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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: If you could recommend one series of commentaries?
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Yerevan
Shipmate
# 10383
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Posted
Subject line says it all really ![[Smile]](smile.gif) I'm getting slightly bewildered by the range of options...
Posts: 3758 | From: In the middle | Registered: Sep 2005
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Oscar the Grouch
Adopted Cascadian
# 1916
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Posted
I wouldn't go for a single series!
For each book of the Bible, I would search out the best commentary I could find, taking into account what my specific needs are.
For example, my personal preference would be for something which will help me make connections between the biblical text and the world in which I am going to be preaching. I don't necessarily want something which is going to unpack every jot and tittle in minute detail. Someone else's needs may be rather different!
Having said that, I find that the Interpretation series has been pretty useful and I have gradually accumulated a fair few of the commentaries in the series (especially Brueggemann on Genesis!).
It also depends on how much you want to pay per book. I was prepared to splash out on the two volume commentary on Luke by Fitzmyer but it didn't come cheap and I can understand why others might baulk.
When I survey my bookshelf, I can see far too many commentaries which I now regret buying. Most of them were purchased because so-and-so told me that this was THE book on XYZ. I believed them rather than do my own spade work. Big mistake. So I have Motyer's commentary on Isaiah, far too many IVP commentaries, Hawthorne on Philippians - all of which rarely get opened.
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Faradiu, dundeibáwa weyu lárigi weyu
Posts: 3871 | From: Gamma Quadrant, just to the left of Galifrey | Registered: Dec 2001
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Emma Louise
Storm in a teapot
# 3571
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Posted
I was told at college to not buy a book without having read/used it first - the thought being that you would then know if youre likely to use it again. Not so easy when away from college libraries etc tho.
Id definately echo the advice about it being different for different books. As lovely and pretty as a complete "set" looks on a bookshelf - different authors have different styles etc and I would have more of a pic n mix approach to gathering the ones I want. You might also you want seveal on the gospels (for example) and you dont need all the minor prophets. I would tend then to go for a gradual building up of a collection as you needed it - and use a more general bible commentary when the depth isnt needed. (eg - Dictionary of jesus and the gospels/ Dictionary of Paul/ Dictionary of the church are a few I keep meaning to rebuy - very nice and easily to read - but i used a lot of excerts to get a general overview and a mix of scholars with good credentials
Posts: 12719 | From: Enid Blyton territory. | Registered: Nov 2002
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Ex Cathedra
Shipmate
# 4579
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Posted
'Paul must himself have seen less darkly
had he but studied William Barclay.'
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'Horrific deplorable violence is OK as long as people don't say any naughty words' - Sheila Broflovski
Posts: 83 | From: Essex, UK | Registered: May 2003
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Matrix
Shipmate
# 3452
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Posted
It kinda depends on what you want to use them for? Are they to help you prepare sermons, to help you study, or for devotional use?
A series that would blend most of these needs would be the "Bible Speaks Today" series, that tend to look at the larger themes in the text and mix devotional as theological background.
They're not too expensive - £8-12 new, much much less second hand.
M
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Maybe that's all a family really is; a group of people who miss the same imaginary place. - Garden State
Posts: 3847 | From: The courts of the King | Registered: Oct 2002
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Newman's Own
Shipmate
# 420
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Posted
I would agree that the commentary best suited to one's needs and to study of particular books could vary. As a general rule, I find the New Jerome Biblical Commentary to be invaluable, and I especially like many of the volumes in the New International Greek Testament Commentaries. Anything by Raymond E. Brown, N. T. Wright, and Joseph Fitzmyer (the last mentioned being a major expert in Aramaic texts) is worth a look - and, for epistles of Paul in particular, I love Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, whose wry style often includes extremely insightful analyses.
For Old Testament, I, having the good fortune to have access to some excellent libraries, I try to read Jewish commentaries first - but there is no 'series' I could recommend.
Is your work with the scriptures mainly scholarly (presenting papers and such), academic lectures, or for preaching? I'm only asking because some Ship mates may have found that one series or another is better suited for particular uses.
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Cheers,
Elizabeth
“History as Revelation is seldom very revealing, and histories of holiness are full of holes.” - Dermot Quinn
Posts: 6740 | From: Library or pub | Registered: Jun 2001
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Zar
Shipmate
# 4647
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Posted
If you want a fairly rigorous but not overly dense academic approach, Blacks' (NT only) are good, though some are more recent than others.
