Book Review – The Message of Zechariah (Barry Webb)


Brief Summary

A 186 page commentary / exposition of the book of Zechariah. It is part of the Bible Speaks Today series which generally follows an expositional format – not just explaining the Scriptures but applying it.  The subtitle is “Your Kingdom Come” and the whole exposition of the book takes a kingdom perspective.

The Introduction

The introduction is a fairly generous 30 pages, and Webb shows that the structure of the book is eight visions followed by two oracles. He sums up the main theme by saying “it is a book about the future coming of the kingdom of God, and the need to live now in the light of it”. He also points out sub-themes of repentance and cleansing as well as an key theme of the Messiah running through the book. He puts Zechariah’s prophecy into its historical context, but also is very careful to show how his message is directly applicable to us, as we have the same concern to see God’s kingdom come. He highlights how regularly the NT writers draw from the book of Zechariah.

The Commentary

The commentary itself is able to devote a couple of pages to each small section of Zechariah which gives enough space to explain and apply the text adequately. Webb generally avoids detailed discussions of historical context or Hebrew grammar, and is cautious in offering his interpretations of some of the more obscure visions.

He shows how there is a progression in the visions of the first six chapters that culminate in God’s judgment and rule over all the earth. He acknowledges that chapter 7 marks a new beginning, but argues that it is not unrelated to what had gone before. In chapters 10 and 11, he draws out a major theme of leadership – true shepherds are those who trust in God and lead others to do the same.

… it is impossible to be in relationship with God unless we are prepared to be ruled by him.

When he comes to chapter 13, he explains the links to Jesus, and there is also a brief excursus that deals in more detail with the use of Zechariah in the New Testament. He argues that the Old Testament prophecies concerning the kingdom of God are fulfilled in the events of Jesus’ life – his birth, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension and return. Hence there are elements of kingdom prophecy in Zechariah yet to be fulfilled.

Strengths

For me, the great strength of this volume is how he consistently draws us to the Christological and New Covenant implications and interpretation of the book. He takes what can be a perplexing book, and brings out a very challenging and practical message of the kingdom of God.

Weaknesses

Nothing to complain of. It was the right length. It obviously isn’t an academic treatment of Zechariah, and also those looking for detailed and speculative explanations of every last detail of the visions will be disappointed. But it ranks as one of my favourites in the BST series.

Why Buy It?

As with pretty much all the BST volumes, this is ideal if you are personally studying or planning to preach or teach on the book of Zechariah.

Book Review – The Message of Samuel (Mary Evans)

Brief Summary

A 284 page commentary / exposition of the 55 chapters of the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. As with other volumes in the BST Series it seeks to find contemporary relevance and application while remaining mindful of the original intent and audience of the text. Each chapter ends with a few brief questions for further reflection.

The Introduction

Mary Evans reminds us that these books are narrative – and so we should be asking why the story was told. The writers (she believes there was probably more than one writer involved in the composition of the books as we now have them) are interested in David the person, as opposed to the Chronicler whose focus is more on David as King. She picks out the abuse and misuse of power as a recurring theme in the books.

The Commentary

The commentary itself is I think just about the right length for most people who will be studying this book. It doesn’t get bogged down in translation issues or complex historical details, but does provide background information where it is helpful.

Each sub-section has a one sentence heading, which often gives a “moral” of the story in question in the form of a proverb. For example “the cost of failure is not borne solely by the one who fails”, “results that satisfy us do not necessarily satisfy God”, and “celebrity status is not all there is to leadership”. She does though avoid simply turning the book into a collection of “timeless principles”, and does remain concerned with the flow of the narrative.

She is appreciative of the way that women are written about by the authors, and often points out the way that the perspective and value of women has been highlighted.

There are a number of “problem” passages in Samuel, where God seems to command or at least approve of certain actions that do not seem to fit with the rest of Scripture. Evans maintains an evangelical commitment to all of Scripture as God’s word, and provides some careful observations that may help us understand what is and what is not being taught in these difficult passages.

