The letter to the Colossians gives us precious insights into aspects of Paul’s teaching that are only alluded to in his other writings. As the apostle deals with false teaching, he develops a magnificent picture of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and its implications for us. Most commentaries on Colossians also deal with the letter to Philemon which reveals Paul in another light, dealing with a particular problem of personal relationships. (more…)
Philippians may at first appear to be insignificant compared with other Pauline epistles but it contains some important theological statements and shows how Paul dealt with practical issues in one of his less troublesome congregations. (more…)
The epistle to the Ephesians confronts the reader with a number of issues relating to the church and the Christian life that are not fully developed in other Pauline letters. (more…)
Although the epistle to the Galatians is not large compared with Romans or the Corinthian letters, it is a highly significant document for discovering the mind of Paul and thereby the mind of God on some really important issues. (more…)
C.K. Barrett’s commentary in the Black’s Series (1973) is still the most outstanding treatment of this difficult epistle, both at the level of thoughtful exegesis and stimulation for preaching. (more…)
The best simple introductory commentary is by Leon Morris in the Tyndale series (New Edition, 1983). F.F. Bruce offers a similarly helpful introductory work, covering 1 and 2 Corinthians in the same volume (New Century Bible, 1981). (more…)
K.P. Donfried’s The Roman’s Debate (Augsburg, 1977), a collection of essays on the purpose of Romans, is a good introduction to this epistle.
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INTRODUCTORY STUDIES
I. H. Marshall’s Luke-Historian and Theologian (Paternoster, 1970) and R. Maddox’s The Purpose of Luke-Acts (T & T Clark) are worthwhile starters to the book of Acts. There are also some very helpful articles in Apostolic History and The Gospel (Paternoster, 1970) by W.W. Gasque and R. P. Martin. (more…)
Introductory Studies
Three good conservative introductions are Leon Morris’s Studies in the Fourth Gospel (Paternoster, 1969), Robert Kysar’s The Fourth Evangelist and His Gospel (Augsburg, 1975) and Stephen Smalley’s John-Evangelist and Interpreter (Paternoster, 1978).
There are two helpful introductory studies on Luke’s gospel: Luke-Historian and Theologian by I. H. Marshall (Paternoster, 1970) and a work by F. Bovon, Luke the Theologian (Pickwick Publications, 1987).
Among the introductory studies to this gospel, serious students should look at R. P. Martin’s Mark—Evangelist and Theologian (Paternoster, 1972). This raises all the background matters and interesting questions currently in debate and refers to relevant articles and books on various topics and themes. (more…)