Customer Reviews

Judges, Ruth (The NIV Application Commentary)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From the evangelical OT scholar K.L.Younger, who edited the celebrated three volumes 'Context of Scripture' (a mine of archaeological evidence relevant for comparative studies), comes a very readable and illuminating volume on Judges and Ruth. Consulting this book regularly in preparing sermons you will feel that the people who 'screwed up' the times between the conquest of Israel and the monarchy are not unlike you. Lawson providing just the background issues you need, like information on warfare, meanings of odd phrases, old near eastern habits and the like. Thus he is able to go past these issues and past the very stories themselves so to make Judges and Ruth lively messages, dealing with timeless feelings of honour and distress little different from us and our private war campaigns. Whenever I'm working on Judges Lawson is around.

I purchased the book not knowing what to think. After using it (currently I am in Ruth 4), I am both satisfied and, in part, disappointed. With his work in Ruth, I am pleased, relatively speaking, in total. The original meaning and application I have found to be very good. In Judges, on the other hand, this is a different matter. I really liked the application sections. On the original meanings, I have a different point of view. I understood his words to be very pessimistic about many situations that, contextually, are not required. When one produces a commentary, comments like this are to be expected and since this man felt that way, it is reasonable that he could (can and did) offer his point of view. I would recommend the book, but encourage one to use additional sources, such as: The Expositor's Bible Commentary, WBC, etc.

In-depth. Analysis of original languages. Structural outlines. Practical Applications. Scholarly and pastoral emphases. Footnotes if you wanna be detailed, but it doesn't bog down the main text. This and Ralph Davis are my two go-to commentaries for Judges right now.

Matt Giesman

There we can find some good ideas for application, but very dissapointing are sections for contemporary significance. Many of them are so short and it seems they are unfinished. I give four stars for book, but three for contemporary significance.

The book came in a short amont of time and was in the condition specified in the sell.