RECOMMENDED NT COMMENTARIES Recommended OT Commentaries
Other Recommended Books
INTRODUCTION
Bible commentaries can be very useful in helping the Christian to understand the Scriptures. After all, we are nearly 2000 years removed from the culture, background, and language of the New Testament. There are many details and things which we cannot learn or know about if we don't turn to a commentary (i.e. history, culture, or original meaning of the language). As useful as these tools may be though, we want always to remember that they are written by fallible men and are not inspired by God, even though they may often times speak correctly about things that are inspired by God. The Bible itself must always be our first and last resource. It was said of George Whitefield that he primarily read 3 books: His English Bible, the Greek New Testament, and Matthew Henry's Commentary of the Bible. Those men of old knew God well, and had but few resources compared to the wealth of writings available to us today. This is not to say in any way though that we should not use the resources available to us, indeed we should use and consult them, though not in an unhealthy way.
There are many different Bible commentaries today, some are good, some are not so good. Some are written by trustworthy men of doctrinal integrity, some are written by men which lean more toward a liberal or critical approach. Some fall in between. As always, this is a matter in which we must exercise great discernment. We would not want to read a commentary written by an unreferenced source. Our selection should be based on some reliable knowledge or hearty recommendation of the author by men whom we know and trust. At the same time, it is so important to remember that no commentary will see eye to eye theologically with everything in which we believe. We will at times find ourselves disagreeing with the writer's interpretation of this or that passage or of other important issues. This should not at all though discourage us from consulting them. It is helpful when reading commentaries to always remember to, "chew up the meat and spit out the bones" or "take the good and leave the bad". Who is to say that we are always right anyway?
Different Type of Commentaries:
More so, commentaries are not all the same, different types of commentaries serve different purposes. Many are good in their respective areas of attention. I have chosen to divide them up into three groups of my choice to see the differences and purposes of use more clearly: Devotional, General, and Greek Exegetical:
Devotional Commentaries often give a general overview of the entire Bible, or of specific books, while focusing primarily on main themes and practical application for the Christian life. As such, they are not going to be as focused on detail as others may, however they are still very useful, valuable, and are not to be underestimated. These commentaries can be very good for devotional reading and study.
General Commentaries are commentaries of individual books of the Bible. These pay much more attention to detail in the realm of theology, history, culture, background, contemporary issues, application, and occasionally consider the original wording, though always provide transliteration of the Greek letters. Though at times they may be semi-technical, they tend to be mid-level and should still be accessible to any serious minded Christian who is willing to dig deep into God's Word; however, a working knowledge of Greek may at times help. These commentaries can also can be of great use to the pastor, preacher, missionary, and theologian.
Greek Exegetical Commentaries, like the previous group, also focus on history, culture and background. Some writers will give less attention to theological issues than others, as their main objective is to expound the meaning of the Greek text and not write a theological commentary of a biblical book. The primary difference between this group and the General Commentaries is that these are much more technical, being based on and providing commentary on the Greek New Testament text, as opposed to the English New Testament, and as such, they are written for those with a working knowledge of NTG. These focus on the original language for the purpose of exegesis, interpretation, and to see nuances and meanings of language which are not seen clearly in English. Because of this, they will usually demand a working knowledge and understanding of NTG in order to be able to profit from them without getting lost. Some of them may still be used without a knowledge of Greek, however their use will be greatly limited.
Commentary Listing:
As a general rule, if there are multiple commentaries listed for the same book, then I have placed them in order of recommendation. However this is not always the case, as sometimes the different commentaries may serve slightly different purposes. If you have questions about a commentary or book of the NT or desire to know the differences, please do not hesitate to ask.
Commentary Reviews:
I have attempted to provide some brief reviews of each commentary. For the volumes that I own, I have offered more extensive notes and comments. For those that I do not have, I have been heavily dependent on secondary sources. I have used those such as Sam Storms from Enjoying God Ministries, Keith Matheson of Ligonier Ministries, as well as a number of individual reviewers. Other commentaries have been personally recommended to me by trustworthy sources. There is also Google-books which provides extensive previews for certain commentaries. After compiling this list and the reviews, I discovered one more helpful source worth noting. Though done in 2007, and considering that a number of newer commentaries have appeared since, Andy Naselli , D.A. Carson's current Research Manager, has provided concise reviews of the volumes then available in the PNTC, BECNT, and NIGTC. You can find them here.
Disclaimer on Revelation:
One's preference of a commentary on Revelation will greatly depend upon their personal escatological beliefs. All of us have to admit that there is no perfect end-times system; they all have holes and in the end no one view is completely right. Sadly, most who hold the Amillennial view will disregard most of what a Premillennial commentary has to say, and visa-versa, even in the areas where they are profitable. This is unfortunate indeed. So I have tried here to list the best commentaries of the respective views, whether Amillennial, Historic Premillennial or even Progressive Dispensational Premillennial. Note that I am not defending any escatological camps here, as I believe all of them can be found lacking. For those who are wondering where I stand on the issue, it is fair enough that I should share: I continually seem to land in-between Amillennial and Historic Premillennial (not Dispensational Pre-Trib Premillennial). I am not dogmatic about end times positions, but rather prefer to focus on the majors, namely that Christ is coming back to judge the living and the dead, there is a day of judgement (I believe there is only one), Heaven is real, and Hell is eternal.
There are many different Bible commentaries today, some are good, some are not so good. Some are written by trustworthy men of doctrinal integrity, some are written by men which lean more toward a liberal or critical approach. Some fall in between. As always, this is a matter in which we must exercise great discernment. We would not want to read a commentary written by an unreferenced source. Our selection should be based on some reliable knowledge or hearty recommendation of the author by men whom we know and trust. At the same time, it is so important to remember that no commentary will see eye to eye theologically with everything in which we believe. We will at times find ourselves disagreeing with the writer's interpretation of this or that passage or of other important issues. This should not at all though discourage us from consulting them. It is helpful when reading commentaries to always remember to, "chew up the meat and spit out the bones" or "take the good and leave the bad". Who is to say that we are always right anyway?
Different Type of Commentaries:
More so, commentaries are not all the same, different types of commentaries serve different purposes. Many are good in their respective areas of attention. I have chosen to divide them up into three groups of my choice to see the differences and purposes of use more clearly: Devotional, General, and Greek Exegetical:
Devotional Commentaries often give a general overview of the entire Bible, or of specific books, while focusing primarily on main themes and practical application for the Christian life. As such, they are not going to be as focused on detail as others may, however they are still very useful, valuable, and are not to be underestimated. These commentaries can be very good for devotional reading and study.
General Commentaries are commentaries of individual books of the Bible. These pay much more attention to detail in the realm of theology, history, culture, background, contemporary issues, application, and occasionally consider the original wording, though always provide transliteration of the Greek letters. Though at times they may be semi-technical, they tend to be mid-level and should still be accessible to any serious minded Christian who is willing to dig deep into God's Word; however, a working knowledge of Greek may at times help. These commentaries can also can be of great use to the pastor, preacher, missionary, and theologian.
Greek Exegetical Commentaries, like the previous group, also focus on history, culture and background. Some writers will give less attention to theological issues than others, as their main objective is to expound the meaning of the Greek text and not write a theological commentary of a biblical book. The primary difference between this group and the General Commentaries is that these are much more technical, being based on and providing commentary on the Greek New Testament text, as opposed to the English New Testament, and as such, they are written for those with a working knowledge of NTG. These focus on the original language for the purpose of exegesis, interpretation, and to see nuances and meanings of language which are not seen clearly in English. Because of this, they will usually demand a working knowledge and understanding of NTG in order to be able to profit from them without getting lost. Some of them may still be used without a knowledge of Greek, however their use will be greatly limited.
Commentary Listing:
As a general rule, if there are multiple commentaries listed for the same book, then I have placed them in order of recommendation. However this is not always the case, as sometimes the different commentaries may serve slightly different purposes. If you have questions about a commentary or book of the NT or desire to know the differences, please do not hesitate to ask.
