Warren Truesdale

Edwards has written an engaging and learned exposition of Luke’s Gospel. Edwards introduces the Gospel saying, “Luke’s Gospel is not a testimony of his ideas, or even of his faith. It narrates events that have been brought to completion among us, i.e., the concrete and saving acts of God that have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The gospel is not a noble moral proclamation, nor can it be reduced to a set of abstract teachings and truths. It is not something that Luke or any witness can take credit for…[it’s] a history of what God has done, to which the proper human responses are belief and proclamation.” (41) Edwards is strongest in following the narrative development of Luke and discussing literary features within the narrative. [Full Review]

Garland is a skilled interpreter and writer. He has written several outstanding commentaries and this one is no different. Garland argues that Luke is writing scriptural narrative, “Luke does not regard the new as discontinuous with the past…Luke presents the scriptural story and its themes as culminating in Jesus.” (37) He draws this out throughout the commentary. Garland understands the concept of the Kingdom in an ‘already not yet’ lens, and consistently discusses the tensions in the story in regard to this motif. [Full Review]

Simply a classic. Though a little dated, Fitzmyer leaves no stone unturned. Consequently, if anyone is wanting a detailed study of Luke—exegetically and theologically—this a must buy. If you’re wanting exposition and application then save your money and time. Fitzmyer argues, “Luke is concerned to pass on to a postapostolic age a Jesus-tradition that is related to the biblical history of Israel and to insist that it is only within the stream of apostolic tradition, represented by Peter and Paul, that one finds this divinely destined salvation.” (9) [Full Review]

This is a unique and fascinating commentary on Luke. Green focuses primarily on the literary features of the narrative—discourse analysis. He also draws out sociological backgrounds and implications of the narrative. Green argues, “As historiographical narrative, the Gospel of Luke consists of a series of event-accounts. The significance of each of these accounts is incomplete when viewed on its own. [Full Review]

A two-volume tour de force by arguably the preeminent Lukan scholar in the world. If you’re serious about studying this gospel, then you need this set. The layout of the BECNT series is easy to use, which makes this commentary great for those looking for both technical discussion and exposition. Bock discusses the Greek often, but it never feels unnecessary. He also does a great job of drawing out the OT implications of Luke’s gospel. [Full Review]

An approachable and solid evangelical commentary on Genesis. Walton has written extensively on the early chapters of Genesis in his Lost World of Genesis One and Lost World of Adam and Eve (I highly recommend both, though disagree with both in part). He sees the Genesis narrative as covenant history, [Full Review]

Personally, I believe this is the best commentary in the entire NAC series. It is exegetically sound and theologically rich. Matthews is a brilliant exegete and simply skilled at drawing meaning from the text. This two-volume commentary is more technical than most in the NAC series—with some in-depth exegetical discussion—but all of the Hebrew is transliterated. So no worries if Hebrew isn’t your thing. [Full Review]

Sailhamer’s interpretation of Genesis is a little eccentric, but nonetheless very eye-opening. You will not read Genesis the same after reading this commentary—in a good way. Sailhamer summarizes his view, “The final shape of the Pentateuch reflects an interest in reading its historical narratives both typologically and futuristically. The events of the past are presented as pointers to the future. [Full Review]

Sailhamer’s interpretation of Genesis is a little eccentric, but nonetheless very eye-opening. You will not read Genesis the same after reading this commentary—in a good way. Sailhamer summarizes his view, “The final shape of the Pentateuch reflects an interest in reading its historical narratives both typologically and futuristically. The events of the past are presented as pointers to the future. [Full Review]

An extremely thorough and studied commentary by a well-respected OT scholar. Each section begins with a translation with detailed exegetical notes. This is followed by a discussion of the literary structure which sometimes includes dialogue in ANE backgrounds. Next is first-rate verse-by-verse exegetical commentary on the text followed by the “explanation” of the entire passage. [Full Review]

