I enjoy reading volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series published by B&H Publishing Group. I own 23 of the planned 47 volumes so far and will continue to collect them as I read in preparation for teaching through Bible books and while following along with my pastor’s sermon series. The series editors include David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida. The volume this review is about–Exalting Jesus in Romans–is also authored by Tony Merida.
Having recently completed teaching a 19-month expositional study of Romans at my church, Merida’s book was one of the many resources I used to gather insights while walking through the apostle Paul’s incredible letter. Each resource has value for its own reasons, but I’ll briefly share the benefits I have gleaned from the series in general and this volume in particular.
According to the series introduction at the beginning of each volume in the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary, “This series is not academic in nature. Our aim is to present a readable and pastoral style of commentaries.” They achieve this purpose well, with volumes that any believer, pastor or not, can easily read and understand. Each book contains an introduction to that Bible book, followed by short chapters that focus on particular Bible passages, usually walking through the books from beginning to end. Chapters end with a series of questions for reflection or, perhaps, group discussion. If you want in-depth textual analysis or detailed academic biblical language explanations, you won’t find them here.
Merida’s volume on Romans follows the style of other books I’ve read in the series in several positive ways:
- Chapters are clearly outlined at the beginning.
- Explanations of the biblical text are clear and unencumbered by unfamiliar academic terminology.
- Illustrations are plentiful and relevant to the subject.
- Questions for reflection and discussion serve as a simple review of what was just read, with opportunities for more profound thought and application.
- A bibliography of works cited plus a Scripture index is included in the back for reference.
My only recurring complaint about books in the series is that there are very few Scripture quotations. The outline and chapter subheadings give the Bible references discussed, but rarely is Scripture itself quoted. It isn’t a bad thing that the reader must keep an open Bible nearby to read the passages, but more Scripture quotations would benefit the reader immensely. As an author, I understand that Bible publishers charge fees for quoting beyond a specific number of verses in a publication, but I would prefer to at least approach that limit for the book rather than have very few quotations.
When I teach through Bible books at my church, I frequently prepare handouts chapter by chapter for my class, including quotes from various commentaries, study Bibles, and other resources. There were regularly more quotes from this volume on Romans that I wanted to include than were prudent without becoming overwhelming in quantity. That speaks well of the value of the content in helping people understand and apply the teaching therein. There were several occasions when I marked a paragraph or more and read them to my class.
Whether you are a pastor seeking to explore additional resources to help you prepare sermons, a teacher trying to faithfully lead others in the study of God’s Word, or a believer who simply wants to learn more at your own pace about a particular Bible book, I heartily recommend the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series and this volume in particular, Exalting Jesus in Romans. The book is available in paperback and Kindle format on Amazon, as well as from many other sources.
Anything we can do to exalt Jesus and focus on Him is time well spent.