Strengths

Probably the greatest strength of this commentary is the immensely practical lessons that are drawn out from it. A tale of Kings, betrayals and wars can seem very far removed from our own world, but Evans turns these into lessons of friendship, loyalty, controlling your temper, hospitality, valuing others and so on. Many of the lessons relate to leadership, but there is a good breadth of applications to a variety of situations.

Weaknesses

There’s not much to criticise here – this is a helpful commentary. Perhaps some will be disappointed that there was not more exploration of how the gospel is foreshadowed in these books, despite a brief section identifying Jesus as the fulfiller of the roles of faithful priest and anointed one.

Why Buy It?

As with most volumes in the Bible Speaks Today series, this would suit anyone studying the book for personal edification, or preparing Bible studies or sermons on 1 or 2 Samuel. Those who want to study a passage in detail will probably also wish to consult a more comprehensive commentary. I found it just right for reading a bit each morning after I had read the relevant passage from the Bible.

Book Review – The Message of Psalms 73-150 (Michael Wilcock)

I read the first volume of this commentary on the Psalms a couple of years ago. Many of the comments made about that volume apply to this one also. Michael Wilcock is very interested in historical background, the structure of the Psalm and also its placing within the Psalter. He also is a keen appreciator of older hymns and liturgical forms of worship, and will often discuss various hymns based on that passage. All this information can be fascinating, but it seems a little out of place in a series like Bible Speaks Today, which is focussed on the application of Scripture. The end result is that there is rarely space for key individual verses to be discussed, and those who do not make extensive use of liturgy or hymns will also find some of the material a bit alien.

Having made those criticisms, it is worth pointing out that there is still some very valuable material in this book, particularly for those planning a Bible study on a Psalm, and wanting to get a feel for its structure and setting (both historical and its place within the Psalter as a whole). He encourages a Christian application of the Psalms, seeing relevance for the church as the people of God in references to Israel. He quotes Bruggemman in a number of places, and talks of the “nonspecific” troubles of the Psalmist being able to speak into our situations.

He understands book 4 of the Psalms to be an “exodus collection”, and the Psalms of ascent are explained in the light of having a background in the Nehemiah story. He takes some time to discuss a Christian approach to the ‘imprecatory’ Psalms. There is a long section dealing with Psalm 119, and his exposition of Psalm 139 was one of the best in the book – he describes it as a theology of omniscience and omnipresence made simple and personal.

Overall, I would say its not the most thrilling of books to read cover to cover, but it still has something to offer. Each Psalm has on average two or three pages of comments, and would be helpful reading as background material to stimulate ideas for preparing a talk or study. It is common for Christians to quote parts of Psalms without having any real feel for their historical setting, or structure as a whole, so at least this book provides some useful corrective to that. It also encourages those preparing worship based on a Psalm to consider appropriate related Bible readings they could make use of.

Book Review – The Message of 1 Peter (Edmund Clowney)

This volume in the Bible Speaks Today series presents the main themes of 1 Peter as the suffering that Christians must face as “resident aliens” in a world of rebels against God. The introduction is brief, and the style of commentary is expository – almost a series of sermons. At over 230 pages, the material is covered quite slowly, allowing Clowney to take time to discuss other related passages, and use examples from church history. There are places where it approaches being an academic commentary, for example a number of pages are devoted to the problematic section in 3:18-22, establishing his interpretation very methodically, and utilising a number of quotes from apocryphal writings to bolster his case.

The theme of suffering runs through the whole book, and it is presented as unavoidable for Christians, but beneficial in developing character, an opportunity to meet evil with good, and an occasion for witness. Most importantly it is the route to glory, as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus from suffering to glory.

