Cor. 16:17).

There were divisive groups (1 Cor. 1:11–12); a case of incest of such a sort that it was shocking even to the pagans (1 Cor. 5:1); petty lawsuits being publicly aired (1 Cor. 6:1); need of instruction concerning marriage and divorce (1 Cor. 7); disagreements over eating meat that had previously been sacrificed to pagan idols (1 Cor. 8:1–11:1); various matters relating to worship and the use of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12–14); and a denial by some in the church of the reality of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12). That’s a dizzying list of difficulties, and that’s not even all of them. It was a church with a wide array of questions and concerns.

Once again, the observation of Machen is worth noting: First Corinthians deals with certain concrete problems of an ancient church. Those problems are not our problems . . . [But] Paul had the remarkable faculty of viewing even petty problems in the light of eternal principles. Here is the remarkable thing about First Corinthians—every question that is discussed in it is tested by the fire of evangelical truth. Hence the permanent value of the Epistle. How to apply the lofty principles of the gospel to the routine of daily life is the fundamental problem of Christian conduct. That problem cannot be solved for any man in detail, for the details of life are of endless variety; but the method of solution has been set forth in First Corinthians.

This is a good reminder that every Christian in every age must seek to apply Scripture to their own context. For that, we need help. Begin by using a good study Bible, like the Reformation Study Bible. Fuller commentaries are available, ranging from relatively simple ones to deeply technical ones. Helpful lists of the best commentaries have been compiled by Keith Mathison, Tim Challies, and others. Always remember that your greatest help is going to come from God. Psalm 119:18 is a good prayer to use whenever you read or study the Bible: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

: J. Gresham Machen, The New Testament: An Introduction to its Literature and History (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1976), 131. : Ibid., 134.

A little over a decade ago (2008–2009), I put together a series of blog posts on the best commentaries for each book of the Bible. The feedback was very positive. Since that time, many new commentaries have been written, and several new commentary series have been launched. Because of this, I have updated all of the top 5 lists to take into account these new publications.

Each article to follow contains, first, a list of the five commentaries that I found to be the most helpful on a given biblical book. This is followed by a list of “Runners Up” in no particular order. Finally, I have included a section where I suggest one or more books that are not commentaries. Often these are books dealing extensively with some important biblical-theological theme.

Because of questions I have received from readers about the old series, I do want to note a few things:

The inclusion of a commentary or book in these lists does not mean that I agree with or endorse every particular interpretation found within it or everything that author may have said elsewhere. If a book is included in one of these articles, it simply means that I find the book helpful in one way or another to at least some audiences.

I have not read every one of these commentaries from cover to cover. They are reference works, and I use them as reference works. I have read some cover to cover. I have read extensively in others. I have used others for study of specific passages.

Aside from one or two very recent exceptions, I have not been provided copies of these commentaries by publishers. I have purchased some. I have borrowed others from libraries. The commentaries I have included on these lists are there because I found them helpful in one way or another. They are not included because of any quid pro quo arrangement with any publishers. If any publishers did begin to send complimentary copies of commentaries, I would not object (commentaries are generally expensive), but it would not guarantee a recommendation of any particular commentary.

Finally, I would like to make a few general observations regarding these updated top 5 lists.

In some cases, my updated top 5 commentaries on a given book of the Bible are the same as they were twelve years ago. In a few cases, there is an entirely new top 5. In most cases, there are a few new titles that made it into the top 5. There are a variety of reasons for this.

First, commentaries take a long time to write, edit, and publish. With some biblical books, especially Old Testament books, only a small number of commentaries have been published in the last decade. Also, the fact that a commentary is newer doesn’t necessarily mean that it is better, so even if a new commentary has been published, I may not have found it as helpful as other older commentaries.

Second, more new commentaries are

The book of Acts is Luke’s sequel to his Gospel. It traces the first decades in the history of the church after the resurrection of Christ, focusing in particular on the work of Peter and Paul. There are a number of very good commentaries on the book of Acts, including Dr. Sproul’s expository commentary. The following are five that I have found to be the particularly helpful.

Runners-Up: There are a number of other helpful commentaries on the book of Acts, including those by Ben Witherington, I. Howard Marshall, C. K. Barrett (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, or abridged version), [James Montgomery

The book of Daniel is set within the context of the sixth-century exile. The events narrated in the first six chapters date from the year Nebuchadnezzar deported Daniel and his friends (605) to the third year of Cyrus (536). This spans the entire period of the Babylonian exile. The exile was one of the key events in the history of Israel, and the book of Daniel is set in the midst of this important time of transition for the people of God. The visions found in the last six chapters of Daniel extend beyond the Babylonian exile, although how far they extend into the future is a matter of intense debate. Like Ezekiel, the book of Daniel contains a number of enigmatic prophecies. And like Ezekiel, the difficult nature of these prophecies has resulted in a wide variety of conflicting interpretations. The lack of consensus presents a challenge for the reader, but it is not necessarily an insurmountable one. An examination of the best commentaries can be helpful in sorting through the issues. The following are five of the most helpful commentaries on the book of Daniel.

