A Brief Book Notice from Books At a Glance
by Fred Zaspel
Upon the release of the first edition of Andreas Köstenberger’s BTCP commentary on Paul’s letters to Timothy, I spent a bit of time perusing it and recognized immediately that it was worthy of note, so we interviewed him about his work then. More recently, I have had occasion to spend more time with the commentary myself. I have found it wonderfully profitable, and so I wanted to give it another shout out.
The commentary is valuable in two basic respects. First, the commentary itself is as we have come to expect from Köstenberger. It is marked by careful consideration of all the factors necessary for a good commentary – exegesis / exposition, context, biblical theological connections, and so on. He has provided a firmly reliable guide to these Pauline letters – letters that do not receive the attention that many of his others enjoy.
Second, he provides at the end of his commentary an entire section on “Biblical and Theological Themes” of these letters. This lengthy analysis – about 200 pages – is by itself worth the price of admission. Wonderfully insightful, informative, and strikingly practical. For example, any pastor looking to expound these letters will find Köstenberger’s unpacking of Paul’s mission as reflected in these letters a treasured and enlightening resource.
In short, just what you’d want from a commentary. Highly recommended.