Stanley Porter seemed to think it was an issue ... commentaries regurgitating commentaries (with unintended goof-ups in the regurgitating).
Presuming his points, ECC seems a definite long-shot.
O'Brien commentaries and Academics
I am starting a new thread to discuss what happened with O'Brien's commentaries and the question of whether to return these commentaries for refund or keep them in relation to academic writing.
I can see the value of keeping them. In my view, they probably still have great value. Moreover, I am concerned that these volumes are not close to being replaced (we will be missing the corresponding book in the collections of which they are part).
BUT I am also concerned about the possibility, in keeping these resources, of forgetting not to use or reference them for published or submitted work. To keep them would seem to have to be for personal use only. Even so, I wish there was some kind of flag up (something one cannot miss, like a red banner) to remind us to use with caution.
Thoughts?
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Personally, I think Porter is correct. And the commentary industry is seriously sick (my opinion). People say, well gee, what's there to write?? But most commentaries I check never seem to deal with the obvious ... they're battling their fellows on this argument or that.
Yesterday, I got stuck on a famous word in Psa 23. The common translation ignores its usage elsewhere. The LXX, Syriac, and targums were really struggling, so you can't just shrug. And hardly a mention of 'what happened?' by my major series. And this isn't unusual either. There's sort of a 'world' they seem to have to stick to, and it's not even denominational, or conservative vs liberal. Their world.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
Does any of you still have O'Brien's commentary on Hebrews (Pillar), Ephesians (Pillar) or Philippians (NIGTC)?I still have them, thankfully.
Yes, I do still have them, and I am very glad that I do.
They may be academically tainted by plagiarism issues; however, in terms of practical use in understanding the text, they are among the best commentaries I have. And I have a lot commentaries.
"In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley
Sorry, Colin and Kevin. If I told you, you'd just yawn, point out my error, list umpteen commentaries, and add a smiley face.
Life is dangerous on the forum (used to be!).
'Annoint' Psa 23:5 . Very interesting, since it tends to create circular reasoning regarding the psalm. But the attempts at translation, especially the last phrase demonstrate lots of creativity. Luckily, the KJV locked it in solid.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
Oh Denise,
you've got me wrong - I very rarely add a smiley face.
Colin.
Ah shucks! This is badly off the O'Brien trail, but when Jerome arrived, he apparently (my latin is awful) decided to stay the course with a literal translation, plus a drunken psalm writer. His latin choice then bounces you to Psa 141:5 where some english translators (eg NRSV) again try for annoint, complete with wicked person oil (this time another odd hebrew word).
Well, I waste folks' time. Sorry.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
Thanks for the responses. I didn't intend to flame up the discussion, but I wondered if they had gone out of my library. I know for sure that I had at least two commentaries by O'Brien and they didn't appear to be in Logos. So, apparently they should still be in my hard copy library, to which I have no access at this point.
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Does any of you still have O'Brien's commentary on Hebrews (Pillar), Ephesians (Pillar) or Philippians (NIGTC)?
All 3 are still in my library.
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Michel - I also have the three volumes by Peter O'Brien and am glad to have them. I've no difficulty quoting or using them because he has a good track record of scholarship.
Those academic places that encourage people not to cite the whole of the 'tainted' work or perhaps even all this author's works go too far. They might even welcome the return of burning people at the stake. Keep well Paul
Does any of you still have O'Brien's commentary on Hebrews (Pillar), Ephesians (Pillar) or Philippians (NIGTC)?I still have them, thankfully.
Yes, I do still have them, and I am very glad that I do.
They may be academically tainted by plagiarism issues; however, in terms of practical use in understanding the text, they are among the best commentaries I have. And I have a lot commentaries.
Two and a half years later, working through Hebrews, I have to agree that O'Brien's commentary is really helpful.
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