It’s truly astounding just how much depth Waltke and Fredericks communicated in this one volume commentary. You’ll learn something on almost every page. It is semi-technical with all of the Hebrew transliterated. The strengths of this commentary are manifold. Practically, it’s affordable, relatively short (600 pgs.), and in a user friendly format. [Full Review]

A solid evangelical commentary by a prominent New Testament scholar. As the subtitle notes, this commentary focuses on (1) the social setting of the story and the social setting of the audience (Witherington believes it was written to Roman Christians in the late 60’s) and (2) the rhetorical literary argument of the narrative. The commentary is strong on both accounts. [Full Review]

This is a brilliant although sometimes idiosyncratic commentary on Mark. Marcus argues that the main motif of the Gospel is the connection between the “way of Yahweh” in Isaiah and the “way of Jesus” in Mark. This New Exodus is acted out as Jesus makes His victorious march to Jerusalem. But, as Isaiah prophesied, “The Servant’s suffering is the divinely appointed means for the realization of the dominion of God.” [Full Review]

This commentary is an absolute steal for the price. Moloney has written a fabulous commentary on Mark. He is a Catholic scholar who has spent a lot of time studying the Gospels (especially John). This commentary is not overly technical, but the Greek text is certainly discussed at points. This commentary is strongest on the literary study of the narrative and drawing out theology from this study. [Full Review]

A book that helped me see the beauty of this story is a short little book called Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel by David Rhoads and Joanna Dewey. These authors really open your eyes to the plot, main motifs, and characters of the gospel. I highly recommend it! [Full Review]

A tour de force on the Greek text of Mark. Full disclosure, I am partial to Cranfield because I love his Romans commentary so much. But this commentary is excellent. If it wasn’t so dated, it would be much higher on the list. It’s most valuable to people who know at least some Greek, [Full Review]

This is an outstanding and comprehensive commentary on Mark. Numbers 1 through 4 on this list are all very close. Really, if you are just wanting one technical commentary on Mark, this is the one. France is a preeminent NT scholar—one who has written widely on the Gospels. This expertise becomes clear throughout the commentary. [Full Review]

If you’re surprised to see this here, I’m surprised myself that I have an NIV Application Commentary as number 1 on the list. I have been blown away by this commentary. Garland is a gifted writer that has a knack for following the narrative of the gospel. He gets that the focus of the narrative is Jesus [Full Review]

This is an affordable and full commentary on the whole Psalter. Longman manages to say a great deal in a somewhat small space. A strength of this commentary is Longman’s consistent move to New Testament’s use of the Psalm and Christological interpretation. I disagree with Longman’s view on the overall structure of the Psalter [Full Review]

I admit that I prefer Wilson’s commentary in vol. 1 over vol. 2. Nonetheless, Grant and Tucker’s commentary is a solid contribution. Wilson sees an important Davidic motif in the compiling and arranging of the Psalter which lends to messianic expectation built into the Psalms. [Full Review]

I admit that I prefer Wilson’s commentary in vol. 1 over vol. 2. Nonetheless, Grant and Tucker’s commentary is a solid contribution. Wilson sees an important Davidic motif in the compiling and arranging of the Psalter which lends to messianic expectation built into the Psalms. This interpretive grid comes out throughout his discussions. The layout of the commentary is simple and helpful with each Psalm being discussed in three sections: [Full Review]

This commentary is one of the stronger volumes in the REBC series. Thankfully, the editors of the series gave VanGemeren his own volume to work through the Psalter because he does a magnificent job. This conservative commentary is detailed, but not verbose. [Full Review]

This two-volume commentary on the Psalter is more critical than Ross but full of exegetical and theological insight. This commentary has taught me the more than the others. Kraus is very detailed. Each Psalm is (1) translated with footnoted text-critical issues (2) a discussion of the form of the Psalm—organization, structure, meter (3) possible setting and author of the Psalm (4) detailed verse by verse exegesis and (5) the purpose and thrust of the Psalm. [Full Review]

