Book Review: Commentary on Romans

Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Martin Luther. 1954/1976. Kregel. 224 pages. [Source: Gift]

First sentence from the Preface: This Epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament and the very purest Gospel, and is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. It can never be read or pondered too much, and the more it is dealt with the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes. Therefore, I, too will do my best, so far as God has given me power, to open the way into it through this preface, so that it may be better understood by everyone.

This is an abridged commentary for the 'popular' audience looking for the 'fundamentals' of Luther's evangelical teachings. If you count Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans as a chapter, this one has seventeen chapters. There is one chapter per chapter of Romans. This commentary includes the text of Romans.

I am glad I read it. I want to start off by saying that much at least. Perhaps my expectations were on the high side--expecting every single sentence to be a brilliant gem, expecting every sentence to be as wonderful as the Preface itself. With reasonable expectations, I think this one would rate well with most readers.

I'm not sure if the abridged edition is the perfectly perfect fit for me. Not having the unabridged to compare it to, I can't honestly say for sure. There were times that I found this commentary to be rushed. Whole books could be written--have been written--on short sections of Romans. Romans contains so many grand, glorious, foundational doctrines that to spend just a short time per verse seems a slight injustice. (For example, I could easily imagine an author dedicating 224 pages to unpacking the wonders of Romans 8.)

It reads like a commentary and not a devotional. I think the Luther devotional that I read a year or two ago spoiled me.

But because it was abridged, it did move quickly. One or two chapters per day felt like a good speed. And there is a lot to be said for movement and progress. This one wasn't intimidating, and again that is a plus.

Quotes:

Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man would stake his life on it a thousand times. (xvii)

Judgment day is called a day of wrath and a day of mercy; a day of tribulation and a day of peace; a day of damnation and a day of glory. On that day the wicked will be punished and put to shame, while the righteous will be rewarded and crowned with glory. (55)

In this life we never reach such perfection that we fully possess God, but we must continually seek after Him; indeed we must seek Him evermore, as the Psalmist says in Psalm 105:4. Those who do not make progress in seeking after God, are bound to retrogress;... We must never stand still in seeking after God. (71)

To believe God means to trust Him always and everywhere. (82)

Christ's resurrection is not merely the pledge of our righteousness, but also its cause. (87)

It has been said that human nature knows and wills what is good in general, but that it errs and does not will what is good in special cases. It is better, however, to say that human nature knows and wills what is good in special cases, but that in general it does not know and will what is good. The reason for this is that it knows only what it regards as good, honorable, useful and not what is good in the sight of God and the neighbor. Therefore it knows and wills the good only as it is connected with man's own interests. (118)

Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good (Romans 12:9). This command seems easy to perform but it is most difficult because of the emotions of hate, love, fear, and hope. There is no one who can truly save that he abhors what is evil and cleaves to what is good. (174)

In all we do, we must consider not what we have done, or what there is to be done; not what we failed to do or what we should fail to do; also not what good we have done or what good we have omitted, or what evil we have done or omitted. But we should rather consider of what nature and how strong our good will has been, and the readiness and cheerfulness of our heart which with which we have done all or intend to do all. (197)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Questioning Evangelism

Questioning Evangelism. Randy Newman. 2003. Kregel. 272 pages. [Source: Bought]

What is Questioning Evangelism about? Is it anti-evangelism? I want to clarify from the start that it is not anti-evangelism. He is not questioning IF Christians need to evangelize. Rather he is insisting that they do need to evangelize, they just need to go about it better. He is "calling Christians to use questions in the venture of evangelism."

In the opening chapters, he mentions three basic skills needed to evangelize.

1) The first and most basic involves declaring the gospel, including the ability to clearly and concisely articulate the message of salvation. Declaring the gospel also includes the sharing of one’s own story or testimony. Every Christian needs fluency in articulating how the Lord changed his or her life and the difference that change makes daily.

2) The second evangelistic skill is ability in defending the gospel. Anticipating common questions, acquainting oneself with helpful discoveries from the past, and planning how to deliver this information in a logical sequence has to be part of “always being ready to make a defense” (1 Peter 3:15 NASB).

