ACADEMIA

Reviews on Resources for Biblical and Theological Studies

Voelz. Mark 8:27-16:8 Concordia Commentary, 2019

Written By: Paulson Pulikottil - Jul• 24•20

Voelz MarkVoelz, James W., and Christopher Wright Mitchell. Mark 8:27-16:8. Concordia Commentary?: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2019. ISBN: 9780758639554.

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The ‘Concordia Commentary series’ is indeed the most magisterial commentary series of this decade. The latest addition to this most esteemed series is by Voelz and Mitchell on the second part of the Gospel of Mark. This is the sequel to Voelz’s work on Mark 1:1-8:26 that came out in 2013. The disputed verses of Mark’s Gospel (16:9-20) is done by Christopher W. Mitchell. Like all its predecessors, this is also an equally commanding interpretation of the Gospel.
Voelz and Mitchell have reconstructed the Greek text which they have translated with detailed notes on the text and translation. This is followed by notes on the important grammatical points. To add to the richness of the volume further, there is a section on the Greek of Mark. This pattern is followed in every passage! Then comes the verse by verse exegetical comments on the Greek text. A number of excursus makes it still more invaluable.
A critical review is beyond the scope of this note; students and scholars will certainly be stunned by the depth and authority of this commentary.

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Kleinig HEBREWS, 2017

Written By: Paulson Pulikottil - Oct• 25•17

Kleinig, John W. 2017. Hebrews. St. Louis: Concordia Pub House. Pages: 815, ISBN: 9780758616036.

9780758616036This commentary follows the pattern of other titles in the same series. The tradition of the series where scholarship is brought to the level of the pews continues in this volume too. It has to be noted that the same author wrote the commentary on the Book of Leviticus in this series as well. Leviticus and Hebrews share many concepts, imageries and language.

Kleinig presents to us an almost word-by-word commentary of the Book of Hebrews. Each section provides deep insight into the text. Each section has a fresh translation, textual notes, word studies, theological themes, etc.

Kleinig argues that the Book of Hebrews is a written sermon.

The detailed introduction which precedes the commentary has discussions on the audience of the Book of Hebrews, the date, etc which is part of any standard commentary. Besides these standard elements, Kleinig offers the readers a detailed rhetorical analysis of the book. He has a section on the rhetorical character of the book and another on the rhetorical techniques used. He also offers a discourse analysis of the book. Another noteworthy feature of this commentary is that it has a treatise on how the Book of Hebrews uses the Old Testament.

This is in every sense a monumental work on the Book of Hebrews hitherto published. The scholars and the pastors will be ever grateful to the author and the publishers for this great achievement.

Visit the publisher, Concordia Publishing House for more titles.

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Weinrich. John 1:1-7:1, Concordia Commentary, 2015

Written By: Paulson Pulikottil - Jun• 19•16

9780758603197Weinrich, William C. John 1:1-7:1. Concordia Commentary: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2015. Pages:li+863. ISBN: 9780758603197.
This is another volume in the news series of commentaries in the series titled Concordia Commentary: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture by the Concordia Publishing House. This volume deals with first six chapters of the Gospel of John.
All the commentaries in this series are detailed, in-depth treatment of the scripture. This volume also has a detailed introduction to the Gospel of John that deals with patristic testimonies on the origin of Gospel of John, its uniqueness, the purpose and major themes, the place of writing, etc. The author Weinrich is not only an NT scholar but an expert in patristics too.
The commentary is so detailed and analytical but even a non-specialist will find it very reader friendly. The six chapters are dealt with in 863 pages. Like all the volumes in the Concordia Commentary series each section is marked according to their relevance and themes using symbols. This makes it a useful reference tool for scholars and preachers.
See also Das, Andrew. Galatians
Visit the publisher’s site

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Das. Galatians 2014 (Concordia Commentary)

Written By: Paulson Pulikottil - Nov• 18•14

Das, A. Andrew. Galatians. Concordia Commentary: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2014

Das GalatiansBeing a seminary professor and pastor lay leaders and pastors approach me to recommend a commentary that they can use for their teaching and preaching. Though I have a list of commentaries ready, I find myself at a loss as to what to recommend. There are scholarly commentaries but they are too detailed, require knowledge of biblical language and critical skills. Then on the other end of the spectrum are very simple but shallow treatments of the biblical text. However, this commentary on Galatians by Andrew Das fills this gap as it is aimed at pastors but is very scholarly—where current biblical scholarship is presented in a ‘non-threatening’ way!

