Evaluation
Overall Score: 8.4/10
A thoughtful and well-balanced exposition that offers stable, careful insight for ongoing ministry use.
Summary
At a Glance
- Length
- 1122 pages
- Type
- Exegetical (Technical), Expository (Mid-Level)
- Theo. Perspective
- Reformed
- Overall score
- 8.4 / 10
- Strength
- A balanced and careful exposition that demonstrates strong confidence in the text and offers steady guidance for ministry use.
- Limitation
- Interaction with more recent Christological scholarship is minimal due to the commentary’s age.
William Hendriksen’s volume on Luke in the New Testament Commentary series (Baker Book House, 1978) is a full-length, verse-by-verse exposition written from a clearly Reformed, evangelical standpoint. Running to over a thousand pages, it aims to walk carefully through the whole Gospel, explaining the text in its context and tracing Luke’s distinctive emphases on salvation history, the work of the Spirit, and the compassion of Christ.
Hendriksen brings together careful exegesis, interaction with the Greek text, and a concern that the message of Luke should be understood and proclaimed in the life of the church. The commentary is designed primarily for pastors and serious Bible students, but committed lay readers willing to work through a substantial volume will also find rich help here.
Why Should I Own This Commentary?
We value this commentary first for its theological reliability. Hendriksen writes as a convinced Reformed pastor-theologian, treating Luke as the inspired and historically trustworthy word of God. He is alert to questions of authorship, structure, and background, yet he never allows technical discussion to unsettle confidence in the text. His treatment of key themes—the Son of Man, the kingdom of God, reversal for the poor and lowly, the cost of discipleship—is consistently anchored in historic orthodox convictions.
Second, the volume offers substantial help for exposition. Hendriksen moves steadily through the text, section by section, explaining difficult phrases, highlighting Old Testament allusions, and drawing out the flow of argument. Greek is referenced where it genuinely clarifies meaning, but never in a way that excludes non-specialists. Preachers will appreciate the way he marks transitions, gathers parallels, and shows how individual stories fit Luke’s larger narrative purpose.
Third, there is real pastoral warmth. This is not a dry academic treatise; Hendriksen writes as someone who expects Luke’s Gospel to be preached, believed, and obeyed. Alongside doctrinal clarity there are frequent notes that suggest lines of application, comfort, and exhortation. While the work does not read like a sermon series, it consistently nudges the reader toward worship and obedience rather than mere information-gathering.
Closing Recommendation
We recommend Hendriksen on Luke warmly for pastors, elders, Bible teachers, and serious students who want a substantial, trustworthy companion to the Gospel. It will particularly serve those in Reformed and conservative evangelical settings who desire robust exegesis joined to confessional conviction and pastoral concern.
Readers needing exhaustive engagement with the latest critical scholarship may wish to pair this with a more recent technical volume, but as a primary preaching commentary—especially for those who share its theological instincts—this remains a richly rewarding and dependable choice.
Classification
- Level: Mid-level
- Best For: Busy pastors, General readers
- Priority: Strong recommendation