Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament

Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament is a modern evangelical commentary series designed to help readers stay close to the text while keeping theology and proclamation in view.

It is published by Baker Academic, and its volumes typically aim for a readable style that still takes the biblical languages and historical setting seriously.

The general editorship of Robert W. Yarborough signals an intention to combine scholarly responsibility with church facing usefulness, and to keep the main line of the passage visible.

Across the series you will usually find careful structure, measured judgement on disputed questions, and a consistent effort to move from understanding toward teaching and preaching.

Publisher: Baker Academic

Series Editor: Robert W. Yarborough

Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament

A well respected evangelical series marked by close exegesis, theological care, and real help for preaching.

Level: Advanced Perspective: Broadly Evangelical Best for: Busy pastors, Pastors-in-training, Advanced students / scholars Priority: Top choice Overall score: 8.6

Strengths

The strongest feature is sustained attention to the flow of the biblical argument. The better volumes help you see why each paragraph sits where it does and how the author is persuading the reader.

There is often a healthy balance of exegesis and theology. When the series is at its best, it gives enough detail to ground confidence, but it does not lose sight of the church’s need for clarity.

It commonly provides structured guidance that supports sermon preparation, especially in outlining, tracing themes, and handling key interpretive decisions without drama.

Limitations & Cautions

Depth can vary between contributors. Some volumes will feel richer in interaction with scholarship, while others will be more straightforward and selective.

Because the series aims to serve a broad evangelical readership, the theological accent is not always distinctly confessional. Reformed readers will sometimes want to test emphases and tighten formulations.

How to Use This Series

Use it early in preparation to get the passage’s shape and to identify the major interpretive decisions that will affect your sermon or study.

Then return to it later for help with difficult phrases, structural turns, and connections to the wider book. It works well alongside a more concise series for quick reference and a more technical work when a point must be nailed down.

Series in Context

In depth it often sits near Pillar and NICNT, sometimes exceeding them in detail. It is more technical than Tyndale or Bible Speaks Today, but it usually keeps its eye on the needs of teachers of Scripture.

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Revelation

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.2
Author: Thomas R. Schreiner
Bible Book: Revelation
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

Revelation both attracts and intimidates. It is filled with vivid imagery, repeated cycles, and scenes of worship and judgment that lift the veil on present reality. When preached well, it steadies the church. It shows us that the Lamb reigns, that evil will not win, and that patient endurance is reasonable because Christ is faithful. When preached poorly, it becomes a theatre of speculation, or it becomes a codebook for anxious timelines. A technical commentary is valuable when it helps the preacher interpret the book in a way that honours its genre, its structure, and its pastoral purpose.

This volume is substantial, and it aims to take seriously both the detail and the message. Revelation requires that kind of work. We must listen to how the book uses the Old Testament, how it employs symbols, and how it moves between scenes of heaven and earth. We must also remember that it was written to churches who were under pressure, tempted to compromise, and tempted to fear. Revelation is not written to satisfy curiosity. It is written to strengthen worship, holiness, and hope. A commentary that keeps those aims in view will serve the church.

For pastors, the usefulness is clear. We need help in the thorny passages, and we need help to see the big movements, from the risen Christ among His churches, through cycles of judgment and warning, to the final renewal of all things. We also need assistance in turning apocalyptic vision into clear proclamation without draining it of its power. The aim is not to tame Revelation. The aim is to preach it faithfully so that the people of God endure and worship with courage.

Strengths

First, the commentary gives sustained attention to structure. Revelation has repeated patterns and recapitulations. Preaching becomes clearer when we can explain to the congregation how the book is moving, and why it repeats imagery. A structured approach prevents us from presenting Revelation as a flat sequence of predictions. It helps us preach the book as a series of visions that reinforce the same truths from different angles, especially the triumph of the Lamb and the certainty of final judgment.

Second, it is strong on Old Testament saturation. Revelation is drenched in scriptural imagery. The beasts, the plagues, the temple language, the throne room scenes, and the prophetic oracles draw on earlier Scripture. If we preach Revelation without Scripture, we will misread it. A technical commentary that keeps returning to the Bible’s own language helps us stay anchored. It also helps our people feel that Revelation belongs in the canon, not as a strange appendix, but as a climactic unveiling of what the whole Bible has been teaching about God’s reign.

Third, it supports pastoral application by keeping the book’s aims close. Revelation calls for patient endurance, refusal to compromise, and a worship shaped life. The warnings to the churches are real, and the comforts are real. A helpful commentary assists the preacher in bringing both to bear. We want congregations that are neither triumphant in a worldly sense nor despairing. We want congregations that sing because the Lamb is worthy, and that endure because the Lamb will judge and renew.

Limitations

The obvious limitation is that the size and density can overwhelm. Revelation is already a demanding book, and a large technical commentary can feel heavy if you are trying to prepare quickly. We would therefore treat it as a primary study companion rather than a quick consult. Also, technical discussion cannot resolve every question with absolute certainty. We will still meet interpretive decisions where faithful readers differ. A commentary can clarify options, but it cannot replace the preacher’s responsibility to speak with appropriate confidence and appropriate modesty.

