Bestselling Catholic Books on Amazon.com
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Isaiah (Crossway Classic Commentaries)
List Price: $21.99
Sale Price: $14.77
Used From: $12.95
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Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's readersFor hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth...
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Christians: What are your favorite Bible commentaries and why?
I actually don't use commentaries very much (maybe a few times a year) and usually use Calvin's commentaries because that's what my husband had when we married when I do. (My Bible doesn't have a commentary).
What commentary do you like if you use one at all, and why?
Here are several I really like that are on-line:
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries/
Of the ones at this website:
*The Geneva Study Bible is excellent, but very brief.
*Matthew Henry's Commentary on the whole bible is a classic, and I love it. It is my FIRST go-to for understanding a verse.
*John Gill's exposition of the Bible is also amazing (and very overlooked); it is so in-depth it boggles my mind.
I hadn't heard of it before going to this website, but the "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible" by Fausset and Brown is surprisingly good, as well.
-
I am also very partial to Arthur Pink...whom I absolutely love...his writings are often very lively and literally drive me to worship (as opposed to the dullness of some more heady dead theologians).
Arthur Pink didn't write a commentary on the whole Bible, but his works are absolutely amazing and very edifying and can be found here:
http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/pinks_archive.htm
I have pretty much every book he ever wrote in my own personal library (all easily bought used and cheap on ebay over time). His "gleanings" series are awesome, in addition to his very thorough exposition of John and Hebrews.
His "Gleanings in Joshua", "Sovereignty of God", and other "doctrinal" books are a must read. I really can't say enough about this man of God and his writings, which have blessed me. Though, in his younger days he did err a little towards dispensational thought, in his later years he rejected it violently and even recanted a couple of his lesser known books. His LAST writing was the Gleangings in Joshua...and I have read the first 1/3 of this book at least three times. I like it so much that when I get distracted by other books, I go back to this one and just start completely over. I confess, I have yet to finish it! 
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The best exposition I ever read was by Thomas Manton on the book of Jude. It is phenomenal. More than a commentary, it is an exposition...but it is amazing and worth the read. Jude is composed of only 1 chapter with 25 verses...and the exposition is so thick with meat that it is amazing.
Thomas Manton also wrote an exposition of James, which is considered (along with Jude) two of the best expositions out there on books of the Bible - a high standard to which other "commentators" and "expositors" should be held.
It was Arthur Pink that first got me interested in Thomas Manton...through his book where he writes advice to younger ministers. Arthur gives Thomas Manton the highest of praises...and his works the most helpful of any.
I kept searching for Thomas Manton's 22-volume set on ebay, and about a year ago snagged a used set for a great price. Though, I confess, I have only read a little from this...and get distracted by the 10+ other books I am currently reading.
-
The "Crossway Classic Commentaries" with series editors Alister McGrath and J.I. Packer are excellent - with various authors picked for various books of the Bible (including Thomas Manton for Jude and James):
http://www.gnpcb.org/catalog/series/crossway.classic.commentaries
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/103-6651497-1223846?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=crossway+classic+commentaries
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=Crossway+Classic+Commentaries&z=y
It also includes commentaries by John Calvin, Charles Hodge, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, and John Owen.
Some of these guys are great, but so dense they are hard to read. John Owens, for example...brilliant and great stuff...but I sometimes I get bogged down when reading him.
The long dead Jonathan Edwards...and now his "living" mentoree, John Piper, are also fantastic.
-
Bottom Line:
If a person was to read JUST the Bible and ONE other "commentary", I would recommend the Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible (not the concise, smaller version, but the extensive one - originally a 6-volume series - which is online at the website at the top of my answer). It is lively, refreshing, easy to read, practical, thorough, and very edifying.
Here is an unabridged 1-volume version:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=Matthew+Henry+Complete&z=y
Beyond this, I recommend Arthur Pink because his writing is fresh, lively, easy-to-understand...and more than a mental understanding of scripture, it drives me to worship! It is alive with emotion and top-notch intellectually in its doctrine.
