Eerdmans Critical Commentary Series (4 Vols.)

The Letter to Philemon

• Markus Barth and Helmut Blanke
• 549 pages | 2000

Sometimes regarded as trivial because of its brevity, the letter to Philemon remains valuable both for its insight into the social setting of the New Testament and for its reiteration of a central component of the gospel—brotherly love. Barth and Blanke’s commentary is unique for its exhaustive study of the ancient world at the time Philemon was written. They examine the institution of slavery in Paul’s day, drawing on secular sources from Greece and Rome and from Christian writers of the time. The references to slavery found in Ephesians, Colossians, and 1Timothy are also compared and contrasted with Paul’s words in Philemon.

The verse-by-verse commentary focuses on important themes in Pauline theology, including love, faith and faithfulness, church unity, providence, free will, and human responsibility. Barth makes his exposition even more useful by surveying the history of the interpretation of Philemon, from the patristic age to modern liberation theologians. The product of Barth’s lifelong research, which was completed by Helmut Blanke after Barth’s death, will surely become the standard work on Philemon.

Markus Barth (1915–1994) was professor of New Testament studies at the University of Basel in Switzerland. The son of the great theologian Karl Barth, he is also the author of The People of God, Rediscovering the Lord’s Supper, and (with Helmut Blanke) the volume on Colossians in the Anchor Yale Bible Commentary.

Helmut Blanke earned a Th.D. from the University of Basel in Switzerland and was a student of Markus Barth’s and serves as a pastor in Germany. He is co-author (with Markus Barth) of the volume on Colossians in the Anchor Yale Bible Commentary.

Markus Barth provides us with an exceptional treasure trove of relevant ancient and modern material to enrich our understanding of ancient slavery and the interpretation of Philemon. A remarkable repository of learning, this volume brings Paul’s world and thought to life as a seasoned guide takes readers on a fascinating tour of every nook and cranny of the apostle’s most personal letter. This book will hardly be surpassed.
—David E. Garland, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

The First and Second Letters to Timothy, Volume 1 and 2

• Jerome D. Quinn and William C. Wacker
• 932 pages | 2000

This commentary on Timothy was the culminating work of Jerome Quinn who died before he was able to finish it. William Wacker aptly took up the reins and completed this monumental task. Quinn provides a fresh, readable translation of the two letters to Timothy, along with notes and a verse-by-verse commentary. The authors show that, in addressing such contemporary topics as church leadership, the roles of women, the use of wealth, heterodoxy, worship, and ethics, these Pauline letters remain highly relevant to church life today.

Jerome D. Quinn (d. 1988) was Professor of Old and New Testament and the Hebrew language at Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association, an editor of The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, and a visiting professor at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. He also wrote volume on Titus in the in the Anchor Yale Bible Commentary.

William C. Wacker was Quinn’s last student, and he spent five years preparing the manuscript of this commentary for publication. He is Headmaster at Trinity School at River Ridge in Bloomington, Minnesota.

A rich, readable, and rewarding commentary. The introduction is a model of clarity; the commentary proper is filled with theological and exegetical insight. This commentary is certainly the magnum opus Jerome Quinn intended it to be, and it is destined to become the standard English-language reference work on these letters.
—Jouette M. Bassler, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

With the appearance of his Anchor Bible commentary on Titus, Jerome Quinn established a unique foothold in the perilous terrain of Pastoral Epistle scholarship. The appearance of this volume, with the immense assistance of William Wacker, completes his project. It is a major contribution to our understanding of the language of these letters and a mine of philological information. Likewise, its distinctive reconstruction of the historical, social, and literary context of 1 and 2 Timothy will be a healthy stimulant to ongoing discussions about their theology and relation to Paul. An important scholarly work.
—Philip H. Towner, United Bible Societies

The Psalms: Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary

• Samuel Terrien
• 967 pages | 2003

In his most ambitious undertaking, the late Samuel Terrien brings together a lifetime of scholarship on the Psalms. The commentary’s clear and insightful introduction considers these important subjects on the Psalms: their longevity and ecumenicity; their Near Eastern background; the Hebrew text and ancient versions; their music; their strophic structure; their literary genre; their theology; and their relation to the New Testament. Terrien elucidates the theological significance of these collected poems by putting readers in touch with the formal versatility and religious passion of the psalmists themselves. While he consistently engages in scientific exegesis before drawing theological conclusions, Terrien is careful to allow full expression to the theological and, especially, the doxological voice of these unmatched spiritual songs. The result is a commentary that provides a link between the archaic language of Psalms and the intellectual demands of modern thinking and spirituality.

Throughout his exposition Terrien shows great respect for the scribal testimony of the Jewish tradition, especially the consonants of the Masoretic text. He similarly displays great care in finding the most accurate meaning for Hebrew words of obscure origin, thus creating a meticulously reliable translation of Psalms. He also draws on many fruitful gains of structural analysis in discerning the strophic divisions within the Hebrew text. Often he finds unity of composition where earlier critics denied it. And for readers interested in specific aspects of translation and interpretation, Terrien has appended bibliographical lists of modern works on each psalm.

Samuel Terrien (1911–2002) was Davenport Professor Emeritus of Hebrew and Cognate Languages at Union Theological Seminary in New York. His many other books include The Iconography of Job through the Centuries: Artists as Biblical Interpreters, and The Elusive Presence: Toward a New Biblical Theology.

Samuel Terrien has willed us a legacy that is well worth studying for years to come. The crown of that legacy is his magnum opus on the Psalter….Rich in treasures for scholars and students alike, this commentary reflects a mind gifted with sharp intellect and a heart attuned to the cadences of the human and the divine.
—James A. Sanders, Ancient Biblical Manuscript Center, Claremont, California

I have always stood in awe of Samuel Terrien’s erudition and theological insight. As in all of his work, he is able in this volume to marry the sensitivities of a believer to the rigors of scholarly analysis in ways that are rich, insightful, and provocative….This commentary is a tour de force in contemporary Psalms scholarship and a fitting monument to one of the outstanding biblical scholars of the twentieth century.
—John A. Gettier, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut