Recounting the greatest event of divine salvation in the Old Testament, the book of Exodus is not merely a story about the Lord God rescuing enslaved Israelites from the power of a despotic and xenophobic dictator. More importantly, it highlights how a compassionate and justice-seeking God transforms the lives of victimized people so that they may experience life in all its fullness in his holy presence. The story of Exodus illustrates an all-important paradigm for understanding the nature and goal of divine salvation, ...
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Recounting the greatest event of divine salvation in the Old Testament, the book of Exodus is not merely a story about the Lord God rescuing enslaved Israelites from the power of a despotic and xenophobic dictator. More importantly, it highlights how a compassionate and justice-seeking God transforms the lives of victimized people so that they may experience life in all its fullness in his holy presence. The story of Exodus illustrates an all-important paradigm for understanding the nature and goal of divine salvation, anticipating an even greater exodus that will come through Jesus Christ. Desmond Alexander grapples with the varied complexities of the carefully constructed literary collage of Exodus. As an integral part of the longer narrative that runs from Genesis to 2 Kings, Exodus recounts a dramatic and unified story of how the Israelites come to a deeper and closer relationship with the Lord God. Narrating past events, Exodus speaks to contemporary society, revealing a God who passionately desires to draw people into an intimate and exclusive relationship with himself. This detailed commentary sheds light on one of the most influential books ever written.
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T. D. Alexander, senior lecturer in Biblical Studies at Union Theological College in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has spent the better part (or all) of his career in the book of Exodus. Having written on the Pentateuch and biblical theology, he has written two commentaries on Exodus: One in the Teach the Text series and this one in the Apollos OT Commentary series.
In his short, 32-page introduction, Alexander spend a few pages on the story of Exodus and how it leads to the rest of the OT and NT books. Alexander doesn't think all of Exodus (nor the Pentateuch) had to be written by Moses. Rather, the title "book of Moses" (Mk 12.26) may just refer to Moses' influence as a central figure on the Pentateuch. One does not have to be dogmatic on the issue while still not agreeing with the Documentary Hypothesis (DH), a theory Alexander helpfully and graciously critiques all throughout his commentary.
With each section of the commentary Alexander provides his own translation of the Hebrew text, relevant notes on the text dealing with translational and linguistic matters, the form and structure of the unit, comments on the passage, and a final explanation which often brings together Exodus with the rest of the Bible and pairs it with our daily life and ministries.
I've summarized a few of Alexander's points on debated matters below.
4.24-26: The blood of Gershom's circumcision averts the death of Moses whom God was going to kill. Even Yahweh's own messenger "cannot be presumptuous regarding the continuation of his own life." (109).
6.3: Alexander agrees that God's words should be translated as "My name is YHWH. Did I not make myself known to them [the patriarchs]?" (125), and that the Patriarchs didn't understand the significance of Yahweh's name like the redeemed Israelites will.
Alexander is extremely insightful with keeping the context of Exodus and of the whole canon in view in his exegesis. God is not an angry deity. Rather, he wants his people to be holy, and he expects them to be loyal and to leave behind egregious sinful ways.
34.11-14: "YHWH involves Moses as mediator in the process by which God will both forgive and punish the Israelites (cf. 34:6-7)" (625). God's anger and willingness to destroy Israel shows how horrid their sin was: adultery against their marriage partner, the God of the universe who would give them every blessing and to whom Israel said they would obey in every way.
The Spoiled Milks
Alexander doesn't provide his own outline. He divides Exodus into 64 sections with four broad headings: 1.1-2.25; 7.8-11.10; 15.22-18.27; 19.1-40.38. But as you can see, there is no heading for 3.1-7.7 or 12.1-15.21. How should the reader group these two sections?
Second, there are no footnotes. Although that is more aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it causes the text to be cramped when Alexander critiques others' views. Footnotes allow the flow of thought to be easier to follow.
Regardless, these points in no way outweigh the weight of Alexander's own scholarship and work in this volume.
Recommended?
Alexander's Exodus volume is a wealth of critical and conservative knowledge. He has written much on both the Pentateuch and biblical theology, and his wisdom shows forth in his work. If you can only own one scholarly commentary on Exodus, make it Alexander's. If you have others, sell them. Now buy Alexander's.
For preaching resources, along with Alexander's Teach the Text volume, Motyer is good. I've not found Enns to be helpful the times I've used him, especially not now when compared to Alexander.
Disclosure: I received this book free from IVP Academic. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
