Reviews

"[Carson] succeeds in his goal of providing frank, to-the-point evaluations. . . . He reviews series, dismissing briefly those that are too light weight and focusing on the more heavy duty. In addition to commentaries Carson also reviews New Testament introductions as well as volumes on New Testament theology. This volume is recommended as a thorough survey of a wide range of New Testament commentaries."

John F. Brug,

Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly

"Wouldn't you just love to be able to walk through a large bookstore . . . with a scholar like D. A. Carson and be able to ask, 'What about this commentary? Is this one any good? How about that one, is it worth purchasing?' And then have Carson offer helpful, pithy evaluations as you move from shelf to shelf, book to book. . . . Well, that is exactly what you have here. . . . It is not just a dull bibliography of resources, but is written in prose that is often colorful, always honest, and sometimes hard-hitting. . . . [This book] deserves a place on the bookshelf of every student and pastor. Make sure that the next time you go shopping for New Testament commentaries online or in a bookshop that you have Carson with you to guide you in your selection--you will be grateful for his advice!"

Martin Williams,

Vox Reformata

"Remarkably abreast of virtually all the commentaries available on the New Testament Carson quickly highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each. His frank and often enjoyable remarks take into account the various considerations of scholarly weight, theological slant, usefulness and profitability, level of audience/readership, and so on. Carson's scholarship and his theological commitments are well known, and his judgments reflect mature learning and are consistently insightful and even handed. . . . Of the publishing of commentaries there is no end, and because of this, Carson's New Testament Commentary Survey is very simply a resource no pastor or Bible teacher will want to be without--an easily accessible, eminently reliable guide to New Testament commentaries. An invaluable service provided in a single handy volume."

Books at a Glance

"If you want to know what a leading biblical scholar thinks about a particular commentary, there are no better resources than the Old Testament and New Testament Commentary Surveys published by Baker Academic. . . . The books are updated on a regular basis to include the most recent commentaries. . . . Having two respected scholars weigh in on most available English commentaries will give you much food for thought in choosing one. Along the way, the authors also share some insightful wisdom about commentaries in general."

Christopher Reese,

Pastors Today blog (LifeWay)

"Carson is known for his candid assessment of all things biblical, and this book is no exception. I am glad to recommend Carson's Survey as the most useful book of its type. . . . I would . . . recommend Carson's Survey for pastors and students who need help deciding which commentaries to use for study and preaching. It is affordable and will no doubt save time."

Carmen Imes,

For Christ and His Kingdom blog (Wheaton College)

Praise for Previous Editions

"An incredibly informative and wonderfully fun book. There is an extraordinary amount of information packed into its pages, and the fun comes from considering one's own preferences and then alternately agreeing or disagreeing with Carson's comments. . . . This book will be of continued benefit to theological students."

Paul Foster,

Journal for the Study of the New Testament

"The multiplication of commentaries and monographs on individual books of the New Testament, and the difficulty of discerning the wheat from the chaff, makes this book a valuable resource indeed--a must read for the student or pastor who is building his or her library. Don Carson's expert guidance will save the beginner from many bad purchases. . . . Carson certainly provides all one needs to arrive at a 'short list' of necessary resources and to be acquainted with the potential pitfalls and strengths of most books that a student might encounter in the course of researching an exegetical paper. This book is highly recommended."

David A. deSilva,

Ashland Theological Journal

"Numerous students, ministers--and, I suspect, theological teachers--will have used previous editions of this invaluable little book. . . . As a reference tool, Carson's book is a gold mine of informed judgement. It is a great strength of the book that Carson does not place value on a book because it confirms his theological position but because it helps the careful and critical reader better understand the biblical text. Yet Carson is prepared to indicate clearly where an author's presuppositions or methods influence his or her approach to the text in a negative way. In fact, to read through this book is to get a concise introduction to trends and key players in contemporary NT studies. . . . If you have any intention of building up a personal library on the New Testament that is full of tools that are effective in aiding you to understand the meaning of the biblical text, read Carson before you spend your money. You may not always agree with his comments, but you will be helped to make more informed choices."

Themelios

"This is the most useful survey of New Testament commentaries currently available."

John F. Brug,

Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly

"If you are preparing a new sermon series and looking for advice on commentaries, you must consult . . . the New Testament Commentary Survey. . . . [It] will help to save you lots of money in the long run."

Semper Reformanda

"A very useful tour of past and current resources. . . . The author concisely evaluates, sometimes very frankly, various contributions coming from different perspectives. . . . His comments are incisive, always enlightening, even provocative at times. . . . Carson avoids most popular treatments, leaving room for more scholarly, or at least middle-level works. . . . Preachers will benefit from the numerous comments on expositions and semi-popular works. . . . With the rapid and unceasing publication of commentaries, this guide will be useful for ministers and theological students who wish to be up to date in fields becoming more and more specialized. Here, then, is an invaluable guide, a small and inexpensive book, but one that will help you buy the best resources available."

Pierre Constant,

Eusebeia

"Skillfully navigate[s] the dense terrain of the commentary world and offer[s] sage advice for those engaged in biblical study. . . . Readers will certainly be helped in making informed decisions about how best to spend both their time and money."

Mark R. Stevenson,

Emmaus Journal

"[Carson's] advice about commentary selection requires serious consideration. . . . Though short, this book is a tsunami of practical information. . . . The layout, including an author index for cross reference, makes it fairly easy for one to look up Carson's opinion of individual commentaries on a particular book. . . . Carson's work is indispensable for at least a couple of reasons; for one thing, he is theologically conservative. He is well versed in the various trends of the theological academy, and he does not shy away from recommending commentaries that discuss ideas with which many conservatives would disagree. However, he notes in his recommendation the particular bent of the author so that the student can read with discernment. For another thing, Carson's work is important because it is current. . . . [This] up-to-date information is handled engagingly. Even though this could be a book sculpted in shades of dull grey, Carson's writing style enlivens the landscape. . . . While the style of his writing is interesting, the content of his writing is practical. . . . No one offers a better guide to building a New Testament Commentary library. . . . This survey of New Testament study resources is a must read for those who want to use the best commentaries as they study, preach, and teach the New Testament."

Rusty Russell,

Integrity: A Journal of Christian Thought

"Carson's work is most valuable and his perceptive remarks will serve pastors and students well."

David S. Dockery,

Review and Expositor

"This invaluable little book will find a valued place on the shelves of all those who regularly read and/or buy commentaries. . . . As a resource this is unmatched."

Peter M. Head,

Churchman

"I recommend this bibliographic essay highly. Readers of differing theological orientation will still find this a helpful list to put into the hands of students and pastors."

Edgar Krentz,

Currents in Theology and Mission

"[An] eminently useful survey. . . . The author has developed a running narrative approach, which is refreshing and much more readable than the traditional bibliographic method. . . . This work is highly recommended for both its informative value and the unique accomplishment for a bibliography, it is interesting and entertaining to read."

Dennis M. Swanson,

Master's Seminary Journal

"Preachers, seminary students, and lesson writers who are still using commentaries from the 1950s and 1960s need to throw most of those relics out! Carson's book is just the tool you need to know which, why, and what to replace them with."

Christian Standard