Fall 2019 · Vol. 48 No. 2 · pp. 187–189
Book Review
1 & 2 Chronicles
August H. Konkel. Believers Church Bible Commentary. Kitchener, ON: Herald Press, 2016. 520 pages.
Some books of the Hebrew Bible take center stage in teaching and preaching, and then there is the book of Chronicles, a much neglected, seemingly ponderous, and possibly deceptive re-imagining of what was already described in Samuel and Kings. The author of this commentary, August Konkel, is presently Professor of Old Testament at McMaster Divinity College, this after a long and well-respected academic and administrative career at Providence College and Seminary (Manitoba). Konkel’s maternal family is of Russian Mennonite origin. This present work is dedicated to their faithfulness in the midst of suffering, which he suggests resonates well with Chronicles’ “history of suffering and loss, faith and hope” (18).
According to Konkel, Chronicles was written sometime between 400 and 350 BCE “to inspire hope” (21) for the struggling post-exilic community living under Persian rule in the province of Yehud. The author of Chronicles is best described as a “historian” who interprets the past in a new way, even presenting a picture that is “a remarkable contrast to the earlier version” (24), in order to address the profound spiritual questions that faced the community. The Chronicler sought to offer hope by explaining why God’s eternal kingdom, mediated through King David, had failed, and then showing how the small struggling community addressed in the book (along with all the faithful everywhere) could become the fulfillment of this earlier promised kingdom (32).
Konkel suggests that the primary motivation for the entire book was to demonstrate how the post-exilic community could find a hopeful identity by following the pattern described in 2 Chronicles 7:14—humility, prayer, repentance, and healing. The difference between the Chronicles narrative and the Kings narrative is sometimes due to their divergent sources, but more often to their differing objectives. While Kings allows judgment and blessing to be collective and delayed, Chronicles sees these as more immediate and individual, although they still impact the larger group. Kings portrays the exile as punishment for unfaithfulness, which even the valiant efforts of a righteous king like Josiah could not forestall. Chronicles, on the other hand, highlights that “there is no state of judgment beyond the reach of mercy and forgiveness” (479), as demonstrated by the Chronicler’s surprising report of Manasseh’s repentance. Konkel continues to emphasize that the Chronicler “understands Israel to be the people of covenant, not a political entity” (33). This means that Israel is not simply the Jews living in post-exilic Jerusalem or Yehud. Instead, all tribes and peoples who respond according to 2 Chronicles 7:14 and center themselves on Jerusalem and its priestly leadership are welcome. {188}
The book of Chronicles contains seven divisions. Konkel manages to find remarkable value in the lengthy genealogy that begins 1 Chronicles even while he attempts to solve the puzzle of why these genealogies differ from those in other biblical books. Konkel concludes that the genealogies portray Israel, and ultimately Judah and Levi, as the center of humanity in order to inspire a vision which ultimately paved the way for the universal king and kingdom proclaimed in the Gospels. He also suggests that these genealogies display how awaiting the kingdom was (and is) not about trying “to speed its coming by some coercive engagement or political activity” (125) but about worshiping and giving praise to the king.
Parts 2, 3, and 4 form the center of the book, highlighting the reigns of David and Solomon and showing the kingdom of God at its apex. However, David’s reliance on war disqualified him from temple building, and this provided hope for this post-exilic community for whom war as a means of kingdom building was an impossibility. Previously, war had been necessary; but now, it was not the path to take.
Parts 5 to 7 trace the demise of this kingdom, although with several temporary reprieves as kings Hezekiah and Josiah provide hope by living out 2 Chronicles 7:14. Chronicles displays positive possibilities not only for individuals who reflect covenant faithfulness but also for those who fail and experience judgment. A key message of these sections is that it is never too late to reverse one’s trajectory.
The richness and depth of this commentary make it useful for anyone teaching or preaching on Chronicles. Konkel’s attention to detail and carefully reasoned presentation brings clarity to this complex biblical narrative. He also includes thirty pages of essays that address such topics as genealogies in Chronicles, the Greek text of Chronicles, history writing, and priests and Levites in Chronicles. These essays alone are worth the price of the book.
The greatest challenge of writing a commentary on this remarkable book is acknowledged by Konkel himself when he admits that “Chronicles does not readily yield to making direct application to contemporary life” (44). Konkel does makes significant efforts toward this end, but some of the “Text in the Life of the Church” sections rely on positive or negative character analogies which lead to some strained applications: pursuing both order and flexibility in worship, liturgy, and leadership (234-35); paying taxes cheerfully (242); avoiding pride and greed (309); and encouraging the sanctity of the sacraments (372). Even so, one can’t help but appreciate the effort to draw important lessons from these ancient narratives for the modern context.
The greatest contribution of this more than five-hundred-page commentary comes from the deep respect Konkel shows for Chronicles. {189} Chronicles is worthy of careful study and deserves to be included in Christian teaching and preaching. This is especially true for us as Anabaptists, for our own history is so much like that of the powerless post-exilic community the Chronicler was addressing. We too need encouragement to remain hopeful no matter what our situation. We too need to be reminded of how, despite appearances, God’s Kingdom is still coming in its fullness. The richness and depth of Konkel’s commentary make it well worth the effort required to carefully engage with it.