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1 and 2 ChroniclesEncouragement of history1 and 2 CHRONICLES Cyril J. Barber is a knowledgeable Old Testament scholar who taught for many years in divinity schools in the US, and has written many books, including several on historical books of the Old Testament. However, in these volumes he does not set out to be scholarly, although what he writes is based on careful research. By his own confession he has produced a 'devotional' rather than exegetical or expository commentary. He has worked out his own translation and reproduces it in the text for us. His view of Chronicles is that it was written by Ezra in the fifth century BC following the return of the people from Babylon. After their initial euphoria had worn off, they were slow to rebuild their nation and restore its institutions, especially those to do with the worship of God. They needed encouragement, which they received not only from the prophets Haggai and Zechariah but from Ezra's review of their past history. Because they were ignorant of this, they had lost confidence in God's faithfulness to them. God had brought them through times of oppression and invasion, even when these were caused by their own unfaithfulness, and he would not fail them now. Chronicles is a book of encouragement to the afflicted struggling people of God. This is a very helpful approach and it is a pity it doesn't come out more in the comments on the particular periods and chapters. The principle is applied, but only occasionally. If it were applied consistently it would be the basis of a word of encouragement to churches in these days when we too are struggling. Instead, the author gets a little carried away with his own interests. He fails to explain the relevance and importance of the opening genealogy and devotes the whole of his first chapter (on 1 Chronicles 1-9) to Jabez. This is good if a bit speculative, but there must be reasons why Ezra was led to set down all those lists. He tells us he doesn't want to bore us, but surely it is a commentator's job to enlighten us about the problematic parts of Scripture and make them relevant and interesting? After a good chapter on Saul and the Philistines (1 Chronicles 10) there are nine chapters on 1 Chronicles 11, in which each of 'David's mighty men' is discussed in turn! He justifies this by claiming that few authors have done it. This is fair enough but it does make the book rather uneven. The last eight chapters (22-29, on the organisation of David's kingdom) are then dealt with in one chapter. The book therefore is not so much a commentary as 'studies in' or 'sermons on' 1 Chronicles. 2 Chronicles is somewhat different: whereas 1 Chronicles centres around David, 2 Chronicles concerns his successors. The treatment is therefore more even. Ezra's purpose was to provide a comparison between the later kings and David. God's covenant promise to David was that his dynasty would occupy the throne as long as they were faithful to the conditions of the covenant as David had been. Again this theme is not followed through consistently. Neither is the fulfilment of Israel's history in the new covenant of Christ brought out, although there are helpful points of application. Books which view Old Testament narrative prophetically seem to be rare these days. Perhaps we need to rethink our view of the relationship of the two testaments. The proof reading is less than perfect (about two errata per chapter). Allowing for the limitations mentioned in this review, the books cannot fail to give enjoyment and profit to those who read them or use them for study groups or sermons. Eric Lane, © Evangelicals Now - October 2004 |