Reformation Commentary on Scripture
People don’t often think of it in this way, but the Reformation produced a bounty of solid biblical scholarship. By that I don’t just mean the fruits of biblical scholarship in terms of doctrinal treatises, but in terms of actual commentaries on the text of Scripture. Typically, Protestant Reformers never wrote doctrinal treatises until they had built up a solid foundation with biblical exposition. Calvin scholars, for instance, are increasingly recognizing that an understanding of Calvin’s theology that leaves out his systematic exposition of Scripture in the commentaries is going to be incomplete at best. As Selderhuis says in Calvin’s Theology of the Psalms, “…the Institutes ought to be read in the light of the commentaries and not the other way around” (15). The Reformers were exegetes first and foremost. That’s why this new series from IVP looks so promising. Unfortunately, we’re not told which Reformers will be included, nor what their definition of “Reformation-era” is. Will it include part of the post-Reformation? Will we get to see insights from Olevianus’ commentaries on Galatians or Philippians? Or Bucer on the Psalms? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I’m looking forward to it!