Commentary Reviews:
I have attempted to provide some brief reviews of each commentary. For the volumes that I own, I have offered more extensive notes and comments. For those that I do not have, I have been heavily dependent on secondary sources. I have used those such as Sam Storms from Enjoying God Ministries, Keith Matheson of Ligonier Ministries, as well as a number of individual reviewers. Other commentaries have been personally recommended to me by trustworthy sources. There is also Google-books which provides extensive previews for certain commentaries. After compiling this list and the reviews, I discovered one more helpful source worth noting. Though done in 2007, and considering that a number of newer commentaries have appeared since, Andy Naselli , D.A. Carson's current Research Manager, has provided concise reviews of the volumes then available in the PNTC, BECNT, and NIGTC. You can find them here.
Disclaimer on Revelation:
One's preference of a commentary on Revelation will greatly depend upon their personal escatological beliefs. All of us have to admit that there is no perfect end-times system; they all have holes and in the end no one view is completely right. Sadly, most who hold the Amillennial view will disregard most of what a Premillennial commentary has to say, and visa-versa, even in the areas where they are profitable. This is unfortunate indeed. So I have tried here to list the best commentaries of the respective views, whether Amillennial, Historic Premillennial or even Progressive Dispensational Premillennial. Note that I am not defending any escatological camps here, as I believe all of them can be found lacking. For those who are wondering where I stand on the issue, it is fair enough that I should share: I continually seem to land in-between Amillennial and Historic Premillennial (not Dispensational Pre-Trib Premillennial). I am not dogmatic about end times positions, but rather prefer to focus on the majors, namely that Christ is coming back to judge the living and the dead, there is a day of judgement (I believe there is only one), Heaven is real, and Hell is eternal.
Devotional Commentaries
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-Matthew Henry's Commentary of the Whole Bible
(Matthew Henry) The classic commentary which served many past generations of saints. It is now public domain and can be found in several formats freely online. -Matthew Poole's Commentary (Matthew Poole) A great complement to Matthew Henry. Spurgeon recommended both Henry and Poole, something quite noteworthy. This commentary is also available freely in public domain as well as on eSword. -Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (D.A. Carson & G.K. Beale) Discusses relationship between OT prophecy and its meaning in the NT. |
-Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
(J.C. Ryle) 7 Volume Set (7 Volume Set) Very practical and pastoral. If you want practical application from the gospels then read Ryle here. -Bible Speaks Today Series: Acts, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy & Titus, 2 Timothy, James, 1 Peter A very thoughtful and practical series of commentaries. The series is edited by John Stott. |
General Commentaries
(NICNT) New International Commentary of the New Testament
(PNTC) Pillar New Testament Commentary
(TNTC) Tyndale New Testament Commentary
(NAC) New American Commentary
(NICNT) New International Commentary of the New Testament
(PNTC) Pillar New Testament Commentary
(TNTC) Tyndale New Testament Commentary
(NAC) New American Commentary
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-New Testament Commentary
(William Hendriksen & Simon J. Kistemaker) I would buy this full set before anything else if you are able. It contains every book of the NT. Though it is now out of print, these can be bought used through Amazon or Abe Books for very reasonable prices. Hendricksen was a great commentator and Kistemaker is helpful as well. This set is very insightful. Though after purchasing it you may want to add other individual commentaries as able in order to dig deeper in particular books. Gospels & Acts -The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT) (R.T. France) France is full of good and helpful exegesis. His interpretation of the Olivet Discourse in chapter 24 is not the norm and may scare some, but don't let that keep you from getting this volume. -The Gospel of Mark (NICNT) (William Lane) A very good addition for anyone wanting to study Mark's gospel. Just as he is in Hebrews, Lane is also great in Mark. This commentary will probably be replaced in the near future with another NICNT volume, so get it before it is discontinued. -Luke (NAC) (Robert H. Stein) A solid work for those who do not have a knowledge of Greek. -Luke (TNTC) (Leon