3) The third skill—and this is where Questioning Evangelism fits in—is built upon the foundations of declaring and defending the gospel. That skill is called dialoguing the gospel. Perhaps the most important component to this kind of evangelism is answering questions with questions rather than giving answers.

You might be thinking, is this biblical? is this right? Newman knows this, I think! And he writes, "I once did a study of how Jesus answered every question that was asked of Him in all four gospels. Answering a question with a question was the norm. A clear, concise, direct answer was a rarity." He continues, "Answering a question with a question, then, often has significant advantages over using direct answers. It brings to the surface the questioner’s assumptions."

The more I read, the more I liked the book. I could sense he genuinely cares that the gospel stays intact and is not compromised. Care more about the person and having an actual conversation with them, listening to them, seeking to understand them, and care less about staying on task and on script. Forget trying to get someone to make a decision during the course of one conversation. Forget about trying to check off from a list all the essential doctrines of the faith. Be in the moment, and, realize that God is sovereign. You are not responsible for persuading someone to come to faith.

I think one of my favorite, favorite chapters was on compassion. He writes, "When we plead for God to draw people to Him, we ourselves are drawn to those people. Making lists of those who are our “Ten Most Wanted” and keeping them in our Bibles can prompt prayers as well as soften hearts."

Answering a question with a question is part of a different style of sharing the Good News, one that I call rabbinic evangelism. Rabbis, using this style of debate, train their disciples to think about God and life. The method was used in Jesus’ day and is similar to what happens today in training schools called “yeshivas.”

Rabbinic evangelism is not simply a rational, logical argument. We must avoid the danger of thinking that a person’s reception of the gospel is simply based upon his or her ability to reason.

Rabbinic evangelism also is not a sales pitch. If we were to try and convince someone to “buy” the gospel, we’d shy away from some difficult words that need to be said.

Our failure to practice good listening hurts our attempts to convey the Good News.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: How Huge the Night

How Huge the Night. Lydia Munn and Heather Munn. 2011. Kregel. 304 pages.

"Isn't that beautiful, Julien?"

I was disappointed with how disconnected I felt while reading this one. Typically I seek out holocaust (and world war II) books because usually I enjoy them very much. I have come to expect them to be emotional, intense, compelling. I didn't find that to be the case with How Huge the Night.

Julien Losier, our hero, is miserable and unhappy. The threat of war (and then war itself) has turned his life upside down. It has led to his family moving from Paris to Tanieux--a Southern town with a rich historical legacy of welcoming refugees, welcoming those who have been persecuted.

Julien is most unhappy to share his home, his family, his social life (what little he has) with Benjamin Keller, a Jewish boy who is boarding with the family. When war does become official, when the Nazis do invade France, the boy remains safely with the family--despite the fact that there is no way for Benjamin's family to "pay" his room and board any longer.

Julien is unhappy because he's a social misfit in this new town. Every boy in his class seems to reject him. He's not chosen to play on either team when it comes to soccer. Which to Julien is the end of the world. You'd think it was truly a life and death matter. Just as serious as the fate of the Jews in Germany and Austria, etc.

But this isn't Julien's story alone. Throughout the novel, readers get occasional glimpses of Nina (Niko) and her brother Gustav, two Jewish "brothers" trying to escape Austria and find a safe place. Nina doubts such a safe place exists. Where can they go that the Nazis don't follow? Readers, of course, can predict that these two stories must connect--eventually.

It would have been nice, perhaps, to see the story from Benjamin's point of view. To know how he felt about sharing space with Julien--if he saw Julien as being all me, me, me. If he felt like there was a heavy weight on his shoulders--the burden of worry knowing that he may never see his family again, the worry of what might happen if the Nazis do come this far south, the worry that the world may never be "safe" for Jews again.

I had a hard time liking Julien. I really did. I suppose that was the point. That the fact that there's a war on doesn't automatically make teenage boys saints and heroes. The fact that even though there's all this uncertainty, all this chaos, in the world--with Germany invading European countries, with Germany's agenda for persecuting Jews--Julien still thinks that soccer is the most essential thing in life ever, that being popular, being liked, is ever-important.

