Looking for a good Bible Commentary

[Dan_Daly]

Hello,

I’m looking for a good Bible Commentary. Things I’d like:

-I mainly read the Douay Rheims translation now, so if it was set up specifically for that translation it would be great.
-Grounded in Traditional Church teachings, including on the authorship of scriptures (Moses wrote the Pentateuch, John wrote John, Luke wrote Luke, etc) and origins of the world (God created the world in 6 days, the world is thousands not billions of years old, etc)

Are there any modern commentaries which fit the bill, or do I need to track down an older out of print book? Any suggestions on titles to consider are greatly appreciated.

Pax.

 

[ricmat]

Hello,

I’m looking for a good Bible Commentary. Things I’d like:

-I mainly read the Douay Rheims translation now, so if it was set up specifically for that translation it would be great.
-Grounded in Traditional Church teachings, including on the authorship of scriptures (Moses wrote the Pentateuch, John wrote John, Luke wrote Luke, etc) and origins of the world (God created the world in 6 days, the world is thousands not billions of years old, etc)

Are there any modern commentaries which fit the bill, or do I need to track down an older out of print book? Any suggestions on titles to consider are greatly appreciated.

Pax.

The Navarre Bible commentary is really good.

The cost of the Navarre Bible is really high.

On line you can view it (or email subscribe) here…
groups.google.com/group/catholic-faith-list/topics?pli=1

 

[Dan_Daly]

Thanks for the tip. Looking around on Amazon, this looks like a set of books- not a single volume, correct?

 

[SonCatcher]

There’s always Haydock.

 

[ricmat]

Thanks for the tip. Looking around on Amazon, this looks like a set of books- not a single volume, correct?

The Navarre comes in a set of books.

There are different versions of the sets - some with much more commentary than others.

I have the “Gospels & Acts” Readers Edition - about 1000 pages by itself. Also, I have Pentatauch (not sure which edition), about 900 pages. I also have Revelation & Psalms as separate books.

You might want to start out with Pentauch
amazon.com/Navarre-Bible-Pentateuch-Old-Testament/dp/1889334219/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312846600&sr=8-1

and then get more of the set if you like what you see.

 

[Mark1124]

Hello,

I’m looking for a good Bible Commentary. Things I’d like:

-I mainly read the Douay Rheims translation now, so if it was set up specifically for that translation it would be great.
-Grounded in Traditional Church teachings, including on the authorship of scriptures (Moses wrote the Pentateuch, John wrote John, Luke wrote Luke, etc) and origins of the world (God created the world in 6 days, the world is thousands not billions of years old, etc)

Are there any modern commentaries which fit the bill, or do I need to track down an older out of print book? Any suggestions on titles to consider are greatly appreciated.

Pax.

It’s not Traditional Church teaching that “God created the world in 6 days” and “the world is thousands not billions of years old.” See this article: catholic.com/library/Creation_and_Genesis.asp

I agree with the recommendation of the Navarre Bible. I don’t own any of them yet, but what I’ve seen from flipping through one of them was very good. I would also recommend the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible-it’s much cheaper than the Navarre, but unfortunately only the New Testament and Genesis are currently available, and it will probably take years for the rest of the Old Testament to be completed. (Navarre also has a single-volume New Testament, but I do not recommend it-it costs far too much for the small amount of commentary it contains.)

 

[Barb3]

I started reading the Bible many months ago every night before I turn out the light at night. I have “The One Year Bible” - Catholic Edition" – The entire New Living Translation with deuterocananical books arranged in 365 daily readings. The daily readings include Old Testament, Psalms, and then the New Testament or Acts of the Apostles. I’m not sure where I heard about this One-Year Bible but I truly love it and would recommend it to anyone who was interested in reading the Bible.

 

[Dan_Daly]

It’s not Traditional Church teaching that “God created the world in 6 days” and “the world is thousands not billions of years old.” See this article: catholic.com/library/Crea…nd_Genesis.asp

I respectfully disagree with the thrust of the article. Yes, there was some disagreement, but for the vast bulk of Church history, the vast majority of Catholics believed in a 6 day Creation and a thousands year old earth, including most of the Church Fathers and Doctors.

Pax.

 

[daCatholicGuard]

Hello Dan,

Unfortunately, the best commentary I’ve come across so far is the Catena Aurea, (published in four volumes), underwritten by Saint Thomas Aquinas. These books include many contributions from the early Church Fathers such Origen, St. Jerome, etc.

What is unfortunate; is they only cover the Four Gospels- but they cover them beautifully.

Oremus pro invicem,

Sean C. :knight1:

 

[yinekka]

You might like to try A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture edited by Dom Bernard Orchard. I got mine second hand but I know that someone is producing the 1950s version (the one to get) in three volumes but a quick look on My Favourites failed to produce the website. I located this on Google and it might be a help

biblesupport.com/e-sword-downloads/file/808-a-catholic-commentary-on-holy-scripture-bernard-orchard/

I use the Ignatius New Testament commentary and the Navarre plus Orchard.

