Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament on Logos

It's interesting that on the day that I chose to review Dr. Beale's book,
The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism, Logos Bible Software decided to release his Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. This is an excellent resource that uniquely stands out among commentaries. For a limited time, Logos is selling the download for $39--$20 less than their regular price if you use the offer code NTUSEOFOT.

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I have added a new link in the sidebar of Ex Libris. Under the heading of "Building a Library", I have added Top Commentaries on Every Book of the Bible.

This link will take you to a post by Tim Challies on the Ligonier Ministries blog. Dr. Keith Mathison (author and director of curriculum development for Ligonier Ministries) put together this list of his top five commentaries for each book of the Bible. Judging from the links I've clicked, his choices are excellent!

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Jim Comments on John Commenting on John Commentaries

After I saw this post from Desiring God come up in my RSS reader, I was eager to compare the books I’m using with the books John Piper is using. Piper started preaching through the Gospel of John a few weeks after I did, but has been on writing sabbatical for a few weeks. I am eager for him to pick up where he left off in chapter 2. You can listen to or download his series here. You can find my series here. If you compare, remember--He's Piper, I'm not.

When I began our Sunday night series on Nehemiah, I posted a list of commentaries and resources that have been helpful to me my studies. Since I started this blog after I started the series in John, I wasn't able to do that for this series. Piper’s post has reminded me of that. I was pleased to see that he and I are “dipping into” two of the same resources—D. A. Carson and Andreas Kostenberger. I have had the Ridderbos commentary in my Amazon shopping cart for months, but have yet to purchase it. Piper’s comments will probably push me over the edge. His comments regarding older commentaries is particularly poignant.


Here are the main commentaries I am currently using:

John: The Gospel of Belief the Analytic Study of the Text

The Gospel According to John: An Introduction and Commentary (Pillar New Testament Commentary)

The Gospel According to John (New International Commentary on the New Testament)

John (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament)

John 1-11: New Testament Commentary (Macarthur New Testament Commentary Serie)

John 12-21 (Macarthur New Testament Commentary Serie)

Gospel of John, The (5 Vol. Set)

Living Water: Studies in John 4

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One More Thought on Resources...

This time the thought isn't mine. Last week Dr. Al Mohler wrote a post on study Bibles that corresponds to my posts on commentaries over the past few days. I have yet to use the new ESV Study Bible, but I am currently on my second MacArthur Study Bible (I practically wore the first one out). Also, from what I have seen of the Apologetics Study Bible, it is an excellent resource as well.




Here is Dr. Mohler's take:

One of the most memorable purchases I made as a teenager was The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible in its original King James Version edition, complete with blue leather cover. I still have it, of course, though it now finds itself surrounded by a host of other Bibles on the shelf nearest to my desk. That study Bible opened the Word of God to me in a whole new way, helping me to make connections in the text and to see how subjects and themes run throughout the Bible....

Read the Full Article...

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Brother Can You Spare a Resource?

Yesterday’s post prompted me to clue you into some excellent commentary resources. There are probably more bad commentaries on the market today than good ones. There are few things worse than wasting money on a worthless commentary (trust me—I know from experience). Here are some good sources to go for help in picking out the good ones:

http://www.bestcommentaries.com/ – this website contains commentary reviews and ratings from biblically sound preachers, professors and theologians.

Building a Theological Library – a list of resources compiled by Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

850 Books for Biblical Expositors – this list was compiled by Dr. John MacArthur, one of the greatest biblical expositors of our time.

Just because a book is on the list doesn’t eliminate the need for discernment. All things must be lined up against the plumbline of God’s Word—that’s why commentaries should only come into play after you have been thoroughly steeped in the Text. It’s only then that they become the excellent tool God has given us.

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Nehemiah Series Commentaries

Commentaries are a wonderful tool as long as we remember that they are exactly that—a tool. How privileged we are to have the benefit of godly men who have gone on before us. What a blessing to partake of the fruit of their labor in the Text. But enjoying and benefiting from their work can never replace our own labor in the Text. If we truly believe Hebrews 4:12, then we have to allow the Sword of God’s Word to cut into our own lives rather than simply report on the bleeding of others.

One of my favorite modern preachers, Alistair Begg, summarizes his method of preparation in four points: think yourself empty, read yourself full, write yourself clear, and pray yourself hot. I have found this to be an excellent model to emulate.

After soaking in the Text by reading and re-reading and re-reading it, and meditating upon it, it’s important to think about it. What does it mean? What is the context? What are the implications of the Text? How does it connect with life today? Are there nuances in the original languages that shed light on the meaning of the passage? In the words of Begg, “I must know what this says, and I must learn what this means.”

It is only at that point that commentaries are of their most value. We should only turn to the study of others once we have been thoroughly steeped in the Text ourselves. But once we have gotten to that point, commentaries are invaluable discussion partners. At that point, we are no longer sponges, waiting to soak up whatever we might find—good or bad. Instead, we are discussion partners, able to have our iron sharpened by the friction of interaction with the commentator’s iron.

As I have written previously, I will be starting a new preaching series through the book of Nehemiah in January. As I lay the groundwork in my own life for starting that series and as part of the “reading myself full” phase, I am interacting with several commentaries that I wanted to share with you. Please let me know if I am missing a commentary you have found especially helpful. I want my preaching iron to be as sharp as possible so as not to impede the true sharpness of God’s Word.

Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 16, Ezra-nehemiah (williamson), 470pp

Ezra And Nehemiah: An Introduction And Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentary Series)

The Expositor's Bible Commentary (Volume 4) 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job

Nehemiah (Expositional Commentary)

Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (New American Commentary)

Commentary on the Old Testament

God’s Work God’s Way (Audio sermon series)—Alistair Begg

Hand Me Another Brick

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