Allen Ross has written a masterful three-volume commentary on the Psalter. He covers each Psalm in a user-friendly format that teaches the Psalms instructively. Each Psalm includes (1) a translation with footnoted text-critical and exegetical notes, (2) a discussion of the composition and possible historical context, (3) a brief exegetical summary and outline, and (4) a detailed exposition of the Psalm. [Full Review]

Susan Gillingham’s Psalms Through the Centuries. It is an outstanding resource for learning about the interpretive history of Jews and Christians on each Psalm. You’ll get a large dose of Jewish Midrash, Targum Psalms, Rashi, Origen, Augustine, Calvin, etc. Thus far, only Psalms 1-72 have been published. [Full Review]

This is the most technical commentary on the list. Each section has its own translation, notes on the text (word studies, grammar, syntax, and textual criticism), form/structure discussion, commentary, and explanation of the text. The notes on the text are particularly helpful for those who are studying the Hebrew text. The form/structure section can sometimes be helpful when Durham focuses on the narrative flow of the story, but when he gets into the discussion of source criticism it seems that Durham is too confident in what is mostly conjecture... [Full Review]

Probably one of the stronger commentaries in the NIVAC series and probably the most versatile on the list (scholars to laymen can benefit from it). The format of the commentary is simple and easy to use. Each block of text is discussed in three sections: Original Meaning, Bridging Contexts, and Contemporary Significance. Being an “Application Commentary”, Enns certainly moves to the application of the Biblical text more than others on this list... [Full Review]

A solid evangelical commentary on Exodus. The exegesis in Stuart’s commentary is a mixture of some technical discussion combined with less-technical exposition. Stuart sees Exodus 6:6-8 as the verses that sum up the theological message of the book. Scattered throughout the commentary are several ‘excursuses’ that are outstanding discussions of some tough issues in Exodus: the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart,... [Full Review]

An outstanding theological commentary on Exodus that is intimately tied to the text. This is the commentary that I learned the most from. I would have this commentary as ‘number 1’ on the list if it was longer (only 350 pages) and had a little more discussion of the Hebrew text, but it’s still a must for studying Exodus... [Full Review]

T. Desmond Alexander is a favorite Biblical scholar of mine so it’s no surprise I have his new commentary on Exodus at the top of the list (see other blog and book reviews). This is a large technical commentary, but the helpful format also makes devotional reading an option. Every section has (1) a translation by Alexander, (2) notes on the transliterated Hebrew text (I do wish the Hebrew was not transliterated), (3) a substantial discussion about the ‘format and structure’ (discusses literary structure, source criticism, and ANE parallels), (4) detailed commentary on verses, and (5) explanation. If one wanted to read the commentary devotionally or for quick study then you can just skip to the ‘explanation’ section... [Full Review]

his commentary includes Acts-Galatians. The Romans commentary is written by Wright. It is exhilarating. I'm not sure I have ever used that adjective for a commentary before, but it's true. Wright is a brilliant thinker and an engaging writer. I don't agree with a fair amount of his conclusions, but what you learn along the way is invaluable. Wright is a proponent of the "New Perspective" and I think that at times his perspective on Paul is more right than the old. Often, I find him to be correct in what he affirms and incorrect in what he denies...updated link. [Full Review]

I was pleasantly surprised by this commentary. I love Michael Bird (I recommend you read some of his other works) as a scholar and writer, but I just wasn't expecting much from this commentary series, especially on such a complex letter like Romans. The commentary series focuses on interpreting specific books in light of the meta-narrative of Scripture (which I am all for). It's less technical than other commentaries and moves to application more often than others. Bird does an outstanding job of explaining complex exegesis in a simple and profound way. He is very strong in Biblical theology and this dictates much of his reading of Romans. I would call this commentary a hybrid between the NICNT and the NIVAC: it's both technical and applicational...updated link. [Full Review]

