I and II Chronicles

Summary

This Old Testament Library commentary on Chronicles is a substantial modern academic work that reads the book as post exilic theology aimed at shaping community identity. It treats the Chronicler as a purposeful writer who uses the past to instruct a people living under new realities, calling them toward worship, covenant faithfulness, and hope. The commentary works carefully through both books, often drawing attention to narrative framing, repeated themes, and distinctive emphases when compared with Samuel and Kings. It also brings strong interest in the social setting of the Persian period and in the way memory functions within Scripture. For pastors, it can be a useful companion for understanding the theological aims of Chronicles, though it remains a critical academic resource rather than a confessional preaching guide.

Strengths

The strongest contribution is the consistent focus on why Chronicles retells history. Many readers struggle to see its purpose, and this commentary helps keep that question in view. It highlights themes of worship centred life, leadership responsibility, repentance, and the possibility of renewal. That can help preachers avoid treating Chronicles as a mere appendix to Kings. Another strength is attention to community formation. Chronicles repeatedly addresses the gathered people, the ordering of worship, and the shaping of identity. This commentary helps readers see those themes and can support preaching that calls a congregation to think corporately as a people under the Word. The work is also strong at showing how small narrative differences can signal major emphasis, not merely as historical curiosity but as theological shaping. Used carefully, that can deepen exposition and strengthen series planning.

Limitations

The limitations arise from the academic posture. Social theory and compositional discussion can at times become the lens through which the text is read, and that can pull attention away from the straightforward claims of Scripture. Pastors will need to keep the final form of the text central and avoid letting modern frameworks dominate. There is also limited movement toward Christ. Chronicles sustains Davidic hope and calls for faithful worship, but the commentary does not naturally trace these lines to the fulfilment found in Christ. Christian preaching must do that work with care, grounding connections in the biblical storyline rather than in quick slogans. Finally, the volume is large. At 728 pages it demands time and will not suit last minute sermon preparation. It fits best into planned study blocks or into longer term series work.

How We Would Use It

We would use this commentary to help recover Chronicles as a distinctive book for preaching and teaching. It is particularly useful when planning a series, because it helps you see which passages carry key themes and how reform narratives function within the whole. We would also consult it when passages involve worship organisation, Levites, or genealogies, because those sections often benefit from careful interpretation. In preaching, we would use its observations to support a more explicitly gospel shaped exposition. Chronicles shows the need for worship that is ordered and heartfelt, leadership that fears the Lord, and repentance that turns from sin. Yet it also shows that lasting renewal cannot be achieved by human effort alone. From there, we can proclaim Christ as the true Son of David who establishes the kingdom, builds the greater temple, and gathers a worshipping people through cleansing grace.

Closing Recommendation

A strong modern academic commentary that helps readers understand the purpose and themes of Chronicles in its post exilic setting. Useful for advanced study and series planning, but best paired with confessionally rooted resources so sermons can land clearly in Christ.