Ridley Hall, Cambridge

Resources: Biblical Studies Bulletin 6

Vol 6: Dec 1997

Three of the Best

This month we begin a series which invites individuals to pick three books that have been helpful to them in their reading and study of the Bible. This issue, it's Editor's privilege...

My first choice would have to be John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, which I read in my first year as an undergraduate. Seeing Scripture reflected in such a creative way opened my eyes to its imagery and depth in ways that technical courses on exegetical method never did (although I still believe in and teach exegesis!). It's a book that I have come back to many times in different ways, and it continues to motivate me to read the Bible. For music lovers, Vaughn Williams' oratorio based on parts of Pilgrim's Progress (EMI CMS 7642122) is particularly moving.

The second text that most informed my reading of the Bible is not a specific book, but the concordance. Back in the 70s, Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible enabled me to begin to discover the Greek and Hebrew words behind the English verses in the AV. Since then I've used various concordances based on the original languages (such as Englishman's Greek, Englishman's Hebrew, and Moulton & Geden's Greek concordance) and on different English versions (e.g. Goodrick on the NIV). Now computer tools make it easier than ever to viewsimilar passages side by side. There is no substitute for comparing text with text to help discover the meaning of Scripture.

My third choice is How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart (Scripture Union/Zondervan, 1981; 2nd ed 1993). I read this after much of my formal training, but have found it to be a gold mine of insights that I still go back to occasionally for illustrations when I teach. First-rate biblical scholars and fine communicators, Fee and Stuart have provided an excellent introduction for anyone interested in serious bible study. Every new student at Ridley is encouraged to read this before they arrive; it should be in every church's library and book stand as a standard resource.

An Article of Interest

The October edition of Themelios (vol. 23, no. 1) features a very fine piece by I H Marshall, surveying recent work on the Pastoral Epistles and including a good discussion of available commentaries. Themelios is a periodical for those seeking overviews of current research on biblical books, plus timely reviews of important new publications. It is published three times a year at affordable subscription rates by RTSF, 38 De Montfort St, Leicester LE1 7GP, UK.

Letters to the Editor

Vic Perry writes via email:

Dear Dr Thompson,

There is no value in rehashing information readily available in the IVP/RTSF surveys. Can a useful way be found of supplementing these surveys without duplicating them? For whom are the comments intended? If many readers are in the ministry, older works should not be neglected. Yes, it still needs saying how good Calvin is. And why no comment on E J Young on Daniel?

By the way, a reprint of Lightfoot's commentaries is in print in 4 vols, and is available from the Metropolitan Tabernacle Bookshop for a mere £17.95, a real bargain.

Thank you for your comments for BSB. I do not think that our contributors are 'rehashing' comments in the RTSF/IVP surveys, although I am encouraged that there is some overlap! Many of our readers will not know those surveys; I assume that you are referring to those by John Goldingay on the OT and Don Carson on the NT. A significant difference is that we have different reviewers for each biblical book.

I agree entirely that older works should not be overlooked, and particularly Calvin. On the other hand, one purpose of the 'Commenting' column is to direct people to contemporary resources to keep them up to date with modern scholarship and to help them make a bridge between the world of the Bible and modern culture, so we tend to focus on what newer books offer. I suspect that older works like Young on Daniel are sometimes missed out because of the fairly strict word limit governing our contributors.

Thanks for the tip about Lightfoot!

The Editor

Comments on Commentaries

An assessment of commentaries on a book of the Old & New Testament to keep you up to date with what will help in preaching and teaching in the local church.

OT: Isaiah

Isaiah is so renowned for its 'Christmas and Easter' passages which anticipate Christ that the rest of the book can too easily be overshadowed or ignored, and our understanding becomes rather piecemeal. In preaching and teaching from the book, therefore, it is especially vital to maintain a sense of the whole - whatever one's particular perspective on the origins and interrelations of the three major sections. Given the length of the book, overviews do not usually take the form of commentaries, but they are more-than-usually useful as introductions: See P D Miscall (JSOT, 1993), C R Seitz (Fortress, 1988), E W Conrad (Fortress, 1991), and W L Holladay (Eerdmans, 1978). Alternatively, the JSOT Old Testament Guides provide good brief surveys of scholarly opinion; see especially J Barton (1995) on chs. 1-39, and, more dated, H Whybray (1983) on The Second Isaiah.

Characteristic of the overviews is their literary approach to the text, emphasizing the unity and coherence of the final form of Isaiah. This approach has dominated the scholarship of the last 20 years, thankfully superseding the old impasse between the uncritical and the historical-critical poles. Its fruitfulness for exposition is most evident in the two recent additions to the Interpretation series (John Knox): C R Seitz (1993, on Isaiah 1-39) and P D Hanson (1995, on Isaiah 40-66). If I could take two books on Isaiah to my desert island, I would choose these.

Several of the classic commentaries are so concerned to address questions of date and authenticity that they may be less useful to the expositor. On 'First Isaiah', for the minimal view of what stems from the prophet himself, see O Kaiser on chs. 1-12 (OTL; SCM, 1983) and 13-39 (OTL; SCM, 1980). For the maximal view, see J H Hayes and S A Irvine (Abingdon, 1987). In between are H Wildberger on chs. 1-12 (Fortress 1991) [also on chs. 13-27 and 28-39 but these are still only available in German] and R E Clements (NCB; Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1980). In addition, there is an exhaustive new form critical study of chs. 1-39 by M A Sweeney (Eerdmans, 1996). On 'Second Isaiah', see C Westermann (OTL; SCM, 1969) and H Whybray (NCB; Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1975). Those which focus on 'Third Isaiah' in any detail are scarce: E Achtemeier on chs. 55-56 (Augsburg, 1982), a more theological commentary, is noteworthy.

