Saturday, February 19, 2022

Review of Goldingay, The Book of Lamentations

READING ACTS: John Goldingay, The Book of Lamentations (NICOT) (Phil Long).
Goldingay, John. The Book of Lamentations. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2022. 228 pp. Hb; $40.00 Link to Eerdmans
I found this intriguing:
Following the commentary on each poem, he offers a brief “Readers Response.” What would someone worshiping in Bethel or Mizpah think about the poem? These are short imaginary responses are creative and moving. They are not the sort of thing one usually finds an accidental commentary. This is not a basic pastoral application, nor is it an attempt to create canonical connections with the New Testament is is all the rage in some commentary series. Goldingay invites us into the post-exilic world and asks us to think and feel along with the original worshipers who used these poems to cope with the catastrophe in which they were currently living.
I'm not sure what "an accidental commentary" is. Perhaps a a derailed autocorrect for "in a critical commentary?" But in any case, I like the idea of the imaginary ancient reader's response.

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