How We Would Use It

We would use this volume when preaching a full series in Revelation, or when preaching major units such as the letters to the churches, the throne room worship, or the final visions of judgment and new creation. We would also use it as a reference for difficult passages where imagery and structure matter. In preparation, we would first read the unit repeatedly, trace the connections to earlier Scripture, and outline the pastoral purpose. Then we would consult the commentary to test our understanding, sharpen details, and avoid speculative shortcuts.

We would also use it to train leaders to read apocalyptic literature with reverence and restraint. Revelation calls us to worship and endurance, and it calls us to faithfulness in the face of worldly pressure. A technical guide can help ensure that the book produces those fruits rather than argument and distraction.

Closing Recommendation

This is a major technical tool for a major biblical book. It is best for pastors and advanced students who are willing to do careful work so that Revelation can be preached as it was intended, with Christ at the centre, with Scripture as the frame, and with endurance and worship as the goal.

1-3 John

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.2
Author: Robert L. Yarborough
Bible Book: 1 John 2 John 3 John
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

John’s letters are written to a church facing doctrinal confusion and relational fracture. They are deeply pastoral, but they are also sharply theological. John insists that true fellowship is grounded in truth, that true assurance is linked to obedience, and that love is defined by Christ, not by sentiment. These letters can be deceptively hard to preach because John circles themes, repeats phrases, and speaks in bold contrasts. A technical commentary is valuable when it helps us see the argument beneath the repetition, and when it helps us preach assurance without softening John’s tests of genuine faith.

This volume aims to guide the reader through the structure and logic of 1 John, and then through the shorter, more situational letters of 2 John and 3 John. It treats John’s themes with seriousness, including confession of Christ, the reality of sin, the call to walk in the light, and the nature of Christian love. The best technical help here is not abstract. It is the assistance that keeps us from reducing John to slogans. John is writing to protect the church from lies about Christ and from a hollow confidence that divorces faith from holiness.

For pastors, these letters are priceless for building a congregation that is both assured and discerning. We want to say, with John, that believers can know they have eternal life. We also want to say, with John, that false teaching is deadly, and that love without truth is not love. A careful commentary supports that kind of preaching.

Strengths

First, the commentary helps with John’s pattern of repetition. Rather than treating repetition as disorder, it shows how John returns to themes to press them deeper into the conscience and into the life of the church. That helps sermon planning. We can structure a series in a way that follows John’s movements, and we can help our people see why the same themes return. John is not rambling. He is pastoring.

Second, it handles the tests of faith with balance. John’s language can unsettle tender consciences if preached poorly. Yet if preached vaguely, it can leave the church unprotected. A good technical work helps us take the statements seriously while attending to context and purpose. It helps us show how John distinguishes between the believer who fights sin and the false professor who makes peace with sin. It also helps us keep Christ central, because John’s tests are not invitations to self salvation. They are invitations to honest faith, repentance, and communion with God through the Son.

Third, it is useful in the shorter letters, which are often neglected. 2 John and 3 John are brief, but they teach important lessons about hospitality, truth, and church health. We learn that welcoming teachers is not a neutral act, and we learn that pride and control can damage a congregation. The commentary can help us preach those letters with specificity and with wisdom for modern church life.

Limitations

The limitation is that the pastoral heart of John can be dulled if we treat the letters as an intellectual puzzle. A technical commentary can help with meaning, but it cannot supply the spiritual tone. We must still preach these letters with warmth, because John writes as a father. Also, because John’s style is simple on the surface, the detailed discussion can feel heavier than expected. That is often necessary, but it means this is best for study rather than quick consultation.

How We Would Use It

We would use this commentary to clarify key interpretive decisions in 1 John, especially where repeated terms and phrases carry theological weight. We would use it to strengthen our handling of assurance, making sure we preach comfort rooted in Christ, not comfort rooted in sentiment. We would also use it to shape a church culture that takes truth seriously, and that understands love as obedience to Christ’s commands.

For 2 John and 3 John, we would use it as a guide for short sermon series or teaching sessions that address hospitality, discernment, and the temptation toward domineering leadership. The letters are small, but their lessons are timely.

Closing Recommendation

This is a solid technical companion for preaching and teaching John’s letters with care. It helps us hold assurance and warning together, it keeps Christ at the centre, and it supports ministry that aims for churches marked by truth, love, and steady obedience.

Jude & 2 Peter

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.1
Author: Gene L. Green
Bible Book: 2 Peter Jude
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

Jude and 2 Peter are small letters with a sharp edge. They address false teaching, moral corruption, and the temptation to treat grace as permission to sin. They also speak to spiritual weariness, especially where scoffers mock the promise of Christ’s return. For pastors, these texts are both necessary and challenging. We want to warn without becoming harsh, and we want to contend for the faith without turning the pulpit into a quarrel. A careful technical commentary can help us handle the argument responsibly, and can protect us from using these letters as a licence for suspicion.

