Continental Commentary | CC (19 vols.)

by Claus Westermann; Jacob Milgrom; André LaCocque; Volkmar Fritz

and

7 more

Publisher:

Fortress Press

, 1986–2004

The 19-volume Continental Commentary Series, published by Fortress Press, makes leading critical biblical scholarship from German and French scholars available to the English-speaking world. This series combines scholarly excellence with academic rigor to benefit pastors, students, and scholars of both the Old and New Testament. From Claus Westermann’s 3-volume commentary on Genesis to the 3-volume commentary on the Psalms by Hans-Joachim Kraus, these volumes examine the text of Scripture in penetrating detail with a fresh translation, detailed commentary, and theological assessment.

Each book in the Continental Commentary Series includes comprehensive introductory material, including an explanation of narrative themes, an overview of the historical and cultural context, an analysis of textual traditions, and an evaluation of recent literature. The remainder of each volume is divided according to each pericope of Scripture, with each section containing a summary of secondary literature, a fresh translation of the text, an evaluation of the literary form and the setting in life, and a lengthy commentary. Each volume also contains indexes on Hebrew words, subjects, names and authors, and other material.

Key Features

• Rich bibliographies
• A new translation with linguistic notes
• Analysis of form and setting
• Word studies and short essays on particular themes
• Theological assessment

Product Details

• Title: Continental Commentary Series | CC
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Volumes: 19
• Pages: 7,504
• Format: Digital > Logos Research Edition
• Resource ID: {D25A95AA-2239-4F57-A7AA-A7C32681FD44}

Genesis 1-11

• Author: Claus Westermann
• Translator: John J. Scullion S.J.
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 636

Claus Westermann’s 3-volume commentary on Genesis stands as one of the most exhaustive treatments of the first book of the Bible available today. The first volume of Westermann’s commentary introduces readers to the first eleven chapters of Genesis. For each section of Scripture, Westermann translates the text, introduces the literary form and the setting in life, offers a detailed commentary, shows readers the purpose and thrust, and offers a detailed analysis of secondary literature—all with thoroughness, clarity, and fairness.

Westermann’s commentary has the merit of taking a definite stand in the hermeneutical debate. In the tradition of Gunkel, it takes full advantage of the methods of form criticism and of the phenomenological study of religion. Again and again Westermann opens up dimensions of meaning which are not only relevant for theology but for human existence in the modern world.

—Bernhard W. Anderson, Journal of Biblical Literature

Claus Westermann was emeritus professor at the University of Heidelberg. Besides his three-volume commentary on Genesis, he is renowned for his many exegetical and theological treatments of the Old Testament, including Basic Forms of Prophetic Speech, Praise and Lament in the Psalms, Elements of Old Testament Theology, and The Promises to the Fathers. He was also co-editor of Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament.

Genesis 12-36

• Author: Claus Westermann
• Translator: John J. Scullion S.J.
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1986
• Pages: 608

The second volume of Westermann’s commentary on Genesis expounds on the patriarchal story—the figures of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their significance not only for Israel, but for human history. Their stories deal with the beginnings of human society, and of the family in particular. Through them, God reveals his action in families, politics, lifestyles, and social norms, making these stories fundamental for understanding both God and ourselves. Westermann also outlines the theological implications of the patriarchs, and implores modern readers to discover their implications for theology in the church today.

Claus Westermann's commentary on Genesis is one of the really great commentaries—great in size (three large volumes), great in comprehensiveness (covers all aspects of the text and has massive bibliographies), and great in theological perception.

—C.S. Rodd, Expository Times

Claus Westermann was emeritus professor at the University of Heidelberg. Besides his three-volume commentary on Genesis, he is renowned for his many exegetical and theological treatments of the Old Testament, including Basic Forms of Prophetic Speech, Praise and Lament in the Psalms, Elements of Old Testament Theology, and The Promises to the Fathers. He was also co-editor of Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament.

