1 and 2 Thessalonians

While this is a bit of an older commentary (1982), Bruce has a remarkable grasp of Greco-Roman and Jewish literature. He offers a careful exegetical analysis of both letters. [Full Review]

This should be the first choice on Thessalonians. In 30+ years it hasn't been surpassed by anything I've seen. Bruce is reliable and respected by folks from various perspective within the evangelical spectrum, so his voice is always worth hearing. He handles difficult eschatalogical notions presented by Paul well, and while he doesn't bring a tsunami of contextual bits, he brings enough to demonstrate how a first century audience would hear the text Paul has penned. For a WBC volume, it is surprisingly compact and user friendly. The format of WBC is sometimes a distraction, and can make finding what you're looking for more difficult, but Bruce flourishes within the structure instead of being held back by the structure (the volumes on Eph. and Philippians are examples of format being a bit of a hinderance). This is an academic commentary, but is still a pastor friendly tool.

When it comes to some authors, you read everything you can get your hands on that they wrote. F. F. Bruce is one of those authors. He is worthy of the time spent reading. Bruce is very concise...probably too concise. This volume is only 228 pages, making it the shortest volume of the entire NT series. A. T. Lincoln's commentary on Ephesians in the same series is 592 pages. So, Bruce gives you less than a half the page count for two books than Lincoln gives you for one. You might feel the need for more after you read this volume, but what you did read was insightful.

Are there any major New Testament commentary sets that do not have at least one volume by F.F. Bruce? There can’t be too many! And if I have my facts correct, this was actually the very first volume in the WBC. From reading the experts’ reviews, it appears that there is rather a sharp drop-off in quality between Green/Wanamaker and Bruce, so I suppose the others ought to be consulted first. [Full Review]

Bruce is always a solid read. Very detailed work which is what is generally expected out of WBC. Good buy, especially for the price.

It seems strange to say that this commentary is now thirty years old! Bruce is always worth reading, and this early entry in the Word series is an exceptional commentary on the Greek text of the Thessalonian letters. Bruce is an efficient exegete. He comments on the Greek text of these letters briefly yet there is always a depth of understanding. Since Bruce wrote before the explosion of rhetorical studies on Thessalonians, the commentary itself is not concerned with “forms” or style of argument. A particular highlight of this commentary is Bruce’s nine-page excursus on the Antichrist in the context of his commentary on 2 Thess 2:1-12. [Full Review]

Because it's my old stand-by, I turn first to F.F. Bruce, [Full Review]

F.F. Bruce's commentaries are always worth consulting, and his commentary on the Thessalonian letters is no exception. The fruits of a lifetime of New Testament study shine through on every page. Highly recommended. [Full Review]

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