Then, Thomas Manton...more in-depth than Pink...but not so dull as Owen, Hodges, and others.
-
Added afterthought as I pondered all of these...
The VERY interesting thing I find is that almost all of the commentaries and expositions are by men who were calvinistic in their theology. The arminians just haven't written much on the Bible...and I really don't know how they could...as every verse would pose such a "difficulty" for them. Even Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the website I gave at the top comes off as very calvinistic at times...and is otherwise fairly brief. Just something to think about...
-
Grace and peace in Christ
-
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Isaiah (Crossway Classic Commentaries)
List Price: $11.99
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Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's readersFor hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth...
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The Letters of Paul, Fifth Edition: Conversations in Context
List Price: $30.00
Sale Price: $19.60
Used From: $11.70
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Calvin Roetzel's The Letters of Paul has long been established as the most effective textbook for introducing Paul and Paul's writings to undergraduate and seminary students. This new edition updates the text to include new scholarship developed after the fourth edition's release in 1998...
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Commentary on Romans - Enhanced Version (Calvin's Commentaries)
List Price: $1.99
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Calvin’s Commentaries are classics of the first order, essential reading for anyone studying a Bible text. Reading Calvin nearly always leads to new insights on a passage. Philip Schaff said of Calvin that he “was an exegetical genius of the first order...
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St. Thomas Aquinas Commentary on Colossians
$12.95
Translated by Fabian Larcher, O.P. St. Thomas Aquinas's biblical commentaries have been somewhat neglected. Similarly many readers of the Bible do not spend much time with the Colossians. This pearl of a Commentary should assist not only in renewing interest on Aquinas's exegetical insights, but also in deepening our appreciation for the richness of the Epistle to the Colossians.
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The Bible and the Qur'an
$12.95
In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, worldwide interest in Islam has reached an unprecedented peak. Thousands convert to Islam each year in the US alone, and sales of the Qur'an are very high. What do Christians need to know about the Qur'an? Fr. Jacques Jomier, O.P., has written a scholarly yet readable work that details the profound differences between Christian scripture and the Islamic sacred texts, differences that are too often glossed over by the mainstream media. Topics addressed include: Islamic teaching on Jesus and Mary; the universal mission of the Muslim; Jews, Christians and Islamic law. This book is a necessity for those who wish to understand the highly charged religious elements of the current conflict in the Middle East. ???Jomier carefully presents what the Qur'an teaches about the Hebrew and Christian bible. He contrasts the essential Muslim teachings with the Jewish and Christian understandings of themselves. Jomier is both sympathetic and critical. This is an excellent text in which to understand just what Islam means when it talks of Jewish or Christian sources in the light of its own traditions.??? "James Schall, S.J., Georgetown University Jacques Jomier, O.P. , served for many years as a missionary in the Middle East, gaining a unique inside view of the Muslim world. He was among the first to provide commentary on modern translations of the Qur'an, contributing greatly to the study of Islam. '
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Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Corinthians
$9.95
'Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch present insights and inspiring commentary on the Letters to the Corinthians in this 7th volume of the new Ignatius Study Bible series. Containing Bible study helps and tools, in addition to the Hahn-Mitch notes, they include insights from the Church Fathers, topical essays, word studies and charts, study questions, maps, and a cross-reference section.' '"Once a generation a truly unique Bible tool is given to the Church. The Ignatius Study Bible is a gift for our generation. This is the most important book since the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Every parish study group and every student of Sacred Scripture should own and use this Bible." '" David Currie 'Author, Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic ' '
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Catholic Study Bible: Hebrews
$9.95
