The Life And Epistles Of St. Paul, By W.j. Conybeare And J.s. Howson

This outstanding book captivated me from beginning to end. In fact, it is not an easy read. I needed far more than a dictionary to see me through it, and even then, I could not figure out some of (what I thought) were its more obscure/dated references. Biblical atlases, regular atlases, and encyclopedias, as well as other reference books, were stacked by my side as I slogged through it. But it was worth every moment! These two can write! The book is thorough, the notes are excellent, and I never felt like these two had an agenda, which is something I value when I read books. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get to know St Paul for themselves.

I have had my own personal copy of a 1893 edition since 1978. I have read and studied this book over and over many times during these past years. I still find it edifying in any facet of my ministry and teaching. It has opened up the world of the times of Christ and the Apostle Paul's world, helping me to better understand the civilization which gave birth to the Church age. It is not an easy book to read, and a dictionary at hand does help clarify the thinking of these writes. Based on the available knowledge and information of their day, their research is impeccable and presented in an understandable format. This is not a book for just anyone, nor someone who is only interested in a cursory look at its presentation. I highly recommend it for a serious student of both The Bible and its History of time and places. When you consult the list of "Contents and Chapters," and the "Appendices," you are immediately led into a small study unto itself. The writers are chronological with subject matter that is apart from the basic book. The uses of notes are excellent for clarification and searching the Scriptures to substantiate the writings. This is a serious translation of the Epistles of St. Paul by two eminent scholars of their day.

This work was written in the 19th century, so the language can be challenging. This is not casual reading. That being said, I have found it to be one of the best biographies of Paul. So many of the others seem really to be the author's projections of some point of view they hold onto the apostle Paul. The authors at times run off into speculation, but these are clearly marked. I am sure it is dated with respect to the archeology of the middle east and Greece.

From the first paragraph of their introduction: "The purpose of this work is to give a living picture of St. Paul himself, and of the circumstances by which he was surrounded." Actually, they did far more than that modest sentence indicates. Either Conybeare or Howson (or both of them) personally walked and sailed everywhere that the Apostle traveled! Their account is a great travelogue, an historical tour-de-force, and an insightful Christian analysis and examination of Paul's ministry. Included in the book are the authors' own translations from the Greek of Paul's inspired writings!