There are a number of good conservative commentaries on the book of Daniel, but I still find the older work of E. J. Young to be one of the most helpful. When it comes to the book of Daniel, it is doubtful that any reader will agree with every conclusion of a single commentator, and I disagree with Young on a few points. Young, however, is usually the first work I look at when I turn to commentaries on Daniel. Still very highly recommended.

Turning from a classic Reformed commentary on Daniel to one of the newest, Iain Duguid’s work on Daniel in the Reformed Expository Commentary series is an outstanding reference. This commentary should be of use to both pastors and general readers.

Students of Scripture should read anything that Sinclair Ferguson publishes, and his commentary on Daniel is no exception. Although aimed specifically at pastors, this commentary is accessible to a general readership as well. Very helpful.

Those who have already read my “top 5” posts on the historical books know that I think Davis’ commentaries on those books are “must-reads.” The same is true here. Even on those interpretive points where I might disagree with him, I enjoy reading Davis. Pastors should certainly not skip this volume.

Although Lucas does not settle firmly on an early or late date for Daniel (he concludes that it is possible to make a reasonable case for either date), he has written a commentary that is worth consulting. This commentary is slightly more technical than the four listed above, but it is not so technical that the average reader

In a 1996 guide to the best commentaries, Derek Thomas wrote, “There is a famine of really good commentaries on Exodus.” Dr. Thomas’ commentary guide has since been updated, but at that time, the best contemporary commentary one could recommend on the book of Exodus was by Brevard Childs, and it could not be recommended unconditionally because it reflected Childs’ critical stance. Thankfully, the situation has changed in the last couple of decades, and there are now a number of good commentaries on Exodus from which to choose.

Desmond Alexander’s long-awaited commentary on Exodus was finally published in 2017. While I take issue with Alexander’s understanding of the authorship of Exodus, his commentary itself is filled with so many helpful insights that I have to place it at the top of this revised top 5 list. Alexander’s strength is biblical theology, so this commentary is particularly helpful for those who want to see how Exodus fits within the larger biblical context.

I first discovered Douglas Stuart’s work when I read his Old Testament Exegesis textbook. Some years later, I read his commentary on Hosea–Jonah and was very impressed. I had high expectations, therefore, when I obtained a copy of his commentary on Exodus, and I was not disappointed. Stuart begins his work with a thirty-page introduction containing a very helpful emphasis on the theology of Exodus. He then moves directly into the text with a verse-by-verse examination of Exodus that extends approximately 750 pages. Stuart’s comments on the biblical text are clear and readable. The more technical issues are relegated to the footnotes.

J. Alec Motyer has written a large number of books and commentaries over the course of his career. He is particularly well known for his extensive work on the book of Isaiah. Because of the space limitations in the BST series, my expectations for his commentary on Exodus were minimal, but I was pleasantly surprised. On almost every page, the reader finds helpful insights into the meaning of the second book of Moses. Very highly recommended.

John Mackay has written a number of commentaries on the Old Testament prophetic books. In this volume, he moves to the Pentateuch with great success. His work should be consulted by every serious student of Exodus.

As is the case with his Genesis commentary, this one can be a dry read at times, but it is still worth consulting. For each section of the text, Hamilton provides his own translation, followed by grammatical and lexical notes, and the commentary proper. The grammatical and lexical notes on important words in each section are particularly helpful.

Runners-Up:

There are a number of other commentaries on the book of Exodus that have

With this article, we begin to look at the best commentaries on the Old Testament Prophetic Books. For a good introductory overview of these books, I would recommend O. Palmer Robertson’s The Christ of the Prophets.

Of all the eighth-century prophetic books, none matches the sheer scope of the book of Isaiah. His book covers the common prophetic themes of impending judgment and future restoration, but Isaiah also focuses much attention on the coming messianic King, the servant of God. Isaiah’s significance may be seen in the fact that his book is quoted in the New Testament more than all of the other Old Testament prophets combined. There are a number of quite helpful commentaries on this prophetic book, and the following are five of the best.

The best commentary on Isaiah, hands down, is Motyer’s stand-alone volume published by InterVarsity Press. It is semi-technical, so those who are not trained in the biblical languages may find some sections more difficult than others, but the wealth of exegetical insight is worth the effort. For those who would like to gain the benefits of Motyer’s work without the technicalities, he has also contributed the volume on Isaiah to the Tyndale series. This smaller volume is not simply a summary of the larger work. Motyer went back to the text, and this smaller volume contains many helpful insights not found in the larger work.

The completion of John Oswalt’s commentary on Isaiah in 1998 was a major blessing to the Christian church. This work, which replaced E.J. Young’s older three-volume commentary on Isaiah in the NICOT series, is a model of careful evangelical scholarship. It should be on the desk of every student of the Old Testament. It should be consulted along with Motyer. Oswalt has also written a less technical commentary on Isaiah for the NIV Application Commentary series. This volume does not replace the larger two-volume work, but it will be of use to busy pastors.

