Robert J. Karris is no stranger to the Collegeville brand of popular Scripture studies since he served as the editor of the New Testament Series of the original Collegeville Bible Commentary (1983-85). He writes this splendid commentary "for beginners and those who want a quick refresher course for preaching and... clear but not simplistic exposition." He achieves his goal admirably well.

Karris identifies the master plan of Galatians as that of an R&R letter. rebuking his readers for deserting the Gospel of Christ for a perverted message, requesting that the Galatians renew their friendship with him and imitate his departure from Jewish laws and his adaptation of Gentile ways.

The heart of Paul's message is his insistence that Jesus' death on the cross is totally sufficient for our salvation. Therefore, "a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ" (Gal 2:16). This is the essence of the Good News to be preached and practiced then, now, and always.

Paul's Letter to the Romans may well qualify as one of those letters which Peter in his Second Letter (3:16) admits "in them there are some things hard to understand." But Karris offers creative ways for readers to soften this hardness. Paul returns to the theme he presented in his Letter to the Galatians, namely, the supremacy of Christ and our faith in him as the source of our salvation. Paul

foresees that Israel's rejection of Jesus allows salvation to come to the Gentiles

and then return to the Jews who become jealous of Gentile preference. Paul confidently asserts that "the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable" (Rom 11:29). Karris's lively style and his use of homespun, personal examples make for a reading and study that will be enjoyable as well as enlightening.