A LIST OF SELECTED COMMENTARIES FOR PREACHING & TEACHING
Selected by Mark Thiessen Nation
The Older Testament
Genesis
Walter Brueggemann, Genesis, Int**
Donald E. Gowan, From Eden to Babel: Genesis 1-11, ITC
J. Gerald Janzen, Abraham and All the Families of the Earth: Genesis 12-50, ITC**
Terence E. Fretheim, Genesis, NIB
Claus Westermann, Genesis 1-11, CC++
Claus Westermann, Genesis 12-36, CC++
Claus Westermann, Genesis 37-50, CC++
Exodus
Walter Brueggemann, Exodus, NIB**
Terence E. Fretheim, Exodus, Int
Donald E. Gowan, Theology in Exodus: Biblical Theology in the Form of a Commentary (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994).
J. Gerald Janzen, Exodus, WBC**
Brevard S. Childs, The Book of Exodus, OTL++
Waldemar Janzen, Exodus, BCBC
Leviticus
Mary Douglas, Leviticus as Literature. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999). (Not a commentary but academic reflections by an influential anthropologist.)
Gordon J. Wenham, The Book of Leviticus, NICOT
Frank H. Gorman, Jr. Divine Presence and Community, ITC
Jacob Milgrom. Leviticus (three volumes), AB++
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., The Book of Leviticus, NIB
Samuel E. Balentine, Leviticus, Int.
Numbers
Mary Douglas, In the Wilderness, Rev. ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). (Not a commentary but academic reflections by an influential anthropologist.)
Dennis T. Olson, Numbers, Int**
Katherine Doob Sakenfeld, Journeying With God: Numbers, ITC
Gordon J. Wenham, Numbers, TOTC
Jacob Milgrom, Numbers, JPSTC++
Deuteronomy
Walter Brueggemann, Deuteronomy, AbOTC **
Patrick D. Miller, Deuteronomy, Int
Thomas W. Mann, Deuteronomy, WBC
Dennis Olson, Deuteronomy & the Death of Moses: A Theological Reading. (Minneapolis, MN:
Augsburg/Fortress, 1994).**
James E. Brenneman, On Jordan’s Stormy Banks: Lessons from the Book of Deuteronomy ( Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2004). (A book of sermons by a very gifted preacher and Old Testament scholar.)
Joshua, Judges, Ruth
Dennis T. Olson, Judges, NIB
Terry L. Brensinger, Judges, BCBC
L. Daniel Hawk, Joshua, BO
Jerome F. D. Creach, Joshua, Int
J. Clinton McCann, Judges, Int
Katherine Doob Sakenfeld, Ruth, Int
David Atkinson, The Wings of Refuge: The Message of Ruth, BST
Johanna W. H. Bos, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, KPG
Kathleen A. Robertson Farmer, Ruth, NIB
Eugene F. Roop, Ruth, Jonah, Esther, BCBC
1 & 2 Samuel
Walter Brueggemann, First and Second Samuel, Int**
Walter Brueggemann, David’s Truth (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1985).** (Only the first book listed by Brueggemann is a commentary. The rest show how a masterful reader of Old Testament texts offers insightful reflections on the texts.)
Walter Brueggemann, Power, Providence & Personality (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1990).**
Walter Brueggemann, Ichabod Toward Home ( Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2002).**
Bruce C. Birch, 1 & 2 Samuel, NIB
Eugene Peterson, First and Second Samuel, WBC
Eugene Peterson, Leap Over a Wall (SanFrancisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998). (Again, the first book listed by Peterson is a commentary. This is sermonic essays reflecting on 1 & 2 Samuel.)
1 & 2 Kings
Walter Brueggemann, 1 Kings, KPG**
Walter Brueggemann, 2 Kings, KPG**
Walter Brueggemann, 1 & 2 Kings, S&HBC**
Walter Brueggemann, Testimony to Otherwise (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2001). (This is a book of reflective, insightful essays on 1 & 2 Kings by Brueggemann.)
