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Designed for the pastor and Bible teacher, the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament examines the biblical text in its original environment. Notable evangelical scholars carefully attend to grammatical detail, literary context, rhetorical flow, theological nuance, and historical setting in their interpretation. Critical scholarship informs each step, but does not dominate the commentary, allowing readers to concentrate on the biblical author's message as it unfolds. While primarily designed for those with a basic knowledge of biblical Greek, all who strive to understand and teach the New Testament will find this series beneficial. The general editor for this enterprising series is Clinton E. Arnold The following focused sections help readers understand the text: Literary Context: Explains how each passage functions within the book Main Idea: Summarizes the central message of the passage Translation in Graphic Layout: Presents a translation through a diagram that helps readers visualize the flow of thought within the text Exegetical Outline: Gives the overall structure of the passage Explanation of the Text: Provides interpretive insights into the background and meaning of the text Theology in Application: Discusses how the message of the text fits within the book itself and in a broader biblical-theological context, suggesting applications for the church today
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2008
About the author
Craig L. Blomberg
81 books81 followersDr. Craig Blomberg joined the faculty of Denver Seminary in 1986. He is currently a distinguished professor of New Testament.
Dr. Blomberg completed his Ph.D. in New Testament, specializing in the parables and the writings of Luke-Acts, at Aberdeen University in Scotland. He received an MA from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a BA from Augustana College. Before joining the faculty of Denver Seminary, he taught at Palm Beach Atlantic College and was a research fellow in Cambridge, England with Tyndale House.
In addition to writing numerous articles in professional journals, multi-author works and dictionaries or encyclopedias, he has authored or edited 20 books, including The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, Interpreting the Parables, commentaries on Matthew, 1 Corinthians and James, Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey, From Pentecost to Patmos: An Introduction to Acts through Revelation, Christians in an Age of Wealth: A Biblical Theology of Stewardship, Neither Poverty nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions, Making Sense of the New Testament: Three Crucial Questions, Preaching the Parables, Contagious Holiness: Jesus' Meals with Sinners, and Handbook of New Testament Exegesis.
Dr. Blomberg completed his Ph.D. in New Testament, specializing in the parables and the writings of Luke-Acts, at Aberdeen University in Scotland. He received an MA from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a BA from Augustana College. Before joining the faculty of Denver Seminary, he taught at Palm Beach Atlantic College and was a research fellow in Cambridge, England with Tyndale House.
In addition to writing numerous articles in professional journals, multi-author works and dictionaries or encyclopedias, he has authored or edited 20 books, including The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, Interpreting the Parables, commentaries on Matthew, 1 Corinthians and James, Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey, From Pentecost to Patmos: An Introduction to Acts through Revelation, Christians in an Age of Wealth: A Biblical Theology of Stewardship, Neither Poverty nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions, Making Sense of the New Testament: Three Crucial Questions, Preaching the Parables, Contagious Holiness: Jesus' Meals with Sinners, and Handbook of New Testament Exegesis.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 17, 2017
I'd say it's my favorite commentary on the Epistle of James. I appreciate his charitable writing, his excellent scholarship, and his clarity.
March 12, 2024
This is not just my favorite commentary on James, this is the best commentary I have read. Blomberg helpfully lays out his overviews and exegesis and to make sense of the themes and structure of James. In short, the three themes he identifies are the Christians call to persevere in trials, wisdom as the way of the Christian life, and the Christian response to wealth and poverty.
I have read Blomberg before, but this is the first volume of the ZECNT series I have read. I look forward to reading other volumes soon!
I have read Blomberg before, but this is the first volume of the ZECNT series I have read. I look forward to reading other volumes soon!
August 1, 2021
Not as good as I’d hoped. I do like this series’ effort to have specific application at the end of each section. I think it helps the writers work through theological questions in the text more thoroughly than is sometimes the case with modern commentaries. Also helpful in considering structure, though other commentaries had stronger arguments for their structuring in my opinion.
Used in preparing to preach James in 2021
Used in preparing to preach James in 2021
August 18, 2012
James is no "epistle of straw," as Martin Luther once (in)famously said of the book. But many-with Luther-find it difficult to reconcile Paul and James on faith and works.
Paul: "A person is justified by faith apart from works of the law."
James: "A person is considered righteous [i.e., justified] by what they do and not by faith alone."
Here I review James by Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell, from Zondervan's Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (ZECNT) series. (Below I use some of my same wording from my review of Luke (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) in this series to introduce the ZECNT series more generally.)
Like the rest of the ZECNT series, James is "designed for the pastor and Bible teacher." The authors assume a basic knowledge of Greek, but Greek is not required to understand the commentary. For each passage the commentary gives the broader literary context, the main idea (great for preachers!), an original translation of the Greek and its graphical layout, the structure, an outline, explanation, and "theology in application" section.