Based on the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition, this volume leads readers through a penetrating study of The Letter to the Hebrews , using the biblical text itself and the Church's own guidelines for understanding the Bible. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights and commentary by renowned Bible teachers Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, as well as time-tested interpretations from the Fathers of the Church. These helpful study notes make explicit what the Letter to the Hebrews often assumes. They also provide rich historical, cultural, geographical, and theological information pertinent to the Letter. ' The Ignatius Study Bible also includes Topical Essays, Word Studies, and Charts. Each page includes an easy-to-use Cross-Reference Section. Study Questions are provided for the Letter to the Hebrews. These can deepen your personal study of God's Holy Word. There is also an introductory essay covering questions of authorship, date, destination, structure, and themes. Outlines of the Letter and a map are also included. '
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Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: John
$9.95
Commentary by Scott Hahn & Curtis Mitch Based on the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition, this fifth volume in this Bible study series leads readers through a penetrating study of the Gospel of John, using the biblical text itself and the Church's own guidelines for understanding the Bible. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights by renowned Bible teachers Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, as well as time-tested interpretations from the Fathers of the Church. These helpful study notes make explicit what John often assumes. They provide rich historical, cultural, or theological information pertinent to the Gospel. The Ignatius Study Bible also includes Topical Essays, Word Studies and Charts. Each page also includes an easy-to-use Cross-Reference Section. Study Questions are provided for each chapter of the Gospel that can deepen your personal study of God's Holy Word. There is also an introductory essay covering questions of authorship, date, destination, structure and themes and an outline of the Gospel of John and several maps. ???Once a generation a truly unique Bible tool is given to the Church. The Ignatius Study Bible is a gift for our generation. This is the most important book since the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Every parish study group and every student of Sacred Scripture should own and use this Bible.??? "David Currie , Author, Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic ' '
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Isaiah (Crossway Classic Commentaries)
List Price: $11.99
|
|
|
Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's readersFor hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth...
|
|
The Letters of Paul, Fifth Edition: Conversations in Context
List Price: $30.00
Sale Price: $19.60
Used From: $11.70
|
|
|
Calvin Roetzel's The Letters of Paul has long been established as the most effective textbook for introducing Paul and Paul's writings to undergraduate and seminary students. This new edition updates the text to include new scholarship developed after the fourth edition's release in 1998...
|
Calvin Bible Commentary
Bestselling Catholic Books on Amazon.com
Calvin Bible Commentary
List Price: $21.99
Sale Price: $14.77
Used From: $12.95
Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's readersFor hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth...
Christians: What are your favorite Bible commentaries and why?
I actually don't use commentaries very much (maybe a few times a year) and usually use Calvin's commentaries because that's what my husband had when we married when I do. (My Bible doesn't have a commentary).
What commentary do you like if you use one at all, and why?
Here are several I really like that are on-line:
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries/
Of the ones at this website:
*The Geneva Study Bible is excellent, but very brief.
*Matthew Henry's Commentary on the whole bible is a classic, and I love it. It is my FIRST go-to for understanding a verse.
*John Gill's exposition of the Bible is also amazing (and very overlooked); it is so in-depth it boggles my mind.
I hadn't heard of it before going to this website, but the "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible" by Fausset and Brown is surprisingly good, as well.
-
I am also very partial to Arthur Pink...whom I absolutely love...his writings are often very lively and literally drive me to worship (as opposed to the dullness of some more heady dead theologians).
Arthur Pink didn't write a commentary on the whole Bible, but his works are absolutely amazing and very edifying and can be found here:
http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/pinks_archive.htm
I have pretty much every book he ever wrote in my own personal library (all easily bought used and cheap on ebay over time). His "gleanings" series are awesome, in addition to his very thorough exposition of John and Hebrews.
His "Gleanings in Joshua", "Sovereignty of God", and other "doctrinal" books are a must read. I really can't say enough about this man of God and his writings, which have blessed me. Though, in his younger days he did err a little towards dispensational thought, in his later years he rejected it violently and even recanted a couple of his lesser known books. His LAST writing was the Gleangings in Joshua...and I have read the first 1/3 of this book at least three times. I like it so much that when I get distracted by other books, I go back to this one and just start completely over. I confess, I have yet to finish it!
