I was curious to know if anyone has some thoughts on the Ancient Christian Commentary series? My main study focus is the Old Testament with the Pentateuch in particular and my favorite book being Leviticus. I would not expect that the volume covering Leviticus would contain a vast amount of material. I also like to study Isaiah and other prophets. I have downloaded some of the samples and have begun to look them over a bit.

Specifically, do the ACCS Old Testament commentaries seem to do a decent job of relating the text to Jesus and the New Testament?

As a side note, Eisenbraun's has a nice sale on several of the ACCS volumes through the 17th. (Eisenbrauns - Publishers, Booksellers, Typesetters - Specializing in the Ancient Near East and Biblical Studies)

Thanks for any assistance!

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Blessings!
Greg
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Terre Haute, IN (for now)
Residing in Paris, IL

“The principal damning sin, is to make any thing besides God our end or rest. And the first true saving act, is to choose God only for our end and happiness.” - Richard Baxter -

The series has its uses, but I would personally spend my money on other works.

1.) While isolated snippets on certain verses or parts of verses from various fathers may be useful, it is a far less useful method than reading the original author's actual commentary itself.

2.) Many of the fathers were good exegetes, but the church continued to mature. Rather than reading the nascent seeds of Reformed exegesis, it is far more worthwhile to attend to the finished product itself.

That being said, these volumes can make a nice companion volume to an actual commentary on the text, but should not attempt to replace it.

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Paul Korte
OPC
Flint, MI

They who perceive in themselves discoveries of the divine goodness, so full and absolutely perfect, and who make them the subject of earnest meditation, will never embrace new doctrines, by which the very grace they feel so powerfully in themselves is thrown into the shade. --John Calvin

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

The only answer I can offer is that they do and they don't. I have 13 or 14 volumes from this series, and although they've been somewhat helpful to me, I have been disappointed in them overall.

For Isaiah, I have found the following volume very relevant to your interest...

Amazon.com: The Questions on the Octateuch: On Genesis and Exodus (The Library of Early Christianity): Theodoret of Cyrus, John F. Petruccione, Robert C. Hill: Books

Amazon

Amazon.com: Theodoret of Cyrus, the Questions on the Octateuch: On Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and Ruth (The Library of Early Christianity): Theodoret of Cyrus: Books

Amazon

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Sola Scriptura est norma normans non normata
D. T. King, pastor
Christ Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Elkton, Maryland
Augustine (354-430): Therefore what He [i.e., Christ] has deigned to speak to us, we ought to believe that He meant us to understand. But if we do not understand He, being asked, gives understanding, who gave His Word unasked. NPNF1: Vol. VII, Tractates on John, Tractate XXII, §1.

I also cannot recommend the "Ancient Christian" set for the purposes you've suggested (although it is certainly not a worthless set). As well, I'd like to add a caution: aside from Jerome and Origen, most of the prominent church fathers (and other "ancient chrirstians") were reading the Old Testament from a Greek translation - and the translation was sometimes deficient (in some places more so, and in other places less so).

If you are looking for other Old Testament commentaries by patristic authors, there are a number of interesting works to select from - especially depending on the verse or book you have in mind. If you want something on Zechariah and you need it to be in English, your options may be quite limited (I think there is something by Didymus the Blind (313-95) available) - whereas if the Psalms interest you, there are many options.

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Mr. P. C. Flanagan, Esq.
Grace Orthodox Presbyterian
Both I and the church of Vienna, VA

One thing I noticed while reading the samples is that at times it seems very disjointed - quite obviously showing that it was compiled from multiple sources. I think I'll pass on the ACCS. There are too many other resources I would like.

Thanks for the book recommendations Pastor King and the helpful comments from Mr. Korte and Mr. Flannagan.