The introduction covers an outline and structure of James, the circumstances surrounding its writing, authorship and date, and significance of the book. It is shorter and less detailed than the introductions in Douglas Moo's James commentary and that of Peter Davids. Immediately I looked for how the authors would resolve the Paul/James (alleged) discrepancy, but they note in the introduction that they discuss James's theology after "the commentary proper." (The ZECNT series has a separate "Theology" section at the back of the book that most other commentaries include as part of the introduction.)
They give just two paragraphs in their theology section-with a bit more in the body of the commentary-to "Faith and Works" (compare Moo's lengthier discussion in his introduction), but they have their reasons for this:
"Contrary to what the extent of the discussion of the topic might suggest, faith and works is not the main focus of James's letter. It is a subordinate point that grows out of his concern for the poor and the dispossessed (2:14-26; cf. 2:1-13)."
I'm a little embarrassed to admit that this idea of faith and works as a subordinate point in James had not really occurred to me prior to working with this commentary. (A good trait in a commentary to produce such thoughts!) But if you look through James 2 (and the rest of James), it's easy to see where the authors are coming from.
In fact, the "three key topics" in James, according to Blomberg and Kamell, are "trials in the Christian life," "wisdom," and "riches and poverty." They follow Davids here, and note that James 1:2-11 lays out each of the major themes, which James then restates in 1:12-27. 2:1-5:18 then consist of "the three themes expanded," in reverse order, followed by a closing in 5:19-20.
Blomberg and Kamell are "the first to grant that we may still be imposing more structure on the text than James had in mind." All the same, their outline of James makes it easier to work through the book, and then finally does, I think, justify their claim in the theology section that "faith and works" is not the central theme of the letter and should be considered in its broader context. Still, they do have a good way forward in understanding Paul and James together: "But this action, these deeds or works, are not put forward in any attempt to merit God's favor but as the natural, spiritual outgrowth of one's faith."
As with Luke, the graphical layout of each passage (in original English translation) is a unique contribution in James. Being able to see main clauses in bold with subordinate clauses indented under them (plus how they relate back to the main clause) gives the reader a quick, visual grasp of the entire passage at hand. This is a highlight of the ZECNT series, and the fact that it's in English makes it all the more accessible. The translation is smooth and readable, doing great justice to both the Greek it translates and the English language.
The commentary has the full Greek text of James, verse by verse, and the full English translation (passage by passage in the graphical layout, then again verse by verse next to the Greek). A value for me in using reference works is not having to pull five more reference works off the shelf to use the first reference work! The authors make comments like this one in 1:5 throughout the work, wedding grammatical and lexical analysis to exegetical application: "We are told to ask of the "giving God" (διδόντος θεοῦ). Here the present participle suggests that "giving" represents a continuous characteristic of God."
To take another example, on James 2:20, which they translate, "Do you want to know, O empty person, that faith without works is workless?" they write: "James incorporates a pun on the word "work" (ἔργον), using the negative adjective from the same root-"workless" (ἀργή). The term can also mean idle or useless. Faith that lacks works does not work! In other words, it is entirely ineffective to save."
Teachers and preachers especially will appreciate the "Theology in Application" section that concludes each passage. James may already strike the preacher as a book that just preaches itself, but the authors do well in helping the preacher connect the text with today's concerns. For example, for 2:14-17 they note that although James "provides no treatise on the most effective ways to help the poor..., true believers will take some kind of action. At the very least, they must cultivate generous, even sacrificial giving to help the poor as part of their ongoing personal and corporate stewardship of their possessions. But in light of systemic injustice, we probably need to do much more."
Amen. The authors go on, "James certainly would share the concern of liberation theologians to do far more for the poor, individually and systemically, than many branches of recent Christianity have attempted." Moo agrees-though he wants to distance himself "from an extreme `liberation' perspective," he says "we must be careful not to rob his denunciation of the rich of its power." And James 5:1-6 are pretty damning of the powerful rich who use their power to oppress the poor.
The authors write, "[These oppressors] are the financially wealthy in a world where the rich occupied a miniscule percentage of the population. James does not call them to change their behavior. Instead, he warns them of impending disaster in their lives by commanding them to mourn their coming fate. ...'Wail' [ὀλολύζοντες] appears in the LXX of the Prophets in contexts of judgment and can refer to inarticulate shrieks of terror. ...James makes it clear that these rich people are going to undergo a terrible ordeal."
There were a few times in the "Theology in Application" section that I wondered (as other reviewers have) whether the authors weren't getting a bit off-topic from the text. For example, on 3:9-12 they say, "Abortion and euthanasia offend God deeply because they take lives made in his image. But abuse or neglect of the poor and outcast (including the homosexual) proves equally offensive because such treatments likewise demean individuals God made to reflect himself."
They say this to argue against the "stereotypical agendas of both the political and religious `right' and `left,'" but it was hard for me to decide whether this was a case of applying an ancient text well to a contemporary set of issues, or if it was an anachronistic stretch. Nothing they say here is incongruent with James, but I did wonder here (and in another place) whether those verses in James really speak to issues like abortion and homosexuality. A minor critique, though.
Those working their way through the Greek of James may still want to have Davids on hand. But as with the Luke volume in this series, the combination of close attention to the Greek text with contemporary application makes James a commentary very much worth using. I know I will want to go back to this commentary right away when I am doing work with the book of James in the future.
(I am grateful to Zondervan for the free review copy of this commentary, which was sent to me with the understanding that I would then write an unbiased review.)
Paul: "A person is justified by faith apart from works of the law."
James: "A person is considered righteous [i.e., justified] by what they do and not by faith alone."
Here I review James by Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell, from Zondervan's Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (ZECNT) series. (Below I use some of my same wording from my review of Luke (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) in this series to introduce the ZECNT series more generally.)
Like the rest of the ZECNT series, James is "designed for the pastor and Bible teacher." The authors assume a basic knowledge of Greek, but Greek is not required to understand the commentary. For each passage the commentary gives the broader literary context, the main idea (great for preachers!), an original translation of the Greek and its graphical layout, the structure, an outline, explanation, and "theology in application" section.
The introduction covers an outline and structure of James, the circumstances surrounding its writing, authorship and date, and significance of the book. It is shorter and less detailed than the introductions in Douglas Moo's James commentary and that of Peter Davids. Immediately I looked for how the authors would resolve the Paul/James (alleged) discrepancy, but they note in the introduction that they discuss James's theology after "the commentary proper." (The ZECNT series has a separate "Theology" section at the back of the book that most other commentaries include as part of the introduction.)
They give just two paragraphs in their theology section-with a bit more in the body of the commentary-to "Faith and Works" (compare Moo's lengthier discussion in his introduction), but they have their reasons for this:
"Contrary to what the extent of the discussion of the topic might suggest, faith and works is not the main focus of James's letter. It is a subordinate point that grows out of his concern for the poor and the dispossessed (2:14-26; cf. 2:1-13)."
I'm a little embarrassed to admit that this idea of faith and works as a subordinate point in James had not really occurred to me prior to working with this commentary. (A good trait in a commentary to produce such thoughts!) But if you look through James 2 (and the rest of James), it's easy to see where the authors are coming from.
In fact, the "three key topics" in James, according to Blomberg and Kamell, are "trials in the Christian life," "wisdom," and "riches and poverty." They follow Davids here, and note that James 1:2-11 lays out each of the major themes, which James then restates in 1:12-27. 2:1-5:18 then consist of "the three themes expanded," in reverse order, followed by a closing in 5:19-20.
Blomberg and Kamell are "the first to grant that we may still be imposing more structure on the text than James had in mind." All the same, their outline of James makes it easier to work through the book, and then finally does, I think, justify their claim in the theology section that "faith and works" is not the central theme of the letter and should be considered in its broader context. Still, they do have a good way forward in understanding Paul and James together: "But this action, these deeds or works, are not put forward in any attempt to merit God's favor but as the natural, spiritual outgrowth of one's faith."
As with Luke, the graphical layout of each passage (in original English translation) is a unique contribution in James. Being able to see main clauses in bold with subordinate clauses indented under them (plus how they relate back to the main clause) gives the reader a quick, visual grasp of the entire passage at hand. This is a highlight of the ZECNT series, and the fact that it's in English makes it all the more accessible. The translation is smooth and readable, doing great justice to both the Greek it translates and the English language.
The commentary has the full Greek text of James, verse by verse, and the full English translation (passage by passage in the graphical layout, then again verse by verse next to the Greek). A value for me in using reference works is not having to pull five more reference works off the shelf to use the first reference work! The authors make comments like this one in 1:5 throughout the work, wedding grammatical and lexical analysis to exegetical application: "We are told to ask of the "giving God" (διδόντος θεοῦ). Here the present participle suggests that "giving" represents a continuous characteristic of God."
To take another example, on James 2:20, which they translate, "Do you want to know, O empty person, that faith without works is workless?" they write: "James incorporates a pun on the word "work" (ἔργον), using the negative adjective from the same root-"workless" (ἀργή). The term can also mean idle or useless. Faith that lacks works does not work! In other words, it is entirely ineffective to save."
Teachers and preachers especially will appreciate the "Theology in Application" section that concludes each passage. James may already strike the preacher as a book that just preaches itself, but the authors do well in helping the preacher connect the text with today's concerns. For example, for 2:14-17 they note that although James "provides no treatise on the most effective ways to help the poor..., true believers will take some kind of action. At the very least, they must cultivate generous, even sacrificial giving to help the poor as part of their ongoing personal and corporate stewardship of their possessions. But in light of systemic injustice, we probably need to do much more."
