Looking for commentaries

[Rogerant]

I am looking for a good set of commentaries on the O.T. I have a Keil and Delitzsch set which is not very fluent. They spend more time on attacking other commentaries within their commentary than they do on the subject. I would like a set that is focused upon the Historical Redemptive/Christo-Centric hermineutic rather than just Historical Grammatical. I am an avid believer in typology and a fan of A.W. Pink. I am also looking for a good, stand alone Reformed commentary on the Book of Revelation. I am amillennial.

 

[SolaScriptura]

I think in regards to the OT the only consistently great "set" would be Calvin.

Modern sets have some outstanding volumes, but none of the sets of which I'm aware are consistently top notch.

I think that you should get Calvin as a backbone of exegetical research and then complement him with the best modern volumes on whatever book you're studying.

 

[greenbaggins]

Rogerant, Calvin is certainly always worth reading. Beyond that, however, you need to focus on getting the best one or two on each biblical book. The best Revelation commentary is undoubtedly Beale.

 

[SolaScriptura]

The best Revelation commentary is undoubtedly Beale.

 

[Prufrock]

I second the above recommendations of Calvin's set; I can think of no better place to start (and few better places to end); Keil and Delitzsch are also frequently priceless as a set. Henry on the OT is unbeatable for homilectical and devotional commentary: there might not appear to be much detailed exegesis or critical work, but this commends his mastery of these things. In addition, though they might be more technical than you're looking for: Ainsworth is gold; and Poole's Synopsis (not his Annotations), as I have begun to discover, is a work in a class of its own. The Matthew Poole Project is currently translating this into English and publishing it, and I would encourage students of scripture to pass on eating for a week if such funds will help you procure these books.

The following is far from a comprehensive list, but includes those OT commentaries which immediately entered my mind as being some of my "favorites," which are yet available, accessible to laypersons and in English. Young and Waltke may be a bit technical, but they are just that good that I couldn't restrain myself. If I have time later, and this thread hasn't advanced much, I'll try to create a more comprehensive list.

James Durham on the Song of Solomon.

Joseph Caryl on Job
(Also Calvins sermons)

Calvin on the Psalms is pure gold.

William Greenhill on Ezekiel -- It's not modern and scholarly: but it's hard to beat.

Bruce Waltke on Proverbs and Micah.

E.J. Young, on Isaiah
Calvin is also particularly good on this book.

Deuteronomy: there are good commentaries on this book, but Calvin's Sermons (not his commentary) are unbeatable.

King, on Jonah (with the same caveat as Greenhill)

Candlish on Genesis is priceless.

 

[wookie]

If you want an all-in-one commentary, you could try the New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. There are a couple of good authors in it (e.g., D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, Gordon J. Wenham). Also, I thought some of the OT commentaries in the NIV Application Commentary series are quite good. For instance, Esther by Karen Jobes, Daniel by Tremper Longman, Ezekiel by Iain Duguid.

I second the recommendation for Beale, though I think it might be a little overwhelming. There are more accessible ones like Vern Poythress' The Returning King, which is free online (http://www.frame-poythress.org/Poythress_books/Returning_King/BRvCIntro1a.htm) or perhaps Dennis Johnson's Triumph of the Lamb.