The purpose of this commentary series is to provide reasonably priced commentaries written from a distinctively Pentecostal perspective primarily for pastors, lay persons, and Bible students. Therefore, while the works are based upon the best of scholarship, they are written in popular language. The aim is to communicate the meaning of the text, with minimal technical distractions.
In order to explain the need for such an attempt to read the biblical text, it is necessary to understand something of the ethos of Pentecostalism.
Pentecostalism is a relatively recent phenomenon in comparison to its Christian siblings, given that its formal origins go back about a hundred years. By any means of calculation, it continues to grow very rapidly in many places around the globe and accounts for a not insignificant percentage of the world’s Christians. Current estimates of those who would identify themselves as part of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movements range from 380,000,000 to 683,000,000. According to David Barrett, the global profile of Pentecostalism is as follows:
Some 29 percent of all members worldwide are white, 71 percent are nonwhite. Members are more urban than rural, more female than male, more children (under eighteen years) than adults, more third world (66 per cent) than western world (32 per cent), more living in poverty (87 per cent) than affluence (13 per cent), more family-related than individualist.1
Yet, despite its demographic significance, Pentecostalism continues to be largely misunderstood by many outside the movement. For example, there are those who ‘… see Pentecostalism as essentially fundamentalist Christianity with a doctrine of Spirit baptism and gifts added on’ and others who view it ‘… as an experience which fits equally well in any spirituality or theological system—perhaps adding some needed zest or interest’.2 Yet, those who know the tradition well are aware how far from the truth such assessments are. As Donald W. Dayton3 and Steven J. Land4 have demonstrated, standing at the theological heart of Pentecostalism is the message of the five-fold gospel: Jesus is Savior, Sanctifier, Holy Spirit Baptizer, Healer, and Coming King. This paradigm not only identifies the theological heart of the tradition, but also immediately reveals the ways in which Pentecostalism as a movement is both similar to and dissimilar from others within Christendom. When the five-fold gospel paradigm is used as the main point of reference Pentecostalism’s near kinship to the holiness tradition is obvious, as is the fundamental difference with many of those within the more reformed evangelical tradition. It also reveals the surprising similarities between Pentecostalism and the Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
Therefore, the production of a Pentecostal Commentary Series representative of the tradition’s ethos requires more than simply selecting contributors who have had a glossolalic experience. Rather, the process of composition as well as the physical format of the commentary should be in keeping with the ethos and spirituality of the tradition.
In the attempt to ensure a writing process representative of the tradition, each contributor has been urged to incorporate the following disciplines in the writing of the commentary on a particular biblical book.
Writers have been encouraged to engage in prayer for this project, both as individuals and as members of a community of believers. Specifically, the guidance of the Holy Spirit has been sought in these times of prayer, for the leadership of the Spirit in interpretation is essential. Specific times of prayer where the body intercedes on the writer’s behalf and seeks to hear from the Lord have been encouraged.
Given the Pentecostal commitment to body ministry, where various members of the body have specific calls and responsibilities, writers have been asked to explore ways in which their scholarship might be contextualized within their own local church body and thereby be strengthened by the dynamic interaction between the Holy Spirit, the body of Christ, and the Word of God. Writers were encouraged to covenant with their churches concerning this writing project in order to seek out their spiritual support. Where possible, writers were asked to explore the possibility of leading a group Bible study on the given biblical book. Ideally, such groups included representatives from each group of the target readership.
Writers were also encouraged to seek out the advice and critique of gifted colleagues who would join with them in this project so as not to work in isolation. This endeavor was conceived as too difficult and far reaching to go alone. Rather it is conceived of as part of the ministry of the body of Christ, for the glory of God.
The commentary attempts to be in keeping with the ethos and spirituality of the tradition in its physical format as well. Specifically, the commentaries seek to reflect the dialogical way in which the tradition tends to approach the biblical text. Thus, each commentary begins with a series of questions designed to lift up corporate and individual issues that are illuminated in the biblical book under examination. This section identifies those key issues that are taken up in the commentary which follows. As a hermeneutical task, this section invites the reader to interpret his/her life context in a confessional-critical manner, revealing the need(s) to be addressed by the text. Such an opening serves to contextualize the commentary in the life of the church from the very beginning and serves to teach the reader how the Bible can legitimately be used in contemporary life.
Flowing out of this initial section, the introduction proper seeks to inform the reader as to the need, process, purpose, time, and place of composition. As a trajectory of the initial section, the introduction proper seeks be a necessity for the reader and seeks to avoid the strange and irrelevant discussions that introductions often pursue. The introductions normally include topics of special interest to Pentecostals along with the normal introductory matters of authorship, place of composition, destination, audience, date, and theological emphases. A rather detailed discussion of the genre and structure of the book forms the basis of organization for the exposition that follows. In addition, a section devoted to the book’s teaching about the Holy Spirit is included in the introduction.
The commentary proper provides a running exposition on the text, provides extended comments on texts of special significance for Pentecostals, and acknowledges and interacts with major options in interpreting individual passages. It also provides periodic opportunities for reflection upon and personal response to the biblical text. The reflection and response components normally occur at the end of a major section of the book. Here, a theme prominent in a specific passage is summarized in the light of the reading offered in the commentary. Next, the readers encounter a series of questions designed to lead them in corporate and personal reflection about this dimension of the text. Finally, the readers are encouraged to respond to the biblical text in specific ways. Such reflection and response is consistent with the tradition’s practice of not simply hearing the words of Scripture but responding to them in concrete ways. It is the literary equivalent to the altar call.
In the attempt not to overtax the popular reader footnotes have been used carefully and sparingly. However, when additional, more technical discussions are deemed necessary, they are placed in the footnotes.
In addition, Greek and Hebrew words are ordinarily found only within parentheses or in the footnotes. Every attempt has been made to ensure that the constituency of the movement are represented in some way among the contributors. It is my hope and prayer that the work of these women and men, from a variety of continents, races, and communities, will aid the Pentecostal community (and other interested individuals and communities) in hearing the biblical text in new and authentic ways.
Editor in Chief
John Christopher Thomas
Old Testament Editor
Lee Roy Martin
New Testament Editor
John Christopher Thomas
D. Barrett, ‘Statistics, Global’, Dictionary of the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements (ed. S.M. Burgess and G.B. McGee; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988), p. 811.
Steven J. Land, Pentecostal Spirituality: A Passion for the Kingdom (JPTSup 1; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993), p. 29.
Donald W. Dayton, The Theological Roots of Pentecostalism (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1991).
Land, Pentecostal Spirituality.