The Usefulness of Commentaries

Walter Kaiser on “The Usefulness of Biblical Commentaries for Preaching and Bible Study.”

I offer you another helpful source of instruction about the usefulness and selection of good books for Bible study. Dr. Walter Kaiser, Jr., President Emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, wrote this article that originally appeared in Christianity Today as “What Commentaries Can (and Can’t) Do” [25 (Oct. 2, 1981): 24-27.] This article was slightly abbreviated and inserted as an appendix to Dr. Kaiser’s commentary on the Book of Malachi (1984).

In this article, Dr. Kaiser offers his opinion of what characterizes a “good commentary”, his answer to the arguments against the use of commentaries, notes on some defects of existing commentaries, and finally, a word about the advantages and proper use of commentaries. This essay is well worth you time tracking it down and reading it carefully. The modern book market is flooded with Biblical commentaries and the careful student and pastor must remember that all commentaries are not equal. Frankly, some commentaries are not worth the least bit of your attention.

Good commentaries are characterized by the following:

1. An exhibition of the plan, design, and scope of the Biblical writer’s thought.
2. A clear outline of the train of thought in an entire book or epistle.
3. A setting forth of the meaning of the words, phrases, and idioms of the original text.
4. A comparison of the teachings and sentiments found in one book with (1) those that preceded it in time (the analogy of antecedent Scripture) and (2) those that followed it in the progress of revelation (the analogy of faith).

Kaiser disagrees with those who argue against the use of commentaries. In summing up his argument on this matter he writes,

Commentaries carefully chosen,[sic] should be like having experienced old friends along when one is traveling in a foreign country. Such a companion can point out what otherwise the unaccustomed eye might miss—especially if one is not acquainted with some of the objects and part of the road.

In conclusion, Dr. Kaiser outlines the advantages and proper use of good commentaries.

1. A good commentary will be a model for our own interpretation.
2. Commentaries are helpful in understanding what is obscure, difficult, or unknown
in our culture or manner of speaking.
3. A good commentary traces the argument of a book so that one can at once set it in its wholeness as well as appreciate the way each section contributes to the unified plan.
4. Finally, great commentaries will be of special help in aiding the interpreter set the theological and homiletical relevance of the meanings found in the passage.

One final gem from this essay is Dr. Kaiser’s admonition against theological provincialism. He writes, “one should avoid reading exclusively commentators of one particular school. Often he will find valuable and important hints for elucidating difficult passages of Scripture even in those works which may be read with a certain sense of caution or even suspicion.”

Here, I believe, Kaiser has stuck a good “middle ground” position on the use of commentaries. The expositor should not rely on his own meditation, to the neglect of all others, nor should he rely solely on the meditations of some favored commentator. Commentaries are not infallible or inspired, so we must rely first and foremost upon the strength of the Scriptures. However, they offer a great deal of humble assistance in areas where we are not yet experts.

The Usefulness of Commentaries