Morris) Morris is always worth consulting. His gospel commentaries on John and Matthew are helpful and this is no exception. Though brief here, this little volume will prove useful. -The Gospel According to John (PNTC) (D.A. Carson) This should be the first commentary to own and consult on John's gospel account. Carson has done the church a great service here. If you are wanting a treatment of the Greek text though you will have to look elsewhere. If you desire more on this gospel then there is the following: Leon Morris, who has done probably more study on John's gospel than anyone living today, wrote a great commentary in the NICNT, however it has since been replaced, and is no longer in print. So if you want to by it you will have to get it used, and it is not cheap. Hopefully soon a stand-alone-volume will be offered such as was done when Murray's commentary of Romans was replaced by Moo. You can find it here. -The Gospel & Epistles of John (F.F. Bruce) A nice little commentary which is worth picking up at only $8. The gospel commentary comes packaged along with the epistles, making a nice bargain. Some have accused Bruce of being "theologically dry", however here I have not found that to be the case. I constantly find myself going back to Bruce after Carson as his insights are always helpful. -The Acts of the Apostles (PNTC) (David G. Peterson) A new commentary that gives a fresh breath of air to the English reader. As good as Bock is on Acts, he stands slightly out of reach for the reader without Greek. Get Peterson and if you can Bruce will be helpful also.This is a much needed and helpful volume that will stand for years. -The Book of Acts (NICNT) (F.F. Bruce) As is usual with Bruce, he is great on history, background, context and language. While some are hard on him for leaving something to be desired for theological reflection I am not so hard on him. He is very well worth consulting. This commentary is loaded with historical information, though I would seek to obtain another for theological reflection. Pauline Epistles -The Epistle to the Romans (NICNT) (Douglas Moo) An outstanding volume on Romans. I actually prefer Schreiner over Moo, though I don't in any way discredit this great commentary. Moo tends to be more dispensational and perhaps not as dogmatic about sovereignty as Schreiner, but you still cannot go wrong with reading Moo and his great commentaries. -The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT) (Gordon Fee) Said by many to be the best there is to offer on this letter. This is the best choice for the English reader, however beware that 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 is used by Fee to promote his egalitarian views. Apart from this it is a great commentary. -The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT) (Philip E Hughes) Hughes work is always helpful and insightful. Though this volume has been replaced by the following one by Barnett, it should still be consulted, especially as it can be picked up for just a few dollars used. -The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT) (Paul Barnett) This work by Barnett treats this book in a thorough and detailed manner. Whether you have Garland or not, this is a good option to turn to. -The Letter to the Ephesians (PNTC) (Peter T. O'Brien) Said by many to be the best there is on Ephesians. However being that it is not a commentary on the Greek text, you may want to add others such as Thielman or Hoehner. -Paul's Letter to the Philippians (NICNT) (Gordon Fee) Fee is a good commentator and his treatment of Philippians is no exception. Though I would prefer O'Brien first, this is the volume for the English reader. |
-The Letters to the Colossians & to Philemon (PNTC)
(Douglas Moo) If you can have only one commentary on these books this is the one to get. -The Letter to the Thessalonians (PNTC) (Gene Green) This is the best option for the English reader on these two letters. It contains lots of historical and background information as well as theological insight. -Pastoral Epistles (WBC) (William D. Mounce) This is based on the Greek text and belongs under the following category. However this is simply the best commentary on these 3 letters and I could not resist recommending it here as well. For a more accessible, but still detailed option, see Hendriksen in the first set mentioned. One more reason to learn Greek is to fully profit from this amazing commentary by Mounce. Pastoral Epistles (PNTC) (Robert Yarbrough) Mounce is, in my opinion, the best when it comes to the Pastorals, however without a knowledge of Greek one can quickly become discouraged and lost. Yarbrough is a sound exegete who is decidedly in the conservative and Reformed tradition. You can expect him to hold a complementarian view of chapter 