Ancient Christian Witness

The Ancient Christian commentary series is not bad, but it's not the best either. It can really be confusing, if you don't know who is who in church history.

I say this because they quote not only Church Fathers, and Saints, but also Heretics, Schismatics, and nonfathers as well.

So if you know who is who then the series would be ok. Also sometimes the quotes that they give don't have anything to do with the passage at hand.

I know Dr. Constantinoue doesn't like the ACCS for this very reason.


But it's a good first effort, hopefully another group will do a better job.

http://www.ivpress.com/accs/about_the_accs.php

as seen from the site:

"About the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
Series

he Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does what very few
of today's students of the Bible could do for themselves. With the aid of
computer technology, the vast array of writings from the church
fathers--including much that is available only in the ancient languages--have
been combed for their comment on Scripture. From these results, scholars with a
deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand-selected
material for each volume, shaping, annotating and introducing it to today's
readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its
rhetorical power and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of
the early church.

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is an
ecumenical project, promoting a vital link of communication between the varied
Christian traditions of today and their common ancient ancestors in the faith.
On this shared ground, we listen as leading pastoral theologians of seven
centuries gather around the text of Scripture and offer their best theological,
spiritual and pastoral insights.

Today the historical-critical method of
interpretation has nearly exhausted its claim on the biblical text and on the
church. In its wake there is a widespread yearning among Christian individuals
and communities for the wholesome, the deep and the enduring. The Ancient
Christian Commentary on Scripture does not seek to replace those excellent
commentaries that have been produced in the twentieth century. Rather, it
supplements them, framing them with interpretive voices that have long sustained
the church and only recently have fallen silent. It invites us to listen with
appreciative ears and sympathetic minds as our ancient ancestors in the faith
describe and interpret the scriptural vistas as they see them.

The
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a postcritical revival of the early
commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria, a text artfully elaborated
with ancient and authoritative reflections and insights. An uncommon companion
for theological interpretation, spiritual reading, and wholesome teaching and
preaching."

JNORM888