I've been browsing, reading and at times reading carefully Dick France's commentary on Matthew - the big one. His smaller Tyndale commentary is a good reliable guide to Matthew, but this volume, along with his commentary on the greek text of Mark represents the culmination of a lifetime study of the Gospels.
This series of commentaries has very few duff volumes, and several of them are just about all I personally need and want in a commentary. This volume is well over 1100 pages, it needs a desk for reading it and it has one of the inevitable drawbacks of thick books - it doesn't lie open on the desk until you're 100 pages in! Those who use big books will know the experience.
The cover for this series is a work of art - literally, Botticceli's Annunciation, but also the deep and warm colour and sharp detail. Someone thought carefully about this cover but I haven't come across a publisher's explanation. As an image of hermeneutic encounter it's brilliant - the Virgin reading, distracted, drawing back but in the pose of reaching out, the hands ambiguous reaching out or fending off, Gabriel's eyes open and her eyes closed in prayer, or fear, and in the space between the two hands with fingers of blessing and open vulnerability, the place of choice, decision, response.
The cover picture honours Mary, the bearer of the Word, the mother of our Lord. On her own word, yes or no, depends more than she can ever know or imagine. The Gospel, literally, depends upon her Yes. The cover captures that moment when the destiny of creation, the plans of redeeming love, the kenosis of the Son, turns on the obedience of Mary. It is a moment of astonishing hermeneutic significance. Because Mary doesn't have to understand the mystery; she is called to assent to the Divine Annunciation, to trust the Lord and magnify the Lord with her soul; she has no guarantees other than her faith in the grace of God who has looked favourably on this young woman; her Yes changes her life forever, and changes the world too.
No wonder the Magnificat kick starts such powerful generators of political change and future hope. Here's her hymn in old English
- My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
- For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
- For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
- For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
- And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
- He hath shewed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
- He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
- He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
- He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
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