Terence Fretheim, First and Second Kings, WBC
Richard D. Nelson, 1 & 2 Kings, Int
1 & 2 Chronicles
Leslie C. Allen, 1 & 2 Chronicles, NIB
Steven L. McKenzie, 1-2 Chronicles, AbOTC
Steven S. Tuell, First and Second Chronicles, Int
Paul K. Hooker, First and Second Chronicles, WBC
Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther
Mark A. Throntveit, Ezra-Nehemiah, Int
Carol M. Bechtel, Esther, Int
Johanna W. H. Bos, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, KPG
Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, WBC
Frederick Carlson Holmgren, Israel Alive Again: Ezra & Nehemiah, ITC
Job
J. Gerald Janzen, Job, Int**
Norman C. Habel, Job, OTL++
Norman C. Habel, Job, KPG
Daniel J. Simundson, The Message of Job, AOTS
James Wharton, Job, WBC
Carol A. Newsome, Job, NIB
Psalms
Walter Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms, AOTS** (Offers a basic approach to the Psalms and offers commentary on selected Psalms.)
Walter Brueggemann, Spirituality of the Psalms ( Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001). [This is an abridged version of The Message of the Psalms.]
Walter Brueggemann and Patrick D. Miller, Psalms 1-72, NCBC, forthcoming.
Walter Brueggemann and Patrick D. Miller, Psalms 73-150, NCBC, forthcoming.
Walter Brueggemann, Praying the Psalms. Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 1993. (Not a commentary, a suggested way of living with the Psalms.)
Walter Brueggemann, The Psalms and the Life of Faith (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1995). (Essays on selected Psalms and other related essays.)
Walter Brueggemann, et al. Texts for Preaching, Year A/ Year B. [This is a commentary on the lectionary texts, listed at the end of this bibliography. Brueggemann offers two page, provocative commentary on the Psalms for each Sunday beginning with Easter Sunday in each of these volumes.]
Eugene H. Peterson, Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer. (SanFrancisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1989). [Offers a way of approaching the Psalms.]
Eugene H. Peterson, Earth and Altar (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985). [This and the following volume offer sermonic reflections on selected Psalms.]
Eugene H. Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980).
Eugene H. Peterson, Perseverance: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996). [A study guide for A Long Obedience in the Same Direction]
James Limburg, Psalms, 2 Vols., WBC
Richard J. Clifford, Psalms 1-72, AbOTC
Richard J. Clifford, Psalms 73-150, AbOTC
J. Clinton McCann, Psalms, NIB
Proverbs
Leo G. Perdue, Proverbs, Int
Raymond C. Van Leeuwen, Proverbs, NIB
John W. Miller, Proverbs, BCBC
Alyce M. McKenzie, Preaching Proverbs: Wisdom from the Pulpit (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1996). (Not a commentary, a way of approaching the task of preaching Proverbs and proverb-type biblical material.)
Ecclesiastes
William P. Brown, Ecclesiastes, Int
James L. Crenshaw, Ecclesiastes, OTL
W. Sibley Towner, Eccesiastes, NIB
Tremper Longman III, The Book of Ecclesiastes, NICOT++
Song of Solomon
Renita J. Weems, Song of Songs, NIB
Robert W. Jenson, Song of Songs, Int
Tremper Longman III, Song of Songs, NICOT
Paul J. Griffiths, Song of Songs, [forthcoming, BTCB]
Isaiah
Walter Brueggemann, Isaiah, 2 Vols., WBC**
Walter Brueggemann, Using God’s Resources Wisely: Isaiah and Urban Possibility (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993). (Again, reflective essays by Brueggemann. Note: this is a very short book, barely more than a booklet.)
Christopher R. Seitz, Isaiah 1-39, Int
Christopher R. Seitz, Isaiah 40-66, NIB
Paul D. Hanson, Isaiah 40-66, Int**
Jeremiah
Walter Brueggemann, A Commentary on Jeremiah (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1998). (Originally published as two volumes, by Eerdmans, in the ITC series.)**
Patrick D. Miller, Jeremiah, NIB
Terence E. Fretheim, Jeremiah, S& HBC
Louis Stulman, Jeremiah, AbOTC
Lamentations
S. Paul Re’emi in Robert Martin-Archard and S. Paul Re’emi, God’s People in Crisis: Amos & Lamentations, ITC
Kathleen M. O’Connor, Lamentations, NIB
F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp, Lamentations, Int
Dianne Bergant, Lamentations, AbOTC
Ezekiel
Joseph Blenkinsopp, Ezekiel, Int
Millard C. Lind, Ezekiel, BCBC
Kathryn Pfisterer Darr, The Book of Ezekiel, NIB
Daniel
John Goldingay, Daniel, Word++
W. Sibley Towner, Daniel, Int
Daniel Smith-Christopher, Daniel, NIB**
Donald E. Gowan, Daniel, AbOTC
Hosea (Watch for the varied grouping together of shorter prophetic writings.)
Bruce Birch, Hosea, Joel, and Amos, WBC
James Limburg, Hosea-Micah, Int
Gale A. Yee, Hosea, NIB
Allen R. Guenther, Hosea, Amos, BCBC
Daniel Simundson, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, AbOTC
Walter Brueggemann, Tradition For Crisis: A Study in Hosea. (Atlanta, GA: John Knox Press, 1968).
Joel
James Limburg, Hosea-Micah, Int
Hans Walter Wolff, Joel and Amos, Herm++
Elizabeth Achtemeier, Joel, NIB
Amos
James Limburg, Hosea-Micah, Int
J. A. Motyer, The Day of the Lion: The Message of Amos, BST
Donald E. Gowan, Amos, NIB
Shalom Paul, Amos, Herm**++
Obadiah
William P. Brown, Obadiah Through Malachi, WBC
James Limburg, Hosea-Micah, Int
Leslie C. Allen, The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah, NICOT++
Jonah
James Limburg, Hosea-Micah, Int
Terence E. Fretheim, The Message of Jonah, AOTS
Johanna W. H. Bos, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, KPG
James Limburg, Jonah, OTL
Phyllis Trible, Jonah, NIB
Eugene H. Peterson, Under the Predictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1994). (Reflective essays on Jonah.)
Micah
James Limburg, Hosea-Micah, Int
Daniel J. Simundson, Micah, NIB
Hans Walter Wolff, Micah, CC++
Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah
Elizabeth Achtemeier, Nahum-Malachi, Int
J.J.M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah: A Commentary, OTL
Theodore Hiebert, Habbakuk, NIB
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
W. Eugene March, Haggai, NIB
Elizabeth Achtemeier, Nahum-Malachi, Int
Hans Walter Wolff, Haggai, CC++
Ben C. Ollenberger, Zechariah, NIB
Eileen M. Schuller, O.S.U., Malchi, NIB
The Newer Testament
On Jesus and the Parables
Kenneth E. Bailey, Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes: A Literary Cultural Approach to the Parables in Luke (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1983).
David Wenham, The Parables of Jesus (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989).
Tom Wright, The Challenge of Jesus. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999).
N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996).
N. T. Wright, various videos, DVDs, CDs on Jesus.
Matthew
Frederick Dale Brunner, Matthew, a Commentary, Vol. 1, Revised edition. ( Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2004).**
Frederick Dale Brunner, Matthew, A Commentary, Vol. 2, Revised edition.**
M. Eugene Boring, The Gospel of Matthew, NIB
Thomas G. Long, Matthew, WBC**
Tom Wright, Matthew for Everyone (2 volumes)
Donald Senior, Matthew, AbNTC
Warren Carter, Matthew and the Margins: A Sociopolitical and Religious Reading ( Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2000).
Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on Matthew (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1999).++
Stanley Hauerwas (forthcoming, 2006?, BTCB)
The Sermon on the Mount:
Hans Dieter Betz. The Sermon on the Mount, HC++
Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Discipleship. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 4. (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2001). (Also available under the title The Cost of
D
iscipleship; not a commentary.)
Michael H. Crosby The Spirituality of the Beatitudes: Matthew’s Vision for the Church in an Unjust World ( Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2005).
Robert A. Guelich, The Sermon on the Mount: A Foundation for Understanding (Waco, TX: Word Books, 1982).++.**
Gene L. Davenport, Into the Darkness: Discipleship in the Sermon on the Mount. (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1988).
Georg Strecker. The Sermon on the Mount: An Exegetical Commentary. (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1988).
Mark
Lamar Williamson, Jr., Mark, Int
Ched Myers, Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1988).
Ched Myers, et al. “Say to This Mountain”: Mark’s Story of Discipleship (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1996). (More or less a briefer, more accessible version of Binding the Strong Man . )
Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary ( Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Press, 2002).
Pheme Perkins, The Gospel of Mark, NIB
Timothy J. Geddert, Mark, BCBC**
Tom Wright, Mark for Everyone.
Ben Witherington III, The Gospel of Mark: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary ( Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2001).++
Luke
Luke Timothy Johnson, The Gospel of Luke, SP
Sharon H. Ringe, Luke, WBC
Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, NICNT++**
R. Alan Culpepper, The Gospel of Luke, NIB
Tom Wright, Luke for Everyone.
Robert C. Tannehill, Luke, AbNTC
David Lyle Jeffrey, Luke, [forthcoming, BTCB]
John
Thomas L. Brodie, The Gospel According to John: A Literary and Theological Commentary (NY: Oxford University Press, 1993).
Gail R. O’Day, The Gospel of John, NIB**
Ben Witherington, III, John’s Wisdom: A Commentary on the Fourth Gospel. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995).
Tom Wright, John for Everyone (2 volumes)
Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, SP (Moloney also has a three-volume paperback commentary on John, published by Fortress Press.)
Wes Howard-Brook, Becoming Children of God: John’s Gospel and Radical Discipleship (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1994).**
Wes Howard-Brook, John’s Gospel & the Renewal of the Church (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1997). [This is a shorter, simpler version of his earlier book.]
Michael H. Crosby, “Do You Love Me?”: Jesus Questions the Church ( Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2000).
Frederick Dale Bruner, [Commentary on the Gospel of John], forthcoming
Acts
Luke Timothy Johnson, The Acts of the Apostles, SP
William H. Willimon, Acts, Int
Robert Walls, Acts, NIB.**
Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1998).++
C. K. Barrett, The Acts of the Apostles: A Shorter Commentary ( London: T & T Clark, 2002). (There is a longer, two-volume version of this commentary.)
Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Acts, AbNTC
F. Scott Spencer, Journeying Through Acts: A Literary-Cultural Reading ( Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Pub., 2004).
Tom Wright, Acts for Everyone (forthcoming)
New Perspectives on Paul
Douglas A. Campbell, The Quest for Paul’s Gospel ( London: T & T Clark, 2005).
James D. G. Dunn, “The New Perspective on Paul,” in his Jesus, Paul, and the Law: Studies in Mark and Galatians. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox, 1990.
Michael J. Gorman, Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul & His Letters ( Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2004).**
Michael J. Gorman, Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross ( Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2001).**
Douglas Harink, Paul Among the Postliberals ( Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2003).
Krister Stendahl, Paul Among Jews and Gentiles. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1976.
Tom Wright, What Saint Paul Really Said (Oxford: Lion; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).**
N. T. Wright, Paul: Fresh Perspectives ( Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005).**
David Wenham, Paul: Follower of Jesus or Founder of Christianity? (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1995).
Romans
C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans: A Shorter Commentary. (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1985). (A two-volume, technical commentary is also available from Cranfield.)
James D. G. Dunn, Romans, 2 Vols., Word++
Josheph A. Fitzmyer, Romans, AB++
N. T. Wright, Romans, NIB**
Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone: Romans, 2 Vols.
A. Katherine Grieb, The Story of Romans ( Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002).**
Brendan Byrne, S.J., Romans, SP
Ben Witherington III and Darlene Hyatt, Paul’s Letter to the Romans: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary ( Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2004).
John E. Toews, Romans, BCBC
1 & 2 Corinthians
Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, Int**
C. K. Barrett, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, BNTC
C. K. Barrett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, BNTC
Ben Witherngton, III, Conflict & Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1995.
Craig S. Keener, 1-2 Corinthians, NCBC.
V. George Shillington, 2 Corinthians, BCBC
Anthony Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NTGC**++
Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone: 1 Corinthians
Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone: 2 Corinthians
Linda Belleville, 2 Corinthians, IVP
Frank Matera, II Corinthians, NTL++
Galatians
N. T. Wright, [on Galatians, THC, forthcoming (2006?)]
James D. G. Dunn, The Epistle to the Galatians, BNTC**
James D. G. Dunn, The Theology of Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. NY: Cambridge University Press, 1993.** (Not a commentary.)
