Charles Quarles is the author of Matthew, a volume in the Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary series published by Lexham Academic.
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Matthew: Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (EBTC)
This is a very large 800-page commentary on the Gospel of Matthew! Dr. Quarles mentions that this is his fourth book on the Gospel of Matthew, so he is no stranger to this particular book of the New Testament. He begins the book with a 45-page introduction that deals with the typical introductory matters: author, date, provenance, structure, outline, etc. Following that is the Biblical-Theological Themes section that is included in every volume in this series. Quarles deals with fourteen topics that fall under three categories (Christological titles, other Christological descriptions, and other important topics). I expected to see more material in this Biblical-Theological section, given how large this Gospel is and the large amount of topics found within it. Nevertheless, the material that is presented is very well done and worth referencing from time to time as one studies the Gospel of Matthew.
The next section of the book is the commentary itself, and it consists of just under 700 pages. I want to comment on two aspects of this section: (1) the layout, and (2) the content.
- Layout
There are aspects of the layout that I love, and some that I highly dislike. I love the structure! Every passage contains the following sections: Scripture, context, exegesis, and bridge. This is simple and straightforward. Now, I don’t like that individual verses are not placed in the margin or emboldened so that the reader can quickly find the verse they are looking for. This may sound like I’m being nitpicky, but this is a serious flaw in my opinion. As somebody who consults commentaries daily, I am typically looking for commentary on a specific verse. When I pick up a commentary, I expect to be able to quickly find the verse(s) that I’m seeking to better understand. Unfortunately, this is not the case with this commentary. - Content
I have not read this entire commentary, but what I have read is excellent! Sometimes the exegesis sections were too short, leaving me wanting more information. The same could be said for the bridge sections. But again, the material that was provided was great. I appreciate the bridge sections which provide a summary of the passage and, at times, ways to apply the text. Quarles proved why he was chosen to write this particular volume.
Other Reviews of Commentaries in the EBTC Series:
I would certainly recommend this commentary for those who want to grow in their understanding of the Gospel of Matthew. Tolle lege, take up and read!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Lexham Academic for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
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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