This volume aims to bring detailed exegesis to bear on letters that are packed with allusions, dense imagery, and strong language. Jude’s use of Old Testament examples and his striking descriptions of the ungodly require careful handling. 2 Peter’s warnings, and its emphasis on growth in godliness, require balanced preaching. We need to show that vigilance and tenderness belong together. We must also keep the gospel central. The letters do not merely tell us to fight error. They tell us to keep ourselves in the love of God, to remember the apostles’ words, and to look for mercy that leads to eternal life.

Because the subject matter can stir anxiety in a congregation, a commentary that keeps returning to the text’s intent is a gift. The goal is not to create a fearful church, but a discerning church, a hopeful church, and a holy church.

Strengths

First, the commentary is strong on the letters’ use of Scripture and tradition. Jude, in particular, is full of references that can confuse modern readers. A technical guide helps us understand what Jude is doing and why it matters for his argument. That clarity supports preaching. We are less likely to skip difficult references or to speak vaguely. Instead, we can show how Jude uses examples to expose the seriousness of rebellion against God.

Second, it provides careful help with the pastoral purpose of warnings. Warnings are not opposed to assurance. They are one of God’s means to keep His people. This volume can help us preach warnings with a shepherd’s heart, not with a censor’s spirit. It reminds us that Jude calls believers to mercy, to rescue, and to prayerful dependence. 2 Peter, likewise, calls for growth in knowledge and godliness, grounded in God’s promises and God’s power.

Third, it assists with passages that commonly generate controversy, including discussions around prophecy, memory, and the delay of Christ’s return. The commentary keeps the reader anchored in the letters’ core concerns. Scoffers do not merely raise intellectual puzzles. They reveal hearts that do not want the Lordship of Christ. Peter’s answer is not cleverness. It is the certainty of God’s Word and the certainty of God’s coming judgment, which makes holiness urgent and hope steady.

Limitations

The main limitation is that these letters require pastoral tact as much as technical precision. A technical commentary can give you the meaning, but it cannot give you the tone for your particular people. We must still read our congregation well, and we must still preach with tears as well as firmness. Also, because the letters are short, the commentary’s detailed engagement can feel heavy in places. That is not wrong, but it means this is a study tool rather than a quick reference.

How We Would Use It

We would use this volume when preaching through Jude or 2 Peter in settings where doctrinal drift and moral compromise are real concerns. It is particularly helpful in clarifying the letters’ structure and in explaining the function of their vivid imagery. We would also use it to train elders and leaders in discernment. These letters teach us to recognise patterns of false teaching, to resist them, and to respond with both courage and mercy.

When preaching, we would keep returning to the letters’ positive aims. Jude calls us to build ourselves up in the faith, to pray in the Holy Spirit, and to wait for mercy. 2 Peter calls us to make every effort to grow in virtue, knowledge, self control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. Technical clarity should fuel pastoral exhortation, not replace it.

Closing Recommendation

This is a careful technical resource for two letters that the church needs to hear. It will help preachers contend for the faith with biblical precision, and it can support a ministry that warns against error while still holding out the mercy and keeping power of God in Christ.

1 Peter

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.3
Author: Karen H. Jobes
Bible Book: 1 Peter
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

1 Peter is written to Christians who are learning how to suffer without losing their identity. It calls the church to live as exiles, to endure opposition with holiness, and to remember that suffering is neither pointless nor ultimate. For preaching, that is both timely and demanding. We need to proclaim comfort without sentimentality, and we need to call for holiness without turning the letter into mere moral instruction. This commentary aims to help the preacher handle the letter carefully, with attention to its structure, its Old Testament echoes, and its rich gospel logic.

We are especially helped when a commentary keeps the big picture in view. 1 Peter moves from the new birth and living hope, to the formation of a holy people, to the shape of Christlike suffering in homes, in church life, and in public witness. The letter is full of dense theological statements that are meant to produce steady obedience. A technical resource earns its keep when it helps us see how Peter’s doctrinal foundations support his practical exhortations, and how the letter’s tone is both tender and firm.

This volume is not a quick devotional guide. It is built for careful work. It is the sort of commentary that supports those who want to handle words precisely, to weigh interpretive options, and to teach a congregation with confidence that the meaning is grounded in the text. When preaching in a culture that is increasingly impatient with Christian conviction, 1 Peter becomes essential. We want a commentary that helps us preach it without fear and without bitterness.

Strengths

First, the commentary is strong at tracing Peter’s use of Scripture. 1 Peter is saturated with Old Testament language, and Peter uses that language to reframe the church’s identity. We are a chosen people, a holy nation, living stones in God’s house. When we preach those themes, we must do so with biblical continuity rather than loose spiritualising. This commentary helps us see how Peter reads the Old Testament, and how he applies it to the people of Christ.

Second, it handles the theology of suffering with care. Peter is not merely giving coping strategies. He is shaping the church’s understanding of reality. Suffering is interpreted through Christ, through the inheritance kept in heaven, and through the refining purpose of trials. That gives the preacher a strong framework for pastoral application. We learn to comfort believers who are weary, and we learn to exhort those who are tempted to compromise. The letter’s hope is not vague optimism. It is resurrection hope.

