# Who are the best exegetes?



## Mathetes (Jan 30, 2007)

Both old and new. Currently I can only think of D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo. Who're some others you can think of? Would someone like Cranfield count?


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## New wine skin (Jan 30, 2007)

Of the hundreds of scholars you can only think of two? What criteria did you use to determine who is the "best"?


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## Mathetes (Jan 30, 2007)

Yes, I can think of only two. I haven't read thousands of commentaries or gone through a lot of the standard works (yet) and so I ask with the intention to learn more.

As far as the best, I suppose that this would mean the ones who have an established reputation for thorough, quality exegesis.


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## MrMerlin777 (Jan 30, 2007)

John Gill and Matthew Henry come to mind. But there are soooooooooo many more.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 30, 2007)

I would rank the names listed below among the very best of exegetes.

Matthew Poole
Matthew Henry
John Calvin
Thomas Manton
John Owen
James Durham
David Dickson
Henry Ainsworth

More could be said. I recommend reading Charles Spurgeon's _Commenting and Commentaries_, starting with his Chat About Commentaries to get a good overview of the best exegetes through the 19th century. His own comments on the Psalms are worthy of notice too.


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## Mathetes (Jan 30, 2007)

Cool, thanks. I'll be sure to look them up. Also, Leon Morris would count, would he not?


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## New wine skin (Jan 30, 2007)

Yes, Leon Morris and a few more to keep you busy for the next 10 yrs; (NT) FF Bruce, Longnecker, and (OT) Meredith Kline.


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## MrMerlin777 (Jan 30, 2007)

New wine skin said:


> Yes, Leon Morris and a few more to keep you busy for the next 10 yrs; (NT) FF Bruce, Longnecker, and (OT) Meredith Kline.




I like Meredith Kline. Almost forgot about him.


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## VaughanRSmith (Jan 30, 2007)

All these men with womens' names... Lorraine, Meredith...


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## MrMerlin777 (Jan 30, 2007)

Exagorazo said:


> All these men with womens' names... Lorraine, Meredith...


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## VaughanRSmith (Jan 30, 2007)

Technically, even Jean.


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## New wine skin (Jan 30, 2007)

blame that on the parents : )


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## Mathetes (Jan 30, 2007)

To be a REAL theologian, you have to be known by your initials!

D.A. Carson, J.I. Packer, A.W. Pink, R.C. Sproul, J. Ligon Duncan, C.H. Spurgeon. C.S. Lewis...seems like all the cool kids are doing it!


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## ADKing (Jan 30, 2007)

I would echo John Murray's sentiments that Geerhardus Vos was one of the "most incisive exegetes in the English speaking world in the twentieth century". 

I saw MG Kline listed above. Although he is stimulating, I personally would not recommend him due to the fact he is quite unconfessional at numerous points. His latest book, _God, Heaven and Har Mageddon_ shows how far he has deviated from the Reformed tradition.

Reactions: Love 1


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## MW (Jan 30, 2007)

ADKing said:


> I would echo John Murray's sentiments that Geerhardus Vos was one of the "most incisive exegetes in the English speaking world in the twentieth century".



We must be standing in the same cave, because I echo those sentiments as well. George Smeaton or Patrick Farbairn may well take the honours for the 19th century.


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## MrMerlin777 (Jan 30, 2007)

Mathetes said:


> To be a REAL theologian, you have to be known by your initials!
> 
> D.A. Carson, J.I. Packer, A.W. Pink, R.C. Sproul, J. Ligon Duncan, C.H. Spurgeon. C.S. Lewis...seems like all the cool kids are doing it!



 

How's about P.G. Wodehouse? OOOPS.... Wrong type of books.... Sorry...


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## Mathetes (Jan 30, 2007)

At least I didn't say N.T. Wright...


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## CubsIn07 (Mar 17, 2007)

Moises Silva


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## Ravens (Mar 17, 2007)

Honestly, all things considered, I would have to say the Jesuits.


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## greenbaggins (Mar 17, 2007)

Iain Duguid's stuff is pure gold, as is John Currid. Bruce Waltke is outstanding. Richard Pratt is very good. Gotta love Charles Hodge, J.A. Alexander, E.J. Young, Greg Beale, Karen Jobes, P.T. O'Brien, David Garland, Frederic Godet, Keil/Delitzsch, John Eadie, Craig Blomberg, R.T. France, and Daniel Block.


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## BlackCalvinist (Mar 17, 2007)

Alive today ? Tough call.

MacArthur, Carson, Begg, Lig Duncan & VanGemeren immediately come to mind.

Pound for pound, MacArthur's still at the top of my list and can hang with almost anyone you put next to him. There's only a few issues I'd disagree with him on....and even those, I do so very carefully, knowing that the man has been more immersed in the scriptures for a longer period of time than I've been alive. 

He's written more stuff of substance than me, too (and I write A LOT).


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Mar 17, 2007)

Alister McGrath come to mind as well.


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## Bandguy (Mar 17, 2007)

Jerry Fallwell and Ergun Caner. (Just kidding)


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## Theoretical (Mar 17, 2007)

Bandguy said:


> Jerry Fallwell and Ergun Caner. (Just kidding)


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## bookslover (Mar 18, 2007)

Mathetes said:


> Would someone like Cranfield count?



Yes, Cranfield counts. His 2-volume commentary on Romans is justifiably considered a classic (and not just because it's expensive). Sometimes he might sound a little Barthian in places (though not very many), but someone well-grounded in Reformed theology will have no trouble with that.

His 1959 commentary on the Greek text of Mark is still in print, too.

Incidentally, Cranfield will be 92 in September.


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