His commentary on Lamentations in the same volume is equally helpful. This is now the first commentary on Exodus to which I turn. It is readable and insightful. However, some of the commentaries in the series are so good that it is worth the effort to deal with the poor editorial decisions of the publisher. Serious students should not neglect the classic seven-volume work by John Owen or the classic byJohn Brown. There are a number of other helpful commentaries on the book of Genesis. Readers should be aware that it is written from a moderately critical perspective, but in terms of comprehensiveness, there is nothing quite like this commentary. For those doing in-depth work, it should be consulted. Very highly recommended. [, Peter Davids' commentary has been somewhat overshadowed by the more recent work of Jobes, but it is still worth consulting. If you can find a copy in a library, this work on Proverbs is worth consulting. [, The JPS Torah commentaries are written by Jewish scholars and are quite technical, but for those who are interested in digging deeply into the text, they usually offer numerous valuable insights. The commentary on Amos in this volume was written by Jeff Niehaus. It is a competent and clear work written from an evangelical perspective. You can find the best commentary on Genesis for you using the tools on the right side. I am placing it in a close second place to O'Brien at this point merely because I have not finished it yet. Beale's commentary is the place to turn for insight on the many Old Testament allusions and echoes in the book of Revelation. Lundbom also deals with the theology of Jeremiah in this introductory section. He also takes a minority view on the interpretation of Joel chapter 1, seeing the locust invasion as a figurative description of a human army rather than a literal locust plague. [, Anyone doing serious in-depth study of the book of Romans will need to consult Cranfield's technical two-volume commentary. Richard Phillips commentary on Zechariah combines pastoral sensitivity with scholarly depth, all the while remaining accessible to laymen. A little over a decade ago (20082009), I put together a series of blog posts on the best commentaries for each book of the Bible. Like France and Carson, Keener is an outstanding exegete. With some biblical books, especially Old Testament books, only a small number of commentaries have been published in the last decade. [, It is difficult to decide whether to place Carson or France in the number 1 position because both are such outstanding commentaries. [, Because of the author's critical stance and the book's technical nature, I can only recommend this commentary to discerning pastors and teachers. [, Standing in the tradition of Carson and Morris, Kostenberger has provided a fine conservative and evangelical commentary on the Gospel of John. It is not as lengthy as his other works, but Wenham is able to say more of significance in one page than most commentators say in ten pages. [. Preachers will find the works by David McWilliams, Al Mohler,George Guthrie,Donald Hagner, and R. Kent Hughes worth consulting. Request two copies of R.C. Seminary students will definitely find much of value in this work. Among them are those by Philip Graham Ryken, Brevard Childs, John Currid (Vol. [, For those seeking an introductory level commentary on Haggai, the best available is the one by Baldwin in the Tyndale series. Very highlyrecommended. This series should prove to be very helpful for busy pastors Seminary students and those doing in-depth study will want to look at the works by Gareth Cockerill,Ben Witherington, David Allen, and David deSilva. There are a number of helpful commentaries on the book of Hebrews, and the following are five of thebest. Request two copies of R.C. [, I have mentioned Stuart's commentary in several previous posts. Along with Carson's commentary on Matthew, it is one of the two or three best commentaries in the Expositor's Bible Commentary. Like many, Longman argues that the monologue by Qohelet (the main speaker in the book) is framed by the words of a narrator. He is particularly helpful in drawing out theological implications of the text. Gordon Fee - The First Epistle to the Corinthians (The New International Commentary on the New Testament). [, The publication of any new commentary by Douglas Moo is an event. [, One of the best intermediate level commentaries on the books of 1 & 2 Kings is the commentary by Paul R. House in the NAC series. It is an engaging work. Thomas Nelson, 1987. Best Commentaries Series: Top 50 Best Commentary Apps Free Commentary Downloads Top 25 Whole-Volume Commentaries Recent Posts Charles Ryrie vs C.I. Please read: The "Top 10" list below is a starting point for learning about 1-2-3 John commentaries. I can count on one hand the number of commentaries in the Hermeneia series that I find very helpful. If you are a pastor, you should not be without this book. It is a helpful introductory level commentary that should be of use to a wide variety of readers. It is a thorough and demanding work that supplements Clines well. The only drawback, as with all volumes in the WBC series, is the layout. [, The best commentary on Isaiah, hands down, is Motyer's stand alone volume published by InterVarsity Press. Scofield Study Bible: What's the Difference? He has also written the most generally helpful commentary on the book of Numbers. This introductory level commentary will benefit any who take the time to read it. This article is part of the Top 5 Commentaries collection. We do not interpret Old Testament prophetic books in an idealist manner. Despite differing with Ladd's millennial view, I believe his commentary still contains a wealth of interpretive insight. The Gospel according to John (Rev. The commentaries I have included on these lists are there because I found them helpful in one way or another. The same evaluation applies here. His work should be consulted by every serious student of Exodus. A short commentary on the Gospel of Matthew has been available by R.T. France in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series since 1985, but in 2007, France published a much more comprehensive commentary on this Gospel in the NICNT seriesThe New International Commentary on the New Testament. [, Karen Jobes has written the most engaging, interesting, and helpful commentary on the book of Esther presently available. 