1. Sermonic commentaries
Sericommentary commentaries are printed or reworked sermons that can help orient teachers to the big ideas and overall flow of a book. These commentaries are often too lengthy for weekly lessons or sermon preparation, but smaller sermonic commentaries like those in the Preach the Word or Reformed Expository Commentary series provide a high-level overview of a book.
2. Expositional commentaries
Expositional commentaries are written to help readers understand the overall approach to a book and its interpretation of individual passages. These commentaries are often brief and can be read from beginning to end like a normal book, making them helpful for orienting preachers or teachers to large books like Jeremiah or Revelation.
3. Hebrew or Greek handbooks
Hebrew or Greek handbooks provide more detailed grammatical and syntactical help than a normal exegetical commentary would offer. These handbooks are ideal for pastors who want to develop their sermons from a study of the biblical text in the original languages but may need additional guidance on grammar and syntax.
4. Theological commentaries
Theological commentaries focus on the theological themes of the books under consideration, providing an expanded survey of major theological concepts found in or raised by the book. These commentaries often come in two parts: an abbreviated exposition of the book, section-by-section, and a more detailed exploration of theological themes.
5. Socio-rhetorical commentaries
Socio-rhetorical commentaries focus on the social world that informs the biblical text and on ancient forms of rhetoric that shape how a book is written. These commentaries provide a unique perspective on the historical context and literary style of the Bible, making them valuable for scholars and preachers alike.
6. Specialized commentaries
Specialized commentaries focus on particular features rather than expositing or exegeting books in their entirety. Examples include commentaries that focus on the New Testament use of the Old Testament, biblical geography, or historical background.
7. Exegetical commentaries
Exegetical commentaries provide a detailed analysis of individual passages, tracing the structure of the text and discussing textual variants, lexical and grammatical matters, and surveying different interpretive options in detail. These commentaries are ideal for scholars who want to delve deeply into specific texts.
8. Historical commentaries
Historical commentaries gather comments from patristic, medieval, and Reformation interpreters and provide a verse-by-verse commentary format. These commentaries offer a unique perspective on the historical development of biblical interpretation and can be valuable for preachers who want to engage with the rich heritage of Christian tradition.
9. Illustrated commentaries
Illustrated commentaries provide explanations of the geography, cultural background, or other features that inform the biblical writings. Examples include commentaries that focus on biblical geography or historical background.
10. Research commentaries
Research commentaries summarize the scholarship on given texts and serve as an entry point into the commentary literature. These commentaries can be valuable for preachers who want to engage with the latest research and scholarship on specific texts.
Note: The pastor or teacher has a wealth of modern commentary resources at their fingertips, but a historical perspective is also important. Commentaries like the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, The Church’s Bible, and the Reformation Commentary on Scripture gather comments from patristic, medieval, and Reformation interpreters and provide a unique perspective on the historical development of biblical interpretation.
Source:
LOGOS Bible
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