-----Annotated
Bibliography-----
Commentary Series on the Individual Books of the New Testament
-----Annotated
Bibliography-----
Luccock, Robert, The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 17 of Abingdon Basic Bible Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.
Publisher's Info:
* Revised and updated
* Based on the NRSV and NIV translations
* Covers every book verse by verse
* Each volume also contains maps, charts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary
* Available in sets or individually
ISBN: 0687026369
Contents described at Amazon.com
Weaver, Walter, The
Gospel of Mark, vol. 18 of Abingdon Basic Bible
Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.
Publisher's Info:
* Revised and updated
* Based on the NRSV and NIV translations
* Covers every book verse by verse
* Each volume also contains maps, charts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary
* Available in sets or individually
ISBN: 0687026377
Hutchinson, Orion, The
Gospel of Luke, vol. 19 of Abingdon Basic Bible Commentary.
Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.
Publisher's Info:
* Revised and updated
* Based on the NRSV and NIV translations
* Covers every book verse by verse
* Each volume also contains maps, charts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary
* Available in sets or individually
ISBN: 0687026385
Madsen, Norman, The
Gospel of John, vol. 20 of Abingdon Basic Bible Commentary.
Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1994.
Publisher's Info:
* Revised and updated
* Based on the NRSV and NIV translations
* Covers every book verse by verse
* Each volume also contains maps, charts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary
* Available in sets or individually
ISBN: 0687026393
Jewett, Robert, Romans,
vol.
22 of Abingdon Basic Bible Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1994.
Publisher's Info:
* Revised and updated
* Based on the NRSV and NIV translations
* Covers every book verse by verse
* Each volume also contains maps, charts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary
* Available in sets or individually
ISBN: 0687026423
Blair, Edward, Philippians,
Colossians and First and Second Thessalonians, vol. 25 of Abingdon
Basic Bible Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.
Publisher's Info:
* Revised and updated
* Based on the NRSV and NIV translations
* Covers every book verse by verse
* Each volume also contains maps, charts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary
* Available in sets or individually
ISBN: 0687026458
Wolcott, Leonard, Hebrews,
vol.
27 of Abingdon Basic Bible Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1994.
Publisher's Info:
* Revised and updated
* Based on the NRSV and NIV translations
* Covers every book verse by verse
* Each volume also contains maps, charts, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary
* Available in sets or individually
ISBN: 0687026474
Abingdon New Testament Commentary
Senior, Donald, Matthew, Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998.
Biblical texts create worlds of meaning, and invite readers to enter them. When readers enter such textual worlds, which are often strange and complex, they are confronted with theological claims. With this in mind, the purpose of the Interpreting Biblical Texts series is to help dedicated students in their experience of reading and interpreting by providing guides for their journeys into textual worlds. The controlling perspective is expressed in the operative word of the title: interpreting. The primary focus of the series is not so much on the world behind the texts or out of which the texts have arisen as on the worlds created by the texts in their engagement with readers. In this volume, Donald Senior provides an up-to-date introduction to the Gospel of Matthew. The seven chapters of Part One focus on modern biblical scholarship and the interpretation of Matthew, discussing the sources and structure of the Gospel, its use of the Old Testament, its understanding of Jewish Law, its setting as a part of the mission of Christianity to the Gentiles, its Christology, its understanding of the nature of discipleship, and the community from which the Gospel originated. The six chapters of Part Two provide a structured guide to reading and interpreting Matthew's Gospel.
ISBN: 0687057663
Tannehill, Robertl, Luke,
Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1996.
The Abingdon New Testament Commentaries series offers compact, critical commentaries on the writings of the New Testament. These commentaries are written with special attention to the needs and interests of theology students, but they will also be useful for students in upper-level college or university settings, as well as for pastors and other church leaders. In addition to providing basic information about the New Testament texts and insights into their meanings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful, critical exegesis.
ISBN: 0687061326
Smith, D. Moody, Jr., John,
Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1999.
In this volume, Smith views the Fourth Gospel within several contexts in order to illuminates its specific purposes and achievements. With a growing consensus of recent scholarship (Martyn, Raymond E. Brown, Meeks) the roots of the Gospel and its traditions are sought in the coflict between Jesus' followers and opponents within Judaism. In thier struggles, Jesus' followers are encouraged and strengthened by his continuing presence in the Spirit, which articulates his meaning for new situations, of which the readers gets a partial picture in the Gospel's farewell discourses, as well as the Johannine letters. Although distincitve, Johannine Christianity does not develop in complete isolation from the broader Christian Gospels. Out of a fascination, if complex, setting there develops the strikingly unique statement of Christian faith, practice, and doctrine found in the Gospel of John. The purpose of this commentary is to enable the reader to comprehend that statement in historical perspective in order or appreciate its meaning and significance.
ISBN: 0687058120
Gaventa, Beverly, Acts,
Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press,
2003.
In a striking departure from customary readings of the Acts of the Apostles as the story of the growth of the church, Gaventa argues that Luke's second volume has to do with nothing less than the activity of God. From the beginning of the story at Jesus' Ascension and extending until well past the final report of Paul's activity in Rome, Luke narrates a relentlessly theological story, in which matters of institutional history or biography play only an incidental role. Gaventa pays careful attention to Luke's story of God, as well as to the numerous characters who set themselves in opposition to God's plan.
ISBN: 068705821X
Horsley, Richard, First
Corinthians, Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1998.
This commentary highlights both the socio-political context of 1 Corinthians and the clash of significantly different religious viewpoints represented by Paul and the congregation he had founded in Corinth. In particular, Richard Horsley shows that this letter provides a window through which one may view the tension between the Corinthians' interest in cultivating individual spirituality and the apostle's concern for building up a social-religious community devoted to the common advantage, for the flourishing both of personal dignity and a humanizing solidarity."The fundamental aim of this series [is to help] readers . . . understand more about the origins, character, and meaning of the New Testament writings, [and] . . . enter into their own informed and critical engagement with the biblical texts themselves."-Victor Paul Furnish, General Editor
ISBN: 0687058384
Williams, Sam, Galatians,
Abingdon
New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.
"The Abingdon New Testament Commentaries are just what the doctor ordered for seminary classes in New Testament studies. They combine the essential ingredients of good exegesis with relevant theological and ethical reflections on the text. While the authors work from the Greek text, the commentaries are written so as to make the text accessible to readers who have no first-hand acquaintance with the Greek language. I am particularly impressed with the selection of the writers for the series; the list includes some of the most respected names in the guild of New Testament studies".
ISBN: 0687057078
Perkins, Pheme, Ephesians,
Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1997.
Too many Bible commentaries are written these days. The new Abingdon New Testament Commentaries series, however, promises to be something different. It is very clearly focused with regard to its audience (theological and other students in upper-level college or university settings), its aim (careful, critical exegesis based on the most recent scholarship, but not encumbered by it), its structure (literary analysis, exegetical analysis, theological and ethical analysis within the original setting of the texts), and its admirably modest size (an average of about 240 pages)".
ISBN: 0687056993
Osiek, Carolyn, Philippians,
Philemon, Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 2000.
The commentary demonstrates how to work through the texts of Philippians and Philemon in the light of relevant scholarship but also with the use of one’s own critical judgment. While traditional exegetical questions are dealt with, contemporary theological concerns are highlighted, and there is a special effort to probe the social issues that arose in the Pauline churches. Gender roles and slavery are given particular attention as they arise in the texts. Scholarship, now enlightened by greater knowledge of the social structures and relationships of Mediterranean antiquity, is just beginning to explore questions of how women functioned in house-church communities, how early Christians dealt with the institution of slavery, and how slaves were integrated into their communities. To the extent allowed by the commentary format, these questions are given special attention in contributing to an ongoing discussion.“Osiek deftly weaves new rhetorical, social-historical, and social-scientific insights into classical historical and philological research on Philippians and Philemon. She has the special gift of discussing difficult issues in simple language and with great clarity. The result is a remarkable synthesis in which readers of all kinds will come to a deeper understanding not only of these two letters and recent scholarship on them, but of Paul and the ancient world he inhabited.”—Dennis C. Duling, Canisius College
“Professor Osiek’s combination of meticulous scholarship, a profound grasp of the rhetorical and social dimensions of Philippians and Philemon, and her succinct yet limpid style make this commentary a remarkably accomplished and mercifully compact addition to Pauline Studies.” —Philip F. Esler, Vice-Principal (Research) and Professor of Biblical Criticism in the University of St. Andrews, Scotland
“Osiek’s brief commentary is a model of excellent scholarship shared with clarity and with sensitivity to contemporary interpretive issues. The historical and sociological approaches in the hands of Osiek lead to insightful and important comments, for example, on issues related to women (in Philippians) and to slavery (in Philemon). Osiek presents alternative interpretations clearly and fairly and always makes her own case with grace. this is authentic biblical scholarship in the service of all God’s people. —David M. Scholer, Professor of New Testament and Associate Dean for the Center for Advanced Theological Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary
“Osiek succeeds in combining up-to-date scholarship on the puzzles of Philippians and Philemon along with a clear exposition of the real meaning of Paul’s thought. The commentary will be of great value to both the professional and the lay reader.” —Vincent Branick, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Dayton
ISBN: 0687058228
Hay, David, Colossians,
Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press,
2000.
