(Part 1)

JBTM Book Reviews
151
Due to the purposes and focuses as stated above, some areas of the book could be
improved. First, many of the basic interpretive assumptions of the authors are logically weak.
It would be easy to accept the idea of a pretribulation rapture if Jesus had taught the rapture
clearly. However, not all of the eschatological Gospel references indicate clearly the existence
of a pretribulation rapture. The assumption that Paul would have gained his information on
this subject directly from Jesus and not from his own spiritually-guided reading of the Old
Testament prophets is an over-simplified view of Paul’s scholarship and a weak attempt at
providing more authority to the pretribulationists cause by claiming that their ideas come
directly from Jesus. In addition, the creative exegesis needed to reveal Paul’s understanding
of a pretribulation rapture pushes the boundaries of sound biblical analysis. Second, the
redefinition of terms such as apostasy as well as forcing concepts to fit a preconceived
interpretive philosophy moves away from a natural reading of these eschatological passages.
Ultimately, this leaves the reader with a sense that these authors are trying a bit too hard to
prove their point beyond all doubt.
Even with those concerns, Evidence for the Rapture will be a treasured resource for the
reader who is convinced of a pretribulation rapture. The wealth of information and the
biblical focus will delight readers who share a similar view of the rapture. However, for
readers who are not inclined to accept the biblical maneuverings of pretribulationism, this
book will be an exercise in patience as one pursues a better understanding of the arguments
from pretribulationist interpreters.
- Randolph Rogers, Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, Texas
Fortress Commentary on the Bible: The New Testament. Edited by Margaret Aymer,
Cynthia Briggs Kittredge, and David A. Sánchez. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2014. 700 pages.
Hardcover, $39.00.
The editors of the Fortress Commentary on the Bible affirm that biblical interpretation is a
responsibility that surpasses the boundaries of any particular religious community. Therefore,
this two-volume set is intended to serve as a resource for general readers of diverse social and
ideological locations. Throughout the commentary a survey of historical and contemporary
interpretations of biblical texts is provided in order to encourage “competent and discerning
interpretation of the Bible’s themes today” (2). The current review will focus exclusively on
the New Testament volume of the set.
The structure of the commentary is conducive to its emphasis on past and present
engagement with the biblical text. The compilation begins with four topical essays that
deal with contemporary interpretive perspectives, the Jewish heritage of Christianity, the
experience of rootlessness in the early Christian community, and the apocalyptic legacy of