2 Vols. Although aimed specifically at pastors, this commentary is accessible to a general readership as well. He very helpfully explores the important theological themes within the book. There are, however, a handful of volumes that should be consulted. It should be used by every student of Scripture. [, Younger's volume on Judges and Ruth is one of the stronger contributions to the NIVAC series. [, Wilcock's introductory level commentary on Judges is a helpful and practical exposition of the text. To the best of my knowledge, he will not be writing the second volume on Psalms in the NIVAC series, but this should not deter students of Scripture from using this first volume, which covers Psalms 1-72. His massive commentary deals with every individual text in detail, but also steps back to discuss the theological implications of each major passage. Like Knight, Towner rejects the conclusions of critical scholars who deny Pauline authorship of the Pastoral Epistles. [, The commentary on Zechariah in this volume was written by Thomas McComiskey himself. It is very helpful. These commentaries are written from a somewhat critical perspective and should be used with care, but the author's knowledge of the ancient Near Eastern context makes these works very helpful for those interested in more technical commentaries. For those seeking more depth, Bryan D. Estelles book, Echoes of Exodus, provides a thorough treatment of this idea. [, Beale has written what many consider to be a definitive commentary on the book of Revelation, and now we have the results of his research into the Thessalonian epistles. Clowney packs more insight into one page than many commentaries pack into an entire chapter. [, Gordon Wenham is among the best contemporary writers of commentaries. [, Although written from a more critical perspective than Waltke, the commentary on Micah by Andersen and Freedman is worth consulting by those doing in-depth study of the book. I have borrowed others from libraries. His commentary on the Epistles of John is a valuable contribution to the literature. His commentary is also able to take into consideration studies published since 1987. Two of the volumes are titled Letters and Homilies for Hellenized Christians, and one is titled Letters and Homilies for Jewish Christians. Like all of her commentaries, it is clear and concise without being shallow The first volume contains a lengthy introduction dealing with the standard introductory issues of composition and context. O'Brien engages thoroughly and carefully with the text, providing numerous insights along the way. His strengths in the field of biblical theology shine through in this helpful commentary. John's book is also a prophecy, and like Jeremiah, it too has a specific historical context. On the law, Vern Poythresss The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses is helpful. [, Although, strictly speaking, not a commentary, this volume of sermons on the book of Micah by the sixteenth-century reformer, John Calvin, should be consulted by all who are interested in this prophetic book. His commentary on Deuteronomy continues the standard of excellence. Although easily accessible, Longman provides numerous literary and theological insights into the book. Most experts appear to agree and have some difficulty with selecting one over the other. Very helpful. [, For those who would like to consult another resource after checking O'Brien and/or Silva, Hawthorne is a good place to turn. View our current career opportunities. [, Thomas Schreiner's work is always worth consulting. [, Pratt's commentary on 1 & 2 Chronicles is distinctive in that it concerns itself primarily with the theological aspects of the books. This commentary has been an inspiration to thousands. In spite of the cumbersome format, all students of Colossians and Philemon should consult O'Brien on these two epistles. I find his arguments persuasive on this point. Edwards' commentary on Mark is another fine contribution. This is one of them. For those reasons and others I will never have a huge library. This full-length commentary is one step beyond what appeared in the McComiskey volume. Despite the fact that his view of the book's date lends itself to a basically preterist view, Smalley follows Beale in taking a modified idealist approach. Very highly recommended. If you can only afford one commentary, buy the set by Lane and then ask someone to purchase Hughes for you as agift. [, Also written at an accessible introductory level is the commentary by O. Palmer Robertson. [, Thomas Manton's commentary on James is a classic work that should not be ignored merely because it is older. [, Although they are on the more technical side, the commentaries by Braun and Dillard in the Word Biblical Commentary series are indispensable for serious study of the text. His commentary is distinctive in that he takes a largely preterist approach to much of the Olivet Discourse. Some are better than others, and his volume on the Thessalonian letters is one of the better ones. In most of the commentaries in this series, the author will do very well in one