Resource Type: Commentary

A volume offering verse-by-verse or section-by-section exposition of a biblical book, written to help pastors, teachers, and serious students understand the meaning of Scripture in its context.

Psalms (8.4)

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholars, Busy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Author: William S Plummer
Bible Book: Psalms
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Expositional
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find Plumer offers a vast storehouse of doctrinal and practical help, keeping us close to the text while drawing out uses for prayer and praise. It is an older work, yet it repeatedly drives us back to Scripture, and it refuses to let us treat the passage as a set of religious slogans.

Because it is written for spiritual profit, it often pauses to press truth onto conscience, worship, and daily obedience. That makes it a helpful companion when we want our preaching to be both substantial and searching.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this commentary when we want the kind of slow, text shaped reasoning that strengthens preaching over years, not just weeks. It is not built around modern debate, but around the steady labour of opening the passage and applying it to the heart.

We also benefit from its theological weight. It helps us see how doctrine lives in the text, and how the text trains the church to trust Christ, repent of sin, and endure with hope.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong choice for pastors and serious readers who want historic Reformed exposition that feeds proclamation. It works best when we read it alongside our own close work in the passage, letting it sharpen our judgment and deepen our pastoral instincts.

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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Hebrews (7 Volume Set) (8.4)

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholars, Busy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Author: John Owen
Bible Book: Hebrews
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Expositional
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find Owen’s long labour in Hebrews presses us to slow down and worship, as he traces Christ’s priesthood with doctrinal strength and warm pastoral aim. It is an older work, yet it repeatedly drives us back to Scripture, and it refuses to let us treat the passage as a set of religious slogans.

Because it is written for spiritual profit, it often pauses to press truth onto conscience, worship, and daily obedience. That makes it a helpful companion when we want our preaching to be both substantial and searching.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this commentary when we want the kind of slow, text shaped reasoning that strengthens preaching over years, not just weeks. It is not built around modern debate, but around the steady labour of opening the passage and applying it to the heart.

We also benefit from its theological weight. It helps us see how doctrine lives in the text, and how the text trains the church to trust Christ, repent of sin, and endure with hope.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong choice for pastors and serious readers who want historic Reformed exposition that feeds proclamation. It works best when we read it alongside our own close work in the passage, letting it sharpen our judgment and deepen our pastoral instincts.

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 & 2 Timothy and Titus (8.4)

Mid-levelBusy pastors, General readers, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Author: Patrick Fairbairn
Bible Book: 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Expositional
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find Patrick Fairbairn’s pastoral epistles commentary a steady, principled guide to church order, ministerial character, and gospel shaped perseverance. He reads Paul as equipping the church for faithful leadership in a hostile world.

Fairbairn is clear on the priorities of preaching, prayer, discipline, and sound doctrine. He helps us keep practical counsel rooted in the gospel rather than in mere pragmatism.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume because it treats these letters with seriousness, and because it speaks to the long haul realities of ministry. It helps us think about elders, deacons, and the care of souls with biblical proportion.

We also benefit from his warmth and balance. Fairbairn warns against error, but he also encourages faithful service and patient endurance.

It is a classic work, so it will not cover every modern debate. Yet it remains a trustworthy partner for pastors shaping church life under the word.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong Reformed resource for preaching and teaching 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. It serves especially well in leadership training and pastoral formation.

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 (8.4)

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholars, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Author: John Davenant
Bible Book: Colossians
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Exegetical (Technical)
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find John Davenant’s Colossians an unusually full and careful exposition that repays serious study. He writes with theological precision, but his aim is deeply practical, to guard the church from error and to exalt the sufficiency of Christ.

Davenant is especially strong on Christ’s person and work, and on the way the gospel shapes sanctification. He helps us preach Colossians as both doctrinal correction and spiritual nourishment.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this commentary because it provides depth that few single volumes match. When Colossians touches controversy, Davenant helps us think clearly and speak carefully.

We also benefit from his historic Reformed instincts. He is rigorous, but not restless. He keeps returning to the main point, Christ is enough for the church.

It is a demanding book, and it is not designed for quick reference. Yet for pastors and students who want to go deeper, it is a remarkable resource.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong Reformed commentary for preaching Colossians, especially for those prepared to read slowly and profitably over time.

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 (8.4)

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Author: John Calvin
Bible Book: Ephesians
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Sermonic
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find Calvin’s Sermons on Ephesians a rich store of expository preaching that brings doctrine and devotion together. He unfolds the glory of God’s grace, then presses it into the life of the church.

These sermons are not a modern commentary format, but they are saturated with the text. We hear how Ephesians shapes worship, unity, holiness, and perseverance.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume because it shows us what it looks like to preach Ephesians with weight and warmth. Calvin models careful explanation, but he also aims at the heart.

We also benefit from the way he turns theology into doxology. Union with Christ, adoption, and the church’s calling are treated as truths to adore, not merely to define.

It is a large book and it takes time. Yet it can feed our own souls and strengthen our preaching, especially when used alongside a contemporary commentary.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a deeply strengthening Reformed resource for preaching Ephesians. It is ideal for pastors who want to learn from a master preacher in the Reformed tradition.