Amen. The authors go on, "James certainly would share the concern of liberation theologians to do far more for the poor, individually and systemically, than many branches of recent Christianity have attempted." Moo agrees-though he wants to distance himself "from an extreme `liberation' perspective," he says "we must be careful not to rob his denunciation of the rich of its power." And James 5:1-6 are pretty damning of the powerful rich who use their power to oppress the poor.
The authors write, "[These oppressors] are the financially wealthy in a world where the rich occupied a miniscule percentage of the population. James does not call them to change their behavior. Instead, he warns them of impending disaster in their lives by commanding them to mourn their coming fate. ...'Wail' [ὀλολύζοντες] appears in the LXX of the Prophets in contexts of judgment and can refer to inarticulate shrieks of terror. ...James makes it clear that these rich people are going to undergo a terrible ordeal."
There were a few times in the "Theology in Application" section that I wondered (as other reviewers have) whether the authors weren't getting a bit off-topic from the text. For example, on 3:9-12 they say, "Abortion and euthanasia offend God deeply because they take lives made in his image. But abuse or neglect of the poor and outcast (including the homosexual) proves equally offensive because such treatments likewise demean individuals God made to reflect himself."
They say this to argue against the "stereotypical agendas of both the political and religious `right' and `left,'" but it was hard for me to decide whether this was a case of applying an ancient text well to a contemporary set of issues, or if it was an anachronistic stretch. Nothing they say here is incongruent with James, but I did wonder here (and in another place) whether those verses in James really speak to issues like abortion and homosexuality. A minor critique, though.
Those working their way through the Greek of James may still want to have Davids on hand. But as with the Luke volume in this series, the combination of close attention to the Greek text with contemporary application makes James a commentary very much worth using. I know I will want to go back to this commentary right away when I am doing work with the book of James in the future.
(I am grateful to Zondervan for the free review copy of this commentary, which was sent to me with the understanding that I would then write an unbiased review.)
March 16, 2011
The Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series is aimed at pastors and teachers who are looking for a commentary based on the Greek text. In addition, it aims to provide “expert guidance from solid evangelical scholars” (Series Introduction, 9). These are just two of the seven possible reasons you might be interested in this commentary listed on the same page, but I think they place the commentary well in terms of two major questions: 1) What is the theological position of the commentary authors and editors and 2) What is the educational level of the audience for which it is written.
I would say that the person who could make the best use of this commentary would be someone with a little bit of Greek, but who is not expert in the language. At the same time, there is much here of value to someone who does not know Greek at all. I would place it between something like the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, which is written for a less biblically educated audience and the Hermeneia series, which assumes a much greater level of knowledge of the biblical languages.
Key features–those that stand out to me–are:
* Translation with outline (or phrasing) in a graphical layout
This makes it easy to follow the flow of the text, at least as understood by the authors.
* Greek text included with the translation in the commentary
Both the Greek text and the authors’ English translation is included in the Explanation of Text section
* A Theology in Application section
* A discussion of the structure
* A substantial, though select, bibliography
* Solid scripture, subject, and author indexes
(Note that these do not occur in that order in the text.)
There are also a number of excurses throughout the commentary. I didn’t count them, and unfortunately they are not included in the table of contents or any other list that I could find. These dig deeper into specific issues in interpretation. For example, in the section on James 1:1-11 [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] there is a discussion titled In Depth: Are the Rich in 1:1-11 Christians?, which digs more into detail on this thorny question (57-58).
Excluding indexes and front matter, the commentary occupies 242 pages. The print is clear and easy to read, and the page layout is attractive. There is a good deal of white space for people like me who cannot keep from “adding to the words … of this book.” Fortunately, unlike John the Revelator, the authors failed to provide a curse on those who do this!
While the target audience would have at least some acquaintance with Greek, this commentary should be quite usable by those who do not know any Greek at all. There are some sections that would be a bit obscure, particularly in the explanation of the text, as Greek words are not transliterated. At the same time, the theological insights are generally written in such a way as to be accessible to the biblically aware layperson.
I was happily surprised by the breadth of the audience that is potentially addressed. Usually I find myself thinking that commentary writers miss the mark when aiming for the educated layperson. In this case, I think the authors and editors did even better than they claimed. At the same time, they provided material for those who do have some deeper knowledge.
I would emphasize, however, that I think this book largely addresses those with a small amount of Greek rather than going into depth for the more advanced student. Seminary graduates with one or more semesters, always assuming they haven’t forgotten all of it, should find it very helpful.
I found the discussion of critical issues and methodologies, whether textual criticism or any historical-critical methodologies rather light. This isn’t necessarily a criticism. This commentary aims at pastors and teachers, and it is rare that such details are going to find their way even into the background of Sunday sermons. I want them, but then I’m not at the center of the target audience.
These days it’s not enough just to say that someone is evangelical. There are so many differences in perspective within the evangelical community. Let’s look at a few specific issues to get a feel for the authors.
Authorship and Date. The authors accept James the brother of Jesus as the author and propose an early date for its writing. They even say it’s “…probably the first NT document written and the first existing Christian writing of any kind of which we know” (35). I’m not going to go over their arguments for this position, but pages 27-35 are occupied with discussing the circumstances of writing.
Gender Inclusive Language. The authors both use it and argue for it in the footnotes. This includes both anthrôpos and anêr (1:8), where note 53 states that “Tellingly, Poythress and Grudem (The Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy) include no discussion of this verse (53). They carry this further regarding the translation of adelphoi in 3:1, including an excursus title In Depth: Were the Teachers Only Men?, which concludes they were not. While not challenging a fundamentally complementarian position on teaching, they simply note that 1 Timothy 2:12 [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] should not be read as prohibiting women from all teaching activities that involve men (154-155).
In James 5:13-16, the authors do an excellent job of summarizing the various elements of the prayer for the sick and the associated anointing with oil. While one may disagree, I don’t think anyone would regard the discussion as unfair with regard to any view on these verses. I may not be the best judge of this, because they conclude that the prayer is for physical healing, that the anointing is symbolic rather than medicinal, and that this is not an instance of the gift of healing–all positions with which I agree.
Finally, the authors emphasize that there is no tension between orthodoxy and orthopraxy, noting that “…faith in action, especially in social action, remains central…” for James, and that he “…sees no tension between … orthodoxy and orthopraxy. This final note comes into play in discussing faith and works in James 2, where, not surprisingly, the authors do not see substantial theological tension with the teaching of Paul on the same subject.
I commend this commentary to anyone who needs to teach on the book of James in the church, whether from the pulpit or in Sunday School. If you have a little bit of Greek, you will get more from it, but you will benefit from its insights even if you do not.
*I received a free copy of this volume from the good folks at Zondervan in order to review it as part of their blog tour for the series. This review is adapted from that one.
I would say that the person who could make the best use of this commentary would be someone with a little bit of Greek, but who is not expert in the language. At the same time, there is much here of value to someone who does not know Greek at all. I would place it between something like the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, which is written for a less biblically educated audience and the Hermeneia series, which assumes a much greater level of knowledge of the biblical languages.
Key features–those that stand out to me–are:
* Translation with outline (or phrasing) in a graphical layout
This makes it easy to follow the flow of the text, at least as understood by the authors.
* Greek text included with the translation in the commentary
Both the Greek text and the authors’ English translation is included in the Explanation of Text section
* A Theology in Application section
* A discussion of the structure
* A substantial, though select, bibliography
* Solid scripture, subject, and author indexes
(Note that these do not occur in that order in the text.)
There are also a number of excurses throughout the commentary. I didn’t count them, and unfortunately they are not included in the table of contents or any other list that I could find. These dig deeper into specific issues in interpretation. For example, in the section on James 1:1-11 [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] there is a discussion titled In Depth: Are the Rich in 1:1-11 Christians?, which digs more into detail on this thorny question (57-58).
Excluding indexes and front matter, the commentary occupies 242 pages. The print is clear and easy to read, and the page layout is attractive. There is a good deal of white space for people like me who cannot keep from “adding to the words … of this book.” Fortunately, unlike John the Revelator, the authors failed to provide a curse on those who do this!
While the target audience would have at least some acquaintance with Greek, this commentary should be quite usable by those who do not know any Greek at all. There are some sections that would be a bit obscure, particularly in the explanation of the text, as Greek words are not transliterated. At the same time, the theological insights are generally written in such a way as to be accessible to the biblically aware layperson.
I was happily surprised by the breadth of the audience that is potentially addressed. Usually I find myself thinking that commentary writers miss the mark when aiming for the educated layperson. In this case, I think the authors and editors did even better than they claimed. At the same time, they provided material for those who do have some deeper knowledge.
I would emphasize, however, that I think this book largely addresses those with a small amount of Greek rather than going into depth for the more advanced student. Seminary graduates with one or more semesters, always assuming they haven’t forgotten all of it, should find it very helpful.
I found the discussion of critical issues and methodologies, whether textual criticism or any historical-critical methodologies rather light. This isn’t necessarily a criticism. This commentary aims at pastors and teachers, and it is rare that such details are going to find their way even into the background of Sunday sermons. I want them, but then I’m not at the center of the target audience.
These days it’s not enough just to say that someone is evangelical. There are so many differences in perspective within the evangelical community. Let’s look at a few specific issues to get a feel for the authors.
Authorship and Date. The authors accept James the brother of Jesus as the author and propose an early date for its writing. They even say it’s “…probably the first NT document written and the first existing Christian writing of any kind of which we know” (35). I’m not going to go over their arguments for this position, but pages 27-35 are occupied with discussing the circumstances of writing.
