ESV Expository Commentary

ESV Expository Commentary is Crossway’s attempt to put a complete, church facing commentary set into the hands of ordinary preachers and serious Bible readers. It is built for the study desk rather than the seminar room, and it keeps the biblical text in view throughout, often printing the ESV passage alongside the exposition so the reader is never far from Scripture itself.

The series is shaped by its team of general editors, Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar, and that leadership shows. There is a consistent desire to read each book in its own context, to keep the argument moving, and to make the connection between exegesis and proclamation without turning the commentary into a sermon manuscript.

The theological posture is broadly evangelical with a noticeable Reformed warmth in places, especially in its instincts about biblical theology, covenant continuity, and Christ centred reading. You will not find the tone combative. It tends to be confident about the Bible’s authority, cautious about novelty, and eager to serve the church.

As a set, it is most useful when a pastor wants a clear, faithful companion that keeps him moving through the text with steady understanding. It is not usually the last word on difficult technical questions, but it is often a wise first word that gets you oriented, helps you see structure, and gives you a sound platform for preaching.

Publisher: Crossway

Series Editors: Iain M. Duguid / James M. Hamilton / Jay Sklar

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Titus, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.2
Author: Denny Burk
Bible Book: Titus
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In Titus, ESV Expository Commentary, Denny Burk helps us preach the gospel’s power to produce godliness, especially in the everyday life of the church. Volume 11.

We are guided through Paul’s instructions on leadership, sound teaching, and good works, so our preaching remains both doctrinal and practical.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we want help making clear the relationship between grace and obedience. It keeps returning us to what God has done in Christ, and then shows how that grace trains us to live differently.

We are also helped to teach on church order without harshness. The aim is a beautiful witness, shaped by sound doctrine and good works.

It is useful for new believer instruction, membership teaching, and leadership development in growing churches.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend Titus, ESV Expository Commentary for pastors and teachers who want a mid level guide that serves clear preaching and wise application. It is particularly useful when we need to connect gospel clarity with ordinary, visible holiness.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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2 Timothy, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.3
Author: Denny Burk
Bible Book: 2 Timothy
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In 2 Timothy, ESV Expository Commentary, Denny Burk helps us preach endurance in ministry, with a steady focus on the Word of God, the pattern of sound teaching, and the costly joy of faithfulness. Volume 11.

We are helped to feel the letter’s urgency without resorting to slogans, and to keep our people fixed on Christ’s promise.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we need help preaching a letter that is both personal and programmatic for ministry. It keeps the pastoral charge connected to the gospel and to the realities of suffering.

We are also helped to apply the letter to ordinary church life. The aim is not hero stories, but steady perseverance in prayer, teaching, and discipleship.

It is useful for ordinand training, elders’ devotionals, and sermon series aimed at strengthening weary workers.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend 2 Timothy, ESV Expository Commentary for pastors and teachers who want a mid level guide that keeps the text clear and the application honest. It is at its best when we want to preach courage that is rooted in the Lord, not in ourselves.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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1 Timothy, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.2
Author: Denny Burk
Bible Book: 1 Timothy
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In 1 Timothy, ESV Expository Commentary, Denny Burk helps us preach the church’s life under the Word, with practical attention to doctrine, leadership, and godliness. Volume 11.

We are guided through the letter’s priorities, so our teaching strengthens the household of God rather than merely filling in information.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we want help preaching pastoral instruction without losing its gospel heart. It keeps doctrine and discipline together, and it helps us speak to contemporary pressures with biblical proportion.

We are also helped to handle church order texts with care. The aim is not controversy for its own sake, but a church shaped by Christ’s truth and love.

It supports elder training, membership instruction, and any ministry that needs a clear framework for healthy church life.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend 1 Timothy, ESV Expository Commentary for pastors and teachers who want a mid level guide that is orderly, biblically grounded, and practically useful. It serves us well when we are preaching for maturity, not merely for movement.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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2 Thessalonians, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.2
Bible Book: 2 Thessalonians
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In 2 Thessalonians, ESV Expository Commentary, David W. Chapman helps us preach steady truth in a letter written to correct confusion and strengthen a church under strain. Volume 11.

We are guided through Paul’s blend of reassurance, correction, and firm exhortation, so our preaching remains both comforting and clear.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we want help handling difficult end times material without sensationalism. It encourages careful reading, patient explanation, and faithful application.

We are also helped with the pastoral side of correction. The letter confronts idleness and disorder, and this commentary helps us press that home with wisdom and grace.

In sermon planning, it keeps the argument tight, and it helps us show how hope produces perseverance and obedience.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend 2 Thessalonians, ESV Expository Commentary for pastors and teachers who want a mid level guide that supports faithful exposition in contested passages. It serves the church well when we need clarity that does not crush bruised reeds.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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1 Thessalonians, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.2
Bible Book: 1 Thessalonians
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In 1 Thessalonians, ESV Expository Commentary, David W. Chapman helps us preach a young church’s faith and endurance, with special care for the hope that steadies believers under pressure. Volume 11.

We are shown how Paul blends affection, instruction, and eschatological comfort, so our preaching carries both warmth and backbone.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we want help handling a letter that moves quickly between narrative, exhortation, and future hope. It keeps the chapters connected and keeps our applications proportionate.

We are also helped to speak plainly about the return of Christ. The tone encourages sober confidence, rather than panic or speculation.

For ministry training, it is a useful model of how doctrine and discipleship belong together in a local church setting.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend 1 Thessalonians, ESV Expository Commentary for pastors and teachers who want a mid level companion that serves gospel shaped encouragement and holiness. It is particularly helpful when we are preaching hope to ordinary believers in ordinary trials.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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Colossians, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.3
Bible Book: Colossians
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In Colossians, ESV Expository Commentary, Alastair I. Wilson helps us preach Christ’s supremacy with clarity and steadiness, so the church is guarded from drift and warmed into worship. Volume 11.

We are guided through the letter’s logic, its pastoral pressure points, and its steady call to live as those raised with Christ.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we want a reliable partner for weekly preparation. It keeps pushing us back to the flow of the argument, and it helps us handle key terms without turning the sermon into a lecture.

We are also helped with the pastoral edge of Colossians, especially the way doctrine shapes holiness, worship, and church life. That makes it useful for both pulpit work and small group teaching.

For training, it models a sane method. We read the passage, trace the author’s intent, and then move toward application that fits the text.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend Colossians, ESV Expository Commentary for pastors and teachers who want a mid level guide that stays close to Scripture and serves proclamation. It is particularly strong when we need help keeping the letter’s big claims about Christ front and centre.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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2 Corinthians, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.3
Bible Book: 2 Corinthians
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In 2 Corinthians, ESV Expository Commentary, Dane C. Ortlund helps us hear Paul’s heart, defend the gospel of grace, and embrace strength made perfect in weakness. Volume 10.

We are supported in tracing the letter’s emotional and theological turns, so that our preaching remains both truthful and tender.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we want help preaching 2 Corinthians with balance. It encourages us to hold together doctrinal clarity and pastoral sensitivity, as Paul does.

It is also a useful tool for ministry because it helps us speak to suffering, discouragement, and false teaching without leaving the text’s tone behind.

For those training to preach, it models how to handle personal narrative, theology, and application in a way that serves the church.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend 2 Corinthians, ESV Expository Commentary for Busy Pastors and Pastors-in-training who want a mid level guide that supports gospel shaped preaching in 2 Corinthians.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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Philippians, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.3
Bible Book: Philippians
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In Philippians, ESV Expository Commentary, Jason C. Meyer helps us preach joyful perseverance in Christ, even under pressure, with clear attention to Paul’s pastoral purpose. Volume 11.

We are guided through Philippians in a way that supports both sermon preparation and congregational encouragement.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we want a clear aid for preaching Philippians with warmth and firmness. It keeps Paul’s joy tethered to Christ, the cross, and the advance of the gospel.

It also supports pastoral ministry by helping us apply themes like humility, unity, and contentment without resorting to slogans. We are pushed back to the text again and again.

For those training to teach, it models how to trace argument and tone, which matters in a letter rich with affection and exhortation.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend Philippians, ESV Expository Commentary for Busy Pastors and Pastors-in-training who want a mid level guide that supports faithful preaching in Philippians.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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Ephesians, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.3
Bible Book: Ephesians
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In Ephesians, ESV Expository Commentary, Benjamin L. Merkle helps us preach the riches of union with Christ and the calling of the church with clarity and purpose. Volume 11.

We are supported in tracing Paul’s movement from gospel blessings to gospel shaped living, so that doctrine and discipleship stay joined.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we need a clear guide for preaching Ephesians with balance. It helps us handle both the letter’s heights and its practical commands without flattening either.

It is a helpful tool for ministry because it strengthens our confidence in preaching Christ and the church, and it supports application that grows out of Paul’s argument.

For those training to preach, it models how to read large theological sections and then preach them with clarity and warmth.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend Ephesians, ESV Expository Commentary for Busy Pastors and Pastors-in-training who want a mid level companion for teaching and preaching in Ephesians.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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Galatians, ESV Expository Commentary

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.3
Bible Book: Galatians
Publisher: Crossway
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

In Galatians, ESV Expository Commentary, Frank Thielman helps us preach the freedom of the gospel with clarity, guarding the church from legalism and confusion. Volume 10.

We are supported in following Paul’s argument step by step, so that justification, union with Christ, and Spirit led holiness are proclaimed with balance.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume when we need help preaching Galatians with precision and pastoral warmth. It keeps the letter’s urgency in view while maintaining clarity.

It is also a practical tool for the church because it helps us apply Galatians to real pressures, whether moralism, fear of man, or false confidence.

For those training to preach, it models how to handle theological argument in a way that feeds faith and obedience.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend Galatians, ESV Expository Commentary for Busy Pastors and Pastors-in-training who want a mid level companion that strengthens gospel preaching in Galatians.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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