‘Well informed and authentically African’

AFRICA BIBLE COMMENTARY, SECOND EDITION: A One-Volume Commentary from Over 100 African Scholars
Editors: Yacouba Sanon, Elizabeth W. Mburu, Nathan Chiroma
Zondervan Academic. 2064 pages. £47
ISBN 978 0 310 102 182

This book, as big as a breeze block, is the much anticipated Second Edition of the well-received Africa Bible Commentary, that was first published in 2006.

The aim 20 years ago was to have a Biblical commentary written by Africans for Africans. It certainly was a great achievement to get that edition across the line. I have enjoyed consulting it over the years, especially the 68 special articles, scattered throughout, on themes that are pertinent in Africa. Sometimes reading a commentary written in a culture that is different from our own can help us see the Biblical text through fresh eyes.

Yet one of the criticisms of the first edition of the ABC is that it was not African enough. Indeed, that is a fair criticism of many of the commentaries that seemed like a standard recycling of other Biblical commentaries.

The Second Edition of the ABC has been thoroughly revised, its format standardised and its font size and appearance improved. Fifteen of the Bible books have brand-new commentaries, some of the older commentaries have been retained with major revisions, others have been retained with varying editorial work.

Forty-seven of the special articles were retained after careful revision and 75 new articles have been added, including an informative article by New Testament scholar Elizabeth Mburu on Proverbs in Africa. She also contributes new commentaries on Luke, 1+2 Thessalonians and Revelation, and writes a helpful article on African Hermeneutics.

In the first Foreword to the Second Edition, Dr Master O. Matlhaope writes: “Today Africa is now very much the global centre of Christianity and the diaspora outside the continent continues to grow. Consequently, the ecclesiastical and spiritual characteristics of African Christianity are likely being felt beyond Africa. This commentary is thus also an important tool for the world.”

One of the helpful features of the commentary is the section in the introduction to each book: “Relevance to Africa”.

Take for example this extract from the introduction to the commentary on the Book of Genesis: “One key teaching of Genesis to which we in Africa need to relate is the unity of the human race. All human beings, regardless of the colour of their skin or their ethnicity, are descended from Adam and Eve. This understanding of our common humanity should compel every human being to treat other people with respect and uphold their dignity, rejecting racism and tribalism” (ABC p.7).

In the second Foreword, missiologist Chris Wright writes: “This is a commentary that speaks with a voice that is up-to-date, well-informed and authentically African.”

It is a real joy to see African theologians finding their voice and applying their minds to reading Scripture with faithfulness to the text and imagination concerning their cultural setting. I will enjoy peeking at commentaries on passages I will be teaching or preaching on in the coming months. Church leaders in the UK who have seen a growing number of Africans in their congregation in the past decade, might consider investing in a copy of the ABC to get a feel for where these newcomers are coming from.