If you’re looking for a commentary that is both attentive to Greek Exegesis, but also the presence of the Spirit’s movement in the world, then this is an excellent option for you.

Insights on My lens for Reading:

My position on theology is rooted in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, and I pastor in the Wesleyan Church. While I am not a Pentecostal scholar like Holly Beers, I deeply resonate with her position on the movement, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers. I guess we might say that in this, we are theological cousins.

I have also taught and developed college courses for Koine (Biblical) Greek. I deeply appreciate when studies of Scripture begin in the work of discerning how we can better understand the language used in the New Testament. This being said, I am also aware of how quickly this work of discernment can move away from the spiritual and into the clinical.

I tend to focus more on Johannine Literature in my work, but I love Colossians and Philemon as books for personal study and formation.

I also tend to favour social-scientific approaches to textual criticism and practical theology.

The Value of This Book:

This commentary was like drinking from a firehose.

While communicating important information about the world of Scripture, this commentary offers a reflective lens into the world of the reader as well. This book is a part of a series called the Word and Spirit Commentary on the New Testament (WSCNT), which is listed as a a non-technical commentary. As a pastorally-sensitive commentary, this felt accurate in many ways, and yet, it does not capture the full scope of this work.

It was arguably the most personal commentary that I have ever read. It emphasized language, interpretation, and practice that was reflexive and pastoral. Yet, all of this was accomplished while also attending richly to the exploration of Greek exegesis.

Throughout my academic career - as a student and as a professor - it has been emphasized that scholarly work is clinical and detached. There was no question that this commentary is rooted extremely well in the deep work of exegesis and theological reflection. Yet, the lens through which Beers writes is deeply personal, reflective, and invitational to the reader.

In this way, this commentary is very reminiscent of the work of Walter Brueggemann and his use of imagination in study.

Beers’ use of deeply personal language does not diminish the commentary in any way. Instead, this pattern invites the reader to connect their faith engagement and personal lives in the work of discernment. This challenges our expectations, and invites awareness to both our biases related to Scripture and the world in which we live.

The richest challenge of this commentary is in the vulnerability demanded of the reader.

This commentary uses section headings to explore specific ideas within the text as it relates to pericopes (sections) of Scripture. These headings include: Biblical Background, Pentecostal Interest, and Application.

In terms of specific reflections on the work of historical and biblical interpretation, there were a few key elements that I would like to highlight from this work:

Beers provides an excellent background of Scripture - especially in relation to the historical understanding of slavery

There is an extremely solid list of recommended resources and an excellent bibliography to draw from for future study

There is a compelling discussion of Colossians 1:28 & 3:16 - and how it calls Christians to interact with one another

The discussion of love as a command to husbands as an “addition by Paul to the basic format of the household code” was an important framework to offer for the modern reader.

Holly Beers and Craig S. Keener are the Series Editors for WSCNT.

Ideally, this book is suited for individuals who are in any (or all) of the following categories of readers:

Individuals who are Pentecostal scholars

Individuals who are currently pastoring or involved in ministry at some level (whether that is in vocational ministry, in the marketplace, or at home)

Individuals looking for a refreshing approach to biblically rooted commentary

Individuals starting out in ministry - and seeking to better understand the intersection of Scripture, Ministry, and Practice

Such a great resource! Great insights!

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.