*for the vast bulk of Church history, the vast majority of Catholics believed in a 6 day Creation and a thousands year old earth, including most of the Church Fathers and Doctors. *

I don’t know if the above is correct because you havent supplied links for your assertions but, for example I know Augustine didn’t hold to a literal six days of creation. It is 2011 and we know a lot more about how the world began than did most of the Church Fathers and Doctors with the limited scientific knowledge at their disposal. We look to science for the answers to scientific questions and we look to the Church for the answers to theological questions.

 

[Lucy_1]

Ignatius and Navarre are both good. If you’re looking for one volume, the Jerome commentary is good, but it takes a while to get the hang of using it.

 

[Dan_Daly]

I don’t know if the above is correct because you havent supplied links for your assertions but, for example I know Augustine didn’t hold to a literal six days of creation.

Yes, Augustine didn’t believe in a 6 day creation. He believed everything was created on the first day. Not quite an endorsement of the “big bang” and evolution.

Pax.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

… my dear friend ,

… you might like these ones set up by rome for priests ??? , quite good bibliaclerus.org/index_eng.html

… may god bless and love you ,

… john …

 

[Dan_Daly]

Thanks for all the suggestions. When I get something, I’ll be sure to post what I think.

Pax

 

[yinekka]

, Augustine didn’t believe in a 6 day creation. He believed everything was created on the first day.

Could you give me a source for this please Dan.

 

[EzraJacob]

Hello,

I’m looking for a good Bible Commentary. Things I’d like:

-I mainly read the Douay Rheims translation now, so if it was set up specifically for that translation it would be great.
-Grounded in Traditional Church teachings, including on the authorship of scriptures (Moses wrote the Pentateuch, John wrote John, Luke wrote Luke, etc) and origins of the world (God created the world in 6 days, the world is thousands not billions of years old, etc)

Are there any modern commentaries which fit the bill, or do I need to track down an older out of print book? Any suggestions on titles to consider are greatly appreciated.

Pax.

Well, its online and only for the Gospel but its the commentary by the Early Church Fathers. At least that what it claims. Ill give a sample. PS, its free

catena aurea john 1

1a. In the beginning was the Word,

CHRYS. While all the other Evangelists begin with the Incarnation, John, passing over the Conception, Nativity, education, and growth, speaks immediately of the Eternal Generation, saying, In the beginning was the Word.

AUG. The Greek word “logos” signifies both Word and Reason. But in this passage it is better to interpret it Word; as referring not only to the Father, but to the creation of things by the operative power of the Word; whereas Reason, though it produce nothing, is still rightly called Reason.

AUG. Words by their daily use, sound, and passage out of us, have become common things. But there is a word which remains inward, in the very man himself; distinct from the sound which proceeds out of the mouth. There is a word, which is truly and spiritually that, which you understand by the sound, not being the actual sound. Now whoever can conceive the notion of word, as existing not only before its sound, but even before the idea of its sound is formed, may see enigmatically, and as it were in a glass, some similitude of that Word of Which it is said, In the beginning was the Word. For when we give expression to something which we know, the word used is necessarily derived from the knowledge thus retained in the memory, and must be of the same quality with that knowledge. For a word is a thought formed from a thing which we know; which word is spoken in the heart, being neither Greek nor Latin, nor of any language, though, when we want to communicate it to others, some sign is assumed by which to express it. . . Wherefore the word which sounds externally, is a sign of the word which lies hid within, to which the name of word more truly appertains. For that which is uttered by the mouth of our flesh, is the voice of the word; and is in fact called word, with reference to that from which it is taken, when it is developed externally.

BASIL; This Word is not a human word. For how was there a human word in the beginning, when man received his being last of all? There was not then any word of man in the beginning, nor yet of Angels; for every creature is within the limits of time, having its beginning of existence from the Creator. But what says the Gospel? It calls the Only-Begotten Himself the Word.

catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php

 

[daCatholicGuard]

Hello Dan, et al,

Another good one that I recently discovered is The Sunday Epistles and Gospels by Msgr. Boylan, c. 1941, (reprinted by Roman Catholic Books). Naturally, this book is geared to the Tridentine Calendar.

Hope this helps.

Oremus pro invicem,

Sean C. :knight1:

 

[Lucy_1]

Well, its online and only for the Gospel but its the commentary by the Early Church Fathers.

Wow that looks awesome! Thanks!

 

[Credo_in_Deum]

There’s always Haydock.

 

[CopticChristian]

Hello,

I’m looking for a good Bible Commentary. Things I’d like:

-I mainly read the Douay Rheims translation now, so if it was set up specifically for that translation it would be great.
-Grounded in Traditional Church teachings, including on the authorship of scriptures (Moses wrote the Pentateuch, John wrote John, Luke wrote Luke, etc) and origins of the world (God created the world in 6 days, the world is thousands not billions of years old, etc)

Are there any modern commentaries which fit the bill, or do I need to track down an older out of print book? Any suggestions on titles to consider are greatly appreciated.

Pax.

You can try www.newadvent.org/

at the top, go to Fathers

You will see some of Augustine’s commentaries & Chrysosotom has quite a few commentaries.

I would recommend

scotthahn.com/

he has lots of resources and

salvationhistory.com/studies/courses/audio

There are free online bible courses

If you can get hold of Scott Hahn taped bible studies they complement all your reading and commentaries. I learn by listening.