Best Greek NT Commentaries

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refe
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Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by refe »

I believe it was Carl Conrad who commented in another thread about the way newer commentaries don't often bother to deal directly with the Greek and instead only provide English translations, perhaps based on an assumption that most readers won't have the competency to understand the Greek text if discussed. As a student of the Greek New Testament this bugs me, and I'm always looking for good commentaries that aren't afraid to dive into the original languages.

Are there any good commentaries or series that you might recommend along these lines? The NIGCT (New International Greek Testament Commentary) is an example, but there must be others that deal directly with the Greek in their exegesis.
jeffreyrequadt
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by jeffreyrequadt »

I remember using the Word Biblical Commentary for several different classes in college. I remember it dealing very directly with the Greek text, although it obviously also gave an English translation by the author. They are also very good about referring you to published articles and books that deal with that particular phrase or word.
Jeffrey T. Requadt
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by jeffreyrequadt »

You might also consider the SIL-published Exegetical Summaries (http://www.ethnologue.com/show_product. ... -00000-111). I think they are geared more for Bible translators but they do deal directly with what the Greek means.
Jeffrey T. Requadt
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jeffreyrequadt
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by jeffreyrequadt »

Another of my favorites is the Hermeneia series. An older set would be the Expositor's Greek Testament. There is also Robertson's Word Pictures. And don't forget the International Critical Commentary (ICC).
Jeffrey T. Requadt
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by jeffreyrequadt »

I'm just trying to remember what I used in college. I think another good one was Alford's Greek Testament. I haven't used the Cambridge series but I've heard that other people like it. Other "big" ones are the Continental series, Anchor Bible, and Yale. But I'm not familiar with them. I just kind of assume because of their reputation and scholarship that they will deal directly with the Greek text.
Jeffrey T. Requadt
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Jonathan Robie
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by Jonathan Robie »

I'd love to hear about favorite commentaries for each individual book. Each series I have used is better for some books than for others.

I like Swete's The Apocalypse of St. John: the Greek text with introduction notes and indices, available free on the Internet.

He also did a similar one for Mark, which I have not worked through, but I imagine it's similarly good: The Gospel according to St. Mark: The Greek text with introduction, notes and indices.
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by Jonathan Robie »

jeffreyrequadt wrote:Another of my favorites is the Hermeneia series. An older set would be the Expositor's Greek Testament. There is also Robertson's Word Pictures. And don't forget the International Critical Commentary (ICC).
The Expositor's Greek Testament is available online. I wish there were a free version for websites and Bible Study software.

So is Robertson's Word Pictures, on a zillion web sites, and included for free in most Bible Study programs.
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Peter Pankonin
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by Peter Pankonin »

I can't say it's the "best" but the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series seems very good. I'm currently working through Galatians by Tom Schreiner (http://www.monergismbooks.com/Galatians ... 19764.html). Rod Decker posted something about the Zondervan series on his blog back in April:
http://ntresources.com/blog/?p=1182
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LIsaksson
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by LIsaksson »

I realise that this thread is old, however, it has been quite a long time since I have read much of what is going on with this forum, a few years now.

On Gospels, for Matthew, I like the old Cambridge commentary (on the Greek text) for schools, by Carr. These are small commentaries, but pithy. There was a new series of them started, but the two I know of were on Colossians, by Moule, I think, and Mark was covered by Cranfield, in the new series.

Mark had a good 'older' commentary in Vincent Taylor. I haven't used it.

On Luke, I like Fitzmyer, although it doesn't really print the Greek text of Luke right in the commentary. So, Plummer in the ICC series, and Bock, in the Baker exegetical series, for Luke.

For older commentaries on John, I have enjoyed the comments that Bishop B. F. Westcott has made on the Greek text.

I have been spending more time in the Gospels, and not so much in the epistles, and so I will be quiet. I read a review of Cranfield on Romans when it came out, and that attracted me, so I bought it. I admire the work that he did on that. However, when I turned to his discussion of Romans 8, I wanted to see what he would have to say about the spirit of adoption. The remarks, I thought showed forth his Methodist, more Arminian theology. I think Cranfield was a Methodist. I was looking forward to something else than what he had to say about it.
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Louis L Sorenson
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Re: Best Greek NT Commentaries

Post by Louis L Sorenson »

NT Gateway links to a good annotated bibliography for the Greek student done by Dr. Jon Weatherly of Cincinnati Bible College (a former poster on B-Greek). That link is currently broken. Weatherly lists a number of commentaries on the GNT books along with a few notes about each of the books. Personally, I need a little more depth about each of the books, but this is a great start. An abbreviated version can be found at http://library.ccuniversity.edu/instruc ... mentaries/. His Advanced Greek Resources page is also excellent (http://library.ccuniversity.edu/digital ... resources/)That list is not as complete as his word doc which had been linked to on NTGateway. I have permission from Jon to post and update his resource which is only current through 2002, as long as credit is given. It can be found at http://www.letsreadgreek.com/resources/ ... graphy.pdf. Perhaps it could become a B-Greek project.

A thread titled "What Makes a good Greek Commentary? can be found in our archives at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/b-gr ... 48924.html.
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