If you want full-blown, nit-picking, microscopic academia, then go for the ICC (International Critical Commentaries). I tend to use these just to look up particular verses that interest me - they're not the kind of thing you'd read cover to cover!
[ 02. August 2006, 21:49: Message edited by: Zar ]
Posts: 206 | From: Between places | Registered: Jun 2003
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927
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Posted
quote:
Sacra Pagina, so far, if I were limited to only one. But I have everything from Word, which are very good, to Anchor, which are patchy, to NIGTC and NICNT to hermeneia to Interpretation.
I have used most of these at various times. Sacra Pagina - wonderful, but for ease of use and ready availability, Word on CD is great. I prefer the physical feel of paper and books, but the ease of this is good.
You really need to consider what you are using them for, and how much you have to spend. Some are more readily available than others commercially. Do you have access to a good theological library so you can see some of those which Zappa has mentioned?
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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.
Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003
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Barnabas62
Shipmate
# 9110
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Posted
Peake's one-volume commentary on the Bible (Ed. Matthew Black) is available, 2nd hand, via Amazon for less than £20. The original text (itself a wholesale revision of the original Peake Commentaries) is 45 years old now, and I'm not sure if the latest paperback edition is a revision or just a reprint. But if you bear that in mind, I reckon it's a one-volume bargain and a useful addition to the shelves.
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Who is it that you seek? How then shall we live? How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
Posts: 21397 | From: Norfolk UK | Registered: Feb 2005
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
{bump}
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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T.B.Cherubim
Shipmate
# 11582
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Posted
A good one volume commentary is often a place to start for first reference. New Jerome for instance. Also the Oxford Bible Commentary (editors John Barton for OT and John Muddiman for NT) is scholarly and accessible. It is due to appear in paperback soon. The hardcover also comes with a CD of the entire text - handy to lug around in your lap top.
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Me transmitte sursum, Caledoni!
www.eurobishop.blogspot.com
Posts: 101 | From: London | Registered: Jun 2006
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jerusalemcross
Shipmate
# 12179
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Posted
Would echo the good advice of a single volume comprehensive commentary such as N Jerome supplemented by individually chosen separate-book commentaries - avoiding at all costs any of the ones by William Barclay please. And there are commentaries which you'll probably never ever need so don't use precious monetary resources in buying them, use library or inter-library borrowing services; or online services possibly accesible through your college or university. Having a hard-copy "set" is probably counterproductive. And very expensive.
Sometimes second-hand copies turn up in Amazon (UK and USA) or Barnes & Noble (USA).
Also backing up choices of Raymond Brown and Fitzmeyer as first-rate but pricey. Pity these aren't printed as paperbacks or limp-bound editions at lower cost (Anyone with influence in the publishing industry out there??)
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What's the difference between an organist and a terrorist? You can negotiate with a terrorist.
Posts: 305 | From: somewhere west of Eden | Registered: Dec 2006
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iain67
Apprentice
# 1583
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Posted
I would reccommend Walter Brueggemann (Interpretation, John Knox Press) every time - good writing, and especially good on theological themes / emphases, often quite left field or tying in with other biblical themes, which should be good for sermon preparation. Not great on exegesis or technical matters, but there is a real depth of scholarship underneath.
I've not read Robert Alter's 'Genesis', but I've read some of his other work, and articles / items on Gnesis, and I'll bet this would be an interesting read from a literary approach to the Bible- very fruitful and thought provoking, and among the most worthwhile of literary approaches (and pretty cheap too)
Iain
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Custard
Shipmate
# 5402
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Posted
In my opinion, the best single series for the not-especially-theologically-educated is the NIV Application Series. They're not stunningly good, but none of them is shockingly bad and there are some good volumes in it.
Best overall series in my opinion is probably the (very incomplete) Pillar series. The New American Commentaries are also meant to be generally good, but I've only got one of them.
I'm trying to put together a library of the best commentary I can find on each book. It's taking a while...
[ 09. January 2007, 22:22: Message edited by: Custard. ]
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Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp thine image in its place.
