Reformation Commentary of the Bible: Old Testament Volume XIII--Psalms 73-150

Reformation Commentary of the Bible: Old Testament Volume XIII--Psalms 73-150 

Edited by Herman J. Selderhuis

IVP Academic

ISBN 978-0-8308-2958-3

This book is part of a larger study called the Reformation Commentary on Scripture. In each of these studies, the editors attempt to go back to the original source material of the Reformation, and then put different Reformation ministers and theologians side by side in their take on a specific passage of Scripture. 

The Reformation Commentary on Scripture has four goals:

• Renewing contemporary Biblical interpretation by bringing to light Reformation era interpretation
• Strengthening contemporary preaching through exposure to biblical insights of Reformation writers
• Deepening understanding of the Reformation and the breadth of perspectives represented within it
• Advancing Christian scholarship in the fields of historical, biblical, theological, and pastoral studies (xvi-xix)

This particular commentary is on the second half of Psalms (roughly), covering books three, four and five of the Psalms. There is another RCB commentary that covers Psalms 1-72. This particular collection is edited by Herman Selderhuis, a church history professor in the Netherlands with particular expertise in the Reformation. 

The Psalms offer a unique role in Scripture. They are primarily the songbook and prayer book of the Bible. Yet, they also are often quoted by Jesus and Paul, both as prophetic of the Christ, and as essential to the development of Christian theology. Editor Herman Selderhuis addresses both these issues wisely in his introduction, allowing for and identifying the diversity of approaches to the Psalms, and including all of them to speak through the excerpts in different ways and at different times. 

I have grown to love the Psalms, so for me, it was interesting to see how different interpreters read different individual psalms during the Reformation era. Here are a few of the things I enjoyed learning:

• In their study of Psalm 100
• Luther contends that Psalm 100 is a prophecy of Christ
• Calvin uses the exhortation to joy to say that the joy is a result of spiritual regeneration
• Other lesser known commentaries speak about the centrality of praise and adoration of God as we enter worship
• In Psalm 119, commentary can, in part, lean toward the value of Scripture, and conversations about the doctrine of Scripture in the Reformation
• In the Psalms of ascent, I was delighted to read words like 'beauty" and :"majesty", because they are both focusing on worship and engaging the aesthetic nature of biblical literature in poetry
• In all of these commentaries, it is nice to see the ease of moving between theological and pastoral concerns

 All in all, I would recommend grabbing this and reading it at times, both for ministry, but even for devotional help as one prays through the Psalms and seeks pathways of deeper prayer as one does so.

Book Reviews of Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament IV--Joshua, Judges Ruth

 

 

Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament IV --Joshua, Judges, Ruth

Edited by N. Scott Amos

IVP Academic

ISBN 978-0-8308-2954-5

This book is part of a larger study called the Reformation Commentary on Scripture. In each of these studies, the editors attempt to go back to the original source material of the Reformation, and then put different Reformation ministers and theologians side by side in their take on a specific passage of Scripture. 

The Reformation Commentary on Scripture has four goals:

• Renewing contemporary Biblical interpretation by bringing to light Reformation era interpretation
• Strengthening contemporary preaching through exposure to biblical insights of Reformation writers
• Deepening understanding of the Reformation and the breadth of perspectives represented within it
• Advancing Christian scholarship in the fields of historical, biblical, theological, and pastoral studies (xvi-xix)

This particular commentary is on Joshua, Judges, and Ruth--all considered part of the historical canon of the Hebrew Scriptures. N. Scott Amos is well qualified to edit this compilation, as he written several books on the Reformation era's streams of biblical interpretation and theological development from a historical context.

These historical books uniquely offer insight into Scripture, but they also offer a clear light into the context of the interpreters. The Reformation Era and Ancient Israel in the time of the Judges and the entrance into the promised land were times of social and political upheaval. The truth of this connection was not lost on the Reformers, who applied the Scripture clearly to their context overtly and more subtly. 

In the introduction, the editor draws to the readers' attention that these three books, especially Judges and Ruth, speak about women, and their place in Scripture and in the world at this time. Some are heroes, such as Deborah and Ruth. Other stories are more cautionary and sad, such as the story of Jepthah's daughter (xlvii). I personally enjoyed the emphasis on Ruth being a key person in illuminating that the gospel and the work of God in the world is for Gentiles as well as Hebrew persons (p. 530-531).

I would not use this commentary exclusively for preparing a bible study or a sermon. I would, however, use it to add breadth to my studies for both of those tasks and much more. 

Book Review of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament IX --Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

 

Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament IX --Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

Edited by David C. Fink

IVP Academic

ISBN 978-0-8308-2959-0

This book is part of a larger study called the Reformation Commentary on Scripture. In each of these studies, the editors attempt to go back to the original source material of the Reformation, and then put different Reformation ministers and theologians side by side in their take on a specific passage of Scripture. 

The Reformation Commentary on Scripture has four goals:

• Renewing contemporary Biblical interpretation by bringing to light Reformation era interpretation
• Strengthening contemporary preaching through exposure to biblical insights of Reformation writers
• Deepening understanding of the Reformation and the breadth of perspectives represented within it
• Advancing Christian scholarship in the fields of historical, biblical, theological, and pastoral studies (xvi-xix)

This particular commentary is on Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. This is the part of Old Testament wisdom literature most closely tied with King Solomon, the man reputed in Scripture to be the wisest man in the world.

While much of Reformation commentary on Scripture is full of fierce debate on important areas of theology, much of this wisdom literature is not central to that debate. That does not mean, however, that innovations in biblical interpretation were not influential in how the Reformers read these books (xli). The introduction provides a brief, insightful summary of "Christian Hebraism" in the Renaissance and early Enlightenment eras, as well as placing biblical interpretation within its wider context rediscovery of ancient texts as Europe emerged from the Middle Ages. 

Most of the Song of Songs is understood as an allegory. There is no known Reformation commentary that understood this text as primarily literal in interpretation (xlv). This raises questions about why the Reformers would interpret this text allegorically when they avoided allegorical interpretation elsewhere.

The editor, at the end of his introduction, helpfully identifies which Reformers he leans on most heavily in selecting primary sources for this historical commentary. He says, "...the reader will no doubt notice I have played favorites from time to time: Cardinal Cajetan, Phillip Melanchthon, and Michel Cop on Proverbs; Martin Luther and Jean de Serras on Ecclesiastes; Theodore Beza, Melchior Hoffmann, and the English Puritans on the Song of Songs (lv)."

As I made my way through this commentary, here is what I enjoyed:

• The efforts in Song of Songs to explain and stretch metaphors as far as they could go to illuminate spiritual truths
• Michael Cop's take on Proverbs 20:1, which the editor summarized in a subtitle as "drunkards give wine a bad name" was simply delightful.
• Jean De Serres excerpt entitled "True Happiness Contrasted with Its Imitation" was a great summary of the message of Ecclesiastes, and his bringing in the idea of providence puts him squarely in the Reformation era with its concern for God's sovereignty.

All in all, the Reformers show that they are people of their era, but in their comments on these books, they also show that much of the human experience of temptation, wisdom, love, seeking God, and struggling with meaning is shared by people no matter when they lived.