There is one type of book that lines many a preachers bookshelves, commentaries. Some people view commentaries with suspicion, thinking that they are pushing a certain agenda and shouldn’t be trusted. While there are some, fewer in number I think, who view commentaries as a sermon script and when they preach they basically read the commentary out. However, commentaries aren’t only for clergy or those in Christian ministry. There are commentaries that are helpful for all Christians. Commentaries come in all shapes and sizes, there are the thick academic ones that dive into the original languages and sentence structure, etc. and there are smaller more devotional commentaries that are designed to help you understand the text and quickly know how to apply it to your life. Some commentaries were written in academic offices and other were first preached as sermons in churches. The commentary world is a mixed bag, but in their right place (more on that in a blog post at another time) commentaries can be very helpful. So let me introduce you to 3 today…
Mark for you by Jason Meyer
These first two I’m going to tell you about aren’t really commentaries but they’re labeled as expository bible-study guides.
In Mark for you Jason Meyer takes you into the book of Mark and walks you through Mark’s Gospel almost verse by serve in small and readable chunks. Meyer dives into the detail of the story and helps you see how wonderful the story of Jesus is whilst continuing to help you see how it all holds together with different themes that run through Mark’s Gospel. At the end of each section there are also a few reflection questions to help you think more about the text and how it applies to your life. I find talking about narrative quite difficult, but Meyer has produced this book which is insightful, practical and not too deep.
This would be an ideal resource if you’re a preacher looking for a more devotional type book as you prepare to preach, if you’re leading a Bible study on Mark’s Gospel or if you’re just wanting to study Mark a bit more in your own spare time. The book is longer than other in the ‘For You’ series coming in at just over 250 pages, but it’s not hard to work through.
Mark is a book I know very well, having read it in 1-1s with a good number of people over the years, and I really enjoyed reading this, I think you might too.
1 & 2 Thessalonians for you by Ligon Duncan
Here’s another one in the ‘For You’ series on 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Over the years I’ve really enjoyed diving into 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Ligon Duncan is a professor in the US and a preacher who is worth listening to if you get a chance. I’ve listened to a lot of his sermons and so was pleased to now also read his contribution to the Thessalonians discussion.
Like all books in the ‘For You’ series, this book is helpful, Duncan draws on his knowledge of the whole Bible and systematic theology, but it isn’t heavy or hard work. Again, each chapter concludes with a few reflection questions that will get you applying the Bible to your own life and help you think more about it.
My one criticism of this book is that there are parts where I would have liked to have gone deeper, for example in 1 Thessalonians the typical ‘rapture passage’ Duncan has very little to say into what is often quite a lively discussion among Christians. However, I know that this isn’t a commentary per se, but a Bible-study guide, and for that it is really good.
In addition to this book, you can also buy 8 studies also written by Ligon Duncan that will help you study 1 and 2 Thessalonians as a small group or as an individual. These studies are helpful at getting you to dig around the text and also to do the important work of applying it to your life. Buy the book here and the study guide here.
1 & 2 Timothy by William Barcley
Last, but not least, this book is a commentary, the intended audience is for pastors and Bible teachers. This book is less devotional in that there are no reflection questions at the end of each chapter, but there is a short application section where Barcley gives you what he considers to be the headline applications of the relevant text.
This book is a verse by verse walk through of 1 and 2 Timothy with helpful comments on each verse. I would say that this commentary is not very deep, so I wouldn’t treat it as a heavy academic one if that’s what I wanted for my prep, however, Barcley brings out some helpful insights and challenges that arise from the Bible.
As with any book, there are bits where I would have liked to have read a bit more for example on the qualifications of elders in 1 Timothy 3. Barcley writes from a complementation point of view and does say helpful things, but there isn’t much time given to different views and why he believes what he does. However, a book has limits and 300 pages is probably enough length considering that it’s way longer than the length of 1 and 2 Timothy!
Whilst this has been written primarily for pastors and Bible teachers, I think it could still be a helpful tool for someone who is simply wanting to dive into 1 and 2 Timothy a bit deeper. Get your copy and let me know what you think!
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