Proclaimer Blog
Lost commentaries
Sometimes major series replace volumes in their commentaries for excellent reasons. Sometimes this is because the original volumes were not up to the same standard as the rest of the series. More often, scholarship has moved on and in order to reflect modern discovery and insight, a new volume is required. This is certainly the case with Eerdmans New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament (NICOT and NICNT). Some of these volumes are simply superb.
But it is also the case that the new volumes sometimes replace very good volumes indeed. The NICNT series updates an older series known as The New London Commentary on… These are often worth searching out. Two examples will suffice:
- John Murray wrote the volume of Romans and this has some real insight. You might think that everything that needs to be said about Romans has been said. Perhaps. But I enjoyed working with Murray. The volume has been replaced by Doug Moo's enormous work (RRP £35). Murray's work was first penned in 1960.
- Philip Edgcumbe Hughes volume on 2 Corinthians is likewise great value. It was originally written in 1961 but still seems pastorally very fresh. It has been replaced by Paul Barnett's work (RRP £32).
In both cases the replacements are obviously very good. But the lost commentaries are worthy too. Hunt around for second hand copies. At the time of writing you will find Murray for £12.50 (abebooks) and Hughes for £5.42 (also abebooks). Murray's was originally published as two volumes and you may find them separately. It's also, of course, a very reasonable way of building up a theological library.