# Good Commentaries on Romans



## Clay7926

I'm about to do an in-depth study of the book of Romans for the next few weeks (or months). Can anyone recommend any good commentaries or resources?

Thanks in advance!


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## rbcbob

Clay7926 said:


> I'm about to do an in-depth study of the book of Romans for the next few weeks (or months). Can anyone recommend any good commentaries or resources?
> 
> Thanks in advance!



There are very many good ones on Romans but I find that John Murray's is my "go to book" on Romans.


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## Contra_Mundum

William Hendricksen's would be good. Also Calvin.


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## dbh

Henry, for really in-depth you could get Martyn Lloyd-Jones 13 or so volume set, which I've been reading for years and can highly recommend. They are sermons he preached at his church in London over a ten year or so period and edited after he "retired". Sermons by the great preachers of the past are my favorite commentaries, in general. William S. Plumer wrote a one volume Commentary on Romans 150 or so years ago. I've only read parts of it, but can recommend his writings in general (which are very few). He is experimental and very practical. His commentary is 646 pages, so you can decide how in-depth he could be in that much space.


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## greenbaggins

I would go with Moo, in the New International Version Application Commentary; Haldane, in the Geneva series, and Boice's 4 volumes. Also, look up S. Lewis Johnson's lectures at Believer's Chapel.


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## DMcFadden

Moo (probably best of the moderns)
Schreiner (close runner up among recent commentators)
Murray (thoroughly Reformed and no slouch as a scholar)
Haldane (great classic exposition)
Calvin (his first commentary written after the first edition of the Institutes)
Cranfield (either the ICC or the one voume less technical one)
Hendrisksen (not his best work, he was dying of cancer at the time of writing but soldiered on anyhow)

If our esteemed Greenbaggins ever finishes his doctoral work and happens to write on Romans, I would buy it in an instant!


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell

Kregel prints William Swan Plumer on Romans. A paperback, but still very much worth having. After each discourse he has doctrinal, practical, and homiletical remarks. 

Hard to beat John Murray--very good.


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## kvanlaan

For us low-brows out there, there is Poole's complete commentary in three volumes. I always find it to be enough to bring clarity to the passge, and it even gets into the Greek here and there.


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## Grillsy

Moo.


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## CovenantalBaptist

Brother Henry,

In addition to those mentioned, I would recommend Dr. Martyn-Lloyd Jones series for a more pastoral commentary (they are based on his preaching). I do not agree with his view on Romans 7, but, otherwise they are a very helpful resource. I imagine your pastor or church library would have a copy - it is a 14 volume series.

Blessings


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## py3ak

Charles Hodge is not hard to get a hold of, and is always worth consulting.


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## Marrow Man

Am I correctly remembering that the Murray commentary was once in the NICNT series but has since been replaced? If so, who is the author of the current Romans volume in that series?


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## SolaScriptura

Marrow Man said:


> Am I correctly remembering that the Murray commentary was once in the NICNT series but has since been replaced? If so, who is the author of the current Romans volume in that series?



Moo is the NICNT author. Probably the best modern commentary on Romans.


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell

Marrow Man said:


> Am I correctly remembering that the Murray commentary was once in the NICNT series but has since been replaced? If so, who is the author of the current Romans volume in that series?



That's correct. My version of Murray is NICNT.


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## Marrow Man

Has the Murray commentary been republished apart from the NICNT series?


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## Reformed Thomist

Karl Barf.

Or Calvin, Robert Haldane, Hodge, Murray, and Moo.


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## Jesus is my friend

Romans, Geneva Commentary Series - By: Robert Haldane - Christianbook.com

Haldane would be my favorite


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## Reformed Thomist

Anyone read Dr. Sproul's commentary?

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-God-R-C-Sproul/dp/1857924908"]Amazon.com: Gospel Of God: Romans (9781857924909): R. C. Sproul: Books[/ame]

Thoughts?


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## DMcFadden

I have Sproul on my computer but have not had a chance to use it yet. He is good on everything he writes. However, it would be tough to top Moo, Murray, et. al.

AVOID Kasemann and Barth. I would also skip Dunn (too NPP for my taste). Barth is important, not as a commentary on Romans, but as an historical document of the beginning of a rebellion against liberalism and the rise of neo-orthodoxy.


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## bookslover

John R. W. Stott's 1994 commentary is quite good, and available in paperback.


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## dr_parsley

Martyn Lloyd-Jones


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## Backwoods Presbyterian

Marrow Man said:


> Has the Murray commentary been republished apart from the NICNT series?



Yes. Mine is from Eerdman's and is in a similar "style" to my Eerdman's copy of the _Institutes_.


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## ClayPot

Reformed Thomist said:


> Anyone read Dr. Sproul's commentary?
> 
> Amazon.com: Gospel Of God: Romans (9781857924909): R. C. Sproul: Books
> 
> Thoughts?



R.C. Sproul seems to be coming out with another commentary on Romans based on his teachings at St. Andrew's chapel. Does anyone know the difference.

Romans


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## Semper Fidelis

Agree with others on the excellence of Murray, Hendriksen, Calvin, Henry, and Poole. I've read that Murray used to be the standard until Moo. Some that prefer Moo point out they like everything except his work on Romans 7.


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## Semper Fidelis

Incidentally, the Hendriksen/Kistemaker NT commentary is good all around and very affordable and available on Libronix: Baker?s New Testament Commentary, by Kistemaker and Hendriksen (12 Vols.)


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## DMcFadden

Rich,

I agree with your post about Henriksen/Kistemaker.

For those using other formats . . .

WordSearch has it for $139.95 (yikes!)
eSword has it for $59.99 (wow!)

CBD has the Libronix version for $85.99 and the print version for $99.99.
All Products : kistemaker - Christianbook.com Search

I would encourage those who desire a good Reformed commentary on the NT to begin with Hendriksen/Kistemaker. It is worth $60 to have it in eSword at least. You can hardly find a better modern commentary for $60 that covers the entire NT, 12 large volumes in the print version.


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## Stephen L Smith

I would second Lloyd-Jones, Moo, Murray, Haldine and Hodge. Lloyd Jones is 14 volumes but the Doctor was a great expository preacher and contributed much to the growth of Reformed theology. One is greatly blessed by his works.


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## bookslover

I think it's a tribute to Murray's commentary that, although his commentary was replaced by Moo in the series, Eerdmans has elected to keep Murray in print, regardless.


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## Jon Peters

I like Moo. He is a good response to the NPP interpretations.


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## Pilgrim72

So, Henry... Which commentary did you decide to go with?


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## Denton Elliott

Grillsy said:


> Moo.



Not surprising, but Dr. Carson says Moo's commentary is the best.


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## Clay7926

Thanks for the information, all!

To answer your question, Alex, I'm going to be using Stott, Murray, Calvin and McGee, and possibly Luther. My pastor has a copy of both the Stott and Murray that he is generously loaning me, and I have copies of Calvin's and McGee's commentaries (the latter of which was a generous gift from a friend). I also planned to use Matthew Henry's Commentary, as he was very helpful to me in my early days of Reforming. 

I definitely am looking forward to the study, but more so re-reading the book of Romans again.


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## Marrow Man

I went to my favorite local Christian bookstore today, but he didn't have either Moo or Murray on the shelf...


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## Contra_Mundum

No way!
Man, do they want business?
Didn't they have "YourBestLifeNow"?
What about the LeftBehindSeries?

Hey, maybe you should just change your reading habits to what they DO have.
After all, if it isn't on the shelf of your local XnJunkSeller, it can't be worth buying...


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## toddpedlar

Marrow Man said:


> I went to my favorite local Christian bookstore today, but he didn't have either Moo or Murray on the shelf...



<GASP!> 

I haven't bought more than a handful of books over the past twenty years in "Christian" bookstores....


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## Marrow Man

Oh, you guys -- you haven't been keeping up with my past posts!

We actually have a "real" Christian bookstore here in Louisville. Ask Randy -- I took him there when he came to visit me. It's called the Christian Booknook. The guy who owns it actually has a Banner of Truth bookcase! In his commentaries section, he had most volumes of the NICNT (and OT) series, but not the volume on Romans.

If you ever visit Louisville, I'll be glad to take you there. It's worth it.


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## glorifyinggodinwv

Marrow Man said:


> Oh, you guys -- you haven't been keeping up with my past posts!
> 
> We actually have a "real" Christian bookstore here in Louisville. Ask Randy -- I took him there when he came to visit me. It's called the Christian Booknook. The guy who owns it actually has a Banner of Truth bookcase! In his commentaries section, he had most volumes of the NICNT (and OT) series, but not the volume on Romans.
> 
> If you ever visit Louisville, I'll be glad to take you there. It's worth it.



