I am getting ready to preach through the book of Romans. What is the best commentary on Romans Logos has to offer and what makes it the most valuable to you?
Boice's Expositional Commentaries - James Montgomery Boice
The Bible Speaks Today New Testament - John Stott
World Biblical Commentary
Tom Constable's Expository Bible Study Notes (you can also download it as PDF from here for free - http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes.htm)
Too bad R.C. Sproul Exposition Collection are still on prepub, otherwise it will be a great resource as well.
Hi Joe,
In addition to those mentioned above I recommend you take a look at the Pillar NT Commentary on Romans by Leon Morris. It one of the best currently available in Logos. It is balanced, thorough, scholarly, yet accessible by lay persons. You should consider this in your list along with WBC, NAC and Boice.
It is not in Logos but you can view it on CCEL, Romans by Newell is great and imho one of the best on a practical level.
God Bless,
Pastor Chris McFarland
When I preached through Romans I fell in love with C.E.B. Cranfields ICC commentary on Romans (2 Vol.) Thankfully, Logos has it:
A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Vol. 1
A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Vol. 2
I'm not personally familiar with the NICNT volumes (and sadly I've had to let my prepub order die [:'(])
The WBC commentary on Romans is also fairly good, though I confess not to have read it with much breadth.
In print I also valued Kasemann's Romans comentary but certainly not as much as the ICC.
In print I also valued Kasemann's Romans comentary
Despising MACS, utilizing prints....Heathen.
In print I also valued Kasemann's Romans comentary Despising MACS, utilizing prints....Heathen.
For the record before it is not taken as a joke. HEATHEN was a joke...probably a bad one. I appreciate Thomas' input on these forums. I may not know a lot about his theological point of view (which is probably for the better in forums) but I can at least say I value his fever for the Word!
Taken as a joke even without the caveat Philip. "My skin ain't that thin".
As for my theological view point: Mine is the correct one of course.
and what makes it the most valuable to you?
It appears I neglected the second half of your request. So with Philip's permission I'll divulge. (ahem).
Cranfield's exposition of Romans was simultaneously scholarly (and I appreciated that) and human (I truly appreciated that). Cranfield's love of the word of God has been forged strongly. I never felt as if he was questioning the word's authority over him or anyone else. I always felt the tension he struggled with through difficult passages.
His writing was not unnecesarily verbose; but I found that when deliberation over a point was necessary he most often took the time to make his point, and rarely did I catch him being dismissive of other view points. If there were five viewpoints he would offer them all and then explain carefully why he personally eliminated the other four. He did this with a consistent spirit of respect, but without coddling.
On top of being exegetically sound his applications, when he homed in on them, were usually quite profound for me.
I can't recall that I particularly agreed with everything he wrote, but I probably did agree with most of it. Nevertheless, even where I disagreed strongly I did not find myself disliking the man who labored so hard to expound God's word - however frail we all are in that pursuit.
As a supplement to what has already been suggested, you may wish to take a look at the 4-volume set on Romans by Donald Grey Barnhouse at http://www.logos.com/products/details/3192 . I've found it somewhat interesting. I've both the print and the electronic edition. I'd almost give away the print edition for the right incentive...[8-|]
God bless
{charley}
My top three recommendation for Commentaries on Romans (and Don Carson's!) - all available in Logos (at least after next week if getting NICNT) -
Osborne (IVPNTC) - also in Logos - very good, though less techical than above
Andrew
Tom Constable's Expository Bible Study Notes (you can also download it as PDF from here for free
It's not free, but if you want/need Tom Constable's notes in Libronix format, they are available from several sources. I think Galaxie is actually the publisher, but you can buy it online here if I recall.
all available in Logos (at least after next week if getting NICNT) - Moo (NICNT) - wonderful!
all available in Logos (at least after next week if getting NICNT) -
available...if you'll pony up $1200ish.
1) Baker Exegetical Commentary, 2) Pillar New testament commentary 3) New American Commentary 4) Cranfield (ICC) 5) The Bible Speaks Today New Testament - John Stott & MacArthur's Romans commentary 6)World Biblical Commentary 7) Baker New testament commentary 8) The College Press NIV.
Of course pride of place must go to Moo's monumental NICNT commentary, then Thomas Schreiner & Leon Morris/ Cranfield (ICC) - for exegesis, getting into what Paul means in Romans. I am really not a fan of the WBC b/cos of it's "new perspective" stance on Paul but worth consulting otherwise.
The best Arminian commentary which take Romans 9 seriously is the college Press NIV but IMHO Schreiner does full justice to Romans 9.
Moo's NICNT & Schreiner's Baker Com are still the best on Romans. I like L, Morris because he marries exegesis with a devotional (in the best sense of the word) feel. Don't over look the College Press NIV if you have it, Jack Cottrell is a fine expositor. The Arminian Counterpart & in the school of MacArthur & Stott .
Ted.
My favorite commentaries in Logos for digging into Romans are Boice Expositional, The Message of Romans (BST) and College Press NIV.
You might also want to visit www.bestcommentaries.com. (They were actually the subject of a Logos Blog post many months ago.) There you can see all (or most all) of the commentaries available on Romans (NT Books > Romans). While not every commentary listing has them, many have reviews by members and those gleaned off of Amazon. As an added bonus for Logos users, if you hover over the "Title" in the main listing, it will show you which ones are available in Libronix format (signified by the blue magnifying glass and cross). Happy researching.
Of course pride of place should go to Moo's monumental NICNT commentary
Before we were able to get the NICNT on Logos, I bought this in hard copy. I really resist buying hard copies of commentaries, but Moo's commentary on Romans was one that I had to make an exception for!!! FWIW, I also bought Moo's commentary on Romans in the NIVAC. I found it a useful compliment to the NICNT.
I'm not personally familiar with the NICNT volumes (and sadly I've had to let my prepub order die )
tc,
I am now weeping with those who weep [:'(] [:'(] -- God knew my heat would go out in my home this month so my NICOT/NICNT savings must have been earmarked for that in reality. Sometimes I just want to ask "Why, Lord?".........
As for which commentary-? NICNT for a preaching series. Luther for personal meditation. (but I don't preach anymore so what do I know?)
Wow, thanks everyone for your thoughts on what is best in Logos.
I have a few of the basic commentaries mentioned, but nothing of the newer and more expensive ones. ICC, at least, is for purchase at $90/volume (ouch), but yeah, church planting does not lend itself to spending $1,200 on a commentary set :-) Maybe the bank will let me skip a mortgage payment? It seems to be working for a lot of other Americans LOL?
I will definitely compile a list from all your suggestions and see what I can come up with. I am excited to work through Romans and good reading is always a blessing!
Thanks also for those of you who suggested paper books. I don't have an office and right now I have 300 books in storage that I have not been able to access for 3 years since I started planting my church. I do most of my study and preparation in coffee shops and at the Library, so paper is not a great option right now. I appreciate the suggestion though.
Does anyone have an opinion from experience with HORÆ HOMILETICÆ by Charles Simeon?
In college (about 10 or 11 years ago now) I remember reading a great book called A Rereading of Romans by Stanely Stowers. I remember it was really good stuff. Don't know if it is on Logos. But if you can spring the money for it, check the Anchor Bible commentary. Also, the Stowers book was printed by Yale.
all about Christ,David Buckham
Moo (NICNT) - wonderful!
Moo (NICNT) - wonderful!Andrew, and others, what are your thoughts on Moo's book "Encountering the Book of Romans"? It is available at a price somewhat below the $1,200 price for NCINT. Is it worth it though?
Joe
Aware of this but haven't read it - the other option is Moo in NIVAC (Zondervan) though not yet available in Logos
I agree with you Andrew. Although, Worthington has some interesting things to say. Also, Gordon Fee's God's Empowering Presence is helpful when studying Romans but I don't think it's available in Logos.
For me, the best commentaries on Romans are (in no particular order): (1) Cranfield, (2) Stott (3) John Murray's NICNT (replaced now by Moo)
Bill
Joe,
I haven't read a Moo commentary that wasn't good. LOVE his stuff on James.
what are your thoughts on Moo's book "Encountering the Book of Romans"?
I have the other two titles (not by Moo) in the Baker Encountering the Bible Collection http://www.logos.com/products/details/4476
Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian SurveyEncountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey
I use these two surveys as texts for my homeschooled kids but I do not have the Romans volume. If it is similar in depth I would describe it as introductory and not likely to suffice. I imagine the NICNT volume by Moo is more of what you're looking for.
In my opinion, the best commentaries on Romans that are available from Logos is Volume 1 and 2 of the MacArthur NT Commentary on the Book of Romans. Easy to understand, yet detailed enough to provide a comprehensive preaching overview for your congregation. What makes MacArthur's commentaries my choice is that they're not only for the serious seminary student, or working preacher, but also for the lay person. And they're affordable! $$$
Regards, and God Bless.
Charles
FWIW, bestcommentaries.com gives Moo's The Epistle to the Romans NICNT (Eerdmans, 1996) one of the highest scores of any commentary:
http://www.bestcommentaries.com/best.aspx
I'm going to reply simply to raise up some other possibilities:
Romans by Robert Jewett in the Hermeneia commentary.
Romans by C. K. Barrett in the Black's commentary.
Paul Achtemeier's commentary in the Interpretation series.
Ben Witherington's commentary in the Socio-Rhtetorical series.
Luke Timothy Johnson also has a commentary called Reading Romans, a literary and theological commentary.
http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/romans.pdf
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ICC on Romans is $90 for volume 1. That is $180 for all of Romans.
Also...
Barnhouse is $94 for 4 volumes. How does that compare to ICC and Pillar in value?
Also... Barnhouse is $94 for 4 volumes. How does that compare to ICC and Pillar in value?
Barnhouse is a sermon series while the other two are commentaries. Other than that, I cannot make the comparison, although I believe that the ICC is more highly respected among scholars. Since you are seeking resources for sermon research, the Pillar might be a better investment. I have Barnhouse, but I have not read much in them. He preached those sermons over a three year span, so there must be either a lot of meat or several thousand rabbit trails (I hope that is not a strictly southern metaphor).
Jack
I would think it would depend on whether or not you think ICC or Pillar is the better commentary.
A few folks mentioned Boice. I only see his commentary in the set. Does Logos sell just the Romans part separately? I don't see it, but just wondered if I am missing it.
Logos only have it in the complete set, which I own in the printed version.
![A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Vol. 1 [DOWNLOAD]](http://www.logos.com/images/products/thumb_4114.jpeg "A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Vol. 1 [DOWNLOAD]")
![A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Vol. 2 [DOWNLOAD]](http://www.logos.com/images/products/thumb_4115.jpeg "A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Vol. 2 [DOWNLOAD]")
