Customer Reviews

Psalms 51-150 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

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

 

 

This was an excellent commentary on the Psalms, Chapters 51-50. The foundation of this volume is early Christian thought, based on the writings of the Church Fathers. The great men of faith used the Psalms to fight heresy in the early church and the editors share their thoughts here in the appropriate chapters.
The Psalms are rich with treasures waiting to be uncovered and this book will help you do just that.
Another one for your library!

I bought this book by Intervarsity Press, hoping that it would be a comprehensive commentary on the book of Psalms.

When I first opened the back of the book and saw the biography of Origen of Alexandria, I was horrified. Firstly, since this book was created and put together by non-orthodox (protestants), the writers of the book decided to say that Origen of Alexandria, in the Church Fathers biographies was, "Perhaps unfairly excommunicated" from the Church when speaking of his excommunication for his heresies. This was a serious error on the part of the publishers. I was outraged and wanted to return the book to the bookstore I got it from. One of the worst things about this was that the bookstore was, to my dismay, an Orthodox Christian store. To my dismay again, I was not able to return the book because it was "damaged".

That's probably the worst thing about this series (InterVarsity Press Ancient Christian Commentaries).
But the second worst thing would probably be the lack of comments for the book of Psalms themselves. They skip so many verses of the chapters that its not even funny. This is the most un-comprehensive commentary book ever. Its like a sham commentary.

This book shouldn't even be considered a commentary, but an introduction to comments of Church Fathers on Holy Scriptures.

The third worst thing about this book is that they have the ignorance to include heretical writers such as Origen, Theodore of Mopsuesia, and a great host of many others.


The lack of commentary is what is really shabby. They though they could put sufficient commentaries for 100 Psalms in 300 pages? They're joking. This is why they skip so many verses, because its just too many Psalms. This is one of the most outrageous errors of the whole series.


But I do recommend their commentary on the book of Revelation, because in this book, they actually were able to comment on almost all of the verses. Its very comprehensive... BUT, whenever you see the books which try to compact the books and the commentaries together (like putting 100 Psalm commentaries in a 300 page book), do NOT buy it, because you will just receive a sham commentary, with NO comprehensibility.



On the plus side, from reading other books in this series via computer CD (you can buy a CD from InterVarsity with the books on them), there are many quotes in this series (Ancient Christian Commentaries) which are true gems. Sometimes even from Desert Fathers, St Dorotheos of Gaza, and great commentators like St Theophlact of Bulgaria (who isn't even ancient but from the 11 century).



I give it 5 stars for the gems you will find in them, but 2 and 1/2 for the lack of comments in the book, and for the heretics.

My son-in-law seems to be pleased with this book. It is second in a series that he wanted.