Richard B. Hays, Galatians, NIB**
J. Louis Martyn, Galatians, AB**++
Frank J. Matera, Galatians, SP**
Sam K. Williams, Galatians, AbNTC
Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians
Kathryn Greene-McCreight, Galatians, [forthcoming, BTCB]
Ephesians
Markus Barth, Ephesians, 2 Vols., AB++
Judith Marie Gundry-Volf, Ephesians, NIB
Andrew T. Lincoln, Ephesians, WBC++
Tom Yoder Neufeld, Ephesians, BCBC**
Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters
Margaret Y. MacDonald, Colossians and Ephesians, SP
John Webster, Ephesians, [forthcoming, BTCB]
Philippians
Fred Craddock, Philippians, Int**
Ben Witherington, III, Friendship and Finances in Philippi: The Letter of Paul to the Philippians, NTC
Morna D. Hooker, Philippians, NIB
J. Christiaan Beker, Galatians, First and Second Thessalonians, Philippians, and Philemon, WBC
Stephen Fowl, Phillipians, THC (forthcoming, 2005)
Carolyn Osiek, Philippians, Philemon, AbNTC
Peter T. O’Brien, Commentary on Philippians, NIGTC++
Colossians & Philemon
Markus Barth and Helmut Blanke, Colossians, AB++
Andrew T. Lincoln, Colossians, NIB**
Lewis R. Donelson, Colossians, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus, WBC
James D. G. Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, NIGTC++
N. T. Wright, Colossians and Philemon, TNTC**
Cain Hope Felder, Philemon, NIB
J. Richard Middleton and Sylvia C. Keesmaat, Colossians Remixed: Subverting Empire ( Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004). (Not exactly a commentary.)
1 & 2 Thessalonians
Jabob W. Elias, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, BCBC
Earl J. Richards, First and Second Thessalonians, SP**
Beverly R. Gaventa, First and Second Thessalonians, Int
Ernest Best, First and Second Thessalonians, BNTC
1 & 2 Timothy and Titus
James D. G. Dunn, 1 & 2 Timothy; Titus, NIB
Luke Timothy Johnson, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, KPG**
Luke Timothy Johnson, Letters to Paul’s Delegates: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, NTC**
Luke Timothy Johnson, The First and Second Letters to Timothy , AB++
J. N. D. Kelly, A Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, BNTC
Thomas C. Oden, First and Second Timothy and Titus, Int
Jouette M. Bassler, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, AbNTC
Tom Wright, Paul for Everyone: The Pastoral Letters
Hebrews
Harold W. Attridge, Hebrews, Herm++
Fred B. Craddock, Hebrews, NIB
William L. Lane, Hebrews: A Call to Commitment. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Pubs., 1985. (Lane also has a two-volume commentary in the Word series.)
Thomas G. Long, Hebrews, Int**
David A. DeSilva, Perseverance in Gratitude. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000.
Victor C. Pfitzner, Hebrews, ANTC
Tom Wright, Hebrews for Everyone
James
Patrick J. Hartin, James, SP
Peter H. Davids, Commentary on James, NIGTC**++
Peter H. Davids, James, NIBC**
Luke Timothy Johnson, The Letter of James, AB **++
Luke Timothy Johnson, James, NIB**
Robert W. Wall, The Community of the Wise, NTC
Richard Bauckham, James (London: Routledge, 1999). (Not a commentary.)
