# Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching



## JM (Apr 13, 2021)

Someone I know just dropped off the complete set, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. 

Is it worth adding to my shelves or should I just recycle it?


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## py3ak (Apr 13, 2021)

As with all sets, individual volumes can vary in quality. For many of the volumes, you'd need to be practiced at extracting good observations, primarily of a literary kind, from a background of false presuppositions. If you can do that, there is some profit in them. And the ones I have used have the considerable advantage of mostly getting to the point fairly quickly.

Reactions: Like 1


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## greenbaggins (Apr 14, 2021)

I would keep the volumes, but read critically. All the authors are, as far as I know, moderately liberal, but they do have decent literary observations from time to time.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## RamistThomist (Apr 14, 2021)

Some volumes will make good points and are written by thorough scholars. On the whole, they are too thin to be of much exegetical use. There are certainly worse commentaries, but they aren't in the same ballpark as NICOT or Word or even NAC. They are the critical version of _Expositor's Bible Commentary_, maybe not as good.

Reactions: Like 1


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## JM (Apr 14, 2021)

Thanks folks. Now I have to purchase another bookcase.


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## TheInquirer (Apr 14, 2021)

As others have said, for free I would definitely make use of them after reading the more conservative scholars first. I almost always used their volumes for papers and typically found some very good insights here and there. Wouldn't pay the prices they want for them new though.

Reactions: Like 1


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## JM (Apr 14, 2021)

TheInquirer said:


> As others have said, for free I would definitely make use of them after reading the more conservative scholars first. I almost always used their volumes for papers and typically found some very good insights here and there. Wouldn't pay the prices they want for them new though.


Looks like the fella paid around $32 bucks a book! He bought them one at a time but only opened a few of the volumes.


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## RamistThomist (Apr 17, 2021)

If you are going to buy a critical commentary, invest in those that are known for good exegesis. For example, Milgrom on Levitcus rather than the Interpretation volume on Leviticus.


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## JM (Apr 17, 2021)

I have never purchased a commentary but received everyone I own free. Its a benefit of working in a library, staff get first crack at donations and since biblical and theological material doesn't sell very well I feel no guilt bagging them up and dragging them home. 

If items do not sell we recycle them.


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## RamistThomist (Apr 17, 2021)

JM said:


> I have never purchased a commentary but received everyone I own free. Its a benefit of working in a library, staff get first crack at donations and since biblical and theological material doesn't sell very well I feel no guilt bagging them up and dragging them home.
> 
> If items do not sell we recycle them.


 
That's not a bad deal. James Mays and Walter Brueggemann are legitimate scholars.


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