Along the way, there is consideration of the mutual submission that should exist between Christians, and Clowney downplays differences in the instructions to husbands and wives in chapter 3. He argues that submission is to people (as made in the image of God), not structures, and warns against the dangers of “political” and “liberation” theologies.

The book closes with three appendices, the first two essentially being extended footnotes, and the third develops the background of eldership in the Old Testament, to augment the exposition of 1 Peter 5. As with others in the series it includes a study guide for small groups to use.

Although I feel that the book was slightly too long for the series it is part of, taking time to explore the subject of suffering will be beneficial to any Christian who reads it. Its thoroughness will be appreciated by those looking for inspiration on sermons and Bible studies who have the time to read it.

The Message of John (Bruce Milne)

In this generously sized volume of the BST series, Bruce Milne guides us through the gospel of John. Regular readers of this series will know that they can expect an evangelical commitment to Scripture, and a focus on expository preaching that brings home the theological and moral implications of the text to contemporary readers.

The introduction cites internal and external evidence for the apostle John as the author, and favours an early date for this gospel which he sees as an evangelistic tract that complements the synoptic gospels.

I thought his coverage of the opening chapters were particularly good, and even inspired some lyrics for a song I was writing. He emphasises the Christological significance of the miracles, particularly how they show Jesus’ own superiority to Judaism. He is not afraid though to see the miracles also as paradigms of how Jesus is able to meet our own needs.

He draws on the insights of a number of commentators where necessary, and prefers to summarise their conclusions where he agrees with them rather than repeat all the steps in the argument. Carson, Newbiggin and Beasley-Murray are amongst the most frequently quoted.

The book is not organized into a normal chapter format, but he breaks the book down into three major sections, to fit his structure of Christ as King. However, the second of these seconds covers the vast bulk of material, and itself is broken up into three parts, with a major section beginning at chapter 12:20 – the “coronation”. I think the book would actually have been a bit easier to read in a conventional chapter arrangement. I had actually tried to read through this volume once before and only got about three quarters of the way through.

He sees Jesus’ discourse with the disciples in the latter half of the book as being broken into two parts. Perhaps surprisingly John 15 (“I am the true Vine”) is seen as being about mission, although he does acknowledge other themes present. Other highlights for me are his treatment of Jesus’ prayer, and his insights into the human sinful nature as he discusses the trial and crucifixion of Jesus.

Although it is not as comprehensive as Carson’s excellent commentary on John, I have benefited a lot from reading this book. Those preparing Bible studies on John or simply wanting to go a bit deeper will find it rich in practical application and devotional insight.

Postscript

Since I am discussion charismatic issues at the moment on my blog, I will give two quotes from the book that caught my attention in relation to the Holy Spirit.

The first is from p287 and describes Milne’s understanding of the symbolism of the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ side (after noting that water is symbolic of the Spirit):

“‘The water had to be mingled with Jesus’ blood before the Spirit could give his testimony’. But now this has happened, and so the Spirit can come. Thus to John’s amazement the Spirit is symbolically released from the crucified body of Jesus, indicating that by his death, the kingdom has come which all may enter through faith in him. Thus, even though dead, he imparts the Spirit who is the power of his kingly reign”.

The second is refer’s to Calvin’s comments (although Milne does not agree) on Jesus’ saying “Receive the Holy Spirit” to his disciples in John 20:22.

“… Calvin distinguishes between ‘sprinkling’ with the Spirit (here) and ‘saturation’ with the Spirit at Pentecost.”

Milne prefers to see the comment as “didactic”, with the real coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, but I found it interesting that Calvin of all people should be talking in the kind of terms that those who teach that the baptism in the Spirit is a “second blessing” use.

Book Review – The Message of 2 Peter and Jude (Dick Lucas & Christopher Green)

Although this book covers only four short New Testament chapters, it is larger than many of the others in the Bible Speaks Today series. This is surprising as the BST series does not contain academic or detailed exegetical material, but rather focuses on practical application. 250 pages means that whole chapters can be devoted to just one or two verses. While this makes for a very thorough exposition of these books, I wonder whether it is a bit long for the BST target audience.

