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Title: Rationalistic
Review: Though this volume is in the Tyndale series, don't mistake it for a conservative commentary. It has all the signs of liberal conclusions drawn by rationalist scholarship. Though Cole admits the numbers in the Bible lead to 1446 as the date of the Exodus, he rejects this date and opts for the reign of Raamses II (1290-1224) (see p. 42). Furthermore, he thinks that the "sea of reeds" the children of Israel crossed was dried overnight by an east wind, thus being only a few inches deep (see pp. 121-122). Of course, he fails to mention how the Egyptians could have drowned in a few inches of water.In the above-mentioned instances, the commentary is more an exposition of Cole's preconcieved notions than of the text of Scripture. Perhaps other parts are better, but the commentary's primary value lies in its presentation of alternate views, and thus it provides discernment practice.
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