What's Your Favorite Bible Commentary?

[Dennis1209]

6 hours ago, Katie Rose Müller said:

Interesting. Where in the Dead Sea Scrolls would it point to the Messiah raising the dead specifically? Ezekiel 37 and Isaiah 26:19 of course discuss a resurrection, but ties it to the Lord, which is the only technicality. We know the Messiah and the Lord are one, but I suppose 1st Century peoples wouldn't have necessarily made that connection?

It is found in Messianic Apocalypse; 4Q521:

“[the hea]vens and the earth will listen to His Messiah ["anointed one"], and none therein will stray from the commandments of the holy ones. Seekers of the Lord, strengthen yourselves in His service! All you hopeful in (your) heart, will you not find the Lord in this? For the Lord will consider the pious (hasidim) and call the righteous by name. Over the poor His spirit will hover and will renew the faithful with His power. And He will glorify the pious on the throne of the eternal Kingdom. He who liberates the captives, restores sight to the blind, straightens the b[ent] And f[or] ever I will cleav[ve to the h]opeful and in His mercy... And the fr[uit...] will not be delayed for anyone. And the Lord will accomplish glorious things which have never been as [He...] For He will heal the wounded, and revive the dead and bring good news to the poor ...He will lead the uprooted and knowledge...and smoke (?)” — Michael O. Wise, translation[4]

“The Old Testament is the New Testament Concealed, the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed,”

You are one learned individual. Yes, the OT does speak of a resurrection in general one day, but not of the Messiah appearing and doing it right then. The OT does not speak of the second Person of the Trinity performing those works.

Some scholars believe Isaiah is mentioning the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls:

Isaiah 29:4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. 5. Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.

The discovery of these authoritative scrolls is astounding. They are now our oldest manuscripts, written centuries before the Masoretic texts of the Protestant Bible. 

Another interesting tidbit is how they viewed the non-canonical book of I Enoch. 

 

[Dennis1209]

6 hours ago, marcus florian said:

Hello ,I wouldn’t call myself a collector of commentaries but have accumulated a few over the years. I mostly use Cornelius a Lapide (most volumes) I also have Critici Sacri vol 1 only,  2 vols of Synopsis Criticorum, , some medieval comms eg Strabo and Maurus. As you see these are all older commentaters. I used to have copies of more recent ones eg New Cambridge  Bible but I began to dislike the aproach of the so called ‘higher criticism’ where they deconstruct the sacred  text as if it were a redaction  from different sources. I found this discrespectful, almost a pseudo-science and prefer the interptation which goes back to Origen and the Alexandrians exploring  5-fold exegesis,  allegory typology etc.

As a mere layman, I'm not too fond of scholastic higher criticism either. A dictionary of biblical 50₵ words is required. Other than themselves and clique, to whom or what does it benefit or contribute? I can attribute some of it to the following:

Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

How much do you suppose the apostle John understood under inspiration when he penned his Gospel, 1,2,3 John, and Revelation? I submit that John tutored and had disciples such as Polycarp and possibly Irenaeus, with other apostles as well mentored.

Why do I mention this? Because I believe that the closer to the bone, the sweeter the meat in personal teaching, and the closer to lost original manuscripts. That is to say, if I could only possess one commentary, it would probably be the writings and thoughts of the earliest so-called church fathers, such as the two mentioned.

I have found the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers and David W. Bercot's A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs very valuable.

Hindsight is 20/20: In the 4th century, Constantine and Augustine's exegesis began to become perverted. Because the Jews murdered their Messiah, the church inherited all the promises and blessings of Israel (replacement theology).

Purgatory, indulgences, last rites, the rosary, praying to Mary and saints, confessing sins to a sinner, and taking communion are literally consuming Jesus's blood and flesh (not remembrance and appreciation), a holy father whose encyclicals are inerrant and infallible—the head of the globes largest denomination who would baptize ETs if they were fallen, a communist, and mother earth worshipper.  

I have wondered if the apostles' disciples ever asked the questions we all want to ask. We know the canon is complete, and there will be no further revelation of God's written word until it is time.

[marcus florian]

17 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

As a mere layman, I'm not too fond of scholastic higher criticism either. A dictionary of biblical 50₵ words is required. Other than themselves and clique, to whom or what does it benefit or contribute? 

