Commentaries--Gospels

Often students ask me about my favorite commentaries. Over the next several days, I'll post the books that have been helpful to me. The first deals with the Gospels. I have an exhaustive bibliography that I share with my classes, but here I will share only a few of what I deem the best for the busy pastor.

Matthew

Blomberg, Craig. Matthew. NAC. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1992. This is the best commentary for pastors available.

Broadus, J. A. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids: Kregel [1886] 1990. One of the best older commentaries available from a Southern Baptist giant.

Carson, D. A. "Matthew." In EBC, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 8 Matthew-Luke. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984. Excellent but I like Blomberg more.

Morris, Leon. The Gospel according to Matthew. PNTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992. Morris is always a must.


Mark

Brooks, James. Mark. NAC. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1991. This is an excellent volume for the busy pastor.

Cole, Alan. Mark. TNTC. Downers Grove: IVP, 1990. As with the other volumes in this series, it is terse and valuable for those in a hurry to get to the crux of the issue.

Cranfield, C. E. B. The Gospel according to St. Mark. Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1959. A most important work on Mark.

France, R. T. The Gospel of Mark. NIGTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002. The best modern work in Greek available.

Witherington, Ben III. The Gospel of Mark: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002. Witherington at his best. This is an excellent work for those interested in modern NT scholarship—plus there are excellent application
ideas found.

Luke

Bock, Darrell. Luke [2 vols]. BECNT. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994, 1996. The best!

Fitzmyer, J. A. The Gospel according to Luke: Introduction, Translation, and Notes. AB [2 vols]. New York: Doubleday, 1981, 1985.

Green, Joel. The Gospel of Luke. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997. This is another excellent example of a commentary written on the basis of modern NT methodologies [narrative criticism particularly].

Marshall, I. H. The Gospel according to Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text. NIGT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978. A bit dated sometimes but still excellent.

Morris, Leon. Luke. Rev. ed. TNTC. Downers Grove: IVP, 1995. Particularly helpful to get to the bottom-line.

Stein, Robert H. Luke. NAC. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1992.

John

Blomberg, Craig. The Historical Reliability of John's Gospel. Leicester: Apollos, 2000. Helpful to get a handle on modern issues.

Borchert, Gerald L. John. [2 vols]. NAC. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1996, 2002. Very helpful and often quite devotional. He has an interesting take on the book's overall scheme.

Bruce, F. F. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983. Still one of my favorites.

Carson, D. A. The Gospel according to John. PNTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.

Kostenberger, Andreas. John. BECNT. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004. Good new commentary from a first-rate Southern Baptist Johannine scholar.

Morris, Leon. Commentary on the Gospel of John. 2nd ed. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. This is still one of the top commentaries.

________. Jesus Is the Christ: Studies in the Theology of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989.