Previous | Next 

CURRENTLY IN BOOKS
Resurrecting two Old Testament prophets

Paul Kroeker

Hosea, Amos
Allen R. Guenther. Believers Church Bible Commentary Series. Waterloo, Ont. and Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1998. 430 pp. $28.50.

Hosea, Amos by Allen R. Guenther, professor of Old Testament at MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif., is a treasure house containing excellent biblical scholarship, solid perspectives on Christian theology and valuable insights into faithful Christian living. Guenther has always insisted that biblical scholarship must be validated by an obedience which can be seen in one’s lifestyle and relationships.

Combining Hosea and Amos in one commentary provides a unique opportunity for Guenther to address simultaneously two theological themes, God’s mercy and God’s judgement. This commentary follows the pattern in the series: study the text, step back to see it in the wider context of the Bible and then identify its significance for the church today. The result is a rich experience that will inspire good sermons, lead to devotional insights or provide a Bible study group with an opportunity to discuss significant issues of faith and obedience.

The relevance of this work for the church can be found in the issues that arise directly from the biblical text. The book of Hosea centres on family life. Hosea’s story is seen as both metaphor and reality, revealing the potential for pain and pleasure in our human relationships and our relationship to God. Guenther makes perceptive comments on the nature of family relationships in the church today, covering themes such as marriage, divorce, codependency and the power of God’s transforming love.

The strength of Guenther’s work on the book of Amos is the theological perspective he offers throughout. Here he adopts a more prophetic role, speaking to the issues the church needs to hear. He describes the materialism of our time as “an attitude of the heart fed to bloating by the inability of things to satisfy the person or provide security for the future”. He speaks of a church which is complicit and yet is reluctantly aware of the evil it contributes to this world “through arm’s length injustice”.

Guenther asks, “How do the people of God live with gratitude and compassion, and resist the temptations of cynicism and despair?” Though not always direct, his answers are hopeful, reflecting his own desire to live in obedience to God.

Paul Kroeker is principal of Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna, Man., and has taught Old Testament and was president at Winker (Man.) Bible Institute.

Previous | Next 

Last modified January 11, 2000.

© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.