Commentary and Reference Survey

How does a busy pastor or interested layperson know which books are best for serious study of the Scriptures? This reliable guide helps answer that question because it ranks approximately eight hundred Bible commentaries and twelve hundred other volumes, along with numerous computer resources on Bible study, theology, and church history.

Each commentary is rated as “evangelical,” “evangelical/critical,” “conservative/moderate,” or “liberal/critical.” Commentaries for each Bible book are grouped under one of three headings: “Technical, semi-technical,” “Exposition,” and “Special Studies.” Also for some Bible books commentaries in other categories are included, such as “The Sermon on the Mount” under Matthew, “Mark as Story” under Mark, “The Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts” under Luke.

After the commentary section, chapters are devoted to books on these topics: Old Testament backgrounds, New Testament backgrounds, Jewish backgrounds, popular dictionaries and one- and two-volume commentaries, general references (encyclopedias, atlases, etc.), biblical Hebrew resources, New Testament Greek resources, exegesis and hermeneutics, systematic theology, church history resources, computer resources, and Internet sites.

The last chapter lists three (or four in some cases) commentaries Glynn recommends as the best for each Bible book. Not all will agree with his selections, however. For example premillennialists will be disappointed that two of the three books on Revelation are by amillennial authors (Gregory Beale and Dennis Johnson). And Allen Ross’s work on Genesis (Creation and Blessing) is not included in Glynn’s listing of the best books on Genesis, though it is included in the earlier section that lists nineteen commentaries on Genesis.