Posts: 4523 | From: Snot's Place | Registered: Jan 2004
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Ddraig
Shipmate
# 7572
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Posted
Have any Shipmates used e-sword ?
I mention it here because it has several commentaries free to download (although donations are welcome) and also a couple available for a fee. I am still exploring it, but of the Bible translations free to download includes several English language ones, Greek, Hebrew and Latin as well as many modern languages.
A list of the commentaries available is found here.
I believe the free ones are all ones that the copyright has expired on e.g. John Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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Theism - A morbid condition characterized by headache, sleeplessness, and palpitation of the heart, caused by excessive tea-drinking. Oxford English Dictionary
Posts: 86 | From: Leeds | Registered: Jun 2004
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Custard
Shipmate
# 5402
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Posted
Yeah - I use it but I don't use the commentaries that much. Matthew Henry is, well, Matthew Henry and often has some good insights.
CCEL has much more out-of-copyright stuff.
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blog
Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp thine image in its place.
Posts: 4523 | From: Snot's Place | Registered: Jan 2004
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Ddraig
Shipmate
# 7572
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Custard:
Yeah - I use it but I don't use the commentaries that much. Matthew Henry is, well, Matthew Henry and often has some good insights.
Could you possibly expand on this please? The commentaries on e-Sword are the first commentaries I've really looked at and so I don't have a lot of experience/reference for their biases and reliability (Scofield and John Wesley being the only ones I recognised and know anything about!)
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Theism - A morbid condition characterized by headache, sleeplessness, and palpitation of the heart, caused by excessive tea-drinking. Oxford English Dictionary
Posts: 86 | From: Leeds | Registered: Jun 2004
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Custard
Shipmate
# 5402
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Posted
Matthew Henry's biography on Wikipedia says it very well.
He's a good commentator, but reads very much like an 18th century English presbyterian and sometimes goes off on good but irrelevant tangents. Some older English baptist preachers still sound like that...
For free stuff online, I still love Spurgeon's Treasury of David (on the Psalms) and Calvin's Commentaries (from CCEL) too, but they often concentrate so much on verse-by-verse and word-by-word analysis that they miss the macro-structure of the text.
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Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp thine image in its place.
Posts: 4523 | From: Snot's Place | Registered: Jan 2004
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Custard
Shipmate
# 5402
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Posted
For a single volume commentary, I'd go for the New Bible Commentary.
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Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp thine image in its place.
Posts: 4523 | From: Snot's Place | Registered: Jan 2004
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Custard.:
In my opinion, the best single series for the not-especially-theologically-educated is the NIV Application Series. They're not stunningly good, but none of them is shockingly bad and there are some good volumes in it.
If, as the title indicates, this series is based on the NIV translation, there may be problems. Some people have serious reservations about the NIV translation. This thread has a discussion about it.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Rev per Minute
Shipmate
# 69
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Posted
I have to say that I rely a great deal on NT Wright's series on the New Testament as a starting point for study and sermons. But most of my deeper study of passages (for preaching purposes) comes from the 'net, especially 'The Text this Week' which can also be searched by book.
As others have said, much depends on what you want the commentary for, and what depth you want/need.
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"Allons-y!" "Geronimo!" "Oh, for God's sake!" The Day of the Doctor
At the end of the day, we face our Maker alongside Jesus. RIP ken
Posts: 2696 | From: my desk (if I can find the keyboard under this mess) | Registered: May 2001
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Genista
Apprentice
# 10027
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Posted
From the volumes I've seen (mostly of Luke) I rather like Nolland. Mostly he makes an interesting counterpoint to Jerome, which we generally have out on long-term loan from the university library. I particularly recall him being good on structural patterns in wider units of the text but he's jolly interesting on pericopes also. I only get to take him out for three weeks at a time, though, which limits my familiarity. Note: I'm using him for theology essays, not for devotion.
Posts: 30 | From: Up in Annie's house, behind the clock | Registered: Aug 2005
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Amazing Grace
High Church Protestant
# 95
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by jerusalemcross:
Would echo the good advice of a single volume comprehensive commentary such as N Jerome supplemented by individually chosen separate-book commentaries - avoiding at all costs any of the ones by William Barclay please. And there are commentaries which you'll probably never ever need so don't use precious monetary resources in buying them, use library or inter-library borrowing services; or online services possibly accesible through your college or university. Having a hard-copy "set" is probably counterproductive. And very expensive.
