James

I am nothing but a laymen but this commentary was able to unlock the meaning of James for me in a deeper and more effective way. I was able to take away much from the epistle and it has left lasting impressions on me, as I think the word of god should.

A very strong commentary on James - kudos to publisher, editors and both authors. Let's the ZECNT format sing.

Good evangelical commentary; Blomberg has written extensively on New Testament teachings about the rich and the poor, a major theme of the epistle. [Full Review]

This was the first volume in Zondervan’s Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Because it is relatively new, reviews are a little bit hard to find. However, those who have reviewed it, have reviewed it positively. The format and layout of the series is very helpful and that, combined with sound exegesis and helpful interpretation, make this a good purchase. [Full Review]

See my review by clicking on the link at "Full Review." [Full Review]

Brilliant layout for this series! I really like the way Kamell incorporates her thesis linking the Holy Spirit and wisdom tradition with James' epistle! This series is a very promising one and may well pip other notable series as more volumes are added (I look forward to Moo's Galatians commentary in this series which is due to be released soon).

The layout of this series is unique and very helpful. One concern that I had seeing the commentary proper split into so many sections, was that there would be substantial overlap of material. My fear proved to be unfounded. The authors and editors did a stellar job at fully utilizing the format. I also must say that they hit their intended audience dead on. The amount of technical information was just right. They don't bog you down with gobs of detail on minutiae, but there's enough to inform you on important matters, whether they be grammatical, lexical, or of cultural/historical background. As for the contents of the commentary, again I was quite pleased, though, of course, certain elements of the commentary were better than others. The introduction was brief but helpful. It covered the usual topics, such as authorship, dating, and the circumstances prompting the letter taking traditional stances and giving reasonable defense for their positions. Blomberg and Kamell also spent several pages explaining the overall structure of James. I found this to be the most beneficial section of the introduction as I've always struggled to see an overall cohesiveness to the letter. They argue in the introduction (and defend in the commentary proper) that the entire letter focuses on three themes: trials, wisdom, and riches and poverty. These are introduced initially in 1:2-11, reiterated in the same order in 1:12-27, and then developed at length in reverse order from 2:1-5:18. Of the three main topics of the letter, I most appreciated Blomberg's and Kamell's discussion of wealth and poverty. Much of what James says on this topic sounds so harsh that it's easy to say that he didn't really mean it that strongly. Blomberg and Kamell don't go down that path. They're not afraid to make the conclusions that many of us don't want to hear like, 'It may well be true that it is impossible to be both rich and a Christian unless one is generous in giving from one's riches' (254 - emphasis mine). This does seem to be the clear emphasis of Jas. 2:14-26. At the same time I liked the balance of their approach. They don't go overboard like some liberation theologians do. James is not advocating salvation by social class, but again, that shouldn't make us wealthy Western Christians any more comfortable in our shoes. At a broad level, several aspects of the commentary stand out. One is the way in which Blomberg and Kamell colorfully draw out the meanings of the various metaphors and adjectives that are sprinkled throughout James. For a reader familiar with the text it can be easy to gloss over these, but Blomberg and Kamell help you understand how they would have been heard by the first audience. One example is in the sexual and reproductive metaphor in Jas. 1:14-15. Specifically, they point out that James is using the metaphor to show how difficult it is to stop the process of desire, sin, and death once it has started. 'Here James uses a more vivid metaphor, showing the reproductive process as difficult to stop once it begins...One can almost envision three generations here: desire as a "parent," sin as a "child," and death as a "grandchild"' (72). This isn't a mind blowing observation, but it's easy to miss this type of thing and Blomberg and Kamell consistently make the easy to miss, obvious, while presenting it in a fresh way. I also appreciated the way in which the commentary matched James in tone. James sometimes is very cordial and at other times rebukes his audience. Blomberg and Kamell are not afraid to wear both of those hats. At several spots throughout the commentary they addressed the reader directly. This is often not done in commentaries. Many commentators are willing to write purely at the level of description (and granted this may be a necessity in most academic series). I am very glad that they were willing to confront the reader on several matters, especially in a series geared towards pastors and teachers. If one is going to teach the text, one must first live the text. It's easy to try to get away without applying the text to yourself, but Blomberg and Kamell do their best to keep that from happening. My only complaint with the commentary is that too much space was allotted to the issue of gender-inclusive translation. I favor gender-inclusive language, and I personally use the TNIV and NRSV as my primary translations, so it's not as if I disagree with their translation. It just seemed like every word that could be translated in a gender-inclusive manner drew substantial comment. In fairness much of this was relegated to the footnotes, but I am a compulsive footnote reader, so I quickly drew tired of the same issue being rehashed. Overall, I have to say that James is an excellent commentary that will both inform and nourish the reader. Every pastor, seminary student, and serious lay student should have this volume on their shelf. It will provide you with the literary, lexical, and grammatical help that you need while also furthering your thought on the implications of the text in the life and ministry of your church. [Full Review]

Zondervan has a brand spankin' new series that will be of use to pastors who want to keep up with their exegesis, and Craig Blomberg writes this with an up and coming James scholar, Mariam Kamell [Full Review]

Craig Blomberg, distinguished professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary, and Mariam Kamell, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of St. Andrews, have provided a very useful commentary on the Epistle of James. Their book, the first volume in the ZECNT series, is designed especially for pastors and Bible teachers, and for that audience it should be helpful. In addition, for beginners in the study of Greek, as well as for those whose Greek is somewhat rusty, this commentary could be beneficial. The design of this commentary is intriguing and promising: it “includes seven components for the treatment of each biblical passage” (10). First, the Literary Context offers “a concise discussion of how the passage functions in the broader literary context of the book” (10). Second, the Main Idea is “a one- or two-sentence statement of the big idea or central thrust of the passage” (10). Third, in the Translation and Graphical Layout section, the translation “reflects the interpretive decisions made by each commentator in the ‘Explanation’ section of the commentary”; the diagram helps “the reader visualize, and thus better understand, the flow of thought within the text” (10–11). Fourth, the Structure offers a description of “the flow of thought in the passage” and an explanation of “certain interpretive decisions” (11). Fifth, an Exegetical Outline provides a detailed description of “the overall structure of the passage” to help “explain the flow of thought in the passage in a teaching or preaching setting” (11). [Full Review]

This commentary on James is the first volume in the new ECNT series. The layout of the volume is very helpful. For each passage, there are seven primary sections: Literary Context, Main Idea, Translation and Graphical Layout, Structure, Exegetical Outline, Explanation of the Text, and Theology in Application. This series should prove to be very helpful for busy pastors [Full Review]