Commentary Sets

One Volume Commentaries on the Bible

R. E. Brown, J. A. Fitzmyer, R. E. Murphy (eds.) New Jerome Bible Commentary, Prentice Hall, 1990. ***
a Roman Catholic compendium; hit-and-miss; offers detailed, line-by-line commentaries for each biblical book;
also contains several overview articles on many historical and theological topics; small print on very thin, large pages.

R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, G. J. Wenham, and D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, Inter-Varsity, 1994. ****
an evangelical compandium; the best, recent, one-volume commentary of which we are aware; offers detailed introductory, exegetical, and topical articles;
includes contributions by T. D. Alexander (Exodus), J. A. Balchin (Song), J. C. Baldwin (Ruth/Esther), D. J. A. Clines (Job),
R. A. Cole (Mark), P. H. Davids (James), M. A. Eaton (Ecclesiastes), S. B. Ferguson (Daniel), R. T. France (Matthew),
J. E. Goldingay (Proverbs), G. P. Hugenberger (Malachi), P. P. Jenson (Poetry), F. D. Kidner (Isaiah), C. G. Kruse (2 Corinthians),
J. G. McConville (Jeremaih/Lamentations), D. J. Moo (Romans), P. T. O'Brien (Colossians/Philemon), Moises Silva (Galatians),
Bruce Waltke (Joshua; Micah), B. G. Webb (Judges); and G. J. Wenham (Pentateuch; Genesis); replaces...

D. Guthrie, J. A. Motyer, A. M. Stibbs, and D. J. Wiseman editors, New Bible Commentary, Eerdmans, 1970. ***1/2
an older, but still valuable one-volume commentary; includes contributions by O. T. Allis (Leviticus), M. G. Kline (Genesis), and E. J. Young (Daniel).

C. F. Pfeiffer and E. F. Harrison (eds.), Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Southwestern Company, 1970. ***1/2
an American Protestant compendium; out-of-date; hit-and-miss, when it hits, it hits hard & when it misses, it misses misserably; includes contributions by
Elmer Smick (Numbers), M. G. Kline (Deuteronomy; Job), J. B. Payne (Chronicles), Sierd Woudstra (Song), C. L. Feinberg (Nahum/Haggai/Zechariah),
G. E. Ladd (Acts), E. E. Ellis (Colossians/Philemon), and D. H. Wallace (Jude).

M. Black and H. H. Rowley (eds.), Peake's Commentary on the Bible, Routledge, 1997; reprint of Thomas Nelson, 1964.***
an international, moderate/mainline compendium; much solid verse-by-verse commentary, much, however, now out-of-date;
considered the standard one-volume commentary by most until the publication of...

J. L. Mays and P. J. Achtemeier (eds.), HarperCollins Bible Commentary, HarperSanFrancisco, 2000.
a compendium by SBL members; good section-by-section commentaries; far less expensive than Peake, but fewer introductory and topical articles;
replaces the still-useful Harper's Bible Commentary (SBL, 1988).

Multi-Volume Commentary Sets

Leander Keck (gen. ed.), New Interpreter's Bible, Abingdon Press, 2001. (twelve vols.) ****
a magisterial ecumenical labor; the best, up-to-date, multi-volume set available; contains contributions by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Joel),
Adele Berlin (Hebrew Poetry), Walter Brueggeman (Exodus), R. A. Culpepper (Luke), T. E. Fretheim (Genesis), D. E. Gowan (Amos),
R. B. Hays (Galatians), M. D. Hooker (Philippians), L. T. Johnson (James), W. C. Kaiser (Leviticus), A. T. Lincoln (Colossians),
J. C. McCann (Psalms), P. D. Miller (Jeremiah), D. T. Olson (Judges), C-L. Seow (Kings), Moises Silva (Biblical Interpretation),
R. C. Tannehill (Gospels & Narrative Literature), R. C. Van Leeuwen (Proverbs), D. F. Watson (2 Peter/Jude), and N. T. Wright (Romans).

Frank E. Gæbelein (gen. ed.), Expositor's Bible Commentary, Zondervan, 1998. (twelve vols.)
a much-improved series; written from a predominantly dispensationalist perspective, nevertheless contains comfortable pockets of penetrating
exegesis where commentators manage to bracket their biases; includes conservative (sometimes hyper-conservative) introduction;
available on CD-ROM.