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56 pages

English

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An indispensable map to the often intimidating world of biblical commentaries. For many beginning students of the New Testament, looking for a commentary seems like a simple process: identify the book you're studying, search for a commentary, and pick one. However, the reality is far from simple. With new commentaries being published every year on every book of the Bible, the student of Scripture can quickly become overwhelmed with an inexhaustible amount of resources. What is the student to do?In this short, accessible resource, Nijay Gupta helps beginning Bible students understand the various available commentaries--their strengths, unique contributions, and ultimately, how to use them. Through The New Testament Commentary Guide, readers will understand how to incorporate commentaries into their learning and be enriched in their study of the Bible.

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

Christianity

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Publié par	Lexham Press
Date de parution	07 octobre 2020
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781683594185
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	4 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0500€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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The New Testament Commentary Guide
A Brief Handbook for Students and Pastors
NIJAY K. GUPTA
The New Testament Commentary Guide: A Brief Handbook for Students and Pastors
Copyright 2020 Nijay K. Gupta
Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225
LexhamPress.com
All rights reserved. You may use brief quotations from this resource in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please write Lexham Press for permission. Email us at permissions@lexhampress.com .
Print ISBN 9781683594178
Digital ISBN 9781683594185
Library of Congress Control Number 2020939981
Lexham Editorial: Derek R. Brown, Abigail Stocker, Jessi Strong, Kelsey Matthews
Cover Design: Christine Christophersen
Contents
Acknowledgments and Dedication
1 Introduction
Anchor Yale Bible Commentary (Yale University Press)
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker Academic)
Black’s New Testament Commentary (T&T Clark/Bloomsbury)
Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (Broadman & Holman)
Hermeneia (Fortress Press)
International Critical Commentary (T&T Clark/Bloomsbury)
New Cambridge Bible Commentary (Cambridge University Press)
New Covenant Commentary Series (Cascade)
The New Interpreter’s Bible (Abingdon)
The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans)
The New International Greek Testament Commentary (Eerdmans)
The NIV Application Commentary (Zondervan)
The New Testament Library (Westminster John Knox)
Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament (Baker Academic)
The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Eerdmans)
The Story of God Bible Commentary (Zondervan)
Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary (Helwys)
The Two Horizons New Testament Commentary (Eerdmans)
Word Biblical Commentary (Zondervan)
Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Zondervan)
Other Resources
Logos Bible Software and Commentaries
2 Commentary Recommendations
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1-2 Thessalonians
Pastoral Epistles (1-2 Timothy, Titus)
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
Johannine Epistles
Jude
Revelation
Commentaries by Women and People of Color
Appendix 1: A Quick List of Recommended Commentaries
Appendix 2: German and French Commentary Series
German Commentary Series
French Commentary Series
German-Speaking Commentators of Note
French/Francophone Commentators of Note
Appendix 3: Nijay K. Gupta’s Commentaries and Reference Works
The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 11:1–4) (SHBCSS)
Philippians (NCBC)
Colossians (SHBC)
1-2 Thessalonians (NCCS)
1-2 Thessalonians (ZCINT)
Acknowledgments and Dedication
Thank you to Tavis Bohlinger for bringing the idea and opportunity to me for producing a resource like this. Oftentimes students come to me asking for commentary recommendations. I actually do have a one-page “cheat sheet” of recommendations that I have passed on to students over the years. But here I have significantly expanded upon that list, offering multiple recommendations for each New Testament book along with brief annotations.
This book is dedicated to Dr. Scot McKnight. Scot has long been an inspiration to me as a premier commentary writer and New Testament scholar. In recent years, Scot has become a mentor and friend. In fact, you will find his name and works recommended throughout this book. If I can emulate even a fraction of his biblical wisdom I will retire in peace.
1
Introduction
A Long History
Biblical commentaries are not a new phenomenon. In their more modern form, they have been around for well over 100 years, but throughout Christian history, theologians have dedicated themselves to spending time patiently working through a biblical book, considering various questions and conundrums arising from the text, and pondering its meaning for today. And no doubt the work of writing biblical commentaries will continue on into the future. Every generation has new perspectives to offer, sometimes new insights into the text, and fresh questions to bring from the challenges and opportunities of culture.
Why Read New Commentaries?
