Book Review of Reformation Commentary on Scripture--Vol. 10: Galatians, Ephesians edited by Gerald Bray

Galatians,Ephesians

Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Volume X

Edited by Gerald L. Bray

Intervarsity Press

Reviewed by Clint Walker

For the last several years, Intervarsity Press has published a set of Bible commentaries that have won critical acclaim. This wonderful series is the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. In this set of commentaries, the editors of each volume bring together the best of the Church Fathers and other leaders of the early church.

Now, Intervarsity Press has begun the project of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, which is a Bible commentary that highlights the best of the Reformation scholarship on Scriptural interpretation. Going through the whole Bible, each volume will highlight what the Reformers said about a particular passage or text on Scripture.

This is very exciting, because the Reformation brought about a revolution in Scriptural interpretation and insight. Much of the most significant theological work ever done was done during the Reformation era, especially if one is a Protestant Christian. And since the Reformation happened soon after the development of the printing press, writing of theology during the Reformation era was more plenteous that at any point before.

I just received a review copy of the first volume in the set from Intervarsity Press. It is a commentary on the Biblical books of Galatians and Ephesians. I could not be more impressed.

First of all, both the series introduction and the introduction to this specific volume are wonderful to read. Each could stand alone as both enjoyable reading and impressive scholarship apart from the commentary. I particularly enjoyed George bringing attention to the fact that good scholarship and pastoral ministry were not separate ventures in the Reformation Era. Most of the great Reformers were also leaders of local congregations, and both their theology and the way they communicated those beliefs were refined through that experience (p. xiv). Relatedly, “the post-Enlightenment split between the study of the Bible as an academic discipline and the reading of the Bible as spiritual nurture was foreign to the reformers. For them the study of the Bible was transformative at the most basic level of the human person: coram deo” (p. xv).

Also, it is fun to read the Reformers side by side with one another. For me, it was especially fun to see the contrast in tone and style between Calvin and Luther in regard to the book of Galatians. This contrast was exacerbated by kind of source material chosen, as Calvin’s commentaries were selected as his primary source material for this text, and Luther’s lessons to his classes were the primary texts from Luther quoted in this commentary. The result is the best of each person’s work. For Luther, that means that he reads as both thoughtful and earthy. In the case of Calvin, his work reads as methodical, logical, and academic, which is his strong suit.

I also like reading what I will call the “scoundrels” of the Reformation in this volume. By this term “scoundrels” I mean people like Tyndale and Erasmus who were influential in the Reformation for their own reasons, but were not highly regarded or well treated by the church as a whole.

It was also interesting how contemporary some of the Reformers sound even today. I think this is because in many ways the Reformation was about getting the gospel to the people, instead of doing theology and writing books for the benefit of the church and other clergy. For example, I appreciated Bugenhagen’s simple explanation of Ephesians 5:21 (and what follows), “Paul adds that each one should submit to the other in the fear of God, so that everyone will fear of God, so that everyone will fear God and believe his brother…and not claim to know more than he ought to” (p.381).

Although I loved this book, I was disappointed in the lack of diversity in the sources that were chosen. Most were either Lutheran or Reformed. There were very few from the Anabaptist tradition represented, for example. I hope this weakness is remedied in further volumes of this fine set of commentaries.

I would recommend, if you can afford it, to find a way to get this excellent inaugural volume in this fine new commentary series.  I have loved it. I know you will too.