Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Types of Commentaries & a fairly New Series by Eerdmans

Biblical commentaries vary in method and approach and a fair balance of these different kinds of commentaries ought to exist in the expositor's library. The type of commentary that is most useful to the majority of preachers is one that is an expository handling of the Biblical text. This is usually a verse-by-verse dealing with the text highlighting important words, providing definitions, alternate interpretations, and theological insights. (Examples might be The Expositor's Bible Commentary or the Tyndale OT & NT series.)

Along with expository commentaries the preacher/student ought to have at least one commentary for each Biblical book that is considered Technical or Semi-Technical. This is a commentary that deals specifically with the biblical languages, grammar and historical settings. Such a commentary may also interact with extra-biblical literature and cognate languages. (Examples would be the Word Biblical Commentary series, the New International Commentary series, or the International Critical Commentary series.)

Finally, I have come to appreciate having commentaries that are more devotional in nature. Reading this type of commentary is good for the purpose of warming the heart. Most of these would be older commentaries such as Matthew Henry's Commentary, or those of the Puritans, or even Calvin's Commentaries. Also, reading through collected sermons sometimes helps the expositor to see how others have developed the argument of a passage. Sometimes you find examples of what not to do with a passage, and even that can be helpful in a negative way.

The point is that variety is a good thing and we, English readers, are blessed with a plethora of choices. This said, some commentary series are attempting to wed exposition with theological reflection and contemporary application. Zondervan's NIV Application Commentary series is a good example of this. I've enjoyed using Gerald Wilson's Psalms: Volume 1. This approach has made for a very lengthy book, but it is very useful.

Eerdmans is producing a new type of commentary. This series is an effort to combine Biblical studies and contemporary theology. The name of this series is Two Horizons. The publishers description of this series is as follows:
Seeking to bridge the existing gap between biblical studies and systematic theology, this distinctive series offers section-by-section exegesis of the New Testament texts in close conversation with theological concerns. Written by respected scholars, the THNTC volumes aim to help pastors, teachers, and students engage in deliberately theological interpretation of Scripture.
I was not aware of this series until this evening when I got an email announcing the latest installment in the OT series--Genesis by James McKeown. I followed the link to eerdmans.com and found that the next volume in the OT series to be released is by Geoffrey Grogan on Psalms. Grogan's book Prayer, Praise and Prophecy: A Theology of the Psalms (Christian Focus, 2001) has been a great help to me and I had hoped to see a commentary written by him. Now I have.

This series looks like it would fit into my third category. Although this does not seem to be a devotional series, from what I've read it seems as though the intent of these commentaries is to challenge expositors to think theologically and applicationally about the texts. I'm eager to try this out.

In 1999, Between Two Horizons: Spanning New Testament Studies and Systematic Theology, edited by Joel B. Green & Max Turner, was published by Eerdmans. This volume is describes as having set the stage for and introducing the Two Horizon Commentary series.
Book Description
This pioneering work bridges the long-standing gap between biblical studies and theology. In BETWEEN TWO HORIZONS nine prominent scholars constructively discuss the relationship of biblical studies to the task of doing theology in our contemporary context. Though serving as an excellent text in its own right, this volume also introduces the forthcoming Two Horizons Commentary series--a completely new kind of commentary on the New Testament designed to reintegrate biblical studies with contemporary theology in the service of the church.

Contributors--Stephen E. Fowl, John Goldingay, Joel B. Green, Trevor Hart, Steve Motyer, John Christopher Thomas, Max Turner, Robert W. Wall, and N.T. Wright.

Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover

Here is a list of the commentaries that are already available:

Two Horizons Old Testament Commentaries (THOTC)
Series Editors: J. Gordon McConville (editor), Craig Bartholomew (editor)
  • Genesis by James McKeown (Eerdmans, 2008). 376 pages, Paperback.
  • Numbers by Nathan Macdonald (Eerdmans, forthcoming).
  • Psalms by Geoffrey Grogan (Eerdmans, forthcoming 2008)
  • Ecclesiastes by Peter Enns (Eerdmans, forthcoming 2008).
Two Horizons New Testament Commentaries (THNTC)
Series Editors: Joel B. Green (editor), Max Turner (editor)
  • Philippians by Stephen E. Fowl (Eerdmans, 2005). 264 pages, Paperback.
  • Colossians & Philemon by Marianne Meye Thompson (Eerdmans, 2005). 297 pages. Paperback.
  • 1 Peter by Joel B. Green (Eerdmans, 2007). 345 pages, Paperback.
  • 2 Peter & Jude by Ruth Anne Reese (Eerdmans, 2007). 234 pages, Paperback.
  • The Apocalypse by John Christopher Thomas & Frank D. Macchia (Eerdmans, forthcoming).

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Posted by Jason Button at Wednesday, March 05, 2008
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