Genesis 37-50

• Author: Claus Westermann
• Translator: John J. Scullion
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1986
• Pages: 272

This third volume of Westermann’s masterful commentary on Genesis offers a stimulating treatment of one of the most poignant and unified of the narratives in Genesis—the Joseph story. English-speaking readers now have access to Westermann’s thorough introduction to Genesis 37–50 as a whole, as well as treatments of the individual passages familiar from the first two volumes.

This work opens up dimensions of meaning which are not only relevant for theology but for human existence in the modern world.

—Bernhard Anderson, Old Testament Scholar

Claus Westermann was emeritus professor at the University of Heidelberg. Besides his three-volume commentary on Genesis, he is renowned for his many exegetical and theological treatments of the Old Testament, including Basic Forms of Prophetic Speech, Praise and Lament in the Psalms, Elements of Old Testament Theology, and The Promises to the Fathers. He was also co-editor of Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament.

Leviticus: A Book of Ritual and Ethics

• Author: Jacob Milgrom
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 408

Values are what Leviticus is all about. They pervade every chapter and almost every verse. Underlying the rituals, careful readers will find an intricate web of values that purports to model how we should relate to God and to each other. Ritual is the poetry of religion that leads us to a moment of transcendence. When a ritual fails because it either lacks content, or is misleading, it loses its efficacy and purpose. A ritual must signify something beyond itself, whose attainment enhances the meaning and value of life. This is the achievement of Leviticus.

Building upon his life-long work on the book of Leviticus, Milgrom makes this book accessible to all readers. He demonstrates the logic of Israel's sacrificial system, the ethical dimensions of ancient worship, and the priestly forms of ritual.

[This volume’s] clarity and accessibility make it a most valuable resource for anyone who wishes to engage with Jacob Milgrom’s important scholarly contributions.

—William K. Gilders, Emory University

Jacob Milgrom is emeritus professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of California, Berkeley, and a widely published author. His books include Studies in Levitical Terminology, Cult and Conscience: The Asham and the Priestly Doctrine of Repentance, Numbers in the JPS Torah Commentary, and Leviticus in the Anchor Yale Bible.

Ruth

• Author: André LaCocque
• Translator: K.C. Hanson
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 208

This volume provides a readable introduction to the narrative book of Ruth appropriate for the student, pastor, and scholar. LaCocque combines historical, literary, feminist, and liberationist approaches in an engaging synthesis. He argues that the book was written in the post-exilic period and that the author was a woman. Countering the fears and xenophobia of many in Jerusalem, the biblical author employed the notion of hesed (kindness, loyalty, steadfast love), which transcends any national boundaries.

LaCocque focuses on redemption and levirate marriage as the two legal issues that recur throughout the text of Ruth. Ruth comes from the despised people of Moab but becomes a model for Israel. Boaz, converted to the model of steadfast love, becomes both redeemer and levir for Ruth and thus fulfills the Torah. In the conclusion to his study, the author sketches some parallels with Jesus’ hermeneutics of the Law as well as postmodern problems and solutions.

I have long been a fan of André LaCocque's work, and this commentary is no exception. . . . What I particularly appreciated is the inclusion by LaCocque of many of the more marginal readings of Ruth. . . . LaCocque locates himself carefully within the existing scholarly literature, both within and beyond biblical scholarship, and dialogues with it in detail.

—Gerald West, School of Religion & Theology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, S. Africa

André LaCocque is Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Chicago Theological Seminary. He is the author of Thinking Biblically (with Paul Ricoeur), The Feminine Unconventional, and Daniel in His Time.

1 & 2 Kings

• Author: Volkmar Fritz
• Translator: Anselm Hagedorn
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 462

This volume provides a readable introduction to the narrative books of 1 & 2 Kings appropriate for the student, pastor, and scholar. Fritz combines historical, literary, and archaeological approaches in an engaging synthesis. While he addresses issues of the deuteronomic redaction, the author does not become bogged down in technical discussions or allow this to overshadow the holistic interpretation of the text.

Fritz’s commentary is a fine addition to the Continental Commentaries Series. It combines an appropriate mix of historical, archaeological, geographical, and literary critical analysis. It this it is a fine work for both students and scholars. In my view, it is superior to other recent volumes on Kings.

