Reformation Heritage Books has recently published another volume in their excellent commentary series called The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament. The latest addition is Philippians by David T.A. Strain.
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There are many different types of commentaries, and one of my favorites is the pastoral/devotional/expository brand of commentaries. The Lectio Continua is a great place to find that type! These commentaries are written from a Reformed perspective, and each is written by a pastor-scholar who has preached the content to a local church. The introduction mentions that lectio continua preaching is “simply the uninterrupted, systematic, expository proclamation of God’s Word—verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book—that endeavors to deliver the whole counsel of God.” In these commentaries, the reader will find some of the finest expository commentary on the New Testament that will be sure to affect the mind and the heart!
One endorser of Strain’s book has said that “these sermons wonderfully exemplify the characteristics of good preaching found in the Westminster Assembly’s Directory for Public Worship.” That’s a great compliment, and I believe that Strain is worthy of it. Strain proves to be a competent, wise pastor who knows how to exegetically and theologically handle the Word of God!
This volume is a lot shorter in comparison to the already existing other volumes as it comes in at only 176 pages. There are 16 chapters, and though much shorter than the others, it is packed full of content! Strain is a word-smith who doesn’t waste any time; he just gives you the important content without any filler. At times, I did wish that he would go further in his explanation of the text, explaining further why a certain interpretation is the proper one. Strain is also not going to deal with critical issues or textual issues in this volume, as that’s not the aim of this series. He often refers to the Greek in order to better explain what the text is saying, but the reader will have no issues with that (as the Greek is always transliterated alongside the actual Greek).
The one weakness of the book is the format. Each chapter begins with the passage at the top of the page, and the commentary follows immediately after that. Though there are headings throughout the chapter (which I do like), there are no indicators of which verse is being exegeted throughout the chapter. There are no verse markings in the margins, and the verses aren’t even found in bold. Most (not all) commentaries, including expository commentaries, have some sort of method of indicating where a new section (a new verse or group of verses) begins, and this usually consists of the verses in bold or the verses (i.e. 2:5-6) in the margin beside the text. If one is reading through this commentary from cover to cover, this will not be an issue. However, if somebody were to consult this volume with the intent on looking up a specific passage, it isn’t very convenient. Now with that weakness, it must be kept in mind that this is an expository series, and therefore it will not necessarily be as systematic as a more technical commentary is. So though I find this to be a weakness, it’s not a big deal.
Strain’s exegesis and interpretations are constantly refreshing and good for the soul. He does an excellent job at providing historical illustrations and points of application throughout the book. The reader will surely feel their heart stirred up to worship the Triune God as they read through this volume!
I have personally loved every one of these volumes so far, and Philippians is no different. I highly recommend RHB’s new volume on Philippians to any and all Christians. This is not a technical commentary that is reserved for pastors and scholars, but it is accessible to all laymen as well. I gladly recommend it to you. Tolle Lege, take up and read!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Reformation Heritage Books 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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