On Commentaries, Again

More thoughts on biblical commentaries:

To paraphrase an old blues song, I like big commentaries, and I cannot lie. Anyone who comes to my house will see a whole wall-full of them. For what it is worth, I have around 1000 commentaries, out of some 8200 books. But before some of you write me off as some sort of loon, let me say a few things.

First, concerning the number of them. With around nine per cent of my entire library devoted to biblical commentaries, one might ask, ‘Why so many?’ Good question. Well, having lectured in theology for many years, and still writing extensively on it, they do come in handy.

Indeed, this is my 1541^st article found in my Theology section, and I make use of these commentaries quite a bit, including in the “Difficult Bible Passages” subsection which features 176 articles so far. Simply for my own Bible study, when I want to learn more about a historical or archaeological or cultural or linguistic or textual or hermeneutical or theological issue, these books can be quite helpful.

Also, bear in mind that there are in fact 66 biblical books, so a bit of quick math will inform you that I average around 15 commentaries per biblical book. Sure, some biblical books I have fewer commentaries than others. I have only ten commentaries on Numbers, but closer to 40 on books like Romans and Revelation.

Sadly, there are some Christians who actually claim that we do not need them, they are a waste of time, and we should just read the Bible only. This is both foolish and arrogant advice. We all need to keep learning more and more about what is found in Scripture, and having others in the body of Christ help us out in this regard is perfectly sensible and wise.

And guess what? If you go to a church each Sunday morning, you likely will be hearing a sermon by your pastor. This is not all that unlike a commentary – you listen to the former, and read the latter. Both exist simply to help you to better understand the Bible. Even a topical sermon will discuss and explain various biblical texts.

Unless you are in a cult, no one objects to that, so I fail to understand why any Christian would object to having a few helpful commentaries around. On the one hand a child can read the Bible and greatly benefit from it, but great scholars will not even begin to uncover all of its unsearchable riches.

We ARE, as Paul commanded, to study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15). Using Bible study tools such as dictionaries, atlases and commentaries is a part of this. Pride says I have no need of anyone else in this regard. But we need each other, which includes the fact that God gave the body of Christ teachers to help us along the way.

But see more on these matters here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2010/07/14/who-needs-commentaries/

And here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2014/12/29/on-buying-new-commentaries/

Part of the reason I write this piece is because just earlier I posted something on the social media about commentaries. It got a huge response. OK, just kidding! But some folks at least were quite eager to like it and discuss it. I had simply posted the following: “Some of the most extensive and detailed (longest!) commentaries on the book of Revelation (from conservative/evangelical leanings) would be these:”

I listed around six volumes and even took a picture of them as well. Given that some folks were interested in it, and were happy to discuss it, including mentioning their own favourite Revelation commentaries, I thought I would do this a bit more.

No, not for all 66 books of the Bible! (However, I do cover them in my series of articles on “Bible Study helps”. See those pieces here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/category/theology/bible-study-tools/

Here I will do just five major biblical books, including Revelation. For each one I will simply again feature the more detailed, extensive (and usually expensive) commentaries that I happen to own. Only one of these that I mention (the commentary by Koester on Revelation) do I not own, and that mainly because it is rather expensive, be it hardback or paperback.

Here then are five biblical books, and some of the longer and more exhaustive commentaries, penned mainly by conservative and evangelical authors. Thus they are not necessarily the best ones (some much shorter commentaries are excellent indeed and certainly should be read), but they are the most substantial and thorough, for those who prefer books like that.

Genesis (out of some 25 that I own)

Goldingay, John – BCOTP, 2020, 810 pages
Hamilton, Victor – NICOT, 2 vols, 1990, 1995, 1300 pages
Hughes, R. Kent – PTW, 2004, 700 pages
Longman, Tremper – SGBC, 2016, 600 pages
Mathews, Kenneth – NAC, 2 vols, 1996, 2005, 1490 pages
Phillips, Richard – REC, 2023, 1360 pages
Walton, John – NIVAC, 2001, 760 pages
Wenham, Gordon – WBC, 2 vols, 1987, 1994, 870 pages

Note that the Hughes and Phillips volumes are expository commentaries based on sermons they preached.

Psalms (out of some 30 that I own)

Allen, Leslie, Peter Craigie, and Marvin Tate – WBC, 3 vols, 1983, 1990, 1300 pages
Bullock, C. Hassell – TTC, 2 vols, 2015, 2017, 1230 words
deClaisse-Walford, Nancy, Rolf Jacobson and Beth LaNeel Tanner – NICOT, 2014, 1050 pages
Goldingay, John – BCOTWP, 3 vols, 2006-2008, 2200 pages
Tucker, W. Dennis, Jamie Grant and Gerald Wilson – NIVAC, 2 vols, 2002, 2018, 2100 pages

Note: Some sets are not yet complete:

Estes, Daniel – NAC: 1 vol out so far
Johnston, James – PTW: 2 vols out so far
Phillips, Richard – REC: 2 vols out so far

John (out of some 25 that I own)

Brown, Raymond – AB, 2 vols, 1966, 1970, 1210 pages
Keener, Craig – 2 vols, 2003, 1640 pages
Klink, Edward – ZECNT, 2016, 970 pages
Michaels, J. Ramsey – NICNT, 2010, 1095 pages
Morris, Leon – NICNT, 1971, 940 pages
Phillips, Richard – REC, 2 vols, 2014, 1450 pages

Bear in mind that the 2-volume set by Phillips is an expository commentary, based on sermons that he preached.

Romans (out of 35 or so that I own)

Dunn, James – WBC, 2 vols, 1988, 975 pages
Longenecker, Richard – NIGTC, 2016, 1140 pages
Moo, Douglas – NICNT, 2^nd ed., 2018, 1030 pages
Schreiner, Thomas – BECNT, 1998, 920 pages
Thielman, Frank – ZECNT, 2018, 810 pages

Of course, mention should also be made of the 14-volume expository commentary set on Romans by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, totalling around 5,100 pages. See more on that set here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2013/02/27/5000-pages-on-romans-by-the-doctor/

Revelation (out of some 38 that I own)

Aune, David – WBC, 3 vols, 1997-1998, 1350 pages
Beale, Gregory – NIGTC, 1999, 1250 pages
Koester, Craig – AB, 2014, 930 pages
Osbourne, Grant – BECNT, 2002, 870 pages
Schreiner, Thomas – BECNT, 2023, 875 pages

If you are not up on the acronyms I use, you should find most of them listed here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2010/07/14/how-to-pick-a-good-commentary/

And since some folks are bound to ask me if I have read them all, and every word, my answer is always the same: I have read some of all of them, and all of some of them. Commentaries, like other reference works, do not need to be read from cover to cover.

If you are reading a who-done-it work of fiction for example, then yes you must read cover to cover to see who done it. But you can pick and choose with a commentary if you like. You might just be interested in a section or a chapter. You might want an in-depth look at Psalm 51 or Romans 8 for example.

But the point of this exercise was to let folks know of some of the more comprehensive and in-depth commentaries out there for at least these five biblical books.

Happy reading and studying.

(And yes the picture above shows my wall of commentaries.)

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