Scott Hahn offers a distinctive perspective on the context, theological content, and purpose of the scroll of Chronicles by presenting his thesis that the Chronicler’s primary focus was a desire to reestablish liturgical worship of Yahweh in the Jerusalem Temple upon the return of the Israelite exiles. He reasons that the Chronicler viewed history as working up to the moment of the Davidic Covenant and the resulting Temple-Kingdom Age under his son Solomon, and that future history is working to restore this age through liturgy.

Hahn approaches his commentary by dividing the text of Chronicles into seven sections (i.e., genealogies, rise of David, the Davidic Covenant, beginning of the Temple-Kingdom Age, rise and reign of Solomon, division of the kingdom, and the exile and return) and clarifies the overall message of the Chronicler for each section individually and explaining how each section fits in with the overall message of Chronicles as a whole. Additionally, Hahn includes a subheading at the end of each section describing how it has influenced Christianity and been interpreted and applied. His technique provides a sweeping view of Chronicles, allowing the broader message of each major division to be accessible to the reader without losing him or her in the details.

According to Hahn, the Chronicler writes with an emphasis on covenant, liturgy and sacrament. The Chronicler’s work is not one of simple historical retelling, but of “biblical theology being practiced at a very deep level” (p. 6). Typology and pattern are used to interpret Israel’s history, and liturgy is key to “orient the prayer and worship of the people toward repenting for sin and seeking atonement” (p. 7). The biblical themes of covenant, qāhāl (“assembly”), ma‛al (“trespass”), and liturgy are of particular importance to Hahn’s understanding of the Chronicler’s worldview, with the Davidic Covenant and the Temple-Kingdom Age of Solomon as the pinnacle of Israelite worship. The cyclical pattern of the failures and successes of the Judean monarchs serve as warnings and examples for the future establishment of the Israelites in Jerusalem.

Of particular interest is his chapter on the genealogies of 1 Chr 1–9. He argues for a closer inspection of these often overlooked chapters, understanding them to be a carefully crafted genealogical list that displays “the Chronicler’s covenantal understanding of history as he traces Israel’s heritage through individuals who spoke with God and entered into covenant with him—Adam, Noah, Abraham, and finally David” (p. 18). According to Hahn, the genealogies do not simply provide a historical-genealogical list of the people of Israel, but are instead fashioned as an “overture” (p. 19) that presents the worldview of the Chronicler and serves as the platform for his presentation. Hahn’s use of extra-biblical evidence and Jewish literature is helpful to explain how the original audience of Chronicles would have understood the often subtle messages that are missed by many modern readers unaware of the traditional stories of several of the individuals listed (e.g., Adam).

Hahn understands Christian liturgy to be the “fulfillment of the temple liturgy” (p. 102), but he does not qualify his statement with particulars as to how readers should interpret his position. It appears from his chapter entitled “Liturgy and Empire” (ch. 5) that he is referring to the “prescribed” manner of worship, which he describes thusly: “there is never anything ad hoc or improvisational about the worship of the living God; no substantive element of the liturgy is left to the subjective creativity of individual worshippers or the community. The God of the Chronicler, like the God of Exodus, is a God who demands to be worshipped in a manner that he prescribes” (p. 129). He quotes Gary Anderson (Priesthood and Cult in Ancient Israel [JSOTSup 125; Sheffield: JSOT, 1991]) to support his thesis that prayer was mostly “a carefully prescribed cultic act” (p. 129). Although Hahn refers to the liturgical acts of prayer, sacrifice, and sacrament as prepared activities, he is also clear to emphasize the necessity that thanksgiving, joy, and gladness accompany them as part of worship. He describes the liturgical worship of the Temple Era to be “both performative and formative . . . pedagogy and mystagogy” (p. 134), and he argues essentially that creation itself is liturgical.

Scott Hahn’s Catholic background is evident in his commentary, but not so much that it excludes the attentive scholarship of readers from all denominational backgrounds. In the areas where he presents characteristically Catholic theology, such as Marianism and a parallel of Mary to the Ark of the Covenant, he does not dwell on these topics but rather mentions them as topics he considers worthy of further study. Perhaps the most distinctive theme is his overall emphasis on prescribed liturgy which, although it was strongly evident in the Temple-Kingdom Age, may be overstated as to the role of its fulfillment in the Christian church. It has the potential of discouraging more spontaneous forms of prayer and worship, and may also imply a perspective on the supersession of Israel. Thus, The Kingdom of God As Liturgical Empire serves as a good resource for delivering the basic historical message of each major division of the scroll of Chronicles, yet the sections on how each division is interpreted within Christianity are distinctively Catholic.

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