"The New Testament in Color" (Esau McCaulley, Janette H. Ok, Osvaldo Padilla, & Amy Peeler)

TITLE: The New Testament in Color - A Multiethnic Bible Commentary
AUTHOR: Esau McCaulley, Janette H. Ok, Osvaldo Padilla, & Amy Peeler
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2024, (792 pages).
 

There are many commentaries out there in the market. Most are written by scholars and theologians who are male, white and live in the North Western Hemisphere. Contributions from women are just becoming more regular. Those from Asian, African, and non-white backgrounds are also appearing. We have all been shaped by commentaries from the Majority-White cultural backgrounds. For all their good intent, there is a danger of mainstream commentaries that lack diversity in biblical interpretation. All commentaries are interpretations from a specific background. They are influenced by culture, historical contexts, and to some extent, ethnic backgrounds. How can we present a more holistic commentary that encompasses a wider representation of the human race? This book is an attempt to do just that. With esteemed scholars from all over the Christian world, this "Multiethnic Bible Commentary" brings together a host of scholars from different ethnic groups. The African-American section interprets from the lens of slavery and the quest for fuller acceptance in society. The Asian-American chapter interprets from an immigrant's perspective while the Hispanic-American views Scriptures from a marginalized position. For the Native-American, they see things from the goodness of their culture. Writing on the White-Majority perspective, the starting point is "repentance, humility, unity, and communion."

Following that are commentaries by a multiethnic community on every book of the New Testament.

My Thoughts

This is a fresh commentary on the New Testament from the perspectives of different ethnic groups in America, namely, the African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, Native-American, as well as the Majority-View-White American. Let me offer three thoughts about this book. Firstly, it is a commendable effort to integrate different perspectives from different ethnic groups. Many commentaries we now have are indeed written from a White-Majority perspective. Even those who are non-white have been trained in a typically White-Majority culture, which some might argue, is not natively original from the ethnic standpoint. To be fair, I concede that many honest voices have spoken well on behalf of cultures not their own. Yet, whatever the good intent, there is no escaping questions surrounding the "nature vs nurture" argument. Can a white truly speak on behalf of cultures that are non-white? Can a non-white nurtured in a white environment speak accurately about interpretations from his own cultural perspective? Whatever it is, I must say it is a good start to incorporate more awareness that there are different voices that we can learn and benefit from.

Secondly, we should be careful not to generalize any one people group. I cannot imagine the pressure on any one author to write accurately and fairly on behalf of their ethnic group. For within every label, whether Asian, American, African, or Native, many more subgroups could claim different points of view. The danger of such commentaries is the generalization of views based on one chapter. Even if the author has no such intent, there is no preventing some readers from drawing their own conclusions. Thus, I would caution any reader to read these perspectives with an open mind and not to shut the door on other perspectives from groups not explicitly represented. The various contributors may write from their respective cultural and social angles, but that does not necessarily mean they speak for their entire people group. Suffice to say that the purpose of such a commentary is to offer an alternative view on top of the usual commentaries that we have been using.

Finally, there is a common theme for every group. If there is one common theme among all, it is the word marginalized. Throughout history, even today, Christians have been ostracized, marginalized, and persecuted. Every ethnic group has been marginalized in some way. Even the White-Majority Christians are pushed to the margins by atheism and secular society. Looking at the first letter of Peter, regardless of ethnicity, the message is common for all these groups, that we are all resident aliens, minorities in our communities. Peter wrote to the diaspora across five regions of his massive ministry and summarized it as follows: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you." Peter could very well have addressed the diaspora according to the various ethnic groups: Africans, Asians, Latinos, Natives, Whites, Blacks, etc. Instead of trying to upend one another, why not come together, share perspectives, and agree that the gospel is way bigger than any one interpretation or ethnic group? May this commentary help build better bridges of understanding for all groups.

One problem I have is being distracted by various ethnic interpretive angles rather than examining the Word for what it is saying. Perhaps this is due to the unique focus of this commentary, of being "in color" instead of (for the lack of a better word) "neutral." Of course, no interpretation is neutral. Thus the way forward is to use this commentary to complement the conventional commentaries. The key use of such a commentary is complement, not replacement. Hopefully, this might spur similar works from countries outside North America to expand the range of understanding about how culture and ethnicity affect biblical interpretation. 

In summary, this is a useful commentary to cast greater light on the Bible.

Esau McCaulley is associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. He is the author of many works including Sharing in the Son’s Inheritance and Reading While Black. He is a contributing opinion writer for the The New York Times, and his writing has also appeared in places such as The Atlantic and The Washington Post.

Janette H. Ok is associate professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. She is the author of Constructing Ethnic Identity in 1 Peter (T and T Clark). She is currently writing a commentary on the Letters of John (NICNT, Eerdmans) and To Be and Be Seen, coauthored with Jordan J. Cruz Ryan (Baker Academic).

Osvaldo Padilla is professor of New Testament and theology at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, where he has taught for the last fifteen years. He has published on the Acts of the Apostles and Paul. He is a member of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas.

Amy Peeler is Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College and an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church (USA). She is the author of Women and the Gender of God (Eerdmans) and a commentary on Hebrews (Commentaries for Christian Formation, Eerdmans).

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

conrade

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