2. -The Pastoral Epistles (TNTC) (Donald Guthrie) I continually find this little volume helpful. Though concise it is not shallow. Guthrie defends Pauline authorship and takes a gracious complementarian approach in chapter 2. This is well worth the money at only $5, so buy it before it runs out. General Epistles -The Letter to the Hebrews (PNTC) (Peter T. O'Brien) This is a very complete commentary on this epistle and as such would be good to own after Lane. Whereas Lane's commentary requires Greek, O'Brien does not. -The Epistle to the Hebrews (Philip E. Hughes) This is a contemporary classic. If I could have only two commentaries on Hebrews it would be William Lane's 2 vol. below and this one. Hughes is very good at drawing out theological implication and application. This should be owned by everyone studying through this book. -The Epistle to the Hebrews (NICNT) (F.F. Bruce) As is usual with Bruce, he is great on history, background, context and language. While some are hard on him for leaving something to be desired for theological reflection I am not so hard on him. He is very well worth consulting. This commentary, as with his one on Acts, is loaded with historical information, though I would seek to obtain another for theological reflection. -The Letter of James (PNTC) (Douglas Moo) Read anything that you can by Moo as he does not disappoint. Here he has provided us with another oustanding work. If you can have only one commentary on James, make it this one. -1 Peter (TNTC) (Wayne Grudem) A concise yet helpful treatment of 1 Peter. Regardless of the other commentaries you have I still recommend this one at only $10.50. -1 & 2 Peter & Jude (NAC) (Thomas Schreiner) Schreiner is always solid on theology and exegesis in my opinion and this volume is no exception. It is a good place to start with any of these three letters. -The First Epistle of Peter (NICNT) (Peter H. Davids) After Schreiner and Grudem Davids is a good place to turn. Though the commentary is rather short, it still has things to offer. -The Letters of 2 Peter & Jude (PNTC) (Peter H. Davids) Davids provides a nice commentary which supports Petrine authorship. This work has been overshadowed some by more recent works such as Gene Green (mentioned below), however it is still a good place to turn for the English reader. -The Letters of John (PNTC) (Colin Kruse) A good and substantial commentary of these three letters. It has been said at times to be too brief, however it is worth consulting and owning. -The Letters of John (TNTC) (John Stott) A very practical and pastoral treatment of these letters. This is typical Stott. -Jude (Thomas Manton) This old commentary from the English Puritan is outstanding and should be closely consulted by anyone studying Jude. Revelation -The Book of Revelation (NICNT) (Robert Mounce) Mounce takes a historic premillennial approach to Revelation. This is a helpful commentary that should not be overlooked or neglected when studying this book. I would start here and add D. Johnson afterward. -Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary of Revelation (Dennis Johnson) Johnson takes an Amillennial approach, and as such this will be the first choice for some in the reformed camp. This commentary, as good as it is, should not be the only one you consult in your study of Revelation. |
Greek Exegetical Commentaries
(BECNT) Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament
(ZECNT) Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament
(NIGTC) New International Greek Testament Commentary
(ICC) International Critical Commentary
(WBC) Word Biblical Commentary
WBC Disclaimer: Many are very hard and negative about the WBC series and it's layout, citing it as "annoying, terrible and difficult to read". I may be alone here, but I actually enjoy it and don't find it to be so bad. Realizing that it is designed to be a technical commentary, it is to be expected that it will not be as easy to read as a normal commentary. Don't let the layout prevent you from missing out on the good commentaries this series offers.
(BECNT) Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament
(ZECNT) Zondervan Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament
(NIGTC) New International Greek Testament Commentary
(ICC) International Critical Commentary
(WBC) Word Biblical Commentary
WBC Disclaimer: Many are very hard and negative about the WBC series and it's layout, citing it as "annoying, terrible and difficult to read". I may be alone here, but I actually enjoy it and don't find it to be so bad. Realizing that it is designed to be a technical commentary, it is to be expected that it will not be as easy to read as a normal commentary. Don't let the layout prevent you from missing out on the good commentaries this series offers.
