Matthew (Brazos Theological Commentary On The Bible Series)

If you've never read any of Stanley Hauerwas, this may be the book to commence with. His approach to this commentary is not to read verse by verse, but rather to take the key points of the text and comment on them in relation to what Hauerwas sees as Matthew's larger purpose. His commentary is hard-hitting at times, but is a valuable reminder of what it means to be the church of Jesus Christ. His long commentary on the Sermon on the Mount is the best I've read in any commentary. There is much in this for the contemporary church, especially the mega-churches to read and digest. \\r\\nHauerwas is noted for his strong commitment to a pacifist, non-violent position for Christian behaviour. Matthew's gospel is an ideal text for him to ground this position in a strong scriptural base. Not everyone will agree with his conclusions, but they are worth reading, whether we agree or not.