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Handbook on Hebrews through Revelation (Handbooks on the New Testament):
A leading evangelical scholar of the New Testament provides an easy-to-navigate resource for studying and understanding Hebrews through Revelation. Written with classroom utility and pastoral application in mind, this accessibly written volume summarizes the content of each major section of the biblical text to help students, pastors, and laypeople quickly grasp the sense of particular passages. The series, modeled after Baker Academic's successful Old Testament handbook series, focuses primarily on the content of the biblical books without getting bogged down in historical-critical questions or detailed verse-by-verse exegesis.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 21, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 5, 2025
I found this simple handbook both enjoyable and useful. My current focus is in the book of Hebrews and I found Dr. Kostenberger’s survey to be helpful in keeping the theological argument and biblical theology of the book in front of me as I dived into the verse-by-verse exposition. (Hebrews covers 25% of the handbook, leaving the reaming 75% for James-Revelation. More pages are devoted to Hebrews [65 pp] than to Revelation [49 pp]).
While I did not agree with several of Kostenberger’s interpretive conclusions that did not detract from the usefulness of the handbook itself. For example, he takes the standard Reformed view of the warning passages, which separates the congregation into a “majority” of believers with “some” unbelievers. The latter are the focus of the warning passages, but this position is nearly impossible to uphold exegetically from the sermon-letter itself..
The series editor, Benjamin Gladd, accurately presents the purpose of this handbook:
“The Handbooks on the New Testament are the counterpart to the well-received, four-volume set Handbooks on the Old Testament by Baker Aca-demic. With the myriad of New Testament commentaries and introductions, why pen yet another series? The handbooks stand unique in that they are neither introductions nor commentaries. Most New Testament commentaries work in the trenches with verse-by-verse expositions, whereas introductions fly at forty thousand feet above the biblical text. This series lies between these two approaches. Each volume takes a snapshot of each New Testament passage without getting bogged down in detailed exegesis. The intent is for the reader to be able to turn to a particular New Testament passage in the handbook and quickly grasp the sense of the passage without having to read a considerable amount of the preceding and following discussion. This series is committed to summarizing the content of each major section of the New Testament. Introductory issues are not ignored (authorship, dating, audience, etc.), but they are not the focus. Footnotes, too, are used sparingly to keep the readers attuned to the passage. At the end of each chapter, the author includes a brief, up-to-date bibliography for further investigation.”
While I did not agree with several of Kostenberger’s interpretive conclusions that did not detract from the usefulness of the handbook itself. For example, he takes the standard Reformed view of the warning passages, which separates the congregation into a “majority” of believers with “some” unbelievers. The latter are the focus of the warning passages, but this position is nearly impossible to uphold exegetically from the sermon-letter itself..
The series editor, Benjamin Gladd, accurately presents the purpose of this handbook:
“The Handbooks on the New Testament are the counterpart to the well-received, four-volume set Handbooks on the Old Testament by Baker Aca-demic. With the myriad of New Testament commentaries and introductions, why pen yet another series? The handbooks stand unique in that they are neither introductions nor commentaries. Most New Testament commentaries work in the trenches with verse-by-verse expositions, whereas introductions fly at forty thousand feet above the biblical text. This series lies between these two approaches. Each volume takes a snapshot of each New Testament passage without getting bogged down in detailed exegesis. The intent is for the reader to be able to turn to a particular New Testament passage in the handbook and quickly grasp the sense of the passage without having to read a considerable amount of the preceding and following discussion. This series is committed to summarizing the content of each major section of the New Testament. Introductory issues are not ignored (authorship, dating, audience, etc.), but they are not the focus. Footnotes, too, are used sparingly to keep the readers attuned to the passage. At the end of each chapter, the author includes a brief, up-to-date bibliography for further investigation.”
August 21, 2020
There are many commentaries that are either too brief or too dense with information. Finding something that is just right can be hard and this handbook aims to help us with that task. Why not have a handbook that gives us a good summary without becoming bogged down with details, and yet sufficient background for us to appreciate and understand key themes in the books to be studied? This is the purpose of these series of Baker Academic handbooks that are aimed at students, pastors, lay persons, professors, and so on. This particular handbook focuses on the non-Pauline epistles, the eight general epistles, right through to Revelation. One interesting observation is how the ancient manuscript traditions placed the letters of James, Peter, John, and Jude immediately after Acts. That was probably because these disciples were much closer and more prominent to the witness of the Church chronologically and historically. Paul came relatively later.
After the introductory statements, readers would be thrilled to see how the author gives concise summaries about the themes of each letter. Starting with Hebrews, Köstenberger makes a strong case why the anonymous nature of the letter should not trouble us in our understanding of the main messages. This is helpful for those of us who might be troubled by the lack of information on who wrote it. He answers each question he posed quickly and directly. He expands on major themes and breezes through other themes without sacrificing continuity. Like good handbooks, he includes a respectable list of commentaries and literature for advanced reading.
My Thoughts
==============
Deciding what to include or exclude in any handbook is probably the hardest decision that needs to be made. This book is no different. Readers who are used to a verse-by-verse exposition will find this handbook way too brief. Though there are certain parts in which Köstenberger spends more time deliberately, the handbook reads more theme-based which gives him the freedom to decide on the length of coverage. Let me list some strengths in this handbook. First, I like the directness and concise deliberation. When the author poses a question, rhetorical or otherwise, he quickly follows up with a crisp answer with evidence to sustain his arguments. His questions help stitch together arguments to illuminate the key themes of each letter. The questions are clear and easily leads us to the next. Second, the author shows us not only key themes but key words that could be given a closer look. Sometimes, students might not be sure which Greek word to exegete. These words are given in italics for our ease of reading. Köstenberger's selections could also work like footnotes to help us do more research on. Third, the handbook gives teachers significant amount of material to teach laypersons. Teachers need more than an overview before they have enough background material to teach others. In other words, the book provides us more material than conventional study bibles. More importantly, the handbook guides us in a way that helps us not to be lost in the details while emphasizing the major points.
How could this book be improved? Include a brief Bible study discussion at the end of each letter. I feel that the content in Revelation could be expanded upon, given the stunning array of details in the apocalyptic literature. By limiting the study of Revelation to mainly the four visions of John, readers would be left wondering about other perspectives with regard to how Revelation ought to be handled. Perhaps, a way forward would be to give a few primers on the different approaches to Revelation before zooming into the categorization of Revelation in terms of four visions. Having said that, the clarity of what the book offers outweighs the absence of details the author could have added. All in all, this handbook should serve as a powerful introduction to anyone intending to teach the books from Hebrews to Revelation.
Dr. Andreas Köstenberger is Research Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology and Director of the Center for Biblical Studies at Midwestern Seminary. He is also the founder of Biblical Foundations™ and the editor of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society.
Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
After the introductory statements, readers would be thrilled to see how the author gives concise summaries about the themes of each letter. Starting with Hebrews, Köstenberger makes a strong case why the anonymous nature of the letter should not trouble us in our understanding of the main messages. This is helpful for those of us who might be troubled by the lack of information on who wrote it. He answers each question he posed quickly and directly. He expands on major themes and breezes through other themes without sacrificing continuity. Like good handbooks, he includes a respectable list of commentaries and literature for advanced reading.
My Thoughts
==============
Deciding what to include or exclude in any handbook is probably the hardest decision that needs to be made. This book is no different. Readers who are used to a verse-by-verse exposition will find this handbook way too brief. Though there are certain parts in which Köstenberger spends more time deliberately, the handbook reads more theme-based which gives him the freedom to decide on the length of coverage. Let me list some strengths in this handbook. First, I like the directness and concise deliberation. When the author poses a question, rhetorical or otherwise, he quickly follows up with a crisp answer with evidence to sustain his arguments. His questions help stitch together arguments to illuminate the key themes of each letter. The questions are clear and easily leads us to the next. Second, the author shows us not only key themes but key words that could be given a closer look. Sometimes, students might not be sure which Greek word to exegete. These words are given in italics for our ease of reading. Köstenberger's selections could also work like footnotes to help us do more research on. Third, the handbook gives teachers significant amount of material to teach laypersons. Teachers need more than an overview before they have enough background material to teach others. In other words, the book provides us more material than conventional study bibles. More importantly, the handbook guides us in a way that helps us not to be lost in the details while emphasizing the major points.
How could this book be improved? Include a brief Bible study discussion at the end of each letter. I feel that the content in Revelation could be expanded upon, given the stunning array of details in the apocalyptic literature. By limiting the study of Revelation to mainly the four visions of John, readers would be left wondering about other perspectives with regard to how Revelation ought to be handled. Perhaps, a way forward would be to give a few primers on the different approaches to Revelation before zooming into the categorization of Revelation in terms of four visions. Having said that, the clarity of what the book offers outweighs the absence of details the author could have added. All in all, this handbook should serve as a powerful introduction to anyone intending to teach the books from Hebrews to Revelation.
Dr. Andreas Köstenberger is Research Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology and Director of the Center for Biblical Studies at Midwestern Seminary. He is also the founder of Biblical Foundations™ and the editor of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society.
Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
May 26, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Not long ago, I read Thomas Schreiner’s handbook in this series, which covers Acts and Paul’s Letters. That volume was extremely helpful and insightful in understanding the content of virtually every passage it covered. Even if someone already has a good understanding of Acts and Paul’s letters, I would still recommend that volume. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about this volume. There are certainly some helpful explanations scattered throughout, but I ultimately found Köstenberger’s treatment of his assigned material to be too brief and superficial to be of much value. I understand this is a brief handbook and not a proper commentary, but, again, Schreiner’s handbook in this same series was outstanding in terms of its penetrating explanations and insights, so I don’t think it’s too much to expect the same quality in this volume.
Ultimately, if a NT reader is looking for better, yet still very brief, treatments of Hebrews – Revelation, they are better off reading the respective commentaries in the single-volume New Bible Commentary or Robert Gundry’s Commentary on the New Testament (Gundry seems to be a master of insightful brevity). I have heard great things about Köstenberger, and I’m sure his other work is excellent, but this volume isn’t worth pursuing. I’d give this book 2.5 stars because it’s not necessarily a bad book, just one that’s not particularly valuable compared to other brief treatments of Hebrews through Revelation.
Not long ago, I read Thomas Schreiner’s handbook in this series, which covers Acts and Paul’s Letters. That volume was extremely helpful and insightful in understanding the content of virtually every passage it covered. Even if someone already has a good understanding of Acts and Paul’s letters, I would still recommend that volume. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about this volume. There are certainly some helpful explanations scattered throughout, but I ultimately found Köstenberger’s treatment of his assigned material to be too brief and superficial to be of much value. I understand this is a brief handbook and not a proper commentary, but, again, Schreiner’s handbook in this same series was outstanding in terms of its penetrating explanations and insights, so I don’t think it’s too much to expect the same quality in this volume.
Ultimately, if a NT reader is looking for better, yet still very brief, treatments of Hebrews – Revelation, they are better off reading the respective commentaries in the single-volume New Bible Commentary or Robert Gundry’s Commentary on the New Testament (Gundry seems to be a master of insightful brevity). I have heard great things about Köstenberger, and I’m sure his other work is excellent, but this volume isn’t worth pursuing. I’d give this book 2.5 stars because it’s not necessarily a bad book, just one that’s not particularly valuable compared to other brief treatments of Hebrews through Revelation.
December 21, 2023
This is a pretty good mini-commentary (that's what a handbook on Scripture is) of Hebrews through Revelation, companion to the other two volumes in this series. It accomplishes the purpose for which it sets out, which is to provide a short, understandable commentary of the books of the Bible from Hebrews through Revelation.
The section on Hebrews is really good, especially the way that he divides up and organizes the text. Revelation, which is always a difficult book to understand, he more describes than interprets, but I can't really throw stones because no one does a really good job with the book of Revelation because it is so opaque, I mean no one "got" the coming of Christ when he came, so what makes us think we will "get" the return of Christ until it actually happens. We'd like to think we have a handle on prophecy and what it means, but we really do not.
Anyway, pretty good series, not ground-breaking, but short, simple, and mostly understandable.
The section on Hebrews is really good, especially the way that he divides up and organizes the text. Revelation, which is always a difficult book to understand, he more describes than interprets, but I can't really throw stones because no one does a really good job with the book of Revelation because it is so opaque, I mean no one "got" the coming of Christ when he came, so what makes us think we will "get" the return of Christ until it actually happens. We'd like to think we have a handle on prophecy and what it means, but we really do not.
Anyway, pretty good series, not ground-breaking, but short, simple, and mostly understandable.
May 1, 2021
A very useful, clear, and concise overview of Hebrews through Revelation. If you want to go deeper into the New Testament than your Study Bible, but don't want to invest in a lengthy, technical, and expensive commentary, then this series is for you.
I highly recommend this to every lay Christian, and pastor.
I highly recommend this to every lay Christian, and pastor.
June 8, 2024
Like the others in the Handbook series, these are minimally helpful, mostly as an overview. There isn't space to get into controversial passages much. Kostenberger does in his more than in others, though, which makes it more useful to read or reference.
August 3, 2025
Had to read this for a seminary class. Some good stuff, but some troubling misogyny. In the hall of faith in Hebrews 11, Sarah is the only one whose questionable behavior is highlighted. Nothing about any of the men's flaws.
March 30, 2025
Read for a course on the General Epistles. Very helpful overviews with occasional devotional asides, which I really enjoyed.
January 17, 2021
4.5–5 stars
Interview here:
https://podcast.cbs.mbts.edu/e/handbo...
Summary of the book here:
https://cbs.mbts.edu/2020/10/01/book-...
Interview here:
https://podcast.cbs.mbts.edu/e/handbo...
Summary of the book here:
https://cbs.mbts.edu/2020/10/01/book-...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews