Ten years ago when I started seminary, if I wanted to research a Bible passage, I went to the library. There was an entire section on the first floor with row after row of commentaries. I would grab as many as I could carry, find a quiet corner, and get to work on a passage.
But now I live a few hundred miles away from my beloved seminary library. So I’ve started building my own Bible study library. An important part of my personal library is commentaries, which are detailed books about a specific book or section of Scripture. They help you understand the context of the passage, look at the historical events at that time, understand the genre of literature the passage represents, and cross-reference parallel and/or complementary passages.
If you want to start a collection of commentaries, I would start with larger commentaries, like the Women’s Evangelical Commentary for NT and OT. Then, buy specific volumes on books of the Bible you like, often teach from, or want more help understanding. The first two commentaries I bought were Hebrews (from the MacArthur commentary series) and Leviticus (from the New American Commentary set).
There are also free commentary resources:
- Commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
- Commentaries on BibleGateway.com
Do you find Bible commentaries useful? Which books of the Bible would you start with, if building your own Bible study library?
I love the commentaries I’ve been able to use. We don’t have a large commentary library built up yet, but we have one whole Bible commentary and two or three specific-book commentaries (including one neat one on Romans). Often a commentary passage will bring to light a perspective I didn’t think of or a word/phrase meaning I didn’t understand.
I’d like to add much more, of course! Especially commentaries on 1 and 2 Peter, the gospel of John, Colossians, and Ephesians.
So glad you posted this today! I’m shopping for our first commentary right now and seeking input from friends to find a good starting point – within budget! *S*
Blessings on the journey~
In building a commentary library, I would recommend first going to Challies.com and searching for a post he did on commentaries a couple of years ago. He recommends, and I agree with him, that our commentary selection should begin with discovering who are the better scholars, depending on the book. For example, Douglas Moo is recommended for a commentary on Romans, Gordon Wehnam for study of Leviticus. I found D.A. Carson’s commentary (Pillar NT Commentary) on John one of the best I have ever read. I would give that as a recommendation for a first purchase. Personally, I tend to avoid any resources that are directed “to women,” in favor of finding a scholar who has given his time to a particular book of the bible.
Another option is purchasing Logos Bible Software. I just got it and absolutely LOVE it. It’s expensive, but they have different packages for different lifestyles and needs, so if you use your birthday money or save for it, you can afford something. They often have discounts running on Twitter too if you watch for them. It’s like having the entire library on your computer!
I enjoy expositional commentaries and often just use them as devotional helps as I read through a book of the Bible. When I taught middle school Bible, I often used them as a teaching tool as well. My favorites are the ones by James Montgomery Boice.
I have 2 commentaries that are my go to commentaries and The Treasury of David is fantastic for the Psalms.
1. The Bible Exposition Commentary – 6 volume set, Warren Wiersbe
2. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible , 6 volume, Hendrickson Publishers (I have this one on my PC Bible software so I don’t own the hardbacks)
3. The Treasury of David 3 volumes, by Charles Spurgeon. (Commentary of the Psalms)
Blessings,
Marita