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Gospels & Acts -Matthew (ZECNT) (Grant Osborne) Finally, a solid, conservative commentary of Matthew which discusses the Greek text! Not that there are not other technical works (such as the following two), but this is the first which is not overly critical. I love the layout and focus of this series. -Matthew 3 Volumes (ICC) Vol 1 1-7 Vol 2 8-18 Vol 3 19-28 (Davies & Allison) Very technical, expensive but worth the money if you want to get everything you can out of the Greek text. Read with a discerning eye as the writers tend to be overly critical at times. For the Greek it serves well, but otherwise don't make this your only commentary on Matthew. -The Gospel of Matthew (NIGTC) (John Nolland) I am slightly hesitant to recommend this commentary due to several critical issues, however I trust that those with a discerning eye will be able to still profit from it. Carson and Jim Hamilton recommend it, which is quite noteworthy. Nolland provides a massive commentary at over 1500 pages on the Greek text. He believes that it is "most unlikely" that Matthew wrote this gospel. This work is also redaction critical and gender inclusive. He also holds that Mark wrote first and that Matthew used Mark but not Luke, etc. I venture to say that too much time is spent arguing for Markan priority throughout and discussing how Matthew used/altered Mark for his own use, when he should have been commenting on what Matthew did write. However, holding to Markan priority is very common among solid Matthean commentators and not something that should make us cringe. The real drawback here is that Nolland spends too much time in redaction criticism and too little in commenting. Do read Hamilton's review for much more info. For those wanting yet more on the Greek text, you can look into Donald Hagner's 2 volume work in the WBC. -The Gospel of Mark (NIGTC) (R.T. France) Just as in his commentary of Matthew for the NICNT, France here is also full of good and helpful exegesis and in addition digs heavily into the Greek. His interpretation of the Olivet Discourse in chapter 13 is rather strange, but don't let that keep you from getting this volume. Also, France for some reason does not discuss chapter 16:9-20, so you will need to look elsewhere for that. If you want more on the Greek, you can check out Guelich and Evans in the 2 volume WBC. -Luke 2 Vol (BECNT) (Darrell Bock) Said to be the best on Luke by many trustworthy men. It could be likened to a one-stop-shop for this great gospel account. At over 2000 pages it does not leave much untouched. For those wanting yet more on Luke in the Greek, you can check out the slightly more technical 3 volume work of Nolland in the WBC. -John (WBC) (George Beasley-Murray) This is a good all around commentary on John's gospel. It may not be as pastoral as Carson, but it does a good job of going through major points of the Greek text. In my opinion this is an underrated volume on John's gospel. -John (Murray J. Harris) As with his volume on Colossians and Philemon, Harris does a wonderful job at dissecting the text of John. There is not much by way of pastoral application in this series, but it shines at its intended purpose. -The Acts of the Apostles (The Greek Text with Intro & Commentary) (F.F. Bruce) A great verse by verse commentary of the Greek text of Acts. Bruce is very helpful and enlightening as usual. Though don't make this your only commentary on Acts. Get the following one as well for theological reflection. As is usual with Bruce, he is great on history, background, context and language. While some are hard on him for leaving something to be desired for theological reflection I am not so hard on him. He is very well worth consulting. -Acts (BECNT) (Darrell Bock) A great commentary of this often overlooked book. Bock does a good job of referencing other commentaries at the same time. If you have this volume you are well set. Pauline Epistles -Romans (BECNT) (Thomas Schreiner) An exhaustive and helpful commentary dealing nicely with the Greek text. Schreiner places heavy emphasis on theological meaning throughout. I actually prefer Schreiner over Moo when it comes to Romans commentaries, due to his treatment of the Greek text as well as his stronger stance on sovereignty, though I do not mean to discredit Moo in any way. Schriener and Moo are both strongly in the Reformed tradition, while Moo tends be more dispensational. Romans (ZECNT) (Frank Thielman) There is no shortage of good commentaries on Romans. In fact, more have been written on it than any other book of the Bible. Thielman is though a great and highly gifted Pauline scholar. Even if you have Schreiner, Moo, and even Cranfield I would still suggest picking up a copy if you are able. -Romans 2 volumes Vol 1 1-8 Vol 2 9-16 (C.E.B. Cranfield) Very technical, expensive but worth the money if you want to get into the Greek text as it leaves virtually no stone unturned. For the Greek it serves well, but otherwise don't make this your only commentary on Matthew. -The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NIGTC) (Anthony C. Thiselton) A monster of commentary on this great book. It is extremely thorough and deep. It is amazing to think so much information is contained in one book. At over 1400 pages this