The letter to the Hebrews presents a combination of warnings and assurances to encourage Christians to persevere in faith, hope and love. The basis for this is a profound reflection on the person and work of Christ, viewed as the fulfilment of Old Testament Scripture. David Peterson shows how the author expounds the implications of the gospel with pastoral insight and sensitivity, producing a ‘word of exhortation’ that reaches across the centuries to speak to our lives today.
David Peterson was senior research fellow and lecturer in New Testament at Moore Theological College, Sydney, where he still teaches part time. He served as principal of Oak Hill College, London, from 1996 to 2007. His books include Engaging with God, Possessed by God (both IVP) and Hebrews and Perfection (Cambridge University Press).
The last few years have been fruitful for David Peterson: this adds to a growing repertoire of accessible, stimulating and insightful commentaries (alongside his helpful Pillar commentary in Acts and the excellent Lexham commentary on Romans); apparently we have more to come. The Tyndale is brief enough that I was often left wanting more, and Peterson's writing style is characteristically understated (a bit too understated for my liking). But this is a very good addition to the series by a top scholar for whom I'm increasingly thankful.
The TNTC continues its series revision with this new release on Hebrews by highly-respected scholar David Peterson. That Peterson mentions his respect and friendship with Peter O’Brien only raises expectations for me. As it turns out, this commentary is a success delivering high quality within the parameters of this series. There are more detailed commentaries that you will need, but this is the perfect volume to be your choice from a mid-range commentary series.
The 55 pages of introduction to Hebrews is quite well done. Though this series calls for more brevity, this introduction packs quite a punch. Everything covered ranges from either solid to excellent. By far, my favorite part was looking at the details of Hebrews to arrive at a theme. Though the author concluded with a less narrow explanation than most, he was outstanding in marshaling a host of pertinent information for us to consider. You can really do some digging in what Hebrews is about in this section.
The commentary proper is judicious and shows the work of a mature scholar. I don’t always follow him in his conclusions, but I can always follow his train of thought which is essential in good commentary writing. Perhaps he could’ve done more on the warning passages, or maybe my problem is just that I didn’t always agree with what he was saying. You can decide for yourself.
In these days of the spiking number of commentaries available with a corresponding spiraling of price, this series and this specific commentary is a truly good choice. I warmly recommend it.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
David Peterson has quite a portfolio on the Book of Hebrews! He writes with clarity and conviction and is recognized as a go-to source on Hebrews. Highly recommend this new edition to the TNTC!
Top five commentaries on the Book of Hebrews in terms of usefulness: Tom Schreiner, Doug Moo, David Peterson, O’Brien/Bruce, and Grant Osborne.
In terms of more robust commentaries that are frequently referenced by scholars and yield exegetical gold, I would include Lane, Cockerill, and Ellingworth. I did not do in-depth reading of these as much as reference them for study. Grindheim is another to consult and has been published as a replacement to O’Brien in the Pillar Commentary series. Of course, John Owen is the Puritan King of Hebrew!
Also see Peterson’s extensive doctoral research : Hebrews and Perfection: An Examination of the Concept of Perfection in the ‘Epistle to the Hebrews’ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Maybe it’s just me but I think Tyndale commentaries work well for devotional reading. Also Hebrews is a word in season for this in between time. Recommended.
After having read four different commentaries on the book of Hebrews, this one by David Peterson shines far above the others. It excels in its clarity and depth without getting overly technical in details. I highly recommend this book to both new believers and academics..