1–2 PETER AND JUDE. By PhemePerkins, EloiseRosenblatt, and PatriciaMcDonald. Wisdom Commentary 56. Collegeville: Liturgical, 2022. Pp. xxxviii + 322. Hardback, $49.95.

As set out in the editor's introduction and the introduction to 1 Peter, this commentary explores the complex situations and ideas found in the three letters of 1 and 2 Peter and Jude from the angle of feminist criticism. This angle draws particular attention to the explicit portrayal of women in these texts while also seeking to hear how the texts may have impacted women or other disadvantaged persons, even in the passages that do not directly speak to or about women. Thus, issues such as power, authority, hierarchy, and imperialism come to the fore. For example, the authors contend that 1 Peter's exhortation to good deeds re-enforces the social structures in place. 2 Peter is viewed through the lens of a forensic trial in which the author, functioning like a prosecutor, argues vehemently against others. In the case of Jude, the commentators raise challenges to the rhetoric employed by the author, noting (as with 2 Peter) that little room is left for disagreement and alternative viewpoints. This commentary stands apart from others by its particular attention to how the disadvantaged or disenfranchised would hear the language and instructions found in these letters. Each book receives its own introduction that addresses issues of authorship, date, and situation. The commentary, then, proceeds section by section through each of the books. In addition, break-out boxes are used to explore historical, theological, or interpretative issues raised by the texts. In some instances, this material has been contributed by other scholars, who at times introduce competing interpretations to those taken in the main body of the commentary. This commentary could be used in a course on these letters.