"If it needs a man who has suffered to write a commentary on Job . . . . Perhaps the only person entitled to comment on Ecclesiastes is a cynic who has revolted from the world in disillusionment and disgust." "If so," writes Michael Eaton, "I qualify."
Scholars have long wrestled with the gloomy pessimism and striking omission of any mention of Yahweh in this portion of the Wisdom literature. After setting forth the issues related to the text, authorship, date and canonicity, Eaton assesses the purpose and structure of the book. He then provides a passage-by-passage analysis that attempts to account for the oddities of the text and to show its contemporary relevance.
The Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries have long been a trusted resource for Bible study. The introduction to each volume gives a concise but thorough description of the authorship, date and historical background of the biblical book under consideration. The commentary itself examines the text section by section, drawing out its main themes. It also comments on individual verses and deals with problems of interpretation. Written by some of the world's most distinguished evangelical scholars, these volumes retain their original text now retypeset in a larger format. As always, they continue to aim at the true meaning of the Bible and to make its message plain to readers today.
Reviews
"The Tyndale volumes have long been the premier shorter-length commentary series on both Testaments throughout the English-speaking world." — Craig Blomberg, Denver Seminary"Tyndale commentaries are always useful, not least because they focus so clearly on the text of Scripture, and do not fall into the trap of paying too much attention to other commentaries and not enough to the scriptural text they are intended to expound and explain. So they retain their usefulness for preachers, Bible study leaders and for all readers of the Bible." — Peter Adam, principal, Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia
"Within its constraints, this series includes some outstanding volumes." — D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
"The evenness and quality of this series are remarkable." — Christianity Today
"There simply is no series of medium-length commentaries that approaches the excellence of the Tyndale commentaries." — Donald A. Hagner, Fuller Theological Seminary
Michael Eaton has served as lecturer in Old Testament at Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa and is pastor-at-large of Chrisco Fellowship of Churches in Nairobi, Kenya.