Sometimes second-hand copies turn up in Amazon (UK and USA) or Barnes & Noble (USA).
Also backing up choices of Raymond Brown and Fitzmeyer as first-rate but pricey. Pity these aren't printed as paperbacks or limp-bound editions at lower cost (Anyone with influence in the publishing industry out there??)
I got my "Intro to the New Testament" by Brown used on Amazon for far less than cover price.
Shop around!
Charlotte
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WTFWED? "Remember to always be yourself, unless you suck" - the Gator
Memory Eternal! Sheep 3, Phil the Wise Guy, and Jesus' Evil Twin in the SoF Nativity Play
Posts: 6593 | From: Sittin' by the dock of the [SF] bay | Registered: Jul 2003
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Custard
Shipmate
# 5402
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Posted
The New International Greek Testament Commentaries (NIGTC) are great on the NT if you can read Greek. Every single one in the series seems to be generally reckoned to be among the best on the book in question.
If you can't read Greek, they're not so useful at all, except as doorstops / paperweights.
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blog
Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp thine image in its place.
Posts: 4523 | From: Snot's Place | Registered: Jan 2004
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by iain67:
I've not read Robert Alter's 'Genesis', but I've read some of his other work, and articles / items on Gnesis, and I'll bet this would be an interesting read from a literary approach to the Bible- very fruitful and thought provoking, and among the most worthwhile of literary approaches (and pretty cheap too)
He's got a whole Pentateuch (The Five Books of Moses) now, plus The David Story which is Samuel 1 & 2.
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Autenrieth Road
Shipmate
# 10509
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Amazing Grace:
I got my "Intro to the New Testament" by Brown used on Amazon for far less than cover price.
Reading Brown, and adoring it, because of the introductory chapters and the appendices, even leaving apart the commentary itself.
Does someone know a similar book for OT? I want to use it as a strong supplement to the EFM readings: i.e. something that will cover the similar whole "Intro to the OT and its world and comment on all the books" spectrum. In just one or possibly two Big Fat Books, but not 35.
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Truth
Posts: 9559 | From: starlight | Registered: Oct 2005
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Amazing Grace
High Church Protestant
# 95
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Posted
AR, I have a book by Bruggemann (sp? the post-op kitten is sleeping on me and I don't wish to disturb her) that came recommended on the Ship. Haven't read it yet, as I was done with Year 1 when I got it. Maybe this coming summer.
Charlotte
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WTFWED? "Remember to always be yourself, unless you suck" - the Gator
Memory Eternal! Sheep 3, Phil the Wise Guy, and Jesus' Evil Twin in the SoF Nativity Play
Posts: 6593 | From: Sittin' by the dock of the [SF] bay | Registered: Jul 2003
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Amazing Grace
High Church Protestant
# 95
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Posted
here's the title
Charlotte
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WTFWED? "Remember to always be yourself, unless you suck" - the Gator
Memory Eternal! Sheep 3, Phil the Wise Guy, and Jesus' Evil Twin in the SoF Nativity Play
Posts: 6593 | From: Sittin' by the dock of the [SF] bay | Registered: Jul 2003
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Custard
Shipmate
# 5402
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Posted
I must admit, I'm a big fan of "A Biblical History of Israel" by Provan, Longman and Long.
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blog
Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp thine image in its place.
Posts: 4523 | From: Snot's Place | Registered: Jan 2004
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J.S. Bach
Shipmate
# 9633
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Posted
While I have not read this book myself, one of our pastors used Old Testament Survey by William Sanford LA Sor, David Allan Hubbard, et al., when teaching Bible teachers. He used Brown's book for the NT.
Blessings,
JSB
Posts: 104 | From: Near Washington, DC | Registered: Jun 2005
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AngCath
Apprentice
# 12378
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Posted
As far as single volume commentaries go I recommend New Jerome.
For multi-volume commentaries the New Interpreters Bible is always a good place to look.
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Let us Begin the Time of Fasting in Light
Posts: 13 | From: Sewanee | Registered: Feb 2007
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T.B.Cherubim
Shipmate
# 11582
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by AngCath:
As far as single volume commentaries go I recommend New Jerome.