or maybe two of those sections. In the case of Proverbs, it is simple. [, Charles Hodge was not only one of the Reformed church's greatest theologians, he was also an outstanding exegete. [, Although Lucas does not settle firmly on an early or late date for Daniel (He concludes that it is possible to make a reasonable case for either date), he has written a commentary that is worth consulting. Those who are looking for a brief non-technical commentary on the book of Isaiah would do well to consider the volume by Barry Webb in the Bible Speaks Today series. It is very helpful [, I have mentioned the commentary edited by Thomas McComiskey several times in previous posts. Other very useful commentaries on Matthew include those by Michael Wilkins, Robert H. Mounce, Grant Osborne, Ben Witherington III, Donald Hagner (Vol. [, The Tyndale Old and New Testament Commentary series is probably the most consistent commentary series available today. France has done extensive work on the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament, which suits him particularly well as a commentator onHebrews. Ligonier Ministries (Keith Mathison) June 20, 2009 Many Reformed and evangelical scholars argue that Beale has written the best available contemporary commentary on Revelation. Thomas Nelson, 1991. The primary problem with this commentary, however, is that it loses sight of the forest for all the trees. Baldwin contributed several commentaries to this series, including those on Esther, Daniel, and the post-exilic prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. It is not quite as helpful as the NICOT volume, however, on theological issues. [, I have already mentioned the high quality of Davis' commentaries on the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, and 2 Samuel. [, Although written well over one hundred years ago, Charles Hodge's commentary on Romans should still be required for those doing serious study of the text. [, This new commentary is a great contribution to the existing works on Lamentations. [, I first discovered Douglas Stuart's work when I read his Old Testament Exegesis textbook. Mackay works through each section of the book, verse by verse, and concludes with practical reflections. This recurring theme is closely connected with the authors understanding of the eschatological ramifications of Christs incarnation and redemptive work. It should be consulted along with Motyer. Wiseman's specialty is ancient Near Eastern history, and his insights from this field of study are evident in this work. [, Barrett's commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians falls into the "intermediate" range of difficulty. For each section of the text, Hamilton provides his own translation, followed by grammatical and lexical notes, and the commentary proper. Paul Ellingworths commentary on Hebrews is a massive technical commentary on the Greek text. View our current career opportunities. The format of the series limits the amount of space the author has, but Provan uses it wisely. 17:9-11. I have read extensively in others. Greek words within the body of the text are transliterated, but if the reader does not have some understanding of Greek, it will likely become a bit confusing. I find Fensham's work somewhat more helpful simply because the NICOT format is much more reader friendly. It is a helpful work that should be consulted by those doing in-depth study of these letters. It has been replaced in the NICOT series by the fine work of Oswalt, but it should not be relegated to the dust bin. Since that time, many new commentaries have been written, and several new commentary series have been launched. Anderson is a renowned scholar, and the commentary reflects his learning without becoming overly technical. In this volume, he is able to devote much more space to Joshua. This format tends to emphasize contemporary application, but Younger's comments are just as helpful in the Original Meaning section as they are in the other two. It is a highly technical commentary on the Greek text and thus not suitable for lay readers, but discerning pastors who are looking for information on every conceivable issue related to the text need look no further. He is currently working on the follow-up volume on 2 Samuel in the same series, but given the fact that the first volume is approximately 700 pages, it may be some time before we see the completed set. ed.). Young was one of the founding faculty at Westminster Theological Seminary and taught Old Testament there for many years. Kamell Kovalishyn, Mariam J.; Blomberg, Craig L. Andersen, Francis I.; Freedman, David Noel. Carson's commentary, however, should not be neglected by anyone doing serious study of this Gospel. [, I have also mentioned McComiskey's work in several previous posts. As mentioned in previous posts, the McComiskey volume is somewhat technical Pastors may find the abridged volume more immediately helpful, but all students should consult the larger work as well. [, Ralph Smith's commentary on the last seven books of the Minor Prophets is not nearly as helpful as Douglas Stuart's commentary on the first five Minor Prophets in the same commentary series, but it is still worth consulting This article is part of the Top 5 Commentaries collection. Better ones, Towner rejects the conclusions of critical scholars who deny Pauline authorship of book., Brevard Childs, John Currid ( Vol serious in-depth study of this idea by! You are a pastor, you should not neglect the classic byJohn Brown, verse by verse and. Three best commentaries series: Top 50 best commentary Apps Free commentary Downloads 25. The Olivet Discourse the author will do very well in one or maybe two of the forest all. 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