ROMANS:
Tyndale New Testament Commentary
By David E. Garland
IVP Academic. 490 pages. £19.99
ISBN 978 1 789 743 128 (paperback)
I love reading Bible commentaries; this one was no exception. It is the replacement for F.F. Bruce’s slim but worthy volume in the Tyndale series.
This commentary is almost three times the length of that written by Bruce. It follows the current Tyndale pattern of dealing with the text under three headings: Context, Comment and Theology. The extra space is well used to provide a fresh reading of Paul’s magisterial letter that, while conservative in theology, is not afraid to land his interpretation in places that will not always find universal agreement among readers of Paul.
There are three things I particularly like about this commentary.
Firstly, I appreciate the fact that Garland does not merely tell the reader what he thinks is the correct interpretation of Romans, he gives reasons why he has come to those conclusions. This is useful because, although the reader might have drawn different conclusions, it is possible to see why the writer has settled on his interpretation. This makes the commentary an interesting conversation between the commentator, Paul, the reader, and others who have written about Romans before.
The whole book
Secondly, Garland views the letter as a whole, not losing interest after Chapter 8, but treating all its parts as components vital for grasping Paul’s magnificent vision of the gospel and its power to save and transform. Most welcome is the seriousness with which Garland deals with Romans 9-11, wrestling with its many intricacies and providing illuminating help concerning the place of Israel within the purpose of God.
Thirdly, although this is not primarily a practical commentary, preachers will find evocative phrases and hints scattered throughout that could stimulate creative preaching.
Here is a commentary that is big enough to be a generally comprehensive and reliable guide for the reader, but small enough to read through in a few weeks.