-
The best exposition I ever read was by Thomas Manton on the book of Jude. It is phenomenal. More than a commentary, it is an exposition...but it is amazing and worth the read. Jude is composed of only 1 chapter with 25 verses...and the exposition is so thick with meat that it is amazing.
Thomas Manton also wrote an exposition of James, which is considered (along with Jude) two of the best expositions out there on books of the Bible - a high standard to which other "commentators" and "expositors" should be held.
It was Arthur Pink that first got me interested in Thomas Manton...through his book where he writes advice to younger ministers. Arthur gives Thomas Manton the highest of praises...and his works the most helpful of any.
I kept searching for Thomas Manton's 22-volume set on ebay, and about a year ago snagged a used set for a great price.
Though, I confess, I have only read a little from this...and get distracted by the 10+ other books I am currently reading.
-
The "Crossway Classic Commentaries" with series editors Alister McGrath and J.I. Packer are excellent - with various authors picked for various books of the Bible (including Thomas Manton for Jude and James):
http://www.gnpcb.org/catalog/series/crossway.classic.commentaries
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/103-6651497-1223846?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=crossway+classic+commentaries
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=Crossway+Classic+Commentaries&z=y
It also includes commentaries by John Calvin, Charles Hodge, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, and John Owen.
Some of these guys are great, but so dense they are hard to read. John Owens, for example...brilliant and great stuff...but I sometimes I get bogged down when reading him.
The long dead Jonathan Edwards...and now his "living" mentoree, John Piper, are also fantastic.
-
Bottom Line:
If a person was to read JUST the Bible and ONE other "commentary", I would recommend the Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible (not the concise, smaller version, but the extensive one - originally a 6-volume series - which is online at the website at the top of my answer). It is lively, refreshing, easy to read, practical, thorough, and very edifying.
Here is an unabridged 1-volume version:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=Matthew+Henry+Complete&z=y
Beyond this, I recommend Arthur Pink because his writing is fresh, lively, easy-to-understand...and more than a mental understanding of scripture, it drives me to worship! It is alive with emotion and top-notch intellectually in its doctrine.
Then, Thomas Manton...more in-depth than Pink...but not so dull as Owen, Hodges, and others.
-
Added afterthought as I pondered all of these...
The VERY interesting thing I find is that almost all of the commentaries and expositions are by men who were calvinistic in their theology. The arminians just haven't written much on the Bible...and I really don't know how they could...as every verse would pose such a "difficulty" for them. Even Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the website I gave at the top comes off as very calvinistic at times...and is otherwise fairly brief. Just something to think about...
-
Grace and peace in Christ
-
List Price: $11.99
Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's readersFor hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth...
List Price: $30.00
Sale Price: $19.60
Used From: $11.70
Calvin Roetzel's The Letters of Paul has long been established as the most effective textbook for introducing Paul and Paul's writings to undergraduate and seminary students. This new edition updates the text to include new scholarship developed after the fourth edition's release in 1998...
List Price: $1.99
Calvin’s Commentaries are classics of the first order, essential reading for anyone studying a Bible text. Reading Calvin nearly always leads to new insights on a passage. Philip Schaff said of Calvin that he “was an exegetical genius of the first order...
St. Thomas Aquinas Commentary on Colossians
$12.95
Translated by Fabian Larcher, O.P. St. Thomas Aquinas's biblical commentaries have been somewhat neglected. Similarly many readers of the Bible do not spend much time with the Colossians. This pearl of a Commentary should assist not only in renewing interest on Aquinas's exegetical insights, but also in deepening our appreciation for the richness of the Epistle to the Colossians.
