Book Briefs: “Acts (EP Study Commentary)” by Guy Prentiss Waters

Acts (EP Study Commentary) by Guy Prentiss WatersCommentaries come in all types and sizes. Some are daunting: a thousand pages long, detailed Greek and Hebrew in the body of the text, voluminous footnotes and interaction with a variety of ancient literature beyond the Biblical text itself. Others are a glorified sermonettes with a few points of application.

In the latest volume for the “Evangelical Press Study Commentary” series, Guy Prentiss Waters provides an accessible volume designed for the typical pastor or lay teacher today. He covers the book of Acts and his writing style is warm and inviting. The book is more of a survey of the interpretive landscape with a focus on what matters for pastors teaching through the text. There is not much discussion of Greek, and the footnotes routinely direct the reader to other resources for more detailed discussions of various questions.

This summary nature of the book may make it less useful to more versed scholars, but for the average pastor it clears the plate to focus on the good stuff. Additionally, Waters has combed through a variety of works and saved us the time by quoting the best portions of these commentaries and highlighting which discussions are worth interacting with in those other works. The book is long (614 pages), but the font is large with extra generous spacing, and even the footnotes are easily readable.

Waters approaches the text as a Reformed author, so he does not promote a charismatic reading of the text. He highlights the covenantal nature of the gospel emphasizing the household conversions that feature so prominently in Reformed defenses of paedobaptism. Another key feature of the commentary are the frequent application sections throughout the book.

This book will be useful in study, and prove to be a help for many. You don’t have to just take my word for it, let me also share a few blurbs from prominent Evangelical leaders recommending this work.

Blurbs:
“Guy Waters’s Study Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles is exegetically and theologically sound, cogently reasoned and clearly written. I highly recommend this commentary to pastors and teachers preparing to preach and teach Acts, and to anyone interested in a readable exposition of Luke’s unique account of the risen Lord Jesus’ words and deeds through his chosen witnesses.”
—Dennis E. Johnson, Professor of Practical Theology, Westminster Seminary California

“In an age of multiplying commentaries, some of them very technical and some exceedingly popular, Guy Waters has contributed a mid- level work that is robustly theological, written in straightforward English, and designed to be edifying. This is a commentary that will make many friends among serious Bible readers.”
—D. A. Carson, Research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and co-founder of The Gospel Coalition

“Dr. Waters is the ideal commentator on Acts. Scholarly, pastoral, theological — all these and more combine in making this my first resource for Luke’s second volume. An outstanding contribution to the series and deserving of the appellation, “Essential”!”
—Derek W. H. Thomas, The Robert Strong Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology, RTS Atlanta; Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, SC

Where to Buy:
Pick up a copy of this book at any of the following online retailers: Amazon, ChristianBook.com, or direct from Evangelical Press.

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by Evangelical Press via CrossFocusedReviews.com. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.

The Rise of Young-Earth Creationism

40 Questions about Creation and Evolution by Kenneth D. Keathley and Mark F. RookerToday among conservative evangelicals there is a concerted effort to defend the “biblical” position that the earth is young. Growing up in fundamentalist Baptist circles, I like many others, simply assumed this was the Bible’s clear teaching. I also assumed that this was the historic position of the church.

There are plenty of good arguments for young earth creationism (YEC) as it is known today. These arguments have persuaded a majority of evangelicals that this is the Bible’s teaching and the position to stand for.

But has support for a young-earth position always been this widespread? Judging from the last 200 years, the answer appears to be a decided no. Today, that support is weakening and authors Kenneth D. Keathley and Mark F. Rooker have recently given us a book to help evangelical Christians sort through this question and the wider creation-evolution controversy. In their book, 40 Questions about Creation and Evolution,  Keathley and Rooker point out that the young earth position took center stage only in the last 50 years.

Before I provide an excerpt with their comments, I do want to speak briefly about this helpful book. I appreciate the openness each author has in carefully laying out the evidence (good and bad) for the various positions that evangelicals hold. One of the authors favors young earth creationism, and another leans toward the old earth view. But both take pains to speak charitably of the other positions and honestly about the difficulties of his own view. Their irenic candor and careful grappling with the major positions, is what makes this book such a joy to read. A full review of this book will come later, but for now, I wanted to offer this excerpt for your reading and possible discussion.

Here is an excerpt related to the origins of today’s young-earth creationism. I should note that unlike some other works which point out the history behind the YEC position, this book does not malign that view and in pointing out the history it does, is not using the “guilt by association” tactic either.

The Rise of Young-Earth Creationism

As we noted earlier, most Christians, including evangelicals, accepted the view that the universe was millions and perhaps billions of years old. [My comment: he is speaking of Christians in the 18th and 19th Centuries.] This is true up through the first half of the twentieth century. R.A. Torrey (1856-1928), who helped to found both Moody Bible Institute and Biola University and who edited a series of books called The Fundamentals (from which we get the term “fundamentalist”), held to the gap theory. Even William Jennings Bryan, of the Scopes Monkey Trials fame, held to a day-age interpretation of Genesis 1.

