Joshua, Judges, Ruth. Edited by N. Scott Amos

Abstract

A sequel to the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (ACCS) by InterVarsity Press, the 28-volume Reformation Commentary on Scripture (RCS) series provides an invaluable resource for scholars, preachers, and teachers. According to the general editor, Timothy George, and in line with the publisher’s mission to equip the Church, the series’ primary purpose is ‘pastoral and devotional’ (p. xx). Like its predecessor, the RCS sets out pericopes of biblical text of varying lengths in canonical order, followed by excerpts of exegetical biblical commentaries from a wide range of sixteenth-century writers, some of which have not previously been translated into English. The biblical translation provided is the English Standard Version rather than the Revised Standard Version (used in the ACCS), although the series editor, Timothy George, gives no rationale for the choice of translation. Among the key features that makes the series so accessible are its clear layout, editorial summaries, and use of headings. A title introduces each passage of Scripture, as well as each individual excerpt of commentary, sermon, or other writing. There is a brief overview accompanying each pericope from the volume editor that introduces the main themes and observations made by the Reformation writers. At the back of the volume are several valuable resources, including a map of Europe at the time of the Reformation, a timeline that details key events in different parts of Europe, brief biographical sketches of key Reformation thinkers and their works (a cumulative list from the RCS), a bibliography, an index of authors and writings, a subject index, and a Scripture index. These have all been carefully set out to produce a very user-friendly publication.