A literate study of Esther hampered by an overly casual style.
An accessible commentary and study guide for the book of Esther in the Old Testament.
Debut author Robertson provides an unusual work that offers a blend of academic rigor and homespun flavor. He manages to find a middle ground between the weightiness of a detailed academic commentary and the simplicity of a basic study manual. The result is a tool for individual or group study of Esther that delves into the historical setting, cultural nuances, and linguistic subtleties of the book while also delivering an evangelical interpretation of the text, marked by commonplace prose. Esther presents readers with very real challenges for full comprehension and meaningful interpretation, and Robertson uses the tools of modern exegesis to flesh out the text for the average reader. Moving passage by passage, he wisely begins with an exploration of the social setting as well as a close look at key Hebrew words; for instance, he notes the use of two words for “pleasure”—one that focuses on “evil” pleasure, another on “moral” pleasure. After each critical reading section, Robertson goes on to provide an entirely separate part related to interpretation, asking readers, in most cases, where God is found in each passage. The author also defies convention by interpreting the story of Esther in almost exclusively Christian terms: “In our story…Xerxes would be representative of God the Father; Mordecai, Jesus; and Esther, the new covenant church, us.” However, Robertson’s otherwise laudable text is marred by a colloquial style that goes beyond hominess and borders on unprofessional (“The Jews are big on these [genealogies]”; “How sweet it is!”). It also relies too heavily on the first-person narrative voice (“I figure that right about now you’re saying…”). Nevertheless, Robertson does succeed in creating an easy-to-read guide that never skimps on substance. His exegetical conclusions, however, are up for debate.
A literate study of Esther hampered by an overly casual style.Pub Date: July 13, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5127-9243-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 30, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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