Gender Inclusive Language. The authors both use it and argue for it in the footnotes. This includes both anthrôpos and anêr (1:8), where note 53 states that “Tellingly, Poythress and Grudem (The Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy) include no discussion of this verse (53). They carry this further regarding the translation of adelphoi in 3:1, including an excursus title In Depth: Were the Teachers Only Men?, which concludes they were not. While not challenging a fundamentally complementarian position on teaching, they simply note that 1 Timothy 2:12 [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] should not be read as prohibiting women from all teaching activities that involve men (154-155).
In James 5:13-16, the authors do an excellent job of summarizing the various elements of the prayer for the sick and the associated anointing with oil. While one may disagree, I don’t think anyone would regard the discussion as unfair with regard to any view on these verses. I may not be the best judge of this, because they conclude that the prayer is for physical healing, that the anointing is symbolic rather than medicinal, and that this is not an instance of the gift of healing–all positions with which I agree.
Finally, the authors emphasize that there is no tension between orthodoxy and orthopraxy, noting that “…faith in action, especially in social action, remains central…” for James, and that he “…sees no tension between … orthodoxy and orthopraxy. This final note comes into play in discussing faith and works in James 2, where, not surprisingly, the authors do not see substantial theological tension with the teaching of Paul on the same subject.
I commend this commentary to anyone who needs to teach on the book of James in the church, whether from the pulpit or in Sunday School. If you have a little bit of Greek, you will get more from it, but you will benefit from its insights even if you do not.
*I received a free copy of this volume from the good folks at Zondervan in order to review it as part of their blog tour for the series. This review is adapted from that one.
July 19, 2017
This commentary was the inaugural volume in the developing Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (ZECNT) series that rivals all series in print today. This volume is shorter than the ones that followed, but must be credited with establishing ZECNT style that is outstanding on so many levels. Every passage has a section on literary context, a main idea, a translation, a discussion of structure, an exegetical outline followed by a quality explanation of the text, and a theology in application section. As a pastor, I love this design.
This volume was written by highly-respected scholar Craig Blomberg, and at his request, he was joined by his research assistant Mariam Kamell as co-author. As said before, it is quite shorter than other volumes in the series, but the quality of writing is up where you would hope.
Though the Introduction begins with a section entitled “Outline”, it’s really a review of structure and what has been thought in the scholarly world. A section called “Circumstances” gives us a historical setting including authorship. Authorship carries into more sections as it is often debated in the scholarly world though I find the reasons obtuse. In any event, conservative conclusions are reached here. The Introduction is followed by a fine bibliography.
The commentary proper is succinct, but solid; and again, the ZECNT format shines. The authors move through scholarly issues to help for expositors in a skillful way. I’m high on this series, and I recommend this volume.
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.
This volume was written by highly-respected scholar Craig Blomberg, and at his request, he was joined by his research assistant Mariam Kamell as co-author. As said before, it is quite shorter than other volumes in the series, but the quality of writing is up where you would hope.
Though the Introduction begins with a section entitled “Outline”, it’s really a review of structure and what has been thought in the scholarly world. A section called “Circumstances” gives us a historical setting including authorship. Authorship carries into more sections as it is often debated in the scholarly world though I find the reasons obtuse. In any event, conservative conclusions are reached here. The Introduction is followed by a fine bibliography.
The commentary proper is succinct, but solid; and again, the ZECNT format shines. The authors move through scholarly issues to help for expositors in a skillful way. I’m high on this series, and I recommend this volume.
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.
August 3, 2018
It is not often that we get to witness the birth of what will be a top notch commentary that will live on for generations. Yet James of the Zondervan Exegetical New Testament Commentary is the first commentary in series that has since become a driving force in modern scholarship. Author Craig Blomberg is well known scholar who is a distinguished professor at Denver Seminary while Mariam J. Kamell is a up and coming scholar as well as assistant professor at Regent College.
The commentary is divided into seven primary sections: Literary Context, Main Idea, Translation and Graphical Layout, Structure, Exegetical Outline, Explanation of the Text, and Theology in Application. This work is a mixture of scholarly exegesis and piratical application. While a pastor does not need to have a understanding of biblical Greek it is helpful and will expanded the use of this work.
While there are many things to enjoy about this work, I was a little concerned about the length of the commentary proper. James is a complex and far reaching book and the commentary proper is the length of an small-scale work rather than the expected mid-level work.
But in the end the exegesis will draw you to this work yet the practical application will make this commentary usable and one that you will constantly reach for in your study of James.
The commentary is divided into seven primary sections: Literary Context, Main Idea, Translation and Graphical Layout, Structure, Exegetical Outline, Explanation of the Text, and Theology in Application. This work is a mixture of scholarly exegesis and piratical application. While a pastor does not need to have a understanding of biblical Greek it is helpful and will expanded the use of this work.
