Bible Commentators

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by ReformedDave

Then one can apply any interpretation to it? Isn't that the problem we've been having? One must read the Bible using the principals of hermanutics that are sound and most of all not arbitrary. The 3 most important rules are context, context, context. We must not use Scripture as a pretext. It is important to understand the type of literature that we are reading and to apply the correct principals of interpretation.

Amen. If one ignores language and context they can make the Word say whatever they like. For example,

John 6:10
{6:10} And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Hmmmm....Jesus took them where there was "much grass". See...maybe there's no issue with smokin' just a little Marry Jane. lol

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Rico

That's one of the main reasons why I avoid using or relying on commentaries.

That is the very reason I use several commentaries and use my wits.

You have the same possibility with translations too

[Esther]

Originally Posted by ReformedDave

Then one can apply any interpretation to it? Isn't that the problem we've been having? One must read the Bible using the principals of hermanutics that are sound and most of all not arbitrary. The 3 most important rules are context, context, context. We must not use Scripture as a pretext. It is important to understand the type of literature that we are reading and to apply the correct principals of interpretation.

Dave I think this is where the Holy Ghost comes in and gives you deeper understanding of the Word.

As good as our forefathers were in reading and understanding scripture I believe God has opened our understanding to a deeper knowledge. I don't think any of us have reached the full understanding of the Bible.

I heard Sis Nona Freeman preach and tell of the time she was preaching a revival and every night she preached from the same verse with a different thought. I believe only God can give you that kind of dept.

For example, the parable of the Good Samaritian. As I was fasting and praying before teaching my SS class years ago the Lord showed me something about that parable. The next week I had a different lesson, but the Lord again showed me something about that parable. The third week, again I had another lesson, but the Lord showed me again, something about that parable to that lesson. But in my ignorance and not wanting the class think that is the only parable I knew in the Bible I didn't share it and the Lord stopped showing me anything else about that parable. I regret that til this day, but I was young and foolish and too proud!

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Esther

Dave I think this is where the Holy Ghost comes in and gives you deeper understanding of the Word.

As good as our forefathers were in reading and understanding scripture I believe God has opened our understanding to a deeper knowledge. I don't think any of us have reached the full understanding of the Bible.

I heard Sis Nona Freeman preach and tell of the time she was preaching a revival and every night she preached from the same verse with a different thought. I believe only God can give you that kind of dept.

For example, the parable of the Good Samaritian. As I was fasting and praying before teaching my SS class years ago the Lord showed me something about that parable. The next week I had a different lesson, but the Lord again showed me something about that parable. The third week, again I had another lesson, but the Lord showed me again, something about that parable to that lesson. But in my ignorance and not wanting the class think that is the only parable I knew in the Bible I didn't share it and the Lord stopped showing me anything else about that parable. I regret that til this day, but I was young and foolish and too proud!

Thank you. God forbid we depend on the Holy Ghost to help us understand His Word.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Rico

Call volume has been fairly high this week, so I don't know how much I will be able to participate in this thread today (until later this afternoon). Anyway, on another thread, someone made a point about commentators and I told him that I don't really pay much attention to what commentators have to say about the Word of God. He thought it was arrogant to think that way. So, I thought I would ask the forum how much stock y'all place in commentators. Do you refer to commentators such as Matthew Henry? How much stock do you place in commentators in the first place?

"Commentators" are people just like you and I, except they have published their thoughts in a Bible Commentary. To say that a person "places stock in a commentator" is like saying they put their confidence in the opinions of a particular preacher or Bible teacher.

So, sure; some are good, some are not as good and many may not even get around to a point of view that you find interesting. Where you can find value in a Bible commentary is in following the pattern of the commentator. This works best with some one you either strongly agree with, or some one you strongly disagree. If you find yourself wondering what they're talking about, you're probably wasting your time.

Matthew Henry was the son of an Anglican minister who was driven from the Church of England along with thousands of others in a "church split." One would expect Henry's commentary to have a polemic or argumentive tone, but instead it is known as one of the great devotional commentaries in the English language. Makes you think that the guy must have had a generous spirit. I, however find it kind of drags throughout. But that's just me.

Most recent Bible commentaries attempt to expound upon the author's view of the Form and Textual Criticism controversy. That can be interesting if you like to strain for every gnat.

Personally, I have found the New Bible Commentary to be great - and they've got a couple of newer editions out that I haven't kept up with. Anything with D.A. Carson as a contributor is great, in my book. But then I find myself strongly agreeing or disagreeing with his opinions. He doesn't offer up a lot of mush.