Edward J. Young was one of the founding faculty at Westminster Theological Seminary and taught Old Testament there for many years. His massive three-volume commentary on Isaiah is something of a modern classic among Reformed students of Scripture. It has been replaced in the NICOT series by the fine work of Oswalt, but it should not be relegated to the dust bin. There is much of value in these volumes.

Only the first volume of this commentary in the EP Study Commentary series was complete when I first wrote this blog series. Now the second volume is available. This should prove to be a standard work for

The book of James is possibly the earliest writing found in the New Testament canon. It was likely written after Paul began to bring the gospel to the gentiles but before he and James met at the Jerusalem Council (cf. Acts 15). In short, the book of James was likely written sometime in the early to mid 40s. Traditionally, the epistle has been attributed to James the brother of Jesus, and a strong case can be made for this traditional view. The letter was likely written in Jerusalem by James and sent to Jewish Christians who had been scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen (cf. Acts 11:19). There are a number of helpful commentaries on the book of James, and the following are five of the best.

Runners-Up: There are a number of other helpful commentaries on the book of James. Among them are the works by Christopher Morgan and Dale Ellenburg, David Nystrom, Ralph Martin, Thomas Manton, Daniel Doriani, Dan McCartney, Ben Witherington, Kurt Richardson, and George Guthrie.

With this post, we begin to look at the best commentaries on the Old Testament Wisdom Books and Psalms. For a good introductory overview of these books, I would recommend Daniel Estes’ Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms and Derek Kidner’s The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes. Estes’ book is essentially a mini-commentary on all of these books, while Kidner’s work is focused more on the nature of Wisdom literature. In this post, we look at the deeply profound book of Job. The following are five of the most helpful commentaries on this book of Scripture.

As readers of this series of blog posts will know, I find the layout of the Word Biblical Commentaries a bit exasperating. However, some of the commentaries in the series are so good that it is worth the effort to deal with the poor editorial decisions of the publisher. Clines’ commentary on Job is one of those works. This is the best commentary available on the book. Clines is one of those commentators who realizes the necessity of dealing not only with the minutiae of the text, but with the big picture as well. It is a more technical commentary, but those who take the time to work through it will be rewarded. Very highly recommended.

Hartley’s commentary on Job is not as comprehensive or technical as Clines’ work, but it is not written at an introductory level either. It is a thorough and demanding work that supplements Clines well. Readers will find much insight into the meaning of Job here. Highly recommended.

For those seeking a more introductory-level commentary on the book of Job, Francis Anderson’s commentary is the best place to start. Anderson is a renowned scholar, and the commentary reflects his learning without becoming overly technical. Virtually any reader should be able to pick up this volume and work their way through it with little difficulty. A very helpful introductory commentary.

I may be somewhat partial to the commentary by Elmer Smick because he was one of my professors during the final years of his life. He is not as well-known as some of the other commentators mentioned in these posts, but he was a godly man, and his devotion to Jesus Christ is evident on the pages of his commentary on Job.

The Bible Speaks Today volumes vary in terms of quality and helpfulness. The volume on Job by David Atkinson is one of the more helpful works in the series. There is much of practical value here.

Runners-Up:

There are a number of other helpful commentaries on the book of Job. Among them

With this post, we begin to look at the best commentaries on the Old Testament Historical Books. For a good introductory overview of these books, I would recommend Victor P. Hamilton’s Handbook on the Historical Books and David M. Howard’s An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books. The two supplement each other well. Hamilton’s book is essentially a mini-commentary on all of these books, while Howard’s book focuses on introductory and theological issues. Today, we look at the transitional book of Joshua. The following are five of the most helpful commentaries on this book of Scripture.

I will go ahead and say now that all of Dale Ralph Davis’ commentaries on the Old Testament historical books are outstanding. They are non-technical, beginner-intermediate level works, but they offer more insight into these biblical books than many commentaries two or three times their size. If you can only have one commentary on each biblical book, get Davis on the historical books.

The original Tyndale Old and New Testament Commentary series was one of the most consistent commentary series available today. Most other series have some really good commentaries, some mediocre commentaries, and at least a handful of commentaries that are not very helpful at all. The volumes in the original Tyndale series, on the other hand, were consistently good. The original volumes are gradually being replaced by newer ones, some of which are better than others. The original Tyndale commentary on Joshua by Hess is a particularly good volume. Like Davis’ commentary, this one is also written at an intermediate level and is accessible to all readers.

David M. Howard’s introduction to the historical books of the Old Testament is an outstanding work. In this volume, he is able to devote much more space to Joshua. The result is a truly helpful commentary.

Like the other commentaries in the NICOT series, this one is slightly more technical in nature than the commentaries mentioned above (although not much more technical than the commentary by Howard). Most of the really difficult material, however, is found in the footnotes. The body of the text is readable and insightful. Very helpful overall.