While there are many things to enjoy about this work, I was a little concerned about the length of the commentary proper. James is a complex and far reaching book and the commentary proper is the length of an small-scale work rather than the expected mid-level work.
But in the end the exegesis will draw you to this work yet the practical application will make this commentary usable and one that you will constantly reach for in your study of James.
October 26, 2022
This was a very helpful commentary when I preached through James this year. The ZECNT series has a good format for pastors, combining detailed textual comments with thoughtful "theology in application" sections, and this is a particularly good example of the format working well. Blomberg and Kamell see "single-mindedness" as a unifying theme through the letter, but don't read the text too narrowly, acknowledging several interconnected themes. The commentary ends with a "Theology of James" section, which is brief but helpful. I decided to pick up this commentary rather than go down the Moo route, and I wasn't disappointed.
June 22, 2020
I read this commentary in conjunction with Scot McKnight's commentary on James. I preferred Blomberg. As the title would suggests, he deals with the original language but not in a way that would prevent someone without knowledge of Greek from benefiting from the book. I really appreciate the beginning of each section where he outlines the flow of the text. This is especially helpful in James with his love of analogy, illustration, and example.
December 15, 2020
Blomberg and Kovalishyn's commentary on James is an outstanding achievement that carefully analyses the text. It soberly considers the text and offers a section after each unit which discusses the practical and theological implications of the text. Preaching through the letter of James, I have found this commentary to be immensely helpful.
June 20, 2019
Blomberg's commentary is very readable with some great introductory and theological notes, a helpful visual break down of the entire text and a clear and concise interpretation of the original Greek. I highly recommend this series.
September 22, 2017
Very helpful for gaining a deeper understanding of the book of James. My husband recommended it and I was a bit heists to about the Greek at first, but this book was a huge blessing!
June 2, 2020
Excellent. I used it while preaching through James. It's exegeticalally careful, not bogged down by commenting on commentaries, and is written with a pastoral heart.
December 23, 2020
My favorite commentary from what is becoming my favorite commentary series! This was just awesome! Great preaching resource! Highest recommendation!
January 12, 2022
Excellent resource that suggests new ideas on a classic book.
June 18, 2024
Excellent commentary. Fairly accessible, not extremely heady. Would be helpful for individuals at various stages of Bible Study experience. More conservative and dispensational theologically.
November 25, 2012
Overall, this title compares favorably to Moo's in the Pillar Series, and Davids' in NIGTC. It is certainly not as technical the latter, but it is probably on a similar footing with the former. I found it fruitful to study alongside Moo's contribution, but this commentary has the edge as far as clarifying the layout and textual flow of James. I could see this being a one stop commentary for many people, especially if you're leading a Bible study on James. Depending on your pastoral context, this volume might offer just enough analysis to suffice, or may work well in the triad that I used (with one slightly more technical and the other a complimentary volume).
One thing I found a bit distracting in this particular volume was the repeated need to take a stand on the gender-inclusive translation issue. Not so much that I disagree with the position taken, but it seemed like one or both of the authors had a bone to pick with Wayne Grudem and Vern Poythress' The Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy since was mentioned four times (48, 53, 69, 154, with citations from the out-of-print 2000 ed., instead of the updated 2005 ed.). It doesn't seem like an issue very germane to James' letter, so to me it stuck out that it got brought up so frequently. Given the whole scope of the commentary itself, this is really just minor quibble rather than a major issue.
That issue aside, this series really grabbed my attention and I was eager to try to get the other volumes for review. This volume offered sound and concise exegesis of James' letter and numerous avenues for practical application. The layout of the commentary is very conducive for structural analysis of the text that lends itself comfortably to preparing a sermon outline. For a pastor who has been seminary trained in exegetical work with the text, this commentary on James offers the perfect companion for a sermon series.
For a more comprehensive reviw, see my blog
One thing I found a bit distracting in this particular volume was the repeated need to take a stand on the gender-inclusive translation issue. Not so much that I disagree with the position taken, but it seemed like one or both of the authors had a bone to pick with Wayne Grudem and Vern Poythress' The Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy since was mentioned four times (48, 53, 69, 154, with citations from the out-of-print 2000 ed., instead of the updated 2005 ed.). It doesn't seem like an issue very germane to James' letter, so to me it stuck out that it got brought up so frequently. Given the whole scope of the commentary itself, this is really just minor quibble rather than a major issue.
That issue aside, this series really grabbed my attention and I was eager to try to get the other volumes for review. This volume offered sound and concise exegesis of James' letter and numerous avenues for practical application. The layout of the commentary is very conducive for structural analysis of the text that lends itself comfortably to preparing a sermon outline. For a pastor who has been seminary trained in exegetical work with the text, this commentary on James offers the perfect companion for a sermon series.
