Commentaries. Commentaries One-volume Commentaries One-volume Commentaries Reluctant to list because one-volume commentaries on the entire Bible (or one

CommentariesCommentaries


One-volume CommentariesOne-volume Commentaries Reluctant to list because one-Reluctant to list because one-

volume commentaries on the entire volume commentaries on the entire Bible (or one of the testaments) are Bible (or one of the testaments) are necessarily limited in the treatment necessarily limited in the treatment of individual passages.of individual passages.

No one can rely on them solely, but No one can rely on them solely, but the encyclopedic information they the encyclopedic information they offer on most general and some offer on most general and some specific introductory matters specific introductory matters justifies at least one good one of justifies at least one good one of this kind.this kind.


One-volume CommentariesOne-volume Commentaries Peake’s Commentary on the BiblePeake’s Commentary on the Bible The Interpreter’s One-Volume The Interpreter’s One-Volume

Commentary on the BibleCommentary on the Bible The New Layman’s Bible The New Layman’s Bible

Commentary in One VolumeCommentary in One Volume Choose well; approach the Choose well; approach the

purchase as you would an purchase as you would an expensive set of golf clubs.expensive set of golf clubs.


Series on the Entire BibleSeries on the Entire Bible Hermeneia: A Critical and Hermeneia: A Critical and

Historical Commentary on the Historical Commentary on the BibleBible, Fortress Press, Fortress Press

Word Biblical Commentary (WBC)Word Biblical Commentary (WBC) The International Critical The International Critical

Commentary on the Holy Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (ICC)Testaments (ICC)

Anchor BibleAnchor Bible


Series on the Entire BibleSeries on the Entire Bible The Interpreter’s Bible (IB)The Interpreter’s Bible (IB)


Series on the OTSeries on the OT– Old Testament Library (OTL)Old Testament Library (OTL), ,

Westminster Press.Westminster Press. Series on the NTSeries on the NT

– The Expositor’s Greek Testament The Expositor’s Greek Testament (EGT)(EGT)

– The New International Greek The New International Greek Testament CommentaryTestament Commentary

– The New International Commentary The New International Commentary on the New Testament (NIC)on the New Testament (NIC)

– The Tyndale New Testament The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (TNTC)Commentaries (TNTC)


“…“…commentators shun each dark commentators shun each dark passage and hold their farthing passage and hold their farthing candle to the sun.” –Edward J. Youngcandle to the sun.” –Edward J. Young

The quality, not the condition, of the The quality, not the condition, of the dog-eared exposition on preachers’ dog-eared exposition on preachers’ shelves is a fairly good indication of shelves is a fairly good indication of the spiritual diet they serve the the spiritual diet they serve the people.people.

Yet it is not always easy for the Yet it is not always easy for the minister or the student to make minister or the student to make judicious selections.judicious selections.


Their UseTheir Use Commentaries are valuable aids, if Commentaries are valuable aids, if

properly used, but they are not properly used, but they are not meant to relieve the interpreter of meant to relieve the interpreter of the task of making his own the task of making his own commentary on the Biblical text.commentary on the Biblical text.

A cordial suspicion of A cordial suspicion of commentators is the first rule in commentators is the first rule in approaching them for approaching them for interpretation assistance.interpretation assistance.


Their UseTheir Use Question the structure of their proof.Question the structure of their proof. Determine how well they construct Determine how well they construct

the case for their own interpretations the case for their own interpretations and how fairly they dispose of the and how fairly they dispose of the interpretations of others.interpretations of others.– Check commentators’ parallel passages Check commentators’ parallel passages

in context.in context.– Does the concordance reflect a Does the concordance reflect a

discriminating use of all the linguistic discriminating use of all the linguistic data?data?


Their UseTheir Use Determine how well they construct Determine how well they construct

the case for their own the case for their own interpretations and how fairly they interpretations and how fairly they dispose of the interpretations of dispose of the interpretations of others.others.– How do the theological and How do the theological and

philosophical presuppositions of the philosophical presuppositions of the commentator affect the exposition?commentator affect the exposition?

Commentators are fallible!!Commentators are fallible!!


Their UseTheir Use On the other hand, expositors who On the other hand, expositors who

think they can work independently think they can work independently of commentators display both of commentators display both arrogance and ignorance.arrogance and ignorance.– The many areas of specialty require The many areas of specialty require

great leisure for properly assessing great leisure for properly assessing and evaluating the many discoveries, and evaluating the many discoveries, investigations and modes of inquiry investigations and modes of inquiry that may lead to light on an obscure that may lead to light on an obscure portion of the Bible.portion of the Bible.