1 Peter and 2 Peter and Jude
Richard J. Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter, Word++
Fred B. Craddock, First and Second Peter and Jude, WBC
Peter H. Davids, The First Epistle of Peter, NICNT
John H. Elliott, 1-2 Peter/Jude, ACNT
John H. Elliott, 1 Peter, AB++
J. N. D. Kelly, The Epistles of Peter and of Jude, BNTC
I. Howard Marshall, 1 Peter, IVP
M. Eugene Boring, 1 Peter, AbNTC
Karen H. Jobes, 1 Peter, BECNT
Jerome H. Neyrey, 2 Peter, Jude, AB++
David L. Bartlett, First Letter of Peter, NIB
Duane F. Watson, Second Letter of Peter; Letter of Jude, NIB
Steven J. Kraftchick, Jude, 2 Peter, AbNTC
1, 2, 3 John
R. Alan Culpepper, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, KPG
Robert Kysar, I, II, III John, ACNT
Marianne Meye Thompson, 1-3 John, IVP
David Rensberger, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, AbNTC
C. Clifton Black, The First, Second, and Third Letters of John, NIB
Raymond Brown, The Epistles of John , AB++
Revelation
Arthur W. Wainwright, Mysterious Apocalypse: Interpreting the Book of Revelation (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993). [Not a commentary; a discussion of historical approaches to Revelation.]
Bruce David Forbes and Jeanne Halgren Kilde, eds., Rapture, Revelation and the End Times: Exploring the Left Behind Series ( New York: Palgrave, 2004).
Not a commentary. Includes an annotated bibliography and study guide.)
Barbara Rossing, The Rapture Exposed. (New York: Basic Books, 2005). (Not a commentary. Includes a study guide. Looks like it may be the most thorough book on the origins of the modern notion of the rapture and a response to the “Left Behind” series.)
M. Eugene Boring, Revelation, Int**
G.B. Caird, The Revelation of St. John the Divine, BNTC**
Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder: The Revelation of John & the Praying Imagination. NY: HarperSanFrncisco, 1988.** (A very engaging collection of sermonic essays.)
John R. Yeatts, Revelation, BCBC
Christopher C. Rowland, Revelation, NIB (Rowland has two other commentaries on Revelation)
Ben Witherington III, Revelation, NCBC [some interaction with “The Left Behind” series]
Lectionary Commentaries
Texts for Preaching, Westminster John Knox Press, 1 vol. for each cycle (Walter Brueggemann contributed to volumes A and B)
Preaching Through the Christian Year, 1 vol. for each year
Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, 4 vols. per year
Proclamation: Interpreting the Lessons of the Church Year, (previously 8 slim volumes per year; now three or four) (Note: Proclamation 3, Series B, Advent/Christmas and Proclamation 4, Series A, Easter are by Walter Brueggemann; Proclamation 4, Series A, Pentecost 1 is by Thomas G. Long; Proclamation 5, Series B, Advent/Christmas is by William Willimon)
Frederick Houk Borsch, Introducing the Lessons of the Church Year. Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1995 (?).
N. T. Wright, Twelve Months of Sundays: Reflections on Bible Readings, Year A. London: SPCK, 2001.
N. T. Wright, Twelve Months of Sundays: Reflections on Bible Readings, Year B. London: SPCK, 2002.
N. T. Wright, Twelve Months of Sundays: Reflections on Bible Readings, Year C. London: SPCK, 2000.
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Abbreviations for Commentary Series:
AB The Anchor Bible
AbNTC Abingdon New Testament Commentaries
AbOTC Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries
ACNT Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament
AOTS Augsburg Old Testament Studies
BCBC Believers Church Bible Commentary
BECNT Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
BNTC Black’s New Testament Commentary
BO Berit Olam: Studies in Hebrew Narratives & Poetry
BST The Bible Speaks Today
BTCB Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible
CC Continental Commentaries
Herm Hermeneia
Int Interpretation
ITC International Theological Commentary
IVP The IVP New Testament Commentary
JPSTC Jewish Publication Society Torah Commentary
KPG Knox Preaching Guides
MOT Mastering the Old Testament (formerly The Communicator’s Commentary)
NCB The New Century Bible Commentary
NCBC The New Cambridge Bible Commentary
NIB New Interpreters Bible
NIBC New International Biblical Commentary
NICNT The New International Commentary on the New Testament
NICOT The New International Commentary on the Old Testament
NIGTC The New International Greek Testament Commentary
NTC The New Testament in Context
NTL The New Testament Library
OTL The Old Testament Library
RNT Reading the New Testament
SP Sacra Pagina
S&HBC Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary
THC Two Horizons Commentary
TNTC Tyndale New Testament Commentaries
TOTC Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries
WBC Westminster Bible Companion
Word Word Biblical Commentary
Note: WestminsterJohn Knox has announced that Walter Brueggemann has agreed to edit a series of Old Testament commentaries to match N. T. Wright’s New Testament for Everyone.
