Acts

Nashville: Holman Reference, 1998. Pp. vii + 484, Cloth, $16.99, ISBN 0805402055. Dennis J Horton Brewton Parker College Mount Vernon, GA 30445 The Holman New Testament Commentary collection endeavors to provide church leaders with biblical insights for sermon and Bible study preparation, emphasizing contemporary applications of biblical principles. As prescribed by the “easily digestible format” of the series (p. ix), Kenneth O. Gangel, after a brief introduction, divides his commentary into 28 chapters in accordance with the 28 chapters of the Book of Acts. Each chapter includes an opening quotation, a profiles section, a brief summary of the biblical chapter, an introductory illustration, a verse-by-verse explanation of the chapter, a conclusion with basic principles and applications, an illustration for life application, a brief prayer, a “Deeper Discoveries” section, a teaching outline, and a list of discussion questions. At the end of the commentary, the author provides a useful glossary and a brief bibliography. In his introduction, Gangel devotes less than four pages to discussion about the issues of authorship, date, purpose, and style. He references Richard Longenecker’s commentary (EBC) and agrees with most of Longenecker’s conclusions: Luke, the physician and traveling companion of Paul, was the author, writing not later than 64 C.E. to the “Greek gentleman” Theophilus. Gangel identifies a number of goals that Luke addresses in Acts, emphasizing the historical and biographical concerns. The author views the genre of the Book of Acts as “historical and narrative theology” (p. 3). While he affirms the eight major Lukan themes that John Polhill delineates in his commentary (NAC), Gangel tends to view some of these motifs as predominant. [Full Review]