This is simply a must-buy. Cranfield's commentary, though somewhat dated, is still the best overall commentary on Romans. Cranfield succeeds in writing an extremely detailed commentary on the Greek text that also doesn't lose sight of the big picture of the letter. Admittedly, you need to have a decent grip of Greek to even be able to read the commentary because he comments on the Greek text extensively (There is a non-technical abridgment for those who don't know Greek, but I have not read it so I can't comment on it's worth)...updated link. [Full Review]

This is an exceptional commentary that is shorter (remember that this word is relative) and less expensive (and so is this) than Cranfield. Although the commentary is on the English text, Moo makes plenty of technical comments on the Greek text in the footnotes throughout. Moo is an evangelical and this is reflected in his exegetical decisions, but he interacts with many scholars who don't share his conservative views. He is of the "old perspective" camp, though he interacts and often sees benefits of the "new perspective" updated link... [Full Review]

Surprisingly, this commentary isn’t as technical as others in the NIGTC series. I would say that it’s certainly on the more technical end of the spectrum, but detailed exegesis of the Greek text is lacking in a lot of areas. In fact, the commentary itself is somewhat inconsistent. Some sections are particularly in-depth (1:1-7, 3:21-26, 4:1-25) while other sections are way too brief. Why is it on the list then? Because of how great the above sections are... [Full Review]

No longer being produced in the Pillar New Testament series, but still available through used books outlets. Additionally, Eerdmans has reprinted this commentary as a stand-alone paperback. Morris has written extensively in the field of New Testament studies. He’s an evangelical that has a great reputation as a solid exegete. This is another commentary that is a mixture of technical and non-technical... [Full Review]

This commentary includes Acts-Galatians.  The Romans commentary is written by Wright.  It is exhilarating.  I'm not sure I have ever used that adjective for a commentary before, but it's true.  Wright is a brilliant thinker and an engaging writer.  I don't agree with a fair amount of his conclusions, but what you learn along the way is invaluable.  Wright is a proponent of the "New Perspective" and I think that at times his perspective on Paul is more right than the old.  Often, I find him to be correct in what he affirms and incorrect in what he denies... [Full Review]

I was pleasantly surprised by this commentary.  I love Michael Bird (I recommend you read some of his other works) as a scholar and writer, but I just wasn't expecting much from this commentary series, especially on such a complex letter like Romans.  The commentary series focuses on interpreting specific books in light of the meta-narrative of Scripture (which I am all for).  It's less technical than other commentaries and moves to application more often than others.  Bird does an outstanding job of explaining complex exegesis in a simple and profound way.  He is very strong in Biblical theology and this dictates much of his reading of Romans.  I would call this commentary a hybrid between the NICNT and the NIVAC: it's both technical and applicational... [Full Review]

This is an exceptional commentary that is shorter (remember that this word is relative) and less expensive (and so is this) than Cranfield. Although the commentary is on the English text, Moo makes plenty of technical comments on the Greek text in the footnotes throughout. Moo is an evangelical and this is reflected in his exegetical decisions, but he interacts with many scholars who don't share his conservative views.  He is of the "old perspective" camp, though he interacts and often sees benefits of the "new perspective"... [Full Review]

This is simply a must-buy. Cranfield's commentary, though somewhat dated, is still the best overall commentary on Romans.  Cranfield succeeds in writing an extremely detailed commentary on the Greek text that also doesn't lose sight of the big picture of the letter. Admittedly, you need to have a decent grip of Greek to even be able to read the commentary because he comments on the Greek text extensively (There is a non-technical abridgment for those who don't know Greek, but I have not read it so I can't comment on it's worth)... [Full Review]

This is a massive work by a colossal scholar in the field of Old Testament studies. Bruce Waltke is an outstanding scholar; if you can get your hands on any of his works, do it. At nearly 1,000 pages, this isn’t a book that I have read from cover to cover, but a book I’ve used as a reference tool. Part 1 can indeed be read from front to back and is probably meant to be, focusing on the task, method, and overview of Old Testament biblical theology. In Part 2 Waltke moves through the Old Testament book by book, though each book isn’t necessarily covered in one chapter, nor is every book given its own chapter... [Full Review]

