"Handbook on the Gospels" (Benjamin L. Gladd)

TITLE: Handbook on the Gospels (Handbooks on the New Testament)
AUTHOR: Benjamin L. Gladd
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (464 pages).

This is the third volume of Baker's Handbook series on the New Testament. The first volume deals with Acts and Paul's letters while the second covers Hebrews to Revelation. With space dedicated to just four gospels, author and professor Benjamin Gladd is able to go more in-depth compared to the other two. Some of his basic presuppositions include:

• Seeing the four gospels as unique and complementary to the description of the Life and Person of Jesus Christ;
• The gospel of Mark was written first;
• Two-Source Theory (Mark and Q);
• In the synoptic gospels, Matthew and Luke copied materials from Mark and Q;
• Advice for readers to start with the gospel of Mark.

This handbook locates itself between a detailed verse-by-verse commentary and a birdseye view introductory volume. It is written to enable readers to quickly grasp the essential themes of the gospels without getting bogged down by details and endless footnotes. Written for people ranging from professors of theology to laypersons, it is an easy-to-use reference book. Aimed to be both theological and pastoral, the key feature is to enable faithful understanding of the text with "clarity and accessibility."  Readers get to read the gospels by situating themselves within the context of the first century Jewish, Graeco-Roman culture and life. The framework of the chapters is as follows:

1. Introduction (Authorship, Date, Purpose)
2. Outline
3. Commentary
4. Resource List

My Thoughts

This book does what it has set out to do, to be a handy easy reference guide for anyone wanting to better grasp the gospels. Let me give three quick thoughts. First, read the introduction. It is tempting for readers to jump directly into the commentary but I would advise against that. The introduction is a not-to-be-missed section as it contains lots of descriptions about the uniqueness of each gospel. For instance, Mark's purpose is to develop and prepare readers for the arrival of the kingdom. Matthew stresses the growth of the kingdom while Luke outlines the scope of God's kingdom, both vertical and horizontal. John was written that readers may believe Jesus is the Son of God. For some laypersons, all the gospels appear the same. However, a careful read would reveal a lot of unique details. This book enables readers to see the finer differences that many generally don't notice. Second, remember the outline. It is worth spending time just checking out the structure of the book. This helps readers to situate their micro-readings within the larger context of the gospel. The general flow of the outline is directly related to the purpose of the gospel as described by Gladd. Finally, I find the book very readable. The style flows easily from one passage to another. With clearly marked passage chapter and verse numbers, each section has a clearly labeled title to give readers a gist of the passage. As the handbook does not have the full NIV text to accompany the commentary, it is advisable for readers to have an open Bible next to this handbook for reference. 

This book's strength lies in its accessibility to the general reader. With clearly marked titles and passage descriptions, readers could easily follow the flow of thought. Just as the publishers had intended, this book gives readers a quick overview and prompt commentary for readers wanting to get a gist of the gospel passage. On controversial passages like Mark 16:9-20 and John 7:53-8:11, I am glad that the author did not skip them but offer a brief clarification on the disputed verses. Like any handbook or commentaries, I would offer a word of caution. All commentaries are effectively an interpretation by the authors. Conventional wisdom has it that readers ought to study the Bible passage first before consulting any commentaries. Unfortunately, there will always be those who rush through the Bible passages, hasten a quick interpretation before diving into a commentary. For this group, I could recommend skimming this book's outline, then spend some time reading and praying over the Bible passages, before reading the commentaries. This handbook enables one to skim quickly and gain thoughtful scholarly insights about the gospels without getting lost in numerous theological jargon.

Dr. Benjamin L. Gladd is Associate Professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson, MS). He holds a B.A. in Greek and Hebrew from The Master’s College (2001) M.A. in Biblical Exegesis from Wheaton College (2003), Ph.D. from Wheaton College in New Testament in 2008. 

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.