Third, the work is useful in contested passages, such as the spirits in prison material and the baptism language in 1 Peter 3. In such places, preachers often either avoid the text or speak too quickly. A careful technical guide helps us tread with humility and clarity. It may not remove all difficulty, but it helps us make responsible choices and explain them in a way that serves the church.

Limitations

As with many technical commentaries, the density can slow sermon preparation when time is tight. You may find sections where the level of detail is more than you need for a pulpit exposition. We will often want to consult selectively, focusing on the passages that carry the interpretive weight in our series. Also, the technical focus means you must still do the work of translating careful exegesis into warm proclamation. That is the preacher’s calling, and it cannot be outsourced.

How We Would Use It

We would use this as a main study companion for a 1 Peter series. It is especially suited to the passages that define identity, holiness, and suffering. We would combine it with our own structural work and with a more directly homiletical commentary to assist in shaping sermon form. This volume gives strong support for meaning and context, which is the backbone of faithful preaching.

We would also use it in pastoral care contexts. 1 Peter speaks to believers who feel marginalised and weary. The commentary can sharpen our understanding so that our counsel is rooted in Peter’s priorities, not in generic encouragement. We can learn to call people to do good, to endure patiently, and to entrust themselves to God who judges justly.

Closing Recommendation

This is a strong technical resource for preaching and teaching 1 Peter with careful attention to Scripture and with real pastoral aim. It is best for those willing to read slowly, think clearly, and then speak warmly to God’s people as exiles with a living hope.

James

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.2
Author: Dan G. McCartney
Bible Book: James
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

James is a letter that refuses to let us hide behind religious talk. It presses on partiality, speech, worldliness, prayerlessness, and the difference between living faith and dead profession. That directness can make James feel straightforward, yet careful reading shows how densely he speaks, and how deliberately he shapes his exhortations around the wisdom of God. This commentary sets out to help readers follow the letter’s structure, grasp the force of key terms, and preach the text with moral urgency that remains gospel shaped rather than moralistic.

We need that balance. James is often mishandled in two directions. Some flatten him into a list of ethical maxims, detached from Christ and the new covenant. Others become so anxious to defend justification by faith that they blunt James’s edge. A good technical commentary helps us avoid both. It helps us see how James addresses a church community, how he exposes counterfeit faith, and how he calls believers to endure trials with a single heart. The result is a resource that can strengthen serious preaching and careful discipleship.

Because this is a shorter letter, pastors sometimes assume we can manage without detailed help. Yet the details matter, because James is highly allusive, full of compressed arguments, and loaded with echoes of Scripture. When we take him seriously, our preaching becomes more searching and more steady. We learn to speak to the life of the church with clarity, and to do it with the fear of the Lord.

Strengths

First, the commentary treats James as a coherent pastoral letter, not as a string of sayings. It helps the reader notice repeated themes, the role of trials and endurance, the call to wholehearted devotion, and the way James uses wisdom language to shape a community under pressure. That coherence matters for preaching series. It gives us a sense of the letter’s burden, and it keeps application tethered to what James is actually doing.

Second, it is careful with key theological tensions. James speaks about faith and works in a way that demands precision. This commentary helps us see that James is not correcting Paul. He is correcting a shallow, verbal faith that has never bowed the heart. When we preach James 2, we want to speak with both confidence and care. The work assists with that, and it also helps us handle the pastoral tone, which is both sharp and fatherly.

Third, it is strong on practical passages that pastors regularly return to. Teaching on the tongue, on prayer, on wealth, on partiality, and on humility is never merely academic. We need to know what James means, and we need to know how he presses it into the life of the church. The commentary provides detailed help, and it does so in a way that makes responsible preaching easier, not harder.

Limitations

The limitation is that technical discussion can sometimes be front loaded in a way that asks the preacher to do extra work in translation. You may not be able to move straight from the page to a sermon outline. You will often need to synthesise, summarise, and then craft application that suits your context. Also, because James has a strongly exhortational tone, some readers may long for more extended theological reflection, especially where James touches themes that connect across the canon. A technical commentary often assumes you will make those broader connections yourself.

How We Would Use It

We would use this in the middle phase of sermon preparation. After repeated readings, structural work, and some initial outlining, this commentary can confirm the flow, sharpen word level decisions, and protect us from careless assertions. It is particularly useful when the sermon hinges on one contested phrase, or when the difference between two readings changes how we exhort the church.

We would also use it in training settings. James is an excellent letter for forming future preachers, because it forces attention to context and to pastoral intent. This commentary models that kind of discipline. It can help students learn how to let the Bible speak with sharpness while keeping the gospel central.

Closing Recommendation

This is a strong technical tool for those who want to preach James with precision and weight. It will not remove the need for pastoral wisdom in application, but it will strengthen the foundations so that our exhortations land with biblical authority and gospel realism.

