Utumishi Blog

What are commentaries actually for? How exactly can they add value to our study? Carson (NTCS, p.16-17) and Berkleys (‘Use of commentaries’) suggest various ways in which different types of commentaries can help us like the different tools of a tool kit:

1. Establishing the exact text – To be honest this is not often going to be that relevant to the vast majority of us. Usually you can rely on a good translation and its footnotes. However there are a few cases (e.g. Mark 16, John 8 and 1 John 5) where a commentary can help us get familiar with the arguments and evidence for/against authenticity.
2. Establishing the meanings of words in their literary context (sentence, passage, book, Bible) – This is the main work of a commentary. As Sammy noted above we shouldn’t let the commentary do the hard work of exegesis for us but a good commentator may well spot connections within the book or within the canon which we would otherwise have missed. He/she can also give us a brief history of interpretation which can help us to see and consider other options beyond our own framework.
3. Helping us see the theological meanings and implications – Commentaries that bring out the theology of the text and connect this with the theology of the rest of the Bible can be really useful. Theology is what the Bible is all about and where we want to go with our preaching. However, be a bit wary of commentaries that get several pages of theology out of every word or sub-clause of the text. It can be great stuff but it’s not a great model of preaching. There’s a great danger of pouring our own framework into the text (rather than let it speak) and it often has the result of exalting the commentator/preacher as a high priest who can bring things out of the text that no mere mortal would have found there (or, if done badly, it can just be very boring). Usually, in commentary and in preaching, it will be safest to take a reasonable size chunk, show how the parts contribute to the working of the whole and then show the one or two big theological points the author is trying to get across.
4. Helping us to understand the historical setting – The Bible is not abstract philosophy – it is a historical narrative based in the real world. So a commentary that helps us to understand how the ancient world looked and worked can be really helpful. But watch out for speculative reconstructions and for reconstructions that are so powerful in relation to the text that imported extra-biblical material ends up determining the Bible meaning – e.g. “I know it looks like it says X but if you know the situation in ancient Ephesus like I do then you’ll see that actually it means the opposite.”
5. Suggesting a range of appropriate applications – The more pastoral and popular commentaries may well draw out present day significance – basically crossing over into preaching. This can be helpful, particularly where it clearly flows from the text and Bible context. But beware a man-centred constant desire for immediate ‘relevance’. You will be able to see where the passage cuts home in your context much better than a commentator.
6. Expression – Sometimes a commentator will be helpful in inspiring the actual language and words of your sermon. Sometimes a good commentator will explain a passage so clearly or concisely or powerfully that you want to use his actual words. If you do you will need to give him/her credit by name (not steal their words). BUT quoting commentaries (in my view) should be done extremely seldom. It runs the risk of sounding pretentious and intellectual and/or making the congregation think you can’t understand the Bible without lots of expensive commentaries. Very rarely will the words of a commentator communicate better than the plain speaking of a preacher who know his congregation.

So commentaries have their uses. But what about the difficult practical matter of the often very high cost of commentaries? A few suggestions:

• Share. Pool resources with friends. Find libraries you might be able to gain access to. At iServe Africa we are building a library for apprentices and alumni. There is the Chadwick Library, AICMAR, Butere (W. Kenya) Few will have (or need) the luxury of commentaries on every book at their fingertips but pastors can work together. (I’ve also just discovered that libraries that register with Langham Partnerships can apply for a book grant.)
• ACTS bookshop, AIU, Nairobi – Probably the best Christian/theological bookshop in East Africa. It does a good range of commentaries (including a number in Kiswahili) priced as cheap as they possibly can. E.g. I picked up a commentary on Amos there recently for KES 100 if I remember rightly. Well worth getting to if you can.
• In terms of free online resources, possibly the best whole-Bible commentary available remains Matthew Henry’s. The language is old fashioned and sometimes there is more of a Puritan desire to practically apply every verse and less of a focus on context, biblical theology and how all the parts of a whole passage work together. But basically he was clearly a very godly, gospel man with a clear view of the Scriptures who often hits the nail right on the head. I very often look at what he has to say on a passage.
• It’s worth looking on Google Books for a commentary as sometimes they are available in at least partial view (though may annoyingly not be the sections you are particularly looking for!) and some of the really old commentaries are in full view / PDF download.
• The Africa Bible Commentary – If you want a more contemporary single volume Bible commentary and one very much aware of African issues then the ABC is a very good resource written by African Bible scholars and available in English or Kiswahili. It’s available from the ACTS bookshop for KES 2200 (which works out as KES 33 per Bible book) and might be worth clubbing together to buy. You could also try contacting Langham about their pastors packs which often include the ABC.
• The long term answer must be African scholars, theologians and pastors writing commentaries and publishing them locally at affordable prices. Anyone working on one at the moment?