Off topic, but Pastor Phillips is right on the money.
I was in Louisville not too long ago and had a couple of hours of free time and got to visit the Christian Booknook. I came out with the new translation of Calvin's Sermons on Acts and The Valley of Vision (a collection of puritan prayers) bonded leather edition. If I lived in Louisville, I would be spending way too much time in that bookstore.


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## Prufrock

Clay7926 said:


> To answer your question, Alex, I'm going to be using Stott, Murray, Calvin and McGee, and possibly Luther.



While desiring not to speak ill of the great teacher, I might suggest not spending the time with Luther's commentary on Romans -- Luther was great, but there are much better things you could spend your time reading than his exegesis of Romans. I would put Luther away, and spend twice as much time with Calvin and Murray. Also, beware of McGee (I'm assuming you are referring to J. Vernon); while I've never heard or read his teaching on Romans, he is certainly not the most reliable guide to the meaning of scripture. Read cautiously.


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## bookslover

Clay7926 said:


> I'm going to be using Stott, Murray, Calvin and McGee, and possibly Luther.



Well, that's a first. I've never seen that old fundamentalist Dispensational J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) listed with such august company before.


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## DMcFadden

toddpedlar said:


> Marrow Man said:
> 
> 
> 
> I went to my favorite local Christian bookstore today, but he didn't have either Moo or Murray on the shelf...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> <GASP!>
> 
> I haven't bought more than a handful of books over the past twenty years in "Christian" bookstores....
Click to expand...


You mean they sell real books in Christian stores?  I thought it was where you went for t-shirts, CDs by adulterous "Christian" artists, Joel Osteen stuff, bad paintings on religious themes, and such.

[Although, when I'm in Grand Rapids next month for the Calvin conference, it is my intention to spend some time in the Baker store (particularly its back room with used books! hmmmm hmmmm good!!!)].


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## Marrow Man

glorifyinggodinwv said:


> Off topic, but Pastor Phillips is right on the money.
> I was in Louisville not too long ago and had a couple of hours of free time and got to visit the Christian Booknook. I came out with the new translation of Calvin's Sermons on Acts and The Valley of Vision (a collection of puritan prayers) bonded leather edition. If I lived in Louisville, I would be spending way too much time in that bookstore.



Brother, you should have looked me up in L'ville!


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## Reformed Thomist

I was surprised to find me some Puritan Paperbacks, Spurgeon's _Treasury of David_, and various titles by Sproul, Keller, Boice, Ryken, Piper, and Packer on a whim trip to one of these Christian bookstores in the Toronto suburb of Oakville, Ontario (called 'Good Books'). Their bread and butter is definitely the typical, warmed-over, broadly evangelical fare which DMcFadden describes so well, but _somebody_ on staff over there is brethren!


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## glorifyinggodinwv

Marrow Man said:


> glorifyinggodinwv said:
> 
> 
> 
> Off topic, but Pastor Phillips is right on the money.
> I was in Louisville not too long ago and had a couple of hours of free time and got to visit the Christian Booknook. I came out with the new translation of Calvin's Sermons on Acts and The Valley of Vision (a collection of puritan prayers) bonded leather edition. If I lived in Louisville, I would be spending way too much time in that bookstore.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Brother, you should have looked me up in L'ville!
Click to expand...


I'll do that the next time I'm in town. Our daughter is at U of L. The trip was an unexpected one, and by chance I had a couple of hours to kill.


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## Reformed City Rockers

Modern Commentary - Douglas Moo
Old School Commentary - Charles Hodge

Those two are my go to starting two...

John Murray is standard 
obviously Calvin
what about Martin Luther??!!??!!
a lot of good commentaries mentioned. from Hendrickson to Haldane...
other commentaries that may be helpful are F.F. Bruce and Leon Morris and even Joseph Fitzmyer of all people he doesn't follow the party line...


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## VilnaGaon

Haldane and John Gill(part of his set) are my favorites on Romans. 

My recommendation to all Reformed Brethren is buy John Gill's 9 Vol commentary on the whole Bible. You will NEVER regret it. If you love the doctrines of Grace, this commentary will be prized above all others!!!


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## DanMcCormack

VilnaGaon said:


> My recommendation to all Reformed Brethren is buy John Gill's 9 Vol commentary on the whole Bible. You will NEVER regret it. If you love the doctrines of Grace, this commentary will be prized above all others!!!



This is cheaper: John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary


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