The Apocrypha: Fortress Commentary on the Bible

by Gale A. Yee, Hugh R. Page Jr., Matthew J.M. Coomber

This concise commentary on the Apocrypha, excerpted from the Fortress Commentary on the The Old Testament and Apocrypha, engages readers in the work of biblical interpretation. Contributors from a rich diversity of perspectives connect historical-critical analysis with sensitivity to current theological, cultural, and interpretive issues.

Introductory articles describe the challenges of reading the Old Testament in ancient and contemporary contexts, relating the biblical theme of “the people of God” to our complex, multicultural world, and reading the Old Testament as Christian Scripture, followed by an “Introduction to the Apocrypha.” Each chapter (Tobit through 4 Maccabees) includes an introduction and commentary on the text through the lenses of three critical

The Text in Its Ancient Context. What did the text probably mean in its original historical and cultural context?

The Text in the Interpretive Tradition. How have centuries of reading and interpreting shaped our understanding of the text?

The Text in Contemporary Discussion. What are the unique challenges and interpretive questions that arise for readers and hearers of the text today?

The Apocrypha introduces fresh perspectives and draws students, as well as preachers and interested readers, into the challenging work of interpretation.

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2016

About the author

Gale A. Yee (Chinese: 余蓮秀; pinyin: Yú Liánxiù; born 1949) is a Marxist feminist scholar of the Hebrew Bible. Her primary emphases are postcolonial criticism, ideological criticism, and cultural criticism. She applies feminist frameworks to biblical texts. An American of Chinese descent, she has written frequently on biblical interpretation from an Asian American perspective.