Butler’s commentary was originally published in 1983. In 2014, it was revised and updated and re-released in two volumes. As mentioned in previous top 5 posts, the Word Biblical Commentaries have a layout that is truly unfriendly to the reader. It is also a bit more technical in nature than the commentaries already mentioned. For those doing in-depth exegesis, however, it provides helpful information.

Runners-Up:

There are a number of other commentaries on the book of Joshua that are worth consulting. Among them are those by

How many Christians have resolved to read through the entire Bible and made good progress through Genesis and Exodus only to hit a wall and give up when they reach Leviticus? With all of its different laws regarding the Old Covenant priesthood and various sacrifices, it can be quite difficult to understand. We often find ourselves asking about Leviticus, “What does this mean, and how is it relevant today?”

When the meaning of the book is grasped, however, and we begin to see the way in which these laws foreshadowed the person and work of Jesus Christ, the reading of this magnificent part of God’s inspired Word becomes an encouraging and edifying joy rather than a chore. For those who have struggled to understand the meaning and relevance of Leviticus, a good commentary can shed a lot of light. The following are what I believe to be the five most helpful commentaries on the book of Leviticus.

I have already written a review of Wenham’s commentary on Leviticus elsewhere, so I will be very brief here. This commentary is not only the best commentary on the book of Leviticus, it is one of the best commentaries on any book of the Bible that I have read.

If you can afford more than one commentary on Leviticus, Hartley’s commentary in the WBC series is a good choice. It supplements Wenham well. The only drawback, as with all volumes in the WBC series, is the layout. Once the reader becomes used to it, however, it is not as much of an issue.

Many of the commentaries in the NAC series are strong, and Rooker’s work on Leviticus is a good example. It is both exegetically thorough and well written.

If you can only have one commentary on Leviticus and you want something at an introductory level, this commentary by Sklar is the best choice. Although short in terms of pages, it is not short in terms of helpful insights.

Jacob Milgrom is considered by many to be the world’s foremost expert on the book of Leviticus. He has written a massive (2,500 page) three-volume commentary on Leviticus in the Anchor Bible series (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3)—[Note: Having been purchased by Yale Univ. Press, the series is now titled the Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries]. The Continental Commentary is a more accessible version, without all the technical details. I haven’t ranked it higher because Milgrom approaches Leviticus from an unnecessarily critical stance. This means this commentary must be used with great care and discernment.

Runners-Up:

There are a number of other commentaries on the book of Leviticus that are worth consulting. Among them are those by Baruch Levine, W.H. Bellinger, R.K. Harrison,

The book of Obadiah, the shortest in the Old Testament, is a brief oracle against the nation of Edom. Its date is uncertain. Scholars have proposed dates ranging from the ninth century to the post-exilic period. My own view is that it is to be dated in the early exilic period (ca. 585–580). Like all oracles against the nations, Obadiah’s prophecy indicates that God rules over all nations. Edom represents all nations that are hostile to God and to His kingdom. Such nations will always be judged. There are a number of helpful commentaries on Obadiah, and the following are five of the best.

Runners-Up: There are a number of other helpful commentaries on the book of Obadiah, including those by Billy Smith and Irvin Busenitz. At a more introductory level are the works by Michael Bentley, James Boice, and David Field.

Helpful Related Works A volume that will be helpful not only for understanding Obadiah but for all of the prophets is Victor Matthews’ The Hebrew Prophets and Their Social World. This article is part of the Top 5 Commentaries collection.

The book of Psalms is one of the most beloved portions of Holy Scripture. Its contents are read and sung by millions every day. The book is actually a collection of 150 individual songs composed over a period of approximately 1,000 years, from the time of Moses (Psalm 90) to the post-exilic period (Psalm 126). Seventy-three of the psalms are explicitly attributed to David, but other authors are mentioned as well. There are a number of books available that offer some helpful introductory insights into the book of Psalms. One of the most helpful is C. Hassell Bullock’s Encountering the Book of Psalms. In addition to these works, there are a number of great commentaries on the book of Psalms. The following are five of the most helpful.

Along with D.A. Carson’s commentary on Matthew, this is one of the two or three best commentaries in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary series. It is certainly the most helpful commentary on the Psalms that I have yet read. For each psalm, VanGemeren provides a substantive introduction followed by expository comments and textual notes on every verse. In many cases, these comments are then followed by an Appendix dealing more fully with some important issue in that particular psalm. I cannot recommend this commentary highly enough. It should be used by every student of Scripture.

I have long enjoyed Allen Ross’ commentary on Genesis, Creation & Blessing, but I only recently discovered his three-volume commentary on Psalms. He brings the same gifts to the exegesis of this book as he brought to Genesis. There is in-depth exegesis, analysis of theological themes, and suggested application for each psalm. A very helpful work.

