4 Must Have Commentaries for Preachers!

Commentaries can either be a preacher’s best friend or worst nightmare! While that might sound dramatic, relying too heavily on a commentary when preparing a message can actually hinder both you and your message. If you turn to a commentary as your primary source, you risk bypassing your own thinking and missing out on the Holy Spirit’s guidance for personal revelation.

However, the upside of using a trusted commentary is undeniable—it offers a more complete understanding of the passage. Commentators often dedicate years to studying a single book of the Bible, and their insights can significantly strengthen your expositional preaching.

Commentaries Are Useful Tools

While commentaries are invaluable resources, they should always be something other than your starting point. First, engage in prayer, immerse yourself in repeated readings, and meditate on the text. After grounding yourself in these practices, commentaries can then play a supportive role in shaping your message.

It’s also essential to consult a variety of commentaries with different viewpoints. This approach refines your interpretive skills and helps you understand your audience’s diverse perspectives.

The 4 Best Commentaries for Preaching (in no particular order)

1. R.C. Sproul’s Expositional Commentaries

   • Although I am not reformed, I have learned quite a bit from R.C. Sproul.

   • From the cover: Dr. Sproul’s expositional commentaries help you understand key theological themes and apply them to all areas of life. Drawn from decades of careful study and delivered from a pastor’s heart, these sermons are readable, practical, and Bible-centered.

2. IVP Bible Background Commentary

   • “My favorite is when the preacher explains some facet of First Century life that shifts and quickens your grasp of a familiar passage. Quick trade secret? This book is probably where the preacher got that cultural nugget.” T. Pfingste

   • “Books are available that give us the cultural, social, and historical background of Bible passages, but most are hidden away in academic libraries. Now Craig Keener . . . provides us with a single volume in a verse-by-verse format that covers the entire New Testament. Why use a background commentary? With it, we get a glimpse of the New Testament authors’ original concerns and purposes. Keener writes in clear, non-technical language for the layperson.” — Discipleship Journal

3. Expositor’s Bible Commentary

   • The Expositor’s Bible Commentary is an amazing resource for studying the Bible, whether for private study or sermon preparation. It uses the NIV translation and is extremely readable. These books provide excellent background and are written from a conservative point of view.

   • From the Back Cover: Based on the critically acclaimed Expositors Bible Commentary used by pastors, students, and scholars across the world, this two-volume abridged edition offers you the full, penetrating, verse-by-verse commentary of the 12-volume series while leaving out needless technical details. Marshaling the knowledge of fifty-two top biblical scholars brings tremendous insight to your Bible studies.

4. The New Matthew Henry Commentary

   • From the Back Cover: A classic commentary in modern language … this volume contains the wealth of exposition, metaphors, analogies, and illustrations that have set Matthew Henry’s Commentary apart as one of the enduring legacies of faith—and presents them in today’s language. Passage by passage, its prayerful, penetrating reflections and rich insights into the very heart of God’s Word are sure to challenge and inspire you.Ideal for personal devotions, Bible studies, and lesson and sermon preparations, The New Matthew Henry Commentary will enable you to rediscover this classic work—or discover it for the first time. Forever fresh and never failing to render new pearls of wisdom, this beloved text is one that you will reach for often to obtain deeper understanding of and appreciation for the Scriptures.

Last note: A very helpful resource for this topic is bestcommentaries.com, which provides information on most commentaries and will guide you in choosing commentaries for specific books of the Bible.

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