Bible Commentaries: Their Format And Content

It is important to understand at the outset that there are different types of Bible commentaries. They are written with different purposes, different audiences, and different needs/concerns in mind. There are 2 ways to categorize commentaries - by format and by content.

Biblical Commentaries differ in their format:

· A one-volume Bible commentary (sometimes in two volumes) presents commentary on the entire Bible in one (or two) volumes. The information given is usually very basic, since there is just no space available for in-depth analysis. These are useful only for the beginning Bible student who wants to have a study tool next to them as they work their way through the Bible.

· Multi-volume Bible commentaries resemble a set of encyclopedias. They may be in 10-, 12-, 20- or more volumes, and are sold as a set (sometimes you can get individual volumes). They provide much more information, and are a very good choice for the student who needs a basic commentary set on all the books of the Bible.

· Stand-alone Bible commentaries are treatments of (usually) a single book of the Bible. As they may be many hundreds of pages in length, they provide the most detail. The shortcoming here is that you may not be able to find such a commentary on every book of the Bible, so it is good to have at least one multi-volume set to serve as a foundation; at least you will know that you have coverage of the whole Bible.

Commentaries can also be categorized by content:

1. Devotional Bible commentaries attempt to bring out the spiritual and practical application of the meaning of Biblical passages. Often these are "classic" commentaries that have been in print for a long time (even several centuries!) and are valued for their spiritual insights. Their weakness (especially if they were written long ago) is that they are not up-to-date in presenting the latest information on Biblical history, archaeological findings, recent theological discussion, modern trends and issues, etc. Devotional commentaries can be a source of profitable teaching, but it would be unwise to rely on them exclusively.

2. Expositional Bible commentaries present an "exposition" of the scriptures - they follow the structure and major themes of the book. They may present a lot of detail, or not. Some present technical information (on the meanings of Bible words, for example), but are not works for specialists or scholars. Expositional commentaries are perhaps the best all-around commentary for the average student of the Bible.

3. Exegetical Bible commentaries are technical reference guides that help the advanced Bible student or scholar with very detailed analysis of word meanings, grammar and so forth. Usually they require some basic knowledge, at least, of the original languages of the Bible. They often have extended discussions of current theological or interpretive issues surrounding a Biblical book or passage. They are helpful in making sense of controversial sections of Scripture, but can be intimidating (or even incomprehensible) to the non-specialist. Examine an exegetical commentary thoroughly before you purchase it, to make sure that it is understandable to you.

4. Homiletical Bible commentaries are designed to help preachers in the preparation of messages. They contain interpretative help, and sometimes also illustrations and quotations that help speakers to communicate the message of the Bible more clearly. They often stress practical application and larger issues raised by Biblical teaching. For example, a homiletical commentary on one of the Old Testament prophets might touch on the issue of social justice as an application of particular Biblical teaching. Homiletical commentaries can be valuable, but are not stand-alone substitutes for other the other types.

5. Special-purpose Bible commentaries are designed for specific needs: teaching children or youth, leaders of Bible study groups or Sunday school classes, helps for new believers or new Bible students, and the like. They may be very valuable in addressing those specific needs, but are not as useful as a general reference. At best, they are a supplement to other commentaries.

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