—Marvin A. Sweeney, Claremont School of Theology, and co-editor of the Forms of the Old Testament Literature Series (17 vols.)

Volkmar Fritz was Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Archaeology at the University of Giessen, Germany. He was also the Director of the Deutsches Evangelisches Institut für Altertumswissenschaft des Heiligen Landes. His numerous works include The City in Ancient Israel, Das Buch Josua, Tempel und Zelt, and Israel in der Wuste. He was also co-editor of The Origins of the Ancient Israelite States. Fritz died in 2007.

Psalms 1-59

• Author: Hans-Joachim Kraus
• Translator: Hilton C. Oswald
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 560

In this thorough commentary, Professor Kraus takes each Psalm in turn, offers a fresh translation, a bibliography, linguistic notes, discussion of the form and origin of the passage, a verse-by-verse commentary, and a summary of the particular Psalm’s main theological points. In addition, Professor Kraus discusses the poetic form and titles of the Psalms, the relation of the Psalms to the history of Israel, and the Masoretic Text and the ancient translations. Indices of biblical references and names and subjects are included. Psalms 1–59 is translated from the German Biblischer Kommetar series.

Hans-Joachim Kraus has held professorships at the Universities of Bonn, Hamburg, and Gottingen and is an internationally respected Old Testament scholar. Among his influential books are Worship in Israel: A Cultic History of the Old Testament, The Threat and the Power, and The People of God.

Psalms 60-150

• Author: Hans-Joachim Kraus
• Translator: Hilton C. Oswald
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 588

This volume completes the publication in English of Kraus’s classic work on the Psalms in the Biblischer Kommentar series. Like the first volume, Psalms 60–150 offers a fresh translation of each Psalm, a bibliography, a discussion of the form and origin of the passage, and a verse-by-verse commentary.

The most thorough study of the Psalms in recent years, it contains manna for preachers.

—David H.C. Read, Senior Minister at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1956-1989

Hans-Joachim Kraus has held professorships at the Universities of Bonn, Hamburg, and Gottingen and is an internationally respected Old Testament scholar. Among his influential books are Worship in Israel: A Cultic History of the Old Testament, The Threat and the Power, and The People of God.

Theology of the Psalms

• Author: Hans-Joachim Kraus
• Translator: Keith Crim
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1992
• Pages: 236

Hans-Joachim Kraus’s Theology of the Psalms is meant to accompany, enrich, and complement his magisterial 2-volume commentary (also available in this collection). In the Psalms, Yahweh reveals himself in the history of his people. The Psalms point beyond themselves to the mystery and wonder of revelation and concealment, of the presence and distance of the God of Israel. The theology of the Psalms could be called “a biblical theology in miniature,” for in them are revealed the complexity of the manner in which Israel’s faith, confession, praise, and prayer are brought together.

Exceptionally rich, presenting the fruits of a lifetime of research in an attractive and helpful way.

—James Limburg, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Hans-Joachim Kraus has held professorships at the Universities of Bonn, Hamburg, and Gottingen and is an internationally respected Old Testament scholar. Among his influential books are Worship in Israel: A Cultic History of the Old Testament, The Threat and the Power, and The People of God.

Qoheleth

• Author: Norbert Lohfink
• Translator: Sean McEvenue
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 176

This new addition to the successful Continental Commentary Series is a significant and fresh treatment of Qoheleth (or Ecclesiastes). A famed professor presents a startlingly new translation of this often perplexing book of the Old Testament. Lohfink also argues for a rather different interpretation of the book than one finds elsewhere. Rather than reading the book's perspective as depressing, lost, or cynical, he highlights the elements of joy and balance. The volume includes introduction, new translation, commentary, parallel passages, bibliography, and indexes.

With a new preface, a revised introduction, and a reworking of the entire text, this long-popular German classic now appears as a fresh breeze blowing through the musty tomes of studies on Ecclesiastes. Far from counseling the despising of earthly things, the biblical book is understood as a call to rejoice in the down-to-earth gifts of the Creator and to find delight in the everyday. The translation is lively, the bibliography is new and up-to-date, and the production of the book is inviting.