The Bible and the Qur'an
$12.95
In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, worldwide interest in Islam has reached an unprecedented peak. Thousands convert to Islam each year in the US alone, and sales of the Qur'an are very high. What do Christians need to know about the Qur'an? Fr. Jacques Jomier, O.P., has written a scholarly yet readable work that details the profound differences between Christian scripture and the Islamic sacred texts, differences that are too often glossed over by the mainstream media. Topics addressed include: Islamic teaching on Jesus and Mary; the universal mission of the Muslim; Jews, Christians and Islamic law. This book is a necessity for those who wish to understand the highly charged religious elements of the current conflict in the Middle East. ???Jomier carefully presents what the Qur'an teaches about the Hebrew and Christian bible. He contrasts the essential Muslim teachings with the Jewish and Christian understandings of themselves. Jomier is both sympathetic and critical. This is an excellent text in which to understand just what Islam means when it talks of Jewish or Christian sources in the light of its own traditions.??? "James Schall, S.J., Georgetown University Jacques Jomier, O.P. , served for many years as a missionary in the Middle East, gaining a unique inside view of the Muslim world. He was among the first to provide commentary on modern translations of the Qur'an, contributing greatly to the study of Islam. '
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Corinthians
$9.95
'Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch present insights and inspiring commentary on the Letters to the Corinthians in this 7th volume of the new Ignatius Study Bible series. Containing Bible study helps and tools, in addition to the Hahn-Mitch notes, they include insights from the Church Fathers, topical essays, word studies and charts, study questions, maps, and a cross-reference section.' '"Once a generation a truly unique Bible tool is given to the Church. The Ignatius Study Bible is a gift for our generation. This is the most important book since the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Every parish study group and every student of Sacred Scripture should own and use this Bible." '" David Currie 'Author, Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic ' '
Catholic Study Bible: Hebrews
$9.95
Based on the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition, this volume leads readers through a penetrating study of The Letter to the Hebrews , using the biblical text itself and the Church's own guidelines for understanding the Bible. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights and commentary by renowned Bible teachers Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, as well as time-tested interpretations from the Fathers of the Church. These helpful study notes make explicit what the Letter to the Hebrews often assumes. They also provide rich historical, cultural, geographical, and theological information pertinent to the Letter. ' The Ignatius Study Bible also includes Topical Essays, Word Studies, and Charts. Each page includes an easy-to-use Cross-Reference Section. Study Questions are provided for the Letter to the Hebrews. These can deepen your personal study of God's Holy Word. There is also an introductory essay covering questions of authorship, date, destination, structure, and themes. Outlines of the Letter and a map are also included. '
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: John
$9.95
Commentary by Scott Hahn & Curtis Mitch Based on the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition, this fifth volume in this Bible study series leads readers through a penetrating study of the Gospel of John, using the biblical text itself and the Church's own guidelines for understanding the Bible. Ample notes accompany each page, providing fresh insights by renowned Bible teachers Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, as well as time-tested interpretations from the Fathers of the Church. These helpful study notes make explicit what John often assumes. They provide rich historical, cultural, or theological information pertinent to the Gospel. The Ignatius Study Bible also includes Topical Essays, Word Studies and Charts. Each page also includes an easy-to-use Cross-Reference Section. Study Questions are provided for each chapter of the Gospel that can deepen your personal study of God's Holy Word. There is also an introductory essay covering questions of authorship, date, destination, structure and themes and an outline of the Gospel of John and several maps. ???Once a generation a truly unique Bible tool is given to the Church. The Ignatius Study Bible is a gift for our generation. This is the most important book since the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Every parish study group and every student of Sacred Scripture should own and use this Bible.??? "David Currie , Author, Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic ' '
List Price: $11.99
Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's readersFor hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth...
List Price: $30.00
Sale Price: $19.60
Used From: $11.70
Calvin Roetzel's The Letters of Paul has long been established as the most effective textbook for introducing Paul and Paul's writings to undergraduate and seminary students. This new edition updates the text to include new scholarship developed after the fourth edition's release in 1998...