by Timothy George
Book Review
One of the most amazing facts of Christian publishing is that the commentaries of John Calvin have never been out of print for almost 500 years. To say the very least, few human authors in any arena of thought can claim such longevity. But when it comes to John Calvin’s commentaries, that consistent publication points, not only to longevity, but to sheer spiritual and homiletical profit as found in his commentaries. Interestingly, it is not uncommon to find preachers who do not consider themselves in any way to be Calvinist, to confess their indebtedness to John Calvin the expositor of Scripture.
To be sure, John Calvin’s commentary on Romans did not appear in the last publishing year. What did appear is a new edited version of the commentary brought to us by Timothy George, one of the most significant Calvin scholars of our times. George’s purpose in this commentary series is to introduce Calvin and his commentaries to a new generation of preachers with translations and editing that render the commentaries more accessible to today’s preacher.
Contemporary preachers will do well to consider the contribution found in commentaries that have stood the test of time. Calvin’s entire commentary series fits that description, and Timothy George makes Calvin all the more accessible to today’s preacher. In other words, you have one less excuse for failing to consult Calvin, along with other worthies, in your consideration of the text.
“What is the heart of Calvin’s theology? Scholars have suggested various answers to this question: the sovereignty of God, union with Christ, sanctification, and the church is the body of Christ. However, Calvin was not a systematic theologian, and it is best not to impose any particular grid over his thought. In the Romans commentary, Calvin imposes no overarching pattern on the apostle but follows closely where Paul’s argument took him, again seeking the mind of the author.”