The short letter to the Colossians has played a significant role in the development of Christian thought. Its emphases on salvation as largely realized here and now, on knowledge in relation to faith, on Christ as the head of the church, on the entire cosmos and all humanity as the objects of God’s work of redemption through him, and on Paul’s authority — all these point in the direction of church theology at the end of the apostolic period. Christian notions of ethical responsibility between asceticism and worldliness, as well as the subordination of wives to husbands and slaves to masters, were influenced by the “household table” of Colossians 3:18–4:1. In the fourth century Colossians' Christological claims surfaced on opposite sides of the Arian controversy, which dealt with the status of the Son of God in relation to the Father/Creator and the created order. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Colossians attracted special attention as theologians and ordinary believers have wrestled with new questions about science and religious pluralism.
ISBN: 0687058023
Bassler, Jouette, 1
Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1996.
"Jouette Bassler's volume on the Pastoral Letters is a model of careful, clearly written cogent interpretation. She gives faithful attention to the problematic trees along the exegetical path, yet without losing sight of the forest. Organized by literary units but not avoiding difficult verses, Bassler's commentary keeps before the reader the unfolding history of the early Christian community from which the text emerges. It is unquestionably the best resource we have on the Pastoral Letters" Charles B. Cousar, Columbia Theological Seminary"Bassler's commentray has the crispness of style and no-nonsense quality about it that one has come to expect from its author. The underlying learning is evident throughout. It results in careful, critical exegesis that places the Pastorals securely in their social and historical context. All relevant issues are explained and discussed. Bassler is particularly good at referring the reader to other texts that illuminate her own, with a broad range over Jewish, Greco-Roman, and Christian texts. She presupposes the non-Pauline authorship of the non-Pauline authorship of the Pastorals, but otherwise has no special axes to grind. As an introductory commentary for theological students, itcould not be bettered." --Troels Engberg-Pedersen, Copenhagen University, Denmark
ISBN: 0687001579
Pfitzner, Victor, Hebrews,
Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1997.
Ptfitzner interprets Hebrews as a passionate appeal directed by its author to a community that is in danger of surrendering the distinctiveness of its faith. Through an examination of its sturcture, rhetorical devices, and arguments, he shows Hebrews to be a splendid example of extended exhoration, with a recurring pattern of formal introduction, scriptural quotation, exposition, and appplication. By seeing the message of Hebrews as a "word exhortation" (13:22) to a community in crisis, Pfitzner is able to set its distinctive Christology firmly in its original social, historical, and cultural context.
ISBN: 0687057248
Sleeper, Freeman, James,
Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1998.
Sleeper's lucid exposition of James restores this often neglected wokr to its rightful place in the Christian canon. Carefully charting the verbal structures and argument of the letter, he demonstrates that it is a coherent piece of moral teaching intended to encourage the development of Christian character, not just a collection of disparate maxims. As he guides the reader through the letter's basic themes, Sleeper is attentive to its echoes in the Old Testament, Hellenistic Jewish wisdom literature, and sayings of Jesus, as well as to its affinities with other Christian writings. Moreover, he shows that the author's understanding of God and of human nature provides a significant theological foundation for practical wisdom about the Christain moral life.
ISBN: 0687058163
Boring, Eugene, 1
Peter, Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1999.
Identifying the theme of 1 Peter as how the church is to witness responsibly in a non-Christian world, Boring emphasizes the necessity of a sympathetic historical understanding of those parts of the letter that collide with modern cultural values and understandings of what Christian commitment and theology require. He gives special attention, as well, to the narrative world within which this ancient writer operated, and to the strong affirmation of ecumenism implicit in the letter's amalgamation of traditions stemming from Peter and Paul, respectively. "Through the years, Professor Boring has shown himself to be a master of technical exegesis and theology wedded to great pastoral concern. These twin talents are fittingly brought to bear on a New Testament document that shows the same union of rich theology and pastoral care. Indeed, the sober, centrist, yet moving commentary squares perfectly with the sober, centrist, yet moving document that is 1 Peter. If this commentary is a popularization, then it is a popularization of very high caliber; a tremendous amount of research and insight is made available and intelligible to a wide public. This commentary is
not just a rehash of what everyone else has said on 1 Peter. The innovative appendix detailing the narrative world of 1 Peter is alone worth the price of admission. All in all, an excellent contribution to present-day literature on an often neglected book of the New Testament." --John P. Meier, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
ISBN: 0687058546
Kraftchick, Steven, Jude
and 2 Peter, Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 2002.
The Abingdon New Testament Commentaries series offers compact, critical commentaries on the writings of the New Testament. These commentaries are written with special attention to the needs and interests of theology students, but they will also be useful for students in upper-level college or university settings, as well as for pastors and other church leaders. In addition to providing basic information about the New Testament texts and insights into their meanings, these commentaries exemplify the tasks and procedures of careful, critical exegesis.In this volume of the Abingdon New Testament Commentaries series, Steven J. Kraftchick both studies these two epistles in their late first century context and discusses their relevance to the contemporary Christian church. The author discusses the importance of the insider/outsider language, the harsh polemical tone of both letters, and their reliance upon the Old Testament and both early Jewish and Greco-Roman thought.
"Because of the numerous similarities between Jude and Second Peter (the latter proably made use of the former), Kraftchick emulates many commentators by treating the two epistles together. In antiquity few writers commented upon Second Peter; the letter is little used in the liturgy. But this does not diminish its importance as providing an insight into aspects of life in the early church. Kraftchick sees Second Peter as possibly originating in the period 90-100 CE (earlier than many commentators). Its pseudonymous authorship and nature as a 'farewell testament' were common enough at the time, enabling the writer to cloak his own arguments in the garments of a revered, authoritative personage of the past. The letter's teaching on the delay of the parousia is among its most striking features; it is the only NT writing to teach that the present world will be destroyed by fire, though such a notion is found in intertestamental Jewish writings and among the Stoics. Kraftchick brings nothing startlingly new to an already well-furrowed exegetical field, but his skill at synthesis and clarity of expression will be appreciated by the students for whom this entire series is intended."--Casimir Bernas, Holy Trinity Abbey, in Religious Studies Review, Volume 29 Number 3, July 2003.
ISBN: 0687057620
Rensberger, David, 1-3
John, Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1997.
After years of close contact with the Johannine epistles, David Rensberger discusses the numerous puzzles--linguistic, literary, and historical--that characterize these brief texts. His comments on their theological and ethical significance illumines the meaning and interrelationship of faith and love. In short, Rensberger skillfully demonstrates that despite the Johannine epistles' existence on the periphery of the New Testament canon, they nevertheless touch on the heart of its message. Inquiry includes relationship of these epistles to the gospel of John, Christology, Dualism, Eschatology,
the Church, and Salvation.
ISBN: 0687057221
Thompson, Leonard, Revelation,
Abingdon New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1998.
Presenting perceptive comparisons and contrasts with both Greco-Roman and Jewish literature, canonical and non-canonical, Leonard Thompson highlights the distinctive features of the Book of Revelation. Writing in an engaging literary style, he deals effectively with the various modes of rhetoric and knowledge, while offering an illuminating and convincing proposal for the structure and thematic development of Revelation. This revealing and insightful analysis of this challenging early Christian writing show how the Book of Revelation addresses perennial human questions about divine purpose and human destiny. --Howard Clark Kee
ISBN: 0687056799
Raymond Edward Brown, An
Introduction to the New Testament, The Anchor Bible. Garden
City, NY: Doubleday, 1997.
ISBN: 0385247672
J. Louis Martyn, Galatians:
A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary (Anchor Bible, Vol 33A).