Their UseTheir Use On the other hand, expositors who On the other hand, expositors who

think they can work independently think they can work independently of commentators display both of commentators display both arrogance and ignorance.arrogance and ignorance.– And, Scripture does not always reveal And, Scripture does not always reveal

its secrets in the same measure to its secrets in the same measure to each generation, much less to every each generation, much less to every interpreter.interpreter.

– To deprive oneself of the benefits of To deprive oneself of the benefits of the work of others is foolish.the work of others is foolish.


Their UseTheir Use It is wise, then, after you have It is wise, then, after you have

made your own thorough made your own thorough investigation of the text with the investigation of the text with the full use of all the tools available, to full use of all the tools available, to check your interpretations against check your interpretations against those of others, to reevaluate if those of others, to reevaluate if necessary, and to supplement if necessary, and to supplement if possible.possible.


Their UseTheir Use Charles Spurgeon once told his Charles Spurgeon once told his

students of a church he saw in students of a church he saw in Verona, where the ancient frescoes Verona, where the ancient frescoes had been plastered over and had been plastered over and obscured by other designs. “I fear, obscured by other designs. “I fear, he said, “many do this with he said, “many do this with Scripture, daubing the text with Scripture, daubing the text with their own glosses, and laying on their own glosses, and laying on their own accents.”their own accents.”

CommentariesCommentaries Their UseTheir UseA critic on the sacred book should beA critic on the sacred book should be

Candid and learn’d, dispassionate and Candid and learn’d, dispassionate and free;free;

Free from the wayward bias bigots feel,Free from the wayward bias bigots feel,From fancy’s influence and intemperate From fancy’s influence and intemperate

zeal;zeal;(For) of all arts sagacious dupes invent(For) of all arts sagacious dupes invent

To cheat themselves and gain the To cheat themselves and gain the world’s assent,world’s assent,

The worst is—Scripture warp’d from its The worst is—Scripture warp’d from its intent.intent.


Their UseTheir Use William Cowper, “The Progress of William Cowper, “The Progress of

Error,” in Error,” in The Poetical Works of The Poetical Works of William CowperWilliam Cowper, 1:57, 58., 1:57, 58.


Need For Several TypesNeed For Several Types For an effective teaching and For an effective teaching and

preaching ministry, commentaries preaching ministry, commentaries take their place among other take their place among other essential tools.essential tools.

But since different kinds of tasks But since different kinds of tasks often require different types of tools, often require different types of tools, useful commentaries are of more useful commentaries are of more than one kind.than one kind.

Different commentaries may Different commentaries may correspond to the following needs:correspond to the following needs:


1) To understand meanings 1) To understand meanings accurately.accurately.– Need for faithfulness to the biblical Need for faithfulness to the biblical

message, rather than an author message, rather than an author smuggling in his own ideas.smuggling in his own ideas.

– This category can be subdivided further.This category can be subdivided further.– a) Commentaries which seek to establish a) Commentaries which seek to establish

the text and provide basic help in the text and provide basic help in translation, choosing among variant translation, choosing among variant readings and offering elementary help at readings and offering elementary help at the level of Greek syntax and semantics.the level of Greek syntax and semantics.


1) To understand meanings 1) To understand meanings accurately.accurately.– b) Grammatical and linguistic b) Grammatical and linguistic

commentaries that help to ensure commentaries that help to ensure faithfulness to the meanings of words faithfulness to the meanings of words and phrases in their literary setting.and phrases in their literary setting.

– c) Theological commentaries that set c) Theological commentaries that set words and phrases in the wider words and phrases in the wider context of chapters, books, body of context of chapters, books, body of writing (e.g., letters of Paul), or canon writing (e.g., letters of Paul), or canon (OT, NT, whole Bible).(OT, NT, whole Bible).


1) To understand meanings 1) To understand meanings accurately.accurately.– These 3 sub-categories should and These 3 sub-categories should and

often do overlap.often do overlap.– It could be seriously misleading to try It could be seriously misleading to try

to understand a word or concept in to understand a word or concept in isolation from its linguistic and isolation from its linguistic and theological context.theological context.


2) For a faithful historical 2) For a faithful historical reconstruction of events.reconstruction of events.– Actions and sayings cannot Actions and sayings cannot

accurately be cashed into today’s accurately be cashed into today’s currency until the preacher has seen currency until the preacher has seen what these involve in their original what these involve in their original setting in the ancient world.setting in the ancient world.

– The best response to those who argue The best response to those who argue that history, archaeology and other that history, archaeology and other related disciplines are irrelevant to related disciplines are irrelevant to the interpretative exercise is to give the interpretative exercise is to give them a copy, say, of Colin J. Hemer, them a copy, say, of Colin J. Hemer, The Letters to the Seven ChurchesThe Letters to the Seven Churches..


2) For a faithful historical 2) For a faithful historical reconstruction of events.reconstruction of events.– Rightly done this kind of study Rightly done this kind of study

contributes toward a vivid, colorful contributes toward a vivid, colorful reconstruction for the congregation or reconstruction for the congregation or classroom.classroom.

– True, it is not good when historical True, it is not good when historical information becomes an end in itself.information becomes an end in itself.

– But, even purely historical But, even purely historical commentaries can do a useful job if commentaries can do a useful job if they project readers faithfully into the they project readers faithfully into the ancient world.ancient world.


2) For a faithful historical 2) For a faithful historical reconstruction of events.reconstruction of events.– Unfortunately, not a few Unfortunately, not a few

commentaries in this camp attempt commentaries in this camp attempt historical reconstructions that are historical reconstructions that are long on speculation and short on long on speculation and short on even-handed weighing of evidence.even-handed weighing of evidence.

CommentariesCommentaries 3) For guidance on the legitimate 3) For guidance on the legitimate

range of practical application.range of practical application.– If the danger is to read one’s own If the danger is to read one’s own

applications into the passage, applications into the passage, commentaries in the previous commentaries in the previous categories may be the remedy.categories may be the remedy.

– But equally, many students and But equally, many students and ministers must be reminded of the ministers must be reminded of the many directions in which practical many directions in which practical lessons might lie.lessons might lie.

– Many older commentaries are good in Many older commentaries are good in this regard; Barclay’s this regard; Barclay’s Daily Study BibleDaily Study Bible often offers invaluable suggestions.often offers invaluable suggestions.


3) For guidance on the legitimate 3) For guidance on the legitimate range of practical application.range of practical application.– But these hints and helps must be But these hints and helps must be

reviewed in the light of exegetical reviewed in the light of exegetical (interpretation) considerations, (interpretation) considerations, because practical concern can so because practical concern can so control the text that no one hears the control the text that no one hears the Word of God.Word of God.

– And, the search for relevance And, the search for relevance frequently degenerates into the trite frequently degenerates into the trite or trivial.or trivial.


A few commentaries perform all of A few commentaries perform all of these functions; but they are rare these functions; but they are rare and usually dated.and usually dated.


Individual Commentaries or Sets?Individual Commentaries or Sets?– Series are almost always uneven and Series are almost always uneven and

the temptation to collect uniform sets the temptation to collect uniform sets of volumes should be seen for what it of volumes should be seen for what it sometimes is.sometimes is.

– Often an author writes an individual Often an author writes an individual volume because he has something to volume because he has something to say which he believes is worth saying.say which he believes is worth saying.

– By contrast, series are often farmed By contrast, series are often farmed out by publishers to well-known and out by publishers to well-known and therefore very busy scholars for therefore very busy scholars for whom the invitation is all part of a whom the invitation is all part of a day’s work.day’s work.


Individual Commentaries or Sets?Individual Commentaries or Sets?– This does not call into question the This does not call into question the

value of any particular series and value of any particular series and does not brand all commentaries that does not brand all commentaries that belong to a series with the label of belong to a series with the label of mediocrity.mediocrity.

– But it does mean that volumes in But it does mean that volumes in series should ideally be judged only series should ideally be judged only on individual merit.on individual merit.


Helps For Judging CommentariesHelps For Judging Commentaries– Cyril J. Barber, Cyril J. Barber, The Minister’s LibraryThe Minister’s Library. .

Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974.1974.

– John Goldingay, John Goldingay, Old Testament Old Testament Commentary SurveyCommentary Survey..

– David R. Bauer, David R. Bauer, An Annotated Guide An Annotated Guide to Biblical resources for Ministryto Biblical resources for Ministry


Helps For Judging CommentariesHelps For Judging Commentaries– D. A. Carson, D. A. Carson, New Testament New Testament

Commentary SurveyCommentary Survey. Grand Rapids: . Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1986. (6Baker Book House, 1986. (6thth ed. ed. January 2007)January 2007)

– Tremper Longman III, Tremper Longman III, Old Testament Old Testament Commentary SurveyCommentary Survey. Grand Rapids: . Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 4Baker Book House, 4thth ed., January ed., January 2007.2007.

Documents

Commentaries. Commentaries One-volume Commentaries One-volume Commentaries Reluctant to list because one-volume commentaries on the entire Bible (or one