For multi-volume commentaries the New Interpreters Bible is always a good place to look.
Last century when I was a studying theology I was encouraged to buy the (old) Jerome Biblical Commentary, which I still refer to from time to time, although the print is now far to small for these aging eyes. There were excellent general articles as well. I have not looked into the New Jerome. Apart from being updated in scholarship, does it also include some of the helpful essays on topics like hermeneutics, biblical inspiration etc?
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Me transmitte sursum, Caledoni!
www.eurobishop.blogspot.com
Posts: 101 | From: London | Registered: Jun 2006
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dalej42
Shipmate
# 10729
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Posted
Can anyone suggest a good commentary on the Book of Daniel? I'd like to find something in print in the United States which covers the history of the book, the apocryphal sections such as Bel and the Dragon, as well as the historical references in the apocalyptic chapters.
Posts: 303 | From: Chicago, IL | Registered: Nov 2005
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Nigel M
Shipmate
# 11256
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by dalej42:
Can anyone suggest a good commentary on the Book of Daniel? I'd like to find something in print in the United States which covers the history of the book, the apocryphal sections such as Bel and the Dragon, as well as the historical references in the apocalyptic chapters.
Looks like this one has floored everyone! The only commentaries that I am familiar with on Daniel focus on the 12 chapters, excluding the stories of Bel and the Dragon. You might have to look at Orthodox or RC commentaries for those sections.
As far the first 12 chapters go, I found John Goldingay's work in the Word Biblical Commentary Series very helpful on background and aanalysis. the Amazon USA link to it is here.
Hope this is helpful,
Nigel
Posts: 2826 | From: London, UK | Registered: Apr 2006
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
If preaching, as they are largely preached texts, it is worthwhile looking at Calvin's Commentaries.
A word of warning on the New Century Commentaries. They are using texts which can be decades old. I know this because I know one of the authors and he thought it was out of print. He sold copyright on it to the original publishers, about forty years ago.
Another group of commentaries at the lower end which is worth looking at is The People's bible Commentary published by the Bible Reading Fellowship ones. They are by modern Scholar, those I know include Loveday Alexander, John Ponter and James Dunn, but are aimed at a general readership.
Jengie
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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Evagrius
Apprentice
# 12587
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Posted
I've found these very good:
New Interpreter's Bible Commentary
Word Bible Commentary
New Jerome Bible Commentary
Sacra Pagina (only N.T.)
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Prayer is the budding forth of joy and thankfulness.
- Evagrius of Pontus
Posts: 14 | From: Australia | Registered: Apr 2007
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calisnenath
Apprentice
# 11927
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Posted
quote:
But most of my deeper study of passages (for preaching purposes) comes from the 'net, especially 'The Text this Week' which can also be searched by book.
Rev per minute
I use this frequently too and find it very useful although you need to exercise a fair amount of quality control. Is is a eclectic mix from the web. Need I say more.
Although not in the original post I also find a Bible Dictionary an invaluable tool for getting theological background on topics and definitions of terms. I use Lutterworth Dictionary of the Bible but I'm sure others will have different suggestions.
I can't comment on commentaries as my Dad writes the best ones.
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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Still seeking inspiration on this.
Posts: 35 | From: UK | Registered: Oct 2006
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
bump
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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dalej42
Shipmate
# 10729
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Posted
What is considered the best commentary on the Gospel of Mark?
Posts: 303 | From: Chicago, IL | Registered: Nov 2005
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Nigel M
Shipmate
# 11256
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by dalej42:
What is considered the best commentary on the Gospel of Mark?
As always, dalej42, it rather depends on who you talk to and what you are looking for! I have found that Mark tends to get short shrift in commentary series, which is a shame, but the following from the publisher Eerdmans are worth a browse to see they (or one of them) suit(s):-
R.T. France's work in the The New International Greek Testament Commentary series;
William Lane's work in New International Commentary on the New Testament series; and
J.R. Edwards' work in the Pillar New Testament Commentary series.
These are all pretty much from the evangelical stable. Perhaps others can assist with works taking a different approach?
Posts: 2826 | From: London, UK | Registered: Apr 2006
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
A woman who attends my church has written a book about Mark.
