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Here are my personal picks for the most profitable commentaries on Matthew. I favor a modified ‘Dispensational’ approach to the book which takes seriously the way Matthew provides lines of continuity and discontinuity with the Old Testament. But I have little problem with including studies which do not handle eschatological issues as satisfactorily as I would like. There is, after all, more to Matthew than eschatology:
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1. Harold Hoehner – A massive work, both in size and erudition. It is very well written and quite user-friendly. Every issue is chased down thoroughly, and the Pauline authorship of the book is convincingly upheld. A real standard!
2. Peter T. O’Brien (Pillar) – O’Brien is an expert on the Prison Epistles. This, I think, surpasses his work on Colossians in the WBC series. Attractive style and what might be called a thoughtfully sensible approach make this a valuable commentary.
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The Best Commentaries on Romans: Remember, this list has preachers primarily in mind.
1. Douglas Moo (NICNT) — Somewhat dense, which may hinder readers somewhat, but interaction with the text and the literature is very impressive. Deals well with the ‘new perspective’, and even manages some applications (but see Moo’s contribution to the NIVAC series). His Introduction is on the short side, but there are numerous excurses. Not all will like his treatment of Chapter 7.
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jon Pratt for a discussion on his new book, “My Sheep Follow Me: A Study of Perseverance and the Threat of Antinomianism.” - Central Seminary Channel
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Commentaries on the Book of Genesis are ten-a-penny. But some of them are too concerned with ANE parallels that they forget to teach the Book itself. Some are over speculative, while others too critical and unbelieving. The pastor who wants to get at the meat without spitting out too many bones might do worse than study the following:
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I am convinced that the Book of Revelation ought to be interpreted as a prophecy and that its numbers and symbols have identifiable referents either close by or in other Books of the Bible. I have therefore given a list of works espousing the Dispensational point of view. Not that non-Dispensational writers aren’t useful, but accuracy of interpretation must come first. I have made note also of some non-dispensational works.
“Horton’s retelling of Western intellectual history undermines common assumptions about the origins of modernity. Many of modernity’s problems—which often get blamed on Protestantism—were issues the Reformation was already trying to address.” - TGC
“Burge, a political science professor who is probably the leading analyst of religion data in the United States today, points out that not all branches of American Christianity are declining. The percentage of Americans who identify as evangelical is just as high as it was fifty years ago, during the 1970s.” - Mere Orthodoxy
A review of Josiah D. Boyd, God Under Oath: Reading the Bible Through Its Covenants, Proclamation Press, 2025, 101 pages, paperback.
This little book is an attempt—successful at that—to provide readers of the Bible with a logical, understandable, and relatable study of the biblical covenants. It is not wooden or stolid, but upbeat and geared to pass on important information in an easy to read and pleasing format. A great deal of thought has gone into this book.
“Almost every parent looks back on their experience of parenting and thinks they could have done better. Help your friend to understand this…. But when we are vulnerable because of the grief caused by prodigal children, the devil will whisper in our ear that it is all our fault.” - Challies