Here we have a commentary which trained academics will cherish and pastors and lay persons without much training will love to read. It is amazingly detailed. The commentary on the six chapters of Galatians are presented to us in 656 pages! For example, the detailed discussion on the fruit of the Spirit runs many pages. The explanation of ‘love’ in this passage has taken up two full pages with ten footnotes documenting modern authors and ancient writers. Each verse, and word is so thoroughly treated and the reader gets the feeling that there is no leaf that is not unturned.

This includes a very sumptuous introduction that deals with topics that widen the readers’ understanding of the situation in Galatia that Paul addresses, Pauline chronology, rhetorical analysis of the epistle, etc. Besides this there is a detailed up-to-date bibliography, scripture and subject indices. Non-academic readers will find the three-page glossary of terms a blessing. Besides the commentary there are a number of excursus that are really a treat for the learners. Look at a sample: ‘Modern Perspectives on Conversion’, ‘The extent of Paul’s Arabian ministry’, ‘The metaphorical and social context of Galatians 4:1-7’, ‘The elements of the cosmos’, etc.

This easy to read but profound commentary on Galatians will be welcomed by both academics and lay persons as ‘The Commentary on Galatians’ for many years to come!

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Engelbrecht. CHURCH FROM AGE TO AGE, (2011)

Written By: Paulson Pulikottil - Feb• 02•13

Engelbrecht, Edward A (Ed.). The Church from Age to Age. A History. From Galilee to Global Christianity. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2011. Pages lviii, 976. ISBN: 9780758626462

Church from Age to Age

This book on the history of the Christian Church is a collection of contributions from a number of authors with an introduction by famous historian Paul L. Maier.

This spans the history of the Christian Church beginning with Jesus and Apostles to the modern era, practically to 2011! The book draws its contents from portions from the CHURCH HISTORY SERIES of the Concordia Publishing House. However, all these thoroughly revised in the light of the reviews of the individual books in the series published in various academic journals and brought up-to-date.

The authors are academics and history professors from the non-catholic traditions; so one gets a Protestant perspective of the history and more than that a treatment which focusses on the non-catholic mission and history. Going through the list of authors one is convinced that this is also an American perspective of history as practically all of them are located in the academies of North America.

One is impressed by comprehensiveness and the evident neutrality in the selection of the themes, persons and topics that are presented in the book. This doesn’t mean that the authors are neutral in their presentation (pure objectivity is a mirage!) but the editors have made sure that all that has happened and are significant for our understanding of the the Christian Church is included in this volume. So, we will find the Popes and Patriarchs as well as Pat Robertson and Paul Yongi Cho! It is so vast and comprehensive that it begins with pre-Christian origins in Galilee and so contemporary to include the Arab Spring!

It has a detailed 27 page time-line of the major events that shaped the Church and the world that the Church is called to witness. There are sixteen maps that reflect modern scholarship and cartography. The four appendices add further value to the volume: ‘Popes and Rival Popes’, ‘Major Councils’, ‘Bishops, Archbishops and Patriarchs of Constantinople’, and ‘Assemblies of the World Council of Churches’. A bibliography divided according to the various periods of Christian history is an added boon to students and teachers alike!

The size of the volume is intimidating (976 pages) but it is justified by what Paul L. Maier says in the ‘Foreword’: ‘… this is a large book because it has a huge story to tell.’ If there is any book recently published that I would recommend confidently on the history of Christianity it will be this: A comprehensive one-volume, text-book. My hope is that the publishers will come up with updates of this volume at least every five year.

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