Her name is Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, and the book is called Hearing Mark: A Listener's Guide.. It's not a verse-by-verse analysis; it's a discussion of how Mark's gospel is put together. I found it very interesting.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Jayhawker Soule
ignostic
# 14012
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:
quote:
Originally posted by iain67:
I've not read Robert Alter's 'Genesis', but I've read some of his other work, and articles / items on Gnesis, and I'll bet this would be an interesting read from a literary approach to the Bible- very fruitful and thought provoking, and among the most worthwhile of literary approaches (and pretty cheap too)
He's got a whole Pentateuch (The Five Books of Moses) now, plus The David Story which is Samuel 1 & 2.
He has also recently published The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary
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if G-d (G-d is not X for all X)
Posts: 148 | From: Chicagoland, USA | Registered: Aug 2008
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
Originally posted by cg on the Finding a Bible thread
I'm bumping this thread in the hope that people here might be able to suggest a one-volume Old Testament commentary that draws on patristic interpretations of the OT. Perhaps something like the Catena Aurea for the Gospels. But even more useful if has some of the standard stuff as well, but minimal detail on textual variants. I've become intrigued by some of the patristic commentary in Nocturn II of the Matins readings, when Nocturn I is taken from the OT.
Is the Jerome Bible Commentary any use in this regard? I've not been able to get to see a copy. But I do have plenty on the NT so one for only the OT would be preferable.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Custard
Shipmate
# 5402
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Custard.:
In my opinion, the best single series for the not-especially-theologically-educated is the NIV Application Series. They're not stunningly good, but none of them is shockingly bad and there are some good volumes in it.
Best overall series in my opinion is probably the (very incomplete) Pillar series. The New American Commentaries are also meant to be generally good, but I've only got one of them.
I'm trying to put together a library of the best commentary I can find on each book. It's taking a while...
A few years and a theology degree later, and I disagree with myself. I'd still say NIVAC for the "lightweight" commentaries, but I'd now go for the various series by Baker Academic for the first choice. Instead of doing one single series for the whole Bible, they've split it into different mini-series (e.g. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament is the biggest, but there are several OT series), and they are often the best when they exist...
They're also fairly up to date, being all fairly recent.
Posts: 4523 | From: Snot's Place | Registered: Jan 2004
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A.Pilgrim
Shipmate
# 15044
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by dalej42:
What is considered the best commentary on the Gospel of Mark?
If you find the NIGTC too heavyweight, I recommend the volume in The People's Bible Commentary (published by BRF) which was also written by Dick (R.T.) France. It's written as a series of daily readings (which might not be what you want). I've just worked through it myself, and found it very enlightening.
(I was delighted to find the People's Bible Commentary series, as I find the typical daily bible reading books/booklets just too devotional and subjective.)
(And from reading this thread I find that R.T. France wrote the NIGTC commentary on Mark - I must get it!)
Posts: 434 | From: UK | Registered: Aug 2009
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Offeiriad
Ship's Arboriculturalist
# 14031
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Posted
I found myself wondering whether I was looking at a broad enough tradition of interpretation, and treated myself to a few volumes of the 'Ancient Christian Commentaries' series. The patristic material is these tends to be drawn from ancient sermons - I felt the series title promised much but delivered little, and certainly can't say reading these altered my preaching or informed my Bible Study.
Our parish Bible Study group launched into Genesis using that volume of the Jewish Publication Society Torah Commentary. A fairly dense read at times, but it completely transformed our understanding of the Creation accounts, for example. Expensive, but wonderful.
I managed to obtain the 16 volumes of The Interpreter's Bible Commentary on ebay for an idiotically low price, and the James volume is helping me through a dry night in the sermon factory tonight!
Hope this helps!
Posts: 1426 | From: La France profonde | Registered: Aug 2008
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cg
Shipmate
# 14332
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Posted
It's good to know that someone else is thinking in the same direction, Oferyas. I went and ordered a couple of volumes of the Ancient Christian Commentaries on Scripture series for the books I'll be reading in the next few months, to try them out. That was before I read here that you found them disappointing. I'll see how I find them.
Are you familiar with the Orthodox Study Bible (see link on the 'picky, picky' Bible thread)? If so, how do you find it?
Posts: 136 | From: Antipodes | Registered: Dec 2008
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