What's Your Favorite Bible Commentary?

[other one]

1 hour ago, AdHoc said:

The invention of printing did wonders, but I'm not sure the OP made that the criteria. The sister collects commentaries.

I'm like you though. After 45 years of studying what this man thought and what that man thought, it is a pleasure to just read its slowly, aloud and with prayer. But I would not defame what the brothers have discovered through the centuries. I stand on their shoulders.

A bit of history.    I was raised in the Church of Christ from birth to about 17.  I can say from personal experience that not a lot of folks know the words in the Bible more than a dedicated Church of Christ administrators.  Preachers, Elders and the such.  It was about my 17th year that a very good high school Southern Baptize friend gave his heart to Jesus on Wednesday night and declared Jesus was/is his Lord and savior and was to be baptized on Sunday night service.  I had planned to attend his Baptism.  Problems came up.  First, he was killed Saturday night in a traffic accident.  Second problem is that he wasn't baptized and further was not to be baptized by a Church of Christ member, so there was no way he could be saved.   Didn't set well with me, but I won't bother you with the book chapter that happened between myself and the church I was attending.   After rebelling for about 14 months (which I really wish I could have back) the Holy Spirit got my attention while in the Hospital for three months and I started just reading and studying the Bible for myself.    I spent about 20 years becoming a part of many different denominations which really didn't teach what I was reading in the Bible for myself or adding things that didn't seem to be there.

My 38-year-long Job at Xerox had me driving about 3,500 miles a month and for 19 years listening to the Bible over and over, pulling out things that normally don't come out when I read it.   Some denominations would not accept my Church of Christ baptism and would require me being baptized as a member of their church, which didn't set well with me either.  Not bragging, but I've read or listened to the bible twice a year for 20 of the past 35 years, and the New Testament at least 15 times a year.

When questions come up or seeming discrepancies, it's time to look into original languages and history.  
But, the Bible itself needs to answer questions, and I've heard dozens of different people speak or write of a particular verse and have many different ideas of what the writer (we believe the Lord) is trying to say.  After many years, it becomes obvious you can't trust much of anyone being right about any single subject, so one has to ask the Lord for input.   Do I trust Matthew Henry or the Holy Spirit guiding my reading and listening.

That's my personal stand on commentaries.   If I was going to believe what other people say, I'd still be an active member of the Church of Christ, firmly believing nearly all of you are going to hell in the long run no matter what you believe or do.

[Michael37]

47 minutes ago, other one said:

A bit of history.    I was raised in the Church of Christ from birth to about 17.  I can say from personal experience that not a lot of folks know the words in the Bible more than a dedicated Church of Christ administrators.  Preachers, Elders and the such.  It was about my 17th year that a very good high school Southern Baptize friend gave his heart to Jesus on Wednesday night and declared Jesus was/is his Lord and savior and was to be baptized on Sunday night service.  I had planned to attend his Baptism.  Problems came up.  First, he was killed Saturday night in a traffic accident.  Second problem is that he wasn't baptized and further was not to be baptized by a Church of Christ member, so there was no way he could be saved.   Didn't set well with me, but I won't bother you with the book chapter that happened between myself and the church I was attending.   After rebelling for about 14 months (which I really wish I could have back) the Holy Spirit got my attention while in the Hospital for three months and I started just reading and studying the Bible for myself.    I spent about 20 years becoming a part of many different denominations which really didn't teach what I was reading in the Bible for myself or adding things that didn't seem to be there.

My 38-year-long Job at Xerox had me driving about 3,500 miles a month and for 19 years listening to the Bible over and over, pulling out things that normally don't come out when I read it.   Some denominations would not accept my Church of Christ baptism and would require me being baptized as a member of their church, which didn't set well with me either.  Not bragging, but I've read or listened to the bible twice a year for 20 of the past 35 years, and the New Testament at least 15 times a year.

