Journal: Journal of Dispensational Theology
Volume: JODT 28:77 (Autumn 2024)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Anonymous

JODT 28:77 (Autumn 2024) p. 175

Book Reviews

1 & 2 Thessalonians (Word Biblical Commentary), Second Edition. by Seyoon Kim and F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2023. 726 pp., cloth, $59.99.

When HarperCollins (Zondervan’s parent company) acquired Thomas Nelson Publishers in 2012, this reviewer had great expectations that the completion of the New Testament volumes in the Word Biblical Commentary series (Acts & 1 Corinthians) would be one of Zondervan’s first priorities. Although still waiting for those two volumes to appear, at least Zondervan has announced that a 3-volume commentary on Acts by Steve Walton is forthcoming. Zondervan has also announced projected revisions of some of the volumes in the series. The issuing of revised or second editions was inaugurated when Nelson acquired Word Books (the originator of the series) in 1992.

The Word Biblical Commentary volume on 1 & 2 Thessalonians (1982) by F. F. Bruce (1910–1990) was the first commentary published in the series. The second edition by Seyoon Kim is the second updated volume in the New Testament to appear since Zondervan took over the series (the first was 2 Corinthians). Previously updated New Testament volumes were John and Philippians. Kim, a noted Pauline scholar, is senior professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is perhaps the best choice to update Bruce’s inaugural Word Biblical Commentary volume because he received his Ph.D. at the University of Manchester under his “revered teacher” (p. 14), F. F. Bruce.

For those not familiar with the layout of the volumes in the Word Biblical Commentary series, each segment to receive comment (which could be as small as one verse) begins with an extensive bibliography followed by the author’s translation and textual notes, and then three sections: form/structure/setting, comment, and explanation. Kim explained in his author’s preface that he could not confine his work “just to updating Bruce’s original commentary” because during the years since the publication of Bruce’s commentary “the atmosphere of commentary writing has greatly changed, and there has been an explosion of commentaries and other literature on the Pauline studies” (pp. 14–15). He rewrote “most of the commentary,” except for the translations and notes sections. In retrospect, Kim regretted that he did not “preserve more of Bruce’s original” (p. 15) in the other three sections.

JODT 28:77 (Autumn 2024) p. 176

The main difference between the Bruce and Kim volumes is their size. Bruce’s original volume, including the preliminary material, was approximately 275 pages. Kim’s revision is a massive 726 pages. Thus, it is even larger than the massive volume on 1 & 2 Thessa...