentation.
Chapter 11 entitled “A Literary Theological Reading of Revelation” is a lengthy chapter of over 100 pages that gives what I guess we’d call a streamlined commentary. The learning and help in this compact section is impressive.
This work saves the best for last as the final section gives nine extraordinary chapters on the major theological themes. Again, no matter the interpretive grid you filter through, these themes are both profound and undeniable. If I had to pick a favorite, I guess I’d go with the one on worship. If you think about it, how pervasive worship is in Revelation.
I’ll be using this book for years to come. If you give this one a try, I think you might join me.
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.
J. C. Ryle is finally getting his due. Many have enjoyed his work on the Gospels that have been available in one form or another for many years. Banner of Truth has taken on the task of gathering and reprinting many other works of this fervent man. They cut no corners either. He gets the deluxe treatment in these quality bindings with attractive dust covers. To be sure, they look sharp on the shelf, but they are best found in your hands.
Obviously, these books are individual releases, but Banner always gathers them in a lot they call the J. C. Ryle Classics Bundle and offers them in a more affordable way. To me their pricing structure is quite commendable considering the quality of their physical books as compared to the slipshod offerings of some Christian publishers.
Just as I received this set, one volume, “Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century”, went out of print (Banner usually brings great books back into print, and it is already back). Still, it was replaced in the classics bundle by a brand new release, “The Christian Race”, that I’ll check out later. Ryle had a second niche in biographical writing. I suppose those in this volume (Christian Leaders) are his heroes and who can blame him. A few well known (Whitefield & Wesley) and nine lesser known men who had God’s hand on them are what he covered. There’s a thread between all of them—revival. God did it, of course, but what men!
“Light From Old Times” is another biographical turn toward stalwart spiritual men. While I had heard of several of them, a few were new to me. Another unique feature is that several of them were martyrs. I must admit that such biography is on a higher plane, even dripping with ethereal beauty. Ryle is not here in a cradle-to-grave vein, but more an admirer explaining why they stand so tall. And tall they do stand, straight and stately.
Perhaps the most famous title in this collection is “Holiness”. I’ve heard it lauded by many for as long as I can remember. It’s not a doctrinal treatise on holiness, but dives deep into practical holiness. Lamentable as it is, most such books aren’t popular, but this one caught on. Strangely enough, this book has an impact far beyond its original target. He addresses certain shallow displays of Christianity popular in his day that’s not of particular interest these days, but the book is in no way hobbled by it. The reason for that success is the timelessness of the biblical material. It’s still just sermons, but they do somehow weave a unified whole that has something meaningful to say about practical holiness. Some sermons here use a Bible character—Moses, Lot, Lot’s wife— to great effect while others tackle a concept directly. Let’s call this one pure gold.
Next is “Practical Religion”. These 21 sermons are a cross between textual and topical. In my opinion, Ryle was especially good in these type sermons. To me, these type sermons are hard to put together and Ryle must have given lots of time to them. The subjects covered are all those he calls “practical religion”. He suggests it might best follow reading “Holiness”. The first sermon “Self-Inquiry” is almost totally topical, but what a catchy verse launches the sermon. The next one on “Self-Exertion” is more textual and revolves around the “strait gate”. The next sermon (“Reality”) is shorter, but piercing. For the preacher, it might suggest several sermons. A specialty of his is going after false professors. Then there are some straightforward sermons that might help even new Christians. In that stretch I thought the sermon on zeal stood out. In the sermon “Formality” the spiritual temperature rises again. In a sermon on the world he sensibly covers separation. That’s not always sensibly presented by many, but he is well balanced here. The sermons continue to be practical. The last 6 are on a clear trajectory to Christ’s Return and Heaven (except for those who went another way in The Great Separation).
“Knots Untied” is the Banner title that introduced me to Ryle outside his work on the Gospels. It piqued my interest and brought me back for more.
“The Upper Room” is a tidy collection of sermons and addresses gathered in old age from across his ministry. Two popular offerings of Ryle are included here: “The Duties of Parents” and “Thoughts for Young Men” that are often reprinted alone. I read them to advantage years ago. Before those two sermons are some exciting offerings by Ryle. Almost out of place among them, though, is an address on the simplicity of preaching. He got very practical with that article, but it does lay out some good things for any new preacher to consider. The sermons were my favorite in this book. While perusing these sermons, I felt a keen desire to return to these texts and preach them someday myself. That’s always a good sign of a successful sermon.