Lucas has written the introductions, while Green wrote the commentary and appendix on authorship, but their styles are similar and there is no sense of discontinuity. Lucas’ introduction to 2 Peter is itself a mini-commentaries on the book, tracing through its main messages and themes, and barely touching on authorship and dating. Those who have read Lucas’ BST volume on Colossians will immediately notice similarities, for both books are understood to be attacks on false teaching, by those claiming to have “knowledge”.

False teaching in the church is something that Lucas and Green clearly feel passionately about, and they don’t just have their sights set on liberal or cult doctrines. They believe that muddled and even dangerous teaching abounds from those who claim to be evangelical. It is difficult to disagree with this assessment, but it is also difficult as a charismatic not to see oneself portrayed as the villain. Strong hints at cessationism, criticism of modern “apostolic” ministries, and warnings against seeking “experience” are all tell-tale signs of an antipathy towards charismatic doctrine.

Green, like Lucas, clearly believes in line by line expository preaching, and this is how the book is structured. Each chapter is like a mini-sermon on the few verses in question, starting with some brief introductory comments, followed by the NIV text, and then dealing with the message of those verses under clearly defined headings.

2 Peter is described as a homily on Christian growth, but with the focus very much being on the maturity needed to combat the false teaching. As with Colossians, the essence of the heresy is seen to be “Christ plus” – requiring people to move beyond Christ to something better (again some thinly veiled polemic against the Pentecostal doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Spirit may be detected). The false teacher’s denial of the second coming is seen as their excuse for relaxing moral standards, and it is here that some contemporary liberal trends within evangelicalism come under fire.

When a passage has many possible interpretations, the options are listed and normally general lesson drawn that does not rely too heavily on one interpretation. Although the style of commentary is expository, it does not often delve into matters of Greek vocabulary and syntax. The main modern commentary that is interacted with is Bauckham’s (and sometimes Michael Green’s) and older commentators such as the Puritans are occasionally quoted.

The introduction to Jude lists similar themes between the books. Jude is said to emphasise the “closed” nature of the faith – it is not evolving even at this early stage. The authors are concerned to properly clarify his use of extrabiblical books, that he did not see them as on a par with Scripture.

An appendix deals in more depth with the issues that the introductions to the books would normally be expected to consider. It defends Peter as author of 2 Peter against both claims of pseudonymous authorship, and “testament” authorship (Bauckham), and deals with differences in Greek writing style between 1 and 2 Peter. Similarly Jude the half-brother of Jesus is seen as the author of the book that bears his name. There is also a study guide as with all BST New Testament volumes, although it is difficult to imagine many small groups wanting to spend 24 sessions working through these two short books.

I have criticised this book for perhaps being too long, and hostile towards charismatics, but it I still found it very helpful and thorough. The writing style is easy to follow, and the warnings against false teaching creeping in are worth seriously contemplating. It serves as a forceful reminder that error can creep in even in supposedly “pure” churches that have separated from more traditional and doctrinally compromised church groupings. And individually, we must not be too proud to think we can “wobble” doctrinally, so we must heed the message to continually grow in the faith.

Book Review – The Message of Genesis 12-50 (Joyce Baldwin)


This volume of the Bible Speaks Today series picks up where David Atkinson’s one left off, although it actually was published earlier. Baldwin starts off with an introduction that recaps the story of creation, and deals with some of the modern scepticism concerning the historicity of the patriarchs. She clearly has an interest in archaelogical finds, and often fills in historical details throughout the commentary. She does not however seem particularly interested in engaging with questions like “how come the patriarchs got to have more than one wife?”.

