Book Briefs: June 9, 1972

Reconsidering Kierkegaard

Kierkegaard’s Thought, by Gregor Malantschuk (Princeton, 1971, 388 pp., $12.50), Kierkegaard: A Kind of Poet, by Louis Mackey (University of Pennsylvania, 1971, 327 pp., $12.50), Kierkegaard and Consciousness, by Adi Shmuëli (Princeton, 1971, 202 pp., $8.50), and The Problematic Self in Kierkegaard and Freud, by J. Preston Cole (Yale, 1971, 244 pp., $7.50), are reviewed by Donald W. Dayton, assistant professor of bibliography and research, Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky.

Sören Kierkegaard has suffered much at the hands of evangelicals. The usual evangelical caricature, as found for example in the writings of Francis Schaeffer, views him as the “father of existentialism” and thereby to be blamed for much that is wrong-headed today in both theology and philosophy. Fortunately within the last decade cracks have begun to appear in the solid wall of evangelical repudiation of Denmark’s greatest son. And irony of ironies, one may now well argue that Kierkegaard shares the basic commitments of evangelicals.

The major charge against Kierkegaard among evangelicals is that he advocated an irrational “leap of faith” that leaves no objective content to be believed. Those making such a charge reveal only that they have not read Kierkegaard, especially the now readily available paperback On Authority and Revelation, the most important part of which has also been published as “Of the Difference Between a Genius and an Apostle.” Fortunately for Kierkegaard’s reputation among evangelicals, E. J. Carnell of Fuller Seminary lived long enough to declare in his last book (The Burden of Sören Kierkegaard): Let it be asserted for all to hear that Kierkegaard did not separate himself from the traditional orthodox claim that the data of Christianity are objective in the sense of existing “out there.” And Canadian evangelical Kenneth Hamilton attacks head-on the usual interpretation of Kierkegaard’s place in the history of Western thought by claiming (perhaps a little too brashly) that “any paternity suit brought against him now for fathering existentialism would be likely to be promptly dismissed” (The Promise of Kierkegaard).

Indeed, as we have already suggested, Kierkegaard seems to share the concerns of evangelicals. Consider, for example, his attitude toward the Bible. In common with most evangelicals, Kierkegaard was passionately committed to devotional reading of the Bible and very leery of the critics. That he moreover held a high view of Scripture was ably argued at the 1965 annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society by Vernon Grounds, president of Conservative Baptist Seminary—though he was admittedly not able to wring the word “inerrancy” out of the Kierkegaard corpus. In a neglected “Princeton Pamphlet,” Paul S. Minear and Paul S. Morimoto predict that “coming generations will increasingly reckon with him not so much as a philosopher, as a poet, as a theologian, or as a rebel against Christendom, but as an expositor of Scripture” (Kierkegaard and the Bible). Sure, he was sometimes wrong; but so are evangelicals. More often he was right and profoundly illuminating. Evangelicals should be delighted to do half as well.

Other common concerns can be adduced. In Kierkegaard’s own words, “The whole of my work as an author is related to Christianity, to the problem of ‘becoming a Christian’ ” (The Point of View For My Work as an Author). E. J. Carnell and Vernon Grounds have both endorsed the verdict of Denzil Patrick: “He was an evangelist rather than a theologian. There can be no question about his own adherence to the orthodox Christian Faith of the ecumenical creeds. But he sought to speak to the needs of his time rather than to give a timeless exposition of the faith” (Pascal and Kierkegaard). My own experience confirms this. I have known several persons converted through reading Kierkegaard.

Kierkegaard’s attack on the church of his day was aimed at shaking it loose from its self-satisfied smugness, and was no more vitriolic than some of the attacks launched by evangelicals against the established church of our day. And recently Vernard Eller has argued (in Kierkegaard and Radical Discipleship) that Kierkegaard’s view of Christianity was much like that of the more radical or “anabaptist” church traditions that have had such an important role in shaping evangelicalism.

One may even argue that evangelicals share the excesses of Kierkegaard, such as his individualism and his tendency toward “fideism.” To a great extent Kierkegaard was merely a highly sophisticated pietist. This is recognized by George Price (The Narrow Pass): “His abnormal religious experiences … are common in protestantism—and in many of its sects are actually demanded as the signs of a genuine religious experience. This was especially true of the pietistic movements of his time.” Nearly every one of Kierkegaard’s strictures against historical and rational arguments for faith is paralleled in John Wesley, who was also profoundly influenced by the same forms of Continental pietism.

