New Testament Commentary Survey

A. Carson D.

Description

Highly respected New Testament scholar D. A. Carson provides students and pastors with expert guidance on choosing a commentary for any book of the New Testament. The seventh edition has been updated to assess the most recently published commentaries. Carson examines sets, one-volume commentaries, and New Testament introductions and theologies, offering evaluative comments on the available offerings for each New Testament book. This is an essential guide to building a reference library.

Sujets

• Bibles
• Philosophie et théologie
• New Testament
• Christianity
• Bible

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 15 novembre 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441241412
• Langue: English

Extrait

© 1986, 1993, 2001, 2007, 2013 by D. A. Carson
Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www . bakeracademic . com
Ebook edition created 2013
Ebook corrections 11.12.2020
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4412-4141-2
Contents
Cover i
Title Page iii
Copyright Page iv
Preface vii
Abbreviations xi
1. Introductory Notes 1
1.1 The Need for Several Types of Commentary 1
1.2 Individual Commentaries or Series 3
1.2.1 General Principles 3
1.2.2 Series Worth Noting but Not Pursuing 4
1.2.3 More Substantial Series 7
1.2.4 One-Volume Multiauthor Commentaries 18
1.3 Older Commentaries 22
1.4 One-Author Sets 23
2. Supplements to Commentaries 27
2.1 New Testament Introductions 27
2.2 New Testament Theologies 34
3. Individual Commentaries 41
3.1 Gospels 41
3.2 Matthew 42
3.3 Mark 51
3.4 Luke 57
3.5 John 64
3.6 Acts 75
3.7 Romans 82
3.8 1 Corinthians 92
3.9 2 Corinthians 98
3.10 Galatians 102
3.11 Ephesians 108
3.12 Philippians 114
3.13 Colossians/Philemon 118
3.14 Thessalonians 123
3.15 Pastorals 127
3.16 Hebrews 133
3.17 James 139
3.18 1 Peter 145
3.19 2 Peter and Jude 149
3.20 Johannine Epistles 151
3.21 Revelation 156
4. Some “Best Buys” 167
Name Index 169
Back Cover 189
Preface
In its first edition, this little book was written by Dr. (now Emeritus Professor) Anthony C. Thiselton and appeared under the title Personal Suggestions about a Minister’s Library . In 1973 it was revised, and shortly after that the “Best Buys” section was brought up-to-date. That revision also introduced the change in title and format: New Testament Commentary Survey was born, the NT analogue of Old Testament Commentary Survey (both published, at the time, exclusively by British Theological Students’ Fellowship). In 1976, I brought the book up-to-date again simply by adding additional paragraphs and by inserting new prices and publishing information where relevant. Apart from such modifications, Professor Thiselton’s comments were left unchanged. In 1984, the Theological Students’ Fellowship asked for another revision, and this time it was thought unwise simply to add a few more paragraphs. It seemed more sensible to recast the entire work and enter it on a computer so that subsequent revisions, including price changes and the like, could be accomplished with less work than would otherwise be the case. With Professor Thiselton’s kind permission, his text was sometimes incorporated into that third revision—occasionally with changes, especially on those rare occasions where I found myself mildly disagreeing with his assessment of a book. In the United States, Baker brought out the third edition. The fourth edition of this book appeared in 1993, the fifth in 2001, and the sixth in 2007. The years fly by, and new commentaries keep appearing—and so we have arrived at the seventh edition.
The purpose of this short book is to provide theological students and ministers with a handy survey of the resources, especially commentaries, that are available in English to facilitate an understanding of the NT. On the one hand, the mature scholar is not in view. On the other hand, commentaries that are written at the popular level are generally given less attention than more substantive works. Theologically I am an evangelical, but many of the positive assessments offered in these notes are in connection with books written from the vantage point of some other theological tradition: the usefulness of a commentary sometimes turns on something other than the theological stance of its author—assuming, of course, that commentaries are read critically, as they should be whatever one’s theological heritage. Conversely, just because a commentary stands within the evangelical tradition does not necessarily mean it is a good book. It may be thoroughly orthodox but poorly written, uninformed, or quick to import from other biblical passages meanings that cannot rightly be found in the texts on which comment is being offered. In other words, this Survey is a guide to commentaries, not orthodoxy. Nevertheless, I have not hesitated on occasion to draw attention to the theological “slant” of particular works. Such information is often as useful as comments on the work’s level, general competence, and so forth.
The restriction to English works is not absolute: occasionally I have included a foreign language work where nothing of a similar nature or stature exists in English. If I have not included more of them, it is because of my envisaged readership.
