As a church, we are about to step into a new series in which we are going to walk verse by verse through the book of Ephesians. So, in order to help in this, throughout this series we are going to be posting some resources that we have found helpful and useful as we work through some of the topics that this gospel-packed book will present us.
There are most likely many of you who have never used a commentary before as you study the Bible. There are most likely some who don’t know what a bible commentary is exactly. That is ok! A commentary is simply a book in which an author or a group of authors help explain and interpret a book of the Bible. In other words, it is a study tool.
There are a couple important things to understand about commentaries.
First, commentaries are not necessary. Meaning, the study of the Word of God is what is most important. Commentaries are simply a tool to come along side of your study, but they aren’t meant to replace your study of the Bible itself.
Second, commentaries can be very useful. Consider this; There are hundreds of faithful men and women who have come before us who have dedicated their entire life to the study of God’s Word. More than that, there are people who have dedicated their entire life’s work to the study of one specific book of the Bible. Unbelievable, right? The truth is that we can stand to gain so much by simply allowing some of the wisdom that they have gained to help us in our study.
Lastly, all commentaries are not equal. Some are very academic. Meaning, some will actually assume that you understand original languages. Although these have their place, most of us will not benefit much from these types of commentaries. Others are deeply practical. These will focus primarily on the application of the Bible to our lives. Some are balanced, while others are not so balanced. Meaning, some are going to present you with balanced interpretations of texts that are difficult to understand, while others might have clear biases or agendas.
As we step into Ephesians this week, I want to provide you with an easy to read, helpful, balanced, and practical commentary of Ephesians. There are several great commentaries that could fit this description, but “Ephesians; The Mystery of the Body of Christ” by Kent Hughes is an excellent choice.
Hughes walks through the entire book of Ephesians verse by verse providing great insight and application. This is a fairly short commentary (approximately 260 pages), and would be a helpful addition to your time of study through Ephesians.
If you are new to commentaries, this is a great choice!
Kent Hughes, Ephesians: The Mystery of the Body of Christ. Crossway; Wheaton, Illinois. 1990
You can check it out on Amazon here, or on Crossway’s website here.