Help! – Looking for Bible study/commentary tools
3 Dec 2007
As I looked at my bookshelves yesterday, I thought again about how I am surrounded by theology, philosophy, leadership, emerging church books, but my commentary/bible section is the smallest and least resourced.
I rely on Tom Wright, and my IVP complete bible commentary from my early seminary days.
So with a fresh resolve to really dig into the bible, I’m looking for some suggestions as to the best bible study/commentaries, in print, online, and computer that you know of?
So please do let me know what is out there, that would help me.
11 comments
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Comment by Mark Heath
9.14 am on 3 Dec 2007
make sure you check out Jeremy Pierce’s superb set of commentary recommendations (he does three levels – beginner, intemediate and advanced).
As a bit of a commentaryaholic myself, I have compiled a searchable list of (mainly evangelical) commentaries on my website with links to the publishers sites:
http://www.wordandspirit.co.uk/commentaries/
Comment by Mark Heath
9.15 am on 3 Dec 2007
oops, forgot to leave the link for Jeremy’s recommendations. Here it is:
http://parablemania.ektopos.com/archives/2005/02/commentary_reco.html
Comment by Kristie
3.21 pm on 3 Dec 2007
I’ve been using Bible Study Tools in Christianity.com From the site, here’s some of the cool stuff you can do. I love the fact that I can create my own Bible Study and save it!
Here’s what you can do with Bible Study Tools:
* Highlight your favorite Bible verses
* Take and save personal “margin” notes about your Bible study journey
* Explore 29 different Bible translations and compare them side by side with our split panel screen
* Search a comprehensive library of additional study helps and resources including commentaries, dictionaries, lexicons, concordances, reading plans, and more
* Read devotionals from your favorite pastors and authors including Chuck Swindoll, Max Lucado, Charles Stanley, John Piper, and more
http://bible.christianity.com
Comment by jason smith
6.41 pm on 3 Dec 2007
during seminary i invested in logos bible software – a pc program and don’t regret it now that i’m in the church setting. I’m using is constantly.
i have access to multiple commentaries, greek and hebrew text via technological resources, etc. its rather nice. i think an initial investment would set you back around 500 or 600 US.
jason
Comment by Andy Morgan
9.38 pm on 3 Dec 2007
On a more specific note, I have been co-teaching the Gospel of Matthew with my boss to a mens breakfast bible study, and Craig Keener’s commentary on Matthew (A Commentary On The Gospel Of Matthew) is totally awesome. Published by Eerdmans. Although 1039 pages long it balances input between the Greek and solid interpretation of the text as well as giving application. Very impressive!
Comment by heather lee
12.26 am on 4 Dec 2007
I have really gotten my money’s worth from The New Jerome Bible Commentary. I also like the Social Science Commentaries.
Comment by dan brown
2.07 am on 4 Dec 2007
Here’s my commercial. 1. The best commentary in my library is; The Gospel of Mark, New International Commentary on the New Testament, William L. Lane, this commentary is so well written, you will want to read it cover to cover. It is more than a good commentary it is a great book. 2. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, Intervarsity Press, this series is outstanding and includes commentary by all the princpal players one learns about in an early church history class. It plays well with the ancient-future motif. 3. I also like George Eldon Ladd, Commentary on Revelation, it is a very fair and clear apprisal of the different motifs in Revelation including: preterist, historical, idealist, futurist and a excellent breakdown of structure. 4. K. Barth is a giant in the west and my faith has never been more alive since studying his work for the last four years in my opinion everyone should read Karl Barth’s Comentary on the Romans. This has to be one of the most important christian books writen in the last one hundred years. It is foundational to the whole emerging church conversation and helps us to differentiate revelational and natural theolgy. It is like listening to Beethoven or Mozart.
Comment by edward pillar
2.56 pm on 4 Dec 2007
Jason – I sympathise…it is so difficult to keep up with scholars/commentaries/latest thinking on texts etc. I guess that there is a danger in choosing commentaries to keep to the people/theology etc we already basically agree with and feel safe with. Tom Wright is very accessible and I recommend him to my people at Church if they want a deeper Bible Study time than “Everyday with … whoever it might be today..”
One of the best commentaries I have used in a long time is NT Wright on Romans. A rich seam indeed. You’ll find it in the New Interpreter’s Bible vol. 10.
blessings
Comment by caroline sakala
10.08 pm on 8 Dec 2007
Hi Jason, maybe not quite what you were asking for, but I have found Navigator Topical Memory System brilliant in the past, which encourages meditation on the word as well as memorising it. I also have a book of DAWS, the guy who started the navigators if you want to borrow it – NavPress have several resources, so perhaps check them out. I’m sure you would find the Navigators on the Internet as well.
See you soon.
Comment by fernando
3.42 am on 11 Dec 2007
The International Standard Bible Encylopedia is a must-buy. It’s never far from my desk. Beyond that, the best commentaries need to be considered on a book by book basis. The Word, Anchor and Hermenia series are also excellent, but all have a couple of lemons as well.
Andy Goodliff has gone through this topic a bit in recent months on his blog – well worth checking out.
Comment by missionseeker
3.27 am on 9 Jan 2008
Commentaries, contain some limitations and yet some rich knowledge. I have consulted them on points of interest, to help compare, discern, and gain fuller understanding of how bible verses are spoken of. Commentaries are comments that can still be tried as I John 4:1 advises.
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