Turns out Paul’s Letter to the Romans is, well, hard to understand. I read it, and it’s like the words are just bouncing off my brain.
Can any readers recommend a good commentary or other secondary literature? I’m thinking something substantial, but not so scholarly that it requires facility in three or four ancient languages (and preferably clocks in at under 300 pages or so).
Any suggestions?
Like all other books of the Bible, aside from Revelation, which was even too confusing for him, John Calvin’s commentary is pretty good. Calvinism has some good stuff.
Calvin would be good for a classical theological commentary on Romans as would those by Barth, and Brunner. Unlike wine, cheese and friendship, biblical commentaries and helps do NOT get better with time. Scholars understand the language, culture and history of the Bible better and better as time goes by, so it’s best to get a more recent one.
For a critical biblical commentary, the standard right now is probably Dunn’s in the Word NT series but it is two large volumes and Dunn has a tendency to ramble on a bit, as insightful as he always is.
Moo’s NICONT volume on Romans is very good too, but again, pretty long and a knowledge of Greek is pretty necessary as it in Dunn’s commentary. Moo has a “light” version of his commentary also available http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310494001/104-0379193-3985528?v=glance&n=283155&s=books&v=glance.
Achtemeier has a good lay/ministerial commentary on Romans too in the interpretation series, in the Barthian mold. Witherington does a great job too but lets his conservative Methodist theology get in the way in places. Check out Luke Timothy Johnson for a very good RCC commentary too.
Too many toos
NT Wright, Moo, Dunn, Witherington, Schreiner.
In that order, I think.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Given what’s available at the local library, I think I’m going to start with Witherington and L.T. Johnson. Good way to challenge my Lutheran complacency maybe.
And I am still dutifully working my way through Kuyper, so I’m getting the requisite dose of Calvinism, I think. 😉
You can never have too much.
“Reading Romans” by Luke Timothy Johnston. I liked how it explained the terminology and the historical context.
I now have the Witherington book and Luke Timothy Johnson’s “Reading Romans” in hand. Now all I have to do is decide which one to read first…
A Thinking Reed 
Leave a comment