The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.
Overview of Commentary Organization
- Introductioncovers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology.
- Each section of the commentary includes:
- Pericope Bibliographya helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope.
- Translationthe authors own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English.
- Notesthe authors notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation.
- Form/Structure/Settinga discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here.
- Commentverse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research.
- Explanationbrings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues.
- General Bibliographyoccurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.
The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology.
Editorial Preface |
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ix | |
Author's Preface |
|
x | |
Abbreviations |
|
xii | |
Commentary Bibliography |
|
xxiv | |
General Bibliography |
|
xxviii | |
Introduction |
|
xli | |
Preliminary Issues |
|
xlvi | |
The PE within the Framework of Paul's Life |
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xlviii | |
Historical Reconstruction from Acts |
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xlviii | |
Historical Reconstruction from the PE |
|
liv | |
Historical Reconstruction from Early Church Tradition |
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lxiv | |
The Ephesian Heresy |
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lxix | |
The Response to the Heresy |
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lxxvi | |
Additional Issues |
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lxxxii | |
Conclusion |
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lxxxiii | |
Critical Questions about the PE within the Framework of Paul's Life |
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lxxxiii | |
The Historical Problem |
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lxxxiv | |
The Theological Problem |
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lxxxviii | |
The Linguistic Problem |
|
xcix | |
Proposals regarding Authorship of the PE |
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cxviii | |
Excursus: Pseudepigraphy |
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cxxiii | |
Themes in the PE |
|
cxxx | |
Faith |
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cxxx | |
Savior, Salvation, and Good Works |
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cxxxii | |
Outline |
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cxxxv | |
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1 | (374) |
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3 | (10) |
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II The Ephesian Problem (1:3--20) |
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13 | (61) |
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A The Problem Stated (1:3--7) |
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13 | (16) |
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B The True Intention of the Law (1:8--11) |
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29 | (15) |
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C Paul's Example of Salvation by Grace (1:12--17) |
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44 | (4) |
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Excursus: "Faithful is the Saying" |
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48 | (15) |
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D Encouragement and Warning for Timothy (1:18--20) |
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63 | (7) |
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Excursus: Prophecies about Timothy |
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70 | (4) |
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III Correction of Improper Conduct in the Ephesian Church (2:1--4:5) |
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74 | (170) |
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A Salvation Is for All People (2:1--7) |
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74 | (20) |
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B Questions of Disruption and Leadership (2:8--15) |
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94 | (55) |
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149 | (37) |
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Excursus: Biships and Presbyters in the Postapostolic Church |
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186 | (7) |
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193 | (14) |
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Excursus: The Deacon and the Deaconness in the Postapostolic Church |
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207 | (5) |
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E Heart of the Corpus (3:14--16) |
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212 | (20) |
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F The Source of the Heresy (4:1--5) |
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232 | (12) |
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IV Personal Notes to Timothy (4:6--16) |
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244 | (24) |
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V How Timothy Is to Relate to Different Groups in the Church (5:1--6:2a) |
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268 | (65) |
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A People of Various Ages (5:1--2) |
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268 | (3) |
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271 | (29) |
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Excursus: Widows in the Postapostolic Church |
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300 | (2) |
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C Payment and Discipline of Elders (5:17--25) |
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302 | (22) |
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324 | (9) |
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VI Final Instructions (6:2b--21) |
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333 | (42) |
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A The Final Discussion of the Opponents (6:2b--10) |
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333 | (17) |
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B Encouragement to Timothy (6:11--16) |
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350 | (14) |
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C Words to the Rich (6:17--19) |
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364 | (5) |
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D The Final Encouragement to Timothy (6:20--21) |
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369 | (6) |
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375 | (228) |
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377 | (7) |
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II Qualities Necessary for Church Leadership (1:5--9) |
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384 | (10) |
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III Description of the Problem in Crete (1:10--16) |
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394 | (11) |
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IV Instructions and Theological Basis for Godly Living (2:1--3:11) |
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405 | (51) |
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405 | (14) |
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B Theological Basis for Godly Living (2:11--15) |
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419 | (15) |
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C Continued Call for Godly Behavior (3:1--11) |
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434 | (22) |
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V Personal Comments and Final Greeting (3:12--15) |
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456 | (5) |
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461 | (142) |
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463 | (3) |
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466 | (7) |
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III Encouragement to Timothy (1:6--2:13) |
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473 | (48) |
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A Call to Suffer without Shame (1:6--14) |
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473 | (18) |
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491 | (8) |
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C Continued Appeal to Timothy (2:1--13) |
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499 | (22) |
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IV Instructions for Timothy and the Opponents (2:14--4:8) |
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521 | (64) |
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A Timothy and Opponents Contrasted (2:14--26) |
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521 | (20) |
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B The Presence of Eschatological Evil (3:1--9) |
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541 | (11) |
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C Encouragement and Proclamation (3:10--4:8) |
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552 | (33) |
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V Final Words to Timothy (4:9--22) |
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585 | (18) |
Indexes |
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603 | |
Bruce M. Metzger (1914 2007) was a biblical scholar, textual critic, and a longtime professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. Metzger is widely considered one of the most influential New Testament scholars of the 20th century. He was a general editor of the Word Biblical Commentary (1997 - 2007).
David Allan Hubbard (1928 1996), former president and professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, was a recognized biblical scholar. In addition to over 30 books, he has written numerous articles for journals, periodicals, reference works. He was a general editor of the Word Biblical Commentary (1977 - 1996).
Glenn W. Barker (d. 1984) was a general editor of the Word Biblical Commentary (1977 - 1984).
John D. W. Watts (1921 2013) was President of the Baptist Theological Seminary, Ruschlikon, Switzerland, and served as Professor of Old Testament at that institution, at Fuller Theological Seminary, and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. His numerous publications include commentaries on Isaiah (2 volumes), Amos, and Obadiah. He was Old Testament editor of the Word Biblical Commentary (1977 - 2011).
James W. Watts is a professor and chair of the Department of Religion at Syracuse University. His teaching and research interests include biblical studies, especially the Torah/Pentateuch, ritual theories, rhetorical analysis, and comparative scriptures studies. He is a co-founder of the Iconic Books Project. He had served as the associate Old Testament editor of the Word Biblical Commentary (1997 - 2011).
Ralph P. Martin (1925-2013) was Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Fuller Theological Seminary and a New Testament Editor for the Word Biblical Commentary series. He earned the BA and MA from the University of Manchester, England, and the PhD from King's College, University of London. He was the author of numerous studies and commentaries on the New Testament, including Worship in the Early Church, the volume on Philippians in The Tyndale New Testament Commentary series. He also wrote 2 Corinthians and James in the WBC series.
Lynn Allan Losie is Associate Professor of New Testament at Azusa Pacific University. A generalist in New Testament studies, Dr. Losie teaches courses in the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Pauline Epistles, as well as in the background areas of Greek, early Judaism, and the greater Hellenistic World. He has published articles on the New Testament and had served as the associate New Testament editor of the Word Biblical Commentary (1997 - 2013). Ordained as a Baptist minister, he has also served in pastoral ministry in Southern California and Oregon.