When the Church Was Young: Studies in the Thessalonian Epistles

Richard C. Smith is a professor in the Classics Department, University
of Alberta.

This attractively printed commentary on the two shortest Pauline letters
to churches in the New Testament was written by David Ewert, the retired
former president of the Mennonite Brethren Bible College of Winnipeg.
There are 13 studies on the various sections of the two books, plus a
brief bibliography. The biblical text for each study is printed in full
at the beginning of the chapter, and questions for thought and
discussion are given at each chapter’s conclusion. As the preface
indicates, the book is commentary for scholars, but is designed as a
quarterly study guide for church groups.

Considering the intended readership, it is somewhat surprising to see
extensive references to the original Greek text (in transliteration).
Ewert not only cites the Greek original (and often its literal meaning)
but, in a few instances, refers to questions of Greek grammar and
manuscript discrepancies. It is obvious that the author’s years as a
professor of New Testament studies have not been forgotten.

Despite its rather scholarly makeup, the study guide ignores virtually
all aspects of theological and literary criticism. The author does
mention that some “scholars have wondered whether the same author
produced both of these volumes” and that the assumption of a single
authorship poses several problems of interpretation; but he gives to the
presumably intelligent reader (at least one interested in Greek nouns
and verbs) neither a basis for making a judgment regarding the issue of
single authorship nor reasons for the “marked differences in
eschatology” in the two books.

On a brighter note, the limitation in critical exposition does not
prevent some mild disagreements with the translation (New International
Version), and Ewert’s comments on the text itself are generally
helpful. Conservative evangelicals should find this book very useful.