As well as being disrespectful to the holy scriptures, an objection to the ‘Higher Criticism’ I read is that its origin is in German anti-semitism. Mid 19th century Germany was the high point of classical criticism, professors of philology were held in extraordinary esteem and they did a demolition job on the Greek poems of Homer. They dissected the poems into multiple authors from different periods. Wellhausen and co wanted to do the same to the bible texts. They were virulently anti Jewish and a revival in Germanic paganism and Arian pseudo-scientific racial theories encouraged them to attack what they saw as un-German Jewish culture and so they wanted to tear up the scriptures in the same way they had attacked Homer. They invented the ‘Jahwist’,the ‘Elohist’ the ‘Deuteronomist’ and sources “J, E, D & P” Why do modern bible commentaries perpetuate their imaginary system?

[Michael37]

5 hours ago, marcus florian said:

Why do modern bible commentaries perpetuate their imaginary system?

It helps guide academics towards getting Theology Degrees, then to be called Reverend Doctor or some such. Heady stuff from my vocational position.

[Neighbor]

Bible commentaries provide excellent fleshing out of the word of God. They help greatly in learning of historical context, original intent, to whom addressed, and is especially useful in making application of God's word for personal use today.

 

[Katie Rose Müller]

On 11/26/2024 at 11:30 AM, marcus florian said:

Hello ,I wouldn’t call myself a collector of commentaries but have accumulated a few over the years. I mostly use Cornelius a Lapide (most volumes) I also have Critici Sacri vol 1 only,  2 vols of Synopsis Criticorum, , some medieval comms eg Strabo and Maurus. As you see these are all older commentaters. I used to have copies of more recent ones eg New Cambridge  Bible but I began to dislike the aproach of the so called ‘higher criticism’ where they deconstruct the sacred  text as if it were a redaction  from different sources. I found this discrespectful, almost a pseudo-science and prefer the interptation which goes back to Origen and the Alexandrians exploring  5-fold exegesis,  allegory typology etc.

I like reading the older works as well, though never heard of Cornelius a Lapide before, I will most definitely be looking into his works. I'm not Catholic, but I do find the Catholic of old had far more understanding than present day. Seems Catholics are in a Dark Age compared to the 1500-1700s. Perhaps that's a false perspective on my end, but that's the general vibe I get to the modern Catholic Church.

Ah, yes, New Cambridge. I too found it disrespectful. I have Exodus and Joshua only of New Cambridge and was not impressed, so never pursued the whole set. I like the Cambridge from the late 1800s early 1900s, but you can't get them in print anymore really. I printed off the whole thing for less than $150 with my own printer. A complete set on Ebay was $950 O.O Ink, paper, and binders cost way less. Thankfully I have an economical printer. Lol.

 

[Katie Rose Müller]

Just saving this link for later to print or copy into my notebook Messianic Apocalypse - 4Q521

@Dennis1209 I did not know about that particular fragment in the Dead Sea Scrolls, so I appreciate you sharing that with me. I hope the book I ordered contains that, I'll be disappointed otherwise.

 

[farouk]

19 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Bible commentaries provide excellent fleshing out of the word of God. They help greatly in learning of historical context, original intent, to whom addressed, and is especially useful in making application of God's word for personal use today.

 

Hi @Neighbor They can indeed be a great help. Sometimes one has to watch out that the commentary is actually introducing an idea into the text which really is not there at all. But for background reading and helpful suggestions about apparent obscurities, sound commentaries can indeed assit.

[farouk]

4 hours ago, Katie Rose Müller said:

 I hope the book I ordered contains that, I'll be disappointed otherwise.

 

Hi @Katie Rose Müller Over the coming season especially there will doubtless be many commentaries and Bible related books which will be ordered. I do wonder whether all their recipients with actually read them....or even if they do, whether they will always be read with discernment.

But it's very true that there are a lot of really good deals for Bible commentaries.

[Katie Rose Müller]

22 minutes ago, farouk said:

Hi @Neighbor They can indeed be a great help. Sometimes one has to watch out that the commentary is actually introducing an idea into the text which really is not there at all. But for background reading and helpful suggestions about apparent obscurities, sound commentaries can indeed assit.

This is indeed an issue. That's one reason why after I read something, if I am particularly taken with an idea, I discuss it with my family to get their insight on whether it's a valid view or just fanciful imaginings.