Great on the Pastorals and Solid on 1, 2 and 3 John

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	• Letters And Homilies for Hellenized Christians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on Titus, 1-2 Timothy And 1-3 ... Ben Witherington IVP Academic, 2006 - 623 pages average customer review:based on 1 review view larger image
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Great on the Pastorals and Solid on 1, 2 and 3 John

This is a very well written commentary on six New Testament books. Dr. Witherington does a good job of bringing out the meaning of the text. The first 390 pages covers 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. He argues persuasively that the voice behind these letters is the voice of Paul, but the hand that wrote down the documents is the hand of Luke. He gives many different examples of how Luke's style of writing has appeared in these letters.

The commentary begins with a useful article about pseudepigraphy (writing a letter and signing it with a famous name to try and convince people that it is the famous person who really wrote it). Witherington contends that this is not what we have in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, and that Paul was responsible for these letters which were prepared with his authorization.

He shows in 1 Timothy 1:7-10 how Paul uses the term arsenokoitai to describe those who have sex with men. Therefore in his view, Paul is clearly condemning this activity.

In 1 Timothy 2:8-15, Witherington comments that Paul is not permitting the Ephesian women to teach because they are astray theologically just as Eve was in Genesis 3. He rejects the notion that the Ephesian women are prohibited from teaching because of their gender (but what about the appeal to the creation order in verse 12?).

Witherington also shows that with the definite article in 1 Timothy 2:15, Paul is saying that women will be saved through THE child-bearing, meaning that they will be saved through the nativity and coming of Christ.

There are also closer looks at the use of the word "Savior" in the Pastorals, as well as the meaning of the term "godliness."

In 2 Timothy, Witherington contends that we have a poignant closing word from Paul himself, who knew that his time on earth was nearly over.

In Titus and in 1 Timothy, the requirements for being an overseer are that he is to be a "one woman man." Dr. Witherington states that this means that he is faithful to the woman he is married to, and is not meant to exclude divorced or widowed persons from being a church leader.

The last 220 pages of the book is a discussion of 1, 2 and 3 John. Witherington states that 1 John was written as damage control after a number of people had left the church (1 John 2:18-20). He sees a Wisdom Christology in these letters, especially in the Prologue (1 John 1:1-4) and in 1 John 2:7-14.

I have to compliment Dr. Witherington on how well written this commentary turned out to be! Ben uses a lot of adjectives and a lot of alliteration throughout the book, as opposed to the hanging adverbs employed by lesser writers.

This is a great commentary to read from cover to cover. Some parts of the commentary are focused on exegesis, some parts are focused on theology, and still other parts feature the historical or rhetorical background. I found it to be a rich and satisfying read.

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Letters and Homilies for Hellenized Christians is the first of three volumes extending Ben Witherington's innovative socio-rhetorical analysis of New Testament books to the latter-Pauline and non-Pauline corpora. A second volume will extend the focus on letters and homilies for Hellenized Christians and a third will focus on letters and homilies for Jewish Christians.

Throughout, Witherington shows his thorough knowledge of recent literature on these texts and focuses his attention on the unique insights brought about through socio-rhetorical analysis that either reinforces or corrects those gleaned from other approaches. Strikingly, based on his rhetorical analysis of the Pastorals, he makes the case for Luke as Paul's amanuensis for these letters. He also makes a strenuous argument against New Testament pseudepigrapha.

"Bridging the Horizons" sections point to the relevance of the text for believers today, making this volume of special value to pastors and general readers as well as students and scholars.

Market/AudienceStudents and professors of the New TestamentPastors and Bible teachers
Features and BenefitsCommentary from a prominent New Testament scholar.A fresh look at the Pastorals and Johannine correspondence in light of recent study.Includes "bridging the horizons" sections to help you assess the contemporary relevance of these ancient texts.

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