sermon prep

How to Use Bible Commentaries More Effectively

/ Richard Bargas / 2 Comments

Commentaries are a huge blessing to those who study the Bible. From them we can glean from the years of hard study of thousands of Christians who have come before us. Their knowledge of culture, language, grammar, background information, and theology can fill out our understanding of the biblical writers. For pastors, Bible students, and scholars, Bible commentaries act as a check on their own study, allowing them to see if they are coming to similar conclusions as those who have studied the same passage. This helps to make sure that our own conclusions aren’t going off in a direction that might lead to error, or even worse. But there are a wide variety of commentaries out there, and it is often difficult even for those trained in seminary to know which to use and when to use it. I thought it would be helpful to describe each type of commentary commonly available, how it is helpful, and then what order I use commentaries to best help me develop my sermons and Bible studies.

Like a lot of Christians, my first experiences with Bible commentaries were mixed. Some seemed to be written in a foreign language, even when they were written in English. They were so complicated and hard to understand that they were frustrating and useless to me. Others were understandable, but they often read like sermons. This made them enjoyable to read, but they often skipped over large portions or failed to explain the one verse I was needing help with!

Later, after attending seminary, I learned that there are different categories of commentaries for different purposes. And I learned an incredibly important lesson: commentaries should be used after I have done my own study. The temptation can be to take a great teacher’s study and sermon outline from their commentary and teach or preach it as if it was my own. Not only is that unethical, it robs you of the blessing of encountering the Word for yourself when you do the hard work of studying.

To help myself, I came up with a simple system of when to read the types of commentaries I use in a specific order. I’ll give you that system a little later, but first I think it would be helpful for me to lay out some of the different types of commentaries out there. This will help you know what you already own, their strengths and weaknesses, and hopefully it will give you a better idea of what you should buy the next time you purchase a new commentary.

Types of Commentaries [1]

  1. Devotional-These commentaries are written for the average Christian and are heavy with application. They are broad in scope, meaning they cover a lot of Bible in a little space. Often, they are a short book written to cover a whole Bible book. Warren Wiersbe’s “Be” series and J. Vernon McGee’s Thru the Bible Commentaries are of this kind.
  2. Expositional-These commentaries are based upon the preaching of a particular pastor’s sermons. They may or may not be heavily edited, but they often include coverage of a preaching portion: illustrations, application, and explanation of the text. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary series and James Montgomery Boice’s commentaries are good examples of this type.
  3. Exegetical– These commentaries rely upon the original languages of the biblical text, and aid the Bible student in understanding the significance of the language, grammar, and syntax. Additionally, the exegetical commentary will give large sections of study to introductory matters, translational issues, contextual matters, and interpretive challenges. Although useful without the knowledge of biblical languages, they are most helpful to those who have a working knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. The Hendriksen New Testament Commentary set and Word Biblical Commentaries are representative of this type of commentary.
  4. Critical/Technical– As far as traditional commentaries go, these are the most specialized. These commentaries deal with original languages, biblical manuscripts, and many other issues that are important to biblical scholars. Many (although not all) of the contributors to these commentaries are theologically liberal, and they are usually very expensive, although they often contain gold when the student knows how to use them profitably. Some examples of these commentaries would include the International Critical Commentary (ICC) series and Hermeneia Commentaries.
  5. Background-Normally biblical background information is included in most commentaries, but there are some commentaries that focus on this aspect in a commentary format (using book, chapters, and verses divisions). An example would be the IVP Bible Background Commentary.

So, how do I choose which commentary to use first, and does it really matter?

My System for Choosing Which Commentary To Use First

After I have studied the passage for myself, I usually will have several questions and observations about the text. But because of my study, I will have a good general understanding of the main idea. If this is the case, I will choose commentaries from the above categories and read them in this order:

  1. Critical/Technical
  2. Exegetical
  3. Background
  4. Expositional
  5. Devotional

I may not read any commentaries in categories 4 and 5 (Expositional and Devotional) every time. I’ll explain in a moment why.

The reason I begin with the harder and more technical commentaries and move toward the easier and more popular ones is because when I turn to my commentaries I am still wrestling with the text and any unanswered questions. I want to find the answers for myself from my work with the language, grammar, and syntax. If I move too fast to the expositional commentaries, I will be tempted to adopt the interpretation of the writer. And since they are human, they might be wrong. Until I have answered these questions for myself and my interaction with the biblical text, I need help with exegesis before moving on to interpretation.

After I have successfully understood the hardest ideas in the text, I move to the next level of commentaries. The expositional commentaries will help me understand how another pastor has preached and outlined the text I am studying, and a devotional commentary will show me how it has been illustrated and applied. If I understand the text well enough, application and illustration may begin to form easily for me and I won’t need to look at the devotional or expositional commentaries I have.

So, why not flip the order? Because I consider it “cheating” for me, since I will be given an explanation, outline, illustrations, and applications of a passage that I did not myself discover for myself. Additionally and most importantly, I am not trusting the Bible and the Spirit to inform my study, but instead am giving another human author a great amount of influence in my understanding of the Bible. When I teach the Bible, I want to have the confidence to say, “Thus says the Lord” because I have done the hard labor of study. If I cheat and simply read the fruit of someone else’s study, then I am not truly being a biblical expositor; I am simply a parrot.

But there is one exception to my rule when I will actually begin with either an expositional commentary or a devotional commentary. That is when I have studied the text in-depth for myself and I am left completely without a clue as to how I would preach or teach this particular text. I may understand the words, sentences, and paragraphs, but how I can teach this particular passage has stumped me. At this point, I will choose a faithful devotional or expositional commentary and read the section I am studying. This will usually help me see how the author taught it and clarifies for me the main idea to teach. At this point, I stop reading and begin going through the list as I gave it above, beginning with the more technical commentaries and moving down the list.

I don’t necessarily think that this method is the only way of using commentaries, but it works for me and helps guard my heart against taking the route which might cause me to shortcut my study. What about you? How have you used commentaries that have helped your study? What are your favorites and why? If you have any followup questions about how I use commentaries, let me know. I’d love to help.

Footnote:

[1] I’ve added the Amazon.com links to each of these commentary series’ to help you identify them. I have done this for reference only and don’t necessarily endorse everything in them. Also, I don’t gain anything from you purchasing a book through the link. Shop around, you might find great deals elsewhere. More money saved means more money for books!

Preach for the Common Man!

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

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There are times when I encounter a young expositor (or wannabe) who feels that his knowledge (or at least his ability to parrot someone else’s knowledge) must be on display in his sermons; so he speaks in such a way that the man in the pew cannot understand him, and he feels all the more spiritually superior than most for his erudition.

I am a simple preacher. I can wax eloquent too. But why? To prove that I have degrees hanging on my walls? As I think of all the godly men that I respect, both currently and in history, those men used simple language, but spent time in deep study and deeper prayer. They sought to preach for the benefit and edification of the people, not to lift themselves up.

Apparently, Richard Baxter, a most eminent Puritan, would agree with me. More importantly, I think I am in the company of my Savior, who taught with clarity and power to the common man.

“All our teaching must be as plain and simple as possible. This doth best suit a teacher’s ends. He that would be understood must speak to the capacity of his hearers. Truth loves the light, and is most beautiful when most naked. It is the sign of an envious enemy to hide the truth; and it is the work of a hypocrite to do this under pretense of revealing it; and therefore painted obscure sermons (like painted glass in windows which keeps out the light) are too oft the marks of painted hypocrites. If you would not teach men, what do you in the pulpit? If you would, why do you not speak so as to be understood? I know the height of the matter may make a man not understood, when he hath studied to make it as plain as he can; but that a man should purposely cloud the matter in strange words, and hide his mind from the people, whom he pretendeth to instruct, is the way to make fools admire his profound learning, and wise men his folly, pride, and hypocrisy. Some men conceal their sentiments, under the pretense of necessity, because of men’s prejudices, and the unpreparedness of common understandings to receive the truth. But truth overcomes prejudice by the mere light of evidence, and there is no better way to make a good cause prevail, than to make it as plain, and as generally and thoroughly known as we can; it is this light that will dispose an unprepared mind. It is, at best, a sign that a man hath not well digested the matter himself, if he is not able to deliver it plainly to others.”

—Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor

Help For New Expositors: Applying the Bible to Your Hearers

/ Richard Bargas / 4 Comments

Preaching

In some circles, there is a question whether the preacher needs to apply the Word of God or whether that is strictly the domain of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think there needs to be an either/or question about application. When John the Baptist preached about repentance, those who heard him asked what exactly they were to do to prove they had truly repented (Lk 3:10-14). John gladly gave specifics for each  group of people present. The fact remains that you are to bring the Word of God to bear upon the hearts and lives of your hearers. This is assumed in the preaching act.

  1. Find the universal principle(s) given in the biblical text. Some passages have clear applications while others you will need to find the timeless, universal principle that can be applied to your hearers.
  2. Meditate on how you will respond to the text.
    • Does this text impact your life?
    • What will you now do, believe, be thankful for or repent of?
    • If you can’t answer, neither will your listener know what to do, either.
  3. Think about your listeners.
    • Who are they? (What are their careers, education, marital status, children, etc.?)
    • What are they going through right now? (joys, trials, spiritual life)
    • How will this text impact them when they hear it?
    • Will it help them? How?
  4. Be pointed and specific.
    • Don’t fall into the trap of just telling people to “pray more” or “read your Bible more” or “have more faith.” Tell them how.
    • Be specific enough that they have a few ideas about how they can apply the text—this is helpful for the newer believer.
    • Be generic enough that the more mature believers can see other application in their own life outside of your suggestions.
    • Use “You” in your application. Don’t shy away from being the messenger of God. He is speaking to them through his Word.
  5. Point people to the Cross and the Holy Spirit
    • You don’t want to err into moralism, where your sermon application simply tells the listener to “be better” or “do more.” Unbelievers and believers alike need to know that the imperatives can only be accomplished because of Christ’s atoning work on the cross through the power of the Holy Spirit.
    • Preach the need for Christ to unbelievers who are unable to obey without salvation. If you do not, at best you will frustrate your hearers; at worst you will lull them into a self-righteousness that only condemns.
    • Preach the necessary power of the Holy Spirit for the believer to change.
    • Preach the Gospel! As Spurgeon said, “Make a bee-line to the cross.”