It covers the latter 39 chapters of Genesis, and includes most of the Biblical text, only leaving out a few lists of names. This takes up a significant amount of the available space, meaning that each chapter only has room for 3 or 4 pages of comments. The space is mainly used to recap on the story and supply any additional historical information required to understand it. Points of practical application can be found in most sections, although they are usually fairly brief comments, and the book does not take on the sermon-like style of some others in the BST series. Often parallels are hinted at between the types of difficulties the patriarchs and their families faced and the ones we do.

The book is broken into four main sections covering the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. God’s purpose in bringing blessing and salvation to the world through small beginnings is traced throughout. Links with the work of Jesus are made in the obvious places, as ultimately Baldwin sees Genesis as “an epitome of the gospel”. The book closes with a brief recap of the main themes.

This volume is well suited as a companion guide to use as you read through Genesis, as it helps you to appreciate things you might otherwise have missed. However, it is not really a reference book, neither is it particularly aimed at providing a structured outline for Bible study of each chapter. As with all BST volumes, it takes the text seriously as the Word of God, believing it to be relevant for us today.

Book Review – The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (John Stott)

This exposition of the Sermon on the Mount was originally published under the title “Christian Counter-Culture”, before being added to the Bible Speaks Today series some years later. Although it only covers three chapters of Matthew, it is a worthy addition to the series, and allows the Sermon to be covered in much more depth than would otherwise be possible. The extra space however, is not devoted to surveys of the various theories about how the sermon came to be in the form it is, but the focus is always kept on practical application for today’s Christians.

While the book doesn’t strictly speaking have an introduction, the opening section on 5:1,2 effectively functions as one. Stott claims that the world is seeking for a counter-culture – a different, and better way to live, but have looked at the church and found confusion instead. He sees the sermon as a call to Christians to demonstrate a genuinely different way of life. He defends the sermon against criticism that it is inauthentic, irrelevant or unattainable. He also argues that it is not a gospel of righteousness by works, but it is a new law that leads us to Christ and shows us how to please God.

The beatitudes are set out as graces that all Christians need to manifest, and from the following verses he argues for Christians to be an influence for good in society. He sees Jesus’ antitheses as correcting distortions of the Mosaic law, to show that Christian righteousness is deeper than mere outward conformance to law.

Stott is careful not to make legalistic prescriptions about how the sermon should be applied, but still is willing to discuss many specific contemporary issues (e.g. pornography). His handling of the subject of divorce is gentle, and he includes an extended discussion of whether the non-retaliatory command should relate to the law courts. Basically, he tries to pick up on those verses which typical Christian readers might have questions about and works through the issues. As such it makes it a valuable resource for those who are studying or teaching their way through the sermon in a small group setting.

The first half of the sermon contains much material related to a Christian’s righteousness, while the second deals with prayer and Christian relationships. The sermon is broken down into 12 sections, and although he sometimes may be trying to be too neat with the structure he finds, it is a helpful way to organise the material.

There is not a great deal of discussion of how the sermon might have been heard by its original audience, and the political implications it would have had. He does however emphasise the multi-faceted “authority” of Jesus seen in the sermon, especially in the way he speaks of himself.

John Stott is convinced that the Sermon on the Mount is highly relevant teaching for today’s Christians. His practical focus throughout will mean that everyone will find something to challenge and inspire them. Reading through it should not prove difficult thanks to Stott’s good writing skills and devotional warmth. It will also serve as a good companion to any introductory commentary on Matthew, which will not typically be able to afford so much space to the sermon.

Book Review – The Message of Genesis 1-11 (David Atkinson)

Much of the discussion in evangelical circles about the opening chapters of Genesis revolves around the historicity of the events described, and in particular, whether the six days of creation were ‘literal 24 hour days’ or not. Atkinson does allow himself to get drawn into the complexities of these debates, although his own understanding of the issues becomes apparent. He broadly accepts theistic evolution, noting the structure of the six days of creation in Genesis 1 as being two groups of three, and seeing the first chapter as a hymn of praise. He sees the story as referring to other creation myths only to refute them and assert the one true creator God.

As you would expect, the creation story raises all sorts interesting issues that Atkinson takes up. For example environmental concerns, sexual equality (he is an egalitarian), the nature of time are all discussed. There is also a helpful section on marriage and Christian sexual ethics, where he addresses the issue of homosexuality. He also explores what it means to be made in the image of God, arguing for more than simply having certain capacities, but to be in relationship with God, and to act as his representatives.

Moving on to the story of the fall, Atkinson considers the nature of sin, and considers the origin of evil to be left as a mystery. The commentary on the first three chapters of Genesis fills the first half of the book. Unusually for BST Old Testament volumes, the full text of the first 11 chapters of Genesis is included in the book.

The rest of the book shows how there is repeated sin and judgement, but always with a hint of hope. The story of Cain and Abel provides opportunity to explore the “unfairness” of grace, while the story of the Ark introduces the themes of salvation and covenant. The story of Babel almost leaves us with an unhappy ending, but Atkinson continues the commentary through to 12:3, where the promise of blessing comes to Abraham, and so fittingly, the book closes with its focus on Jesus.

I found this book a very interesting read. The fact that it didn’t answer the type of questions like “was the Ark seaworthy, and large enough to hold all the animals?” meant that there was space to explore the theological themes in the book. His stance on evolution will no doubt please some and irritate others, but the 190 pages given to these opening 11 chapters of Genesis have been well used to explore a wide variety of important subjects.

Those wanting to nail down exact points of doctrine or exhaustively explore the background and possible interpretation of the early Genesis stories will need to consult the more technical commentaries, but those who simply want to get a feel for the story of creation to Abraham without getting embroiled in controversy over science and history, will find much useful material here.

The Message of Exodus (Alec Motyer)

This recent addition to the BST series is another from the respected commentator Alec Motyer. Although, in keeping with the series, this volume does not attempt to be a commentary, it would appear that Motyer would quite like to have written one anyway. The normal flow of the book, which considers the Christian relevance of the message of Exodus is interrupted with regular “Notes” sections (in addition to the standard footnotes), which relate specifically to individual verses, and are much more like the material found in a standard commentary. This can make it a bit disjointed for those reading cover to cover, but will be helpful to those who approach the book as a reference.

The main sections of commentary deal with Exodus in moderately sized chunks, drawing out the main theological and practical lessons found there. The book is of course understood in the light of the New Testament, and while Motyer expresses caution about spiritualising interpretation of the closing chapters of the book, generally he is in agreement with the main points that older commentators have detected. Christians are understood as priests under the great high priest Jesus.

The notes sections are more technical, and often refer to the Hebrew, which is always transliterated. Only selected verses are covered in this way, and it also allows extra space for Motyer to highlight the chiastic structures he finds throughout the book. While he does not make a full case against the documentary hypothesis, he takes regular opportunities to show why he feels it is unfounded.

Different portions of Exodus are covered at different speeds, with two thirds of the commentary covering the first 20 chapters of Exodus. Motyer is concerned to highlight aspects of Yahweh’s self-revelation throughout the book, and also to parallel the experience of the Israelites with our own – for example the struggles we face through life are like the wilderness experience.

Many theologically controversial issues are touched upon through the course of the book. For example, issues of free will and God’s sovereignty, the ongoing place of the Ten Commandments in Christian life, what to make of some of the severe punishments meted out, and God’s changing his mind. Motyer’s comments are usually balanced and instructive, without offering full treatments of these subjects.

Overall it is a bit more heavy-going than other BST volumes to read cover to cover, and perhaps Motyer’s work would have been better suited to a more intermediate level commentary series. Having said that, there is a broad range of helpful and practical material here that will benefit those who want fresh insight and deeper understanding of the book of Exodus. As with all BST volumes, the author’s deep reverence for God and respect for his word is evident throughout, alongside a pastoral heart for the readers.