As a pastor I think I have found the perfect resource to recommend to folks serious about studying the Bible–this new whole Bible commentary by Holman Reference, edited by E. Ray Clendenen and Jeremy Royal Howard. This volume is perfect for the person trying to read the Bible but struggling with certain passages. Even if you have been studying the Bible for years, you will still find this a real asset.

You have some measure of commentary on every verse. It may not give all the detail you would want on that verse (no one-volume commentary can), but you can at least grasp the general idea. There are fine maps as you see in other Holman resources as well interesting pictures. It really has a nice look.

While I do not know the names of all the contributing scholars here, I see many that are known to be outstanding scholars. Each book gets a short background, themes (message and purpose), how it fits in the Bible as a whole (Contribution to the Bible), and Structure. These are well done.

The only thing missing is an Introduction to the Bible as a whole or of each Testament, but no volume can have everything.

I highly recommend this commentary!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.