-----Annotated Bibliography-----
Single Volume Commentaries

Butterick, George. The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the Bible: Introduction and Commentary for Each Book of the Bible Including the Apocrypha. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1971.

Kroeger, Catherine Clark, and Evans, Mary J., eds. The IVP Women's Bible Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001.
        (This surprising commentary searches Scripture in light of the many theological, biblical, sociological and psychological concerns of women. Led by editors Catherine Clark Kroeger and Mary J. Evans, an international team of contributors offers thoughtful, engaging insight to complement more traditional approaches that have viewed Scripture primarily through the experiences and understanding of men. Fresh, practical and helpful, the IVP Women's Bible Commentary shows how relevant Scripture is to the legitimate concerns of men and women alike--and just how transforming God's Word can be when viewed from unaccustomed perspective.
        This reference work will be welcomed by pastors developing sermons, by Bible study teachers and leaders preparing lessons, by college and seminary students researching study assignments, and by individual readers who want to broaden their understanding of the richness of biblical revelation. [comments from the publisher, ISBN: 0-8308-1437-X])
 

Laymon, Charles, ed. The Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary on the Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1971.
     This giant volume has an easy-to-use format and includes interpretations from 70 Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish scholars. Designed for use by laypersons, ministers, librarians, college and seminary professors and students--anyone who enjoys studying the Bible. Features: * Commentary on each book of the Old and New Testaments of the Apocrypha * 43 up-to-date articles * 140 photographs * 16 pages of newly revised maps * Special reader helps on chronology and measures and money * Index of Scripture references * Index of subjects
 
Mays, James L., ed. HarperCollins Bible Commentary. New York: Harper-Collins, 2000.
(The Bible -- sacred scripture, literary classic, historical document. No matter how it is viewed, it remains the basis of much of Western culture. This fully revised edition of the HarperCollins Bible Commentary is the most up-to-date reference book of its kind for understanding and interpreting the meaning of the Bible. The accessible and highly readable format sets a new standard for excellence.

The Commentary covers all of the Hebrew Bible, as well as the books of the Apocrypha and those of the New Testament, and thus addresses the biblical canons of Judaism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. its innovative format covers the books of the Bible in three ways:

• General essays setting the literary, cultural, and historical context for the entire Bible
• Articles introducing major sections of the Bible
• Commentaries on the individual books themselves by the finest contemporary biblical scholars

Every section of the Commentary offers concise and authoritative guidance that will enable the reader to return to the text equipped to understand and appreciate the Bible more fully. Each of the eighty-three contributors to this splendid volume is a leading expert in his or her field and a member of the Society of Biblical Literature. They have produced a volume that belongs in homes, schools, houses of worship, and libraries -- wherever there is a Bible.

General editor James L. Mays is the Cyrus McCormick Professor of Hebrew and the Old Testament Emeritus at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He has served as president of the Society of Biblical Literature and is a widely respected author and editor.comments from publisher
[ISBN: 0060655488])
 

Mills, Watson E. and Wilson, Richard F., eds. Mercer Commentary on the Bible.  Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1994.
(This one-volume commentary on the entire Bible distinguishes itself as a leading work in biblical studies. It is the first one-volume commentary based on the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. It covers the complete Bible, including the apocryphal/deutercanonical books. The Mercer Commentary includes introductory articles on the nature of Scripture, its interpretation, and its role in theology and church. The intended audience is students engaged in Bible study, ministers seeking clear and concise treatment of texts, and laypersons involved in personal and group study; the Mercer Commentary should also be helpful for professionals in various theological disciplines.[comments from publisher; ISBN 0-86554-406-9])

Wenham, Gordon J., J. Alec Motyer , Donald A. Carson and R. T. France, New Bible Commentary. 4th ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994.
ISBN: 0-8308-1442-6
About the Book
        For 40 years, the New Bible Commentary has set the standard for works of its kind. Now in this completely revised fourth edition (including over 80% new and updated material), the New Bible Commentary 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 New Bible Commentary 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 New Bible Commentary will be a powerful aid for all who want to understand the foundational book of the Christian faith.

Old Testament

Walton, John H., Matthew, Victor H., and Chavalas, Mark W., eds. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
(About the Book)
How can we account for the "Book of the Law" suddenly being discovered during Josiah's renovation of the temple (2 Chron 34:14)? We know from Egypt and Mesopotamia that it was common to seal important documents--including theological documents--in the masonry or foundations of a palace or temple in order to inform a future king who might undertake restoration of the building.

What might the psalmist have had in mind when praising God for removing our transgressions "as far as the east is from the west" (Ps 103:12)? In an Egyptian hymn to Amun-Re, the deity is praised for his judgment of the guilty. As a result of the god's discernment the guilty are assigned to the east and the righteous to the west.

What is meant by God "weighing the heart" (Prov 21:2)? In Egyptian religious tradition we find the notion of the dead being judged before the gods. As the soul is examined, the dead person's heart is weighed in a scale against a feather symbolizing Truth. If the answers are correct and the heart does not outweigh the feather, the soul may enter the realm of everlasting life.

The narratives, genealogies, laws, poetry, proverbs and prophecies of the Old Testament are deeply rooted in history. Archaeologists, historians and social scientists have greatly advanced our knowledge of the ancient world of the Bible. When we illuminate the stories of Abraham or David, the imagery of the Psalms or Proverbs, or the prophecies of Isaiah or Jeremiah with this backlight of culture and history.
 

New Testament
Boring, Eugene and Fred B. Craddock, The People's New Testament Commentary. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 2004

Prominent biblical scholars M. Eugene Boring and Fred B. Craddock present this new one-volume commentary on the New Testament. Writing from the fundamental conviction that the New Testament is the people's book. Boring and Craddock examine the theological themes and messages of Scripture that speak to the life of discipleship. Their work clarifies matters of history, culture, geography, literature, and translation, enabling people to listen more carefully to the text. This unique commentary is the perfect resource for clergy and church schoolteachers alike, who seek a reference tool midway between a study Bible and a multivolume commentary on the Bible.

Keener, Craig S., ed., The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
     ISBN: 0-8308-1405-1
     To understand and apply the Bible well, you need two crucial sources of information. One is the Bible itself. The other is an understanding of the cultural background of the passage you're reading.
     Only with the background can you grasp the author's original concerns and purposes. This unique commentary provides, in verse-by-verse format, the crucial cultural background you need for responsible--and richer--Bible study. It includes a glossary of cultural terms and important historical figures, maps and charts, up-to-date bibliographies, and introductory essays about cultural background information for each book of the New Testament.
     Based on ten years of in-depth study, this accessible and bestselling commentary is valuable for pastors in sermon preparation, for Sunday-school and other church teachers as they build lessons, for missionaries concerned not to import their own cultural biases into the Bible, for college and seminary students in classroom assignments, and for everyday Bible readers seeking to deepen and enhance their study of Scripture.
 

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