Mark E. Biddle examines the multivocal theological discussions spawned by the Babylonian catastrophe found in the book of Jeremiah. For example, postcrisis generations pondered questions of suffering (their own and God's), of human agency and divine instrumentality, and of repentance. Biddle demonstrates, further, that, in many cases, interpreters in earlier Jewish and Christian tradition anticipated the modern recognition of the complexity of these discussions. The resulting picture of Jeremiah invites contemporary interpreters into the discussion.
About the Author :
Mark E. Biddle is Professor of Old Testament at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. He is the founding dean of Sophia Theological Seminary. Among his publications are A Redaction History of Jeremiah 2:1-4:2 (1990) and Polyphony and Symphony in Prophetic Literature (1996). And he is the translator of Hermann Gunkel's Genesis (1997) and Sigmund Mowinckel's Psalm Studies (2014).
Review :
"Mark Biddle draws upon decades of erudite scholarship in this theologically rich, contextual commentary on the book of Jeremiah. The major contributions of this commentary are its close and engaging reading of the biblical text, its judicious translation of the book, and its engagement both with current scholarship along with previous generations of Jewish and Christian interpreters of Jeremiah. Students, scholars, clergy, and other interested readers in the prophetic literature will find in this commentary a valuable resource for their study."
--Louis Stulman, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Findlay
"Mark Biddle covers the entire Jeremiah: the Greek and Hebrew versions and their scholarly discussion in English, German, and beyond. His analysis is as lucid and clear as the book's composition history is complicated. A magisterial commentary capitalizing on a lifetime of Jeremiah scholarship."
¯Joachim J. Krause, Lehrstuhl für Literaturgeschichte des Alten Testaments, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
"After decades of immersion in this rich book, Mark Biddle's new commentary on Jeremiah offers astute exegetical insight that helps readers appreciate the multilayered nature of this fascinating work, whose significance is evident in its Jewish and Christian reception history that forms a central focus of this commentary. Informative and clearly articulated, this commentary presents Professor Biddle's wise voice, which has captivated students for years and now reaches a new audience."
--L. Juliana Claassens, Professor of Old Testament, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