Two of the most ardent anti-evolutionists of the twentieth century were W.B. Riley (1861-1947) and Harry Rimmer (1890-1952). Riley, editor of The Christian Fundamentalist and president of the Anti-Evolution League of America, held to the day-age position. Riley insisted that there was not “an intelligent fundamentalist who claims that the earth was made six thousand years ago: and the Bible never taught any such thing.” Rimmer, a self-educated layman and apologist known for his debating skills, held to the gap theory. In a celebrated series of debates, the two men argued for their respective positions with Rimmer generally considered to have been the victor.

Until 1960, the view that the proper interpretation of Genesis requires that the earth be less than 10,000 years old was advocated almost exclusively by George McCready Price, an apologist for Seventh-Day Adventists. Seventh-Day Adventists believe that the writings of their denomination’s founder, Ellen G. White, are divinely inspired and are to be treated as Scripture. White claimed she received a vision in which God carried her back to the original week of creation. There, she said, God showed her that the original week was seven days like any other week. Price worked tirelessly to defend White’s position as the only view that did not compromise biblical authority.

In 1961, John Whitcomb (1924-) and Henry Morris (1918-2006) published The Genesis Flood, which has sold over 300,000 copies and launched the modern creationist movement. Whitcomb and Morris argued that Ussher’s approach to determining the age of the universe was generally sound and that he universe must be less than 10,000 years old. Combining flood geology with the mature creation hypothesis, The Genesis Flood presented a compelling case for young-earth creationism. It would be difficult to exaggerate this book’s impact in shaping evangelical attitudes toward the question of the age of the earth. In many circles, adherence to a young earth is a point of orthodoxy. (p. 187-188)

When I first learned this, I was amazed. It freed me to rethink the matter from a new light. If good Christian leaders like R.A. Torrey, B.B. Warfield and the like could uphold direct creationism yet allow for an old earth, perhaps the matter is not such a do-or-die point. This doesn’t speak to the acceptance of evolution or a rejection of a historical Adam. The book’s authors do draw some clear lines in the sand, but when it comes to the age of the universe, that is a matter on which they agree to charitably disagree. May more of us follow this approach to the controversy. The age of the earth need not be a slippery slope, and good Christians are found on both sides of this debate.

UPDATE: Read my review of this book here.

Check out the book’s detail page at Kregel.com, where you can find an excerpt. Or pick up a copy at any of the following retailers:

Christianbook.com
Amazon.com
Direct from Kregel

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Kregel Academic for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

“Mission Accomplished: A Two-Week Family Easter Devotional” by Scott James

Mission Accomplished by Scott James

Book Details:
• Author: Scott James
• Publisher: New Growth Press (2015)
• Format: hardback
• Page Count: 48
• ISBN#: 9781939946577
• List Price: $13.99
• Rating: Must Read

Publisher’s Description:
Rediscover the greatest rescue mission in history with your children. Spend the week before and after Easter walking with Jesus through the suffering of the cross, the joy of the resurrection, and the beginning of Christianity. Each of the fourteen devotions takes just ten minutes and is suitable for children of all ages. Included are family activities and hymns to help your family remember and apply the truth that Christ is risen indeed!

Review:
Looking for an easy to use resource for helping your kids go deeper into the Bible story this Easter? Scott James has given us a beautiful resource in his book Mission Accomplished: A Two-Week Family Easter Devotional (New Growth Press, 2015). This book is intended to lead families through a devotional each day the week before and the week following Easter.

I’ll jump to the chase. Get this book, and order it now. Westminster Bookstore has it for only $10.50! You still have time to get this by Palm Sunday.

I haven’t seen another devotional that is as Gospel-centered and true to the text, nor one as helpful and clearly laid out, as this little two-week devotional.

Each day’s reading is organized as follows: a selection of Scripture to be read, a short devotional (about 1 page), discussion questions (with answers for the parents), a suggestion about what to pray about in response to the lesson, and then either a family activity or a song to sing that is related to the lesson. The activities are usually a craft that is engaging for young minds. The songs are hymns. I appreciate that the text is not included, this will help kids learn to interact with their own Bibles.

The illustrations by A.E. Macha are bright and cheerful, but not overpowering. The insights and connections with the Old Testament (particularly the Passover and the sacrificial lamb), are very helpful and simple enough for young children to understand. I suspect that elementary and middle school children will be most appreciative of the book, but it can be used with even younger children.

I highly recommend this work and trust it will be a blessing to Christian families everywhere.

Excerpt:
This excerpt concerns Jesus’ driving out the money changers from the Temple.

Jesus then went into the temple — the House of God — and he did not like what he saw. The outer court of the temple was the one place where people could come and pray from all over the world (the inner part of the temple was just for the Jewish people). But the outer court was so full of people doing the business of the temple (exchanging money and selling the animals for sacrifice) that there was no room for the nations. God’s plan had always been that the whole world would be blessed through Jesus (Genesis 12:2-3), but instead of welcoming the rest of the world, the money changers and those selling animals were making sure there was no room for them. Not only that, the place that was supposed to show a clear picture of God’s greatness and holiness was full of cheaters and crooks. Jesus defended his Father’s name and made room for the Gentiles by running these people out of the temple.

As Jesus taught about what it means to have a true relationship with God, the angry religious leaders began to think about how they could get rid of Jesus. They were not interested in hearing about how they needed to be rescued. (p. 20)

Blurbs:
“Scott James has provided families with an easy-to-use, yet spiritually enriching Easter devotional. Starting with the events leading to the cross through the ascension of Jesus, families are encouraged to read the corresponding Scripture, discuss the passage, and make application through questioning and activities. In addition, many selections include a rich hymn to use in family worship. This little book is a great tool for focusing the hearts of your family members on the reality of Jesus’s redemptive mission.”
—Sally Michael, Author; cofounder of Children Desiring God

“A delightful, biblical, practical help for family worship during the Easter season. It connects the passion of Christ with the purpose of God, beckoning families to play our part in the greatest mission in all of history—the redemption of men and women all over the world.”
—David Platt, President of the International Mission Board; Author of Radical

Mission Accomplished is just the sort of resource families need; one that draws them into the Bible, points them to Jesus, and stirs them to worship. For such a short book it provides a delightfully rich sampling of the many reasons we have to celebrate Easter.”
—Jack Klumpenhower, Author of Show Them Jesus: Teaching the Gospel to Kids

About the Author:
Scott James (MD), is an elder at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL, where he also serves in the children’s and youth ministries. Professionally, he works as a pediatric physician and researcher. Scott and his wife Jaime have four children–Will, Kirstine, Benjamin, and Bethan. He is also the author of The Expected One: Anticipating All of Jesus in Advent.

Where to Buy:
• Amazon
• Westminster Bookstore
• Christianbook.com
• direct through New Growth Press.

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by New Growth Press. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

Book Briefs: “Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who Suffer from Depression” by Zack Eswine

Spurgeon's Sorrows by Zack EswineChristianity is a religion of the heart, and Evangelicalism especially emphasizes personal conversion and spiritual transformation. Our churches are very good at diagnosing spiritual maladies and confronting the problem of personal sin. But we often stumble in our efforts to help those afflicted by mental anguish, physical suffering and especially depression.

Depression directly contradicts the emotions that Scripture commends, and even commands. We are to “rejoice always” and to “count it all joy.” So a common temptation is to chalk up depression to the category of self-inflicted pain and ultimately reduce it to a sin problem. The conservative tendency to distrust psychologists and especially psychiatrists only adds to the problem.

Author Zack Eswine comments on this tendency:

Religion offers both a challenge and a help to those who suffer mental disorders. This challenge surfaces when preachers assume that depression is always and only a sin. They pour gasoline on the fire and wonder why it rages rather than calms those they try to help. At the same time, studies today confirm that those with mental health challenges simply do much better if they are part of a religious community. (Kindle location, 495)

This contemporary problem is not so contemporary after all. Charles Spurgeon the great Baptist preacher of the nineteenth century, was all too intimately acquainted with this problem. Eswine explores this little known side of the great preacher in his new book Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who Suffer from Depression (Christian Focus, 2014). Spurgeon himself suffered from persistent bouts of depression. He sought medical treatment and at times took sabbaticals to restore his health. He was also never shy about admitting this problem, and his candor led him to be a magnet for those seeking help themselves.

Eswine’s book traces Spurgeon’s history and his approach to discussing this problem and counseling those with the problem. Spurgeon’s own personal thoughts and experience shed’s light on that of many in today’s church.

Eswine writes with care and resists a simplistic approach to the problem. He doesn’t shy away from spiritual considerations either. Spurgeon himself was like that. At times he spoke with great compassion of those afflicted by sorrows and despair, and at other times he challenged them toward greater faith. We are both physical and spiritual beings and no counsel is a one-size-fits-all solution.

Even the darkest pits that depression can lead to were roads travelled by the preacher. He found solace in Elijah and Job and others who like him, had despaired of life and wished to die. Eswine quotes Spurgeon and crafts his book with care, trying to help the wounded and encourage them to find hope in a body of believers.

The book is a bit disjointed and segmented. But that seems intentional, and is written with an eye to what those suffering from depression can withstand. Short chapters, brief thoughts, simple conclusions and applications. Encouraging thought and offering help without a judgemental attitude. One oddity in the book is the author’s repeated use of Spurgeon’s first name. This may be intended to be less off-putting for the depressed reader. It might make “Charles” seem more approachable. I found it jarring and odd, but that may just be me!

There is much that caregivers can learn as well in these pages, and the author’s use of Spurgeon’s insights along with some contemporary authors, provides help in how to deal with those struggling with this problem in our churches today. I recommend the book and hope its message is a blessing and help to many.

Pick up a copy of this book at any of the following online retailers: Amazon, Westminster Bookstore, ChristianBook.com, or direct from Christian Focus.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.

Book Briefs: “Samuel Rutherford (Bitesize Biographies)” by Richard Hannula

Samuel Rutherford (Bitsize Biographies)Samuel Rutherford is perhaps the best known Scottish Puritan. But his life and history seem not to be as widely remembered as other Puritan ministers. Rutherford’s legacy lays chiefly in collections of his profound and moving personal letters.

Richard Hannula brings renewed attention to Samuel Rutherford in his contribution to the “Bitesize Biographies” series from Evangelical Press (2014).

Rutherford had humble beginnings and even a possibly scandalous start to his ministry. He ended up resigning his post at the University of Edinburgh after some possible impropriety with his fiance. This may have been just an ill rumor, and Hannula doesn’t take pains to sort out the facts too closely, but moves on in his simple and straightforward account of Rutherford’s life.

The next chapter of Rutherford’s life finds him as a humble pastor in Anworth. And there he labored in preaching and declaring the loveliness of Christ. His life was caught up in the perils of Scotland’s church, and his Reformed stance eventually landed him in exile 200 miles to the north. And it was this exile that may have birthed his precious letters. He wrote to his flock at Anworth and encouraged them to remain true to the Reformed faith.

Eventually when the Reformed party was in ascendancy, Rutherford was appointed as a professor against his will, in the University of St. Andrews, where he would serve for the remainder of his life. Rutherford’s scholarship was important and his devotion for Christ was unquestioned. He was needed to help shape the future pastors for Scotland. And so he did.

Rutherford was influential as a member of the Scottish delegation to the Westminster Assembly in London, which gave to the church the most enduring English confession, the Westminster Confession of Faith. He played a part in its shape, defending a Presbyterian form of church government. He also helped work on the catechisms.

This story includes the founding of the National Covenant in Scotland and the various wars against Charles I, and the eventual betrayal brought by Charles II when Scottish Covenanters unwisely accepted his promises in exchange for help. The intricacies of Scottish history still baffle me, but the phrase “for Crown and Covenant” has new meaning for me. Ultimately, the Crown was restored and went on to persecute the Reformed branch of the Church of Scotland mercilessly and again Samuel is found writing letters of encouragement to ministers who will soon lose their lives. Rutherford himself would have faced a martyr’s death but for his own sickness that eventually took his life. After his death, Rutherford’s letters were collected and published, and they continue to be widely readable and an enduring devotional classic.

This little book is not a true biography and includes no end notes or footnotes at all. It does recommend works for further study. It is a sympathetic biography too. And further, it is packed with quotes from Rutherford’s much prized correspondence and so it is part biography, part devotional classic in itself.

A few snippets from Rutherford’s letters may encourage my readers to pick up this book and learn more:

I find it a sweet and rich thing to exchange my sorrows with Christ’s joys, my afflictions for that sweet peace I have with Him.

Believe Christ’s love more than your own feelings.

Your heart is not the compass that Christ sails by.

O if you saw the beauty of Jesus, and smelled the fragrance of His love, you would run through fire and water to be at Him.

It is not I, but Christ; not I, but grace; not I, but God’s glory; not I, but God’s love constraining me; not I, but the Lord’s Word; not I, but Christ’s commanding power in me!

You must in all things aim at God’s honour; you must eat, drink, sleep, buy, sell, sit, stand, speak, pray, read, and hear the Word, with a heart-purpose that God may be honoured.

Woe unto us for these sad divisions that make us lose the fair scent of the Rose of Sharon!

When the head is filled with topics, and none of the flamings of Christ’s love in the heart, how dry are all disputes? Far too often, fervour of dispute in the head weakens love in the heart.

Glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel’s land. [Rutherford’s last words]

(pp. 64-65, 106, 115-116, 132)

The work makes for a quick read, but many of the quotations merit contemplation and extended meditation. In fact, this book makes me want to get a copy of Rutherford’s letters to read the quotes in their fuller context. I recommend this book for those looking to learn from the spiritual journey of a man whose writings continue to bless the Church as a whole. It is an admirable introduction to Rutherford’s life and a testament ultimately to God’s grace.

Pick up a copy of this book at any of the following online retailers: Amazon, Monergism Books, or direct from EP Books.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.