Thread: My NT Commentary Recommendations

There is never a shortage of people asking for good commentaries here on the PB; and though I am certainly not the most widely read person, I though I could contribute with a list of some of the better commentaries on the NT epistles. You will look in vain here for Contemporary works -- there are several excellent contemporary commentaries out there, but I have sought to provide one or two superb commentaries for each; and when push comes to shove, if I only had one piece of literature for each epistle, I would take a Jenkyn over a Moo any day. (Also, I did not include Philemon, or 2 & 3 John). Also, this list is for laypersons, and as such will not suggest the best current scholarship out there as a pastor would need, but rather focuses upon those tested and true works, designed to refresh the hearts of all. There are many other worthies, but these are those which have personally benefited me the most:

This is not designed to be a list of technical exegetical works, but rather works of a more "advanced" kind, if you will: by that, I mean, works by those exegetes who spent a lifetime doing the technical exegesis, and as such were able to take the fruits of that knowledge and write for the church, not for the schools. (For such technical forms of exegesis on all or parts of the NT, the following are indispensable: Ellicott, Lightfoot. Meyer, Olshaushen, Eadie, Alford, Bengel, Tholuck, Stier, De Wette, etc; exceptionally good works of this sort on individual books may be mentioned in the following list, but only seldom). Ellicott, Lightfoot and Eadie, especially, should be earnestly read: their notes will never disappoint.

Calvin deserves mention immediately: his works on every book of the NT are worth their weight in the precious metal of your choice. Also, Matthew Poole's Synopsis, though technical exegesis, deserves mention in its own category; as mentioned in another thread -- give up food if it means purchasing this work which is so kindly being translated and published as we speak by the Mattew Poole Project. Finally, Charles Hodge's commentaries deserve mention among the more "modern" variety. They are singularly useful, even when one disagrees.

Romans:
--Vermigli: This great work is currently being translated into English by Frank James, and will soon be published as part of the Peter Martyr Vermigli library. Get this. (Along with its sister volume, Justification and Predestination, which was originally part of the same work.
--Calvin, though already mentioned, cannot be passed over here. He who studies this carefully will truly be blessed.
--Though technical, it would be injudicious not to mention both Cranfield and Moo's works on this epistle. One may certainly differ from them in places, but these are such comprehensive and careful works that they cannot be ignored without great loss.
(It is hard to select works upon this epistle, as so many have been produced; Godet, Vaughan, Hodge, Brown and Sanday immediately spring to mind as some of the more useful contemporary productions)

Galatians:
--Luther. We might differ with him at times, even within this very epistle: but the profound and clear message of the gospel shines more brightly from these pages than almost any other.
--Calvin's Sermons also immediately spring to mind; the application of his profound theological grasp to his listeners in so clear and simple a manner will repay the reader immensely.
--I will also mention William Perkins. This may not be the most stirring exegesis, but after mastering the contents of this commentary, few troubling theological questions will remain.

Ephesians:
--Before anything else, Thomas Goodwin's masterful sermons on the first two chapters need to be mentioned. Though they take up two volumes, they are of far greater worth to the Christian life than are the hours it will take to read them. And though it only covers the first two chapters, if you only can read one piece of literature on this epistle, do not hesistate to choose this over all else.
--Again, Calvin's sermons must be mentioned.

Philippians:
--John Dallie. Although I have not yet read the entirety of this work, it is undoubtedly the most soul-refreshing comment upon this work I have encountered.

Colossians:
--John Davenant: His orthodoxy may be questioned in some areas, but this is undoubtedly the most useful work written on this epistle.
--Eadie and Lightfoot also deserve special mention for their works on this epistle)

Thessalonians:
--John Jewell: He, again, may be rightly differed with, but it would be a bold man indeed who could claim to produce a better work on this epistle.
--Thomas Manton's Sermons deserve mention.

The Pastoral Epistles:
--Patrick Fairbairn: Again, if only piece of literature on these epistles can be read, makes this it!
--Calvin's sermons on these also cannot rightly go without mention.

Hebrews:
--John Owen: What other work could honestly be mentioned first? Though there is certainly room to differ with his teaching on the Covenant, this work is so grand (and massive!) that it is almost beyond critique. Works by other divines could be mentioned (chief among them, John Brown), but after Owen -- what is the point?