For a more comprehensive reviw, see my blog
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December 17, 2010Coming at a time when I'm sick, I fear that my review will not be up to par.
Suffice it to say that the layout of the ZECNT series is good. I like the print format, page size, layout, and everything about it.
The content is great. I've worked more with James than any of the others, and can honestly say that it is a very good commentary.
The strength of the ZECNT is not that it has good comments on the text, thought it does. Its strength lies in that it is an exegetical commentary. That being said, it is an exegetical commentary for the common man. One need not have an extensive knowledge of Greek to benefit from it. In fact, one can learn much from the ZECNT without having any knowledge of Greek, though it is helpful to have some.
The commentary presents the literary context, the main idea, a translation of the text, the structure of the text, an exegetical outline, and then an explanation of the text. What stands out to me as extremely helpful is the way that they divided the various pericope. I think that they have done well with this, and I think that I shall find myself agreeing with them in the manner in which they block out the sections of texts.
I can hardly recommend this series enough. Whether one is a seasoned scholar, or a newcomer to the faith, the ZECNT is great for the serious student of Scripture. It has become my favorite. I look forward to each new volume with much anticipation.
Suffice it to say that the layout of the ZECNT series is good. I like the print format, page size, layout, and everything about it.
The content is great. I've worked more with James than any of the others, and can honestly say that it is a very good commentary.
The strength of the ZECNT is not that it has good comments on the text, thought it does. Its strength lies in that it is an exegetical commentary. That being said, it is an exegetical commentary for the common man. One need not have an extensive knowledge of Greek to benefit from it. In fact, one can learn much from the ZECNT without having any knowledge of Greek, though it is helpful to have some.
The commentary presents the literary context, the main idea, a translation of the text, the structure of the text, an exegetical outline, and then an explanation of the text. What stands out to me as extremely helpful is the way that they divided the various pericope. I think that they have done well with this, and I think that I shall find myself agreeing with them in the manner in which they block out the sections of texts.
I can hardly recommend this series enough. Whether one is a seasoned scholar, or a newcomer to the faith, the ZECNT is great for the serious student of Scripture. It has become my favorite. I look forward to each new volume with much anticipation.
October 26, 2011
I concur with other that the format of the series is very good, especially for the pastor.
As for this particular commentary on James it is excellent. It is quite technical on the Greek making frequent references to the classification of nouns and verbs. The theological points are very well balanced and avoid unhelpful extremes. It thoroughly researched with the best and most recent scholarship. It does not provide the overall detail of Moo but cuts to the chase without long surveys of the various opinions.
On a personal note, I sat under Dr. Blomberg for three courses, one of them being Greek Exegesis of James and can attest to his integrity and love for the Word. Due to that fact, little surprised me in the commentary and it was classic Blomberg for its conciseness, precision, and fair treatment of other views. I did not know Kamell personally but I trust her contribution was substantial and high academic quality.
As for this particular commentary on James it is excellent. It is quite technical on the Greek making frequent references to the classification of nouns and verbs. The theological points are very well balanced and avoid unhelpful extremes. It thoroughly researched with the best and most recent scholarship. It does not provide the overall detail of Moo but cuts to the chase without long surveys of the various opinions.
On a personal note, I sat under Dr. Blomberg for three courses, one of them being Greek Exegesis of James and can attest to his integrity and love for the Word. Due to that fact, little surprised me in the commentary and it was classic Blomberg for its conciseness, precision, and fair treatment of other views. I did not know Kamell personally but I trust her contribution was substantial and high academic quality.
July 23, 2011
This was a good exegetical commentary. If this is the model of what is to be expected in this new series of commentary (the Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament), then it's definitely work keeping an eye out for this series. While I do not agree with Dr. Blomberg on everything (he has a simplistic view of politics, etc), I do appreciate the exegetical insights found in this book. The format was also excellent and user friendly. I wish more commentaries would look like this format in this series!
May 30, 2013
The layout of these ZECNT commentaries is great. Each passage has sections devoted to literary context, structure, original translation, main point, exegetical outline, verse by verse commentary and theology in application. Because the layout is so easy to navigate, the verse-by-verse commentary is able to be quite technical at times without losing readability. I especially appreciate Blomberg's perspective on poverty & wealth. Excellent commentary.
May 29, 2016
Got to say that I really like the format of these Exegetical Commentaries. Blomberg does a pretty good job and this one is fair staying to the main issues, while giving adequate support for continued research by the reader. Could have been more in depth.
August 30, 2016
A good exegetical commentary o the book of James, particularly useful if you have an advanced level in Greek. The introductory section is somewhat too short in my opinion. Nevertheless, if you are studying the book of James this commentary will provide you some interesting insights.
December 29, 2015
Excellent and accessible commentary for this book offering context and structure and a verse by verse commentary. Clear insight into the major themes of testing, wisdom, and poverty and wealth.
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