Did I like How Huge the Night? Not really. Reading is subjective. And I suppose it could be that I just wasn't in the right mood for this one. But it was hard for me to read this one. Not because it was emotionally difficult--not because I cared too much--but because I cared too little.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Everlasting Tradition

The Everlasting Tradition: Jewish Customs, Holidays, and Historical Events That Reveal Biblical Truth. Galen Peterson. 1995. Kregel Publications. 160 pages.

The purpose of the book: There is a Hebrew folk expression that says more or less, "The apple does not fall far from the tree." This saying conveys the idea that we tend to stay close to our comfort zone, whatever it may be. But when it comes to the Bible, how many of us truly understand the cultural practices and traditions that formed the context of what we believe? These are the roots of our tree of faith. It can be said that, in many ways, our "apples" have rolled a long way down the hill from the tree which bore our fruit. We have lost track of our biblical heritage. This book unwraps many of those mysteries. It draws upon the specific features of both everyday and holiday customs of the Bible. It zeroes in on those elements which have either been misunderstood or have great underlying meaning. It also brings in some intriguing but little-known historical events which have profoundly shaped our perception of the message of the Bible. (9)

 I loved this book. I just LOVED it. It was informative. It was fascinating. It was straightforward. It was accessible. (Meaning, it was written to be read, to be understood. Read by people like you and me.)

It's divided into four parts with four chapters apiece: Tradition: So What's A Good Tradition?, A Little Box and a Cord of Blue, Do You Really Love God?, Written On Your Heart; Blessing: Blessings, Blessings, Everywhere, Messiah Was Not Born on Christmas, The Day the Rabbis Blinked, Some of That Old-Time Jewish Religion; Redemption: The Politically Incorrect Doctrine, A Place in the Book of Life, Who's To Blame?, More Than Just Dessert; Celebration: A Tale of Two Temples, When is the Church Not the Church?, A Marriage Made In Heaven and On Earth, A Visit to the Musuem.

I found all of it good. But there were two chapters in particular that I just loved. One was "A Little Box and a Cord of Blue." In which Galen Peterson examines in great detail, in great richness the Shema, which consists of three portions Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Deuteronomy 11:13-21; and Numbers 15:37-41.
Peterson writes, "The Shema declares some simple, yet important principles for spiritual living. It tells us who God is, what our response to that understanding should be, and about some practical reminders for those principles. It was given because of one of our major weaknesses: it is human nature to forget." (20) You might be thinking how can learning about tefilin, mezuzah, and tzitziot, for example, help me in my faith? You might just be surprised! For these rituals serve as reminders to live for God, to make God first in your life. You might think of a consistent prayer life, daily Bible readings, and Christian fellowship as modern-day equivalents.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

 ⁴Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

 ⁵And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

 ⁶And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

 ⁷And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

 ⁸And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

 ⁹And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, King James Version)

Deuteronomy 11:13-21

 ¹³And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

 ¹⁴That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

 ¹⁵And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.

 ¹⁶Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

 ¹⁷And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.

 ¹⁸Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

 ¹⁹And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

 ²⁰And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

 ²¹That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. (Deuteronomy 11:13-21, King James Version)

Numbers 15:37-41

 ³⁷And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

 ³⁸Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

 ³⁹And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

 ⁴⁰That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

 ⁴¹I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God. (Numbers 15:37-41, King James Version)

The second chapter that I just loved was "A Marriage Made in Heaven and on Earth." In that chapter, Peterson examines Jewish marriage phase by phase: the match, the betrothal period, the culmination. He discusses what each phase meant in ancient times. And notes if tradition has since changed. (Sometimes it has, sometimes it hasn't.) He then presents the rich parallels between biblical marriage and God's plan for redemption. There are three charts--one for each phase--and he has Scripture proofs for each statement on God's side. This chapter was just so rich, so wonderful!

Of course, the book offers so much more! There are chapters devoted to the Passover, to the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), to the Feast of Tabernacles.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible