Concerning Humanity
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 59, No. 1 – Fall 2016
Managing Editor: W. Madison Grace II
By Charles L. Quarles. Nashville: B&H, 2014. 300 pages. Paperback, $29.99.
The apostle Paul is one of the most important persons in the New Testament, and Charles Quarles has written a fine, well-illustrated introductory history of the ministry, writings, and theology of Paul (2, 37). In this book Quarles seeks to “wed deep love for the apostle Paul with deep love for the truth (ix),” and he certainly achieves his purpose. The book is aimed at lay people: the text is easy to understand, the Greek and Hebrew words are transliterated (e.g., 16, 31), and endnotes are used, although they are somewhat limited. However, this book will be of special benefit to beginning students of the New Testament.
The pictures and maps are excellent. The paper stock is a photographic quality on which the colors of the pictures are rich and vibrant. The pictures are top-notch. Fourteen of them are from the Biblical Illustrator, but most come from Wikipedia Commons (292). The full-color maps are excellent—not surprising since most of them appeared in the award-winning Holman Bible Atlas (see Thomas Brisco, Holman Bible Atlas[Nashville: B&H, 1998]).
This book has many strengths. First, Quarles shows a commitment to biblical inerrancy—in keeping with being a professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Second, he stays close to what the biblical text says. He is usually clear when he speculates beyond the text (e.g., 24, 57, 65), such as thinking that Paul may have been present to hear Gamaliel’s words in Acts 5:34–39 (21). However, other times Quarles does not indicate when he is speculating, which could mislead novices in Pauline studies (e.g., 5, 27, 64, 92, 127, 223, 226, 247). Third, the book deftly dovetails Paul’s travels and writings with the chronological order in Acts, so it is an excellent and quite complete introduction to Paul’s ministry and writings. Fourth, Quarles gives good descriptions of ancient practices, such as flogging (22) and stoning (23–24), and in describing places, such as the dangerous Sceironian Rocks near Athens (117). Fifth, he offers good analyses of some biblical events or teachings, such as the following: (1) three reasons Paul’s encounter with Jesus was more than just an internal revelation (it had external elements, 29–30), (2) two lessons from the conversion of Sergius Paulus (47–48), and (3) five aspects of justification (52–53).
The book is well written with a few minor mistakes. A picture caption should say “eleven miles” rather than “eleven mile” (47). The Damascus Gate depicted on page 193 was not the one Paul went through because this gate was built by Suleiman in AD 1537–41. The old Roman gate Paul went through has been excavated and visible for years, and this is the gate that is associated with Paul. Quarles indicates an ancient Jewish population needed to be sizeable to support a synagogue (99), but Jews formed synagogues with as few as ten Jewish men in a local area.
Here are some ways the book could be slightly improved. Give more information in the picture captions, such as (1) telling where the tomb of Gamaliel is (10), (2) explaining what a “tel” is (56), (3) noting that the mound at Derbe is a tel (83), and (4) stating that the picture of the Fortress Antonia is from a scale-model of Herodian Jerusalem at the Israel Museum. Adding a picture of the bema (judgment seat) at Corinth would help since Paul appeared before Gallio at the Corinth bema. More explanation of a bronze prutah coin would help because most readers do not know what “1/1000 pound” means (214). It was worth 1/64 of a denarius, and a denarius was worth a day’s wage for a common ancient laborer. Also, a good discussion of the differences between a genuine site (such as the theater at Ephesus, scene of the riotous crowd in Acts 19:29, [167]) and a traditional site (such as the excavated prison at Philippi that may be the one in which Paul and Silas were imprisoned, [91]) would be helpful.
Quarles’s book makes an excellent companion volume to a similarly-illustrated book about Jesus by Herschel Hobbs (see Herschel Hobbs, The Illustrated Life of Jesus [Nashville: Holman Reference, 2000]). Also, Quarles’s book compares favorably with a similarly-illustrated book about Paul by Peter Walker (see Peter Walker, In the Steps of Paul: An Illustrated Guide to the Apostle’s Life and Journeys [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008]). Both Quarles’s and Walker’s books on Paul are beneficial in different ways, so this reviewer recommends both of them. First, Quarles is more committed to the inerrancy of the biblical text, and this doctrinal stance is important. Second, Quarles’s book has better maps. Third, although Quarles uses fewer pictures, the paper is of better quality, so they look better. Fourth, Quarles’s text has more of a smooth narrative flow; whereas, Walker’s book is more episodic. However, Walker’s book has helpful excursus sections and includes helpful layouts of major buildings in ancient cities as well as key dates of historical events in those cities.
Charles L. Quarles has written an excellent, well-illustrated introduction to the apostle Paul. This reviewer highly recommends it to lay readers and Bible students.
