The best commentaries might be easier to find than you think.
I absolutely love reading biblical commentaries. We should be thankful that some are called to Ph.D. studies and dedicate their lives to serious study to bless the church with such resources. But since there are a host of commentaries to choose from, how do you know which ones to buy?
When it comes to the best commentaries, you can find a few options below that will provide some helpful gudiance.
How to Find the Best Commentaries
1. A Guide to Biblical Commentaries and Reference Works: 10th Edition
by John Evans
This book is one I recently discovered. I was in the library looking for a good commentary on Numbers when the librarian showed me this resource. I was excited to learn about it and frustrated that I didn’t already know about it (bloggers take these things personally). What does this book do?
In this book, “John F. Evans, summarizes and briefly analyzes all recent and many older commentaries on each book of the Bible, giving insightful comments on the approach of each commentary and its interpretive usefulness especially for evangelical interpreters of the Bible.”
The book is in its 10th edition and is updated every 3-4 years. This edition was published in 2016. Evans has an affinity for commentaries and is able to point pastors and church leaders in the correct direction with his book.
2.New Testament Commentary Survey
by D.A. Carson
In this book, Carson shows you how to pick a good commentary on any New Testament book. This is the 7th edition of the book. The strength of the book is that it’s, well, D.A. Carson, and he is perhaps the best New Testament scholar alive and is more than competent to help.
3. Old Testament Commentary Survey
by Tremper Longman
Just like the blurb says: “Leading Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III provides students and pastors with expert guidance on choosing a commentary for any book of the Old Testament. The fifth edition has been updated to assess the most recently published commentaries, providing evaluative comments. Longman lists a number of works available for each book of the Old Testament, gives a brief indication of their emphases and viewpoints, and evaluates them. The result is a balanced, sensible guide for those who preach and teach the Old Testament and need help in choosing the best tools.”
I love this site. This is a site that “combines reviews and ratings from journals, books, and users to create an aggregate ranking for Biblical commentaries.”
In other words, they have a ranking system, which they explain: “Each commentary receives a score. The higher the score, the better the commentary. The score is given based on reviews from scholars, journal reviews, and site users. It’s a quick and easy way to filter through and find the best commentary on each book of the Bible.”
But not only commentaries, you can also find the best theological books on essentially any topic of interest. It’s a site worth perusing.
Dr. Keith Mathison, professor of systematic theology at Reformation Bible college, provides his top five commentaries for each book of the Bible.
What commentaries do John Piper and the Desiring God crew recommend? You’ll find good guidance by clicking on this button:
A trusted source for many, Tim Challies points you to the best commentaries on each book of the Bible.
While many of these voters do not have theological credentials, honest reviews from a layperson’s perspective can be worth reading.
Well, hopefully, you’ll find a few helpful resources in this post. Don’t be afraid to ask your pastor for his opinion. Or even your friends who read theology. Sometimes the best recommendation is from a personal friend.
Finally, remember that while imperfect commentaries are massively helpful, nothing quite compares with the perfect Word of God. Commentaries are merely supplemental. As Dr. Jay Sklar likes to say, “Start with the Bible, not with the commentaries.”
You may also like:
–The Tools I Use in Everyday Life
–Books, Resources, and Bible Reading Plans for Teens
–Christian Resources on Homosexuality
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Gospelrelevance.com is a website created by David Kaywood. On this site, you’ll find lots of books, articles on Christian living, how-to resources, and much more. Learn more.
How to Find the Best Commentaries
The best commentaries might be easier to find than you think.
I absolutely love reading biblical commentaries. We should be thankful that some are called to Ph.D. studies and dedicate their lives to serious study to bless the church with such resources. But since there are a host of commentaries to choose from, how do you know which ones to buy?
When it comes to the best commentaries, you can find a few options below that will provide some helpful gudiance.
How to Find the Best Commentaries
1. A Guide to Biblical Commentaries and Reference Works: 10th Edition
by John Evans
This book is one I recently discovered. I was in the library looking for a good commentary on Numbers when the librarian showed me this resource. I was excited to learn about it and frustrated that I didn’t already know about it (bloggers take these things personally). What does this book do?
In this book, “John F. Evans, summarizes and briefly analyzes all recent and many older commentaries on each book of the Bible, giving insightful comments on the approach of each commentary and its interpretive usefulness especially for evangelical interpreters of the Bible.”
The book is in its 10th edition and is updated every 3-4 years. This edition was published in 2016. Evans has an affinity for commentaries and is able to point pastors and church leaders in the correct direction with his book.
2.New Testament Commentary Survey
by D.A. Carson
In this book, Carson shows you how to pick a good commentary on any New Testament book. This is the 7th edition of the book. The strength of the book is that it’s, well, D.A. Carson, and he is perhaps the best New Testament scholar alive and is more than competent to help.
3. Old Testament Commentary Survey
by Tremper Longman
Just like the blurb says: “Leading Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III provides students and pastors with expert guidance on choosing a commentary for any book of the Old Testament. The fifth edition has been updated to assess the most recently published commentaries, providing evaluative comments. Longman lists a number of works available for each book of the Old Testament, gives a brief indication of their emphases and viewpoints, and evaluates them. The result is a balanced, sensible guide for those who preach and teach the Old Testament and need help in choosing the best tools.”
4. Bestcommentaries.com
I love this site. This is a site that “combines reviews and ratings from journals, books, and users to create an aggregate ranking for Biblical commentaries.”
In other words, they have a ranking system, which they explain: “Each commentary receives a score. The higher the score, the better the commentary. The score is given based on reviews from scholars, journal reviews, and site users. It’s a quick and easy way to filter through and find the best commentary on each book of the Bible.”
But not only commentaries, you can also find the best theological books on essentially any topic of interest. It’s a site worth perusing.
5. Ligonier Ministries
Dr. Keith Mathison, professor of systematic theology at Reformation Bible college, provides his top five commentaries for each book of the Bible.
6. Desiring God
What commentaries do John Piper and the Desiring God crew recommend? You’ll find good guidance by clicking on this button:
7. Challies
A trusted source for many, Tim Challies points you to the best commentaries on each book of the Bible.
8. Goodreads
While many of these voters do not have theological credentials, honest reviews from a layperson’s perspective can be worth reading.
Well, hopefully, you’ll find a few helpful resources in this post. Don’t be afraid to ask your pastor for his opinion. Or even your friends who read theology. Sometimes the best recommendation is from a personal friend.
Finally, remember that while imperfect commentaries are massively helpful, nothing quite compares with the perfect Word of God. Commentaries are merely supplemental. As Dr. Jay Sklar likes to say, “Start with the Bible, not with the commentaries.”
You may also like:
–The Tools I Use in Everyday Life
–Books, Resources, and Bible Reading Plans for Teens
–Christian Resources on Homosexuality
Related Posts
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