totorodaisuki
Puritan Board Freshman
I'm looking for the very best commentary on the book of Romans, must be Reformed POV. My budget is $65!
The best Romans commentary?
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Polanus1561
Puritan Board Junior
Murray
greenbaggins
Puritan Board Doctor
While Moo is excellent on some things, I don't agree with his take on Romans 7 at all. If you have $65, you should be able to pick up both Hodge and Haldane. If you can read electronically, then you can find both of them on Google books and then buy Moo and read all three. If you're okay with a slightly more technical commentary, then don't overlook Shedd. Of course, one could go for broke on Romans commentaries.
Polanus1561
Puritan Board Junior
Where would Murray rank? I am curious on Murray vs Hodge.
greenbaggins
Puritan Board Doctor
John, while Murray is certainly necessary for a well-rounded Romans library, I like the others I mentioned better. Everyone is seemingly supposed to revere Murray' commentary, but I found myself disagreeing with him all over the place. Since the OP mentioned "Reformed," I didn't mention my favorite, which is actually Cranfield.
Polanus1561
Puritan Board Junior
Quick aside, which other ICC volumes are top 5 of a particular book? Davies Allison for Matthew?
alexanderjames
Puritan Board Sophomore
A layman’s perspective -
I have been using a few classic commentaries for a group study on Romans, and find myself preferring Haldane over Murray. Hodge is also good but more concise and technical. I'd further like to get my hands on Shedd and John Brown.
Perhaps the second hand market isn’t as cheap for you as it is in the UK, but I would always go for a handful of used copies from different perspectives rather than a single expensive new commentary.
I have been using a few classic commentaries for a group study on Romans, and find myself preferring Haldane over Murray. Hodge is also good but more concise and technical. I'd further like to get my hands on Shedd and John Brown.
Perhaps the second hand market isn’t as cheap for you as it is in the UK, but I would always go for a handful of used copies from different perspectives rather than a single expensive new commentary.
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The “best commentary” question is like the “best translation” question. Best commentary for what? Are you looking for a practical/applicatory commentary? A technical/textual one? A mix? Every commentary is designed for a particular use for a particular audience.
Polanus1561
Puritan Board Junior
The one that best substantiates the views I already set in stone in my mind of course
alexanderjames
Puritan Board Sophomore
Also consult Lane's site:
greenbaggins.wordpress.com
Layman's guide - https://greenbaggins.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/a-laymans-commentary-guide/
Other guides are:
Keith Mathison's from Ligonier (updated 2021) - https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/top-5-commentaries-romans
Tim Challies (from 2013) - https://www.challies.com/resources/best-commentaries-on-romans/
Lane's site also suggests John Piper's (from 2006) - https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-commentaries-does-dg-recommend
Also Piper from 2016 - https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/my-six-favorite-books-on-romans
Commentaries for the Whole Bible
I have updated my recommendations for commentaries, based on what has come out in the last five years. One of my good friends thought I should post a single post recommendation of the five to ten b…
greenbaggins.wordpress.com
Other guides are:
Keith Mathison's from Ligonier (updated 2021) - https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/top-5-commentaries-romans
Tim Challies (from 2013) - https://www.challies.com/resources/best-commentaries-on-romans/
Lane's site also suggests John Piper's (from 2006) - https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-commentaries-does-dg-recommend
Also Piper from 2016 - https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/my-six-favorite-books-on-romans
That’s what I was thinking, but I wanted to sound balanced to keep up appearances.
greenbaggins
Puritan Board Doctor
Definitely Davies and Allison on Matthew (which I have read all the way through). It is superb, as is Allison's commentary on James (which, miraculously enough, even quotes Manton's commentary favorably!). In the OT, the Isaiah volumes by Williamson are very well done, though I disagree with him often enough. Haven't read the Goldingay volumes on Isaiah yet. I am hesitant to recommend Marshall's volume on the Pastoral epistles, as he takes a decidedly feminist approach to 1 Timothy 2, though it is quite decent in other respects.
reformed grit
Puritan Board Freshman
Likely twice the price budgeted, but one covering a range of purpose in impetus for which commentaries sometimes specialise, I'd recommend at least searching out perhaps used volumes of the 4-book set by James Montgomery Boice. He passed right at the cusp of the Federal Vision controversy, but I'd still count him as contemporary with much modern reformed thought, and pretty broad-based on the range between pragmatics, exegetical, and word-study focus. But, yeah, reformers have made sure there's a wealth of free online resources too, at the usual haunts.
moral necessity
Puritan Board Junior
I would go with Haldane because of his take on Ch.6,7.
I would supplement that with the classic volume of Luther, even though he is technically not "reformed".
Blessings!
I would supplement that with the classic volume of Luther, even though he is technically not "reformed".
Blessings!
bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
Yes! Although nearly half a century old now (the 2 volumes were published in 1975 and 1979, respectively), Cranfield still counts as one of the more insightful and incisive commentaries on Romans. He can be slightly Barth-y here and there, but it doesn't overwhelm the commentary. Used sets can still be found.
bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
And, for both good theological and practical insights, let's not forget Matthew Henry.
This is a good example of how different preachers look at different commentaries. I'd say the opposite: I found Murray much more helpful than Cranfield when I preached through Romans. Not that Cranfield is bad, but I found Murray much more helpful.
greenbaggins
Puritan Board Doctor
Very true about different pastors. The fact is, I would never want to preach or teach Romans without both of them nearby (among many others!). The reason I liked Cranfield so much was his scrupulously fair delineation of all the positions, and then his cogent argumentation for the view he held. He therefore not only told me what all the interpretive options were, but then made a good argument for his favored interpretation. Murray didn't always do that. Murray's strength. of course, is his knowledge of systematics.
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