The Interpreter's Bible follows the Wesleyan tradition (that's "holiness" as opposed to Evangelicalism like Carson) and I have that and use it a great deal. Also, the Anchor Bible series is great, if you don't already have a mortgage.

Most of the "free" or public domain Bible commentaries that are available for free or very low cost in electronic form tend to be devotional in nature. From my experience most Apostolics are looking for a bit harder hitting action than that and so I don't usually recommend them. But for introductory reading they're fine.

The New Bible Commentary is great because it's affordable, rather compact and it delves into to the text itself. It offers dates and geographical background information and introduces you to most of the issues of "critical scholarship" along the way- like why or why not there may have been 2 or even 3 "Isaiahs." You are shown the exact verses and can decide for yourself on things like that.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Rico

Thank you. God forbid we depend on the Holy Ghost to help us understand His Word.

Paul said to study. He praised the Bereans for this too. Clearly the bible does not teach us to be stupid and led by the Spirit. God gave us brains AND the Spirit. Why do we need teachers then?

[Ron]

I do have a great Commentary Set that I bought off of a brother about ten years ago for $200 Bucks.

It is good. & quite exhausting in it's narrative.

1.) What is The Biblical Illustrator? --

The Biblical Illustrator was originally published in 1887, in London, by Joseph Exell (One of the editors for the Pulpit commentary). The Biblical Illustrator is a collection of Anecdotes, Similies, Emblems, Illustrations, Expository, Scientific, Geographical, Historical, and Homiletics gathered from a wide range of home and foreign literature on the verses of the Bible.

2.) What does the Biblical Illustrator consist of? --

There are 34752 pages of information covering the entire Bible. As far as we can tell The Biblical Illustrator is out of print, but it has listed for as high as $1150. It is organized in the same fashion as The Pulpit Commentary and would be a wonderful complement to any student's library.

3.) Who authored The Biblical Illustrator? --

Actually The Biblical Illustrator is a compilation of many of the most classically acclaimed authors and commentators, organized in a verse-by-verse manner. These authors
include: Spurgeon, Augustine, MacLaren, Manton, Godet, Trapp, Lightfoot, Ryle, Hodge, Murray, Donne, Plumptre, Alexander, Owen, Moody, Parker, and hundreds of other
contributors.

Essentially, for every passage of the Bible, you will now have at your fingertips, a collection of writings, and commentary from many of the authors listed above. Because of the large collection of contributors, The Biblical Illustrator, is a must-have for every serious Bible student.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Paul said to study. He praised the Bereans for this too. Clearly the bible does not teach us to be stupid and led by the Spirit. God gave us brains AND the Spirit. Why do we need teachers then?

The human mind conforms itself to its environment. Fill it with good things and it will grow and produce good things. Fill it with bad things, and you get a predictable result (Luke 6:45)

Fill it with nothing... well, you still get a bad result (Mark 7:21).

[ReformedDave]

Originally Posted by Esther

Dave I think this is where the Holy Ghost comes in and gives you deeper understanding of the Word.

As good as our forefathers were in reading and understanding scripture I believe God has opened our understanding to a deeper knowledge. I don't think any of us have reached the full understanding of the Bible.

I heard Sis Nona Freeman preach and tell of the time she was preaching a revival and every night she preached from the same verse with a different thought. I believe only God can give you that kind of dept.

For example, the parable of the Good Samaritian. As I was fasting and praying before teaching my SS class years ago the Lord showed me something about that parable. The next week I had a different lesson, but the Lord again showed me something about that parable. The third week, again I had another lesson, but the Lord showed me again, something about that parable to that lesson. But in my ignorance and not wanting the class think that is the only parable I knew in the Bible I didn't share it and the Lord stopped showing me anything else about that parable. I regret that til this day, but I was young and foolish and too proud!

There may be aspects of understanding as one grows in knowledge but there is not a 'hidden' truth only for the spiritual. We may not be able to comprehend it and be milk drinkers instead of steak eaters but the truth is still there. God does not give one meaning to some and another meaning to others. Truth is not an esoteric experience. The gnostics did this. They had 'truth' no one else had access to. Otherwise what is the value of language? 1 plus 1 is always 2.

[Scott Hutchinson]

Commentaries can be good for finding out about cultural and historical aspects of bible passages,one must eat the meat and spit out the bones.