Building a Good Commentary Library

My friend Mark Redfern asked about resources for building a commentary library. Here are my findings:

Tremper Longman III's 5-star OT commentaries. Longman allows WTS Books to separate out only the best of the best.

Longman's book evaluating every OT commentary.
D.A. Carson's book evaluating every NT commentary.
These two books are both helpful and money-saving. Instead of just buying random commentaries, get Carson and Longman's advice on which are the best.

Desiring God's helpful advice on building a commentary library as well as their recommendation for each Biblical book.

The Master's Seminary has a list of 850 books for an expositor's library. In it, they list commentaries by each book.


Here are my recommendations for NT commentaries:

Matthew
Leon Morris in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0802836968
Craig L. Blomberg in The New American Commentary series. ISBN: 0805401229

Mark
James R. Edwards in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0802837344
William L. Lane in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN 0802825028

Luke
Robert H. Stein in The New American Commentary series. ISBN: 0805401245
Joel B. Green in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802823157

John
D.A. Carson in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0802836836
Leon Morris in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825044

Acts
John B. Polhill in The New American Commentary series. ISBN: 0805401261
F.F. Bruce in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825052

Romans
Douglas Moo in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802823173
Leon Morris in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0802836364

1 Corinthians
Gordon D. Fee in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825079

2 Corinthians
Paul Barnett in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802823009

Galatians
Timothy George in The New American Commentary series. ISBN: 080540130X
Ronald Y.K. Fung in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825095

Ephesians
Peter T. O’Brien in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0802837360
John Stott in The Bible Speaks Today series. ISBN: 0877842876

Philippians
Gordon D. Fee in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825117

Colossians and Philemon
F.F. Bruce in The New International Commentary on the NT series (also contains Ephesians). ISBN: 0802825109

1, 2 Thessalonians
Gene L. Green in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0802837387
Leon Morris in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825125

1, 2 Timothy and Titus
Philip H. Towner in The IVP New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0830818146
Gordon D. Fee in the New International Biblical Commentary series. ISBN: 0943575109

Hebrews
F.F. Bruce in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825141
Richard D. Phillips in the Reformed Expository Commentary series. ISBN: 0875527841

James
Douglas J. Moo in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0802837301
Peter H. Davids in the New International Biblical Commentary series. ISBN: 0943575133

1 Peter
Peter H. Davids in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825168
Thomas Schreiner in The New American Commentary series (1, 2, Peter and Jude). ISBN: 0805401377

2 Peter and Jude
Douglas J. Moo in The NIV Application Commentary series. ISBN: 0310201047
Peter H Davids in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 0802837263

1, 2, 3 John
Colin G. Kruse in The Pillar New Testament Commentary series. ISBN: 080283728X
I. Howard Marshall in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825184

Revelation
Robert H. Mounce in The New International Commentary on the NT series. ISBN: 0802825370