Best Commentaries on Matthew

Before turning to the expert recommendations, here are some recent commentaries written by trusted scholars that may be of interest. Because these volumes are newly published, the commentators on the commentaries have not yet had opportunity to evaluate them. They would, though, come with my recommendation.

• Grant Osborne – Matthew (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Osborne is a trusted commentator and the ZECNT has quickly proven to be a premier commentary series. (Amazon, Logos)
• Daniel Doriani – Matthew (Reformed Expository Commentary). Doriani’s track record as a pastor, author, and scholar suggests the this commentary will prove to be popular among the experts. As part of the REC, it is based on sermons and reads like a book. (Amazon, Westminster Books, Logos)

And now, here are the expert recommendations:

D.A. Carson – Matthew (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary). Carson’s work, an older but recently-revised one, consistently ranks in the top one or two for most commentators on the commentaries. You will want to purchase the revised edition (in place of the older two-volume paperback) that is packaged with Mark as Volume 9 of the hardcover EBC series. Of all the commentators, Carson himself seems least impressed with his own work; others are far more lavish with their praise. It ranks as the top suggestion from John Piper and Desiring God among many others. (Amazon, Westminster Books, Logos)

Leon Morris – The Gospel According to Matthew (Pillar New Testament Commentary). Morris is widely regarded as a superior commentator; he has contributed volumes on many books in a variety of commentary series. His volume on Matthew has received near-unanimous praise. Dr. Jim Rosscup of The Master’s Seminary says he “provides a thorough, clear, well-studied and mature tool based on the Greek but highly readable even for those who do not know Greek.” This neatly summarizes what I so enjoy about the PNTC series; it is scholarly and deep, yet readable for someone even with my rudimentary knowledge of Greek. (Amazon, Westminster Books, Logos)

R.T. France – The Gospel of Matthew (New International Commentary on the New Testament). France has a volume in the Tyndale series that is highly regarded, but it has since been eclipsed by his much longer and more significant contribution to the NICNT. That series, like so many, is somewhat uneven, but France’s is said to be excellent. Keith Mathison says the “work is thorough and solidly evangelical and will be beneficial to pastors and all serious students of Scripture.” I expect to find a greater number of endorsements as the commentators catch up with newer volumes like this one. (Amazon, Logos)

Craig Blomberg – Matthew (New American Commentary). If I am reading the experts correctly, there seems to be a significant gap between the first three titles on this list and everything that follows. If you would like to have three good commentaries on Matthew, I think the choices are quite clear and are reflected above. If you want a little bit more variety, then you will likely want to include the volume by Blomberg. Carson assures us it is “not to be missed.” (Amazon, Logos)

Craig Keener – A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Keener’s work receives high recommendations and significant warnings about the limits of its usefulness. It may also be going out of print since it is not available at Westminster Books and is currently available only from Amazon resellers. This is the kind of commentary I tend to avoid since I don’t consider myself sufficiently schooled to confidently sort through the weaknesses. However, most experts do recommend it with certain caveats. (Keener has since released The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, but I have found few expert reviews of the newer work.) (Amazon)