Reading the Bible with the Dead: What You Can Learn from the History of Exegesis That You Can't Learn from Exegesis Alone.

Holder, R. Ward

READING THE BIBLE WITH THE DEAD: WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE HISTORY OF EXEGESIS THAT YOU CAN'T LEARN FROM EXEGESIS ALONE. By John L. Thompson. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2007. Pp. xii + 324. $20.

What is the point of deep historical research for today's church? Of course historians of doctrine can (and have) written many tomes full of important insights. But books that remain unread rarely impact anyone. Thompson's book addresses that difficulty. By examining some of the pericopes that are avoided by various lectionaries, T. sets out to demonstrate to persons of faith the value of reading Scripture in a tradition.

Generally the texts T. chooses are those that provoke discussion among feminist scholars. Among other texts, he includes the stories of Jehpthah, Gomer, and Hagar, as well as the imprecatory psalms and the NT's teachings on women and on divorce. T. surveys rabbinic, patristic, medieval, and Reformation exegeses. He points out that, contrary to the modern assumption, the problems taken up by feminist exegetes have been recognized and struggled with for centuries. More importantly, T. concludes each chapter with brief lessons that the Christian tradition has to offer. He closes the volume with an endorsement of reading in conversation with the Christian tradition, and practical suggestions for doing so. To facilitate this end he includes an appendix with readily available English translations of commentaries written prior to 1600, organized by biblical book.

T. is a well-known historian of exegesis. His scholarship here is not strictly new; much is available in his other published works. His approach, though, is fresh, demonstrating that the value of his deeply scholarly work can be appropriated by a more popular audience. The volume works on several levels. For students and scholars, it can serve as an introduction to the history of exegesis, inviting them to further study. For pastors, it can demonstrate the virtues inherent in reading in conversation with the great cloud of witnesses. For general readers, it can open up an old book through ancient tools to make it new again.

R. WARD HOLDER

St. Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.