Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 21:2 (Jun 1978)
Article: "Expositor" "s Bible Commentary," Volume Ten: A Review Article
Author: Paul Frederick Feiler

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JETS 21:2 (June 1978) p. 173

Expositor s Bible Commentary, Volume Ten: A Review Article

Paul Feiler*

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Frank E. Gaebelein, general editor. Vol. 10: Romans-Galatians. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976. 508 pp., $14.95.

The purpose of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary as stated by the general editor is “to provide preachers, teachers, and students with a new and comprehensive commentary on the New and Old Testaments.” The commentary assumes the position of traditional evangelicalism regarding the inspiration, trustworthiness and authority of Scripture. It follows the “grammatico-historical” method of exegesis and strives to give a fair presentation of varying positions in controversial matters.

The NIV is used throughout, although other versions are often cited in the exposition of any given passage. The commentary on each book is preceded by an introduction, outline and bibliography that attempt to elucidate the historical situation and define specific concerns necessary for proper interpretation of the text. The exposition of each passage is followed by notes on textual considerations. For those unfamiliar with the Biblical languages, all Greek and Hebrew words are transliterated in parentheses.

The volume here under review is remarkably free of typographical errors and is the first of twelve to be published. It includes commentaries on Romans (by Everett F. Harrison), First Corinthians (W. Harold Mare), Second Corinthians (Murray J. Harris) and Galatians (James Montgomery Boice). An evaluative summary of the thesis and development of each commentary followed by an assessment of the volume as a whole in the light of recent Pauline scholarship will constitute the remainder of this review.

According to Harrison, Paul wrote Romans from Corinth in A.D. 57. He rejects the view of T. W. Manson that the letter was sent to both Rome and Ephesus with chap. 16 added as an introduction to his Asian readers. The writing of Romans was occasioned by three considerations: (1) Paul’s desire to preach the gospel in Spain and, in this light, to establish Rome as a base of operations comparable to Antioch in the east; (2) Paul’s feeling of impending doom (Rom 15:31), which motivated him to write a letter “so systematic and comprehensive” that the Roman Church would be able to carry on the work of Christ in his stead; and (3) Paul’s desire to deal with specific problems in the Roman Church, particularly with regard to tensions between Jews and gentiles.

The basic theme of Romans is salvation, presented in terms of the righteousness of God. Harrison demonstrates this thesis passage by pas-

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