The Anchor Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1998.
ISBN: 0385088388
Joel Marcus, Mark
1-8: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary (Anchor Bible,
Vol 27A). The Anchor Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday,
2000.
ISBN: 0385423497
Barth, Markus. Colossians.
The
Anchor Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1995.
(ISBN 0-385-11068-5)
Munck, Johannes. The Acts of the Apostles. The Anchor Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1967.
Raymond Edward Brown, The
Gospel According to John XIII-XXI (Anchor Bible, Vol 29, Part A). The
Anchor Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1970.
ISBN: 0385037619
Abraham J. Malherbe, The
Letters to the Thessalonians: A New Translation With Introduction
and Commentary (Anchor Bible, Vol 32B). The Anchor Bible. Garden
City, NY: Doubleday, 2000.
ISBN: 0385184603
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
Simonetti, Manlio. Matthew 1--13. New Testament Volume 1a, of The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001.
(The Gospel of Matthew stands out as a favorite biblical text among patristic commentators. The patristic commentary tradition on Matthew begins with Origen's pioneering twenty-five-volume commentary on the First Gospel in the mid-third century. In the Latin-speaking West, where commentaries did not appear until about a century later, the first commentary on Matthew was written by Hilary of Poitiers in the mid-fourth century. From that point the First Gospel became one of the texts most frequently commented on in patristic exegesis. Outstanding examples are Jerome's four-volume commentary and the valuable but anonymous and incomplete Opus imperfectum in Matthaeum. Then there are the Greek catena fragments derived from commentaries by Theodore of Heraclea, Apollinaris of Laodicea, Theodore of Mopsuestia and Cyril of Alexandria. The ancient homilies also provide ample comment, including John Chrysostom's ninety homilies and Chromatius of Aquileia's fifty-nine homilies on the Gospel of Matthew. In addition, there are various Sunday and feast-day homilies from towering figures such as Augustine and Gregory the Great as well as other fathers. This rich abundance of patristic comment, much of it presented here in English translation for the first time by editor Manlio Simonetti, provides a bountiful and varied feast of ancient interpretation of the First Gospel. [Comments taken from publisher; ISBN: 0-8308-1486-8])
Simonetti, Manlio. Matthew
14--28. New Testament Volume 1b, of The Ancient Christian Commentary
on Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002.
(The Gospel of Matthew stands out as a favorite biblical text among patristic commentators. The patristic commentary tradition on Matthew begins with Origen's pioneering twenty-five-volume commentary on the First Gospel in the mid-third century. In the Latin-speaking West, where commentaries did not appear until about a century later, the first commentary on Matthew was written by Hilary of Poitiers in the mid-fourth century. From that point the First Gospel became one of the texts most frequently commented on in patristic exegesis. Outstanding examples are Jerome's four-volume commentary and the valuable but anonymous and incomplete Opus imperfectum in Matthaeum. Then there are the Greek catena fragments derived from commentaries by Theodore of Heraclea, Apollinaris of Laodicea, Theodore of Mopsuestia and Cyril of Alexandria. The ancient homilies also provide ample comment, including John Chrysostom's ninety homilies and Chromatius of Aquileia's fifty-nine homilies on the Gospel of Matthew. In addition, there are various Sunday and feast-day homilies from towering figures such as Augustine and Gregory the Great as well as other fathers. This rich abundance of patristic comment, much of it presented here in English translation for the first time by editor Manlio Simonetti, provides a bountiful and varied feast of ancient interpretation of the First Gospel.[Comments taken from publisher; ISBN: 0-8308-1469-8])
Hall, Christopher A. Mark.
New Testament Volume 2, of The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998.
(The early church valued the Gospel of Mark for its preservation of the apostolic voice and gospel narrative of Peter. Yet the early church fathers very rarely produced sustained commentary on Mark. This brisk-paced and robust little Gospel, so much enjoyed by modern readers, was overshadowed in the minds of the fathers by the magisterial Gospels of Matthew and John. But now with the assistance of computer searches, an abundance of comment has been discovered to be embedded and interleaved amidst the textual archives of patristic homilies, apologies, letters, commentaries, theological treatises and hymnic verses. In this Ancient Christian Commentary on Mark, the insights of Augustine of Hippo and Clement of Alexandria, Ephrem the Syrian and Cyril of Jerusalem join in a polyphony of interpretive voices of the Eastern and Western church from the second to the seventh century. St. Mark's Gospel displays the evocative power of its story, parables and passion as it ignites a brilliant exhibit of theological insight and pastoral wisdom. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Mark opens up a long-forgotten passage through the arid and precipitous slopes of post-Enlightenment critical interpretation and bears us along to a fertile valley basking in the sunshine of theological and spiritual interpretation. In these pages we enter the interpretive world that long nurtured the great premodern pastors, theologians and saints of the church.[Comments taken from publisher; ISBN: 0-8308-1487-6])
Bray, Gerald. Romans.
New Testament Volume 6, of The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998.
(St. Paul's Letter to the Romans has long been considered the theological high-water mark of the New Testament. It was no less regarded by the ancient church, and patristic interpreters have left us an abundance of valuable comment on Romans. This Ancient Christian Commentary on Romans collects the best and most representative of patristic commentary and homily on Romans, and it brings to the public some valuable material that has hitherto been unavailable in English translation. Outstanding among these commentators is "Ambrosiaster," the name given to the unknown Latin commentator of the late fourth century, whose enduring worth is evident to all who read him. And the extensive commentary by Origen, largely inaccessible to modern readers, is frequently and extensively presented here in English for the first time. These commentators are joined by great figures such as John Chrysostom of Constantinople, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Augustine of Hippo, Theodoret of Cyrus, and several lesser commentators such as Diodore of Tarsus and Didymus the Blind of Alexandria. This commentary on Romans provides a rare opportunity to encounter the familiar Pauline exposition of the righteousness of God as it echoes in the great Christian minds and communities of the early church. [Comments taken from publisher; ISBN: 0-8308-1491-4])
Bray, Gerald. 1-2
Corinthians. New Testament Volume 7, of The Ancient Christian
Commentary on Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
(Paul's letters to the Corinthian church have left a mark on Christian Scripture in a way that could never have been predicted. Here the pastoral issues of a first-century Christian community in what Chrysostom identified as "still the first city in Greece" stand out in bold relief. How was a community shaped by the cross to find its expression in a city that Chrysostom kew to be "full of orators and philosophers" and the "prided itself . . . above all on its great wealth? How was church unity to be maintained in a setting where prominent believers, bending truth and morality to their own advantage, divided the body of Christ? Here lay the challenge for the apostle Paul. And as the apostle writes, the fathers lean over his shoulder, marveling and commenting on his pastoral wisdom. Best known among these patristic commentators is Chrysostom, whose seventy-seven homilies on the two Corinthian epistles are a treasury of exposition and application. The fragmentary works of Didymus the Blind and Severian of Gabala give us samples of Greek exegesis from the Alexandrian and Antiochene schools. the partial work of Theodore of Mopsuestia, a commentator of great skill and insight, was long valued in the church. And the comments of Theodoret of Cyrus are notable for their sensitivity to the intertextuality of Scripture. Then there are Origen and Pelagius, whose names resonate with notable error to the needless obscuring of their brilliant insights into Scripture. But pride of place goes to the unknown fourth-century commentator long mistaken for Ambrose and now dubbed Ambrosiaster. His excellent commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians has been unavailable in English translation, and for that reason it is excerpted more generously in this volume. This Ancient Christian Commentary on 1-2 Corinthians opens a whole new way of reading these New Testament texts. The pastoral and theological interpretation of the fathers offers spiritual and intellectual sustenance to those who would read Paul again with open minds and hearts. Here we find the Pauline wisdom of the cross generating an effetive heritage of Christian interpretation.[Comments taken from publisher; ISBN: 0-8308-1492-2])
Edwards, Mark J. Galatians,
Ephesians, Philippians. New Testament Volume 8, of The Ancient
Christian Commentary on Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 1999.
(Paul's letters to the Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians have struck an indelible impression on Christian tradition and piety. The doctrines of Christ, of salvation and of the church all owe their profiles to these letters. And for patristic interpreters, who read Scripture as a single book and were charged with an an insatiable curiosity regarding the mysteries of the Godhead, these letters offered profound visions seldom captured by modern eyes. Trinitarian truth was patterned in the apostle's praise of God who is "over all, through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:6). Without a doubt the greatest text in this collection of letters is the "Christ hymn" of Philippians 2:6-11. This commentary offers an unparalleled close-up view of the fathers weighing the words and phrases of this panoramic charting of the Savior's journey from preexistence, to incarnation, to crucifixion and triumphant exaltation as universal Lord. This volume opens a treasury of resources for biblical study today. The expository voices of Jermome, Origen, Augustine, Chrysostom, Ambrosiaster, Theodoret, Marius Victorinus and Theodore of Mopsuestia speak again with eloquence and intellectual acumen, some in English translation for the first time. [Comments taken from publisher; ISBN: 0-8308-1493-0])
Gorday, Peter. Colossians,
1-2 Thessalonians, 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon. New Testament
Volume 9, of The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
(While patristic commentary on St. Paul's shorter letters--Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, the Pastorals and Philemon--was not so extensive as that on his longer letters, certain passages in these letters proved particularly important in doctrinal disputes and practical church matters. Pivotal in controversies with the Arians and the Gnostics, the most commented-upon christological text amid these letters was Colossians 1:15-20, where Jesus is declared "the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation." In other texts scattered throughout the Pastorals, the fathers found ample support for the divinity of th eSon and the Spirit and for the full union of humanity and divinity in the one redeemer, the "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). These early Christian commentators also loked to the Pastorals, where Pauline authorship was assumed, for important ethical and moral teaching, as well as explicit qualifications for choosing church leaders and guidelines for overseeing the work and behavior of widows. Chief among the Eastern commentators and widely excerpted throughout this volume is John Chrysostom, praised for his pastoral insight and shrewd, generous empathy with the apostle Paul. Other Greek commentators whose work is cited include Theodoret of Cyr, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Severian of Gabala, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Iranaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Athanasius, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa. Among Western commentators Augustine dominates. His work is joined by that of Ambrosiaster, Pelagius, Jerome, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Novatian, Cyprian of Carthage, Hilary of Poitiers and Ambrose among others. Of particular interest for their ascetical and devotional insight are works from Syrian and Egyptian churches, including Aphrahat, Ephrem the Syrian, Isaac of Nineveh and Philoxenus of Mabbug. This volume opens up a treasure house of ancient wisdom that allows these faithful witnesses, some appearing here in English translation for the first time, to speak with eloquence and intellectual acumen to the church today. [Comments taken from publisher; ISBN: 0-8308-1494-9])
Bray, Gerald. James,
1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude. New Testament Volume 11, of The
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 2000.
(Because the Catholic Epistles focus on orthodox faith and morals, the Fathers drew on them as a means of defense against the rising challenge of heretics. This factor gave these letters a freshness and relevance to conditions in the fourth and fifth centuries that might otherwise seem surprising. Many of the Fathers unabashedly saw in them anticipatory attacks on Marcion and strong defenses against the Arians. They did so quite naturally because in their view truth was eternal and deviations from it had existed from the beginning. Above all, the Fathers found in the Catholic Epistles a manual for spiritual warfare, counsel for the faithful in the cosmic struggle between good and evil. In them was sound instruction in the ways of self-sacrifice, generosity and humility, through which the cosmic forces could be defeated. Allusions to these letters go back as far as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Tertullian, but the first commentary derives from Clement of Alexandria. Didymus the Blind was the next significant Greek-speaking commentator, though his commentary is fully extant only in Latin translation. Many of the comments from the early centuries have been passed on to us through Latin catenae, or chain commentaries, in which a later commentator collected comments from a variety of sources and chained them together in a fashion much like that of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture in English. Among Latin commentators on these letters, pride of place must be given to Bede the Venerable. This volume opens up a treasure house of ancient wisdom that allows these faithful witnesses, some appearing here in English translation for the first time, to speak with eloquence and intellectual acumen to the church today. [Comments taken from publisher; ISBN: 0-8308-1496-5])
Luz, Ulrich. Matthew 1-7. Volume in the Continental Commentary. Translated by Wilhelm C. Linss. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992.
(About the Author
Ulrich Luz is professor of New Testament at the University of Bern, Switzerland. He is widely known as a lecturer and researcher.
Additional Information
Table of Contents
Preface
Translator's Preface
Abbreviations
Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
1. Structure and Genre
2. The Sources
3. The Style
4. The Relationship of the Evangelist to His Sources
5. The Setting of the Gospel of Matthew
6. On the History of Influence and on the Intention of This Commentary
COMMENTARY
1. Prelude
Excursus: The Story of the Persecuted and Rescued Royal Child as Background of Matthew
Excursus: The Formula Quotations
2. The Activity of Jesus in Israel in Word and Deed
Excursus: Preaching, Teaching, and Gospel in Matthew
Endorsement
"There is nothing else in English that compares with Luz's commentary; it is the best!" -- James M. Robinson
"This volume is a joy to read." -- Schuyler Brown
"It is an outstanding commentary, the first to use the Wirkungsge-schichte, the understanding of the text throughout the centuries, to interpret the text itself." --Eduard Schweizer
Comments taken from publisher [080069600X])
Lührmann, Dieter. Galatians.
Volume in the Continental Commentary. Translated by O.C. Dean, Jr.
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992.
(Description
The long-awaited commentary by Dieter Lührmann is now available to English-speaking audiences for the first time. It is a profound, succinctly written dialogue with the text that carefully follows the main points of Paul's arguments in his most controversial letter. The author presents a theological interpretation which takes seriously Paul's claims about the gospel and also provides a distinctive outline based on this close reading of the text. Also included are helpful discussions of the competing theologies of Paul and his opponents, a chart on Paul's career, and a map of the Roman world. Lührmann is a highly acclaimed interpreter of the New Testament. This volume will be a valuable addition to a well-received commentary series.
About the Author
Dieter Luhrmann is Professor of New Testament at Marburg University, Germany. He is the author of several New Testament monographs and commentaries.
Additional Information
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
The Content of the Letter
The Beginnings of the Churches in Galatia
The Time and Place of Composition
The Occasion for the Letter
The Significance of the Letter
The Interpretation of the Letter
COMMENTARY
The Opening of the Letter
The Occasion for the Letter
The Gospel: Faith or Law?
The Thesis
The Way of the Gospel from Damascus to Galatia
Paul's History before His Arrival in Galatia
Paul's Life before His Conversion
Conversion and Initial Missionary Activity in Arabia
The First Visit to Jerusalem
Missionary Activity in Syria and Cilicia
The Second Journey to Jerusalem
The Conflict in Antioch
Questions to the Galations
The Blessing of Abraham and the Curse of the Law
Abraham's Inheritance and the Law
The Promise
The Law
Faith
Abraham's Inheritance
The Conversion of the Galations
Hagar and Sarah
Freedom from the Law
Love as the Realization of Freedom
Flesh or Spirit
Comments taken from publisher [0800696182])
Roloff, Jürgen. Revelation.
Volume in the Continental Commentary. Translated by John E. Alsup
and James S. Currie. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993.
(About the Author
Jürgen Roloff, Professor of New Testament at the University of Erlangen, Germany, is the author of several important New Testament studies.
Additional Information
Table of Contents
Preface
AbbreviationsINTRODUCTION
History of Influence
Apocalyptic and Apocalypses
Revelation – an Early Christian Apocalypse?
The Epistolary Character of Revelation
Author and Original Situation
Language and Style
Tradition and Interpretation
Regarding and Challenge of Interpretation
Structure and OrganizationCOMMENTARY
Foreword
Epistolary Opening
Commissioning Vision
The Seven Circular Letters
To the Church in Ephesus
To the Church in Smyrna
To the Church in Pergamum
To the Church in Thyatira
To the Church in Sardis
To the Church in Philadelphia
To the Church in Laodicea
The Appearance of God
The Lamb and the Sealed Book
The Visions of the Seven Seals
The First Four Seals
The Fifth Seal
The Sixth Seal
The Preservation of the Church
The Seventh Seal
The Visions of the Seven Trumpets
Preparation
The First Four Trumpets
The Fifth Trumpet
The Sixth Trumpet
The Mission of Prophecy in the Context of the End Event
The Measurement of the Temple and the Two Witnesses
The Seventh Trumpet
Second Series of Visions: The End Event as God’s Struggle with His Adversary
The Woman, the Dragon, and the Child
The Beast from the Sea and Its Power
The Beast from the Earth
The Lamb and the 144,000 on Zion
View toward the Judgment
The Visions of the Seven Bowls
Preparation
The Pouring Out of the Seven Bowls
The Execution of Judgment on the Great Evil City
The Harlot Babylon and the Beast
The Judgment over the Great City
Hymnic Finale
Concluding Visions: The Consummation of God’s Plan for History
The Return of Jesus as Judge of the World
The Thousand-Year Kingdom and the Destruction of Satan
End of the World and Universal Judgment
God’s New World
God’s New Act of Creation
The Perfected Salvation Community
The Conclusion of the BookSelect Bibliography
Index of Biblical References
Subject Index
Endorsement
"Roloff has produced an intrepretation of the Revelation of John that can be certain to gain the special interest of theologians because of his . . . emphasis on the Christological starting-point of Revelation and the perspective that this discloses for the Christian community." -- Hans-Friedrich Weiss"In this commentary, one catches the Revelator's vision of eternity ablaze with promise and expectation of accountability in the bleakness of the present. May this book find many who are willing to dialog with the Revelator." -- Frederick Danker
Comments taken from publisher [0800696506])
Boismard, M.-ß., and A. Lamouille. Les Actes des deux Apôtres. 3 vols. Études Bibliques, n.s., nos. 12, 13, 14. Paris: Librairie LeCoffre, 1990.
Jacquier, E. Les Actes des Apôtres. 2nd ed. Étude
bibliques. Paris: Victor Lecoffre, 1926.
The Evangelical Commentary on the New Testament
Carter, Charles W. and Ralph Earle. The Acts of the Apostles. The Evangelical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959.
Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament
Pesch, Rudolf. Die Apostelgeschichte. Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, ed. Josef Blank and others, no. 5. Zürich: Benziger Verlag, 1986; Zürich: Neukirchener Verlag, 1986.
Brox, Norbert. Der erste Petrusbrief. Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, ed. Josef Blank, Rudolf Schnackenburg, Eduard Schweizer, and Ulrich Wilckens, vol. 21. Zürich: Benziger Verlag, 1979.
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary
Longenecker, Richard N. “The Acts of the Apostles.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Edited by Frank Graebelein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.
The Expositor’s Greek Testament
Knowling, R. J. “The Acts of the Apostles.” The Expositor’s Greek Testament. Vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, reprint 1988.
The Good New Commentaries on the New Testament
Williams, David J. Acts. The Good New Commentaries. San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1985.
Lietzmann, Hans. An die Galater. Vol. 10 of Handbuch zum Neuen Testament. 4th ed. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 1923.
Preuschen, Erwin. Die Apostelgeschichte. Handbuch zum Neuen Testament, vol. 4, pt. 1. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1912.
Harpers New Testament Commentaries
Williams, C. S. C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. In Harpers New Testament Commentaries, ed. Henry Chadwick. New York: Harper and Brothers, Publishers, 1957.
Kelly, J. N. D. A Commentary on the Epistles of Peter and of Jude. Harper’s New Testament Commentaries, ed. Henry Chadwick. New York: Harper & Row, 1969.
Newman, Barclay M. and Eugene A. Nida A Translator’s Handbook on the Acts of the Apostles. Helps for Translators. Stuttgart: United Bible Societies, 1972.
Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament
Schneider, Gerhard. Die Apostelgeschichte. Vols. 5.1 in Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament. Freiburg: Herder, 1980.
Schneider, Gerhard. Die Apostelgeschichte. Vols. 5.2. in Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament. Freiburg: Herder, 1982.
Schelkle, Karl Hermann. Die Petrusbriefe/Der Judasbrief. Herders
Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, ed. Alfred Wikenhauser
and Anton Vögtle, vol. 13. Freiburg: Herder, 1964.
Conzelmann, Hans. Acts of the Apostles. Hermeneia Series. Translated by James Linburg, A. Thomas Kraabel, and Donald H. Juel. Edited by Eldon Jay Epp and Christopher R. Matthews. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987.
Lohse, Eduard. Colossians and Philemon. Translated by William R. Poehlmann and Robert J. Karris. Hermeneia, ed. Frank Moore Cross, Jr. and Helmut Koester. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971.
The
International Critical Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the Old and
New Testament
Macgregor, G. H. C. The Acts of the Apostles. The Interpreter's Bible, ed. G. A. Buttrick. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1954.
The IVP New Testament Commentary Series
Larkin, William J. Acts. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series. Ed. Grant R. Osborne. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1995.
Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud und Midrasch
Strack, Hermann L. and Paul Billerbeck. “Die Apostelgeschichte.” in Kommentar zum Neuen Testament. Vol. 2. 8th edition. München: C. H. Beck’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1983.
Wohlenberg, D. G. Der erste und zweite Petrusbrief und der Judasbrief. Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, ed. Theodor Zahn, vol. 15. Leipzig: A. Deichert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1915.
Kritisch-exegetischer Kommentar über das Neue Testament
Haenchen, D. Ernst. Die Apostelgeschichte. Kritisch- exegetischer Kommentar über das Neue Testament. 12th ed. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1959.
Wendt, Hans Hinrich. Die Apostelgeschichte. Kritisch-exegetischer Kommentar über das Neue Testament, ed. H. A. W. Meyer. 9th ed. Göttingen: Vanderhoeck und Ruprecht, 1913.
Kühl, Ernst. Die Briefe Petri und Judae. 5th ed. Kritisch-exegetischer Kommentar über das Neue Testament, vol. 12. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1897.
Pohill, John B. Acts. Vol. 26 of The New American Commentary. Ed. David S. Dockery, et al. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992.
Roloff, Jürgen. Die Apostelgeschichte. Vol. 5. Das Neue Testament Deutsch. 17th ed. Gottingen: Vanderhoeck & Ruprecht, 1981.
Neil, W. The Acts of the Apostles. New Century Bible. London: Oliphants, 1973.
The New International Commentary on the New Testament
Bruce, F. F. The Book of Acts. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Revised edition. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1988.
Moo, Douglas J. The Epistle to the Romans. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Edited by Ned B. Stonehouse, F.F. Bruce, and Gordon D. Fee. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996.
1012 pages. Douglas Moo is professor of New Testament and director of the PhD in Theological Studies Program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.
Fung, Ronald Y. K. The Epistle to the Galatians. The
New International Commentary on the New Testament. Edited by F. F.
Bruce. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1988.
Davids, Peter H. The First Epistle of Peter. The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1990.
The New International Greek Testament Commentary
France, R. T. The Gospel of Mark. Volume in The New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002.
(Drawing on many years of Marcan studies, world-class scholar R. T. France has produced an exegetical commentary on the Greek text of Mark that does what the best of recent Greek commentaries have done but in France's own inimitable, reader-friendly way.New Testament Commentary
This work is a commentary on Mark itself, not a commentary on commentaries of Mark. It deals immediately and directly with matters that France himself regards as important. Working from his own translation of the Greek text and culling from helpful research into the world of first-century Palestine, France provides an extensive introduction to Mark's Gospel, followed by insightful section and verse commentary.
France sees the structure of Mark's Gospel as an effective “drama in three acts.” Act 1 takes up Jesus' public ministry in Galilee. Act 2 covers Jesus' journey to Jerusalem with his disciples. Act 3 focuses on Jesus' public ministry in Jerusalem, including his confrontation with the Jewish leaders, his explanatory discourse on the future, and his passion, death, and resurrection. France carefully unpacks for modern readers the two central themes of this powerful narrative of Jesus' life — the nature of Christ and the role of discipleship.
Supported by careful argumentation and impressive in its sensitivity to Mark's structure, context, and use of the Old Testament, France's study of the second Gospel is without peer.[comments from publisher; ISBN: 0-8028-2446-3])
Hendricksen, William. Galatians and Ephesians. New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979.
Kistemaker, Simon J. Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1990.
Ökumenischer Taschenbuchkommentar zum Neuen Testament
Weiser, Alfons. Die Apostelgeschichte. 2 Vols. Ökumenischer Taschenbuchkommentary zum Neuen Testament. Göttingen: Gütersloher, 1981, 1985.
Cousar, Charles B. Reading Galatians, Philippians, and 1 Thessalonians. Vol. in Reading the New Testament. Macon, GA: Smyth and Helwys Publishers, 1999.
Cousar interprets three letters of Paul, each of which shows him in a different light. In Galatians, the apostle contends for the gospel against a group of Jewish Christian missionaries who have come into the congregation. In Philippians, Paul addresses his favorite community in intimate terms to offer thanks for a gift they have sent him and to urge them to maintain unity in the face of opposing forces. 1 Thessalonians, Paul's first letter, is written to encourage the congregation in that city to lead lives worth of the gospel.The commentary traces the movement of the letters, paragraph by paragraph, and pays particular attention to the literary character of the writing, and to the theological implications of the text for the church today.
Reading the New Testament is a series that presents cutting-edge biblical research in an accessible language that is both easy-to-read and comprehensive.
Charles B. Cousar is the Samuel A. Cartledge Professor of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. He is the author of Galatians (Interpretation); Theology of the Cross, Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary based on the NRSV and The Letters of Paul.
ISBN: 1-57312-323-4 (Comments from the publisher)
Wikenhauser, Alfred. Die Apostelgeschichte. Vol. 5. of the Regensburger Neues Testament. 4th edition. Regensburg: Verlag Friedrich Pustet, 1961.
Zmijewski, Josef. Die Apostelgeschichte. Regensburger Neues Testament, ed. Jost Eckert and Otto Knock. Regensburg: Verlag Friedrich Pustet, 1994.
Knoch, Otto. Der Erste und Zweite Petrusbrief/Der Judasbrief. Regensburger Neues Testament, ed. Jost Eckert and Otto Knoch. Regensburg: Verlag Friedrich Pustet, 1990.
Harrington, Daniel J. The Gospel of Matthew. Volume 1 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1991.
(Matthew wrote his Gospel from his perspective as a Jew. It is with sensitivity to this perspective that Father Harrington undertakes this commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. After an introduction, he provides a literal translation of each section in Matthew's Gospel and explains the textual problems, philological difficulties, and other matters in the notes. He then presents a literary analysis of each text (content, form, use of sources, structure). Bibliographies direct the reader to other important modern studies.
"This is a balanced, well-informed, centrist commentary, with which the reviewer usually agrees and which he can heartily recommend." - Revue Biblique
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5803-2])
Donahue, John R., and Harrington, Daniel J. The
Gospel of Mark. Volume 2 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel
J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 2000.
(In The Gospel of Mark Fathers Donahue and Harrington use an approach that can be expressed by two terms currently used in literary criticism: intratextuality and intertextuality. This intratextual and intertextual reading of Mark's Gospel helps us to appreciate the literary character, its setting in life, and its distinctive approaches to the Old Testament, Jesus, and early Christian theology. "Intratextuality" means we read Mark as Mark and by Mark. Such a reading expresses interest in the final form of the Gospel (not its source or literary history) and in its words and images, literary devices, literary forms, structures, characterization, and plot. Reading Mark by Mark gives particular attention to the distinctive vocabulary and themes that run throughout the Gospel and serve to hold it together as a unified literary production. "Intertextuality" comprises the relation between texts and a textual tradition, and also referring to contextual materials not usually classified as texts (e.g., archaeological data). "Intertextuality" is used to note the links of the text of Mark's Gospel to other texts (especially the Old Testament) and to the life of the Markan community and of the Christian community today.
Chapters are "The Prologue: The Beginning of the Good News (1:1-13)," "Transitional Markan Summary: Proclamation of the Kingdom (1:14-15)," "The Call of the First Disciples (1:16-20)," "A Paradigmatic Day Begins the Ministry of Jesus (1:21-34)," "Highpoints of Jesus’ Work in Galilee (1:35-45)," "The Healing of the Paralyzed Man (2:1-12)," "The Call of Levi and Meals with Tax Collectors and Sinners (2:13-17)," "Fasting, Torn Garments, and New Wineskins (2:18-22)," "Plucking Grain of the Sabbath (2:23-28)," "Healing on a Sabbath (3:1-6)," "Transitional Markan Summary: Healing Beside the Sea (3:7-12)," "Choosing the Twelve (3:13-19)," "The Beelzebul Controversy and the True Family of Jesus (3:20-35)," "The Parable of the Sower, Sayings on the Mystery of the Kingdom of God, and the Allegory of the Seeds (4:1-20)," "Four Sayings on Revelation and Two Kingdom Parables (4:21-34)," "Jesus’ Power Over the Wind and Waves (4:35-41)," "The Exorcism of the Gerasene Demoniac (5:1-20)," "The Daughter of Jairus and the Woman with the Hemorrhage (5:21-43)," "The Rejection at Nazareth (6:1-6a)," "The Mission Charge to the Twelve (6:6b-13)," "The Identity of Jesus and the Execution of John the Baptist (6:14-29)," "The Feeding of the 5000 by the Sea of Galilee (6:30-44)," "Jesus Walks on the Water and Astounds the Disciples (6:45-52)," "A Markan Summary of the Healing Power of Jesus (6:53-56)," "The Dispute over Clean and Unclean (7:1-23)," "The Syrophoenician Woman (7:24-30)," "Jesus Restores Hearing and Speech to a Suffering Man (7:31-37)," "The Second Feeding Narrative: The 4000 (8:1-10)," "Pharisees and Scribes Seek a Sign (8:11-13)," "A Further Misunderstanding by the Disciples and the Conclusion of the Bread Section (8:14-21)," "The Gradual Healing of a Blind Man (8:22-26)," "Peter’s Confession, the First Passion Prediction, Peter’s Misunderstanding, and the Demands of Discipleship (8:27-38)," "The Transfiguration (9:1-13)," "Healing a Possessed Boy (9:14-29)," "A Second Passion Prediction and More Instructions for Disciples (9:30-50)," "Marriage and Divorce (10:1-12)," "Jesus Blesses Children (10:13-16)," "Riches and Poverty (10:17-31)," "A Third Passion Prediction and More Instructions for Disciples (10:32-45)," "The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52)," "Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem (11:1-11)," "The Fig Tree and the Temple (11:12-25)," "The Authority of Jesus (11:27-33)," "The Parable of the Vineyard (12:1-12)," "Taxes to Caesar (12:13-17)," "The Debate about Resurrection (12:18-27)," "The Great Commandment(s) (12:28-34)," "The Messiah and the Son of David (12:35-37)," "The Scribes and the Widow (12:38-44)," "Jesus’ Eschatological Discourse (13:1-37)," "Contrasting Beginnings of Jesus’ Last Days (14:1-11)," "Jesus’ Final Meal with His Disciples (14:12-25)," "Prediction of Peter’s Denial (14:26-31)," "Jesus in Gethsemane (14:32-42)," "The Arrest of Jesus (14:43-52)," "Jesus Before the Sanhedrin and the Denial by Peter (14:53-72)," "Jesus Before Pilate (15:1-20)," "The Crucifixion of Jesus (15:21-32)," "The Death of Jesus (15:33-41)," "The Burial of Jesus (15:42-47)," "The Empty Tomb (16:1-8)," "Later Endings (16:9-20)."
John R. Donahue, S.J., Ph.D., is the Raymond E. Brown Distinguished Professor of New Testament Studies at St. Mary's Seminary and University, Baltimore, Maryland.
Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., Ph.D., is professor of New Testament at Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and general editor of New Testament Abstracts. He wrote The Gospel of Matthew and is the editor of the Sacra Pagina series.
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5804-0])
Johnson, Luke T. The
Gospel of Luke. Volume 3 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel
J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1991.
(What makes this commentary on Luke stand apart from others is that, from beginning to end, this is a literary analysis. Because it focuses solely on the gospel as it appears and not on its source or origin, this commentary richly and thoroughly explores just what Luke is saying and how he says it.
"The name of the editor is a guarantee of their high quality." - Liguorian
"If [Matthew and Luke] are any indication, this series will become a classic. Both books are landmark commentaries." - Catholic Library World
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5805-9])
Moloney, Francis J. The
Gospel of John. Volume 4 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel
J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1998.
(No other book of the New Testament has attracted as much attention from commentators as the Fourth Gospel. It has stirred minds, hearts, and imaginations from Christianity's earliest days. In The Gospel of John, Francis Moloney unfolds the identifiable "point of view" of this unique Gospel narrative and offers readers, heirs to its rich and widely varied interpretative traditions, relevance for their lives today. The Gospel of John's significance for Christianity has been obvious from the time of Irenaeus. It was also fundamental in the emergence of Christian theology, especially in the trinitarian and christological debates that produced the great ecumenical Councils, from Nicaea to Chalcedon. What sets this commentary on the Fourth Gospel apart from others is Moloney's particular attention to the narrative design of the Gospel story. He traces the impact the Johannine form of the Jesus story has made on readers and explicates the way in which the author has told the story of Jesus. Through this he demonstrates how the Gospel story articulates a coherent theology, christology, and ecclesiology.
"The author is interested in facilitating the Gospel’s speaking to contemporary readers, and he is consistently successful in doing so. The importance of this work in biblical studies is that it succeeds also in practicing a narrative criticism without denigrating historical critical questions. Hence, it is important for scholarship as well as for the Church." - Interpretation
"I can strongly recommend this as the most contemporary, insightful, and useful single-volume commentary on John that I know. " - Theological Studies
"This commentary deserves to be widely used by both specialists and nonspecialists." - The Catholic Biblical Quarterly
"This commentary further testifies to Frank Moloney's position at the front rank of international Johannine scholarship. The mastery of the second literature, old and new, is clear but never intrusive. The author creatively deploys the narrative critical approach in a concise and clear exposition that successfully unfolds the theological vision of the Gospel. Scholars, pastors, theological students and all whose faith leads them to seek deeper understanding will welcome this notable addition to Sacra Pagina." - Brendan Byrne, S.J., Jesuit Theological College
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5806-7])
Johnson, Luke T. The
Acts of the Apostles. Volume 5 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by
Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1992.
(The Acts of the Apostles is really the second volume in the two-part writing scholars call Luke-Acts. It continues the story begun in the Gospel of Luke, showing how the Good News offered by Jesus to the outcast of the people was eventually extended "to the end of the earth," so that Gentiles as well as Jews came to share in the blessings of God. This commentary treats Luke-Acts as an apologetic history. It takes with equal seriousness both Luke's literary artistry and his historical interests, fitting his methods comfortably within the ancient standards of historiography. This perspective illustrates in particular that Luke's historical narrative serves a definite religious intent. Tracing that intent through the specific contours of Luke's story is the special contribution of this commentary.
"I rejoice in recommending one of the most gracefully erudite, historically astute, and theologically rewarding commentaries available in a frugal market." - Theological Studies
"This is an excellent commentary and a very important contribution in the series." - Louvain Studies
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5807-5])
Byrne, Brendan. Romans.
Volume 6 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville,
Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1996.
(While widely acknowledged as the single most influential document in Christian history, Paul's Letter to the Romans has also attracted the most comment. Standing at the head of Paul's writings in the New Testament and so eloquently delivering his Gospel, Romans has presented Paul to generations of readers: from Augustine in the fifth century, through the Reformation era, down to the present day. This commentary adopts a literary-rhetorical approach, viewing the letter as an instrument of persuasion designed to transform readers through a celebratory presentation of the Gospel. Reflecting upon the fate of Jews and Gentiles, Paul wins his audience to a vision of a God who always acts inclusively. The God who, in the person of Israel's Messiah (Jesus), has acted faithfully to include the Gentile peoples within the community of salvation, will not fail to see to the eventual inclusion of Israel as well. In the victory of grace displayed already in the risen humanity of Jesus, the original design of the Creator for human communities and for the world begins to come true. The interpretation of Paul's letter to Rome has accompanied and stimulated the path of Christian theology down to today. Romans touches upon virtually all main issues of Christian theology, as well as presenting a rewarding introduction to Paul. Byrne facilitates full access to Paul and his Gospel through the letter, allowing Christians today to hear his voice as intelligibly and powerfully as it has spoken to past generations.
"This is a lucid, major commentary on Romans." -America
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5808-3])
Collins, Raymond. First
Corinthians. Volume 7 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel
J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1999.
(2000 Catholic Press Association Award Winner!
One of the most exciting of Paul’s letters, 1 Corinthians offers a vantage point from which modern readers can reflect on diverseness in Christian Churches today. In First Corinthians, Raymond Collins explores that vantage point as well as the challenge Paul posed to the people of his time—and continues to pose in ours—to allow the gospel message to engage them in their daily lives. Paul introduces us to a flesh-and-blood community whose humanness was all too apparent. Sex, death, and money were among the issues they had to face. Social conflicts and tension within their Christian community were part of their daily lives. Paul uses all of his diplomacy, rhetorical skill, and authority to exhort the Corinthian community to be as one in Christ. In examining Paul’s message and method, Collins approaches 1 Corinthians as a Hellenistic letter written to people dealing with real issues in the Hellenistic world. He cites existing Hellenistic letters to show that Paul was truly a letter writer of his own times. Collins makes frequent references to the writings of the philosophic moralists to help clarify the way in which Paul spoke to his beloved Corinthians. He also comments on some aspects of the social circumstances in which the Christians of Corinth actually lived.
Chapters are “Introduction”; “Translation, Interpretation, Notes”; “Body of the Letter”; “Indexes.”
Raymond Collins, Ph.D. is a priest of the Diocese of Providence and is the dean of the School of Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America. He is the author of John and His Witness and Divorce in the New Testament published by The Liturgical Press.
"This commentary on First Corinthians continues the fine tradition of the Sacra Pagina commentary series." - The Catholic Journalist
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5809-1])
Lambrech, Jan. Second
Corinthians. Volume 8 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel
J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1999.
(Regarded as the most personal of Paul’s “weighty and strong” (10:10) letters, the Second Letter to the Corinthians continues to contribute toward the “building up” (13:10) of its readers. The Second Letter to the Corinthians is an implicit yet undeniable plea that Paul addresses to the Christians of Corinth and is impressive above all for its exposition of the apostle’s identity. In this letter Paul more than once fiercely counters the attacks of his opponents. He extensively describes both the quality and circumstances of his apostolic existence: the sufferings he endures, the opposition he encounters, and his continual care for the Churches. Second Corinthians is, therefore, highly significant theologically as well as autobiographically. Not an easy letter to follow, the emotional language used in 2 Corinthians, the question of the integrity of 2 Corinthians as a letter, and inadequate information about the concrete situation at Corinth and the identity of Paul’s opponents make following the flow of Paul’s argument difficult at times. Yet 2 Corinthians is an especially important document because of Paul’s ongoing reflection on his ministry. It is both profound in its content and style for its original audience as well as for today’s readers.
Chapters are “Corinth and Paul’s Visits,” “Paul’s Corinthian Correspondence,” “Christianity in Corinth,” “The Events Between 1 and 2 Corinthians,” “Paul’s Opponents,” “One Integral Letter?” “A Structured Survey of the Letter,” “The Theological Significance of the Letter.”
". . . this commentary is a good basic introduction to 2 Corinthians with a bibliography that is international in its scope." - Society for Old Testament Study
". . . an asset for those who care about the theological importance of 2 Corinthians and engage it in serious exegesis, whether for scholarly pursuits or sermon preparation." - Interpretation
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5810-5])
Matera, Frank J. Galatians.
Volume 9 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville,
Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1992.
(Paul's Letter to the Galatians has played a major role in the history of theology, especially in the Church's teaching on grace, faith, and justification. This commentary argues that Paul's doctrine of justification by faith is essentially social in nature and has important ecumenical implications for the Church today. In its original setting, Galatians established a foundation for the unity of Jewish and Gentile Christians: all are justified by the faith of Jesus Christ. In addition to illuminating the historical situation that led Paul to write his Letter to the Galatians, this commentary pays careful attention to the rhetorical structure of this letter and its theological message. The author provides a fresh translation of Galatians, critical notes on each verse of the text, and a careful commentary of the letter in light of Paul's theology. Theories abound on the question of Galatians, why it was written, what it says, and what the implications of that message are. Yet few scholars have devoted themselves at length to this letter. What sets this work apart is its extent and detail, and its academic rather than popular intent.
"Matera has written a clear, straightforward, and convincing commentary." - Internationale Zeitschriftenschau . . .
"Uniquely explained and scholarly presented, this presentation of the meaning of the Letter to Galatians, as one of the most influential of the New Testament, should be powerfully relevant to contemporary peoples." - Emmanuel
"For my money, clearly the most helpful of the recent lot [of commentaries on Galatians] to this point is the contribution to Sacra Pagina by Frank J. Matera. . . . Matera's commentary deserves a wide reading not only by New Testament specialists but also by seminarians and ministers." - Interpretation
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5811-3])
MacDonald, Margaret Y. Colossians
and Ephesians. Volume in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel
J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 2000.
(No two works in the Pauline Epistles resemble each other as closely as Colossians and Ephesians. Often recognized for their majestic tone and powerful theological statement, Colossians and Ephesians also present many challenges of interpretation. Most commentaries on these letters seem preoccupied with the same few issues, particularly the question of authorship. As MacDonald addresses these classic questions, she offers a fresh perspective on Colossians and Ephesians by making use of insights from the social sciences. Moreover, by paying attention to subtle differences between the two letters, she brings their distinct perspectives into sharp relief. MacDonald highlights the interplay between Colossians and Ephesians and the social life of New Testament communities. She illustrates how the texts reflect ancient cultural values and are influenced by particular aspects of community life such as worship and household existence. In particular, she reflects on the issues faced by these communities as they formed institutions and interacted with the society around them. She shows the struggles of the New Testament communities to survive and maintain a distinct identity in first-century society.
Chapters under Colossians are "Greeting (1:1-2)," "Thanksgiving for the Colossians (1:3-8)," "Prayer on Behalf of the Colossians (1:9-14,)" "The Christ-Hymn (1:15-20)," "Application of Hymn to the Situation in Colossae (1:21-23)," "Paul's Authority in Colossae and Laodicea (1:24-2:7)," "Debate with the Opponents: The Power of the Risen Christ (2:8-15)," "Debate with the Opponents: Warnings Against Ascetic Practices (2:16-23)," "New Life in Light of the Resurrection (3:1-4)," "Ethical Guidelines for a New Life (3:5-17)," "The Households of Believers (3:18-4:1)," "Prayer, Mission, and Contact with Outsiders (4:2-6)," "Conclusion: Personal Notes and Greetings (4:7-18)."
Chapters under Ephesians are "Greeting (1:1-2)," "Blessing (1:3-14)," "Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:15-23)," "The Consequences of Life Together with Christ (2:1-10)," "The Unity of Jews and Gentiles Created by Christ (2:11-22)," "The Apostle as Interpreter of the Divine Mystery (3:1-13)," "Prayer and Doxology (3:14-21)," "The Unity of the Spirit (4:1-16)," "The Sons of Disobedience and the Children of Light (4:17-5:20)," "The Households of Believers (5:21-6:9)," "Doing Battle with Evil (6:10-20)," "Conclusion: Personal Matters and Final Blessing (6:21-24)."
Margaret Y. MacDonald is a professor in the department of religious studies at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia.
"This entire series, and MacDonald’s volume is no exception, ought to be essential reading for the preacher, the teacher, the college or high school student, and anyone who wants to read the new Testament texts with deeper insight and understanding." - Catholic Library World
". . . offers solid, nuanced interpretations of both letters. Its pressing of social-scientific questions should help readers rethink the relation of theology and ethics to historical context." - Interpretation
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5819-9])
Getty, Mary Ann. Philemon and Philippians. Volume 18 in
Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.:
The Liturgical Press, 2002.
Richard, Earl J. First and Second Thessalonians. Volume 11 in Sacra Pagina. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1995.
(The letters First and Second Thessalonians are traditionally associated with the Pauline foundation of the Macedonian Church at Thessalonica. The first is seen as representing Paul's earliest epistolary efforts and as providing two successive moments in his long relationship as advisor to that community. Soon after leaving the area for the southern province of Achaia, Paul addresses the concerns of the new Gentile converts and at a later period responds more directly to queries received from the thriving and successful community. The second document, written in Paul's name and at a later date, attempts to calm the apocalyptic fervor of the community by reiterating its traditional eschatological and Christological teaching.
After treating these introductory matters, this study provides a new translation of each section of the canonical text, explains in notes the pertinent textual and linguistic features of the text, and then offers in a series of interpretive messages a literary, rhetorical, and thematic analysis of the biblical documents. The constant concern of this commentary is to provide assistance to modern readers in discerning the relationship between the authors and their intended readers. Short bibliographies suggest other important modern studies.
"Richard's translation offers a refreshing reading, his notes carefully discuss the main issues in the exegesis of each unit, and his interpretation provides an insightful understanding of the text. This commentary is highly recommended for scholar, student, pastor, and laity alike. It will serve anyone well who is interested in the interpretation of the Thessalonian correspondence." - Biblical Theology Bulletin
". . . an excellent addition to Sacra Pagina." - Raymond F. Collins, Catholic Biblical Quarterly
"This commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians is a must." - Neotestamentica
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5813-X])
Pastoral Epistles. Volume 12 in Sacra
Pagina. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical
Press,
(not yet published)
James. Volume 14 in Sacra Pagina. Edited
by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press,
(not yet published)
First and Second Peter. Volume 15 in Sacra
Pagina. Edited by Donald Senior. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical
Press,
(not yet published)
Painter, John. 1, 2, and 3 John. Volume 10 in Sacra Pagina, Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 2002.
(The Johannine Epistles are today read as an important part of the Johannine literature. Yet the meaning of the text is often unclear. Part of the problem arises because, although 1 John is called an Epistle, it lacks the formal marks of an Epistle. In 1, 2, and 3 John, John Painter illuminates the relationship 1, 2, and 3 John have to each other and to the Gospel. Painter explains the historical context of the Johannine Epistles using a socio-rhetorical approach. The writings are shown to reflect a situation of conflict and schism within the Johannine community and persuade the readers of the truth of the message of the writer. In this truth, the readers are encouraged to abide if they would have the assurance of eternal life. Painter also examines the inseparable connection between belief and ethical life in active love for one another. Through the socio-rhetorical approach, Painter brings to light the continuing relevance of these writings. 1, 2, and 3 John is divided into two parts.
Chapters under 1 John are “Introduction to the Exegesis of 1 John,” “Outline of 1 John,” “First Presentation of the Two Tests (1:6-2:27),” “Excursus: Sin and Sinlessness,” “Excursus: Love of the Brother/Sister: of One Another,” “Excursus: The Antichrist,” “Second Presentation of the Two Tests (2:28-4:6),” “Third Presentation of the Two Tests (4:7-5:12),” “Conclusion (5:13-21), and “Excursus: ‘A Sin Unto Death.’”
Chapters under 2 and 3 John are “2 John,” “Introduction to the Exegesis of 2 John,” “Outline of 2 John,” “Prescripti 2 John 1-3,” “Body of the Letter (4-11),” “Notice of Intention to Visit (12),” and “Final Greetings (13),” “3 John,” “Introduction to the Exegesis of 3 John,” “Outline of 3 John,” “Prescript: 3 John 1-2,” “Body of Letter (3-12),” and “Final Greetings (13-15).”
John Painter is the Foundation Professor of Theology at Charles Sturt University in Canberra, Australia.
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5812-1])
Harrington, Wilfrid J. Revelation.
Volume 16 in Sacra Pagina, Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville,
Minn.: The Liturgical Press, 1993.
(More than any other New Testament writing the Book of Revelation demands commentary. Its often bewildering text is easily open to less than scholarly interpretation. Father Harrington brings his scholarship to the Book of Revelation and conveys its Christian message. He puts the work in its historical and social setting a first-century c.e. province of the Roman Empire and explores its social and religious background and its literary character. Through Father Harrington we hear clearly the challenge of John, the prophet, to the Churches of his time and to ours not to compromise the gospel message.
"While the struggle between good and evil is a messy affair, Harrington's thesis that Revelation provides a positive perspective for Christians is convincing in detail and substance." - The Canadian Catholic Review
Comments taken from publisher [0-8146-5818-0])
Theologischer Handkommentar zum Neuen Testament
Schille, Gottfried. Die Apostelgeschichte des Lukas. Revised edition. Theologischer Handkommentar zum Neuen Testament. Marburg: Luther Verlag, 1983.
The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries
Blaiklock, E. M. The Acts of the Apostles. The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1959.
Wissentschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament
Bauernfeind, Otto. Kommentar und Studien zur Apostelgeschichte. Wissentschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament. Vol. 22. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr, 1980.
Longenecker, Richard. Galatians. In the Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas, Texas: Word Books, 1990.
Michaels, J. Ramsey. 1 Peter. Word Biblical Commentary, ed. David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker, vol. 49. Waco, Tx.: 1988.
de Boor, Werner. Die Apostelgeschichte. In Wuppertaler Studienbibel. 8th ed. Wuppertal: R. Brockhous Verlag, 1982.
Schmithals, Walter. Die Apostelgeschichte. Vol. 3.2 of the Zürcher Bibelkommentare. Zürich: Theologischer Verlag Zürich, 1982.
Schweizer, Eduard. Der Erste Petrusbrief. 3d ed. Zürcher
Bibelkommentare. Zürich: Theologischer Verlag Zürich, 1972.
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