commentary is the place to go. Whether you have Fee or not, this volume is outstanding. -Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14 (D.A. Carson) A very pastoral treatment of these 3 chapters which interacts throughout with the Greek. If you seek to understand or study the spiritual gifts, then I highly recommend this book. -The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (NIGTC) (Murray J. Harris) As thorough as Thiselton is to 1 Corinthians, Harris is possibly even more so to the second letter. This is an imposing work of over 1000 pages that answers every question imaginable in the Greek. -Galatians (BECNT) (Douglas Moo) This is a valuable addition to the great field of Galatians commentaries - Bruce, Longnecker. Few trustworthy commentaries on Galatians have been published in the post NPP era. This is a much needed labor for the church from one of its best writers. Galatians (ZECNT) (Thomas Schreiner) This commentary series provides a different yet helpful layout. As always Schreiner is excellent in his exegesis. This is a needed commentary on Galatians, considering the lack of traditional post-NPP commentaries to come out. This would be my first choice on this book with Bruce as second, for the obvious reasons. Schreiner does defend the tradition approach which the NPP advocates object to, however due to the nature of this series, he was perhaps limited in this volume from devoting more content. -The Epistle to the Galatians (NIGTC) (F.F. Bruce) As is usual with Bruce, he is great on history, background, context and language. While some are hard on him for leaving something to be desired for theological reflection I am not so hard on him. He is very well worth consulting. Bruce argues for an early date and a South Galatia location. He also gives a very convincing argument of how Galatians and Acts fit together. He rightly defends the traditional and biblical view that the New Perspective camps objects to, though does not spend much time on it, probably because it was just surfacing when he wrote this work. We complementarian folks may be bothered by his egalitarian approach to 3:28, but all in all this is a very good commentary. |
-Galatians (WBC)
(Richard Longnecker) Like Bruce, he supports an early date and a South Galatia location. As some have criticized Fee of doing when dealing with the New Perspective issue, so also Longnecker tries to find middle ground and reconcile the two positions, something I believe is impossible to do. This work is still worth consulting and is good for the Greek language, though if you have Schreiner and Bruce, you don't need this one unless you just want to dig deeper. -Ephesians (BECNT) (Frank Thielman) One may assume that another original commentary cannot be written on this letter after the works of Hoehner and O'Brien. Such could not be further from the truth. Thielman offers an original commentary and does not fall prey to simply providing a compilation of others. I actually would make this my first Ephesians commentary and then turn to O'Brien and Hoehner. -Ephesians (ZECNT) (Clinton E. Arnold) This is another solid edition to the already outstanding list of Ephesians commentaries. This series continues to impress me and this volume is no exception . -Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (Harold W. Hoehner) An overwhelming volume at over 900 pages, Hoehner leaves very few stones unturned. His Dispensational outlook surfaces at times, though don't let that hinder you from consulting this work. -The Epistle to the Philippians (NIGTC) (Peter T. O'Brien) I venture to say this is the best option for Philippians, whether you are interested in Greek or the commentary aspect. O'Brien does not disappoint. -Philippians (WBC) (Gerald F. Hawethorne) Before O'Brien's work above, this was the best commentary on Philippians for the Greek text. Even though there may be better ones now, this one is still worth consulting. -Colossians & Philemon (WBC) (Peter T. O'Brien) As with his other commentaries, this one also is the best you will find for these two letters. -Colossians & Philemon (Murray J. Harris) Great verse by verse exegetical guide of the Greek, though a separate commentary will be needed. This is not a necessarily a commentary, but does treat the Greek text extensively. If you are working through either of these books, get this one as well. -1 & 2 Thessalonians (WBC) (F.F. Bruce) As is usual with Bruce, he is great on history, background, context and language. While some are hard on him for leaving something to be desired for theological reflection I am not so hard on him. He is very well worth consulting. -The Epistles to the Thessalonians (NIGTC) (Charles Wanamaker) This is a very good edition to this series and deals with the Greek Text. With both Bruce and Wanamaker there not much left undiscussed. -Pastoral Epistles (WBC) (William D. Mounce) This is Mounce at his best. If you have this commentary you need not have another, unless you just want one. This volume is loaded with practical and pastoral insight. Mounce defends Pauline authorship and takes a gracious complementarian approach in chapter 2. I am exceedingly grateful for this wonderful book. -The Pastoral Epistles (NIGTC) (George W. Knight) Also defends Pauline authorship and is worth consulting after Mounce, though