Good Bible Commentaries.

[ebia]

About 15 years ago I came across the 6 volume Matthew Henry commentary of the complete Bible and grabbed it. I can't begin to tell you what a HUGE blessing it's been in my life.

If you aren't familiar with Matthew Henry, he was a Puritan pastor in late 1600s and early 1700s England. He is brilliant as well as somewhat droll and witty at times. The thing I love about reading his commentary is that his doctrine is what the historical Christian church has believed down through the ages--no liberalism, dispensationalism and the like. He also focuses on glorifying God and especially Christ.

Since last winter, I've read his discourses on the book of Job and the gospel of John. I can't tell you how much I've learned from him, and how much it's helped me to grow. There just aren't word to express what a wonderful blessing this has been in my life. If I had to evacuate my home, I would take my Matthew Henry commentary with me--all 6 volumes if possible--that's how much it means to me! I would urge anyone who wants to have a greater, deeper more profound understanding of Scripture to read Matthew Henry.

Here's a link to an online MH Commentary to get you started:

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

Those older commentaries can still be useful, but the best way to access them is through free software like the Sword project. Calvin's commentary is definitely useful. It's about time some Catholic and Orthodox people put the works of people like Aquinas, Augustine and Crystosthom into that format.

 

[wayseer]

There are CDROMs being produced on such topics as the Early Christian Fathers.

Here, and Christian Classics Ethereal Library, off line at the time of posting.

 

[ebia]

There are CDROMs being produced on such topics as the Early Christian Fathers.

Here, and Christian Classics Ethereal Library, off line at the time of posting.

Getting the raw texts is easy - though formatting is sometimes problematic. But it would be useful for the ones with extensive sets of homilies on scripture to have that content reformatted as Commentary within bible software as has been done for Calvin, say.

In terms of putting out-of-copyright bible resources out there in the most usable form the Orthodox and Catholics have some catching up to do. As they have on uptodate bought commentaries as well, for that matter.