The new theological commentary on the bible by Brazos Press is something I’m incredibly excited about. The first commentary on Acts by Jaroslav Pelikan was good in its own way, but it seemed to use Acts as a springboard for theological exposition more than what I would expect in a theological commentary. Then again, there is no consensus on what theological commentary really is! Don’t misunderstand here, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good, just a little different than I expected.
On the other hand, Stanley Hauerwas’ commentary on Matthew is more what I expected from a commentary series from a theological perspective. It is a narrative reading of the gospel that intentionally interacts with theological themes and asks the question, “What kind of theological perspective is Matthew trying to create?” Even though you’ll get a steady dose of SH (depending on your perspective that may be good or bad), you’ll also get an incredibly enriching and fresh reading of Matthew’ Gospel. This is my devotional reading right now as I’m reading it along with the Gospel itself, and I find it challenging and spiritually deep. I look forward to reading the commentary on I & II Kings by Peter Leithart
ewww.. book store, here i come!
Hehe…the true secret addiction of all pastors (of all stripes) is the indiscriminate purchasing of books! I’ve always said it should be a crime to have a bookstore on the grounds of a seminary – fueling a habit none of us can afford. Then again, our dear brother J-Dub would say reading is essential. In fact, he once said if you don’t have a taste for reading, you’d better acquire one!