There are few commentators who have sustained a critical work on the whole of Isaiah; the book is usually considered too complex. However, the works of J D W Watts (2 vols., Word, 1985-7) and A Motyer (IVP, 1993) are excellent in achieving a readable balance of textual and philological detail with theological concern, and with an eye to the whole book. Also valuable is the recent Bible Speaks Today paperback by B Webb (IVP, 1996). Especially if life on the desert island were busy, I would be glad to have these to help with sermon preparation.

Revd Jo Bailey Wells, Clare College, Cambridge

[Ed: In her spare time as Chaplain at Clare, Jo is finishing her PhD in Old Testament. Who she would preach to on her desert island, however, remains a mystery]

NT: The Gospel of Luke

Commentaries on Luke vary in their agendas, ranging from those who ask only about Luke's theology to those who ask only about historical questions.

The large commentaries assume knowledge of Greek. I H Marshall (NIGTC; Paternoster, 1978) is thorough, addressing historicity, source and redaction questions from a moderately conservative perspective; lack of footnotes makes it harder to use. J B Fitzmyer (2 vols; Anchor Bible; Doubleday, 1981, 1985) is a wise redaction-critical approach, full of insights. John Nolland (3 vols; WBC; Word, 1989-93) is evangelical, massive and exhaustive; start with the fine 'Explanation' on each section - otherwise you will drown in the detail. Darrell Bock (2 vols; BECNT; Baker, 1994, 1996) is similar from a more conservative perspective, and good at giving 'signposts' to Luke's flow. M D Goulder (2 vols; JSOT Press, 1989) argues his source theory, with little help to preachers.

Of the medium-weights, L T Johnson (Sacra Pagina; Liturgical Press, 1992) reads the text in its final form and offers much of value; R C Tannehill's The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, vol 1 (Fortress, 1986) is similar from a thematic perspective (his commentary is just out: Abingdon, 1997). J B Green (NICNT; Eerdmans/Paternoster, 1997 - just out) offers a literary approach with particular sensitivity to cultural background (see also his helpful overview, The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, CUP, 1995). R H Stein (NAC; Broadman, 1992) is an outstanding evangelical redaction-critical approach, written with a pastor's heart. Christopher F Evans (TPINTC; SCM, 1990) is similar in method, but mainstream critical. E E Ellis (NCB; Marshall Pickering, 1974) enlightens the big picture, but is thin on detail. Darrell Bock's IVP NT Commentary (IVP, 1994) is disappointing.

Among the shorter commentaries, L L Morris (TNTC; IVP, 1974, now revised) is one of the best of its series, offering good exegetical judgements. If you can get it second-hand, David Gooding's According to Luke (IVP, 1987) is an accessible reading of the final form of the text, noticing many helpful interconnections. Don't waste your money on W Barclay (DSB; St Andrew Press, 1953) - others are much better; Craig A Evans (NIBC; Paternoster, 1990) provides one example, giving solid exegesis. Michael Wilcock (Bible Speaks Today; IVP, 1979) offers good exposition - helpful to preachers alongside an exegetical commentary. Judith Lieu's Epworth Commentary (Epworth, 1997) is also helpful, and has one eye on preaching.

Finally, two helpful studies of the parables in Luke: Kenneth E Bailey's Poet and Peasant, and Through Peasant Eyes (Eerdmans, 1984) offers brilliant insights from a literary perspective which is sensitive to the cultural context of these stories; Roy Clements' A Sting in the Tale (IVP, 1995) is a good series of sermons on some of Luke's parables.

The best? In each of the categories, I would get (1) Fitzmyer or Nolland; (2) Stein, Johnson or Green; (3) Craig A Evans, Wilcock or Gooding, plus Clements or Bailey on the parables.

Steve Walton, Lecturer in New Testament, St John's College, Nottingham

Humour: Out of Context

Revd Peter Beckley in Sheffield actually used the following text at the funeral of a professional footballer:

'So whether we are at home or away we make it our goal to please him' (2Cor 5:9)

Less promising is Revd Alan Ward's offering from Mickleover, Derby. He finds in Zephaniah 2: 4 the biblical justification for England's football coach dropping Paul Gascoigne from the squad:

'Gaza will be abandoned' [Keep that spell-checker turned on, Alan]

Finally, John Backhouse of Loughborough drew our attention to what he calls 'the built-in humour' that describes each BSB leaflet as 'Vol...'. Notice the change, John?

[Keep those cards and letters coming. Especially if you can do better!]

Computer Corner

More and more people are gaining access to the internet and beginning to swim (or perhaps drown) in the ocean of sites on the World Wide Web (WWW). Is anything out there of interest to those concerned about the Bible?

Have you ever wanted to look up a comment on a biblical text that occurs in the pseudepigrapha or early Christian writings? You can download many of them from http://wesley.nnc.edu

It is also possible to start from a text and look up various translations and commentaries (though old ones out of copyright) on the net. Try the world wide study bible at: http://ccel.wheaton.edu/wwsb/

Happy hunting!

Philip Jenson