Deuteronomy

The Tyndale Commentaries are generally conservative and aimed at the layman. This volume pushes both boundaries just a bit. The introduction in particular tends to drone on a bit in that academic way as it goes fairly in depth engaging expert opinion on age and textual makeup of Deuteronomy. The idea of Mosaic authorship is generally dismissed, which is a bit far for me but reasons are given. Meanwhile the vocabulary had me chatting with my semi-smart phone for definitions. I suspect an seminary student could handle an of this with ease and there is something to be said for expanding knowledge and vocabulary even at the potential expense of a bottle of aspirin. The chapter and verse commentary were worth wading through the intro. Doctor Thompson did a fine job of answering questions about the text with in depth and often insightful comments. There were even some questions left over in my mind from Exodus and Leviticus that became clearer to my less than academic mind. While there are some bits of Deuteronomy that were not all that exciting, I'm sorry some laws lose something in 3000 years, and a few that were horrifying, the commentary managed to keep me pressing forward. The references to the New Testament were solid and appropriate and there were some theological moments that made me consider things in a new light. While this commentary might be a bit beyond the scope of a casual reader, it is worth attempting even if like me you have to occasionally gather in all your grey matter in one lump and demand that it all work together in order to understand some points.

J.A. Thompson’s contribution to the TOTC series is shorter and more suited to a general audience than the previous two volumes. Keith Mathison offers this short review: “For those seeking a good introductory level commentary on the book of Deuteronomy, the commentary by Thompson in the Tyndale series is the best place to begin. For an introductory level commentary, it is surprisingly insightful.” The TOTC is quite consistent in providing high-quality entry-level commentaries.

For those seeking a good introductory level commentary on the book of Deuteronomy, the commentary by Thompson in the Tyndale series is the best place to begin. For an introductory level commentary, it is surprisingly insightful. [Full Review]

Helpful on Ancient Near Eastern backgrounds. Evangelical. [Full Review]