Jude by Herbert W. Bateman IV is a volume in the Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series published by Lexham Academic.
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What is the Evangelical Exegetical Commentary Series?
This is personally one of my favorite commentary series! As the inside front cover mentions, “The Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series is a premier biblical commentary rooted in the original languages of Scripture. Incorporating the latest in critical biblical scholarship and written from a distinctively evangelical perspective, each volume provides historical and literary insights and examines exegetical, pastoral, and theological details. Readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the text and how to apply it to everyday life.”
Jude: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary
This volume is incredibly thorough! Keep in mind that the book of Jude consists of 1 chapter and only 25 verses. Now consider that this book is just shy of 500 pages! Bateman doesn’t hold back!
I love this volume (and series in general) because it deals with the original languages. Bateman deals with the Greek all over this book. The Greek is not transliterated, nor is it relegated to footnotes. The main body of the text provides the original language which is very helpful for pastors, teachers, and serious Bible students that want to see exactly how the author is dealing with the text. However, please don’t be discouraged if you are unfamiliar with the original languages, for the author provides an English translation immediately following the verse in the original language.
I want to highlight some other excellent aspects of this volume. I’ll begin with the introduction. Bateman’s intro covers the typical issues that are found in intros of commentaries. He discusses the author, recipients, date, occasion and setting, purpose, and more. I like that he dealt with Jude’s links to other literature since that has often puzzled me. His section on theological and practical emphases is also noteworthy.
The layout of this volume is very user-friendly and helpful. Each section, or chapter, begins with an introduction to that particular passage. This is followed by the text in its original language. After that, there is a section on textual notes that deal with variants and reasons for choosing one manuscript over another. There is then an English translation of the text. This is then followed by the commentary. I appreciate that every verse is in bold, which makes it very helpful when searching for a specific verse. At the end of the commentary section, there is a section with “Biblical Theology Comments”. This is pure gold, and an excellent addition to any already outstanding volume. Then, to make it even better, there is an “Application and Devotional Implications” section. If it seems like I’m getting too excited, please let me explain. Most commentaries are either technical (dealing with the original languages and critical issues), theological, or pastoral/devotional in nature. This series runs the full gamut! There is nobody left out. All will find something in this volume that is very satisfying to them, and if you’re like me, you’ll find all of its features to be satisfying!
Bateman’s treatment is first class. There are a lot of hard verses to interpret in the book of Jude, and Bateman doesn’t even attempt to bypass them. He dives headlong right into the controversial aspects of this book of Scripture. The church can be very grateful for his excellent work! For all of these reasons, it is with great joy that I highly recommend this wonderful commentary on Jude.
Disclaimer: My thanks to Lexham Press for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Other Books We’ve Reviewed in the Evangelical Exegetical Commentary Series:
Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
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