When Commentaries Go On Sale

Westminster Books is having a great sale on commentaries—the Tyndale Commentary series that spans both the Old Testament and the New. For the next few days you can buy single volumes at $12 each. (The list price is closer to $18.) If you buy 5 or more volumes the price drops to $10 each, which represents quite a bargain. These are reader-friendly commentaries ideal for layperson or pastor alike. I get excited about sales like these because I love great commentaries!

While I am not aware of any of these volumes being bad, there are quite a few that are especially good. Some time ago I compiled a list of the top-5 commentaries for each book of the Bible (though I still need to finish out the Minor Prophets). This top-5 was not based on my assessment but on a group of experts who have written commentaries on the commentaries. Here is a list of each of the Tyndale commentaries that is considered among the best on that book of the Bible.

Old Testament

• Genesis by Derek Kidner
• Leviticus by R.K. Harrison
• Numbers by Gordon Wenham
• Deuteronomy by J.A. Thompson
• Joshua by Richard Hess
• Judges & Ruth by Arthur E. Cundall & Leon Morris
• 1 & 2 Samuel by Joyce Baldwin
• 1 & 2 Kings by Donald J. Wiseman
• 1 Chronicles by Martin Selman
• 2 Chronicles by Martin Selman
• Ezra & Nehemiah by Derek Kidner
• Esther by Joyce Baldwin
• Job by Francis I. Andersen
• Proverbs by Derek Kidner
• Ecclesiastes by Michael A. Eaton
• The Song of Solomon by Lloyd Carr and/or The Song of Songs by Iain Duguid. (Some of the volumes are being updated over time and both of these are excellent.)

New Testament

• Mark by Alan Cole
• Luke by Leon Morris
• Acts by I. Howard Marshall
• Romans by F.F. Bruce
• 1 Corinthians by Leon Morris
• 2 Corinthians by Colin Kruse
• 1 & 2 Thessalonians by Leon Morris
• The Pastoral Epistles by Donald Guthrie
• James by Douglas Moo (Note: If you already own his later volume in the Pillar commentary series, you will not need this one.)
• 1 Peter by Wayne Grudem
• The Letters of John by John Stott

Happy shopping! And even better, happy reading!