The appearance of four “Ivy league” university press books about Kierkegaard in a single season testifies to the continuing impact on the American scene of Denmark’s profoundest thinker. Evangelicals would do well to ride this wave and not deprive themselves of a most powerful ally. Unfortunately, these four works—two general introductions and two specialized studies—will be of only mixed value for the evangelical task. But they will contribute to a better understanding of Kierkegaard in general and at the same time show the need for evangelicals to take the initiative in unfolding the Christian character of Kierkegaard’s works.

The most valuable is that by Gregor Malantschuk, Kierkegaard Research Fellow at the University of Copenhagen. The translators, Howard and Edna Hong, earlier won the National Book Award in translation for Sören Kierkegaard’s Journals and Papers. When Malantschuk’s volume first appeared in Danish in 1968, reviewers insisted that it be immediately translated into a world language. The translators go so far as to call it “the best work currently available on Kierkegaard in any language.”

One can only concur in that judgment. Malantschuk’s work is obviously the product of a lifetime spent with Kierkegaard. Its greatest strength is the way in which Kierkegaard is allowed to interpret Kierkegaard. However, the emphasis on discovering the coherence in Kierkegaard’s thought results in a rather “philosophical” reading of an essentially “religious” (to be carefully distinguished from “theological”) writer.

Louis Mackey, professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, provides some clues to why Kierkegaard has been consistently misunderstood. Mackey argues that he is primarily a poet: “whatever philosophy or theology there is in Kierkegaard is sacramentally transmitted ‘in, with, and under’ the poetry.” Mackey therefore applies techniques of literary criticism, rather than theological or philosophical criticism, to key works in the corpus of Kierkegaard. The resulting interpretation is better than most. The method is helpful if kept under control, though it borders on the same error as viewing the Bible primarily as literature.

Adi Shmuëli’s book presents an interesting anomaly: an Israeli professor of philosophy who has a firmer grasp of the Christian character of Kierkegaard’s writings than most Christians. According to Shmuëli, Kierkegaard’s aim is to create “Christian awareness” in his readers, or better, to unfold to them a Christianity that “reveals to man what is truly in him—that he is fallen, a sinner; and it bids him to be born again in faith.” But these concerns are peripheral to Shmuëli’s main intention: to describe Kierkegaard’s understanding of “consciousness,” and this very much from the milieu of French existentialism and phenomenology (the book was originally a French University dissertation). The editor himself, Yale Kierkegaardian scholar Paul Holmer, finds the argument unconvincing but provocative. At the very least it does serve to remind us that Kierkegaard’s primary interest was in the analysis and development of Christian experience.

J. Preston Cole’s book is the least valuable of the four. Cole, dean of Kendall College, compares Freud and Kierkegaard on the “self” and suggests that a viable conception might emerge from the dialectical tension of their essentially complementary conceptions. His argument depends upon such claims as, “For both, the essence of man is Spirit,” and that Kierkegaard can correct Freud by providing a historical rather than naturalistic ontology for the analysis of human existence. Cole is actually more interested in the “remnants of philosophical idealism” to be found in Kierkegaard than in any of the distinctively Christian elements.

For Devout Novices

Biblical Theology, Volume One: Old Testament, by Chester K. Lehman (Herald, 1971, 480 pp., $15.95), is reviewed by Ronald Youngblood, professor of Old Testament, Bethel Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Lehman’s synthesis of Old Testament theology, the fruit of a teaching career at Eastern Mennonite Seminary that spanned almost half a century, has much to commend it. The author cheerfully and gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness to Geerhardus Vos, a recognized evangelical giant in the field. The arrangement of the volume is attractive, though its attempt at interweaving logical and chronological treatment of biblical themes makes for somewhat disjointed reading in the chapters on the prophets. Lehman’s recognition of the principle of double/multiple fulfillment of prophecy as a working hypothesis in prophetic interpretation is to be a welcome feature. And his admission of pictorial and symbolic elements in the Genesis creation account and of dramatic touches in the story of Job, without denying the historical reality of either narrative, is refreshing.

