Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible

Rating:
Summary: A worthy volume...
Review: The Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, edited by James D.G. Dunn (University of Durham) and John W. Rogerson (University of Sheffield), is a monumental work, the latest in one-volume commentaries on the Bible. This is a huge book, over 1600 pages (any larger and it would have had to have been split, making it no longer a one-volume commentary).

My general practice is to disapprove of reliance on one commentary only. For depth and breadth of interpretation, one really needs to consult many different treatments of texts. However, for many, the limitations of time and finances prevent having a number of separate commentaries on individual biblical books, much less a range of commentaries on each one. I think that the Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible will be a good investment for those looking for insight and interpretation but who do not have the cause to invest in individual commentaries on each book of the Bible. It is best coupled with a Bible dictionary; fortunately, Eerdmans produced just a few years prior to this commentary a high-quality Bible dictionary, also, which would be a good companion.

The Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible claims to be the most complete one-volume commentary - actually, it claims to be the only one-volume commentary to include all canonical texts (which is a claim that depends upon your definition of canonical). It includes all 66 of the traditional Protestant Bible arranged in typical Christian order, with the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha, and the Pseudepigraphic text of I Enoch. There are essays introducing each broad area of textual type or division:

Pentateuch
Prophetic Literature
Pseudepigrapha
Gospels
New Testament Letters
New Testament Apocrypha
Dead Sea Scrolls and the Hebrew Bible
Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament

There are also more general essays on each of the testaments dealing with tradition, history, literary, and other considerations. These give brief but helpful histories of the development of the canon, the history of interpretation, and other context-setting information.

This work does not attempt a verse-by-verse explication of the biblical text; such would be beyond the scope of a one-volume commentary generally. It instead breaks the biblical text into sections of natural meaning (pericopes) and works to clarify each, also relating it back to the rest of the wider text. When there are subjects that beg for further clarification but are beyond the scope of this work, the authors include key questions or topics as well as suggestions for further readings.

Among the more useful features of the text are wonderful, up-to-date bibliographies at the conclusion of each book or essay, general essays on various topics throughout the text, and a very extensive index making subject referencing easy to do. One suggestion would be the incorporation of more maps and diagrams; particularly when talking about texts that relate to each other (the Joshua-Kings history vs. Chronicles; the synoptic gospels, etc.) a more graphical layout occasionally could help. While this text is the work of nearly 70 biblical scholars of note, it has a well-done common readability and engaging style, a credit to the editors.

The primary translation as the basis for this commentary is the New Revised Standard Version, but most scholars contributing used original language texts as a primary source for their analysis, so many ideas will be fresh and new, unique to this volume.

This text will be useful to students, pastors, scholars and interested laypersons. The language is primarily non-technical without being lacking in informative power. The interpretations presented include traditional and modern views, and the commentators are generally fair at presenting the strengths and weakness of all views presented.

This is a good text to have on one's shelf, and I already find myself reaching for it on a regular basis to supplement my other commentaries, or for quick overviews for insight and clarity.