Customer Reviews

Believer's Bible Commentary

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a student of the Bible, Sunday school teacher, and ordained deacon, I can enthusiastically recommend the Believer's Bible Commentary as a must for every Christian's library! Mr. MacDonald has written a scholarly yet friendly commentary that is useful for both personal daily Bible study as well as Sunday school lesson and sermon preparation. Following the New King James Version of the Bible, the central focus of this commentary is on clear, concise, direct, and conservative exposition of Scripture; seeing the person and work of Jesus Christ throughout the entire Bible; and applying Christian principles to modern living. The book also possesses a highly devotional quality as well. All this is done from a devout and conservative position, and difficult or controversial biblical issues are tackled rationally in the overall light of Scripture rather than dogmatically. Both Old and New Testaments are covered, with the OT receiving a slightly more superficial exposition. Mr. MacDonald's rich expositions provide a lasting impression of the deeper meanings of scriptural passages, rather than the conveyance of mere fact after dry fact or superficial, uninteresting coverage found so often in one-volume commentaries. Yet his exegeses are skillfully worded and concise enough so as not to be overwhelming to the user seeking a book for daily devotional study. I would, however, like to have seen the OT covered with a little more depth of exposition; the finer points of the NT are "dissected out" a little more. Still, even though I have long enjoyed reading Matthew Henry's Commentary, my #1 Bible study help--for my personal studies as well as my Sunday school lesson preparations--is the Believer's Bible Commentary. This book provides plenty of thorough and practical understanding of Christian theology, and I rarely prepare a lesson without it!

As a Sunday School teacher I was looking for a solid reference book from which I could base my lessons on and also do my personal devotions and study. I found just what I wanted with the Believer's Bible Commentary. It is packed with many articles on various topics including elders, divorce and remarriage, the concepts of the N.T. church, sin, the law, baptism, election, and much, much more. The summary article following the book of Acts is a must-read. There is a good amount of maps and tables depicting various themes. The author quotes from many other Christian writers so you are not getting the musings of just one man. The endnotes at the end of each bible book contain more details on certain verses and a bibliography for that book of the bible. There is a nice section of supplements at the end of the entire volume as well as a complete bibliography. MacDonald's writing is detailed, devotional and thought provoking. The editor notes that there is "a serious interaction with the details of the text... with no dodging of difficult passages or convicting applications." This is a commentary, systematic theology, general bible handbook, and practical guide all rolled into one package. And of course, the entire work speaks to the centrality of Jesus Christ in our lives. As the introduction reads, the aim of the Believer's Bible Commentary "is to help produce, not merely garden-variety, lowest-common-denominator Christians, but "disciples."" This central theme is expounded on time and again throughout the commentary. This is an excellent, God-honoring resource that I absolutely love.

I have used this commentary for years and I own many others. It is well written and tends to stay close to the Bible with only minimal departures. I am a seminary student so I study different theological systems. This is not a technical or advanced commentary. It is very suitable for anyone trying to understand a particular set of verses. In some cases it goes verse by verse, but in the Old Testament especially it is often paragraph to paragraph. This works out well for most uses.

McFarland is a mainstream evangelical interpreter of the Bible. He takes the Bible very literally - commenting from a dispensational, pre-millennial theology perspective. This is the perspective of the Left Behind series of books. If you are Baptist, Pentecostal or from a similar congregational denomination you will probably be very comfortable with this commentary; it likely fits the teaching of your church very well. If you only plan to buy one full Bible commentary for your family this is a good choice.

Presbyterian, Lutheran and other Reformed backgrounds may want to consider something else if you plan to use it as a teaching resource. Though this is still a useful commentary on the key tenets of the faith, some important secondary doctrines do not agree with a Reformed view. Matthew Henry of course is always a great choice but he is by no means as easy to read or contemporary as this much newer commentary.

