Reading Commentaries

Way back when I worked in a Christian bookstore, I had a customer who bought commentaries and told me he would read through them. I thought that was weird because I felt that it was a better use of time by reading the Biblical text a lot more and then seeing what scholar so-and-so said about a passage. Maybe I'm missing something if I only zero in on passage context?

Any thoughts about reference use versus reading a whole commentary?

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TCBlack

I felt that it was a better use of time by reading the Biblical text a lot more and then seeing what scholar so-and-so said

Any thoughts about reference use versus reading a whole commentary?

Michael,

Back at MBI I remember Dr. Leslie Keylock talking about reading commentaries and I thought it weird then as well. However, while I share your view that you'll gain more from a simple reading of scripture, I have likewise discovered that reading a scholar who has spent oodles of time soaking in just one book of the Bible has yielded fruit as well.

For me, this doesn't work for reading the highly technical (ICC type) commentaries but those like NAC or NICNT, and lately for me the EEC which focus upon the Scripture text more than merely handling what other commentators have said - these "scripture centric" commentaries have been good for reading.

Jack Hairston

"Gold is where you find it."

I never know when I'm going to stumble across a nugget, so I read the whole thing.

Evan Boardman

Commentaries that are for the most part sermons on paper are good reads.[:)] By the way...http://www.logos.com/product/8562/the-complete-works-of-thomas-manton is just this.

Lonnie Spencer

If someone is reading a commentary without first reading the Scripture than the commentator becomes a middle man between you and God. If one is first reading the Scriptures than is reading the commentaries, the commentator becomes a conversation partner that stands with you before God.

Alex Scott

It's not quite the same thing, but I find a lot of Christians spend most of their time reading what various authors and teachers say ABOUT Scripture, and very little time reading the Scriptures themselves. It's kind of like reading all the reviews of a good movie or book but never seeing the real thing for themselves.

Evan Boardman

I find a lot of Christians spend most of their time reading what various authors and teachers say ABOUT Scripture, and very little time reading the Scriptures themselves.

What you say is both good and bad. The Holy Ghost gave gifts to men.. Not all men have the same gifts. He gave us teachers and preachers for a reason.

mab

I'm hearing some good comment. I am beginning to feel that if I read through a book of Scripture and write down my questions, concerns and observations, I'll get far more from a given commentary.

One thing I have noticed so far is that the amount of duplicated information tends to be rather high. This is especially true with Logos, since one already is able to see a grammatical breakdown before even reaching for a commentary.

Unix

My goal for most commentaries that I have, is to just read through, even technical ones. I never know when I need to use them as reference. I use Christianforums and try to find new friends, especially from the U.K., Sweden and Helsinki to discuss theology with, and whenever I really feel like I need to digg into the commentaries, I do so for the passages being discussed. (Right now I'm studying 115% so I have less time than I had in the summer, to read, but still a lot of time since I have a long way to school - I read in the train (and when I travel by bus instead of bicycle in the bus aswell). In August 2013 I'm starting to read Biblical greek at a secular university which is close(r) to where I live.)

"Gold is where you find it."
I never know when I'm going to stumble across a nugget, so I read the whole thing.

For me, this doesn't work for reading the highly technical (ICC type) commentaries

Philana Crouch

Many commentaries include the Scripture passage being discussed in full, so you could carefully read through the passage first a few times before reading the commentary section. I usually read the passage in several translations first, do any word studies. Then I go to the commentary. As to reading an entire commentary, I haven't done that, but depending on length I could see doing it. One reason a professor might read it all the way through is if they were going to use it in a class or if they are writing a review of a commentary for a journal.

Unix

The one-volume, NT, Apostolic Fathers and ECF commentaries that I need the most I read through a few times, maybe 3-4 times at most - it feels like it makes a difference compared to reading just twice. I'm not good at Gk yet, which is one reason why I read several times, see also: http://community.logos.com/forums/p/53566/390689.aspx#390689