Recommended Commentaries and Biblical Reference Works

A Note About This List

Jackson Boyett was the long time pastor of Dayspring Fellowship in Austin, Texas, and passed away in 2011 along with his wife in an automobile accident. I was part of Dayspring in 1984 and 1985, and during this time Jackson gave me this list of his most recommended Biblical commentaries and reference works. I have found this to be a reliable guide to reference works that are scholarly and informative, and which are worth the investment it sometimes requires to build up this type of library. Over the years I have bought as many of these books as I could, and I also have my own collection of favorite books (many are listed on the Bibliography page). Pastor Boyett suggested that I only buy the ones on his list as needed for the specific subjects or books of the Bible for which I wanted to do a detailed study. For most books of the Bible he made a first and second choice suggestion (noted by a "1" or "2" on this list), but in practice I know that he actually owned many more commentaries than the ones listed, and liked to get a variety of opinions whenever possible.

Some of Pastor Boyett's comments about these books are also included which I think would aid people in making a purchasing decision about them.

These books are for a general study and knowledge of the Bible, and do not necessarily concentrate on gaining an understanding about the shepherding movement. The ones that contributed most to my research on the teachings of shepherding are listed on the Bibliography page of this web site.

For my own study of the shepherding movement I found that good libraries can be an excellent resource while going through the process of trying to find the best reference works and scraping up enough money to buy them. The Oklahoma City University Library had a particularly good collection of Biblical reference works, many of which are now out of print (and some of which are cited in my bibliography). My feeling is that while a home library is very desirable, I do not rely on it as my sole source of reading material.

Whether or not Pastor Boyett's list turns out to be the best one possible, I do believe it is desirable to have a starting point for building a book collection, and this seems to be a very good one.

Genesis

1. Leupold, Genesis (2 vols.), Baker.

2. John Calvin, Genesis (Geneva Series), Banner of Truth.

Henry Morris, The Genesis Record, Baker.

Exodus

1. Gipsen, Exodus--Bib. Students Commentary, Zondervan.

Leviticus

1. Wenham, Leviticus (New Intl. Commentary on Old Testament), Eerdmans.

Numbers

1. Wenham, Numbers (Tyndale O. T. Commentary), Inter-Varsity Press.

Deuteronomy

1. Peter Craigie, Deuteronomy (New Intl. Commentary on Old Testament), Eerdmans.

Christopher J. H. Wright, Deuteronomy (NIBC), Hendrickson.

Joshua

1. Marten Woudstra, Joshua (New Intl. Commentary on Old Testament), Eerdmans.

Judges & Ruth

1. Cundall & Morris, Judges & Ruth (Tyndale O. T. Commentary), Inter-Varsity Press.

Daniel Block, Judges, Ruth (NAC), Broadman & Holman.

Samuel, Kings, Chronicles

1. Keil & Delitzsch, Old Testament Commentary (10 vols.), Eerdmans.

Ezra, Nehemiah

1. Kidner, Ezra & Nehemiah (Tyndale O. T. Commentary), Inter-Varsity Press.

Job

1. F. Anderson, Job (Tyndale O. T. Commentary), Inter-Varsity Press.

Psalms

1. Spurgeon, Psalms (3 vols.), Mac Donald.

2. Leupold, Psalms, Baker.

Proverbs

1. C. Bridges, Proverbs (Geneva Series), Banner of Truth.

Ecclesiastes

1. Kaiser, Total Life, Moody.

2. Leupold, Ecclesiastes, Baker.

Isaiah

1. J. Alexander, Isaiah (2 vols.), Klock & Klock.

2. E. J. Young, Isaiah (3 vols.), Eerdmans.

Jeremiah

1. R. K. Harrison, Jeremiah & Lamentations (Tyndale O. T. Commentary), Inter-Varsity Press.

2. J. Bright, Jeremiah (Anchor), Doubleday.

Ezekiel

1. Peter C. Craigie, Ezekiel (Daily Study Bible, O. T.), Westminster.

Daniel

1. Young, Daniel, Eerdmans.

2. E. B. Pusey, Daniel, Klock & Klock.

Hosea

1. David Noel Freedman, Hosea (Anchor), Doubleday.

Minor Prophets

1. Boice, Minor Prophets (Vol. 1), Zondervan.

Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

1. T. V. Moore, Haggai-Zechariah-Malachi (Geneva Series), Banner of Truth.

Matthew

1. Hendriksen, Matthew (N. T. Commentary -- Hendriksen & Kistemaker), Baker.

2. Gaebelein, Matthew-Mark-Luke (Expositor's Bible Comm.), Zondervan.

J. C. Ryle, Matthew (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels-2 Vols.), Banner of Truth.

Mark

1. Hendriksen, Mark (N. T. Commentary -- Hendriksen & Kistemaker), Baker.

2. Alexander, Mark, Baker.

J. C. Ryle, Mark (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels-2 Vols.), Banner of Truth.

Luke

1. Morgan, Luke, Revell.

2. Geldenhuys, Luke (N. T. Commentary -- Hendriksen & Kistemaker), Baker.

J. C. Ryle, Luke (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels-2 Vols.), Banner of Truth.

John

1. Hendriksen, John (N. T. Commentary -- Hendriksen & Kistemaker), Baker.

2. Boice, John (5 vols.), Zondervan.

Carson, The Gospel According to John (PNTC), Eerdmans.