John Walton has written a fantastic little book (170 pages) on Genesis 1 that has transformed how I now understand this text. Essentially, Walton sets out to interpret Genesis one through the lens of “ancient cosmology.” He argues quite convincingly that we have misread and imposed our modern ideas of creation on the text and he seeks to correct this reading. The book is formatted by 18 “propositions” which Walton then defends, giving one chapter per proposition. The first 11 propositions were best in my opinion... [Full Review]

T. Desmond Alexander (a favorite scholar/writer of mine) has written a superb introduction to the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). Do you struggle reading through parts of Genesis (maybe), or Exodus (maybe), or Leviticus (definitely), or Numbers (yes & insert Christian pick-up line), or Deuteronomy (Idk even know how to spell that, let alone read it)? Then this book is for you (so basically it’s for everyone)... [Full Review]

The best book on Christ’s parables also happens to be the most comprehensive (600 pages). Snodgrass’ Stories with Intent is a must buy for anyone studying the parables. The introduction to parables is relatively short compared to other works (only 50 pages), but that only means the bulk of the book is dedicated to the study of the actual parables... [Full Review]

This isn’t a must buy solely for the study of Jesus’ parables, but because of the comprehensive study of Jesus Himself. This book isn’t a book on the parables, but a book on Jesus. For the purpose of this page I’ll focus on the “parable” section of the book (but know that there’s much more). Bailey has long been known as a skilled interpreter of parables because of his other books on them, specifically on the Prodigal Son... [Full Review]

A large, excellent work by a preeminent Biblical scholar, Goldingay’s Biblical Theology is a book that will benefit all. The purpose of this book is to let the Biblical Text speak for itself and to draw theology from the text without the influence of today’s Christian theology. Goldingay says it this way, “I aim to write a critical biblical theology in the sense that I seek to avoid reading into the Scriptures the categories and convictions of postbiblical Christian theology.”... [Full Review]

If you purchase one book on Biblical Theology, this is the one. I’ll go so far as to say that the next book you purchase that has anything do with the Bible should be this one. It’s that good. T. Desmond Alexander is great scholar and an excellent author and his book From Eden to the New Jerusalem will absolutely transform how you see and read the Bible. Essentially, Alexander traces several themes throughout the Biblical Narrative, drawing these themes from Revelation 21-22... [Full Review]

Rarely do I find a book that I know I will reread and continue to reread for the rest of my life, Dominion and Dynasty is one of those books. The subtitle of the book describes the book well, “A theology of the Hebrew Bible.” Dempster, sees the Old Testament, specifically the Tanak (Hebrew Bible) as one unified Story. The Tanak is structured differently than our Old Testament; same books different order. Dempster argues that following the order of the Tanak: Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings) shows purposeful structure, composition, and narrative plot... [Full Review]

I’ve recently grown to love Graham Cole’s work, so if you can get your hands on any of his books, you’ll be better for it. In The God Who Became Human, Cole traces the theme of incarnation throughout the Biblical Story. This is quite the endeavor, because the incarnation of God is not something most scholars see in the OT (Cole agrees that it’s not explicit). He handles these issues well: “The Old Testament expected human agents or even divine agents of the Divine purpose to come to Israel’s aid at some juncture and it’s future… But an incarnate divine-human deliver? On the surface of it there seen then to have been two distinct but unsynthesized lines of expectation–one concerning God and another concerning a human agent–that constituted the mainsprings of Israel’s hope.” [Full Review]

What a title right? Graham Cole says this of the title, “[The title] attempts to capture this important biblical perspective on what God intends for His broken creation.”6 Cole, a respected theologian, sets out to write a Biblical theology on atonement (quite the task), and he hits a biblical-theological-doxological home run. The first three chapters tell the story of the world’s problem while the next three chapters tell the story of God’s solution... [Full Review]

The shortest commentary on the list (under 250 pages), but there is still a lot of great material here. Thielman is a well-respected New Testament scholar and someone I really enjoy reading (his Ephesians commentary is one of the best). The NIVAC series is meant to be less technical in nature compared to the other commentaries on the list... [Full Review]

