There is no shortage of commentaries out there to help you understand books of the Bible better. I’ve done two series on my recommendations for building theological libraries (Old and New) and it’s about time for an update. When I do, I’ll no doubt include some of the volumes from these series as they been released. Thanks to Zondervan, I’ve been able to peruse the ones you see below.
Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
I’m gonna start from the bottom up this time. Now that John is released, the Gospels series is completed in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series, or ZECNT as is easier to type. I gave an overview of the series back in the day, and I’ve commented on most of the volumes so far. There are two newer volumes in the series, Romans and 1 Corinthians, that I’ve yet to see, but I expect much of the same goodness from them. I also gave a rundown of them in Logos, and happily consult the volumes I have there whenever it’s necessary.
As far as John goes, it is hard to improve on Carson’s as a go-to commentary. However, because of the formatting and layout of this series, I find it a valuable starting point when it comes to doing commentary work. This volume by Edward Klink work doesn’t disappoint. Because of his own transition during the writing of this commentary from the podium to the pulpit, it is more attuned to the needs of the academy and the church, rather than one or the other. Thinking back to my own recommendations on commentaries for the Gospels, I would replaced Kostenberger’s with this one, partly because of the citation issues, and partly because I think it hits the exegetical notes and practical concerns better.
Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament
I remember when this series first came out, and it was called Hearing The Message of Scripture. I received the inaugural volumes on Jonah and Obadiah, which were both quite good. I liked the move to treat each Minor Prophet in single volumes, rather than grouping them together in chunks (or all together) like most series do.
The series has since been rebranded as the counterpart to ZECNT. Jonah, Obadiah, and Ruth got facelifts and redesigns. Nahum and Joel will be out next year. The series looks promising moving forward, especially if you want to study the Minor Prophets individually.
The volume on Ruth came in very handy when we did a Ruth Bible Study a while back. It is now my go-to and would be at the top of this list. For all the reasons I like the ZECNT, the ZECOT comes through as well and should be on your radar for OT commentaries in the future.
Last, but certainly not least, Zondervan’s Story of God Bible Commentary should definitely be on your radar (if it’s not already). Volumes have been coming out on the Old and New Testament for about 5 years now, so there are quite a few to pick from. I gave a rundown of the series in my review of the inaugral volume The Sermon on The Mount.
Since then, the full Matthew commentary has been released. Chapters 5-7 are included, but not as detailed as other sections. When I was preparing to preach on the Parable of The Sower it came in handy to consult, but mainly after I had done the exegetical heavy lifting elsewhere.
I read Michael Bird’s commentary on Romans in full, and so far it is my favorite. It is a combination of writing style and the way he handles certain passages in the book. I find Bird gives a Fresh Perspective on Paul by not feeling compelled to stick to Old Perspective readings, yet also not jumping straight onto the New Perspective bandwagon.
I also read the Proverbs commentary in full, and would recommend it as well. Proverbs can be a difficult book to grasp the big picture of, and while it would be hard to surpass Waltke’s work, Ryan O’Dowd provides a volume that makes a nice companion to it, especially when it comes to application.
Lastly, in my on-going studies on Genesis, I’ll have more to say about Tremper Longman’s Genesis commentary. Longman, like most commentators on Genesis, isn’t a young earth creationist. He is very attuned to literary details, but offers a reading that leans more toward the mythological in the early chapters than I would follow. But, as an OT scholar, I find his perspective helpful to consult, and this commentary is no different. Genesis is one of the best long form stories out there, and Longman will help you read it as such.