The NIVAC series is a mixed bag, but Gerald Wilson’s initial volume on the Psalms is one of the standouts. The NIVAC series divides comments into three sections: Original Meaning, Bridging Contexts, and Contemporary Significance. In most of the commentaries in this series, the author will do very well in one or maybe two of those sections. Wilson is one of the few who succeeds in all three. Because of Wilson’s death, he was unable to write the second volume. This task was given to Dennis Tucker and Jamie Grant. Considering how high Wilson set the bar, they did an admirable job completing this commentary.

I ran across this commentary years ago when it was part of the now defunct Mastering the Old Testament series. I have always found something of value when I have opened these volumes to see what Williams has to say on a given psalm. This is a non-technical, highly readable commentary, with a strongly devotional and practical approach.

The books of Samuel deal in the broadest sense with the establishment of the monarchy in Israel in fulfillment of promises found within the Pentateuch. Within this larger context, these books focus primarily on the stories of three important individuals in the history of Israel: Samuel, Saul, and David. The following are five of the most helpful commentaries on the books of Samuel.

Davis’ commentaries on Joshua and Judges set a standard for readable, insightful, introductory-level commentaries on the historical books of the Old Testament. His volumes on the books of Samuel maintain that high standard. These commentaries are written at a level accessible to the layman, yet they offer numerous insights for pastors and teachers that other commentaries overlook. I cannot recommend these two commentaries highly enough.

Although volume 3 of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary contains commentaries on Deuteronomy–2 Samuel, Youngblood’s work on Samuel takes up approximately half of the entire volume. It is one of the three best commentaries in this series (along with Carson on Matthew and Van Gemeren on the Psalms). It is probably the most helpful intermediate-level commentary on the books of Samuel.

The best intermediate-advanced-level commentary on the first book of Samuel is now the commentary by David Tsumura in the NICOT series. It is very well written and very thorough. Tsumura’s expertise in the languages of the ancient Near East is evident throughout.

It is almost impossible to go wrong with any of the Tyndale commentaries. Baldwin contributed several commentaries to this series, including those on Esther, Daniel, and the post-exilic prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The commentary on the books of Samuel is a great example of Baldwin’s high-quality work. A very good introductory-intermediate-level commentary.

Arnold’s commentary on the books of Samuel in the NIVAC series is one of the better contributions. The strength of the NIVAC series is its focus on contemporary applications, and Arnold is helpful here, but he is also concerned to deal with the original meaning of the text and does so very well. It is an engaging work.

Runners-Up:

There are a number of other helpful commentaries on the books of Samuel. Robert Bergen has contributed a solid commentary to the New American Commentary series. Gordon Keddie has contributed two volumes to the Welwyn Commentary Series (Dawn of a Kingdom, Triumph of the King). On the more technical side are the contributions to the Word Biblical Commentary series by Ralph Klein and A.A. Anderson. Heath Thomas and J.D. Greear have contributed the volume on 1 & 2 Samuel for the Christ-Centered Exposition series published by

The historical context of Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonians is found in Acts 17:1–10. This narrative recounts Paul’s work in the city of Thessalonica during his second missionary journey. While there he spoke in the synagogue, persuading some Jews and even more God-fearing gentiles that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Some of the Jews, however, became envious and dragged a few of Paul’s converts before the city authorities, claiming that the Christians were being seditious (“saying that there is another king, Jesus”). Paul and Silas were forced to leave the city, so they made their way to Berea. Paul would soon afterward travel to Athens and then Corinth. Paul wrote the first epistle to the Thessalonians after being forced to leave the city. He was concerned for these new believers because of the persecution they were suffering. His first epistle to them was probably written while he was in the city of Corinth, sometime in the latter part of AD 50 or early 51. The second epistle was written not long afterward. There are a number of helpful commentaries on the Thessalonian epistles, and the following are five of the best.

With the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, the continuous historical narrative of the Old Testament comes to a close. These two books were originally a single work, and most commentaries treat them together. Ezra and Nehemiah cover an historical period of approximately one hundred years, from the decree of Cyrus permitting the exiles to return to their homeland to Nehemiah’s time in office. The following are five of the most helpful commentaries on Ezra/Nehemiah.

Ezra and Nehemiah are challenging books for contemporary readers. The best commentaries for those seeking to understand these books are the commentaries by Fensham and Rata (below).

This exegetical and practical commentary is written from a more self-consciously evangelical perspective. There is much in this commentary that will prove especially helpful for pastors.

Williamson’s commentary is a scholarly standard on these books and should be consulted in conjunction with Fensham’s and Rata’s commentaries. There is more technical information in Williamson’s work, but it is less user friendly due to the cumbersome format of the WBC.

For those seeking a good introductory-level commentary on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, I would recommend Derek Kidner’s commentary. He is one of those commentators whose work is consistently good.

Breneman’s commentary does not compare with Fensham’s and Williamson’s, but for those seeking helpful summaries of the more technical work that has been done on these books, his is a helpful work.

Runners-Up:

There are a number of other helpful commentaries on Ezra and Nehemiah. Among them are those by J.G. McConville, James Hamilton, Raymond Brown (Nehemiah only) and Stan Evers. Seminary students will also want to consult the work of David J.A. Clines.

