The Hebrews letter edition of Wright's commentary series.

Consistent with the formula, each section is translated by Wright, who then generally has some little vignette to introduce a contextual interpretation of the text and concludes with some relevant applications.

I find it interesting that for someone who has otherwise done a lot of re-thinking about the New Testament, Wright remains very traditional about Hebrews as written to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. I think he grounds this on his understanding of some verses in Hebrews 13, the interpretation of which is not sufficiently strongly grounded to maintain that level of confidence.

As might be expected he does well at showing where the resurrection is presumed by the author even if not explicitly mentioned. On the whole the commentary accomplishes its purpose, providing a great basic framework for the letter to the Hebrews. The major downside is that those who read it ought to be aware that the nature of the audience is not as firmly fixed as Wright would suggest. ( )

Hebrews is one of the most confusing books of the New Testament, tied with Revelations for the puzzlement it causes me. I read about this series online, which is just a step-by-step discussion of each book in the New Testament. The author, Wright, translates the book from the Bible himself. Starting with the first verse of the first chapter, he sections off ten to fifteen verses, translates them, and then writes a small dissection of the meaning of those verses, and their connection to the book as a whole.

I appreciated this book. Parts of Hebrew have always been unclear to me. While many passages are easy to understand, and instructive, certain sections have baffled me, such as those about the High Priest Melchizedek. The author clarified so much for me. Partly because he has done the research I never did, and has the historical and theological background that I lack. Also, he does a great job of delineating the theme of Hebrews, how the author sets up his main ideas, develops each component, and draws it together at the end. A lot of Hebrews uses the old Jewish Tabernacle procedures of ancient times to parallel Jesus and his sacrifice, and demonstrates how Moses and the Tabernacle prefigure the new kingdom to come. Not only does the writer explain these ideas, he uses accessible language and personal anecdotes that make this easy to read and understand. I highly recommend the book for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of the Bible. ( )

This is undoubtedly the most readable and accessible commentary I have ever read - Wright gives his own translation and then a brief commentary on the main thrust of the passage. I suppose the only regret is that it is too brief and doesn't deal with difficult textual interpretation etc. Can't have it everyway. ( )

Superb English. Clear and incisive exposition. Good application to everyday life ( )