Other aspects of the book, however, do not so readily attract compliments. For example, how can anyone write an Old Testament theology in our day without using recent insights of ancient Near Eastern studies (languages, texts, archaeology, covenant formularies, form-critical approaches, and the like)? Also, Lehman tends to be inconsistent in certain areas. On the one hand he assumes without further ado that David was the author of numerous psalms, Solomon of Proverbs, and Jeremiah of Lamentations, while on the other hand he affirms, with a minimum of explanation, the existence of the J and P writers in the Pentateuch as well as a late date for Isaiah 40–66. The purist will shudder at the inconsistency of Lehman’s transcription of Hebrew (e.g., qodesh, p. 139; kodhesh, p. 149). Lapses of this kind make it evident that he is less at home in technical Old Testament disciplines than in the broad range of theological studies. And even his discussions of theological themes are far too often little more than a rephrasing of the biblical text.

Yet this “fault” may also encompass the chief strength of the book. Lehman’s staunch Christian faith and warmhearted love for Scripture are everywhere apparent in his writing, and what he says will be most useful to the devout novice who wants to know what the Old Testament has to say about a particular theological theme. The footnotes arc full of biblical references for further study. Regrettably, the publisher has placed the footnotes at the end of each chapter, giving the diligent reader the feeling that he is watching a tennis match.

The Four Visions

A Commentary on the Revelation, by George E. Ladd (Eerdmans, 1972, 308 pp., $6.95), is reviewed by Robert Guelich, associate professor of New Testament, Bethel Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Professor George Ladd of Fuller Theological Seminary is known to the evangelical community through his previous writings in eschatology. He has behind him years of study in the prophetic and apocalyptic backgrounds of the New Testament message of fulfillment in Jesus, and it is most appropriate for him to write a commentary on Revelation, which involves both prophetic and apocalyptic elements.

Ladd’s exposition of Revelation does not fall into any of the traditional categories. On the one hand he rejects the historically and apocalyptically oriented preterist position for ignoring the prophetic element. On the other hand he also rejects the futurist position for failing to take history seriously, as did both the prophets and apocalyptists who saw “imminent historical judgment” as a “type of, or prelude to, the eschatological judgment.” The solution lies in a blending of the two positions. Ladd does take a premillennial stance. Yet he sees the millennium and the whole book of Revelation referring chiefly to the “destiny of the Church” rather than to God’s “theocratic promises to Israel.” Consequently, this commentary offers a fresh and distinctive approach to the Apocalypse.

Ladd’s basic structure is the four visions at the heart of the Apocalypse. The first vision (1:9–3:22) involves the message to the seven churches. Comments on topography, conditions, and local color suggest their historical character, but the context shows that their message was intended for a wider audience than a particular local church. The second and longest vision is composed of three sets of sevens with various interludes. According to Ladd, the sevens are telescoped so that the seven bowls (chs. 15 and 16), which relate the outpouring of God’s wrath in the great tribulation, are included in the seventh trumpet. The seven trumpets (8:2–14:2), which related the beginning of the end events, are themselves the content of the seventh seal. The seven seals (6:1–8:1) in turn have related the forces leading up to the end, namely, the content of the scroll (5:1 ff). The interludes (ch. 7; 10:1–11:13, chs. 12–14) are but close-ups of elements in the panoramic vision. The third vision pertains to the mystery and judgment of Babylon (17–19:5) and to the triumphant consummation that begins with the resurrection of the saints at the parousia and concludes with the new creation following the millennial reign of Christ on earth (19:6–21:8). The final vision is that of the heavenly Jerusalem come to earth (21:9–22:5).

The variegated and often moot symbols of Revelation leave their interpreters, Ladd included, especially vulnerable to those of a differing persuasion. No doubt some will take issue with Ladd’s interpretation of the first seal as the proclamation of the Gospel, of the 144,000 as spiritual Israel, i.e., the Church, and of the measuring of the Temple and the two witnesses as the salvation of the Jewish remnant and the two eschatological prophets who witness to them. Yet, as usual. Ladd has carefully and exegetically laid the bases for his views. Some will be disappointed by his refusal to identify such familiar symbols as Armageddon, 666, Babylon, and Gog and Magog. Yet fanciful speculation would be incongruent with his exposition. Ladd has gone as far as the text in its context will allow.

Ladd has an amazing ability to explain simply and clearly something that is complex and opaque. He writes on the mysterious and complex Apocalypse lucidly, thoroughly, and very readably. He transliterates the rarely occurring Greek words. He interacts with other viewpoints sensitively and fairly, he avoids the very technical debates. This commentary comes as a very valuable interpretative aid to layman, pastor, and scholar alike.

