Acts Keener 4 Volumes

Hey everyone, has this series ever been on sale? Additionally, is this one of the better Acts commentaries? I realize it is probably the most in-depth, but does it have the substance, or is there a lot of filler?

My church is about to start a 2-year series through the book of Acts. Thanks.

As a side note, it looks like I can only post this as a question. When I chose discussion, there was no forum selection in the drop-down menu.

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Antony Brennan

I have it.

It is giant in every way imaginable. It is a watershed in Acts commentaries. In my opinion it is all substance. Keener goes into serious detail to provide background. He attempts to immerse you in the thinking and ideas of the first century, so that Acts makes more sense to you. The book is 639 pages in before he starts the commentary. Even then, throughout the entire work, he is discussing and pointing to texts that provide an avalanche of information.

For me he isn't only helping us see into Acts, he is providing information that helps with the entire New Testament. It is encyclopaedic.

Anyway, as you can, tell I like it. If you can afford it, it is worth the investment.

I think with the new ability to narrow down Study Assistant to a collection, or a volume, it really makes a work like this more accessible. You can try it in the web app already.

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Lew Worthington

I'm eager to discover what people say. I've had my eyes on this for a few years. Looking at samples, this seems very much similar to some of his other commentaries in approach (socio-rhetorical) and thoroughness. I appreciate very much how well he cites both ancient and modern resources.

I also love his introductions which introduce key issues with peerless completeness.

I cannot recall if I've seen it discounted significantly. I'm sure it has not been discounted enough for me to grab it, otherwise, I would have. :)

Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D.

Same here. I think I am more keen (no pun intended) on buying it because we are about to start an Acts series.

I didn’t want to commit a lot of money if it usually went on sale or didn’t have much substance.

Thanks for chiming in!

RyanB

I have the series and I think it's fantastic. I'm not sure how you define "filler" so I can't weigh in on that, but I think the content is outstanding. Every possible nuance in a verse seems to be covered and each volume has tens of thousands of end notes that you can use to conduct further research. There are also hundreds of excursus' throughout. This is not a light or devotional-style commentary. This is all meat (not so much in difficulty to understand, but rather in breadth of scope). Some people will probably be intimated by it but if you love to go deep or research how an author came to a conclusion, via their citations, you'll love this set.

If you have a specific passage that would help you decide or are curious how he treats a certain topic I can try to post some screenshots (if it isn't a ToS violation to do so). Alternatively, you could just buy it and check it out and, if you didn't like it, return it.

Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1394774#Comment_1394774

Thank you for the input, Ryan. I appreciate that. What I meant by filler is when the author goes off on tangents and rabbit trails, deviating from the topic at hand. It seems Keener does not do that, based on what you said. Have you ever seen the set on sale?

RyanB

@Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D. I think I saw it on sale once during an author spotlight sale on Keener and maybe once during a March Madness sale. Outside of that, I don't remember seeing it on sale. However, to be honest, I bought it shortly after it was available on Logos and so I haven't really been tracking it since then.

DAL

The series is good. A lot of background information so you find a few extra gems here and there. He is Pentecostal so, as any other commentary, you will disagree with some of his theology if you’re not Pentecostal. But over all, all of his writings are well researched and contain useful information.

Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1394782#Comment_1394782

Alright, thanks, Ryan!

Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1394783#Comment_1394783

I appreciate the input, DAL. I might wait to see if it goes on sale next month.

Antony Brennan

@Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D.

Just for fun I asked Study assistant what the Value of Keener's Acts was for understanding the book of Acts.

Keener’s Acts commentary offers distinctive value by reconstructing how Luke’s narrative would have resonated with first-century audiences rather than filtering Acts through modern historiographic expectations. Most scholars recognize the relevance of understanding how Acts would have sounded to its first audiences[1], and Keener makes this his central interpretive lens.

The commentary excels through two complementary strengths. First, it provides extensive fresh documentation from ancient sources applied to Acts in ways not previously attempted. Keener offers literary insight on texts such as the mission sign function of tongues and the inverted charges in Stephen’s martyrdom narrative, alongside social-historical analysis like the meaning of Asiarchs as Paul’s patronal “friends” in Acts 19:31 [1]. Much of the primary material referenced has not been applied to Acts before[1], making it valuable for scholars seeking fresh interpretive angles grounded in primary evidence.

Second, Keener recognizes that Acts cannot be properly expounded without attention to literary questions alongside social context, and because Acts appears to be some form of ancient historical monograph, its literary function within its Greco-Roman context invites discussions about historical accuracy and verisimilitude by the broader standards of ancient historiography[1]. This dual approach—combining social-historical reconstruction with literary analysis—allows readers to understand Acts not as a modern historical work but as an ancient one operating within its own conventions.

Practically, the commentary is designed especially for scholars, professors, and advanced students, though Keener has attempted to keep it more readable than his earlier academic works[1]. The commentary is social-historical and rhetorical in focus rather than concentrating extensively on lexical or grammatical details[1], making it particularly valuable for readers seeking to understand Acts’ cultural context and theological messaging rather than word-by-word grammatical analysis.

[1] Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary & 2: Introduction and 1:1–14:28 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012–2013), 4–6, 34.

Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1394793#Comment_1394793

Thank you so much, Anthony!

I appreciate your insight. I will try to buy it. I am hoping it may go on sale for March Madness. But even if it doesn’t it sounds like people speak highly of its value.

Dr. Nathan Parker

I had access to it a while in another platform (I don't now). I think it does (rarely) go on sale, but it is one fantastic commentary set. I may save up my money and invest in it in Logos.

Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1394797#Comment_1394797

During your use of it, did you find it to be helpful?

Dr. Nathan Parker

At the time, I wasn't studying Acts, but if I was, I found it definitely useful enough where I'd invest the money in it.

I have his John commentary in Logos. It's fantastic.

Dr. Keith Pang Ph.D.

I appreciate your insight! Holding out hope it will go on sale during March Madness.