—James Limburg, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

Norbert Lohfink, S.J., before his recent retirement, was Professor of Old Testament at Sankt Georgen Seminary (Frankfurt, Germany). His published works in English include: Theology of the Pentateuch, The Covenant Never Revoked, Option for the Poor, and Great Themes from the Old Testament.

Song of Songs

• Author: Othmar Keel
• Translator: Frederick J. Gaiser
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1994
• Pages: 320

In addition to a comprehensive introduction and an analysis of text and form, Othmar Keel focuses on the metaphorical and symbolic language of the Song of Songs. He makes full use of parallels—textual and iconographic—from Palestine, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. More than 160 illustrations, prepared by Hildi Keel-Leu, add to the interpretation of the songs.

Thoughtful, judicious, unpretentious, with a special penchant for the ancient Near Eastern iconographic background, Keel's analysis [is] perhaps the best commentary on the Song of Songs in recent years.

—Francis Landy, Journal of Biblical Literature

The strength of this commentary [lies in its] relating biblical texts to ancient Near Eastern iconography . . . All in all, this is a strong and illuminating book.

—Elizabeth F. Huwiler, Catholic Biblical Quarterly

Keel’s work and the creative way that he has introduced the visual evidence from ancient artistic representations into exegetical discussion . . . is one of the best, most convincing treatments of the book that has appeared.

—J. J. M. Roberts, Princeton Theological Seminary

Othmar Keel is Professor of Old Testament at the University of Freiburg, Switzerland. He is the author of The Symbolism of the Biblical World.

Isaiah 1–12

• Author: Hans Wildberger
• Translator: Thomas H. Trapp
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1991
• Pages: 536

With this first of three volumes of Wildberger’s commentary on Isaiah 1–39, English-speaking readers have access to the most exhaustive and, in many respects, the most helpful analysis of a major prophetic voice from eighth century Israel. The pattern of other Old Testament volumes in the Continental Commentaries Series is followed here also. Each successive unit of the text is treated under six headings:

• Text—a fresh translation and text-critical notes
• Form—literary form and metrical patterns
• Setting—date, place, sitz im leben, authenticity
• Commentary—verse-by-verse discussion of what the text meant to its original hearers and readers
• Purpose and Thrust—the theological intention of the text

This excellent commentary is certainly the most exhaustive of works available on the chapters with which it deals. I recommend it unreservedly to all serious students of the Old Testament.

—John Bright, author of A History of Israel

Wildberger’s commentary has turned out to be his Lebenswerk, and it is itself a noble tribute to a scholar who is theological sensitive, aware of differing opinions, and fair in dealing with them. It is the best existing commentary on the book of Isaiah.

—Roland E. Murphy, author of the Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 22: Proverbs

Wildberger’s commentary on Isaiah 1–12 is a work of such importance that it must be carefully studied by each serious student of Isaiah. It is a rich and significant contribution.

—Gerhard F. Hasel, author of Old Testament Theology: Basic Issues in the Current Debate

Hans Wildberger was professor of Old Testament at the University of Zurich. He has authored numerous articles and books on Old Testament theology.

Isaiah 13–27

• Author: Hans Wildberger
• Translator: Thomas H. Trapp
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1997
• Pages: 640

The middle chapters of Isaiah are more difficult to understand than the chapters which precede and follow them. They constitute a complex portion of the book of Isaiah, and have consequently received a relative lack of attention. This commentary demonstrates that a study of this part of Isaiah is rewarding and fruitful. A careful reading promises to be both stimulating and satisfying to those who are willing to devote their attention to this part of the book.

It would be hard to imagine a more thorough and a more convincing presentation. I recommend this commentary unreservedly to all serious students of the Old Testament.

—John Bright, author of A History of Israel

Wildberger's commentary is a work of such importance that it must be carefully studied by each serious student of Isaiah. It is a rich and significant contribution.

—Bernhard E. Hasel, Bibliotheca Orientalis

Hans Wildberger was professor of Old Testament at the University of Zurich. He has authored numerous articles and books on Old Testament theology.