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 (8.5)

Mid-levelBusy pastors, General readers, Pastors-in-trainingTop choice
Author: John Brown
Bible Book: Galatians
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Expositional
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find John Brown’s Galatians a vigorous defence of the gospel of free grace. He reads Paul as a pastor contending for Christ’s honour and the believer’s liberty, not as a cold disputant.

Brown is clear on justification by faith and firm on the dangers of legalism. He helps us see how false additions to the gospel wound assurance and distort Christian living.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this commentary because it equips us to preach Galatians with both courage and care. It helps us expose the subtle forms of self righteousness that still cling to the church.

We also benefit from Brown’s warmth. He does not merely dismantle error, he directs us to the sufficiency of Christ, and that keeps our preaching from becoming combative.

It is not a modern scholarly treatment. Yet it is deeply pastoral, and it remains remarkably apt for present day pressures.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong Reformed commentary for preaching Galatians, especially for churches needing fresh confidence in Christ alone.

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 & 2 Corinthians (8.4)

Mid-levelBusy pastors, General readers, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Author: Charles Hodge
Bible Book: 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Expositional
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find Hodge’s 1 and 2 Corinthians a substantial exposition that helps us handle difficult church issues with biblical sobriety. He is careful with Paul’s argument and he keeps pastoral application close to the text.

This volume is especially helpful when the letters confront messy congregational life, division, immorality, spiritual gifts, and resurrection hope. Hodge helps us keep the gospel centre steady throughout.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this commentary because it gives us a mature theological framework for the Corinthian problems. It helps us speak to disorder and pride without losing patience or tenderness.

We also benefit from Hodge’s insistence that doctrine must serve godliness. He does not treat theology as an abstract exercise, but as a means to form a holy, united church.

It is a long volume, and it will not always move quickly. Yet it is a reliable guide for preaching series work, and it rewards careful study.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong Reformed resource for preaching 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. It is well suited to pastors who want depth, but not needless complication.

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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Romans (8.5)

Mid-levelBusy pastors, General readers, Pastors-in-trainingTop choice
Author: Charles Hodge
Bible Book: Romans
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Expositional
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find Charles Hodge’s Romans a classic exposition from old Princeton that handles Paul’s argument with gravity and care. He is strong on justification, union with Christ, and the practical shape of gospel obedience.

Hodge reads paragraph by paragraph, but he never lets us lose the main line, the righteousness of God revealed in Christ for sinners, then displayed in a renewed life.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume because it gives us doctrinal backbone for preaching Romans. It helps us state the gospel plainly, defend it calmly, and apply it faithfully.

We also gain a wise balance of theology and pastoral concern. Hodge is not writing to win debates, but to build the church in truth and holiness.

It is a nineteenth century work, so it will not address every modern discussion. Yet it often gives us cleaner categories and steadier judgments than later voices.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong Reformed commentary for preaching Romans, especially when we want doctrinal clarity that fuels assurance and 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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Acts (8.4)

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Author: J. A. Alexander
Bible Book: Acts
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Expositional
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find J. A. Alexander’s Acts a brisk, lucid guide that keeps us moving through Luke’s narrative while still pausing for the points that shape doctrine and church life. His note style comments are concise, but rarely thin.

Alexander is especially helpful on the flow of argument and the theological meaning of events, so that we do not reduce Acts to anecdotes or moral lessons.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume because it helps us preach Acts as Scripture, not as a museum of early church curiosities. It keeps the risen Christ and the spread of His word central.

We also benefit from Alexander’s disciplined restraint. He avoids forced originality, and that makes him a stabilising presence when controversial passages tempt us into heat rather than light.

It is not a modern academic commentary. Yet as a preaching companion it is remarkably efficient, and it pairs well with a fuller technical work when needed.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong mid level Reformed commentary for preaching Acts. It is particularly suited to weekly preparation where clarity and forward movement matter.

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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Matthew (8.4)

Mid-levelBusy pastors, Lay readers / small groups, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Author: John Calvin
Bible Book: Matthew
Series: Geneva Commentaries
Type: Expositional
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary

Summary

We find Calvin’s Harmony of the Gospels on Matthew a careful, Christ focused reading that helps us preach the Lord Jesus with reverence and clarity. He is attentive to the plain sense of the text and to the pastoral aim of the evangelist.

Calvin writes as one who expects Scripture to form the church. He is not interested in novelty. He wants us to understand the passage, then to feel its weight before God.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this volume because it keeps us honest. It does not let us preach favourite themes while neglecting awkward details. Calvin repeatedly forces us back to the words on the page.

We also gain a model of application that grows out of exegesis. He speaks to conscience, comforts the troubled, and warns the careless, without theatrics.

For contemporary issues and critical questions, we will still want a modern reference. Yet Calvin’s spiritual realism often gives the preacher the firmer footing.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong Reformed resource for preaching Matthew, especially for pastors who want depth without clutter. It repays rereading across a whole series.

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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