I myself have written a few commentaries and I sometimes get the question: Why would we need new commentaries? If the Bible is ancient, and many commentaries have been written, hasn’t it all been said? Yes—and no. Yes, we have good theological and exegetical commentaries that have covered the whole Bible carefully. But many scholars, including myself, believe that there are always new things to discover and learn. And, yes, we can continue to improve on what has been done before. That doesn’t dismiss or reject commentaries of a previous generation, but we are always making new findings in archeology, our understanding of ancient history, and newly discovered ancient parallel literature (like the Dead Sea Scrolls), and we are advancing in our understanding of the Greek language from the era of the earliest Christians.
If I am being honest, some new commentaries don’t really offer much new material, which is precisely why a book like this one is handy. Pastors, students, and sometimes even scholars benefit from tips about which commentaries offer the most insight.
A Warning
Be Wary of Free Online Commentaries
I know that it is tempting to Google information and hope for free academic resources online. And sometimes your wishes come true. But often what is available for free is public domain because it is very, very old. Now, that doesn’t automatically mean it is useless. But it is often the case that these older commentaries suffer from some problems that have been corrected in recent years. For example, an earlier generation drew a sharp distinction between “Judaism” (Jewish life and culture) and “Hellenism” (Greek life and culture), and biblical authors and their perspectives were believed to have fit into just one of these categories. But we know now that, just as is the case with modern people like you and me, we are influenced by many different kinds of cultural factors. So it is with the biblical authors and characters.
You might have access to online resources through a library subscription or institutional databases. In that case, you might be able to access really useful and accurate resources. How do you know? My general rule of thumb, and it is not foolproof but just a somewhat arbitrary dividing line, is to look at commentaries published in 1980 or more recently. Here are some other questions to ask:
• Is the commentary by a reputable author? Does she or he have a reputable academic qualification?
• Is the commentary produced by a reputable academic publisher?
• Is the commentary part of a series? Is the series edited by a professional?
• Is the commentary endorsed (look at the back cover) by respected academics?
• Does the series description offer a specific type of methodology for the commentary?
Be warned: people can say whatever they want in commentaries. You might be getting faulty information. So, knowing the author is trustworthy is very important. I get lots of emails from church people who ask me, “I heard this theory. Is it correct?” or, “My pastor gave this interpretation. Is it legitimate?” Often, the answer is no: someone came up with a clever idea, and it is just a guess or a possibility.
Pastors Write Good Commentaries, Right?
Anyone can write a good basic commentary, so I have no doubt pastors can do that well. But often pastors don’t have the time to do heavy research in Greek, engage with other major academic commentaries, or carefully analyze ancient parallel or related literature. So, commentaries by pastors tend to be helpful from a theological, pastoral, or devotional point of view, but rarely do they break new exegetical or historical ground. If you are looking for a devotional commentary, there are many capable pastors who have invested in this work. If you want an academic commentary, there are very few pastors capable of this.
How to Use a Commentary
This question might seem superfluous. “You just pick it up and read it, right?” Yes, but why are you reading it, and how do you use the information? Before I address that, I want to make one important caveat. Many pastors and students of the Bible jump right into studying commentaries and neglect to give ample time to studying the Bible itself. Don’t use commentaries as replacements for examining the Bible yourself. I find that sometimes my students underestimate what they can learn for themselves from patient, slow, and careful reading of Scripture. It’s still more insightful to read the New Testament in Greek, but even if you sit down with the English New Testament you can glean much from reading, reading, and re-reading.
Okay, so how do you use a commentary? First, make sure you look at not just the exegetical and theological opinions of the commentary writer but especially their evidence . How do they support their claims? Secondly, use commentaries to broaden your horizons. You might naturally pick a series or author to read because you agree with their work. That’s normal and fine. But it is important to read commentary writers who are outside of your preferred tradition. They will see things in a different way and open your eyes to different aspects of interpretation. This is true also when it comes to reading commentaries written by authors who live in Africa, Asia, or Latin America (see the section in this book on commentaries by women and people of color). The perspective of another person, especially outside of your culture, can illuminate your interpretation of Scripture.
Thirdly, if you are a Christian, I would warn you not just to use commentaries to acquire information and establish your views but also as opportunities to grow in your own faith. Put another way, include your commentary reading in your own formation. There are several commentary series that c