Best Commentaries around?

[d0c markus]

Whats the best commentaries you guys use. They dont all have to be part of a volume. I am lookin to get some good ones.

 

[II Paradox II]

Whats the best commentaries you guys use. They dont all have to be part of a volume. I am lookin to get some good ones.

I like AT Robertsons "Word Pictures of the New Testament", the "Ancient Christian Comentary Series" and Calvin's Commentaries...

ken

 

[Crazy Liz]

It really depends on what kind of commentaries you are looking for. There are devotional commentaries, theological commentaries, critical commentaries (which deal with textual issues in the original manuscripts), etc. I have been taught to start with the International Critical Commentary series, but I use them in a nearby university library, rather than purchasing them.

 

[d0c markus]

It really depends on what kind of commentaries you are looking for. There are devotional commentaries, theological commentaries, critical commentaries (which deal with textual issues in the original manuscripts), etc. I have been taught to start with the International Critical Commentary series, but I use them in a nearby university library, rather than purchasing them.

Whats the best commentaries you guys use

Doesnt matter.

 

[Flynmonkie]

I am not sure what you are studying But right now I am using Matthew Henry's Commentary on the whole Bible, and Strongs concordance for Hebrew and Greek. Other references I use...
[size=+0]Nelson's New Christian Dictionary[/size]
[size=+0]Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary[/size]
[size=+0]Nelson's New Illustrated Manners and Customs[/size]
[size=+0]Nelson's Topical Bible Index[/size]
[size=+0]New Strong's Dictionary of Hebrew & Greek [/size]Words
Strong's Enhanced Lexicon
It just depends to me on how you believe and researching what is available.

So far I like it, but just started using it. We shall see!

 

[d0c markus]

So far i've used, the NIV application commentarym some of J. Vernon Mcgees works, althougth its not in-depth.

I like wuest's word studies. But i am sure there are more out there.. Matthew Henry is ok, wouldnt be my preference, id like to read some of luthers works although i am sure there are better out there.

Does anyone use commentaries online that they can provide links to?

 

[Flynmonkie]

You might try studylight (dot) org (I am too new to post the link) I hear they have many different online commentaries there. Not sure of the origin. Let me know what you find, if it is any good!

 

[ChrisB]

I like the "Bible Speaks Today" series from IVP http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=925

 

[sola fide]

Whats the best commentaries you guys use. They dont all have to be part of a volume. I am lookin to get some good ones.

I don't know where I'd be without my commentaries
I use Calvin's commentaries all of the time for my studies. I think it is 22 volumes and it costs about 150 bucks...but it's been worth it for me.

Also James Montgomery Boice's commentaries are very good. But you cannot by an entire set...they come by small sets, usually covering individual books of the Bible.
I also think John MacArthur's commentaries are very good.

And you can never go wrong with Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible conveniantly printed in one volume.
I'd check Cumberland Valley Bible Bookstore and Christian Book Distributors if you don't want to pay a ton for your books. You can order online at both of them.

Grace and Peace.

 

[Lotar]

I like Luther's commentaries and John MacArthur's.

 

[Knight]

I've read some of the Geneva Bible notes. (Got them through E-Sword)

They're brief, yet descriptive.

Matthew Henry is good as is John Gill.

For something a little more contemporary you could try Warren Wiersby (sp?)

 

[Cathologetics]

Jerome Bible Commentary is excellent.

 

[Serapha]

Hi there!






crosswalk.com has several good online commentaries, lexicons, and Bible study helps....


also... blueletterbible.org.




I prefer John Gill because he references the manuscript evidences.



~serapha~

 

[Crazy Liz]

So far i've used, the NIV application commentarym some of J. Vernon Mcgees works, althougth its not in-depth.

I like wuest's word studies.

Learn to do your own word studies. I like using the Blueletter Bible, rather than books like Strong's because when you click on the Strong's number in the Blueletter Bible, you get a list of instances of the word in the order they appear in the Bible, not sorted according to the author's or editor's idea of the different meanings or nuances, or by a particular translator's choice. You can make your own judgment about the different ways the word is used. Here's a short step-by-step article oriented to beginners on how to do it. By doing my own word study on the Greek word dioko (most often translated "persecute") (Strong's number 1377) I discovered that Philippians 3 is Paul's reflection, at the end of his life, on his conversion experience recorded in Acts 9. I didn't find that in any commentary, and it's not obvious in any English translations because the same Greek word is translated 3 different ways in a single chapter.

That probably was a lot longer than you wanted, but I really wanted to convince you to do your own word studies.

But i am sure there are more out there.. Matthew Henry is ok, wouldnt be my preference, id like to read some of luthers works although i am sure there are better out there. Does anyone use commentaries online that they can provide links to?

One I completely forgot to mention is Chrysostom. :o His sermons on most of the NT have been preserved since the fourth century. He has an entire volume in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers. If you are buying books, I would recommend that volume in the series, but it is available free online. Just browse about 2/3 of the way down the page linked above.

I like referring to Chrysostom's homilies because his style is expository, as we are accustomed to today, yet 1500 years closer to Christ than the modern commentaries. I like to see how Christians interpreted scripture in earlier times. When I teach on any scripture in the NT, Chrysostom is usually the first commentary-type source I consult.

There are other ancient commentaries, like Origen, but they tend to interpret scripture in quite a different way that does not appeal at all to modern evangelicals.

Lots of people have mentioned Matthew Henry. It is in the public domain, and available several places online. Just google Matthew Henry and find one in a format you like.

 

[Cathologetics]

There are other ancient commentaries, like Origen, but they tend to interpret scripture in quite a different way that does not appeal at all to modern evangelicals.

 

[II Paradox II]

I wouldn't read too much into her statement. I read quite a bit of ancient commentary and frankly much of it is very foreign to virtually every modern, evangelical or otherwise. They lived in a very different philosophical and social atmosphere and this is reflected in many of their hermeneutic methods.

If I get some time this week maybe I'll transcribe a few of the commentaries and sermons (unfortunately very little of which is available online) for people to see exactly what is being talked about. One of my personal favorites is Ceasarius of Arles, a 5th century Augustinian bishop. Reading his works I have found to be helpful for my spiritual life, but I'm not sure how most people would take his rather radical and numerous allegorical interpretations (He allegorizes not just the general characters in passages but even details such as where people are standing, how many items they are carrying, what kind of animal is mentioned offhand in the passage, how many servants there are in comparison to main characters etc...)

Anyways, needless to say, while most evangelicals would probably be much more attuned to the style of Chrysostom (from whom we largely owe our protestant tradition of exegesis through his use by Calvin), I don't think more should be read in here than neccessary. It also goes without saying that the more "spirtualized" style of preaching and exegesis isn't foreign to protestant tradition either. Some of our greatest preachers, such as Spurgeon, really were much closer to the style of the allegorical fathers than the modern technical style popular today.

ken

 

[foreknown]

John Calvin
Thomas Manton
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown
Matthew Henry
Matthew Poole
A.W. Pink
John Owen
John Knox
Charles Spurgeon
John Flavel
John Gill
Richard Sibbes

The List could go on and on. Anything from the Puritan era I would definitely suggest. As well the writings of the Reformers. There are very few modern commentaries I would use because they have twisted the meanings of everything to support outrageous notions such as the rapture and free will.

In Christ,

Alex

 

[Hidden in Christ]

http://www.gospelcom.net/eword/comments/

 

[Momzilla]

I'm a huge fan of William Barclay, who wrote commentaries on each of the books of the New Testament (and was starting on the OT when he passed away).

 

[kelco]

I'm a huge fan of William Barclay, who wrote commentaries on each of the books of the New Testament (and was starting on the OT when he passed away).

Me too! I love Barclay and have almost the whole series. I also use the One Volume Interpreters Commentary and have the use of my pastor's Interpreters Bible. I also have several commentaries on E-Sword.