Top Bible Commentaries
A few days ago I watched an interview about the NIC by two Logos staff members and the comment was made that a while ago some staff fromLogos identified what they thought were the top SEVEN commentaries. The NIC was the top, but the other six were not mentioned. Does anybody know what they are?
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It was probably this blog article:
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At some point WBC was # 2 im the top 3. The EEC is a biased opinion since Lexham Press is producing and promoting it. They are good but others are better. NICOT/NT is # 1 on my list, WBC 2, BECNT 3, PNTC 4 and EBC Original and Revised 5 for research, but for sermon prep aid POSB can be very helpful along with some other expository commentaries like REC or PtW. Then again, opinions are subjective.
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I laughed as this blog post illustrates well everything I don't like about Logos. I would suggest that making the top commentaries all exegetical commentaries favors a Bible-as-code-to-be-deciphered approach to scripture. I prefer a Bible-as-love-letter approach. I'd want the top commentaries to include:
- one exegetical/philological commentary (think Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament and Historical Commentary on the Old Testament as examples; Anchor and Hermeneia actually fill this slot for me)
- one expositional commentary (think Preaching the Word as an example although I usually go to Orthodox commentaries outside of Logos)
- one literary commentary (think Paideia or Reading the Old/New Testaments as examples)
- one reception history commentary (Wiley Blackwell Bible commentaries are an example)
- one socio-rhetorical commentary (Socio-Rhetorical Commentaries are an example)
- one worship/liturgy commentary (Paul Heil or Feasting on the Word are examples - yes, I realize they are very different.)
- one contemporary higher criticism commentary (Dalit commentary or Asia Bible Commentaries come to mind)
- begrudgingly omitted, one application commentary, one ancient-medieval commentary, or one denomination commentary extend the list)
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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Not sure if you read the article or just saw the title, but the author describes briefly that there are critical and expositional commentaries along with exegetical. (I happen to categorize differently, but whatever). She then says these are the best "exegetical" commentaries. You said, "top commentaries", she did not. It might be worth pondering the difference in an article saying, "these are the top sports cars" vs. "these are the top cars". Just a different view.
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Thanks for the comments. Obviously the list of the "best" seven is subjective, and the "best" will vary from individual to individual. Also that list for any particular person may change over time!
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I'm starting a Burton Mack tome … he opined that a volume from the Diety oddly required centuries of exegetical skills.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Yes, I read the whole article. You can trust me that when defending books I hate being in the Logos library, I do actually read the book. The fact is that the author felt comfortable writing a review of only exegetical commentaries because Logos and its market are biased towards exegetical commentaries. Another bit of evidence is that the term "technical commentary" is taken to mean "exegetical" because the technicality of literary, rhetorical, and structural elements is undervalued. Yes, there are many users for whom this is not true; there are Logos blogs of which this is not true. But Logos has a way to go before its flavor is truly broad and international.
Thank you, however, for forcing me to clarify my response.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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ChatGPT on popularity of various commentary types:
The seven most popular types of Bible commentaries, categorized by scholarly approach, are:
Exegetical Commentaries – Focus on critical interpretation of the text, often using historical and grammatical analysis. These commentaries aim to explain the meaning of the text in its original context. – Word Biblical Commentary (WBC)
Philological/Linguistic Commentaries – Emphasize the study of language, grammar, syntax, and textual variants. They often engage deeply with Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek textual issues. – Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS) & Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28) Critical Apparatus
Theological Commentaries – Explore the doctrinal and theological implications of biblical texts, often engaging with historical and systematic theology to interpret passages in light of Christian doctrine.– Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible
Literary Commentaries – Analyze the Bible as literature, focusing on narrative structure, themes, motifs, and rhetorical devices rather than historical or theological concerns.– Robert Alter’s "The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary"
Reception-Historical Commentaries – Trace the interpretation and influence of biblical texts throughout history, including their use in theology, liturgy, art, and culture across different eras and traditions.– Wiley Blackwell Bible Commentaries
Historical-Critical Commentaries – Utilize historical and archaeological data to reconstruct the historical setting of biblical texts, often incorporating source criticism, redaction criticism, and form criticism.– Hermeneia Commentary Series
Pastoral/Devotional Commentaries – Designed for preachers and lay readers, these commentaries provide practical applications, spiritual insights, and theological reflections for contemporary faith communities.– The NIV Application Commentary (NIVAC)
canonical, ethical/social, and mystical/allegorical fill out the top 10.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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