The Art of Dying

I have a number of reference books that I use rather frequently for scripture study. Without a doubt, the two volumes I refer to most are THE HARPER-COLLINS BIBLE DICTIONARY and HARPER BIBLE COMMENTARY. I find these two volumes to be the most helpful tools for Bible study and homily preparation. The commentary is set up by biblical book and is divided into three sections: The Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, and the Apocrypha. Each book of the Bible has its own short commentary, based on chapter and verse of scripture. This volume also has short articles placed throughout the commentary on various subjects in the Bible. Each commentary and/or article is written by a biblical scholar and many of the authors are among the best known names in Biblical studies. Many of the entries also have small bibliographies so that readers can get more detailed information if need be. The Harper-Collins Bible Commentary is an indispensable tool for students of Biblical studies, people involved in preaching and teaching of scripture, and anyone interested in a more in depth look at the Bible.Of all the commentaries available, the Harper -Collins is probably the most ecumenical. The scholars who contribute to the volume represent not only the best in Biblical scholarship, but a number of different faiths. The information is rather straightforward and does not represent any one faith tradition, but the information presented could easily be used in any denomination.

I have loads of Bible commentaries, and this one is absolutely fantastic, and totally worth the price. It is different from many commentaries in its approach, in that the various authors focus almost exclusively on the texts as literature, an approach which, particularly in the Old Testament, yields hundreds of interesting and enlightening insights which just are not present in others, and frankly, which never would occur to you or me otherwise. I used it as a resource while teaching an Old Testament class last year and I quickly came to regard it as indispensable. It does not delve into historical or contextual issues much (for that, you should get the sister volume, the Harper Collins Bible Dictionary, which is also amazing, or perhaps the IVP Bible Background Commentary by Craig S. Keener), but is fantastic in its own unique way.Some Christians are reluctant to purchase commentaries that are not written explicity from a "faith-perspective", but I have to say that although this is a scholarly work, I do not regard it as incompatible at all with a devout faith in the inspired nature of the writings discussed. It is true that the writers use the NRSV translation for their Biblical text and this is usually a big turn off for some folks, but if you can overlook that, you'll get a lot out of it. For the devout student looking to assemble a great resource library, this book might be coupled with a more theological, faith-based commentary (the AMG Concise Bible Commentary by Don Fleming is an excellent choice), and of course the HC Bible Dictionary I mentioned above. And while I'm on the resource library thing, I might as well also recommend that serious Bible students check out the English Standard Version translation of the Bible.Anyway, the HC Bible Commentary is an invaluable, thoughtful, and penetrating analysis of The Bible. You'll never read The Bible the same way again.

If you are looking for a Bible commentary that is mainstream, easy to use, well-written, scholarly, and in a single volume, this is the one. People who are "into" commentaries will have their favorites, generally based on their denominations. Fair enough. Others prefer a particular scholarly apparatus over another. Fair enough. But if you are a non-evangelical non-specialist who wants to "kick it up a notch" when you're reading your Bible, this is a great commentary to pick. It contains tons of historical information that places passages in context. It also gives details about the literary structure of each passage. But it also makes connections between passages so that a sense of the Bible's themes also emerges. For example, you will definitely develop a new sense of the power and complexity of Jesus's ministry. On top of that, it doesn't just treat the Old Testament as the pre-quel to Christian story. If you're interested in/devoted to/curious about The Book, this is a great resource.

The Harper Bible Commentary is a very readable and scholarly commentary. Very well written and easy to read. Not as thorough as the Jerome Bible Commentary but much easier to use. It reviews each book of the Bible by passage (not each verse). For more detail look to Jerome or (of course) the New Interpreter's Bible. I keep it by my chair at home for quick reference.

This is a very helpful and easy to use commentary for anyone interested in a one volume aid for reading and studying the Bible. An excellent companion is the Harper's Bible Dictionary. The commentary has many nice illustrations and well-researched scholarly articles that go through each book of the Bible by verse. Helpful overviews introduce each book. Highly recommended for students, pastors, and any one who seeks to learn more about the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament.