Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: Romans Paperback – November 1, 2005

In terms of meeting my needs, I would give this 2*, but I believe I am well outside the target audience.First, my background. I am a lay person in a bible study. Romans is the third book we have tackled. For my own method of preparing for the bible study, I have found that reading the text in multiple translations (generally NRSV, TM, and NIV) AND reading a commentary about each chapter is the best way for me to make a meaningful connection to God's word. Just reading the text does not always get me to think about the passage as deeply as I would like. A commentary helps me to make connections that I might not otherwise make.The versions that I had used for my previous two books of the bible studies were not available in electronic form for Romans, so I decided to go in another direction, and while this commentary was a little longer than I would have picked, I thought I actually wanted a little more depth than the commentaries I had used for John and Acts. I often love more pedagogical writing than most of my friends so I thought this might be a little more than I needed but that I could handle it. I definitely got more than I bargained for.I can appreciate the detailed explanation that the author has provided in terms of lots of details. He explains nuanced differences of seemingly every word choice that Paul used. I love how he explains when certain translations use what in his mind is an incorrect translation (such as NIV or NRSV) and that perspective. He appears to do a lot of interesting analysis tying to a LOT of original source material. It appears to be very scholarly and well researched. The author appears to have a very thorough understanding. I was able to pick up a few nuggets but the details became excruciating to me. I started to dread rather than look forward to my reading in preparation for my bible study. So after three chapters, I have ordered hard copies of other commentaries I have used in the past. Based on some other reviews, it appears that perhaps someone preparing for an MDiv might gain from this deep scholarly work, but it is just too much for me as a lay person. But I also don't want to penalize the rating too much for what is clearly aimed at someone else.

Keck has provided a phenomenal commentary on Romans. He almost seamlessly bridges the gap between scholarship and the layperson. Having combed through multiple commentaries from intermediate (Tyndale) to extremely technical (Word), I have found this one to be the best. Keck's competence is immediately apparent. He has done his research and deserves our attention. His writing style lends itself to the format of the ANTC series. He is clear and concise, while not being dry and boring. He is able to interact with the socio-historical background, original language syntax, philology, and other technical aspects without making Romans inaccessible. I do not necessarily agree with all his premises and conclusions, but he represents the message and thought of Paul quite well. Of course for serious scholarship, there is no substituting Word or NIGTC, but Keck's study should be used along side those. Otherwise, he can be readily recommended to pastors or serious Bible students who don't know Greek.

Keck's commentary on Romans is a great passage-by-passage commentary on this immeasurably influential biblical text. I've paired this volume with Barth's more poetic commentary to be my handiest secondary resources this term as I tackle the epistle for a seminary course.

This is a great commentary for anyone who's not a biblical scholar. It is easy to read and actually quite interesting. It's the only commentary I've read that I could actually sit down and read cover to cover. He doesn't use Greek every third word, so it's easy to follow even if you have no Greek knowledge. A great commentary for your average Joe who's just looking for some more information on the book of Romans. Happy studies.

Keck on Romans is a carefully structured commentary which requires, and repays, close reading. Used in tandem with something like Katherine Grieb's "Story of Romans," one would have an excellent pairing of commentary on the text itself (Keck) alongside an interpretive commentary which considers pastoral implications for a modern audience as well (Grieb). As full a treatment as one would need without going into the Greek, say, of Cranfield classic tomes, or the heft of Jewett's masterful Hermeneia volume.

An excellent and very readable commentary. Abingdon commentaries are what you will find on university and seminary recommended book lists and there is a very simple reason for that - they are top notch. This commentary makes modern scholarship accessible and does not shy away from difficult topics. The commentary tackles Paul in the light of modern textual criticism that, over the last few decades, has revolutionised our understanding of the teachings of Paul and how the early Church operated. Some fundamentalists may find this challenging but a good commentary is about developing our understanding rather than pandering to our prejudices. Its not a short book, its 402 pages, but it is very readable. If you enjoyed William Barclay you will enjoy Abingdon; Abingdon continues in this tradition by combining academic excellence with accessibility. Every one involved in bible teaching should be reading this.

great book but not verse by verse by verse break down, thank you B,T,