New Bible Commentary [Hardcover]

Gordon J. Wenham (Editor), J. Alec Motyer (Editor), Donald A. Carson (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 1996

Voted one of 1995 Books of the Year!

For 40 years, the has set the standard for works of its kind. Now in this completely revised fourth edition (including over 80% new and updated material), the is positioned to maintain its standing as the leading one-volume commentary on the whole Bible well into the 21st century.

This readable and accessible volume brings together many of the finest scholars of our day to meet the needs of students, teachers and Bible readers. The 21st-century edition of the offers 66 solid, concise, evangelical commentaries--one on each book of the Bible. These detailed (passage-by-passage or verse-by-verse) commentaries, based on the NIV text, are accompanied by introductory material on date, authorship, purpose, key themes, outlines and discussions of recent developments in biblical scholarship. In addition seven articles overview biblical history and types of biblical literature, including the Pentateuch, poetry, the Gospels, the Epistles, and the Apocrypha and other apocalyptic writings.

Completely updated for a new generation of readers, the new will be a powerful aid for all who want to understand the foundational book of the Christian faith.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

During its 40-year history, this work has established a reputation as a leading single-volume Bible commentary representing the evangelical perspective. However, the last edition was published nearly a quarter-century ago. Around 75 percent of the current edition is completely new, and the rest is thoroughly revised. Not only are the contents fresh, but so are most of the contributors, who represent some of the best-known evangelical scholars of the current generation. The commentaries emphasize the final form of the texts rather than the sources that may underlie them. Matters such as authorship, date, and sources are dealt with at the beginning of each commentary. Additionally, information on biblical history and the different literary genres (with the peculiar exception of prophecy) is presented in the introductory articles throughout the volume. This revised edition should be on library shelves alongside Harper's Bible Commentary and The New Jerome Biblical Commentary as a conservative complement to them. Recommended for public and academic libraries.
Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"For many years I recommended the old New Bible Commentary as the best of its kind on the market. I expect to find myself saying the same of this new work that replaces it." (J. I. Packer, author of Knowing God)

"The 21st century edition of the New Bible Commentary will prove as valuable to the rising generations as its predecessors did to those of us who are older." (D. Stuart Briscoe, author and pastor D. Stuart Briscoe, author and pastor)

"IVP is to be congratulated on producing this new edition of the New Bible Commentary. I warmly commend it to all those wanting to understand the Bible in greater depth." (George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury)

"An excellent study guide for anyone who wants to take Scripture seriously. The New Bible Commentary allows its users to read Scripture in some of the best company currently available. A book which will seriously enrich its readers' faith and understanding." (Alister E. McGrath, King's College, London)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1468 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic; 21st Century Edition edition (September 4, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830814426
• ISBN-13: 978-0830814428
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 58 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the best one volume Bible commentary January 21, 2003

By Gontroppo VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

First published in 1953, the New Bible Commentary has been revised and updated 4 times. It has been and still is, the best one volume Bible commentary available. To cover all 66 books of the bible means that some detail must be sacrificed, but the authors capture the flow of the argument in each book well, and also have time to discuss important and controversial issues.

Many of the articles are written by people with best-selling full-length commentaries on the books they were assigned. So you get G J Wenham on Genesis and Peter O'Brien on Colossians, for example.

Highly recommended.

If you would like this book at a bargain price, with 17 other helpful books, including the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Sinclair Ferguson's New Dictionary of Theology, the New Bible Dictionary and the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Amazon also sells the Essential IVP Reference Collection CD ROM.

78 of 86 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars NBC, third edition is better. February 19, 2003

By J. Oh

Format:Hardcover

I really do like New Bible Commentary (NBC) for years. It has been my favorite one volume commentary thus far. So naturally, I was excited when they decided to update (or revise) the 3rd edition of NBC to 21st century edition. But when I got it, I was little disappointed. Compare to the previous edition, it lacked the devotional and spiritual emphasis. In review:
1. This NBC is more updated due to recent archaelogical findings and newer intepretations.
2. NIV version of the Bible has been used as main text. This can be pro or con depending on individual's preference.
3. Type-setting is actually more bothersome to the eyes than the previous edition.
4. While it is updated in scholastic area, but it has lost the devotional character of the 3rd edition.

I gave away my 21st century edition, because I still use the 3rd edition. Since the 3rd edition is out-of-print, you have to find it in used books. Amazon.com actually carries sellers who sell used NBC.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best one-volume commentary on the market July 11, 2000

By Matthew Sullivan

Format:Hardcover

I refer to this commentary all the time in my study; both devotional and for sermon prep. You would be hard-pressed to find a finer collection of today's evangelical scholars/commentators as is assembled here. Each book of the Bible is given thorough treatment in lay language by a scholar who has immersed himself in that book for years. This is money very well-spent. Highly recommended.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE one-volume commentary, simply brilliant. January 15, 2003

By Dave K

Format:Hardcover

Unless you have a commentary on every book of the bible including Obadiah and Esther just for general life you need a commentary that covers the whole bible. They have their disadvantages and advantages because of their size but every Christian should have one. A good bible and the new bible commentary are the basics you need.

This is the best one-volume commentary by far (in the UK, at least, nobody even considers buying another), with an stunning list of evangelical contributors. Purposely concentrates on the flow of a text, which is always sensible, especially when space is so limited, as it inevitably is with just one volume. Most of the New Testament is verse by verse and in the OT bigger chunks are taken at once. The scholarship is very up to date and they rarely dodge difficult questions, although as would be expected they don't have enough space to be thorough. There is, however, so much information in this book that it is worth several times the list price. There are a few articles with titles such as: 'the Pentateuch', 'reading the letters', 'approaching the bible' etc. which are all very good, and all the books have introductions dealing with authorship, date, etc. The editors also recommend single commentaries for each book of varying difficulty which is very useful when you need to have a commentary with more detail than any one-volume can supply.

Please, for the sake of your spiritual growth, buy this book, and now not tomorrow.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Single Volume Commentary January 3, 2007

By Greg B

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great commentary for someone starting out in studying the Bible. (Much better than, say, the Bible Knowledge Commentary or Wycliffe.) The introductory article "Approaching the Bible" is a must read for all Christians, young and old alike. Donald Carson is an erudite scholar who has a tremendous ability to bring material from the seminary classroom to laypeople avoiding both overly technical language and a condescending attitude. He is truly a gifted teacher.

I have a pretty decent library of commentaries. My approach to the Bible is conservative, although I do read and benefit from commentaries outside of this discipline. I have given this commentary as a gift a number of times to new believers, and recommend it highly.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Useful March 31, 2004

By FJC

Format:Hardcover

I was given this commentary as a gift fairly recently, and it has already proved to be very useful. My nascent theological library includes more detailed commentaries on a few of the more prominent NT books; but that doesn't help me when I come across a verse in Hosea that I find really puzzling. This Bible commentary does. The articles it includes are also nice, factual overviews. In short, this is a really handy reference from some very prominent Evangelical scholars. Highly recommended.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best one volume bible commentaries August 18, 2007

By Padunkiaet Vejvechaneyom

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have nearly all one volume Bible commentaries, you name it, I have it!!!!. I am a real Bible commentary lover. In my opinion, this is one of the best one volume Bible commentaries that I have had. It contains more detail and it is much easier to read and be digested than any other one volume commentaries. Only one drawback is that there are only a few technical terms (Hebrew and Greek )that sometime we need to know more what the original words seem to speak for. If you can have only one or two one volume commentaries, you may try this very one and the KJ Bible Commentary. I think King James Bible Commentary will be the best one volume commentary that you will ever find in the market!!!!