Also, I have listed a few forthcoming volumes from two forthcoming series; no volumes have yet been published. One is the “Two Horizons Commentary” from Eerdmans. This commentary series is intended to bridge the gap between biblical studies and systematic theology. I know that Joel Green, Stephen Fowl and N. T. Wright are to contribute to this series, among many others. The other series has simply been referred to as the Brazos Commentaries, to be published by Brazos Press beginning in 2005/6. This series is distinctive in that they have deliberately chosen theologians outside of biblical studies to write the commentaries. Stanley Hauerwas on Matthew and Jaroslav Pelikan on Acts should offer two of the first books in this series.
**Especially good commentaries
++Technical: employs considerable Hebrew or Greek; technical discussions; usually lengthy
Early in my experience as a preacher I was given the following advice: Don’t buy series of commentaries; they are always uneven in quality. I think that is basically sound advice. However, as might appear obvious from my listings, the Interpretation and The New Interpreters Bible commentary series are very good.—and especially geared toward preaching. With few exceptions, most of the volumes in these two series are helpful for preaching and teaching. I have tried not to include ones that look to be less than useful (e.g., the commentary on John by Sloyan in the Interpretation series seems to me to be useless; the commentary by Craddock on Luke is also, surprisingly, not very good).
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This bibliography comes out of the experience of eight years of weekly preaching, another nine years of monthly preaching, a similar number of years of regular Bible study leading and another five years of occasional preaching—as well as being a bibliophile. I hope this bibliography is helpful in your selection of commentaries. Keep in mind that I have focused on commentaries particularly useful for preaching and teaching in churches. I have for most books of the Bible chosen one somewhat more technical book, for those who wish it (indicating by ++ that it is more technical). For those who like detailed, technical commentaries for their preparation, such commentaries are readily available of course. Most of the Word series fit that model; the newer Anchor Bible volumes; the Hermeneia series; the Greek New Testament series; the Continental Commentaries series; the International Critical Commentary; many of the volumes of the New International OT and NT series; though not as detailed or usually as long, the format of the Sacra Pagina series presents detailed comments on the text; but keep in mind that many of the authors of the NIB also offer substantial comments on each verse, including discussion of the Greek or Hebrew.
I am sure there are many deficiencies in the listing. There are some books of the Bible I have never preached from; others I have preached from only rarely. Undoubtedly some people’s favorite authors have been omitted. And, of course, my own theological biases have influenced my choices. Anyone who knows the literature very well will note some of my biases immediately—and have serious questions about them.
You might have noticed who my two favorite biblical scholars are. I think that virtually anything that Walter Brueggemann and N. T. Wright write is worth reading. Brueggemann is not only a very good O. T. scholar but has an incredibly fertile imagination and a gift with the English language. Most of Brueggemann’s many commentaries are a combination of scholarship and accessibility. Aside from his commentary on Romans and his older one on Colossians and Philemon, Wright’s commentaries are thus far only in the “New Testament for Everyone” series. These are really a very popular-style commentary without substantive engagement of the text. They actually started emerging as I started doing less preaching. Thus, I don’t know how useful I would find them in preaching. But, again, I think Wright is very good—and a very gifted communicator.
I am happy to receive comments from you. Feel free to tell me that some commentary I have listed is, as far as you are concerned, useless or almost so! Tell me of some commentary that “obviously” should have been listed; one that was clearly an oversight on my part. Or tell me of some real commentary “find” that we should all know about. (I sort of feel that way about Frederick Dale Bruner, since the first edition of his Matthew commentary didn’t seem to sell that well and doesn’t seem to be widely known—and I think is wonderful. I also feel that way about Gerri [J. Gerald] Janzen. I might not know about this incredibly brilliant and insightful Old Testament scholar, except that I was privileged to be his student.)
This compilation ©
Mark Thiessen Nation
Eastern Mennonite Seminary
1200 Park Road
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802 USA
E-mail: mark.nation@emu.edu
