The Search for a Particular Sort of Commentary

[0isez]

Brothers and Sisters,
Again I come to you for advice. As I go through the book of Exodus I have a myriad of questions and my meager source of commentaries tend to veer to the sermonizing side of things instead of the descriptive, historical and hermeneutical (I hope using this big word in the right context, because I am searching for enlightenment not so much in my soul but in the text setting).
So, in short, I am looking for a commentary written by a believer(s) that will engage me in the aspects of the Book itself (more about the book than the application of the book I guess). Here are some examples of my questions:

• Exodus 15:20. Miriam is called a prophetess. What did she do to deserve such a title?
• Exodus 15:16.Purchased from whom? 9 out of 10 English bible translations use the word purchase.

“Christ's purchased people, through the ford or river of death, to the Canaan of everlasting rest and happiness: Christ's people are purchased by him, who is able to make the purchase, and had a right to do it, and has actually made it, by giving his flesh, shedding his blood, laying down his life, and giving himself a ransom price for them: these do, and must pass over Jordan, or go through the cold stream of death; it is the way of all the earth, of good men as well as others; it is a passage from one world to another; and there is no getting to the heavenly Canaan without going this way, or through this ford; and all the Lord's purchased people”...John Gill
MY THOUGHTS: Gill sees a prophetic angle in this word purchased, but the action of the cross wasn't a reality until 1500 years later. There was no actual sacrifice of God's Son, so why imply that it has in fact been a purchase? Purchase from whom?" Satan? There was no proving ground, no settlement and no currency that could acquire His people in that sense.
I prefer the straight ahead translation of the word purchase as listed more sensibly below...

NOTE: QUNAH; Exodus 15:16 is better translated...Thy people whom thou hast CREATED rather than PURCHASED (RSV). See also, Ps: 74:2, Ps 78:54...Vines Complete Expository Dictionary.

• Exodus 25:5 What is the significance of “Young Men” building an altar? Why only young men?

I am very familiar with most of the online reformed and unreformed commentaries available and in my search for straight ahead scholarly research in the aspects I’ve named above is very difficult to find. Subjectivism such as Gill’s foray into prophecy concerning this verse stands alone and this is exactly what I am trying to avoid. You can throw a stick and hit a moralizing commentary anywhere and I have a saying regarding this; “Don’t tell me what to think and how to feel about something, just the facts please". Thanks for letting me ramble. All advice is welcome.

 

[greenbaggins]

Ken, the best commentaries on Exodus (in my opinion) that would fit your criteria are the following: John Currid, Victor Hamilton, Phillip Ryken, Eugene Carpenter, T. Desmond Alexander, Duane Garrett, and John Mackay. I would be very much surprised if you did not find answers to your questions within those volumes.

 

[0isez]

Ken, the best commentaries on Exodus (in my opinion) that would fit your criteria are the following: John Currid, Victor Hamilton, Phillip Ryken, Eugene Carpenter, T. Desmond Alexander, Duane Garrett, and John Mackay. I would be very much surprised if you did not find answers to your questions within those volumes.

Thanks Pastor,' I will Check them out.

 

[Request-Deleted member 11775]

Re verse 20 Poole seems to answer well:

Miriam the prophetess; so called, either in a general sense, because she was an instructor of other women in the praise and service of God; or in a more special sense, because she had the Spirit of prophecy. See Numbers 12:2 Micah 6:4.

Re v 16, in Exodus 6:6 the Lord promises to redeem them. Redemption is by price and power, and the price was the death of the typical paschal lamb, typifying Christ the Lamb of God. The price of redemption is always tendered to divine justice.

Re Ex. 24:5 Poole says,

It matters not whether they were the first-born, or others; it is sufficient that they were persons appointed and authorized for the present service, not without God’s direction.

But it would be interesting if there is some spiritual significance here.

 

[0isez]

Re Ex. 24:5 Poole says,
It matters not whether they were the first-born, or others; it is sufficient that they were persons appointed and authorized for the present service, not without God’s direction.


But it would be interesting if there is some spiritual significance here.

Hey Alexmacarie,
I do suspect that there is spiritual significance here. Poole's comments for Ex. 24:5 sounds churlish to me and proves nothing. This is the kind of stone walling commentary I would like to avoid. But thanks for your help, it is appreciated...Ken

 

[Request-Deleted member 11775]

Hey Alexmacarie,
I do suspect that there is spiritual significance here. Poole's comments for Ex. 24:5 sounds churlish to me and proves nothing. This is the kind of stone walling commentary I would like to avoid. But thanks for your help, it is appreciated...Ken

No worries, but I wouldn't avoid Poole entirely he's quite helpful. Apart from those comments on ex 24:5 he was able to shed light, I thought, on some of your questions relating to the other texts. It's more often in sermons that the kind of spiritual development of obscure points comes out than in commentaries, in my experience at least.

reformedbooksonline.com Has a collection of free online commentaries that may help find more explanation that you're looking for.