Why did the Israelites do that?

What does Jesus mean by that?

How do I live out that truth practically?

Whether you have studied the Bible for decades or just a few days, you have probably posed questions like this to yourself during your study. Scripture is an infinite trove of wisdom and truth about God and our relationship with Him, and asking questions of the Bible is one of the best ways to dig into it. There are many helpful ways to find answers to our questions, but one tried and true option is the use of Bible commentaries.

Commentaries make the work of those who have dedicated their lives to studying the Bible accessible to us, and they are not just for pastors and scholars. Anyone who wants to learn more about God and His Word can use commentaries. You just have to know when and how to use them. 

So, how can you use commentaries in your study of Scripture?

Step 1: Choose the Right Commentary For You

Before you select a specific commentary, you need to determine what type of commentary is best for you. There are three general types of commentaries, and each has a different intended audience and purpose.¹

• Devotional

These commentaries are usually written with a general reader in mind and are intended for personal use. They tend to be highly accessible and focused on application. These do not take you as deeply as the other two types and will often avoid interpretive disagreements or controversial topics. These are a great place to start for personal, everyday Bible study. 

• Intermediate

These commentaries are usually written with pastors or Bible teachers in mind, but they are often still accessible for many laypeople. They will usually feature both practical application and in-depth verse-by-verse commentary that is less academic than you would find in a technical commentary. These commentaries may or may not address interpretive disagreements, and can occasionally be biased towards the author’s particular tradition or denomination. These are helpful if you are wanting to do an in-depth study of a particular book or need to prepare to lead a Bible study on a certain book or passage. 

• Technical

These commentaries are written with seminary students and Bible scholars in mind. They will go into all details of the text verse-by-verse, sometimes even word-by-word. A working knowledge of the biblical languages is often required. They will frequently present all available options for interpretation of each passage and explain which interpretation the author finds the most convincing. Because of their granular and academic nature, these commentaries can be hard to understand and will frequently neglect practical application in favor of addressing critical issues. These are helpful if you are wanting to dive deep into issues of translation and interpretation.

Below, you’ll find a list of commentary series recommended on pages 168–169 of The Bible Study Handbook | A Comprehensive Guide to Reading, Understanding, and Applying the Bible from The Daily Grace Co.:

Devotional Commentary Series:

• Bible Speaks Today (BST)

• Christ-Centered Exposition

• NIV Application Commentary

Intermediate Commentary Series

• New American Commentary (NAC)

• Pillar New Testament Commentary (PNTC)

• ESV Expository Commentary

Technical Commentary Series

• Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (BECNT)

• Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament (ZECOT)

• Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (ZECNT)

Step 2: Use the Commentary While Studying the Bible

Once you’ve selected and acquired the type of commentary you want to use, you can begin to incorporate it into your study. Here are three steps for you to follow:

1. Read the text yourself

Always begin by reading the text yourself several times slowly before you consult a commentary. Commentaries can never replace time spent reading, processing, and praying through Scripture on your own. Often, the Holy Spirit will already begin to help you understand the passage and how it might apply to your life.

2. Write down your questions

As you read, jot down any questions that arise. Depending on your passage and your level of biblical knowledge, your questions might relate to comprehension: What is going on in this passage? What does it mean?

If questions do not naturally arise, think about your question starters (who, what, where, when, why, and how) and think of some questions about the passage or verse. For example, why is that word repeated? Where are the natural divisions in this passage? What does that word mean? Or How should this verse affect the way I live? You might also ask questions about historical context such as By who and to whom was this written? When and where was it written? Why did the author write this verse, passage, or book?

Many of your questions might be answered within the text itself, meaning you should return to your text after you’ve written your questions but before you consult your commentary. For questions that you still cannot answer, you can turn to your commentary.

3. Look for answers to your questions in the commentary

Navigate to the portion of your commentary that addresses your passage and see if and how the commentary answers your questions. Sometimes, the commentary won’t answer your question, and that’s okay! That might mean you need a different kind of commentary, or it might mean you should bring your question to a trusted pastor or spiritual leader. Ultimately, commentaries cannot be exhaustive. 

On the other hand, you might find answers to questions you did not initially ask, which is another benefit to using commentaries: They can show us what kinds of questions are beneficial to ask in the future.

Some of your questions might be answered in the commentary’s introductory material (if present), especially those related to historical context, genre, or authorship. Reading this introductory material before your initial reading of the book or passage is beneficial in most cases, especially for books for which historical context is a significant factor in comprehension (e.g., the Old Testament Prophets).

Step 3: Discern What You Read in the Commentary

While it is good to respect the knowledge that biblical scholars bring us in their commentaries, it is essential to remember that commentaries are fallible. Not all commentators come to the same conclusions, and their interpretation might be affected by their theological or cultural presuppositions. Therefore, we need to practice discernment. Here are some helpful things to do while discerning the teachings of a commentary:²

1. Compare the commentary with Scripture

Commentaries are fallible, but Scripture is not. The truth and conclusions of Scripture are the primary metric we use to test the conclusions of the commentary. As we grow in our knowledge of the Bible, we will grow in our ability to discern the conclusions commentators come to.

2. Compare the commentary with other commentaries

Doing this allows us to find similarities and differences in the conclusions different scholars come to. Many commentaries will acknowledge when their viewpoint differs from others, but if they do not, this will help you realize when varying viewpoints exist.

3. Consult a pastor or spiritual leader

Just like when the commentary doesn’t answer a question of yours, it is a good practice to bring any commentary conclusions you are unsure about to a trusted spiritual leader. Often, they will have already thought about the issue in question and provide counsel or other resources to consult. 

Commentaries are incredible resources that help us to navigate Scripture because they help us gain knowledge easily and invite us into the global Church’s conversation about the Bible. However, we do well to remember that using commentaries to understand the Bible is not an end in itself. Rather, studying commentaries is a means to the end of intimate relationship with God through Scripture. It is my prayer that using commentaries will not only provide you with knowledge and wisdom, but also enrich your walk with Christ as you read His Word.

Notes:

1. Adapted from The Bible Study Handbook, 310–311.

2. Adapted from The Bible Study Handbook, 309.

Additional Resources For Studying the Bible:

The Bible Study Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Reading, Understanding, and Applying the Bible		The Bible Handbook: A Book-by-Book Guide to the Entire Bible		A Year in the Bible | Four Volume Bundle		The Theology Handbook
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