James:
--Thomas Manton. The single, best commentary written on this epistle.

1 Peter:
--Robert Leighton needs to be mentioned first. A truly spiritual read.
--John Brown must also be mentioned.

2 Peter:
--Thomas Adams. Lengthy, but worth the energy on this frequently neglected epistle.

1 John:
--Hugh Binning. According to Spurgeon, James Durham said of Binning's sermons on this epistle, "There is no speaking after Mr. Binning." What more can I say to this recommendation?

Jude:
--Jenkyn. Full stop. I feel like saying his name again: Jenkyn.
--Thomas Manton, again, cannot be rightly passed over for his contributions from this tiny epistle.

Originally Posted by Prufrock

You will look in vain here for modern works...

Technically, all of the commentaries you mention are modern works insofar as they aren't medieval works. What they are not is contemporary (or, if you like, postmodern) works.

Sorry; pet peeve of mine.

Anyway, awesome post. I thank ya for it.

Pretty much Spurgeon's picks too

Nathan,

Post has been updated to prevent any further peeving.

Paul. you will never prevent all peeving. For instance, I know perfectly well who you mean, but you didn't say J.B. or John or even Bishop before Lightfoot.

Ruben, little did you know that I meant Gordon:
Didn't you know about his less famous role as a biblical expositor?

if only I had more

Paul,

Aaaaggggggggg!

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy.

With a load of iron ore - 26,000 tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early

The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconson
As the big freighters go it was bigger than most
With a crew and the Captain well seasoned.

Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ships bell rang
Could it be the North Wind they'd been feeling.

The wind in the wires made a tattletale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the Captain did, too,
T'was the witch of November come stealing.

The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the gales of November came slashing
When afternoon came it was freezing rain
In the face of a hurricane West Wind

When supper time came the old cook came on deck
Saying fellows it's too rough to feed ya
At 7PM a main hatchway caved in
He said fellas it's been good to know ya.

The Captain wired in he had water coming in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when his lights went out of sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the words turn the minutes to hours
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd fifteen more miles behind her.

They might have split up or they might have capsized
They may have broke deep and took water
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the ruins of her ice water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams,
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.

And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered.

In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral
The church bell chimed, 'til it rang 29 times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early.

Every time someone mentions Gordon Lightfoot and his wreck song with its insipid lyrics about Gitche Gumee, I flash to that awful Richard Harris, MacArthur Park and its equally ridiculous image of leaving a cake out in the rain. Since Nathan Eschleman lives over in that vicinity now, maybe you should ask him if "MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark" with all "the sweet, green icing flowing down." If so, I "don't think that I can take it 'cause it took so long to bake it and I'll never have that recipe again, oh no!"

Sorry Paul, but I'm pretty sure that you meant J.B. Lightfoot . . . or that you are insane.

Dennis, that was too funny!

The Gitche Gumee line was always the only one I could ever remember.

-----Added 4/21/2009 at 06:46:20 EST-----

All right, Dennis, you caught me: perhaps I did, in fact, mean J.B.

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Ruben, little did you know that I meant Gordon: YouTube - Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald Gordon Lightfoot
Didn't you know about his less famous role as a biblical expositor?

Well, I had hoped you wouldn't sully the board by mentioning Gordon Lightfoot's commentaries. Besides, you know that Expository Analysis and Linguistic Interpretation of Philemon with Two Excurses on Discourse Analysis in its Relation to Musical Theory is his most renowned work; but no, you had to exclude Philemon altogether.

Originally Posted by py3ak

Well, I had hoped you wouldn't sully the board by mentioning Gordon Lightfoot's commentaries. Besides, you know that Expository Analysis and Linguistic Interpretation of Philemon with Two Excurses on Discourse Analysis in its Relation to Musical Theory is his most renowned work; but no, you had to exclude Philemon altogether.

Apologies.

I'm heartbroken..... the Be series isn't top shelf?

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

I'm heartbroken..... the Be series isn't top shelf?

Perhaps in Version II. But perhaps not.

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

I'm heartbroken..... the Be series isn't top shelf?

Perhaps in Version II. But perhaps not.

Please forgive me, there was something missing from my OP: