Leviticus (New International Commentary on the Old Testament)

By Gordon J. Wenham

Book Overview

Leviticus used to be the first book that Jewish children studied in the synagogue. In the modern church it tends to be the last part of the Bible that anyone looks at seriously. Because Leviticus is largely concerned with subjects that seem incomprehensible and irrelevant today - rituals for sacrifice and regulations concerning uncleanness - it appears to have nothing to say to twenty-first-century Christians. In this excellent commentary on Leviticus, Gordon Wenham takes with equal seriousness both the plain original meaning of the text and its abiding theological value. To aid in reconstructing the original meaning of the text, Wenham draws from studies of Old Testament ritual and sacrifice that compare and contrast biblical customs with the practices of other Near Eastern cultures. He also closely examines the work of social anthropologists and expertly utilizes the methods of literary criticism to bring out the biblical author's special interests. In pursuit of his second aim, to illumine the enduring theological value of Leviticus, Wenham discusses at the end of each section how the Old Testament passages relate to the New Testament and to contemporary Christianity. In doing so, he not only shows how pervasive Levitical ideas are in the New Testament but also highlights in very practical ways the enduring claim of God's call to holiness on the lives of Christians today. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080282353X
• ISBN13: 9780802823533
• Release Date: September 1979
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Length: 362 Pages
• Weight: 1.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.7" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

Be Ye Holy for God is Holy

Excellent! This is a good resource by an astute Old Testament Scholar. At the end of each biblical chapter there is a New Testament discussion in how the passages could apply for the Church or Christians. Also, it starts with a great Theological Introduction of the Book of Leviticus. Although I'm an advocate of Eternal Security, I am not offended by the inspiration to live Holy. Grace Produces Holiness and Godliness

Learn to Love Leviticus

I mentioned to a pastor friend of mine that I was doing my daily devotions in the Book of Leviticus. As would be expected from one of the uninitiated, I got a look that said "you've got to be kidding."People are under the mistake belief that because we are "no longer under the law," the Old Testament is no longer relevant to our daily lives as Christians. This is where Gordon Wenham's book comes in. Wenham's commentary has...

Resurrecting Leviticus

Thank you Gordon Wenham! Leviticus has always been obtuse to me. Not so anymore. Wenham's clear, even lively discussion of Leviticus has brought it to life for me. Wenham's commentary does not get bogged down by endlessly discussing--as far too many commentaries on books of the Pentateuch do--theoretical textual issues. Instead, Wenham focuses on what the implications of the text were and are. This book contains one of the...

Quick Review

Intermediate level of study. The best commentary on Leviticus by far. A fascinating and insightful look into Leviticus by the gentleman who gave us the excellent two-volume commentary on Genesis.

Makes Leviticus readable

If you've ever tried to read the Bible from beginning to end you may well have got stuck in Leviticus. It is largely a collection of the Old Testament law and difficult for modern readers to come to terms with. This commentary will make a huge difference. I now look forward to working on this particular Old Testament book. Wenham takes the material and shows clearly how it fits together. He also demonstrates the links between...