Helpful Related Works:

The chapters on Ezra and Nehemiah in Bruce Waltke’sOld Testament Theology and Miles Van Pelt’sA Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament are very helpful. This article is part of the Top 5 Commentaries collection.

A few years ago, I ran across a comic strip in which one of the figures says, "Those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it. Yet those who do study history are doomed to stand by helplessly while everyone else repeats it." This comic is a humorous, albeit somewhat cynical, play on the well-known quote by the American philosopher George Santayana (1863–1952), who wrote: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." It is a well-known and widely used quote because there is much truth in it.

The truth that Santayana grasped is abundantly illustrated in the history of the modern evangelical church. We are a people who have forgotten our roots, and in many cases we really don't seem to care. The church exists in a world of rapidly changing technology, a world in which almost everyone has been assimilated into the incessant chatter of social media and real-time updates on everything from world politics to what your friend had for breakfast this morning. If we are to be relevant, we too must be a people of the new and the now. Or so we think.

The consequences of such ideas in the church are there for all to see. Numerous polls indicate widespread biblical and theological illiteracy. Numerous professing Christians do not know the contents of Scripture. Those who have read the Bible very often have no idea what it means and how the various books contribute to the whole. A recent study sponsored by Ligonier Ministries indicates that a large percentage of professing Christians unwittingly hold views regarding the Trinity, Jesus Christ, sin, and salvation that are technically heretical.

We are not where we should be, but we are not the first to be in such a position. The people of Israel forgot the past, and disastrous consequences followed. The medieval church forgot the past, with disastrous consequences being the result. What do you do when you realize you've taken a wrong turn somewhere along your journey? You go back and seek to find the correct path. We should not view the past as something that is gone and therefore useless. We should look at the past more like the way someone on the second floor of a building looks at the foundation. The foundation was built before the rest of the structure. It was built in the past. But the foundation is not something that can be discarded without catastrophic results.

Over the next few weeks, we are going to spend some time retracing our path in order to look briefly at some foundational doctrines—the five solas of the Reformation (sola Scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, soli Deo gloria). When the medieval church lost her way, the rediscovery of these fundamental doctrines helped the church regain her footing. In the past, I have written a series of blogs recommending the best commentaries on each book of the Bible. My goal in this series of blog posts is to do the same with each of

It is probably no exaggeration to say that among Christians, the Book of Leviticus is one of the most neglected books in the Bible. It is certainly one of the least understood. How many Christians have purposed to read through the entire Bible and made it through Genesis and Exodus only to get bogged down in this seemingly obscure collection of ceremonial laws and rituals? What are we to make of this book? How are these ancient laws about animal sacrifices, and priests, and ceremonial uncleanness relevant to Christians in the 21st century?

For those who have struggled with understanding Leviticus, there is no better resource than Gordon J. Wenham's commentary. Published in 1979 as part of the New International Commentary on the Old Testament series, this commentary has established itself as something of a classic. It is simply one of the best commentaries written on any book of the Bible.

The first part of the commentary is devoted to basic introductory matters. Wenham examines the title of the book, its narrative structure, its sources, its authorship and date, as well as the Hebrew text underlying his translation. Two particularly helpful sections of the Introduction are those titled "The Theology of Leviticus" and "Leviticus and the Christian." Wenham discusses the theology of Leviticus under four main headings: the presence of God, holiness, the role of sacrifice, and the Sinai Covenant.

Under the heading "The Presence of God," Wenham notes that God's presence with His people is an idea that is repeated numerous times in Leviticus. As Wenham notes, "God is preeminently present in worship" (p. 16). But God is also present in the everyday aspects of life. Wenham observes, "Leviticus distinguishes between the permanent presence of God with his people, a presence which is to regulate their whole way of life, and his visible presence in glory which was obvious on special occasions" (p. 17). God's presence in the tabernacle was, of course, the heart of the covenant (cf. Exod. 29:43-45). Wenham explains how this is relevant to the Christian (p. 18):

For the NT Christian, God's presence was made known in the incarnation. Alluding to the OT description of the tabernacle John wrote "the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. . .; we have beheld his glory" (John 1:14). For Paul every Christian is a walking shrine, a temple for the Holy Spirit in which God is to be glorified (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Like the OT tabernacle the Christian enjoys the permanent presence of the Spirit, but just as the old shrine enjoyed a special manifestation of God's glory from time to time, so the Christian should be filled with the Spirit and display God's glory to the world (cf. Acts 6:15; 7:55-56; 2 Cor. 3; Eph. 5:18).

In the section titled "Holiness," Wenham examines what is commonly recognized as one of the major themes of Leviticus (cf. 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:26). He notes that the terms "holy," "clean," "unclean," and related words are very common throughout the book. He provides a very helpful

This is part two of my interview with Michael Horton. You can read the first part here.

What is one book that's been published in the last year that you'd recommend to others? One would be the recently published work by your own Keith Mathison: From Age to Age: Unfolding Biblical Eschatology. It's hard to summarize the whole Bible, but he does a terrific job. There are many great books that have been published lately--some really helpful resources for laypeople. That's one thing that is so encouraging right now. So many people, from John Piper to Mark Dever to Don Carson to Tim Keller and R.C. Sproul are still writing popular books that invite people into a deeper understanding of the Christian faith, and the cumulative impact seems to be rising. I think it shows the power of books. Books are still a really remarkable force.

What period of church history do you think the church has produced the greatest biblical exegesis? It's hard to identify a particular period because there have always been good exegetes and bad exegetes. I do think that some of the most amazing exegetes are alive today and that some of the best commentaries are written by people today.

I agree, I think that in the last thirty to forty years there's been better exegesis than we've seen in all of church history--would you elaborate? Taking the languages seriously, the context seriously, really interpreting the Bible historically. If we consider Calvin's commentaries, they aren't meant to be preached. His commentaries are often very businesslike, but then you hit a gold mine, and it's wonderful. Even the best commentators today, Reformed or not, feel obliged to take account of Calvin's work in these commentaries. We have some of the best exegetes today who aren't even Calvinists, but when we consider Calvin's writings it's amazing he had such insight back in the sixteenth century. But I think there are many exegetes since Calvin who have improved on his exegesis. He was standing on shoulders, but not on many shoulders--and many who do exegesis today have a lot of helpful tools and many predecessors that enable them to do better work. So we just keep building on it. It's amazing.

Are you a postmillennialist, Mike? It sounds like it, doesn't it. I'm an optimistic amillennialist.

When did you write your first book and why did you write it? Mission Accomplished, which was later titled Putting Amazing Back Into Grace, published by Thomas Nelson.

What year did it come out? It came out my sophomore year in college, which was, I think, 1984.

So how old were you when you wrote it? I was fifteen when James Boice kindly wrote a foreword for it, and at that time I naively thought it would be published any day, and I'm amazed Thomas Nelson published it when I got to college. That just shows you they'll publish anything.

**By that time, were there five versions of your book, like Calvin's Institutes, or

As we move from the old year into the new one, we took a look back at some of the year's most popular blog posts. If you are new to the Ligonier blog, this is a good opportunity to catch up with some of what you may have missed. If you have been reading it for some time, you'll enjoy remembering some of the best of 2008:

Announcing Ligonier Academy. On November 12, Ligonier announced Ligonier Academy and the initial programs were greeted with a good bit of excitement, making this the most popular post of the year. Top 5 Commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew was the first of a great series of posts by Keith Mathison. He continues to move through the Bible book-by-book offering suggestions on the best commentaries for each one of them. Teaching Series for the Growing Christian provided a link to some of R.C. Sproul's teaching series on the subject of "Christian Living." R.C. Sproul on the White Horse Inn provided the video for Michael Horton's September interview of R.C. Sproul. Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Acts was, after the post on Matthew, the most popular of the "Top 5 Commentaries" series. Santa Christ was Sinclair Ferguson's encouragement to celebrate a distinctly Christian Christmas in 2008. Principles for Voting was a Renewing Your Mind broadcast in which R.C. Sproul laid out some biblical principles for voting well.

Although the fourth book of the Pentateuch is titled “Numbers” in English, its Hebrew name bemidbar (“in the wilderness”) is a more accurate description of its contents. It is largely concerned with Israel’s forty years in the wilderness as they slowly made their way from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab. The book of Numbers narrates a key chapter in the story of Israel. It describes a period of transition from the generation that God brought out of Egypt to the generation that God brought into the Promised Land. The following are five of the most helpful commentaries on this neglected book of Scripture.

Where to even begin. This is hands down the best commentary available on the Book of Numbers, and second place isn’t even close. It’s Secretariat at the Belmont Stakes winning by 31 lengths. The Introduction to this commentary is by itself invaluable. The commentary proper surpasses expectations in the level of help it provides in understanding not only Numbers, but the entire Pentateuch. I doubt this commentary will come close to being replaced any time soon. If you can own only one commentary on Numbers, make this the one.

Gordon Wenham is among the best writers of commentaries. I consider his commentaries on Genesis and Leviticus the best available commentaries on those books. He has also written one of the most generally helpful commentaries on the book of Numbers. The format of the Tyndale series means that this commentary is written at an introductory level. It is not as lengthy as his other works, but Wenham is able to say more of significance in one page than most commentators say in ten pages. Highly recommended.

For those seeking a more thorough evangelical commentary on Numbers than the Tyndale format will allow, Ashley’s work is a great place to turn. He very helpfully explores the important theological themes within the book.

The argument could be made that Cole’s commentary belongs in the second position before Ashley. Both are very helpful works, and each has its own contribution to make. A pastor or student engaged in serious study of Numbers should consult both.

The JPS Torah commentaries are written by Jewish scholars and are quite technical, but for those who are interested in digging deeply into the text, they usually offer numerous valuable insights. This is certainly the case with Milgrom’s commentary on Numbers. They are often somewhat critical, however, so they must be used with great care and discernment if they are used at all.