I’m not surprised that one of these volumes was entitled “Old Paths”. That is where he lived even in his day. Can you imagine what he’d say about our day? I suspect he’d be right too. The subjects are ones you’d think would never go sideways among believers as they are the core beliefs—inspiration, sin, forgiveness, justification, conversion, faith, repentance, etc.— though they often do. These are topical sermons. Few really do topical sermons well, but Ryle consistently does. There’s a mass of thoughtful learning here given in a pastoral style.
Finally, “Charges and Addresses” might not be the best of these books as it is certainly a hodgepodge. I’m guessing only those who really love Ryle will be attracted to this book. But here you are thinking about getting this lovely J. C. Ryle Classics Bundle, so I guess that would be you. Only the most revered authors get these type sermons in print. That’s Ryle.
You see loving hands putting this Ryle set together. Their work provides beauty for us all. Ryle loves Jesus, His Word, and possesses a pastoral tenderness that suggests he’s quite fond of us as well. You can’t go wrong here.
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.
Sign me up as a fan of the beatific vision! Before I had barely paid attention to the whole concept, and thought, at most, well, that’s a sweet little idea. Now Mr. Parkison has won me over.
This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. Remember in the Psalms: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Well here the kisses are between scholarly work and devotional manna. I suppose he was aiming at scholarly, but the devotional came bursting out. How the scholarly rigor didn’t bury the moving manna is beyond me. But I’ll take it.
There were places, to be sure, where he played with the fire of scholasticism that has burned up many a good book, but somehow he darted back out into the sun quite often. The chapters in question are three and four. Here he worked through the history of how the beatific vision has developed and been viewed. He even dared enter into the debated points and with charitable grace he kept it interesting and productive to matters of faith. I was about to be perturbed when he started down the pointless path that this lined up with Reformation thinking. Isn’t being biblical enough? But I couldn’t do it. Every time I tried he said some other touching thing.
Before these chapters were ones explaining what the beatific vision even is and its biblical credibility. Let me describe it this way, this gazing upon God takes some of the things that seem most big picture to me and tied them together in a way that they should have always been. I need not rehash it. You can read it yourself. But it sure moved me.
Chapter 5 (“Retrieval for Reformation Evangelicals”) has as dull a title as possible, but it was full of life. And it grew more so as it went along. There was doctrinal profundity in spades. Its gift was tying all back to a full orbed Trinitarian theological understanding.
The final chapter takes this grand doctrine and rubs it on like healing oil all over many facets of the Christian life.
How have I never heard of Samuel Parkison? I bet I’ll be watching for his name in the future.
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.
This is a nice Bible atlas! I’d seen in the past its earlier iteration called “The Lion Atlas of Bible History”. When I saw that work decades ago, I kind of thought it stood out in some ways, but over the years it started to look quite dated, and I didn’t often consult it. In this polished rebroadcast, it again has “pop”. Its being so easy on the eyes serves to highlight its judicious choices for coverage. In short, it has exactly what you’ll likely be looking for in a Bible Atlas.
The list of things that I like about this volume is quite long. Its maps are vivid, scaled appropriately, and imaginatively designed. The charts and graphs are well chosen. The pictures, especially of Bible sites, were fantastic and nice to just pause and drink in. A Bible Atlas is not a book that you usually read from cover to cover, but anything that tickled your fancy certainly had wonderful text to go with it. I thought every article was excellent and said so much without overly accumulating paragraphs.
It was one of the better Atlas as well in providing a variety of maps for specific Bible events. Some Bible Atlases try to cram large swaths of Bible history into one map. What you have here is more to my liking for sure.
I thought this atlas was especially successful in providing chronological and archaeological data. It always mentions conservative dating respectfully, even if the authors appear to lean another way. Actually, it’s even good at laying out the reasons why there is debate about certain dates in the first place. For example, the dating of the Exodus, and why it is debated, is clearly presented.
We as Bible students are particularly blessed as there are a plethora of outstanding Bible atlases in print. Be sure to consider this one as one of your main options.
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 Reagan Review 