Genesis

This one is very good when Reno has Augustine to guide him, less good (and much thinner) after that. Like all BTC volumes, this is not about sorting out the words and grammar but rather about chasing down theological themes. Reno sometimes does this well, but at other times he is not quite convincing, as when he links Abraham’s wish for an heir to the Christian’s wish for holiness.

Overall a helpful commentary that is somewhere between Pastoral and Technical. While a little skewed towards his own pet themes, Reno's work is nevertheless a decent volume with fresh perspectives and insights. Will make a great addition to anyone's OT Library. Certainly among the better commentaries on Genesis that I've read in a while.

In the past I have been an admirer of Reno's writing and insights (specifically in First Things magazine), and this volume is likewise impressive in its thoughtful prose. I don't regret purchasing it because I have enjoyed the reading, but I only have it at 3 stars for two reasons. 1)The format is not my favorite. It is definitely not a technical commentary--Reno skips over large chunks of text at times to get to the parts he finds more interesting. Of course, that leaves me wondering about how certain passages fit into the author's interpretation. 2) I was just shocked to read the suggestion that "death [is] not a new possibility" after the fall, but something intrinsic to the human condition -- an interpretation that seems to fly in the face of Genesis 3:22, not to mention Romans 5:12. At best, he is going somewhere and didn't explain himself well enough (or I didn't understand well enough); at worst it appears to be very bad exegesis from an otherwise helpful scholar.