Book Review of Commentary on Hebrew, James Volume of Reformation Commentary on Scripture

Hebrews, James
New TestamentVolume XIII
Reformation Commentary on Scripture
ed. by Ronald K. Rittgers
ISBN 978-0-8308-2976-7
Published by IVP Academic
Reviewed by Clint Walker

As readers of this blog know, I have been blogging on the Reformation Commentary on Scripture since its release began several years back. Recently, I recieved a new volume in this stellar series to review, and this particular volume is not a volume that you want to miss!

This particular volume of the series is collated and edited by Dr. Ronald K. Rittgers. Dr. Rittgers is both a theologian and a history scholar. His historical work specializes in studies late medieval and early modern European history, with a special emphasis on the Reformation. There are few better choices to introduce us to the Reformers approach to James and Hebrews.

This volume is enjoyable because there are some issues that the Reformers had to work through, that many Christians also have to consider in our time. For instance, there is a variety of opinions regarding the authorship of Hebrews. Some people think it was Pauline, including Zwingli. Others, such as Luther and Calvin, did not think the writing in Hebrews was Pauline, and had some good arguments to present for that view.

As far as the book of James goes, most people familiar with any Biblical studies during the Reformation have heard about Luther's dislike of the book as a "straw epistle" (p. 200). For me, it was interesting to see this comment sourced, and the quote put into a little bit deeper context. Also fascinating for me was the quickness that the Reformers had in connecting the teaching on faith and works in James 2 with the teaching on love in I Corinthians 13 (pp. 202 (Zwingli), p. 230 (Erasmus), p. 232 (Calvin))

Hebrews and James are two of the most lively books in the New Testament in their theology and call to living the faith boldly as a believer. Reading the Reformers in this volume will at once help the reader step outside of their own cultural context, and yet at the same time see that many of the same challenges that were presented to them interpreting and living the Scripture then are still with us today. Pick this up, and add it to your library, especially if you are one who teaches or preaches the Word!