Best Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture?

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G_Otis

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All of the forum posts regarding commentaries appear to be closed, so, here’s a new one so we can discuss it in 2020…

The 17-volume Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS) series for the New Testament is finally complete. Deacons and clergy, would you agree that this is THE BEST Catholic Commentary on the NT currently available? I know of Bible study groups using it as an additional resource.

Found on Amazon if you search for:
Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture New Testament Set

Also found at: verbumdomini dot us

-g.
 
O how I would love to get that.
At nearly $300 on Amazon I might have to wait for a lower price somewhere.
 
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Are you just hearing about it? Would love to know if there’s anything better…or, comes close.
Did you try that other source for an even lower price?
 
I just checked and that site has it for a bit less than Amazon. I was aware of the individual volumes but this thread is the first I’ve heard about the set. I’m not sure about other modern Catholic commentaries that are better. For a Bible with modern Catholic commentary I like the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
 
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I own the series as part of my Verbum.com library, but as good as they are, I think declaring any one commentary as “the best” is problematic. Especially if you limit yourself to what you believe is “the best”…no commentary is inspired, but reflects the scholarship and opinion of the author(s).

If you really want to dig, you are better off using 2 or 3 different commentaries, and including what the saints, Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church, and Church Documents have to say.
 
I have a preference for the Sacra Pangina series as well as Hermeneia. Although Hermeneia definitely isn’t for general readership as it presumes knowledge on original languages. It also isn’t purely Catholic and instead has an ecumenical contribution. Nonetheless, I’ve found it an outstanding resource for enriching my own amateur scholarly queries into my Catholic faith.
 
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I see where CATHOLIC dot COM contributor Curtis Mitch has co-authored the commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (along with Edward Sri) in this Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series. A lot of other well-respected authors as well… Scott Hahn, Fr. Francis Martin.
 
I’m a fan of the Ignatius Bible Study series. However, I don’t think all of the Old Testament books are complete yet.

I also like the Agape Catholic Bible study site: http://agapebiblestudy.com/
 
Is there even another multi-volume Catholic commentary that’s comparable to the CCSS? (and that’s finished)
 
Cornelius LaPide’s “Great Commentary”
Thomas Aquinas’ “Catena Aurea”
Rev Haydock’s DRB Commentary
 
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Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote Biblical commentaries which, some of them have appeared in English translations, which include the epistles of Saint Paul and the Gospel of Saint Matthew and the Gospel of St. John. But these serious commentaries are not popular ones. I gave my copies to a priest who very much wanted to have copies (then ordered more from amazon.com for myself again).
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His commentaries on St Paul can be seen at https://www.amazon.com/Commentary-L...as+commentaries+st+paul&qid=1578279540&sr=8-1 and his commentaties on the Gospels of Matthrw and John can be seen at https://www.amazon.com/Commentary-G...inas+commentary+matthew&qid=1578279743&sr=8-1

Among the best commentaries too are the ones by Cornelius a Lapide. Alas, some of these are only in the original Latin.

Among the very best commentaries are the ones which appear in the Fathers of the Church series. For this see Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers - Wikipedia

However, the commentaries above are not for Bible study groups–but can be good for serious study.

I agree that the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture is very good. I have been purchasing these as they appear.
 
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Tolle_Lege said:
Good news. I hope to see a complete Ignatius Study Bible within the next few years.
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The Old Testament is scheduled for release at the end of this year. It will be in two volumes.
mdgspencer said:
Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote Biblical commentaries which, some of them have appeared in English translations, which include the epistles of Saint Paul and the Gospel of Saint Matthew and the Gospel of St. John. But these serious commentaries are not popular ones.
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I’ve read parts of these online. They seem very complicated as to be expected from Aquinas.
 
G_Otis said:
Is there even another multi-volume Catholic commentary that’s comparable to the CCSS? (and that’s finished)
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Four comments up from yours, @Bithynian recommended the Sacra Pagina series. It’s about ten years older than the CCSS, and larger. In both cases, the NT set comprises 17 or 18 volumes. The complete Sacra Pagina set runs to over 7,000 pages, compared with 5,000 pages for the CCSS.
https://www.amazon.com/Sacra-Pagina...johnson,p_28:acts&s=books&sr=1-1&unfiltered=1
 
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In my humble opinion and experience…
I suggest Prayerfully Reading (starting w/the NT) Scriptures
in the manner which the Church suggesta - Lectio Divina.

For… In this manner – one has the Author - via God’s Spirit - to be with you and Guide you.

I’ve never availed myself of any commentary -

for It’s God’s Holy Spirit who is the sole Interpreter of Holy Scriptures

)
 
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The endorsements, found at the publishers website, for the CCSS (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) are numerous:
  • Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ, editor, Homiletics and Pastoral Review
  • Gail Buckley, founder and director, Catholic Scripture Study International
  • Jeff Cavins, founder, The Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study System
  • Benedict J. Groeschel, CFR, author and preacher
  • Al Kresta, president and CEO, Ave Maria Radio; host of Kresta in the Afternoon
  • Ralph Martin, director, graduate theology programs in the new evangelization, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Archdiocese of Detroit
  • David Mills, editor of Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity
  • Richard John Neuhaus, editor in chief, First Things
  • Steve Ray, lecturer; author of the Bible Study Guides for Genesis and Acts
  • Michael Scanlan, TOR, chancellor, Franciscan University of Steubenville
  • Paul Thigpen, professor of theology, Southern Catholic College
  • Romanus Cessario, OP, professor of systematic theology, St John’s Seminary
  • Alice von Hildebrand, professor emerita, City University of New York
  • Aidan Nichols, OP, John Paul II Memorial Visiting Lecturer, University of Oxford; Fellow of Greyfriars, Oxford
  • R. R. Reno, professor of theological ethics, Creighton University
  • Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM Cap, executive director of the secretariat for doctrine, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
  • Robert Louis Wilken, William R. Kenan Jr. professor of the history of Christianity, University of Virginia
  • Gary Anderson, professor of Old Testament, University of Notre Dame
  • Michael J. Gorman, professor of Sacred Scripture and dean of the Ecumenical Institute of Theology, St. Mary’s Seminary and University, Baltimore
  • Katherine Hayes, associate professor of Sacred Scripture, Seminary of the Immaculate Conception
  • Robert J. Karris, OFM, research professor, The Franciscan Institute, St. Bonaventure University
  • Donald Senior, CP, president, Catholic Theological Union
  • Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap, Archbishop of Philadelphia
  • Adam Cardinal Maida, retired
  • Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster
  • Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna
  • Albert Cardinal Vanhoye, SJ, emeritus professor of biblical exegesis, Pontifical Biblical Institute, former secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission
  • Emil A. Wcela, Auxiliary Bishop (retired), Diocese of Rockville Centre; past president, Catholic Biblical Association
If interested, it’s found on Amazon if you search for:
Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture New Testament Set

Also, one of the editors has mentioned that work has begun on the Old Testament series.

Verbumdomini dot us
 
I like the single volume Didache Study Bible, which has a commentary from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

It’s a great, Church approved study bible with great detail, an imprimatur and a nihil obstat.
 
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