A treasure trove of information, but sometimes you must really dig! Ruemann is a Lutheran scholar with a liberal leaning who has written the most detailed commentary on Philippians to date. Essentially, the information in this commentary is massive and it’s a reference that a scholar or seminary student must use when studying Paul’s letter, but it is not as useful for the pastor or laymen (partly because the discussion is so technical and also because of the sheer time it takes to get through it all). Ruemann does think that Paul wrote the letter, but he argues idiosyncratically that Philippians is actually a combination of three separate letters that Paul had written to the churches in Philippi... [Full Review]

This is a very well-rounded commentary in an exceptional series written by a knowledgeable New Testament scholar and skilled exegete. Silva’s introduction to the letter is short(ish) but solid. Don’t miss his discussion of the “Exegetical History” of Philippians where he dives into a fascinating discussion on the expositions of Chrysostom, Aquinas, Calvin, and others. Silva’s strengths are his exegetical insights and along side that, his theological insights. [Full Review]

David Garland is an accomplished New Testament scholar and commentary writer who has now written a fantastic commentary on Philippians. If you purchase this book you also get a commentary on Ephesians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon by several different authors (some of which are highly respected scholars). Quite the deal! The REBC series ranges from semi-technical to devotional in its commentary content. I classify Garland’s commentary as semi-technical... [Full Review]

Possibly the best commentary I have ever read. Fee is an outstanding scholar who’s love for the Lord oozes out in his writing. His writing is not only doxological, but engaging and easy to read. Furthermore, his exegetical skill and ability to follow Paul’s train of thought is masterful. He takes Paul to be the author of the letter and sees the purpose of the letter to “[lie] with the phrase ‘your progress in the faith’ (1:25), which for Paul ultimately has to do with the progress of the gospel, both in their lives and in their city.”... [Full Review]

This series has been very impressive. Hellerman’s work on Philippians was the first of this series that I purchased and I’m so glad that I did. In fact, this work was so exceptional that I purchased two other books in the series. This exegetical guide is detailed in exegetical analysis (as expected), but Hellerman also adds his own commentary that is often very insightful. He has worked on the letter to the Philippians for many years and has a strong grasp of the Philippian culture, making this exegetical guide stand above the rest... [Full Review]

John Stott is a prominent name within Evangelical circles and was a primary leader of Evangelicalism until his death in 2011. He’s authored numerous commentaries and books, some of which are classics. This Ephesians commentary is among his better works. Unlike, the other commentaries on the list Stott’s commentary is not technical. He deals sparingly with the Greek text and focuses more on the flow of the letter, pastoral insights, and devotional applications... [Full Review]

The BECNT series is one of the most consistent commentary series available. Frank Thielman’s commentary on Ephesians is no exception. Prior to this commentary, Thielman had already done extensive work in Ephesians, writing the chapter on Ephesians for Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. This experience in Ephesians shines through, especially in Thielman’s grasp of Paul’s use of the OT (Paul likes using OT passages at crucial junctions in his letters)... [Full Review]

The Evangelical Exegetical Commentary is a great, new series that is the first of its kind. It is the first ever commentary series produced specifically for an electronic format (Logos Bible Software). The commentary format on Logos is exceptional and very user friendly. It connects the user to all of the other resources in their library and is linked to additional resources that can be purchased if desired. The usability of the commentary is not its only upside, Baugh has written a fantastic commentary on Ephesians. This commentary stands out for several reasons... [Full Review]

Dr. Hoehner was a long time professor of New Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary and his commentary on Ephesians is his magnum opus. It is a an exegetical masterpiece and the most extensive commentary on the list. Hoehner’s detail is at times overwhelming. He lifts up and looks under every rock found in this letter…and then he also digs in the mud that was uncovered. If I had to describe this commentary with one word it would have to be systematic... [Full Review]

Topping the list is Clinton Arnold’s commentary on Ephesians. Arnold has spent a lot of time studying Ephesians and the ancient city of Ephesus, even writing his Phd dissertation on Ephesians. The amount of time he has spent studying the book is evident not only in the introduction but also in the superb commentary itself. The layout of the series is very user friendly... [Full Review]

This series has impressed me thus far and Merkle’s work on Ephesians is no exception. This is less of a commentary and more of…you guessed it, an “Exegetical Guide.” Every paragraph is analyzed through a structural layout diagram and then each Greek phrase is discussed in detail. This discussion focuses mainly on grammar, syntax, and exegetical problems... [Full Review]

Don’t let Webb’s ranking fool you, this commentary is also very good. To be honest, any of these top five commentaries, especially 2-5 could be switched up. All of them will serve a student of God’s Word well. Webb’s commentary is semi-technical, although the footnotes do include much technical discussion for the reader that is interested... [Full Review]

Mark Boda is an esteemed evangelical Old Testament scholar, currently teaching at McMaster Divinity College. Boda’s commentary is part of Book 2 in the REBC Series that includes commentary on: Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. This commentary is not a two-for-one but a five-for-one! The commentary series as a whole is normally more introductory and non-technical, but Boda has delivered a fantastic semi-technical commentary on Judges... [Full Review]

Another two-for-one deal here, and yet again, I have not read any of the commentary on Ruth. But, yet again, like Chisholm, Block’s commentary on Judges is superb. It’s really bugging me to have this commentary listed as number “3”; it’s just too good to be number 3, but I have Dr. Chisholm as a professor, so he edges out Block because of my personal bias. In all seriousness though, Block’s commentary cannot be overlooked... [Full Review]

You get a two-for-one deal with this commentary as Dr. Chisholm has written a commentary on both Judges and Ruth. Chisholm is a longtime Old Testament professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and has worked extensively with the historical books of the OT. I admit I have not yet read any of the commentary on Ruth, though I will begin to do so for a Hebrew class in the fall of 2017 (at DTS nonetheless)... [Full Review]

This is an outstanding technical commentary by a well established Old Testament scholar (Butler wrote the commentary on Joshua in the same series). Butler actually takes a somewhat conservative view of the book, especially when compared to his less conservative views of Joshua. He sees the book as a theological history of Israel that is mostly sequential, but not necessarily chronological. This is a technical commentary so there is plenty of textual/translation notes, form and structure discussion, and exegesis of the Hebrew text... [Full Review]

Dale Ralph Davis has written many Old Testament commentaries and expositions, all of which are great, and his Judges: Such a Great Salvation is no exception. It is less of a commentary and more of a running exposition, though he does discuss some technical issues when pertinent to the understanding of a passage... [Full Review]

This commentary by Richard Hess is smaller than the other two, but it packs a punch. Dr. Hess is a renowned Old Testament scholar and is known for his insights into the Ancient Near East. His profound knowledge of the historical background shines through in this commentary. The introduction which covers the person of Joshua, the composition of the book, and the theology of the book, is well worth the meager price of the book... [Full Review]

This commentary is superb. The only reason it’s ranked #2 is because Howard doesn’t deal as extensively with the Hebrew when compared to Harstad. However, he certainly covers the Hebrew text sufficiently and is often incisive when doing so. Howard does a great job of showing parallels and connections to other Old Testament passages, especially connections to the Pentateuch. Additionally, he interacts often with other interpreters throughout the commentary (usually in footnotes)... [Full Review]

This work is gigantic, weighing in at over 900 pages, but it’s excellent. The series summarizes its position on Scripture by stating, “The commentary fully affirms the divine inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture as it emphasizes ‘that which promotes Christ’ in each pericope.” It is written within the conservative Lutheran tradition (one that I’m fond of because I grew up in it!) and as expected many of Harstad’s interpretive decisions are conservative. A huge plus of this commentary series is the layout. Every pericope is written in English and then written in Hebrew. Each Hebrew phrase is broken down grammatically... [Full Review]