Anders Nygren?

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Zach

Zach

Puritan Board Senior
I was given a free copy of Anders Nygren's Commentary on Romans that was unwanted awhile ago. It's just sat on my bookshelf, but I was wondering if any of you knew anything about him or his theology. What I'm trying to figure out is whether or not I could use the Commentary being aware of error or whether or not I should just pitch it.

From what I've been able to find, he was a Swedish Lutheran Professor of Systematic Theology, wrote about the Christian concept of "agape" and was pretty supportive of an ecumenical message. The last part alarms me, but I figured I would check with my brothers and sisters on Puritan Board before I just threw away a commentary. Additionally, I'm hoping to get Sproul's commentary on Romans for Christmas so I'm certainly not planning on making it my primary Commentary for Romans. I just was curious as to whether or not it has any business being on my bookshelf.

Thanks.
 
Hang on to it! Our own Lane Keister prizes it as "essential", and D.A. Carson referenced it as "one of the best for theological flow".

"I'm currently reading about 45 commentaries on Romans in preparation for my sermons on Romans. I have not found Haldane as helpful as others seem to have, although he certainly makes good points here and there. For expository commentaries, I prefer Lloyd-Jones and Boice. One commentary I think is essential is an out of print commentary by Anders Nygren. This is an absolute jewel, especially for his sense of the flow of Romans. In fact, it is the best book I know of for getting the big picture. Sproul is okay, but it could have had greater depth. And it's missing a sermon. There's no sermon on 3:27-31. I was especially disappointed in this, because of all the hay that N.T. Wright attempts to make out of the passage. For exegetical commentaries, despite his sometimes Barthian tendencies, I find Cranfield the most helpful of the moderns. Hodge and Meyer are excellent older exegetical commentaries. Schreiner's commentary needs updating, as some of his positions have changed (he now holds to imputation, for instance). Moo I do not find as helpful as some do. "
Rev. Lane Keister
Teaching Elder, PCA, North Dakota

New Testament commentary survey - D. A. Carson - Google Books

Blessings!
 
Thank you so much Charles! I will definitely hang on to it and happily keep it on my bookshelf. I had no idea it was as faithful as it was. The support of Carson and Lane Keister (Greenbaggins here right?) is very telling. I'm looking forward to digging into it during break.
 
Zach, I don't know that their endorsements mean it's faithful, just that it's helpful for the aspect of flow. The little I know about Nygren would lead me to recommend caution.
 
py3ak said:
Zach, I don't know that their endorsements mean it's faithful, just that it's helpful for the aspect of flow. The little I know about Nygren would lead me to recommend caution.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ruben. What specifically would you recommend being on alert for? Thanks for reminding me of the difference between faithful and helpful. I appreciate the wise words of caution. I will heed your advice.
 
General squishiness. It crops up in different ways in different authors.
 
Thanks for the advice. That's why I was a little leery in the first place. It's helpful to know that while there is good use for it, it is not to be taken without being well aware of its shortcomings.
 
The helpful part of Nygren is the introduction, including his discussion of the "two ages" - the age of death under Adam v. the age of life under Christ.

For an overall commentary for Romans, and there are certainly many out there, I'm still partial to John Murray's.
 
Thank you BJ. I guess it's not a bad pick up for being a free book that was going to be thrown away.
 
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