1-2 Thessalonians

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.2
Author: Jeffrey A.D. Weima
Bible Book: 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

These two letters are short, but they are rarely simple. We move quickly from warm encouragement to searching correction, from joyful expectancy to sober warnings, and from the comfort of Christ’s return to the daily work of Christian steadiness. This volume aims to serve pastors and serious students who want careful, verse by verse explanation that keeps the argument of the letters in view. We are not being offered quick sermon points. We are being helped to see how Paul reasons, how he exhorts, and how the gospel shapes a church that is learning to endure.

A technical commentary succeeds when it does two things at once. It must be honest about the difficulties of the text, and it must not lose the reader in detail. Here the approach is methodical. We are led through the flow of thought, the key vocabulary, and the interpretive choices that affect preaching, especially around the day of the Lord, the man of lawlessness, and the pastoral handling of idleness and disorder. The best moments are those that show how doctrine lands in the pew, because Paul never writes theology for display. He writes it so that ordinary believers keep trusting Christ in real pressure.

For our purposes as preachers, the value is not simply that it handles disputed questions. The larger gain is that it models patience with the text. It encourages us to keep the whole letter open, to let Paul’s repeated themes emerge, and to notice how comfort and warning belong together. In 1 Thessalonians we hear the steady note of encouragement to a young church. In 2 Thessalonians we hear Paul protecting that same church from panic, confusion, and spiritual laziness.

Strengths

First, the commentary is strong on structure. It repeatedly draws attention to how the argument moves from thanksgiving to instruction to exhortation. That is exactly what we need when preaching epistles. We want to avoid chopping the text into isolated verses. The work helps us see how Paul’s commands are anchored in gospel realities, and how his future focus does not detach believers from present faithfulness. When we preach the return of Christ, this keeps us from speculation and from fear based urgency. Paul uses eschatology to strengthen holiness, hope, and perseverance.

Second, it pays careful attention to the pastoral situation behind the letters. Paul is responding to affliction, to confusion about those who have died, to anxiety about timing, and to disorderly patterns in the church’s life. That matters, because application should flow from the same pressures. We can see how Paul comforts without flattering, and how he warns without crushing. The emphasis on steady, ordinary faithfulness is a gift in a climate that often prizes drama.

Third, the technical detail is usually put to service. When there are key interpretive decisions, the work explains why they matter for meaning and for proclamation. Even when we do not need to reproduce the argument in a sermon, we benefit from knowing where the ground is firm and where we must speak with modesty. That helps us teach with confidence and humility at the same time.

Limitations

The limitation is the one that comes with the genre. A technical commentary can sometimes feel like it is speaking to the academy before it speaks to the church. The reader must do some translation work, turning careful discussion into clear proclamation. There will be sections where the detail is necessary, but the immediate devotional payoff is small. That is not a failure. It is simply the cost of carefulness, and it requires time and focus that busy pastors may not always have in the thick of weekly preparation.

Also, because the commentary is thorough, it can occasionally slow the reading experience when you want a swift overview. We would not normally hand this to a new believer or a small group leader without guidance. It is better as a tool for the preacher, or for the student who is learning to handle the text with precision.

How We Would Use It

We would use this volume in three main ways. First, as a guardrail when preaching passages that invite speculation. It pushes us back to Paul’s aims, which are comfort, correction, and godly perseverance. Second, as a help in tracing repeated themes across the whole letter, especially the interplay of gospel identity and gospel conduct. Third, as a training tool for those preparing for ministry, because it models disciplined attention to words, context, and argument.

When preaching the day of the Lord material in 2 Thessalonians, we would use this to clarify what the text actually says, and then to keep the sermon anchored in the pastoral purpose. Paul is not giving us a hobby. He is forming a church that waits well, works well, and worships well.

Closing Recommendation

This is a solid technical companion for preaching and teaching 1 and 2 Thessalonians with care. It rewards slow reading, and it helps us keep our people in the path of steady hope, patient endurance, and ordered church life as we await the coming King.

Colossians and Philemon

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.4
Author: G.K. Beale
Bible Book: Colossians Philemon
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

Colossians proclaims the supremacy of Christ with breath taking scope, and then it presses that supremacy into the ordinary life of the church. It confronts false teaching not with clever slogans, but with a fuller vision of Jesus. A technical commentary on Colossians must therefore handle two kinds of work. It must be precise with the text, and it must help us see why Paul’s Christology is not abstract doctrine, but the church’s protection and joy. G.K. Beale brings substantial exegetical labour to that task, with a particular strength in tracing biblical theological connections and Old Testament background.

We find the commentary most valuable when it helps us see how Paul argues that Christ is the fulfilment, the reality, and the head of the new creation. Colossians is packed with themes of fullness, image, wisdom, temple, and cosmic reconciliation. Beale helps us read those themes in their immediate context and in their canonical setting. That keeps our preaching from being thin. It also helps us avoid moralistic application. The letter calls the church to put off and put on because the church has died and risen with Christ. The ethics are grounded in union with the exalted Lord.

Philemon, though brief, is also an essential companion. It shows what gospel reconciliation looks like in a concrete case. A commentary that can help us connect the gospel logic of Colossians with the embodied obedience of Philemon can serve pastors well.

Strengths

First, the treatment of Colossians 1 is weighty and careful. The great hymn exalts Christ as image, firstborn, creator, sustainer, and reconciler. Beale helps us handle the theological density without rushing. He clarifies how Paul’s language functions, and he shows how it confronts rival claims. In preaching, that matters because Colossians is often reduced to a few phrases about Christ. The passage is far richer. Beale helps us preach it as a proclamation of the cosmic Lord who reconciles sinners to God through His cross.

Second, Beale’s strength in biblical theology helps illuminate the letter’s imagery. Colossians draws on temple and new creation themes. It speaks of the church as the sphere where the reality of the new age is breaking in. Beale often helps us see those connections and weigh their implications. That is valuable because false teaching in Colossae seems to have involved a mixture of ritual, ascetic practice, and spiritual claims. Paul answers by declaring that the fullness is in Christ, and that believers are filled in Him. Beale’s work helps us feel the force of that answer.

Third, the commentary helps with the logic of sanctification. Colossians 3 is not a list of virtues detached from the gospel. It is a call to live in line with the new identity given in Christ. Beale draws attention to the indicative foundation, and he helps us see how the commands flow from death and resurrection with Christ. That is a vital pastoral corrective. Many believers assume that holiness begins with self improvement. Colossians insists that holiness begins with Christ’s lordship and our union with Him.

Fourth, the handling of Philemon can help pastors teach reconciliation with realism. Paul does not use coercion. He appeals on the basis of love, and he frames the situation in light of providence and Christian brotherhood. Beale helps us track that argument so that we can teach the letter as more than an interesting personal note. It is a gospel shaped model of church relationships.

Limitations

The main limitation is that the commentary can be demanding. Beale’s detailed discussions, especially where he traces background and theological links, can slow the reader down. That is often a strength, but it requires time. Pastors with heavy weekly loads may need to consult selectively. The commentary is also heavily oriented toward careful argumentation. If we are looking for quick homiletical outlines, we may not find them here. We will need to do synthesis work ourselves.

It is also possible to lean too hard on background connections and to lose sight of the immediate paragraph. Beale generally keeps the text central, but we must still be disciplined readers. The commentary equips us, and we must use it wisely.

How We Would Use It

We would use this commentary as a deep study companion for Colossians, especially when preaching the Christological high points and when addressing the letter’s teaching on false spirituality. We would consult Beale early for ch.1 and ch.2, to clarify the argument and to ensure our handling of key terms is sound. We would also consult him for ch.3 and ch.4, to keep application rooted in union with Christ rather than moral effort. For Philemon, we would use the commentary to trace Paul’s rhetorical strategy and to help us teach reconciliation with both tenderness and firmness.

In pastoral ministry, Colossians equips the church to resist the pull of man made religion and to rest in the sufficiency of Christ. Beale helps us teach that message with depth and precision, which strengthens confidence in Scripture and in the Lord who stands at the centre of all things.

Closing Recommendation

This is a serious, detailed technical commentary that will reward careful study. It is especially valuable for those who want to preach Colossians with theological breadth and textual precision, and who want to show how the supremacy of Christ reshapes both doctrine and daily life.

Philippians (2nd Edition)

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.2
Author: Moises Silva
Bible Book: Philippians
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

Philippians is warm, joyful, and deeply demanding. Paul writes with affection, but he also presses the church toward humility, unity, and perseverance. The letter is short, yet it is densely theological, especially in its great Christ hymn and in its steady emphasis on partnership in the gospel. A technical commentary must therefore do two things. It must help us handle the details with precision, and it must help us see the spiritual logic that binds the letter together. Moises Silva offers a careful guide that aims to keep both in view.

The commentary is particularly useful for pastors because it treats Philippians as a coherent argument, not a collection of inspirational lines. Silva helps us see how Paul addresses threats to unity, how he models gospel minded priorities, and how he frames Christian maturity as joy shaped obedience. We are repeatedly reminded that joy in Philippians is not a shallow mood. It is the settled confidence that Christ is worth everything, and that the gospel is advancing even through suffering.

Because this is a technical work, Silva pays attention to language and structure. That is valuable in Philippians, where key phrases can be sentimentalised or misread. We need careful exegesis if we are to preach the letter faithfully, especially in passages like ch.2 and ch.3, where Christology and discipleship are tightly interwoven.

Strengths

First, Silva is strong on precision. He handles key terms and rhetorical turns with care, and he helps us see why small choices in translation matter. In preaching, that precision protects us from making the text say what we want it to say. It also supports confident application. When we know what Paul is actually arguing, we can apply with courage and restraint.

Second, the commentary is especially useful in ch.2. The passage about Christ’s humiliation and exaltation is often treated as a standalone doctrinal poem. Silva helps us keep it in context. Paul is calling the church to a certain kind of mind, and he grounds that call in the pattern and victory of Christ. Silva helps us handle the theological depth without losing the pastoral aim. That is exactly what we need if we are to preach Christ with reverence and also to shepherd the church into humble unity.

Third, Silva helps with the letter’s treatment of suffering and joy. Paul is not denying pain. He is interpreting pain through the gospel. Silva often highlights that interpretive frame. Joy is tethered to the advance of the gospel, the faithfulness of Christ, and the hope of resurrection. That keeps application from collapsing into emotional advice. It becomes discipleship grounded in the promises of God.

