Publisher: Zondervan

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Zondervan

Zondervan

Founded in 1931 by brothers Peter and Bernard Zondervan in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan has grown from a small family business into one of the world’s leading Christian publishers. Rooted in the evangelical tradition, the company has maintained a commitment to the authority of Scripture and to producing resources that serve the global church. Now part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Zondervan continues to uphold an editorial ethos that values biblical faithfulness, academic credibility, and practical usefulness.

Zondervan is distinguished by the breadth and quality of its publishing. Its commentary series—such as the NIV Application Commentary, Expositor’s Bible Commentary, and Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary—reflect a balance of scholarship and accessibility. These works have become staples in seminaries and churches alike, known for their theological depth, clarity, and reliability. The publisher’s blend of academic rigour and pastoral concern has made it a trusted voice across the evangelical world.

Volumes from this publisher are consistently dependable for serious students of Scripture.

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Matthew

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholars, Busy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
8.6Author: Grant R. Osborne Bible Book: Matthew Series: Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament (Zondervan) Publisher: Zondervan Type: Exegetical (Technical) Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical

Summary

Grant Osborne’s Matthew volume in the Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series offers a richly informed, pastorally sensitive, and academically responsible treatment of the first Gospel. Osborne combines careful exegesis, well-chosen background material, and clear theological insight, making the work accessible for pastors while grounded enough for serious students. His approach consistently seeks to unfold Matthew’s structure, highlight the evangelist’s theological priorities, and connect the text to the life of the church.

We appreciate that Osborne writes with warmth and clarity, never losing sight of the Gospel’s central focus on Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah and authoritative Lord. His engagement with Greek grammar, literary features, and first-century context strengthens the reader’s ability to understand Matthew as both history and proclamation. This makes the commentary a trustworthy companion for expositors who want depth without technical overload.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

This commentary is particularly strong in its structural insights. Osborne excels at showing how Matthew arranges his material in purposeful, thematic ways. His frequent attention to discourse structure, narrative flow, and intertextual patterns helps preachers grasp not only what Matthew says but how and why he says it. This proves invaluable for sermon series planning and for avoiding a disjointed, verse-by-verse treatment of the Gospel.

We find his balance of exegetical rigor and pastoral application especially commendable. Osborne does not shy away from academic questions, but he communicates his conclusions with clarity and humility. His comments often move naturally from interpretive explanation to pastoral implication, making the commentary immediately useful for those preparing sermons, Bible studies, or discipleship material.

The volume also gives significant attention to the Christology of Matthew, emphasising Jesus as fulfilment of Old Testament promise, authoritative teacher, suffering servant, and risen King. Osborne’s theological reflections remain anchored in the text and avoid speculative tendencies, making this a dependable resource for doctrinally careful preaching.

Closing Recommendation

We warmly recommend Osborne’s Matthew commentary to pastors, students, and serious lay readers who want an exegetically robust and pastorally grounded treatment of the first Gospel. It provides clarity, depth, and steady guidance through both familiar passages and difficult texts.

While highly technical specialists may supplement it with more narrowly academic works, this volume offers a superb blend of scholarship and usefulness—an excellent addition to any expositor’s library.


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Ruth

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholars, Busy pastorsTop choice
9.2Author: Daniel I. Block Bible Book: Ruth Series: Exegetical Commentary On The Old Testament (Zondervan) Publisher: Zondervan Type: Exegetical (Technical) Theological Perspective: Reformed

Summary

Daniel I. Block’s Ruth in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament series provides a rich, text-driven, and theologically sensitive exposition of this beloved book. As one of the finest evangelical Old Testament scholars of our day, Block brings together linguistic expertise, literary insight, and pastoral warmth. His treatment honours the narrative’s beauty, its historical context, and its theological message while remaining highly usable for preachers and teachers.

The commentary walks through each unit of the text with clarity, highlighting structure, grammar, key terms, and narrative movement. Block’s goal is to help the reader understand not only what the text says, but how it says it—revealing the artistry and theological depth embedded in the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We value how Block combines technical skill with genuine pastoral sensitivity. His attention to Hebrew narrative, wordplay, and character development gives preachers a deeper appreciation of the text’s craftsmanship. At the same time, his exposition remains warm, clear, and spiritually compelling. He highlights the book’s themes of covenant faithfulness, loyal love, providence, and the surprising grace of God displayed in ordinary lives.

Block is especially strong in showing how the book of Ruth points forward to the redemptive purposes of God—culminating in David’s line and ultimately in Christ. Without forcing connections, he draws out the theological implications with balance and insight. His reflections on the cultural and legal background (kinsman-redeemer, gleaning laws, family loyalty) equip preachers to explain Ruth with clarity and confidence.

The commentary’s layout—combining structural analysis, exegetical detail, and pastoral reflection—makes it particularly useful for sermon preparation. It provides both the depth needed for careful study and the clarity needed for faithful communication. Block’s sensitivity to the emotional tone of the narrative, especially Naomi’s journey from emptiness to restoration, makes his work pastorally powerful.

Closing Recommendation

We warmly commend Block’s *Ruth* to pastors, teachers, and serious students of Scripture. It stands among the very best resources available on this book—deeply faithful, beautifully written, and rich in theological insight.

If you want a commentary that combines technical strength with pastoral usefulness and literary sensitivity, Block’s work is an exceptional choice.


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Judges

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholars, Busy pastorsStrong recommendation
8.1Author: Mark J. Boda, Mary L. Conway Bible Book: Judges Series: Exegetical Commentary On The Old Testament (Zondervan) Publisher: Zondervan Type: Exegetical (Technical) Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical

Summary

We review Judges by Mark J. Boda and Mary L. Conway, published by Zondervan in the Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament series. This substantial volume—well over 900 pages—offers a disciplined, text-driven approach designed for pastors, teachers and serious students who want to understand the structure, flow and theology of Judges. It is a commentary written with academic precision but shaped with ministry use in mind.