I have owned Believer's Bible Commentary for about 12 years. Before that, I had the N.T. Beleiver's Bible Commentary. For a single volume commentary it is probably the best I have used. I am not a fan of devotional type commentaries. I prefer ones that deal with what the text is actually stating. While this commentary is somewhat devotional it is not overly so (especially in the N.T.). Due to its limited size there is a sacrifice in how much depth the commentary can go into. While I appreciate how the N.T. is handled, it is not the commentary I would normally first reach for when studying an O.T. passage. When doing any in depth Bible study it is best to not limit your resources to just one commentary. It is better to consult several works to see if there is a consensus and to be exposed to alternate views. This is a good commentary to have in your religious library. This commentary would be especially good for a new believer or for a first commentary. Another good starter commentary set is the Bible Knowledge Commentary. Since this is a 2 volume set it is able to go into more depth. For the person interested in more in depth Bible study I would recommend the Expositor's Bible Commentary (12 vols) to use along with the previously mentioned commentaries. If you wish for more involvement with the Greek I recommend Wuest's Word Studies in the Greek New Testament or Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament. I have also found The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key To The New Testament by Rogers and Rogers to be helpful.

Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald is a very easy but concise maxim for the diligent student of the scriptures. It serves as a wonderful compliment to the Bible by turning complex study into functional and constructive comprehension. Its precepts are practical & down-to-earth expressions of general biblical truths and fundamental principles. By reading the Believer's Bible Commentary, one can understand the scriptures within his or her own experience. Some say that this commentary is too empty but I beg to differ. Careful analysis of this marvelous literary work will give the reader a transparent look into the Holy Scriptures, which will put his or her mind at ease. This is possible because MacDonald does a superb job keeping the interpretation simple and straightforward. I highly recommend this book to all students who enjoy the study of God's Word. Kudos!!

A good resource for the Bible teacher and student, MacDonald's insights are easily understood and applicable to everday living.

The commentary has a helpful summary for each book of the Bible (introduction, authorship, date, background/theme, and outline) that helps the reader better understand the Bible. Also helpful are the maps, harmony of the gospels, messianic prophecies, descriptions of people and places of the Bible.

If you are looking for a basic one-volume commentary of the Bible, I highly recommend it! However, if you are looking for more technical and comprehensive information, I recommend the Expositor's Bible Commentary, Barnes' Notes, among other sets - just depends on what you are looking for!

A good supplement for the person who wishes to know more about the Bible and particular Bible verses.

William MacDonald's Commentary is the best Bible commentary that I ever laid my hands on. The author does not come up with "weird" ideas or make up new doctrines like others tend to do. He is also well acquainted with all the Scripture and does not deviate from the orthodox Biblical principles. His arguments are far from being superficial. At the same time, he presents the ideas skillfully in an easy to read, easy to understand language. If you are looking for a Bible commentary that you can TRUST, then this is what you are looking for.

I initially bought this commentary on a whim, thinking it would add some light flavor to my studies. It has become one of my favorite commentaries, particularly with regards to the New Testament.

For those who are afraid that the 'commentating' in the book will be overly-scholarly and basically unreadable, relax. It's a great read and easy to understand. In fact, William MacDonald has done an outstanding job on making the Scriptures understandable. The exposition and writing style remains consistent throughout, and the focus, of course, shines brightest on the Messianic passages, the Lord Himself, and the New Testament.

This title is an essential addition to the bible student's library. If you only have a little money to spend on commentaries, then I recommend you start with this one. It will serve you well.

I bought this commentary as a result of hearing about it from another pastor as a great one-volume commentary that doesn't skirt the 'problem' issues. Granted, you may not agree with his position on all issues, but he does provide an opinion from his understanding of scripture that is at least worth a listen.

I've been using this commentary on 1 Corinthians, and so far, I've been very pleased with the depth (not too deep, but also not too dry or labored) of his analysis. He spends just enough ink to make his point, but doesn't take 3 pages doing it.

This commentary is quickly becoming a go-to commentary for a sanity check to see if I'm on the right track.

Highly recommended as a great starter one-volume commentary. You won't be disappointed.

Although I enjoyed the two volume set much better, this commentary is a must for me. Brother MacDonald looks at tough verses from many points of view before commenting his own point of veiw. Many references are made to other famous brethren writers. Also, he does a good job in showing why he believes what he believes. He doesn't only comment and then expects you to agree, but gives reason, refering you to scripture, as to why he sees it that way. His comments are profound and at the same time very simple for a brand new Bible student to appreciate. Also, this commentary does not dodge contraversial verses or subjects. Brother William deals with them all! I would recommend seeking the two volume set first. If you cannot find it, make this your second option.