Commentary Recommendations

I'm sure many of us on the forums have more commentaries than we may ever have time to consult. (Maybe you do refer to them all. I certainly don't.) Therefore, I try to be very selective when making additional commentary purchases. In addition to Carson's book on NT commentaries, I tend to also consult the Denver Seminary recommendations which are updated every year. I've just noticed that Keith Mathison has started to update his top 5 on every book too. He hasn't completed the update yet, so there's no official landing page, but this link should take you to a page that shows his posts so far.

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/teachers/keith-mathison?sort=recent&type=article&fields.primaryTopic.fields.name=Biblical+Studies

Does anyone else have recommendations on choosing wisely? Obviously the Faithlife 30 day returns policy helps to some extent too.

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Comments

Allen Browne

Does anyone else have recommendations on choosing wisely?

Something I do periodically before making a purchase is to open the Library window, enter type:commentary, and sort by the Most Used column.

I also set the Rating for each commentary as I use them. This makes it easy to see which ones I find helpful.

Before I buy another, I'm also asking whether it will bring a perspective different to what I already have. It could if it's newer (recent scholarship), older (from an earlier era), or from another faith community (e.g. Judaism on the OT).

HTH.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1179770#Comment_1179770

The Bible (a few translations for comparison), The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible along with NICOT/NT and some good dictionaries and lexicons would be all I need to preach a lifetime and more 👍😁👌

DAL

GaoLu

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1179778#Comment_1179778

I have way too many commentaries and don't need or use most of them, but I am glad for every one and would buy them again.

SineNomine

Does anyone else have recommendations on choosing wisely?

Anything at least a thousand years old makes for a helpful contrast and supplement to most of what's less than a couple hundred years old.

Josh Hunt

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1179788#Comment_1179788

I have way too many commentaries and don't need or use most of them, but I am glad for every one and would buy them again.

I feel the same way.

Here is one site to consult https://bestcommentaries.com/

Ken McGuire

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1179824#Comment_1179824

Anything at least a thousand years old makes for a helpful contrast and supplement to most of what's less than a couple hundred years old.

Advice more of us need to follow...

xnman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180008#Comment_1180008

Lest we forget.... many times ...the Bible sheds a lot of light on commentaries. [8-|]

Darrell Tan

It helps me to read an excerpt. That has been decisive in some decisions to purchase or not to.

mab

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180018#Comment_1180018

The Bible still gets pride of place for me, but I don't regret having all these people who see things from vantage points I have not been standing at.

I still think the technical commentaries are best and balanced by those apply to daily life.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180022#Comment_1180022

I know you already mentioned that you use them, but I also use the Denver Bibliographies, and I have made Personal Books for them here which makes them much more valuable and convenient to me. I especially like the OT entries because they are annotated, but the NT entries are valuable as well. The lists include both "traditional" and "critical" scholarship, which I appreciate. In general they do lean toward traditional scholarship.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180041#Comment_1180041

The lists include both "traditional" and "critical" scholarship, which I appreciate.

Just curious if I am understanding your distinction correctly.. By "critical scholarship" do you mean scholarship based on methods that have evolved from 17th century on? leaving methods that developed prior to that as "traditional scholarship"?

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180077#Comment_1180077

The lists include both "traditional" and "critical" scholarship, which I appreciate.

Just curious if I am understanding your distinction correctly.. By "critical scholarship" do you mean scholarship based on methods that have evolved from 17th century on? leaving methods that developed prior to that as "traditional scholarship"?

I probably should have used evangelical vs. critical, but I was trying to prevent my statement from being used to start a debate on "liberal" and "conservative" scholarship, as I think these distinctions are unhelpful, but yes, basically, critical scholarship based on the enlightenment and leading up to areas such as source and literary criticism, where I find literary criticism extremely helpful, and traditional scholarship associated with a higher view of scripture than some, but not all, hold in critical circles. I prefer a balanced diet.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180088#Comment_1180088

Thanks, Joseph, I think I understand now.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180091#Comment_1180091

Thanks, Joseph, I think I understand now.

[Y]

Beloved Amodeo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180106#Comment_1180106

Not having been trained in the academic method of identifying the most authoritative commentaries, I depend heavily on the opinions of others, whether they be sites like Challies or 4-5 star ratings by Logos users. Also, not unlike DAL I'm a firm believer in the guidance of the Spirit of Truth (Ps119.99) and his operation through meditation, prayer and scripture interpreting scripture.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180177#Comment_1180177

Not having been trained in the academic method

Ah, but you were trained to a certain level in your language and literature classes for whatever schooling you have; you were trained in additional methods and techniques in Sunday school and listening to preachers. You may not know the fancy names but you know the many of the techniques. Why do I make the point? Because I have seen far too many people who were so smart they become self-educated sell themselves short because they didn't get to spend the time in the classroom.

SineNomine

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180088#Comment_1180088

The lists include both "traditional" and "critical" scholarship, which I appreciate.

Just curious if I am understanding your distinction correctly.. By "critical scholarship" do you mean scholarship based on methods that have evolved from 17th century on? leaving methods that developed prior to that as "traditional scholarship"?

I probably should have used evangelical vs. critical, but I was trying to prevent my statement from being used to start a debate on "liberal" and "conservative" scholarship, as I think these distinctions are unhelpful, but yes, basically, critical scholarship based on the enlightenment and leading up to areas such as source and literary criticism, where I find literary criticism extremely helpful, and traditional scholarship associated with a higher view of scripture than some, but not all, hold in critical circles. I prefer a balanced diet.

You're probably aware of this, but for many folks, like me, "traditional scholarship" would be at least most of a millennium old.

Beloved Amodeo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180187#Comment_1180187

Not having been trained in the academic method

Ah, but you were trained to a certain level in your language and literature classes for whatever schooling you have; you were trained in additional methods and techniques in Sunday school and listening to preachers. You may not know the fancy names but you know the many of the techniques. Why do I make the point? Because I have seen far too many people who were so smart they become self-educated sell themselves short because they didn't get to spend the time in the classroom.

Being the perceptive person that you are put me far from arguing with you. However, having been professionally trained in a focused environment I know what both general and specialty training does for both competency and facility with the area of your training. Though some may scoff at the academy because of its exclusivity, I envy its fellowship and the "deeper dive" it affords.

Paul Caneparo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1180195#Comment_1180195

Keith Mathison has now completed revising his list of top 5 recommendations on each book of the Bible.

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/top-5-commentaries

His previous recommendations seemed to be largely the basis for Tim Challies' recommendations, which have found their way into various Logos Tim Charlie's commentary recommendation sets.

Mattillo

... I tend to also consult the Denver Seminary recommendations which are updated every year.

Do you have a good link to find those? I usually look at the one added to the file forums

Paul Caneparo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1182986#Comment_1182986

... I tend to also consult the Denver Seminary recommendations which are updated every year.

Do you have a good link to find those? I usually look at the one added to the file forums

https://denverseminary.edu/the-denver-journal-article/new-testament-exegesis-bibliography-2021/

https://denverseminary.edu/the-denver-journal-article/annotated-old-testament-bibliography-2021/

Updated each year. Sure you can guess the updated link for each year. 😉

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1182986#Comment_1182986

... I tend to also consult the Denver Seminary recommendations which are updated every year.

Do you have a good link to find those? I usually look at the one added to the file forums

The ones that I post in the files section are up to date with Denver's. I watch the "last updated" statement at the beginning of each, and when it changes, I go through every entry and update them, editing for typos, data errors, or inconsistencies in format, and then I make suggestions for changes in the list based on newer editions of resources (sometimes they will miss a newer edition of a commentary or other resource like Basics of Biblical Greek/Hebrew), and I send those corrections/suggestions to Dr. Hess. Those corrections are then slipped in on their end for the official version without a "last updated" note.

They usually post the new year's version in the middle of January and an update or two throughout the year.

Mattillo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1183022#Comment_1183022

... I tend to also consult the Denver Seminary recommendations which are updated every year.

Do you have a good link to find those? I usually look at the one added to the file forums

The ones that I post in the files section are up to date with Denver's. I watch the "last updated" statement at the beginning of each, and when it changes, I go through every entry and update them, editing for typos, data errors, or inconsistencies in format, and then I make suggestions for changes in the list based on newer editions of resources (sometimes they will miss a newer edition of a commentary or other resource like Basics of Biblical Greek/Hebrew), and I send those corrections/suggestions to Dr. Hess. Those corrections are then slipped in on their end for the official version without a "last updated" note.

They usually post the new year's version in the middle of January and an update or two throughout the year.

I'm very grateful for this! I wish they left the older resources on (I understand why they don't) but sometimes they have good comments on them from one year but they disappear the next.

Mattillo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1183008#Comment_1183008

... I tend to also consult the Denver Seminary recommendations which are updated every year.

Do you have a good link to find those? I usually look at the one added to the file forums

https://denverseminary.edu/the-denver-journal-article/new-testament-exegesis-bibliography-2021/

https://denverseminary.edu/the-denver-journal-article/annotated-old-testament-bibliography-2021/

Updated each year. Sure you can guess the updated link for each year. 😉

Thanks!

Paul Caneparo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1183031#Comment_1183031

... I tend to also consult the Denver Seminary recommendations which are updated every year.

Do you have a good link to find those? I usually look at the one added to the file forums

The ones that I post in the files section are up to date with Denver's. I watch the "last updated" statement at the beginning of each, and when it changes, I go through every entry and update them, editing for typos, data errors, or inconsistencies in format, and then I make suggestions for changes in the list based on newer editions of resources (sometimes they will miss a newer edition of a commentary or other resource like Basics of Biblical Greek/Hebrew), and I send those corrections/suggestions to Dr. Hess. Those corrections are then slipped in on their end for the official version without a "last updated" note.

They usually post the new year's version in the middle of January and an update or two throughout the year.

I'm very grateful for this! I wish they left the older resources on (I understand why they don't) but sometimes they have good comments on them from one year but they disappear the next.

You can still find the previous years recommendations by simply changing the year in the web address.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1183031#Comment_1183031

I wish they left the older resources on (I understand why they don't) but sometimes they have good comments on them from one year but they disappear the next.

Keep in mind that I post every resource that has been taken off each year since I believe 2012, so you could download the newest file, and then go back and replace all of the works that have been taken off of the lists. As each new list is released, I always put in the release notes the resources that are added, so you could use your same document and then just add the new resources every time.

Larry Craig

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1179770#Comment_1179770

I see this rating feature, but I don't see it when I have the passage guide open, so how will this help me?