When questions come up or seeming discrepancies, it's time to look into original languages and history.  
But, the Bible itself needs to answer questions, and I've heard dozens of different people speak or write of a particular verse and have many different ideas of what the writer (we believe the Lord) is trying to say.  After many years, it becomes obvious you can't trust much of anyone being right about any single subject, so one has to ask the Lord for input.   Do I trust Matthew Henry or the Holy Spirit guiding my reading and listening.

That's my personal stand on commentaries.   If I was going to believe what other people say, I'd still be an active member of the Church of Christ, firmly believing nearly all of you are going to hell in the long run no matter what you believe or do.

That's your stance on commentaries, what about set daily mail order calendar coordinated devotionals?

[other one]

2 hours ago, Michael37 said:

That's your stance on commentaries, what about set daily mail order calendar coordinated devotionals?

Not familiar with them.

Edited to add:

But I'm ok with calendar coordinated Bible verses... though I seldom stop where they leave off.

I do read many of George's devotions, but that's not calendar stuff, it's email

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, other one said:

Not familiar with them.

Edited to add:

But I'm ok with calendar coordinated Bible verses... though I seldom stop where they leave off.

I do read many of George's devotions, but that's not calendar stuff, it's email

[Ray12614]

18 hours ago, AdHoc said:

 

 

Ephesians 4:10–12
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

No commentary needed - only Teachers .... but wait .... ???

But wait . . . what?  I don't understand . . . . . 

I would say that commentaries are NEVER meant to replace dedicated reading and study of the Word of God. They can be an assistant but only valuable IF the reading of the Word is done first. Then, when commentaries miss the mark (so to speak) any error in them can be easily identified and ignored. Same thing applies with the preaching / teaching done by Eph 4 gifts too I might add.

One pastor I had once said to his flock 'Eat the hay and spit out the stubble'.

 

Edited November 15, 2024 by Ray12614

[other one]

17 hours ago, Michael37 said:

I guess I should add that I do read a lot of books.   Book expresses things but does so in great detail if it's a good book, and has notes where any information came from so I can go look it up myself.    Has taken me to some interesting places over the past 50 years...  Even those years I was wading through the dark side, I could find the base information where it originated.

It's important to know why you believe what you believe and for me personally taking other's word for it is hard to do because I've been lied to and misinformed too many times getting where we are today.

[AdHoc]

8 hours ago, Ray12614 said:

But wait . . . what?  I don't understand . . . . . 

I would say that commentaries are NEVER meant to replace dedicated reading and study of the Word of God. They can be an assistant but only valuable IF the reading of the Word is done first. Then, when commentaries miss the mark (so to speak) any error in them can be easily identified and ignored. Same thing applies with the preaching / teaching done by Eph 4 gifts too I might add.

One pastor I had once said to his flock 'Eat the hay and spit out the stubble'.

 

 

3 hours ago, other one said:

I guess I should add that I do read a lot of books.   Book expresses things but does so in great detail if it's a good book, and has notes where any information came from so I can go look it up myself.    Has taken me to some interesting places over the past 50 years...  Even those years I was wading through the dark side, I could find the base information where it originated.

It's important to know why you believe what you believe and for me personally taking other's word for it is hard to do because I've been lied to and misinformed too many times getting where we are today.

I was born and raised a Roman Catholic. At 28 the Lord exercised me and I through the pain, I was born again. My next four years were with the Pentecostals. Then I stumbled on an Assembly of about 90 saints meeting in a renovated carpenter workshop in the backstreets of a big city near me. The emphasis was on God's Word, His Kingdom and a living relationship with the coming Bridegroom, Jesus.

You can imagine how many times I had to change my opinion as new information and arguments came in. I believe that God allowed me to entertain some utterly wrong teaching so that when I got the truth I never forgot what my brethren suffered unknowingly. That is, were my four years with my brothers with all the trimmings of active Pentecostalism wasted? I don't think so. I left them in a spiritual wilderness having learned nothing. In the following 11 years i was able to soak up from 4 meetings a week plus books with commentary with no pressure to perform.

I am convinced that reading scripture out aloud is the way to eat Christ (John Chapter 6). I am convinced that to listen to a good translation while driving to work increases faith - Rom.10:17 (mine is the KJV by Alexander Scourby). I am convinced that the Lord still gives the gifts and gifted ones for the building up of the saints. I have heard and seen them and profited from them. I believe in energetic debate in the boundaries of a Christian spirit. I even believe that the gifted ones will continue their gift in the Millennium because the man with five talents received the unused talent of the slothful servant.

I believe that all "commentary" ("books" if you like), must be measured against the pure Word. I am thankful for the various Hebrew and Greek dictionaries. I love Vine and the Interlinear. I believe that the Mind that wrote that Book (the Bible) is so superior that I will not, in this age, come to the full knowledge of it. I believe that my intellect is not up to understanding some things about God - like eternity and the Triune God. I believe that because we are "members in particular" we need the other saints for edification and the healthy function of Assembly life.

In any debate here on this Forum I profit from the well-informed, the novices, those who have a good argument and those which have unsustainable arguments. I thank those who are wrong because they confirm the love of the Holy Spirit to open scripture to me. The hotheads serve me too. The Lord promises investment in my heavenly bank account when I am reviled. I don't like what God allows sometimes but I believe Romans 8:28 because it has a glorious ending in verse 29.

Conclusion: The Pure Word, the speaking of other brothers in the meeting, a debate with my dear wife (who reads a lot), my narrated Bible, my own research, AND the research of others IS WELCOME! Apollos was a renowned teacher, but his wrong doctrine on Baptism held up the Holy Spirit - and God used it without one berating word against Apollos. But the bottom line is; Be like the BEREANS (Act.17:11)

[Sower]

17 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

I am convinced that to listen to a good translation while driving to work increases faith

My first couple of decades as a believer I listened every day to and from work on two  Christian AM radio stations. I learned so much of what I ordinarily would not have looked up in the scriptures, yet. There were times I would speak out loud with words like; 'Wow, I get it now!, or 'you mean I can't even think about that stuff anymore' talking to the radio speaker.

I learned so much about being a better father, a dad, and being a better husband listening to Focus on the Family, with James Dobson. And Charles Stanley, Chuck Swindoll and Insight for living, and Through the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, fellow Texan, with the 'where the rubber meets the road' type talk.

There were times I was late for work or left early just to hear the word as explained by these Godly men. And yes, my faith grew much more quickly also being reaffirmed by those men of God.

Thanks AdHoc..

"IN NOMINE PATRIS, ET FILII, ET SPIRITUS SANCTI, AMEN"

 

[farouk]

On 11/13/2024 at 11:16 AM, Katie Rose Müller said:

I'm a Bible Commentary collector, and I'm wondering what everyone's favorite Bible Commentary is. I particularly like Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges; Pulpit; Barnes; Clarke; Kiel and Delitzsche. My least favorite is actually Matthew Henry.

Hi @Katie Rose Müller Matthew Henry imho has good content but a style - from centuries back - which some ppl don't find easy to follow.

[farouk]

On 11/13/2024 at 4:20 PM, AdHoc said:

Hello and welcome to Worthy.

I like the old Brethren writers. It doesn't have to be Darby and doctrine. C. H. Mackintosh, Hamilton Smith and Kelly had a deep appreciation of the Person of Christ. I try to balance Inner Life like Andrew Murray with the Kingdom (Govett) and prophesy (G.H. Pember). I'm also thankful for those I disagree with as they make me examine my position all the more. But my real love is just plain scripture - read it aloud and don't tamper with the verse unless it is really obscure.

I agree about some of those commentaries; they tend to combine a high view of Scripture with depth and precision about the Person and Work of Christ.