[.ca] Believer's Bible Commentary (ISBN 0785212167)

An excellent, God-honoring resource!:
As a Sunday School teacher I was looking for a solid reference book from which I could base my lessons on and also do my personal devotions and study. I found just what I wanted with the Believer's Bible Commentary. It is packed with many articles on various topics including elders, divorce and remarriage, the concepts of the N.T. church, sin, the law, baptism, election, and much, much more. The summary article following the book of Acts is a must-read. There is a good amount of maps and tables depicting various themes. The author quotes from many other Christian writers so you are not getting the musings of just one man. The endnotes at the end of each bible book contain more details on certain verses and a bibliography for that book of the bible. There is a nice section of supplements at the end of the entire volume as well as a complete bibliography. MacDonald's writing is detailed, devotional and thought provoking. The editor notes that there is "a serious interaction with the details of the text... with no dodging of difficult passages or convicting applications." This is a commentary, systematic theology, general bible handbook, and practical guide all rolled into one package. And of course, the entire work speaks to the centrality of Jesus Christ in our lives. As the introduction reads, the aim of the Believer's Bible Commentary "is to help produce, not merely garden-variety, lowest-common-denominator Christians, but "disciples."" This central theme is expounded on time and again throughout the commentary. This is an excellent, God-honoring resource that I absolutely love.

Clear and Concise:
Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald is a very easy but concise maxim for the diligent student of the scriptures. It serves as a wonderful compliment to the Bible by turning complex study into functional and constructive comprehension. Its precepts are practical & down-to-earth expressions of general biblical truths and fundamental principles. By reading the Believer's Bible Commentary, one can understand the scriptures within his or her own experience. Some say that this commentary is too empty but I beg to differ. Careful analysis of this marvelous literary work will give the reader a transparent look into the Holy Scriptures, which will put his or her mind at ease. This is possible because MacDonald does a superb job keeping the interpretation simple and straightforward. I highly recommend this book to all students who enjoy the study of God's Word. Kudos!!

All Believers Must Read It:
William MacDonald's Commentary is the best Bible commentary that I ever laid my hands on. The author does not come up with "weird" ideas or make up new doctrines like others tend to do. He is also well acquainted with all the Scripture and does not deviate from the orthodox Biblical principles. His arguments are far from being superficial. At the same time, he presents the ideas skillfully in an easy to read, easy to understand language. If you are looking for a Bible commentary that you can TRUST, then this is what you are looking for.

Good choice for general purpose commentary:
I have used this commentary for years and I own many others. It is well written and tends to stay close to the Bible with only minimal departures. I am a seminary student so I study different theological systems. This is not a technical or advanced commentary. It is very suitable for anyone trying to understand a particular set of verses. In some cases it goes verse by verse, but in the Old Testament especially it is often paragraph to paragraph. This works out well for most uses. McFarland is a mainstream evangelical interpreter of the Bible. He takes the Bible very literally - commenting from a dispensational, pre-millennial theology perspective. This is the perspective of the Left Behind series of books. If you are Baptist, Pentecostal or from a similar congregational denomination you will probably be very comfortable with this commentary; it likely fits the teaching of your church very well. If you only plan to buy one full Bible commentary for your family this is a good choice. Presbyterian, Lutheran and other Reformed backgrounds may want to consider something else if you plan to use it as a teaching resource. Though this is still a useful commentary on the key tenets of the faith, some important secondary doctrines do not agree with a Reformed view. Matthew Henry of course is always a great choice but he is by no means as easy to read or contemporary as this much newer commentary.

Good Reference for the Bible Teacher and Student:
A good resource for the Bible teacher and student, MacDonald's insights are easily understood and applicable to everday living. The commentary has a helpful summary for each book of the Bible (introduction, authorship, date, background/theme, and outline) that helps the reader better understand the Bible. Also helpful are the maps, harmony of the gospels, messianic prophecies, descriptions of people and places of the Bible. If you are looking for a basic one-volume commentary of the Bible, I highly recommend it! However, if you are looking for more technical and comprehensive information, I recommend the Expositor's Bible Commentary, Barnes' Notes, among other sets - just depends on what you are looking for! A good supplement for the person who wishes to know more about the Bible and particular Bible verses.