My Three Commentary Recommendations

 

If you’re a pastor, preacher, or Bible teacher of any kind, you’ll understand the importance of having great tools to help you study and prepare. With the internet, there is an infinite number of resources available, but there isn’t any replacement for a good old Bible Commentary. For my sermon prep, having a commentary is a must, and I usually never prep any sermon without at least these three commentaries on my desk. So, let me give you my top three Bible commentary recommendations so that you can have the help you need to prep that sermon, Bible study, or just dove deeper for your own spiritual growth.

1. Life Application Study Bible: I know this isn’t technically a “commentary,” but the reality is that the study notes of study Bibles are just commentator notes. I.E. it’s a mini commentary. And the Life Application Study Bible is a great little commentary tool. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been reading the study notes or tools in my Life App Bible and had a passage simply unlocked for me. The notes are practical, applicable, and a great resource for anyone, especially someone preparing Bible studies or sermons regularly. You should get one.

2. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: While the Life App Bible is super practical, the CCE Commentaries are a good blend of practical and technical. They are written like sermons, so they are easy to use in preparing outlines and sermon schedules, but they are also technical and deep at the same time. There are various historical, cultural, and linguistic references spread throughout the series which is nice because it’s not just surface-level information. It takes a practical approach to getting technical, which is nice. These are separated by book of the Bible, though, so you’ll have to buy several volumes to get the whole Bible. It’s still a must-have set, in my opinion.

3. ESV Expository Commentary: The most technical of these three commentaries, the ESV Expository commentary is a great commentary for getting your hands dirty in studying the “nitty-gritty” of the Bible. There are lots of language references and historical background, so you know you are getting all the information you need to have a good grasp on the passage you’ll be preaching/teaching. Even though it’s pretty technical, it isn’t too dense, though. It’s still accessible to everyone as a great resource for Bible study, and I would highly recommend this set if you are looking to go deeper into the Bible than you’ve ever gone before. Beware, though. They are pricey, and have 12 volumes to cover the 66 books of the Bible!

All three of these tools have been invaluable for me in my ministry and spiritual growth. There are always others that I reference and consult, I don’t want to limit myself, but these three are always on my desk while any sermon is being written. I encourage you to check them out and I hope and pray that they might be helpful for your ministry and growth as well!