J. C. Ryle, John (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels-2 Vols.), Banner of Truth.

Acts

1. Bruce, Acts (New Intl. Comm. on New Test.), Eerdmans.

Romans

1. Hendriksen, Romans (N. T. Commentary -- Hendriksen & Kistemaker), Baker.

2. Lloyd-Jones, Romans (6 vols.), Zondervan.

I Corinthians

1. Charles Hodge, 1st & 2nd Corinthians (Geneva Series), Banner of Truth.

2. Morris, 1st Corinthians (Tyndale New Test. Commentary), Eerdmans.

II Corinthians

1. Hughes, 2nd Corinthians (New Intl. Comm. on New Test.), Eerdmans.

Galatians

1. Hendriksen, Galatians-Ephesians (N. T. Commentary -- Hendriksen & Kistemaker), Baker.

James Haldane, Galatians, Particular Baptist Press.

Schreiner, Galatians (ZEC), Zondervan.

Ephesians

1. Lloyd-Jones, Ephesians (8 vols.), Baker.

Peter T. O'Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, Pillar New Test. Commentary, Eerdmans.

Philippians, Colossians, Philemon

1. Hendriksen, Philippians-Colossians-Philemon (N. T. Commentary - Hendriksen & Kistemaker), Baker.

2. James Boice, Philippians, Zondervan.

Peter T. O'Brien, Colossians, Philemon (Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 44), Nelson.

Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus

1. Hendriksen, 1-2 Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus (N. T.Commentary - Hendriksen & Kistemaker), Baker.

2. Leon Morris, Thessalonians (Tyndale New Test. Commentary), Eerdmans.

Hebrews

1. William Gouge, Commentary on Hebrews, Kregel.

2. Bruce, Hebrews (New Intl. Comm. on New Test.), Eerdmans.

Phillip E. Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, Eerdmans.

James

1. Robert Johnstone, James (Geneva Series), Banner of Truth.

2. Tasker, James (Tyndale New Test. Commentary), Eerdmans.

I Peter

1. Stibbs, 1st Peter (Tyndale New Test. Commentary), Eerdmans.

2. J. Brown, 1st Peter (2 vols.) (Geneva Series), Banner of Truth.

Grudem, I Peter (TNTC), Eerdmans.

II Peter

1. Lloyd-Jones, 2nd Peter, Banner of Truth.

2. Green, 2nd Peter & Jude (Tyndale New Test. Commentary), Eerdmans.

Epistles of John

1. Marshall, 1-3 John (New Intl. Comm. on New Test.), Eerdmans.

2. Stott, Epistles of John (Tyndale New Test. Commentary), Eerdmans.

Revelation

1. Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors, Baker.

2. L. Morris, Revelation of Saint John (Tyndale New Test. Commentary), Eerdmans.

Beale, The Book of Revelation (NIGTC), Eerdmans. (technical, but excellent)

Multi-Volume Commentaries

Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary (10 vols.), Eerdmans.

Matthew Henry's Commentary (unabridged) (6 vols.), Mac Donald.

Frank E. Gaebelein (ed.), Expositor's Bible Commentary -- New Testament, Zondervan.. (Consider this. It promises to be a very fine set.)

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (3 vols.), Eerdmans.

Matthew Poole's Commentary (3 vols.), Mac Donald.

Calvin's Commentaries, Baker. (If you can ever swing it, you'll never be sorry for getting these. But don't get them first.)

Hebrew Reference Works

Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies, Mac Donald.

Harris-Archer-Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Moody.

Mansoor, Biblical Hebrew Step-by-Step, Baker.

Greek Reference Works

Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich Greek/English Lexicon (rev.), Univ. of Chicago.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of N. T. Words, Mac Donald.

Vincent's N. T. Word Studies (4 vols.), Mac Donald.

Bible Dictionary

Douglas, New Bible Dictionary (rev.), Tyndale.

Bible Encyclopedia

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (4 vols.), Eerdmans.

Bible Atlas

Oxford Bible Atlas, Oxford.

Church History

Schaff, History of the Christian Church (8 vols.), Eerdmans.

Douglas, New Intl. Dictionary of the Christian Church, Zondervan.

Systematic Theology

Berkhof's Systematic Theology, Eerdmans.