A few weeks ago I reviewed the new English translation of Strack andl Billerbeck, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud & Midrash, Volume 3 (Romans – Revelation; ed. Jacob N. Cerone, trans. Joseph Longarino; Lexham 2021). I have an extra copy to pass along to a reader of this blog.
Originally published between 1922 and 1928 as Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud und Midrasch, Lexham Academic is publishing Strack and Billerbeck in English for the first time. Originally over 4000 pages in four-volumes, volume 1 of the original work covered just the Gospel of Matthew (at over 1000 pages!) Volume 2 covered Mark through Acts and volume 3 covers Romans through Revelation. For a variety of reasons, Lexham is releasing the third volume first in both print and digital Logos Library format and there is no plan to publish volume 4.
Strack and Billerbeck is a running commentary pointing readers to (usually) relevant texts in the Rabbinic literature along with cross references to Old Testament texts, Josephus, Philo, as well as books from the apocrypha and pseudepigrapha. For example, on Revelation 6:1 they cite 1 Enoch 47:2; 90:20, and 4 Ezra 6:20. On Revelation 6:12, they cite 2 Baruch 70 and the Sibylline Oracles 5.528. In each case, the English translation of these works is from Str-B’s German, so there are slight differences when compared to modern translations. For many, an English translation of Strack and Billerbeck opens up a new world of Rabbinic literature for the first time. Using Strack and Billerbeck can enhance one’s understanding of the Jewish background to Jesus, Paul, and the rest of the New Testament. Go read the rest of my review here.
If you want a free physical copy of this book (1000+ pages and $65 retail), leave a comment with your name and email (if it is not in your profile already) so I can contact you if you win. I will put all the names in a spreadsheet, randomize them, then use a random number generator to select a winner on December 22, 2021 (about a week from today). Since this is a heavy book, I have to limit this giveaway to the US and Canada. Sorry Nigeria.
In case you missed it, this is the fourth of four end-of-the-year giveaways. Here is the winner of Karen Jobes’s John commentary, Grant Osborne’s Hebrews commentary and Davidson and Turner, The Manifold Beauty of Genesis 1. This is the last book I plan to give away this year, so check back on December 22 to congratulate the winner.
Thanks to Lexham for providing me an extra copy to give away on this blog.
Jeremy Chen
Jeremytchen at Gmail dot com
Ken Fles – kennethfles at gmail dot com (good idea to hide email format, Jeremy)
that is the right way to do it, although I can see the email you use with WordPress. Sometimes that is not accurate…I just hate giving away a book to someone and not being able to contact them.
This book is on my list to get, but it would be the perfect Christmas present to receive it for free!
Matt Seyfried. Email in reply block
That looks fascinating. I’d especially value seeing Jewish parallels to the NT teachings on divorce. Count me in! (On the giveaway, that is, not on divorce!) – Dwight Gingrich
Barry Stover
salimpas at Gmail dot com
Charles Savelle
It might prove to be of help ion my PhD dissertation
David Neumann
Thanks Phillip!
Doug Ward wardde44 at yahoo dot com
Yippee on understanding the NT!
Duane Bartz
duba3xs@msn.com
Brian Small
briansmall55 @ att.net
Spencer Robinson
Spoiledmilks@gmail.com
Casey Birch
caseylbirch at gmail dot com
Michele Lewis
llamama@protonmail.com
Doug Hilliard
Drhillia@bellsouth.net
This is awesome.
John jandrewj @ gmail.com
David Nash
dnash0523@gmail.com
I’ll try!
This would be nice to have in the arsenal. jonathanmfix at gmail dot com
So excited for this work!
Lucas Whitson
Whitsonl91@gmail.com
Ray Arnett rayarnett2003 gmail.com
Kevin Pittle: kpittle at hotmail dot com
Let me throw my name into the ring!
jerod.gilcher@ccbiblechurch.com
Would love this!
Awesome!
David Rogers
revrogers@hotmail.com
I would appreciate this. Thanks and many blessings.
Michael Graham mkgraham60@gmail.com
I would love to add this book to my small (but growing) library. This has become one of my favorite topics on new testament study.