A Guide to Biblical Commentaries & Reference Works

by John Frederick Evans

With thousands of commentaries on the Bible available, including dozens and sometimes hundreds for individual books, it can be difficult for students and pastors (and even many academics) to keep track of the options. How do the different series and authors approach the Bible? What commentaries are critical and/or more theologically liberal in their interpretation? Which writers share a given theological approach (e.g., Reformed, Wesleyan, etc.)? Without help, students and pastors could waste precious time and money searching for the tools they need to aid their study. Now in its 9th edition, Dr. Evans's guide is a comprehensive survey and bibliography of resources that is one of the most thorough and detailed aids available to help pastors and theological students sort through the many volumes of commentaries and reference works that are available to them. Evans surveys the vast majority of commentary series, individual commentaries by book, and other resources directly related to exegetical research and biblical interpretation. In addition, Evans includes recommendations a "Bare-Bones" library of essentials; an ideal pastor's reference library; and a suggested "ultimate reference library". Regularly updated, A Guide to Biblical Commentaries & Reference Works is one of the very few works of its kind to be conversant with recent releases. It is also the largest of its kind, and one of the few single-volume surveys that covers the entire Bible.

Genres: Reference

394 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

Reviews

[Spencer R · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review can be found here: http://wp.me/p3JhRp-14
http://spoiledmilks.wordpress.com/201...


We have sooooooooo many commentaries on the Bible, books of the Bible, and sections and themes of the Bible. For Pete's sake, do we really need another commentary?

Well, yes.

Why this book?
 What are we supposed to do with all of these commentaries? 
One can't honestly buy every single one. We don't have the money nor the time to do so.

Instead, John Evans has wonderfully done it for us in "A Guide to Biblical Commentaries & Reference Works." For the past 20+ years, he's been compiling information on other commentaries for this Reference Guide. This isn't the first edition he's written. There have actually been 9 editions so far, and it is written with the student, the pastor, and the scholar in mind.

***The Chocolate Milk
He starts off the book by giving the reader "Two Warnings for Orientation" and about how commentaries are not to be used as a crutch. No matter how many commentaries you do read, nor how many you want to read, they do not replace your own personal Bible study efforts. All commentators have their own background of ideas and beliefs (conservative, liberal, and all in between). None of them will be 100% right, even if you combined them all. You need to use and be able to use your own mind in studying the Bible.

Then he talks a few pages about "Book Format," "Evaluating Commentaries," "Background Reading," etc. After the short intro Evans gets into the good stuff.

He goes book by book giving a list of his top commentaries and why they are good. After his highlights, he gives a successive list of other commentaries on what's good, decent, or is just a plain waste. And it's amazing the vast amounts of detail he gives overall. Where someone finds this kind of time for a quality reference book like this is beyond me.
He gives information about:
1. All 66 books,
2. 9 different topical studies (The Minor Prophets, Apocalyptic Literature, Jesus and His Parables, etc) 
3. Bargains for a Bare-Bones Library
4. Ideal Basic Library for the Pastor
5. The Ultimate Reference Library

Evans doesn't simply give information. Practically speaking, he often includes whether a commentary is more useful for the student, the pastor, or the scholar. He notes if a commentary is so large and dense that the average pastor may find little value for weekly his preparation, but a student or scholar will find the book of great value. This is also a wonderful help because no commentary is the same. Some have much more applicational value (NIV Application Commentary [NIVAC]) while others are much more detailed (New International Greek Testament Commentary [NIGTC]).
This man has both pastoral and academic interests, and is very considerate of his audience.

***The Spoiled Milk
This is a superbly, up-to-date reference book. But there are some times when, instead of talking about the commentary itself, Evans talks more about the commentator. Luckily, this is rare. Yet usually, if he does speak on the commentator, you'll know it's a good/bad commentary by the way he treats the author. So even still, it usually works out in the end.

***Recommended?
Definitely.
If you are into looking at and buying commentaries to study the Bible, this book will save you money. Chances are it will show you all the good commentaries, and instead you may end up spending more money buying them all. Regardless, this is a wonderful addition to your library.

[J.E. Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unlike any I have seen: while D.A. Carson and Tremper Longman both have offered similar bibliographies and surveys in the past, neither was as thorough nor as detailed as Evans. Furthermore, both Carson and Longman (understandably) focused on only one of the testaments.

Evans’s A Guide to Biblical Commentaries & Reference Works is the most comprehensive survey of commentaries around. It is very up-to-date, even including commentaries released in the second half of 2010. And it is extremely useful, offering guides for students of the Bible from every level.

Any seminary or Bible college student, pastor or ministry worker, or even professors who interact with the Bible will be grateful for this as a ready-reference.

(Full disclosure: I work with the ministry that publishes this volume.)

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome combination of biblical reference and commentaries book that I will use forever as I study and prepare sermons. The commentaries!!! what can I say Thank You Mr.John Evans. I've recommended this book to many of my fellow clergy.