Baptist's fav single-volume commentary

[daveleau]

Hi everybody!

I have a friend (unbeliever) that is beginning to ask me questions about Scripture, and he wants to read the Bible. He asked me to help him pick out a single-volume commentary, and that is not an area of my focus in my studies, so I wanted to get your opinions.

What are your thoughts on the best single or two volume commentaries out there?
Here are a few I am familiar with:
Elwell - Baker Commentary of the Bible
Walvoord & Zuck - Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 vols, good but dated?)
Wiersbe - Wiersbe Bible Commentary (2 vols)
Macarthur - Macarthur Bible Commentary
Gaebelein - Bible Expositor's Commentary Abridged (2 vol set abridged from 12 vol set)

I spend my time with NICNT/NICOT, Gaebelein, the NIGTC, Pillar and the BCNT. This is definitely not what he's looking for, as he starts out. His background is Catholicism, but he's made it clear he doesn't want Catholic resources.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Dave

 

[DeaconDean]

Hi brother! Good to hear from you again!

I miss you not being here.

Most people consider it more of a "devotional" commentary, but for beginners, I suggest Matthew Henry. It is a complete one volume commentary on the whole Bible. And it can be had fairly cheap. Usually $20 at any Christian book store.

Another good one is John Gill's, but since he is anti-catholic, perhaps it would be best to skip that one.

When I rededicated my life, Matthew Henry was the choice for me. I would read a chapter, and put it into my own words as to what it was trying to say, then read what Matthew Henry had to say.

Come to find out, I was pretty close myself.

The other you mentioned are good, but I don't know if your friend needs "milk" or "meat".

I guess that would be the determining factor.

Anyway, good to hear from you again.

Don't be a stranger.

God Bless

Till all are one.

 

[dies-l]

If your friend has not yet read Scripture thoroughly on his own, I would advise against any use of commentary. Until a person has taken the time to grapple with understanding Scripture for himself, commentaries and "Study Bibles" really serve to do nothing more than give him someone else's opinion on what the Scripture means. And, I believe that this serves as a pretty strong hindrance to interpretation. Perhaps, he might be better to find some good resources on basic Bible interpretation so that he knows how to understand the text as he reads it.

 

[MrJim]

If your friend has not yet read Scripture thoroughly on his own, I would advise against any use of commentary. Until a person has taken the time to grapple with understanding Scripture for himself, commentaries and "Study Bibles" really serve to do nothing more than give him someone else's opinion on what the Scripture means. And, I believe that this serves as a pretty strong hindrance to interpretation. Perhaps, he might be better to find some good resources on basic Bible interpretation so that he knows how to understand the text as he reads it.

As long as he has someone to explain things along the way~self-interpretation can easily be a path to destruction...

 

[phoenixdem]

Hi everybody!

I have a friend (unbeliever) that is beginning to ask me questions about Scripture, and he wants to read the Bible. He asked me to help him pick out a single-volume commentary, and that is not an area of my focus in my studies, so I wanted to get your opinions.

What are your thoughts on the best single or two volume commentaries out there?
Here are a few I am familiar with:
Elwell - Baker Commentary of the Bible
Walvoord & Zuck - Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 vols, good but dated?)
Wiersbe - Wiersbe Bible Commentary (2 vols)
Macarthur - Macarthur Bible Commentary
Gaebelein - Bible Expositor's Commentary Abridged (2 vol set abridged from 12 vol set)

I spend my time with NICNT/NICOT, Gaebelein, the NIGTC, Pillar and the BCNT. This is definitely not what he's looking for, as he starts out. His background is Catholicism, but he's made it clear he doesn't want Catholic resources.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Dave

MacArthur is pretty sound, but I don't agree with everything that I have read in his notes for the MacArthur Study Bible. The Commentary has a lot of information including maps. I have both the Study Bible and his Commentary.

I have the Matthew Henry Commentary. I really haven't read much of it. I have an old set that I bought in England.

I also have the A. H. Strong Commentary, but I haven't read much of it. I have read some criticism of him.