Isaiah 28–39

• Author: Hans Wildberger
• Translator: Thomas H. Trapp
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 798

This is the final volume in Wilberger's comprehensive treatment of Isaiah 1–39. In addition to verse-by-verse commentary, the author provides a systematic overview of the entire Book of Isaiah. This introduction to Isaiah covers: the book and the text, the formation of Isaiah 1–39, the prophet Isaiah and his religious roots, the theology of post-Isaianic materials, language and forms of speech in Isaiah, and a listing of recent Isaiah scholarship.

A work of such importance that it must be carefully studied by each serious student of Isaiah. A rich and significant contribution.

—Bibliotheca Sacra

Hans Wildberger was professor of Old Testament at the University of Zurich. He has authored numerous articles and books on Old Testament theology.

Obadiah and Jonah

• Author: Hans Walter Wolff
• Translator: Margaret Kohl
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1991
• Pages: 192

This volume contains Professor Wolff's clear and thorough orientation to the collection of oracles in the book of Obadiah and to the narrative art of the book of Jonah. Differently, both prophets provide an answer to what the interaction is between the whole of humanity God has created—and His people in particular.

Hans Walter Wolff is emeritus professor of Old Testament at the University of Heidelberg and the author of many widely used studies.

Micah

• Author: Hans Walter Wolff
• Translator: Gary Stansell
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 272

Wolff's commentary on Micah is one of the most thorough works available in English. His insightful observations on the message of the prophet make this book a standard commentary on Micah for years to come. It is highly recommended to scholars, ministers, and theological students as an indispensable aid.

Wolff’s suggestions about the growth of the Micah collection are particularly valuable. A definitive volume.

—David L. Petersen, Religious Studies Review

Wolff gives us a thorough application of form and redaction criticism, as well as an analysis of how the parts of the book are related. Here is fresh, stimulating exegesis that makes for interesting reading.

—A.J. Petrotta, Catholic Biblical Quarterly

Hans Walter Wolff is emeritus professor of Old Testament at the University of Heidelberg and the author of many widely used studies.

Haggai

• Author: Hans Walter Wolff
• Translator: Margaret Kohl
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1990
• Pages: 128

In this distinguished commentary, Wolff’s task is to defend Haggai as much more than a minor prophet. He was a man whose feet were placed firmly on the ground, one of the dominating figures of the postexilic community, the main instigator of the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple, and so responsible for inaugurating a new era in Jewish history.

Hans Walter Wolff is emeritus professor of Old Testament at the University of Heidelberg and the author of many widely used studies.

Galatians

• Author: Dieter Lührmann
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1992
• Pages: 176

The long-awaited commentary by Dieter Lührmann is now available to English-speaking audiences for the first time. It is a profound, succinctly written dialogue with the text that carefully follow the main points of Paul’s arguments in his most controversial letter. The author presents a theological interpretation which takes seriously Paul’s claim about the Gospel and also provides a distinctive outline based on this close reading of the text. Also included are helpful discussions of the competing theologies of Paul and his opponents, a chart on Paul’s career, and a map of the Roman world. Lührmann is a highly acclaimed interpreter of the New Testament. This volume is a valuable addition to a well-received commentary series.

Dieter Lührmann is Professor of New Testament at Marburg University, Germany. He is the author of several New Testament monographs and commentaries.

Revelation

• Author: Jürgen Roloff
• Translators: John E. Alsup and James S. Currie
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1993
• Pages: 288

Is Revelation, with its strangeness and idiosyncratic theology, a legitimate expression of the Gospel? To this question, raised by the book’s conflicting history of influence, Jürgen Roloff is able to answer yes. Viewing Revelation as a lively interaction between the author and concrete communities of faith, Roloff maintains that the book’s epistolary framework is the chief starting point for interpreting its prophetic message and bizarre apocalyptic images.

In this commentary, one catches the Revelator’s vision of eternity ablaze with promise and expectation of accountability in the bleakness of the present. May this book find many who are willing to dialogue with the Revelator.

—Frederick Danker, editor, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature

Jürgen Roloff is Professor of New Testament at the University of Erlangen, Germany, and is the author of several important New Testament studies.