Runners Up: 

There are a number of other commentaries on the Book of Numbers that are worth consulting. Among them are those by Iain Duguid, John Currid, Roy Gane, Raymond Brown, David Stubbs, and R. K. Harrison.

Of the four Gospels, Luke was R.C. Sproul’s personal favorite. It is the longest of the four Gospels and the only one whose author wrote a sequel (Acts). His Gospel is addressed to one Theophilus, but it appears to have a larger and predominantly gentile audience in mind as well. Luke includes quite a bit of material not found in Matthew or Mark, much of it associated with the birth of Christ. There are not as many great commentaries on Luke as there are on Matthew or John, but there are some. In addition to the devotional commentary on Luke by Dr. Sproul titled A Walk With God, the following are five of the most generally helpful commentaries on the third Gospel.

Runners-Up: There are a number of other commentaries on the Gospel of Luke that are worth consulting depending on your goals. For teachers, I would recommend the commentary by R.T. France. If it were not out of print, I would have included in the Top 5 the original NICNT commentary on Luke by Norval Geldenhuys. I find it more helpful than its replacement by [Joel B.

The books of Genesis through Samuel describe the progressive and gradual fulfillment of God’s promises to give Abraham the land of Canaan and to make of him a great nation. The books of 1 and 2 Kings describe a major reversal, a movement toward the eventual loss of the land and exile. The books of 1 and 2 Kings recount events that cover a period of just over four hundred years, from the death of David to the release of Jehoiachin from prison in Babylon. The following are five of the most helpful commentaries on the books of 1 and 2 Kings.

I have already mentioned the high quality of Davis’ commentaries on the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, and 2 Samuel. His commentaries on 1 and 2 Kings are equally outstanding. These commentaries should be on the shelf of every Bible student and pastor.

One of the best intermediate-level commentaries on the books of 1 and 2 Kings is the commentary by Paul R. House in the NAC series. This is the commentary to which pastors should turn if they are seeking more exegetical detail than is found in the works of Davis mentioned above. House explores historical, literary, canonical, theological, and applicational concerns thoroughly and competently. Highly recommended.

Provan’s commentary on Kings in the NIBC series may be the best individual contribution to that series. The format of the series limits the amount of space the author has, but Provan uses it wisely. He explores the theological themes of the book within its larger redemptive-historical context. Very readable and useful for pastors and teachers.

Wiseman’s contribution to the Tyndale series is another strong contribution. Although it is a bit more technical than the introductory-level works by Davis, this commentary, like the others in this series, is accessible to virtually any reader. Wiseman’s specialty is ancient Near Eastern history, and his insights from this field of study are evident in this work. A good introduction to the books of 1 and 2 Kings.

Cogan and Tadmor co-wrote the volume on 2 Kings in 1988. Years later, in 2001, the commentary on 1 Kings was published. The volume on 1 Kings was written by Cogan alone. These commentaries are written from a somewhat critical perspective and should be used with care, but the author’s knowledge of the ancient Near Eastern context makes these works very helpful for those interested in more technical commentaries.

Runners-Up:

There are a number of other helpful commentaries on the books of Kings. Roger Ellsworth has written commentaries on 1 Kings and 2 Kings that will be helpful

The prophet Amos ministered during the overlapping reigns of Jeroboam II in Israel (793–753) and Uzziah in Judah (792–740). His ministry occurred sometime between 760 and 755 BC. Amos prophesied at a unique time in the history of the divided kingdom. From approximately 780 to 750, Egypt, Syria, and Assyria did not pose a serious threat to Israel. During this time, Jeroboam II was able to expand the borders of Israel, and his successes created economic prosperity for many and a sense of security as well. During these years, Israel prospered, and a powerful and wealthy upper class emerged who exploited the poor and perverted justice. Although a native of Judah, Amos prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel. He preached to an affluent society that was deeply involved in false worship and in the mistreatment of the poor. These wealthy and powerful Israelites were confident and secure. Into the midst of this complacent society comes Amos, declaring that Israel has broken God’s covenant. There are a number of very good commentaries on Amos, and the following are five of the best.

Runners-Up: There are a number of other helpful commentaries on the book of Amos. The works of M. Daniel Carroll R., Gary V. Smith,

While most of the other prophets can be dated with some degree of accuracy, it is notoriously difficult to date the book of Joel. Suggestions have been offered ranging from the ninth century to the second century B.C. Among conservative scholars, three main views are suggested. Some suggest an early pre-exilic date in the late ninth or early eighth century. Others suggest a late pre-exilic date in the seventh century. Still others argue that a post-exilic date in the late sixth to the mid-fifth century best explains the content of the book. While evidence for each of these views has been presented, no one has yet established a decisively compelling argument for any of them. In my opinion, the case for a late pre-exilic date is the most persuasive. There are a number of good commentaries on Joel, and the following are five of the most helpful.