Summary
We find Peter E. Enns’ Exodus in the NIV Application Commentary series an energetic attempt to help us read Exodus in its own world and then speak its message into ours. The structure keeps us moving from text to theology to contemporary significance, which can be a real aid when we are preaching narrative and covenant material with pastoral clarity.
At points, we will read with discernment, particularly where modern critical debates press into interpretation. Even so, the volume often provides useful observation, clear framing of issues, and practical prompts that help us preach the book as Scripture that forms worship, obedience, and trust in the Lord who redeems.
Why Should I Own This Commentary?
We should own this commentary if we want help bridging the distance between Sinai and the sanctuary, between the exodus story and the life of the church. It is particularly useful when we need to identify the passage’s enduring theological principle before we rush to application.
We also benefit by using it as a conversation partner. We test its conclusions, keep the covenant storyline central, and use what is solid to sharpen our own sermons. With that posture, it can contribute real value in preparation.
For explicitly Reformed preaching, we pair it with more confessional works that keep law and gospel, covenant, and Christ’s fulfilment in sharper focus.
Closing Recommendation
We recommend this as a useful mid level bridge for Exodus, best used with theological steadiness and alongside more clearly Reformed resources.
As pastoral next steps, we can go to the Bible Book Overview for Exodus, browse Top Recommendations, and consult the Reformed Commentary Index to build a balanced shelf for preaching.
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Peter E. Enns
Peter E. Enns is an American biblical scholar of the contemporary era, emerging from an evangelical background and now known for provocative work in hermeneutics.
He has written widely on how Christians read the Old Testament, especially questions of genre, history, and interpretation within the church. Enns often pushes readers to reckon with the Bible’s literary complexity and to take interpretive challenges seriously rather than papering them over.
He is still read because he forces clear thinking and careful engagement with the text, even where pastors will want to weigh his conclusions with confessional steadiness and a settled doctrine of Scripture. Recommended titles include Exodus in the NIV Application Commentary, Inspiration and Incarnation, and The Bible Tells Me So.
Theological Perspective: Non-Evangelical/Critical