I have a set of John Calvin's Commentary on the whole Bible. I don't know what you think about Calvin. I pretty much agree with most of what he had to say.

Why don't you check out these links for free viewing or download of commentaries and other religious books?

http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=Bible%20Commentaries%20AND%20collection%3Atoronto

http://www.ccel.org/index/author/A

 

[98cwitr]

I would recommend having him read the Bible first, then have the commentaries come in later. jm2c.

 

[wpbarrett]

Wycliffe, Liberty or J.R. Dummelow are pretty easy to follow.

 

[MrJim]

I saw a single-volume Matthew Henry at a used bookstore yesterday, thought of this thread. I have one on the shelf 6' away but haven't opened it in years, faster to look it up online:

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible [Volume Index] | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

 

[dies-l]

As long as he has someone to explain things along the way~self-interpretation can easily be a path to destruction...

Relying on commentaries can be dangerous. Interpreting Scripture without knowing what you are doing can be dangerous. That's why I think the best bet is to get help learning how to interpret Scripture.

 

[Vince53]

I have been saved for 42 years, and Matthew Henry's one-volume commentary is still the most helpful one I use. It is available free online.

 

[Skala]

Relying on commentaries can be dangerous. Interpreting Scripture without knowing what you are doing can be dangerous. That's why I think the best bet is to get help learning how to interpret Scripture.

It can be yes. But there's also a good side to commentaries. They act as a litmus test of sorts to see if your own interpretation is lining up with the interpretations of the greatest teachers that God has given the church.

The bible says that God has given the church gifts in the form of men who are teachers and preachers. They are blessed with an ability to understand more than the rest of us, so it is to our own betterment to hear what they have to say.

As an example I'd say that Matthew Henry is one of such men.

 

[OzSpen]

Hi everybody!

I have a friend (unbeliever) that is beginning to ask me questions about Scripture, and he wants to read the Bible. He asked me to help him pick out a single-volume commentary, and that is not an area of my focus in my studies, so I wanted to get your opinions.

What are your thoughts on the best single or two volume commentaries out there?
Here are a few I am familiar with:
Elwell - Baker Commentary of the Bible
Walvoord & Zuck - Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 vols, good but dated?)
Wiersbe - Wiersbe Bible Commentary (2 vols)
Macarthur - Macarthur Bible Commentary
Gaebelein - Bible Expositor's Commentary Abridged (2 vol set abridged from 12 vol set)

I spend my time with NICNT/NICOT, Gaebelein, the NIGTC, Pillar and the BCNT. This is definitely not what he's looking for, as he starts out. His background is Catholicism, but he's made it clear he doesn't want Catholic resources.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Dave

Dave,

I would not recommend Matthew Henry because the language is too old fashioned for someone who is an unbeliever. Besides it's a devotional commentary.

As a starter, I'd recommend something like the NIV Study Bible (Zondervan 1985).

If you want a one-volume commentary, don't overlook The New Bible Commentary (IVF 1994).

The Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Walter Elwell ed., Baker Book House 1989) is reasonable as a one-volume edition.

Sincerely, Oz

 

[JM]

A good plain jane Reference Bible would go a long way.

 

[98cwitr]

^^^this

 

[dies-l]

It can be yes. But there's also a good side to commentaries. They act as a litmus test of sorts to see if your own interpretation is lining up with the interpretations of the greatest teachers that God has given the church.

The bible says that God has given the church gifts in the form of men who are teachers and preachers. They are blessed with an ability to understand more than the rest of us, so it is to our own betterment to hear what they have to say.

As an example I'd say that Matthew Henry is one of such men.

I would agree that looking to a few good commentaries AFTER you have studied and attempted to interpret Scripture for yourself is a very good idea. The problem is that it seems more common that the commentary is used as a substitute, rather than a supplement to interpreting Scripture for oneself. For this reason, I would encourage new believers to stay away from commentaries unless and until they have a basic understanding of hermeneutics and have begun reading and interpreting Scripture on their own.