Can you recommend a good one volume Bible commentary?

by Grant
(near L.A.)

Rick Brentlinger Answers -

That's an excellent question. I applaud your interest in learning and studying the Bible. Here are six one volume Bible commentaries which are affordable and contain a wealth of helpful information for Christians.

Please keep this in mind. All of these Bible commentaries are by non-gay authors (as far as I know) therefore they will not be neutral or gay-friendly when commenting on the clobber passages.

Clobber passages aside, these commentaries do contain marvelous insight into the cultural, doctrinal, exegetical and historical world of the Bible.

1. The MacArthur Bible Commentary, One Volume, 2040 pages. This is one of my favorites, a very affordable and helpful book when you're looking for Bible answers. MacArthur is a pre-trib, premillenial Calvinist conservative evangelical. I am not a Calvinist but I am a premillenial, pre-trib conservative evangelical Christian.




1a. The MacArthur Bible Handbook, 592 pages. This is not a commentary but instead, is a book by book survey of all sixty-six books of the Bible. Tells who wrote each book, the date and setting when the book was written, the theme and purpose of each book of the Bible, how Christ is presented (even in the Old Testament books), a summary of events and highlights of each book and a detailed outline of each book. Excellent helpful information for less than the cost of a good pizza.




2. Matthew Henry One Volume Commentary on the Bible, 2512 pages. This is another of my favorites. I don't have a copy of the one volume edition - I recently gave away my six volume edition of Matthew Henry. Its easier for me to read Matthew Henry Online since I can adjust the print size and make it easier to read.

It was written between 1700 and 1722 and is probably the best selling commentary on the whole Bible ever written. This is a conservative evangelical devotional commentary, excellent for preparing sermons and Sunday School lessons which are true to the Biblical text.




3. Dummelow's One Volume Commentary on the Bible, 1092 pages. I don't personally have this book but I have read online quotes from it which indicate it has some very helpful info about cult prostitution in the Old Testament time frame.




4. Africa Bible Commentary, A One Volume Commentary written by 70 African scholars. 1616 pages. Approaches the Bible from a conservative evangelical Protestant viewpoint so will not be gay friendly on the clobber passages.

I have not personally read this book but I understand that it contains much information which will be helpful to folks who believe the Bible and want to understand it better. Because so much of Africa is rural and so much of the Bible occurred in a rural setting, the Africa Bible Commentary is said to contain helpful insights into customs of Bible times.




5. The New Bible Commentary One Volume, 1468 pages. I do not have this book but it comes well recommended and is generally regarded as a conservative exposition of scripture.




6. The Interpreter's Commentary on the Bible, 1386 pages. I do not have this book but have read some online quotes from it which impressed me with their insight.




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