Newly Published

A Coward’s Guide to Witnessing, by Ken Anderson (Creation House, 157 pp., $3.95). An outstanding book. The well-known evangelical writer and film-maker shares his frustration, fears, and modest achievements over the years in personal evangelism. Too many books on witnessing lead to dejection because what the author triumphantly reports seems regrettably alien to the average Christian’s personality and accomplishments. Anderson’s book is as different as the title suggests.

Jesus Confronts Life’s Issues, by Joseph D. Ban (Judson, 128 pp., $1.95 pb). Useful and discussion-provoking thoughts about a dozen incidents in Jesus’ life (e.g., temptation, breaking with tradition, payment of taxes) and their relation to similar issues we all face today.

Jesus and the Old Testament, by R. T. France (Inter-Varsity, 286 pp., $9.95). A revised Ph.D. thesis studying Jesus’ application of Old Testament passages to himself and his mission. A major contribution.

America’s Fastest Growing Churches, by Elmer L. Towns (Impact [1625 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn. 37202], 223 pp., $4.95). An admittedly uncritical report on ten congregations (eight of them with the Baptist Bible Fellowship) with average Sunday-school attendance (except for one that is smaller and younger) of 830 in 1967 and 2,080 in 1971. Also includes some good reflections distinguishing these self-designated fundamentalist congregations with their authoritarian pastors from other evangelicals.

An Evangelical Faith for Today, by John Lawson (Abingdon, 95 pp., $1.75 pb). A discussion guide that brings central Christian doctrines back into focus—e.g., the doctrine of God, Christ, the Atonement, the Second Coming—and attempts to make them intelligible rather than to demythologize them; not altogether sharp on all points (e.g., the doctrine of Scripture).

Labor Problems in Christian Perspective, edited by John H. Redekop (Eerdmans, 364 pp., $6.95). A useful if uneven collection of articles giving widely differing views ranging from the Christian legitimacy of laissez-faire capitalism to a kind of Christian socialism.

Suicide and Grief, by Howard W. Stone (Fortress, 134 pp., $3.50 pb). If understanding fails to prevent suicide, the minister may find this book helpful in dealing with the survivors.

Marquee Ministry, by Robert G. Konzelman (Harper & Row, 123 pp., $4.95). Advice to pastors: encourage your congregation to attend films, and use them as sermon texts. The author also explains how to use movies for discussions; his examples: Cromwell, The Learning Tree, and I Never Sang For My Father. Films are an important aspect of our culture and shouldn’t be ignored. But the emphasis here is a bit too strong.

The Eternal Feminine, by Henri de Lubac (Harper & Row, 272 pp., $6.95). Examines an obscure element in Teilhard’s early writing and seeks to show that his cosmic, mystic vision involves a unique understanding of the feminine.

The Freedom of Man, by T. Paul Verghese (Westminster, 157 pp., $6.95). A stimulating and provocative essay on the nature of man and of freedom by a former WCC staffer, an Eastern Orthodox priest. Verghese combines many valuable insights, many of them gleaned from the early church fathers, with occasional simplistic platitudes derived from liberalism.

Not A Silent People: Controversies That Have Shaped Southern Baptists, by Walter B. Shurden (Broadman, 128 pp., $1.95). A breezy, fairly accurate glance at six of the many controversies in Southern Baptist history. Perhaps does not distinguish clearly enough between controversies over method and those over the message. Definitely errs by implying that Baptists have more controversies than other denominational families.

God’s Will For Your Life, edited by Gary Meader (First Presbyterian Church [1760 N. Gower St., Hollywood, Cal. 90028], 81 pp., $1.50 [$1 each in lots of 25], pb). Study guide for new Christians; excellent, as far as it goes. No Presbyterian bias. Sticks to certain practical topics, such as guidance, prayer, baptism of the Spirit, the state, and drugs. Avoids others, such as water baptism.

The Wilderness Revolt, by Diane Kennedy Pike and R. Scott Kennedy (Doubleday, 385 pp., $7.95). Building on the fanciful speculations of the late and eccentric Bishop James A. Pike, his widow and her brother resurrect the Reimarus-Brandon thesis that Jesus was a frustrated political revolutionary, without, however, entirely discounting a possible supernatural element in his ministry. The resurrection is explained away, then brought in again by a back door. Detailed but unreliable.