Fourth, Silva’s work on ch.3 helps pastors address confidence in the flesh, religious pride, and the pursuit of righteousness. Paul’s argument is sharp and searching. Silva helps us see how Paul contrasts the righteousness that comes through faith with the entire project of self established standing. This is not merely a personal testimony. It is gospel proclamation. That is vital for preaching in any age where moral performance can masquerade as faith.

Limitations

The main limitation is that the commentary is compact and demanding. Some pastors may wish for more expansive treatment in certain places, and some readers may find the technical nature heavy for such a short letter. Also, because the book focuses on close reading, we may need to do additional work ourselves to build homiletical shape. The commentary supplies strong building material, but we must still craft sermons that carry the weight and warmth of the letter.

Another limitation is that technical confidence can sometimes underplay the pastoral tone. Philippians is affectionate. We must ensure our preaching carries that affection, and not merely the argument. The commentary helps with meaning, and we must bring the heart.

How We Would Use It

We would use Silva as a precision tool when preaching through Philippians. We would consult him to clarify the structure of each paragraph, the force of key terms, and the logic of Paul’s exhortations. We would especially use him in ch.2 and ch.3, where theology and ethics are tightly connected and missteps can be costly. We would also use this commentary for training leaders, because Philippians is a wonderful letter for shaping gospel partnerships, church unity, and resilient joy.

In pastoral ministry, Philippians helps us shepherd believers through anxiety, conflict, and discouragement. Silva’s careful exegesis supports that work by keeping the message grounded in the text and in the gospel, not in inspirational generalities.

Closing Recommendation

This is a focused and rigorous technical commentary on Philippians. It is particularly strong where precision matters most, and it will serve those who want to preach the letter with both doctrinal accuracy and practical clarity.

Ephesians

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.4
Author: Frank S. Thielman
Bible Book: Ephesians
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

Ephesians is a letter that stretches our worship and steadies our walk. It lifts the church into the heavenlies, and then it brings the church back down into ordinary relationships with renewed holiness. A technical commentary on Ephesians must therefore be able to handle both the grandeur of its theology and the detail of its exhortations. Frank S. Thielman provides a careful guide to the text, with attention to structure, key terms, and theological coherence. He helps us follow the movement from God’s saving purpose in Christ, to the unity of Jew and Gentile in one new humanity, to the Spirit empowered life of the church.

We are particularly helped by the commentary’s concern to keep Ephesians anchored in its argument. The letter can be treated like a catalogue of favourite verses. Thielman pushes back against that. He encourages us to read paragraphs as paragraphs, and to preach the letter as a sustained proclamation of God’s grace and God’s design for His people. That is the path to faithful application. Ephesians does not give us slogans, it gives us a vision of Christ and His church that shapes everything.

For pastors, the value of technical work on Ephesians is that it keeps our preaching from becoming vague. The letter is full of long sentences, densely packed phrases, and layered theology. Thielman helps us slow down, untangle, and then proclaim with confidence.

Strengths

First, the handling of key theological texts is careful. In passages such as vv.3 to 14 in ch.1, Thielman helps us trace the logic of election, redemption, sealing, and inheritance. We are not left with abstract doctrines floating free from doxology. We are shown how Paul praises God by rehearsing the saving work of Father, Son, and Spirit. That supports preaching that is both doctrinal and worshipful.

Second, the commentary is strong in explaining how doctrine leads to ethics. Ephesians is sometimes split into two halves as if the first half is theology and the second half is merely practical advice. Thielman helps us see how the ethical exhortations grow out of the gospel. Unity is rooted in the peace made in Christ. Holiness is rooted in the new creation reality of being made alive with Christ. Love is rooted in the self giving love of Christ. That is precisely the connection pastors need to keep clear, otherwise we drift into moralism.

Third, there is consistent attention to language and structure. Ephesians contains phrases that are easy to quote and hard to interpret. Thielman is helpful in showing how clauses relate, how repeated words function, and how themes develop. That kind of work protects us from building sermons on a misunderstood phrase. It also helps with teaching, because we can show our people why an interpretation is persuasive.

Fourth, the commentary keeps the church in view. Ephesians is not primarily about private spirituality. It is about the people of God, united in Christ, growing into maturity, standing against the devil, and living as a distinct community. Thielman’s approach often reinforces that corporate emphasis, which helps pastors resist overly individualistic readings.

Limitations

As with most technical commentaries, the limitations are mainly practical. The book demands time. Some discussions engage scholarly questions that may not be essential for every sermon. We may need to learn to skim certain sections and return when a particular question becomes pressing. Also, because Ephesians is so rich, no single commentary can fully capture its depth. Thielman gives careful help, but we will still want to read widely and to keep returning to the text itself.

There can also be a temptation to let technical clarity replace pastoral warmth. A commentary like this equips us, but it does not preach for us. We must still carry the burden of the letter into our people’s lives with tenderness and courage.

