Seems like it’s the Barbara Thiering show again. The information jockeys have decided that Dr Thiering’s theories are ‘news’, and so once again we must argue the toss with our non-Christian and quasi-Christian friends over the merits of her arguments.
Archives: david-peterson
Commentary: Hebrews, Psalms
Hebrews
Hebrews appears to be so formidable that many do not begin to study it in detail and benefit from its riches. An easy introduction would be Donald Guthrie’s contribution to the Tyndale series (1983) or Raymond Brown’s commentary in the Bible Speaks Today series (1982). (more…)
Commentary: The Pastorals, The Book of Job
The Pastorals
The two letters of Paul to Timothy and the letter to Titus (generally called the Pastoral Epistles) are often treated by scholars as a later creation of some unknown author. This often has the effect of devaluing their teaching and making some regard the Pastorals as only of secondary importance in the canon of Scripture. Therefore, it is important to fins a commentary that will take the claim to Pauline authorship seriously and argue it persuasively. (more…)
Commentary: 1 & 2 Thessalonians, The Song of Songs
Review
1 & 2 Thessalonians
The Thessalonian epistles are possibly the earliest Pauline documents that we have in the New Testament. They reveal to us something of Paul’s motives and methods in ministry and show particularly his teaching about the return of Christ and its implications for us. (more…)
Commentary: Colossians, Philemon, Esther
Review
Colossians/Philemon
The letter to the Colossians gives us precious insights into aspects of Paul’s teaching that are only alluded to in his other writings. As the apostle deals with false teaching, he develops a magnificent picture of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and its implications for us. Most commentaries on Colossians also deal with the letter to Philemon which reveals Paul in another light, dealing with a particular problem of personal relationships. (more…)
Commentary: Philippians, Ezra, Nehemiah
Philippians
Philippians may at first appear to be insignificant compared with other Pauline epistles but it contains some important theological statements and shows how Paul dealt with practical issues in one of his less troublesome congregations. (more…)
Commentary: Ephesians, Chronicles
Ephesians
The epistle to the Ephesians confronts the reader with a number of issues relating to the church and the Christian life that are not fully developed in other Pauline letters. (more…)
Commentaries: Galatians, 1 & 2 Kings
Galatians
Although the epistle to the Galatians is not large compared with Romans or the Corinthian letters, it is a highly significant document for discovering the mind of Paul and thereby the mind of God on some really important issues. (more…)
Commentary: 2 Corinthians, 1 & 2 Samuel
2 Corinthians
C.K. Barrett’s commentary in the Black’s Series (1973) is still the most outstanding treatment of this difficult epistle, both at the level of thoughtful exegesis and stimulation for preaching. (more…)
Commentary: 1 Corinthians, Judges
1 Corinthians
The best simple introductory commentary is by Leon Morris in the Tyndale series (New Edition, 1983). F.F. Bruce offers a similarly helpful introductory work, covering 1 and 2 Corinthians in the same volume (New Century Bible, 1981). (more…)
Commentary: Romans, Joshua
ROMANS
INTRODUCTORY STUDIES
K.P. Donfried’s The Roman’s Debate (Augsburg, 1977), a collection of essays on the purpose of Romans, is a good introduction to this epistle.
(more…)
Commentary: Acts, Deuteronomy
ACTS
INTRODUCTORY STUDIES
I. H. Marshall’s Luke-Historian and Theologian (Paternoster, 1970) and R. Maddox’s The Purpose of Luke-Acts (T & T Clark) are worthwhile starters to the book of Acts. There are also some very helpful articles in Apostolic History and The Gospel (Paternoster, 1970) by W.W. Gasque and R. P. Martin. (more…)
Commentary: John, Leviticus, Numbers
John
Introductory Studies
Three good conservative introductions are Leon Morris’s Studies in the Fourth Gospel (Paternoster, 1969), Robert Kysar’s The Fourth Evangelist and His Gospel (Augsburg, 1975) and Stephen Smalley’s John-Evangelist and Interpreter (Paternoster, 1978).
Commentary: Luke, Exodus
Luke
There are two helpful introductory studies on Luke’s gospel: Luke-Historian and Theologian by I. H. Marshall (Paternoster, 1970) and a work by F. Bovon, Luke the Theologian (Pickwick Publications, 1987).
Commentary: Mark, Genesis
Mark
Among the introductory studies to this gospel, serious students should look at R. P. Martin’s Mark—Evangelist and Theologian (Paternoster, 1972). This raises all the background matters and interesting questions currently in debate and refers to relevant articles and books on various topics and themes. (more…)