 

Find help for other sermon preparation skills here:

Sermon Preparation Checklist

Help With Introductions

Help With Illustrations

Help for New Expositors: Improving Your Sermon Illustrations

/ Richard Bargas / 1 Comment

Preaching

It has been said that sermon illustrations are like windows that let the light in so that people can better see the truths we are preaching about. There is a danger of making our sermons like a dungeon, with no light for the common man to see the truth. Below is a list of 5 truths that need to be kept in mind regarding the proper use of illustrations in sermon preparation. My posts on sermon prep checklist and 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Sermon Introductions will also be helpful to many newer expositors. As always, ask your questions in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them.

  1. Illustrations should illustrate
    • That powerful story that you found in the magazine or the funny story that you can’t wait to share is not a reason to use an illustration, so don’t force it. Remember that illustrations serve a purpose and shouldn’t be used simply for their own sake.
    • That means they should take your listener from the abstract or theological content to a concrete concept. Begin with what the average man on the street knows and move forward to the concept you are trying to illustrate.
    • The Bible can be effectively used to illustrate itself. But be aware that cross-references are not necessarily illustrations, but are used to clarify the biblical concept of analogia Scriptura, comparing Scripture with Scripture in order to drive home a point to your hearers.
    • A biblical illustration proper most often points to a narrative account of the concept you are making, i.e., Samson’s spiritual weakness, David’s dance of rejoicing, Paul’s fight of faith.
  2. Care should be taken with regard to the length of the illustration
    • Lengthy illustrations are seldom appropriate for a biblical expositor. You are a teacher of the sacred text, not a storyteller or entertainer. More time telling a story leaves less time to explain and apply the text.
    • Word pictures and biblical allusions are handy to shed light on an idea. Spurgeon often used illustrations from nature and life—following in the footsteps of Christ.
    • Details are often unnecessary in re-telling a personal story or other narrative. Get to the point quickly, removing all unnecessary material from the illustration.
  3. Illustrate each major point. Since each point needs to stand on its own and point to the central theme, make sure that you bring clarity to each part as you build your biblical argument.
  4. Make your illustrations work for you. Choose illustrations that can do double duty. Contemporary illustrations often help the listener to see how they can apply the text to their lives immediately. Take advantage of this and smoothly transition into your application if you are able.
  5. Make sure your illustrations fit a broad audience.
    • Be sensitive to your audience. On other words, be aware of how older people are slower to adapt the latest technology. Younger people can be ignorant to your references to old movies, modern history and older TV shows. Some people are not as into sports as you might be. And you might find that many people are no longer as familiar with ancient history, feeling easily overwhelmed with too many dates and details.
    • Be particularly aware of using lengthy quotes from Puritans or other older writers who wrote in English that has become outdate, along with complicated grammar and sentence structures.
    • Make sure you are cautious about references to movies, music, books and media that might be construed as a wholesale endorsement of the whole. You might have forgotten the a particular movie or book had some objectionable language or sexual themes in it, but your audience might not have forgotten.

Help For New Expositors: 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Sermon Introductions

/ Richard Bargas / 3 Comments

Preaching

Yesterday I shared my Sermon Prep Checklist [Find it here]. Since many new expositors struggle with how to begin a sermon properly, I thought that these 10 Do’s and Dont’s of Sermon Introductions might be helpful to some. Please make sure to post any questions you might have in the comments below.

Do:

  1. Be clear, and concise. Make an impact that will leave your listener wanting more.
  2. Be creative. Introducing every sermon in the same manner gets as tedious as a bologna sandwich every day for lunch. Mix it up.
  3. Be careful in your use of sensational or shocking introductions. They may distract from the message itself, and if over-done will desensitize your listeners over time.
  4. Be brief. Don’t repeat yourself or use multiple illustrations. Get to the main idea and transition into your proposition as quickly as possible. Your job is to exposit the text—so move on to it!
  5. Be energetic. Nothing invites a wandering mind and a good nap than a boring preacher.

Do not:

  1. Make your introduction disproportionate to the sermon. Your intro is like a porch to your sermon (the house). Make the porch fit the house.
  2. Cram details into the introduction that should more properly be placed into the sermon under a main or sub-point.
  3. Avoid eye contact or read your intro. Eye contact is important to engage your listeners. Know your intro so well that you will not need to read it. With that said, lengthy quotes are seldom appropriate in an introduction.
  4. Introduce your first point, or a sub-point or idea in your sermon. This is confusing. Introduce the main idea of the sermon, which should cover your proposition and outline.
  5. Introduce the book, genre, author or audience. This material is background, but not the main idea of the text.