How We Would Use It

We would use this commentary to build strong sermon foundations. In each passage we would begin with repeated readings, outlining, and tracing key connections. Then we would consult Thielman for help with syntax, word choice, and theological flow. We would especially rely on him in the long sentences of ch.1 and in the tightly reasoned unity sections of ch.2 and ch.4. We would also use him for ch.5 and ch.6, where application is often mishandled if it is detached from the gospel logic of the letter.

In church leadership, Ephesians shapes vision for unity and maturity. This commentary can help elders and leaders teach those themes with confidence, especially when addressing division, spiritual conflict, and the call to love and truth together.

Closing Recommendation

This is a careful and substantial technical guide to Ephesians. It will strengthen sermon preparation and deepen our grasp of Paul’s theology of Christ and the church. We commend it for those who want precision without losing sight of worship and obedience.

1 Peter (2nd Edition)

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholarsStrong recommendation
8.3
Author: Karen H. Jobes
Bible Book: 1 Peter
Series: Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Baker Academic
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

1 Peter is written to believers who are learning what it means to live as strangers and exiles. It is not a manual for winning cultural battles, but a letter that teaches the church how to suffer without losing hope, how to live honourably among unbelievers, and how to anchor identity in the mercy of God. A technical commentary should help us make careful sense of Peter’s language, but it should also help us grasp the letter’s pastoral realism. Karen H. Jobes offers a commentary that aims to do both. She works closely with the text, and she repeatedly draws attention to the social setting and rhetorical strategy that shape Peter’s exhortations.

The letter is rich in Old Testament imagery. Peter speaks of election, exile, priesthood, sacrifice, and inheritance. He is not borrowing religious language for effect, he is teaching the church to see itself in the light of God’s saving story. Jobes helps us follow those connections and weigh their implications. That matters because Peter’s ethics are rooted in identity. The church lives differently because it has been made new. We endure because we have been born again to a living hope.

For pastors, the particular value of a careful commentary on 1 Peter is that it keeps us from flattening the letter into generic encouragement. Peter is precise. He speaks to fear, to speech, to relationships, and to the temptation to retaliate. Jobes aims to keep our preaching as precise as the text itself.

Strengths

First, the exegesis is attentive to flow. 1 Peter can feel like a chain of exhortations, but Jobes helps us see how sections hang together. The imperatives are carried by indicatives. The calls to holiness are grounded in the character of God and the saving work of Christ. The calls to honour authorities and to do good are framed as witness, not as passivity. When we can see the logic, we can preach the commands with gospel texture rather than moral pressure.

Second, the commentary pays serious attention to the letter’s context. Peter writes to communities who are marginal, misrepresented, and under pressure. That context helps us understand why he insists on good conduct, why he speaks so strongly about speech and suffering, and why he places such weight on hope. Jobes helps us avoid anachronism. She does not treat 1 Peter as a modern political manifesto. She treats it as apostolic instruction for Christian life under social strain.

Third, she is careful with Old Testament background. Peter’s use of Scripture is foundational. The themes of exile and priesthood, and the way Peter applies texts about Israel to the church in Christ, are not optional. Jobes helps us handle these connections responsibly, so that our teaching is rooted in the canon and not in rhetorical flourish. That is particularly helpful in passages like vv.4 to 10 in ch.2, where identity language is dense and deeply theological.

Fourth, the commentary helps us keep Christ at the centre of suffering and holiness. Peter does not only give an example in Christ, he proclaims salvation through Christ. Jobes emphasises the relationship between the atoning work of Christ and the transformed life of believers. We are not called to suffer to earn standing with God. We are called to suffer as those already ransomed, already adopted, already bound for an imperishable inheritance.

Limitations

Because the commentary is compact in length, some readers may wish for more extended engagement with certain debates, especially around household codes and the details of social setting. Jobes often gives enough to make sense of the passage, but not always enough to satisfy specialist curiosity. Also, as with many technical works, the detail can sometimes crowd the page, and it can be harder to extract a single clean preaching outline without doing additional synthesis work.

We should also remember that a commentary can clarify meaning, but it cannot do our pastoral discernment for us. Applying 1 Peter in a modern context still requires wisdom. Jobes helps with the textual foundation, and we must still do the work of careful application with our people.

How We Would Use It

We would use this commentary as a text driven companion for preaching and teaching through 1 Peter. It is especially useful for clarifying the sense of key phrases, for tracing how exhortations are grounded in identity, and for handling the Old Testament echoes with care. In a preaching series, we would consult Jobes early in preparation, to test our reading of the passage and to ensure we have not missed contextual cues that shape interpretation.

In pastoral ministry, we would use the insights of the letter, sharpened by careful exegesis, to help believers endure well. 1 Peter does not offer empty optimism. It offers living hope grounded in the resurrection. It calls the church to visible goodness, to truthful speech, and to steady courage. This commentary helps us teach those themes with precision and restraint.

Closing Recommendation

This is a serious, careful, and pastorally aware commentary on 1 Peter. It will serve those who want close reading, and it will support preaching that is both realistic about suffering and confident in the mercy of God in Christ.