Here I repeat (for the most part) the introduction that I used for the companion piece I just did on Old Testament commentaries:
If you like biblical commentaries, you should enjoy this piece. But still, this is a risky piece to pen. First, there are SO many good commentaries out there. I have many of them, but certainly not all. Second, there is a degree of subjectivity at work here. The commentaries that I find to be quite helpful may not be the ones that others do. Third, what do I mean by ‘good’? The ones that I list here are mainly contained within the following categories:
-They are mostly conservative and evangelical commentaries.
-They are mostly penned by Protestants.
-They are mostly more or less critical and academic type commentaries. They are mostly rather lengthy and detailed commentaries. However, some shorter commentaries and some good expository commentaries are found in this list.
-They are mostly somewhat newer commentaries, penned over the past 80 years or so. Those wanting commentaries from, say, the early church fathers, or the Reformers, or the Puritans, and so on, will not find them here, sorry.
I realise those categories may not be to everyone’s liking. Nonetheless, I do have a few reasons for penning such a piece. I do have a fair number of commentaries – well over 900 of them in fact. And they are some of the best commentaries now available that fit my above parameters.
In this article, for each of the 27 NT books I offer between five to eight commentaries. For those wanting longer lists of commentaries (including expository commentaries and some devotional titles), I urge you to go here where I cover the various biblical books, and have many more commentaries listed: https://billmuehlenberg.com/category/theology/bible-study-tools/
Here then are some of the more solid, scholarly and important commentaries available on each of the 27 NT books:
MATTHEW
Blomberg, C – Matthew (NAC)
Carson, D – Mathew (EBC)
France, R – Matthew (TNTC)
Hagner, D – Matthew, 2 vols. (WBC)
Keener, C – A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew
Nolland, J – The Gospel of Matthew (NIGTC)
O’Donnell, D – Matthew (PTW)
Osborne, G – Matthew (ZECNT)
MARK
Evans, C – Mark 8:27-16:20 (WBC)
France, R – The Gospel of Mark (NIGTC)
Hooker, M – The Gospel According to Saint Mark (BNTC)
Lane, W – The Gospel of Mark (NICNT)
Guelich, R – Mark 1-8:26 (WBC)
Schnabel, E – Mark (TNTC)
Strauss, M – Mark (ZECNT)
LUKE
Bock, D – Luke, 2 vols. (BECNT)
Edwards, J – The Gospel According to Luke (PNTC)
Garland, D – Luke (ZECNT)
Green, J – The Gospel of Luke (NICNT)
Marshall, I – The Gospel of Luke (NIGTC)
Nolland, J – Luke, 3 vols. (WBC)
Perrin, N – Luke (TNTC)
Spencer, F – Luke (THNTC)
JOHN
Barrett, C – The Gospel According to John
Carson, D – The Gospel According to John (PNTC)
Keener, C – A Commentary on the Gospel of John, 2 vols.
Klink, E – John (ZECNT)
Michaels, J – The Gospel of John (NICNT)
Morris, L. – Gospel According to John (NICNT)
Ridderbos, H – The Gospel of John
ACTS
Bock, D – Acts (BECNT)
Keener, C – Acts, 4 vols.
Longenecker, R – Acts (EBC)
Marshall, I – Acts (TNTC)
Peterson, D – The Acts of the Apostles (PNTC)
Schnabel, E – John (ZECNT)
ROMANS
Garland, D – Romans (TNTC)
Longenecker, R – The Epistle to the Romans (NIGTC)
Moo, D – The Epistle to the Romans (NICNT)
Morris, L – The Epistle to the Romans (PNTC)
Peterson, D – Romans (EBTC)
Schreiner, T – Romans (BECNT)
Thielman, F – Romans (ZECNT)
Wright, N – Romans (NIB)
The Letter to the Romans (New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT))by Moo, Douglas J. (Author)
1 CORINTHIANS
Blomberg, C – 1 Corinthians (NIVAC)
Ciampa, R/B Rosner – The First Letter to the Corinthians (PNTC)
Fee, G – First Letter to Corinthians (NICNT)
Gardner, P – 1 Corinthians (ZECNT)
Garland, D – 1 Corinthians (BECNT)
Schreiner, T – 1 Corinthains (TNTC)
Thiselton, A – The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NIGTC)
2 CORINTHIANS
Barnett, P – Second Epistle to Corinthians (NICNT)
Belleville, L – 2 Corinthians (IVPNTC)
Gardner, P – 1 Corinthians (ZECNT)
Garland, D – 2 Corinthians (NAC)
Guthrie, G – 2 Corinthians (BECNT)
Harris, M – The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (NIGTC)
Hafemann, S – 2 Corinthians (NIVAC)
Seifrid, M – The Second Letter to the Corinthians (PNTC)
GALATIANS
Bruce, F – Commentary on Galatians (NIGTC)
deSilva, D – The Letter to the Galatians (NICNT)
Longenecker, R – Galatians (WBC)
Moo, D – Galatians (BECNT)
Schreiner, T – Galatians (ZECNT)
Witherington, B – Grace in Galatia: A Commentary on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians
EPHESIANS
Arnold, C – Ephesians (ZECNT)
Best, E – Ephesians (ICC)
Bock, D – Ephesians (TNTC)
Campbell, C – The Letter to the Ephesians (PNTC)
Hoehner, H – Ephesians
Lincoln, A – Ephesians (WBC)
O’Brien, P – The Letter to the Ephesians (PNTC)
Thielman, F – Ephesians (BECNT)
PHILIPPIANS
Brown, J – Philippians (TNTC)
Fee, G – Paul’s Letter to Philippians (NICNT)
Hanson, G – The Letter to Philippians (PNTC)
Hawthorne, G – Philippians (WBC)
O’Brien, P – The Epistle to the Philippians (NIGTC)
Silva, M – Philippians (BECNT)
Thielman, F – Philippians (NIVAC)
COLOSSIANS
Beale, G – Colossians and Philemon (BECNT)
Garland, D – Colossians/Philemon (NIVAC)
McKnight, S – The Letter to the Colossians (NICNT)
Moo, D – The Letters to the Colossians and Philemon (PNTC)
O’Brien, P – Colossians, Philemon (WBC)
Pao, D – Colossians and Philemon (ZECNT)
Wright, NT – Colossians and Philemon (TNTC)
1 & 2 THESSALONIANS
Bruce, F – 1 & 2 Thessalonians (WBC)
Green, G – The Letters to the Thessalonians (PNTC)
Morris, L. – 1st and 2nd Epistle Thessalonians (NICNT)
Phillips, R – 1&2 Thessalonians (REC)
Shogren, G – 1 & 2 Thessalonians (ZECNT)
Stott, J – The Message of Thessalonians (BST)
Weima, J – 1-2 Thessalonians (BECNT)
1 & 2 TIMOTHY
Fee, G – First & Second Timothy, Titus (NIBC)
Knight, G – The Pastorals (NIGTC)
Kostenberger, A – 1-2 Timothy and Titus (EBTC)
Mounce, W – Pastoral Epistles (WBC)
Padilla, O – The Pastoral Epistles (TNTC)
Towner, P – The Letters to Timothy and Titus (NICNT)
Yarbrough, R – The Letters to Timothy and Titus (PNTC)
TITUS
Fee, G – First & Second Timothy, Titus (NIBC)
Knight, G – The Pastorals (NIGTC)
Mounce, W – Pastoral Epistles (WBC)
Padilla, O – The Pastoral Epistles (TNTC)
Towner, P – The Letters to Timothy and Titus (NICNT)
Yarbrough, R – The Letters to Timothy and Titus (PNTC)
PHILEMON
Beale, G – Colossians and Philemon (BECNT)
Garland, D – Colossians/Philemon (NIVAC)
McKnight, S – The Letter to Philemon (NICNT)
Moo, D – The Letters to the Colossians and Philemon (PNTC)
O’Brien, P – Colossians, Philemon (WBC)
Pao, D – Colossians and Philemon (ZECNT)
Wright, NT – Colossians and Philemon (TNTC)
HEBREWS
Cockerill, G – The Epistle to the Hebrews (NICNT)
Guthrie, G – Hebrews (NIVAC)
Lane, W – Hebrews, 2 vols. (WBC)
Moo, D – Hebrews (ZECNT)
Morris, L – Hebrews (EBC)
O’Brien, P – Hebrews (PNTC)
Peterson, D – Hebrews (TNTC)
Schreiner, T – Hebrews (EBTC)
JAMES
Blomberg, C/M Kamell – James (ZECNT)
Davids, P – Commentary on James (NIGTC)
Doriani, D – James (REC)
McCartney, D – James (BECNT)
McKnight, S – The Letter of James (NICNT)
Martin, R – James (WBC)
Moo, D – The Letter of James (PNTC)
1 & 2 PETER
Bauckham, R – Jude, 2 Peter (WBC)
Davids, P – The First Epistle of Peter (NICNT)
Green, J – 1 Peter (THNTC)
Keener, C – 1 Peter
Marshall, I – 1 Peter (IVPNTC)
Schreiner, T – 1, 2 Peter, Jude (NAC)
1, 2, 3 JOHN
Campbell, C – 1, 2 & 3 John (SGBC)
Derickson, G – 1, 2 & 3 John (EEC)
Jobes, K – 1, 2 & 3 John (ZECNT)
Kruse, C – The Letters of John (PNTC)
Marshall, I – The Epistles of John (NICNT)
Smalley, S – 1, 2, 3 John (WBC)
Yarbrough, R – 1-3 John (BECNT)
JUDE
Bateman, H – Jude (EEC)
Bauckham, R – Jude, 2 Peter (WBC)
Green, M – Second Peter and Jude (TNTC)
Moo, D – 2 Peter, Jude (NIVAC)
Schreiner, T – 1, 2 Peter, Jude (NAC)
REVELATION
Aune, D – Revelation, 3 vols. (WBC)
Beale, G – The Book of Revelation (NIGTC)
Fanning, B – Revelation (ZECNT)
Michaels, J – Revelation (IVPNTC)
Mounce, R – The Book of Revelation (NICNT)
Osborne, G – Revelation (BECNT)
Paul, I – Revelation (TNTC)
Schreiner, T – Revelation (BECNT)
Four final words. If you want me to list my favourite commentary for each biblical book, that might be rather difficult to do. The commentaries that I have listed are all helpful in various ways, and it might be tough to say which is the very best.
Also, for various good reasons (running out of money, running out of room, and running out of years!), I have not been buying the very newest commentaries. Had I had more of all three of these commodities, I would have bought most of these brand new ones, and added some of them to this list.
