Bible commentaries

Helpfile: How to choose good commentaries

Good One-Volume Commentaries

	The Oxford Biblical Commentary. Barton, John and John Muddiman, Editors.    Oxford: Oxford University Press,  2000.
	The People’s New Testament Commentary. Boring, M. Eugene and Fred B. Craddock.   Westminster/John Knox Press: 2004.
	The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, Editors.    Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1990.
	New Bible Commentary, 21st Century Edition. Carson, D. A. et al, Editors.   Downers Grove, Ill.: Intervarsity Press, 1994.
	The International Bible Commentary: A Catholic and Ecumenical Commentary for the Twenty-First CenturyFarmer, William R., Editor.   . Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1998.
	The HarperCollins Bible Commentary.Mays, James L., Editor. Revised Edition.  San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2000.
	The IVP Bible Background Commentary.  Old Testament. Walton, John H., et al., Editors.    Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Commentary Series

	Anchor Bible. Albright, W. F. and David Noel Freedman, Editors.    Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1964.  Solid scholarship but becoming somewhat dated.
	Basic Bible Commentary.  29 Volumes.  Abingdon Press, 1998.  These are handy and very inexpensive paperback commentaries; better for quick reference than in depth study.
	Word Biblical Commentary. D. A. Hubbard, et al., Editors.    Waco: Word; Nashville: Nelson, 1982-2002.  A conservative Protestant and scholarly series.
	Interpretation: A Biblical Commentary for Teaching and Preaching.  Louisville: John Knox, 1982 -.  As its name suggests, this helpful series is aimed primarily at interpreters, teachers, and preachers of the texts.  Catalogue description: "Interpretation is a set of full-length, practical, and clearly written commentaries that helps teachers and preachers in their educational and homiletic work and lay persons in their study of the Bible.  It bridges the gap between critical and expository commentaries and combines exciting biblical scholarship with illuminating textual expositions."
	The New Interpreters Bible.Leander Keck, Editor.    12 Volumes.  Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994-2002.  A widely used series produced by excellent scholars aimed at preachers and teachers.  Make sure you get the “New” Interpreter’s Bible, as the original Interpreter’s Bible (1950s) is now dated.
	The New Testament for Everyone Series. Wright, Tom.  12 Volumes.  Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 2004.

Lectionary-Based Commentaries

	New Proclamation.  Various Authors.  Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Publishers.  A continuously updated interpretive commentary on the lectionary for preaching.
	Preaching Through the Christian Year, Years A, B, C.   Fred B. Craddock , John H. Hayes, Carl R. Holladay , Gene M. Tucker  Trinity Press International, 1994.
	Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press.

 

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