Garrett Tyson
- In my opinion, this is by far the best conservative commentary on Isaiah that holds to single authorship. There is a literary and theological sensitivity to it, and even people holding to multiple authorship will find many helpful insights. I much prefer this to John Oswalt and Barry Webb, in particular. Those who find themselves wanting more technical information, and who are working in the Hebrew of Isaiah 40-66, will want to add Shalom Paul's commentary (assuming they are open to learning from critical scholars). Paul does a good job answering the questions that Hebrew translators have as they work through the text, and covers things in greater detail than Motyer.
- For any academically rigorous study of Isaiah 40-66, this commentary is basically required reading. A brilliant Hebrew scholar, who I find more careful and detailed than my other technical commentaries (Goldingay, Blenkinsopp, Baltzer). Pastors/teachers will find plenty of theological insights within this commentary as well.
- I've nearly worked my way through this whole commentary after doing a sermon series on Revelation. Koester's commentary is absolutely in a class by itself, and should be considered an essential purchase for any serious study/sermon series on Revelation. By far my favorite, out of my many commentaries. Pastors may find themselves wishing it had more theological/practical application-- the AB series doesn't necessarily lend itself to that. But I find Koester far more persuasive, and detailed, than other full-length commentaries (Beale, Brighton). He opened up the book to me.
- Thank you for your thoughtful analysis and review. The time you put into it was most helpful.
- For most pastors and teachers, this will be the most helpful book on John you buy-- it was for me, in teaching through John. I'd say, if you can only own three, it'd be this, along with Rodney Whitacre (IVP), and probably Francis Moloney (Sacra Pagina). Barclay will consistently move you spiritually, in a way that others may not.
- A brilliant commentary. Whitacre uses a narrative/literary approach to great effect, without the reader even necessarily being aware of what he's doing. Warm, practical, and hides its brilliance and sophistication in simple language. Possibly the best commentary on the book; probably the most helpful for anyone preaching or teaching through it.
- I own a paper copy of this commentary, and I don't find it very helpful. He doesn't interact with the actual text very well-- there is a gap, and he focuses more on other scholars than the text, and his explanation of the Hebrew is inadequate. The example that jumps out is the wayyiqtol in Joshua 2:4 (NRSV much better than NIV here). He's embarrassed by the conquest and kherem, and the way he explains the tensions in the book between completed/peoples still everywhere isn't great. Personally, I found Dale Davis much better, as far as reading the text in a hermeneutically sensitive manner, while taking the book seriously as literature. You read Davis, and you're lifted up, ready to praise God and teach others. And Hess is a good secondary option--a great little commentary for its size (I find him more helpful than Butler or Woudstra). Combine those two with Michael Heiser's understanding of the purposes of the conquest (take the land, kill the descendants of the Nephilim), and you'll be well on your way to teaching/understanding. Matties's commentary left me feeling gross, with the way he engaged the text. And, the commentary series as a whole is designed to not give "the" reading of a book, but instead throw lots of different possibilities at you. I find that unhelpful-- deliberately muddying the waters to avoid giving what you think is an authoritative interpretation. If I want two perspectives, I'd rather read two commentaries. But that's just me maybe.