if I had to choose one, I would still go with Mounce. General Epistles -Hebrews 2 Vol (WBC) (William L. Lane) Lane has provided a great work for the saints in this 2 volume commentary. As do others in this series, he deals extensively with the Greek text. I prefer him over Ellingsworth in the NIGTC, however the latter is worth consulting for Greek. -The Epistle to the Hebrews (NIGTC) (Paul Ellingsworth) Ellingsworth is deep, informative and technical when it comes to the Greek text. That is the strength of this commentary, and for such He is definitely worth owning and consulting. However don't sacrifice the previous commentary for this one, as Lane is still the best overall in my opinion. If you have Lane and yet want more out of the Greek, then get this volume. Note that Ellingsworth is arminian regarding salvation and interprets the warning passages as such. -The Epistle of James (NIGTC) (Peter Davids) Deals in depth with the Greek text, however may tend to be a little dry elsewhere. -James (BECNT) (Dan McCartney) Not as technical as David's above when it comes to Greek, however it is worth consulting as he spends more time digging into theological and practical issues. -1 Peter (WBC) (J. Ramsey Michaels) Definitely the more technical of the two works offered here. Michaels believes that Peter authored this letter toward the end of the first century, which would contradict the historical accounts claiming that Peter's death occurred around 67-70. Nevertheless, this is a very good commentary. -1 Peter (BECNT) (Karen Jobes) Very historical and insightful work. It does refer to Greek at times, though is less technical than Michaels. Jobes defends Petrine authorship and is very conservative. -Jude & 2 Peter (BECNT) (Gene L. Green) Green has written a very helpful commentary on these two books. He defends Petrine authorship, which is the only reason I have placed him ahead of Baukham. -2 Peter & Jude (WBC) (Richard Bauckham) This work is outstanding, especially the section on Jude. Note that Bauckham denies Petrine authorship, though don't let this stop you from purchasing and reading it. -1-3 John (BECNT) (Robert Yarbrough) A very good and thorough labor of these three letters. Yarbrough holds that the same John, the beloved disciple, wrote all three letters, something not so common to find among commentaries on these epistles. Revelation -Revelation (BECNT) (Grant Osbourne) Osbourne has provided a wonderful commentary from a historic premillennial approach. He deals fairly with and interacts well with other commentators, is readable, and of course deals with the Greek text. -The Book of Revelation (NIGTC) (G.K. Beale) Beale has provided a very deep and technical commentary which is in the Amillennial camp and decidedly idealist. It digs deep into Greek and should be consulted by anyone studying the book of Revelation. -Revelation Volumes 1&2 (Robert L. Thomas) Thomas' work here is very detailed and thoughtful and should not be neglected by any student of Scripture. It adequataly deals with the Greek and views the book in a progressive dispensational light. |
Noteworthy Forthcoming Commentaries
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The Gospel of John (NIGTC)
(Richard Bauckham) This upcoming commentary should be a great source and aid for digging into the Greek of John's gospel. Bauckham is very good on 2 Peter & Jude and I hope that he has much to offer here as well. You may wonder, why another commentary on John since Carson is so good? Carson's commentary is good, but it, as well as the PNTC series serves a much different role than does the NIGTC. Carson is more for pastoral insight, sermon preparation, theological emphasis, etc. This series is technical and emphasizes textual criticism, exegesis, and interpretation more so than it does theology. Though Barrett's work listed above is good for Greek, this one should provide a much needed updated commentary. Colossians & Philemon (BECNT) (G.K. Beale) O'Brien has written a great commentary on these two book in the WBC series. However, we still expect that Beale will provide a sound work as well. This will give us two options to turn to for the Greek text. Pastorals (ZECNT) (G.K. Beale) With Mounce and Knight there is no shortage of detailed, conservative, and exhaustive exegesis on these 3 crucial letters. Nevertheless, this should be worth consulting for two reasons, the author and the series. Beale is a proven NT and Greek scholar, and the ZECNT series is one like no other. |
Hebrews (BECNT)
(D.A. Carson) There is already the great work of Lane on Hebrews in the WBC, so this is not a needed commentary. At the same time, we trust that Carson will provide us with a viable second option on the Greek text that is full of treasures. Hebrews (ZECNT) (Douglas Moo) Moo will be rather limited in volume due to the nature of the ZECNT series, though this should still prove to be highly profitable. As such though, you will want another commentary on Hebrews which spends more time in the text, preferably Lane. Johannine Epistles (NIGTC) (D.A. Carson) Many say that this will be the best commentary on these 3 letters when it appears (as of yet a date has not been released). As good as Carson is, lets wait and see, and not discredit the other good works (such as Yarbrough) on these letters. |