Review in: The Expository
Times 2009 120: 517
Review door: Mary Wang
LEVITICUS AND NUMBERS
Richard N.
Boyce, Leviticus and Numbers (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox
Press, 2008. $24.95. pp. xi + 282. ISBN 978–0–664–25525–1).
A volume of
the Westminster Bible Companion series, Richard N. Boyce’s Leviticus
and Numbers explores the threefold nature of the composition of Leviticus and
Numbers. He explains in detail why the detour through the wilderness is a
succession of journeys: from one land to the next, from one temple to the next,
from one world to the next. The author shows that this transitional stage in
biblical history is much more than a transition from the Exodus to the entering
of the Promised Land. It reveals not only the relationship between the people
‘of the way’ and their holy God, it also provides a guideline for the church of
Christ during its journey of faith in the new millennium. The commentary
contains three parts, each in agreement with the change of the sites. The first
part (Lev 1:1 – Num 10:10) discusses the instructions on ritual laws, holy orders and the
first census. The author explains these instructions in their historical
context together with a fresh reinterpretation of the regulations. The second
part (Num 10:11 – 21:9) is a narrative of internal threats, the
central message is about how divine providence and gracious discipline
interfere with human rebellion. The third part (Num 22:1 –
36:13)
uses the story of Balaam, external threats, the new census and final victory to
show that through atonement and faith, a generation of the covenant will
inherit the Promised Land. The structure of the commentary is clear and
reflects a careful exegesis in general. The author’s treatment of the text
underlines the unity of the two books. By including Numbers 1–10 in the first
part, the author tries to show the parallel relation between the beginning and
the end of the journey. The repetition of certain themes in both parts, such as
atonement and the census, highlights the theological motif of the two books. In
a lucid style, the commentary exposes the spiritual significance of the
literary journey, and makes it relevant to Christian practice. The commentary
does not contain any exegetical information due to the purpose of the WBC
series. However, the author’s familiarity with the Jewish tradition gives
valuable insight into the differences between Christian and Jewish
interpretation.
MARY WANG
Saint Paul University, Ottawa
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten