Global Bible Commentary

by Daniel Patte

The Global Bible Commentary" invites its users to expand their horizon by reading the Bible with scholars from all over the world and from different religious persuasions. These scholars have approaches and concerns that often are poles apart. Yet they share two basic convictions: biblical interpretation always matters; and reading the Bible with others is highly rewarding.

Each of the short commentaries of the Global Bible Commentary "is a readily accessible guide for reading a biblical book. Written for undergraduate and seminary students and their teachers, as well as for pastors, priests, and Adult Sunday School classes, it introduces the users to the main features of the biblical book and its content.

Yet each short commentary does more. It also brings us a precious gift, namely the opportunity of reading this biblical book as if for the first time. By making explicit the specific context and the concerns from which she/he reads the Bible, the scholar points out to us the significance of aspects of the biblical text that we simply took for granted or overlooked.

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If any book demonstrates the value of cultural criticism and the importance of particularity in interpretation, this is it! Scholars from diverse social locations in every continent bring their distinctive context to bear on the act of interpreting. In so doing, they shed eye-opening light on the biblical texts. The resulting critical dialogue with the Bible exposes the oppressive as well as the liberating dynamics of the texts while at the same time showing how the Bible might address the social, political, cultural, and economic dynamics of our world today. This collection can change the way you read the Bible scholars and students, clergy and laity alike.

-David Rhoads, Professor of New Testament, Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago, IL

Contributors: Daniel Patte, Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. A French Huguenot (Eglise Reformee de France), he taught two years in Congo-Brazzaville, and read the Bible with people in France, Switzerland, South Africa, Botswana, the Philippines, as well as in the USA. His publications include books on hermeneutics and semiotics (such as "Early Jewish Hermeneutics, "1975; "The Religious Dimensions of Biblical Texts, "1990); on Paul and Matthew (such as "Paul's Faith and the Power of the Gospel," 1983; "The Gospel according to Matthew: A Structural Commentary on Matthew's Faith," 1987), as well as, most directly related to the GBC, "Ethics of Biblical Interpretation "(1995), "The Challenge of Discipleship" (1999), "Reading Israel in Romans: Legitimacy and Plausibility of Divergent Interpretations "(ed. with Cristina Grenholm, 2000), "The Gospel of Matthew: A Contextual Introduction "(with Monya Stubbs, Justin Ukpong, and Revelation Velunta, 2003). Jose Severino Croatto, . Professor of Exegesis, Hebrew, and Religious Studies, at Instituto Superior Evangelico de Estudios Teologicos (ISEDET). A contributor to "Revista" "de" "Interpretacion" "Biblica" "Latinoamericana" (= "RIBLA") and the Movement of Popular Reading of the Bible, he published 22 books, including three volumes on hermeneutics, "Exodus, A Hermeneutics of Freedom "(1981); "Biblical Hermeneutics. Toward a Theory of Reading as the Production of Meaning "(1987); "Hermeneutica Practica. ""Los principios de la hermeneutica biblica en ejemplos" (2002); three volumes on Genesis 1-11 (1974; 1986; 1997), the last one, "Exilio y sobrevivencia. Tradiciones contraculturales en el Pentateuco"; three volumes on the book of Isaiah (1988; 1994; 2001), the last one, "Imaginar el futuro. ""Estructura retorica y querigma del Tercer Isaias "(Isaias 56-66); two volumes on Religious Studies (1994; 2002), the last one, "Experiencia de lo sagrado y tradiciones religiosas. Estudio de fenomenologia de la religion" (2002). Rev. Dr. Nicole Wilkinson Duran, after teaching New Testament in the USA, South Africa (Zululand), in Turkey, is currently teaching part-time at Rosemont College and Villanova University, and with her husband raising twin sons in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. She has published articles on topics ranging from gender and race in Esther, to the unread Bible in Toni Morrison s novels, to body symbolism in the story of John the Baptist s execution, and edited (with G. Phillips) "Reading Communities Reading Scripture" (2002). She is an ordained Presbyterian minister and does occasional preaching and adult Christian education. Teresa Okure, SHCJ, a graduate from the University of Ibadan, La Sorbonne, Ecole Biblique of Jerusalem, and Fordham University (Ph.D.), is Professor of New Testament and Gender Hermeneutics at the Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. She is or has been a member of the executive committees of several associations, including EATWOT (Ecum...

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, Reference, Biblical Studies

432 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nicholas Meriwether · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Note: I read from the first edition published in 2003. My comments reflect this edition, not the later edition)

The articles in the Global Bible Commentary are of varying use to the interpreter; each article (written by different scholar(s) on different biblical book(s)) could be evaluated on its own merits. There are many aspects I do appreciate about the GBC. It does pull a great variety of diverse scholars from all across the world. The various viewpoints allow for new observations that are I had not thought about, whether exegetical or cultural. I also appreciate the ‘life context of interpretation’ section, as it recognizes that everyone interprets from their own life experience.

However, I found that often it took a lot of wading through less insightful research to find what was more insightful. The articles are necessary short, which had the unfortunate effects of not being helpful if someone has questions on a specific passage, and of the authors making overstatements beyond the implications of the text. Being concise and precise is difficult, but that is the task of good scholarship. Another drawback was that the majority of the contributors came from the same theological framework of liberation theology. Despite the authors being from such a variety of ethnic backgrounds, they for the most part are reading through the same lens instead of letting each text speak for itself (I make this critique of other theological movements as well). Another unfortunate feature is that many key interpretive decisions simply follow the major critical perspectives. Another repeated weakness was how the current implications (applications) were often not in line with the message of the book.

Actually, the comments I found most helpful were the articles on the minor prophets (e.g. Amos, Joel)! They had the best mix of thoughtful contextual comment and exegetical observation.

[Philip Barbier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used this book for three different Biblical Studies courses. It is a great resource in understanding how Biblical texts can be placed into conversation with an interpreter's context.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

comprehensive reference book --- bears several readings but not for everyone.

[Morris Nelms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unique reference book. I like the approach. Needs to be more than one volume, because it feels superficial at times.