Customer Reviews

The Message of Hebrews (Bible Speaks Today)

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Other reviewers of this book have restricted their comments to the fact that the author is not Fr. Raymond Brown, SS, of blessed memory, one of the premier biblical scholars of the 20th century. These reviewers dismiss this book out-of-hand simply and simplistically on the ground of "misleading" authorship. This is not helpful. This "other" Raymond Brown has important things to say, too, in a way very different from Fr. Brown. I urge that folks carefully examine the pages available and make their own decision based on what this book wants to say, not who wrote it. In that regard, it should be noted that this is a theological and practical exposition of the themes of the Letter to the Hebrews, written from of conservative-evangelical, Baptist confessional perspective. It is written for the non-academic, non-specialist, Christian reader. It is a combination of anecdotal reflection and scholarly insight. It is concerned with the canonical text of Hebrews, and places it in a late first-century, Jewish-Christian church setting in a time of persecution and consequent temptation to apostasy. These are the sort of observations and questions by which this book should be judged, not the pedigree of its author.

As has been noted in other reviews. This commentary is written from a conservative evangelical position. It was also written for those who have not mastered the Greek language, and who are not familiar with technical hermeneutics and exegetical methods. So, if you need that, go to Wm. Lane's Word Biblical Commentary. But, if you just simply want to know, "What does the text teach me about God, and how I should respond?" then Brown is very helpful. Good for Bible study leaders and basic sermon prep. Others authors to look at on Hebrews would be, F.F. Bruce and particularly Philip E. Hughes.

The Message of Hebrews is an outstanding read. For those who are wanting a detailed expositon on the book of Hebrew I welcome it.

The author provides his own insight to the text but also presents the thoughts from other biblical scholars. I recommend this book to those searching for a understanding of the Book of Hebrews.

Several negative reviews appear to be individuals who were disappointed to find that the author is not Raymond Edward Brown (1928-1998), the influential, and in my limited understanding, somewhat progressive American Roman Catholic priest who was an early proponent in the Catholic Church for approaching the scriptures through means of historical-critical analysis. That Raymond Brown also taught at the Protestant Union Theological Seminary in New York.

This is not quite fair to the author of this book, who, although born in the same year, is a quite different Raymond Brown (1928-present). The author is the former principal of Spurgeon's College, London in addition to former pastor of Victoria Baptist Church, Eastbourne, England. The text is not quite a commentary, but rather expository in style. The book of Hebrews is split up into about as large of sections as possible to tackle in a single sitting/study/session if one is doing an "inductive" study (or something of similar depth). The insights are very useful for this complex biblical text, yet are not overwhelming in scope or length (~8-12 pages for each of the 27 sections covering the 13 chapters of Hebrews.

I am personally using the book as one of several reference sources in a bible study on the book of Hebrews. I have found it to be very Scripturally grounded, Christ-centered and God-honoring. Each section contains both in depth discussion of the text, in addition to the author's thoughts on what light these passages bring to modern day issues in the world and the church. In Raymond Brown's words:

"For almost nine years I have given a considerable amount of my spare time to the study of this letter and have emerged from the privileged task more than ever convinced of its striking contemporary relevance. Its illustrations are certainly drawn from a different world, but its message is timeless. Far from escaping into the past, it beckons us on to a better future, with its firm assurance that the eternal Son of God is supreme and sufficient. It is the clear, Christocentric message of this letter which makes it an extremely important document for our time. The message of Christ's uniqueness is always relevant. New Testament teaching makes it abundantly clear that nothing is of greater importance for the destiny of mankind, and that theme is certainly the central doctrine of the letter to the Hebrews."

This book is not written by THE Raymond Edward Brown, the same Scripture scholar who wrote the Death of the Messiah, the Birth of the Messiah, co-edited the New Jerome Biblical Commentary, and many other classics.

This book is a very different level of scholarship and written from a very different viewpoint than that held by the late Raymond E. Brown, S.S., a giant among Scripture scholars of the late 20th century.

It is unfortunate that you have these two authors grouped together. I was quite disappointed to discover your error when I acquired the book.

I am most grateful to your reviewer from Plano, TX, USA for pointing out that the book is not by THE Raymond E. Brown. As a great fan of the Scholar I would have been tempted to buy the book, but not now. Thanks 'Plano TX'. Bill Fawkes, North Yorkshire England.