Jesus and the Politics of Violence, by George R. Edwards (Harper & Row, 186 pp., $5.95). A scholarly reopening of the Brandon thesis (that Jesus was a political revolutionary) that comes to contrary conclusions and goes on to reject Christian support for the state in favor of non-violent social change. Relies heavily on liberal New Testament scholarship.

The Roman Siege of Jerusalem, by Rupert Furneaux (McKay, 274 pp., $6.95). Another in the rash of books asserting that Jesus was a political rebel and that the gospel writers and Paul misrepresented his intentions. The destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 provides the focus.

The Message of Liberation in Our Age, by J. Verkuyl (Eerdmans, 110 pp., $2.45 pb). A study written by a missions professor at the Free University of Amsterdam for the upcoming assembly of the World Council’s Commission on Mission and Evangelism seeks to interpret the mission of Christ in terms of the key words liberation and emancipation. Evasive.

The Pseudonyms of God, by Robert McAfee Brown (Westminster, 234 pp., $3.25 pb). Slightly dated occasional essays demonstrating the author’s passionate involvement with some current ethical problems, such as the draft, civil rights, and civil disobedience. Lacking in biblical perspective. The “Open Letter to Spiro T. Agnew” is of questionable taste.

Christian Prisoners in Russia, by Rosemary Harris and Xenia Howard-Johnston (Tyndale House, 166 pp., $1.25 pb). Open letters, similar to that of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, from Russian Christians to their leaders.

Campus Aflame, by J. Edwin Orr (Regal, 277 pp., $2.95 pb). A documented chronicle of student evangelical awakenings and movements, mostly American, since about 1800. The more recent ones are chiefly in evangelical colleges. Shows that the current “Jesus movement” is hardly unprecedented; one hopes it proves to be less short-lived than some earlier youth stirrings.

Where Do I Go From Here, God?, by Zac Poonen (Tyndale, 86 pp., $.95 pb). A fairly good contemporary treatment of the principles of discerning God’s will for one’s life, using the customary guidelines. More realistic than some counterparts, yet not quite adequate for explaining the great failures of even well-meaning Christians.

Renew My Church, by David Haney (Zondervan, 95 pp., $1.50 pb). A brief study guide emphasizing a reexamination of one’s own beliefs, attitudes, and behavior patterns with a view toward legitimate and genuine church renewal.

From Luther to Chemnitz, by E. F. Klug (Eerdmans, 261 pp., $4.95 pb). A thoroughly documented attempt to set straight many misconceptions of Luther’s doctrine of inspiration and to introduce the views of one of Luther’s most influential successors.

Half-Truths or Whole Gospel?, by Chester A. Pennington (Abingdon, 127 pp., $2.25). A thoughtful attempt to bridge the gap between salvationists and social activists, without surrendering either the unique spiritual claims or the socially transforming ethics of Jesus Christ.

Death, Heaven and the Victorians, by John Morley (University of Pittsburgh, 208 pp., $12.95). A well-illustrated and well-documented study of an aspect of nineteenth-century English behavior that is usually, but regrettably, left to anthropologists studying “primitives.” Useful for reflecting on how present funeral practices exemplify Christian doctrine.

The God Who Understands Me, by Gladys M. Hunt (Harold Shaw, 87 pp., $1.25 pb). Fifteen group Bible studies on the Sermon on the Mount.

Ethics and the Urban Ethos: An Essay in Social Theory and Theological Reconstruction, by Max L. Stackhouse (Beacon, 220 pp., $7.95). In a kind of in-depth follow-up to Harvey Cox’s The Secular City, Stackhouse does not give us a clearly more biblical approach to its problems, but, as a pupil of James Luther Adams, he is thorough, imaginative, and fair.

Your Marriage—Duel or Duet?, by Louis H. Evans (Revell, 125 pp., $.95 pb). Since it was originally published a decade ago, this inexpensive reprint does not interact with women’s lib. But Evans does make good points for maintaining the institution of marriage, and even for making it an “enjoyable partnership.” Helpful biblical and practical advice.

Americans Speak Out on This Nation’s Top Ten Problems, by Charles E. Blair (Moody, 119 pp., $2.95). The pastor of the huge Calvary Temple, Denver, reflects on the issues he found to be troubling his fellow citizens most.

When Love Is Lost, by Donald J. Tyrell (Word, 155 pp., $4.95). For amateur counselors, pastors, or those just interested in personality development, this volume can serve as a basic, simple-to-read introduction.