In previous editions I provided British and American prices of almost all the commentaries, or a note to the effect that the work was out of print. In this edition I have removed all prices and most indications that a work is out of print. The reasons are obvious to almost everyone who keeps abreast of current publication and sales practices. At one time, book prices were a great deal more stable than they are now, and editions were either hardback or paper. Nowadays, however, readers commonly have the option of various digital editions. Books can be purchased not only through retail outlets (which are declining) but also through massive online companies offering considerable discounts. Some of these companies are digitally linked to hundreds of secondhand outlets, making it possible to find many used books that are officially out of print or to purchase “as new” books at secondhand prices. As an experiment, I just selected one of my books, still available as a “new” product, and found that its secondhand price varies from $22.95 to $62.03. Moreover, some companies specialize in making many, many books available, even when they are officially out of print, as a specially ordered photocopy. So the price and availability information I used to provide in earlier editions when such data were reasonably stable now seem to reflect market conditions that no longer exist.
It is still important for readers to recognize that when publishers indicate new editions of commentaries, one must constantly examine what a “new edition” means. During the early 1980s, many of the TNTC and NCB volumes came out in new paperback editions, therefore boasting a new date even though all that had changed was the cover; the text was that of work done ten or twenty or more years earlier. The latest TNTC editions, however, are either work updated by the same author or commentaries by new authors replacing the earlier contributors.
Those interested in keeping up with the endless stream of commentaries need to consult the book review sections of journals. Of the print journals, the Expository Times is often first to appear. Reviews that usually keep the theological student in mind, and that are written from an evangelical perspective, are found in Themelios —and because this is now an online journal, its reviews are among the first to appear. More comprehensive and similarly rapid are the reviews in the online publication Reviews of Biblical Literature . Paper journals with significant review sections include the Catholic Biblical Quarterly , Churchman , Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society , Trinity Journal , and Westminster Theological Journal . Older commentaries are treated to entertaining and sometimes profound comment in C. H. Spurgeon, Commenting and Commentaries , occasionally republished by Banner of Truth. Of the various relevant online services, I recommend www.bestcommentaries.com. Two books that provide helpful guides to commentaries on both Testaments are John Glynn, Commentary and Reference Survey: A Comprehensive Guide to Biblical and Theological Resources (10th ed.; Kregel, 2007), which offers extensive lists; and John F. Evans, A Guide to Biblical Commentaries and Reference Works for Students and Pastors (9th ed.; Doulos Resources, 2010), which includes many useful and insightful comments. Occasionally I have referred to Evans’s comments in these pages. Of course, there is also the Old Testament Commentary Survey , by Tremper Longman III, currently in its fourth edition, parallel to the book you are holding in your hands, and published, like this one, by Baker Academic.
I have tried to scan the reviews of the earlier editions of this book and learn from them. On some matters I remain unrepentant. If I do not devote more space to United Bible Societies productions, for instance, it is because many of their commentaries, though doubtless of value to Bible translators, are of minimal use to theological students and ministers. One reviewer thought some of my comments too trenchant. I have tried to be careful, but in a survey this condensed I prefer to be a shade too trenchant than a good deal too bland. Apart from published reviews, I am indebted to several people who have written to me from various parts of the world to offer suggestions as to how to improve this Survey . To all of them I extend my gratitude. Once again I am hugely indebted to Andy Naselli for his eagle eye and numerous suggestions for improvement of the manuscript. I am very thankful to Daniel Ahn for his skill and speed in compiling the index.
Soli Deo gloria .
D. A. Carson Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
February 2013
Abbreviations
Publishers named are those of the most recent editions in Britain and the United States of America. An entry such as (CUP) indicates that the book is published by CUP in both Britain and the United States. An entry with a “/”—e.g., (IVP/Eerdmans)—indicates it is published by IVP in Britain and by Eerdmans in the United States. In the