Lamentations (Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching | INT)

by F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp

Publisher:

John Knox

, 2002

Overview

In the face of suffering, agony, and the brutal realities of life; in the midst of divine silence and human pain, the Lamentations poems speak of faith and trust in God. This sophisticated yet accessible commentary makes the message of Lamentations come alive. All who preach and teach will benefit from this rich resource.

Key Features

• Detailed introduction
• Bibliography

Contents

Top Highlights

“But here, in these brief stanzas, Lamentations articulates most explicitly its resolve ‘to hope,’ a resolve that, if not yet a full-throated expression of hope, is nevertheless substantial enough to matter. It is a hope, as we will see, that is not facile, easily come to, but one born out of pain.” (Page 117)

“Jeremiah was traditionally thought to be the author of Lamentations” (Page 4)

“Here, the man ‘calls to mind’ (lit. ‘this I cause to return to my heart’)—notices!—his felt pain and ‘therefore’ he has hope!” (Page 117)

“They were believed to commemorate and lament the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem.” (Page 4)

“Second, divine violence cannot be treated in isolation from other language about God. If God is violent, God is also loving, benevolent, compassionate, all powerful, and wise. And for Christians the violence of the cross itself represents, preeminently, the revelation of the nonviolent love of God, God’s solidarity through Christ with us as victims of violence, and the promise of God that the violence and counterviolence of this world will not win out in the end.” (Page 45)

Praise for the Print Edition

The Interpretation series from Westminster John Knox Press is clearly established as a rich source for teaching and preaching. They have tapped the talents of a varied and esteemed group of contributors, resulting in what is clearly the essential comprehensive commentary series on the Bible.

—W. Eugene March, A.B. Rhodes Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

The Interpretation series is an invaluable resource for any leader or scholar interested in interpreting the biblical text to the broader church. Its works are essential for pastors, educators, and church libraries.

—Brian K. Blount, President and Professor of New Testament at Union Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Title: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching Lamentations
• Author: F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp
• Publisher: John Knox Press
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 159

About F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp

Chip Dobbs-Allsopp, associate professor of Old Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, holds an M.Div. from the Seminary and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. He specializes in Old Testament literature, including the Book of Lamentations, the Song of Songs, Hebrew poetry, and the Prophets. His other fields of interest include literary theory and methods of study, Semitic languages and linguistics, and Northwest Semitic languages and literature. He teaches courses in biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, and Ugaritic grammar and translation, and biblical interpretation in a postmodern world. A specialist in the languages and history of the Middle East, he is one of the major project translators on a team of scholars examining and deciphering the inscriptions discovered at Wadi el-Hol in Egypt. He is on the editorial board for the Writings from the Ancient World Series, published by the Society of Biblical Literature.