James and Jude

"I can think of no one more qualified than John Painter and David deSilva to write on James and Jude respectively. They have produced an admirable work, both in its scholarly integrity and in its literary clarity. They have adhered to the goal of the Paideia series in not writing a detailed exegetical commentary but rather 'attending to the cultural, literary and theological settings of the final form of the text' and bringing out the rhetorical strategies employed. This increases rather than limits the value of the work, allowing for a focus and clarity that might not otherwise be possible. I recommend this work; no future work on these two letters will be complete without using it."

"James and Jude makes an excellent contribution to the impressive Paideia commentary series. John Painter's commentary on James exhibits all the traits of a master interpreter. The introductory material is rich without being dense or convoluted. The commentary itself is concise and loaded with insight. David deSilva's commentary on Jude is a gem. Who knew that so much of interest could be extracted from such a brief epistle? Students will benefit greatly from this well-written volume. Veteran scholars are also encouraged to add it to their library."

"Painter and deSilva are to be congratulated for taking their readers and the biblical text seriously. They do not dumb down their discussions, but neither do they make brute historical, linguistic, and sociological facts the centerpiece of what they say. In these pages, thoughtful and practical reflection ('Theological Issues') always follows a close analysis of the Greek text ('Tracing the Train of Thought'). The authors teach that understanding is not an end in itself; they insist that a robust faith is alien in any culture and that it is lived."