Christianity and Its Cultural Bondage, by M. B. Martin (Herder of St. Louis [314 N. Jefferson, St. Louis, Mo. 63103], 232 pp., about $4.50). A Catholic author attacks the cultural bondage of Christian theology to Hellenistic views of the natural immortality of the soul and calls for a greater emphasis on the resurrection of the body. Overstates the extent of the bondage but contains many valuable insights.

Psychology For Successful Evangelism, by James H. Jauncey (Moody, 126 pp., $3.95). Not on evangelistic techniques and not a comprehensive text. A pastor simply shares his attempts to apply some modern psychology to the practice of historic, Spirit-empowered evangelism.

Understanding People: Children, Youth, Adults, by Omar Brubaker and Robert Clark (Evangelical Teacher Training Association [Box 327, Wheaton, Ill. 60187], 95 pp., $1.75 pb). Intended as the text for a new required course for an ETTA diploma, but can be used for private study.

Noah’s Ark: Fact or Fable?, by Violet M. Cummings (Creation-Science Research Center [2716 Madison Ave., San Diego, Cal. 92116], 352 pp., $5.95, $3.95 pb). Those who are passionately engaged in a quest are hardly the most impartial witnesses, so don’t suspend your critical faculties if you are tempted to read this account. When, if ever, an ancient ship or barge is undeniably found, we will let you know.

The Opposite Sex, by Irene and Allen Harrell (Word, 135 pp., $3.50). Down-to-earth prayers of a husband and wife; they raise some practical questions on everyday problems that even the best marriages encounter.

Speak Through the Earthquake, by Elihu S. Howland (Pilgrim, 125 pp., $4.95). A psychiatrist who is also on a congregation’s counseling staff attempts a theology of emotional crisis that has not yet reached the “breakdown” stage and discusses various ways to help. Of value to pastors, especially since he dissents from the notion common to his profession that ministers are to be very junior partners in therapy.

To Turn The Tide

The Anchor Bible: Matthew, by W. F. Albright and C. S. Mann (Doubleday, 1971, 564 pp., $8), is reviewed by Robert H. Gundry, professor of New Testament and Greek, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California.

By appeal to recent studies of Samaritanism and of the literature from Qumran and Chenoboskion, Albright and Mann attempt to turn back the tide of Germanically dominated studies of the Gospels, particularly Matthew. Agreement with the milieu in Palestine before A.D. 70 becomes the main criterion of and (in view of the breakup of Palestinian Jewish Christianity around A.D. 70) argument for authenticity. Oral tradition replaces any sort of documentary solution to the synoptic problem (though A & M rarely mention, much less dispose of, specific evidence favoring Marcan priority). Matthew the Levite captures nomination to authorship. Historicity gains high marks in their estimation.

Yet the supernatural causes embarrassment. Some of the miracles originally were parables, others symbolic dramatizations, still others psychosomatic healings. Exorcisms pass for shock therapy. Predictions stemmed from natural foresight. The transfiguration is a dramatically theologized description of the disciples’ thinking about Jesus’ Messiahship. The Parousia becomes Jesus’ coming to the Father via crucifixion and resurrection. Therefore the warnings to watch for the Parousia mean, “Don’t miss the significance of My crucifixion-resurrection.”

Naturally, elimination of a documentary solution to the synoptic problem drastically reduces the viability of redactional criticism: for A & M, theological variety derives, not from redaction by an evangelist, but from independent developments of an oral tradition largely unavailable to our scrutiny.

As to individual points of interpretation, the kingdom of the (Son of) Man/heaven, which is the Church, is distinguished sharply from the kingdom of God, which is the final state. The distinction depends on tortuous explanations of particular sayings and on quiet omission and stated excision from Matthew’s original text of sayings awkward to the distinction. In other matters, too, A & M display a penchant for conjectural emendation of the text. Historical conjecture appears in the rather confident opinion that not only John the Baptist but also Jesus himself belonged to the community of Essenes at Qumran—why else did the townspeople of Nazareth ask, “Is not this the carpenter …?,” as though they failed to recognize him immediately because he had not lived there for some time?

It is well argued that “hypocrite” means “casuist” rather than “pretender.” And an insightful suggestion is made that parables were prophetic case laws. The continuity of Jesus’ community with Israel appears to be overstressed and underqualified. All in all, this welcome commentary nearly always stimulates and, on distinctive points, occasionally convinces.

Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here.