The authors combine original-language engagement, discourse analysis and theological reflection in a format that walks through the book of Judges unit by unit. Each section provides translation, movement through the Hebrew text, an explanation of structure, and reflections on canonical significance. This makes it an excellent resource for those who want more than surface-level exposition while still needing clarity for sermon preparation.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

First, this commentary excels in helping the reader understand the internal logic and literary design of Judges. The book is not simply a sequence of isolated stories; it is a spiralling narrative of Israel’s increasing moral collapse and God’s persistent, gracious intervention. Boda and Conway make this structure clear, showing how each judge contributes to the overall theological burden of the book. For Reformed preachers, this helps illuminate themes of covenant faithfulness, human depravity and the need for a righteous king.

Second, its handling of the Hebrew text is robust without becoming inaccessible. The authors consistently explain textual decisions, structural markers and linguistic features in a way that benefits pastors who may not be fluent in Hebrew but desire depth. Their work fosters confidence: when preparing a sermon, you have a trusted companion who helps you understand not only what the text says but why it is written the way it is.

Third, this commentary is particularly strong in its theological reflections. The cyclical pattern of sin, judgment and deliverance in Judges is traced with care, helping preachers draw out redemptive-historical trajectories without forcing connections. While the Christological implications are not always explicitly developed, they are present—especially in the movement from flawed human deliverers to the need for a true and righteous Deliverer.

Closing Recommendation

We warmly recommend this commentary for pastors, elders, teachers and students committed to preaching or teaching Judges with clarity and conviction. Its depth, structural analysis and theological integrity make it one of the stronger modern resources for handling this challenging book.

If you are looking for a lighter, devotional-style commentary, this volume may feel demanding. But for those who want to honour the Hebrew text and shepherd their congregation through the message of Judges with seriousness and insight, this commentary is a worthy investment.


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Leviticus

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholars, Busy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingTop choice
8.4Author: Jay Sklar Bible Book: Leviticus Series: Exegetical Commentary On The Old Testament (Zondervan) Publisher: Zondervan Type: Exegetical (Technical) Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical, Reformed

Short Verdict: This is one of the most helpful modern commentaries on Leviticus for pastors, combining deep Hebrew-sensitive exegesis with immediate application in a clear, Christ-centred way.

Summary

The commentary in question is Leviticus by Jay Sklar, part of the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament (ZECOT) series, published by Zondervan in 2023. This volume spans approximately 864 pages.
In terms of approach, Sklar provides for each pericope a Hebrew-English translation, a detailed exegetical outline of the passage, commentary that engages the Hebrew text (though not requiring full proficiency), and a “Canonical and Theological Significance” section that bridges the ancient text with contemporary pastoral concerns. The structure places discourse analysis, textual structure and literary context at the forefront—reflecting the series’s emphasis on how an author says something as well as what is said.

It is aimed primarily at pastors, Bible-teachers, ministry leaders and serious students of Scripture who are willing to engage with the Hebrew text and desire a trustworthy resource for preaching and teaching. While technical in places, it strives for accessibility. :

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

First, its strengths lie in its combination of rigorous exegesis and a pastor-friendly framework. Sklar does not shy away from Hebrew, syntax and discourse-analysis, yet the commentary remains readable and oriented toward preaching and teaching. Reviewers note that whereas many commentaries on Leviticus become heavy in technical minutiae, this commentary retains the “why it matters” dimension for church ministry. For you as a pastor and Bible-teacher, this means a deeper grasp of the text’s structure—especially around key Levitical concepts like holiness, atonement, presence and purity—and the capacity to craft sermons that honour the text without being dry or inaccessible.

Secondly, the volume’s theological content is commendable from a Reformed vantage. Sklar consistently points to the presence of a holy God dwelling among a redeemed people, the necessity of substitutionary atonement (implicit in Leviticus’s sacrifices) and the forward-looking purpose of the law in covenant-community formation. While he does not always explicitly carry out a full covenantally-Reformed theology, the framework supports it well. This makes the commentary valuable for sermon preparation: the “Canonical and Theological Significance” sections often give you ready-to-go homiletic headings and theological insights rooted in the original context.

Thirdly, in practical usefulness this volume excels. Given how many find the Book of Leviticus difficult to preach, this commentary gives you clarity on structure and purpose—why the rituals matter, what they teach this covenant-people about God and neighbour—and then invites modern application. Reviewers emphasise that the layout (translations + outline + commentary + application) supports sermon-craft. For the busy pastor you get both depth and usable scaffolding.

Of course no commentary is perfect: some readers with little Hebrew may find parts dense, and there are times when the theological motifs (e.g., sin-wrath-atonement) could be more coherently developed. A reviewer noted that the motif of law functioning to ‘protect the people from divine wrath’ was touched on but not fully integrated. So while this is an excellent resource, it still requires you to engage with the text and draw out the connections pastorally.

Closing Recommendation

In our judgment, this commentary is strongly recommended for pastors, teachers and serious students who plan to preach or teach through the Book of Leviticus. If your aim is to do more than survey the book and instead to guide your congregation through it faithfully—honouring the Hebrew text, engaging its theological weight and crafting relevant application—then this belongs on your shelf.

For those who only need a very brief introduction, or have limited Hebrew interest, a more summary commentary might suffice (and this work may feel detailed). But if you value a high-quality Reformed-friendly resource that marries sound exegesis with homiletic insight, then we regard this as one of the better recent options for Leviticus.


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