If I could only buy one commentary, it would be the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (ACCS). The ACCS, edited by the late great Methodist theologian Thomas Oden, collects notes from the church fathers on every book of the Bible. It begins each chapter or section with a summary of what they said.
The ACCS has helped me to see more in Scripture, savor Christ, pursue virtue, seek the city of God, and preach more beautiful sermons. It’s no substitute for reading the extended works of the church fathers (for that, see the SVS Press Popular Patristics series), but it’s a great start.
The ACCS has helped me to see more in Scripture, savor Christ, pursue virtue, seek the city of God, and preach more beautiful sermons.
When it comes time to read commentaries in sermon prep, I usually start with the ACCS, Wesley’s Notes, and Calvin’s Commentaries (which Arminius thought were the best since the church fathers). Then, I read one or maybe two commentaries that I’ve selected from bestcommentaries.com.
If you don’t have firsthand experience with patristic interpretation, you may be skeptical, since many claim that the fathers were guilty of overreading the text and prone to illegitimate allegorizing. In fact, patristic interpretation is not monolithic. Some fathers are more cautious (e.g., Chrysostom), while others take more liberty. But in my experience, all are driven by the rule of faith. In other words, they may draw some connections that seem like a stretch, but they’ll connect you to the great truths of the faith, and stay within the limits of orthodoxy.
The church fathers offer more fruit than seeds, and the fruit is better than any that I’ve tasted from a modern commentator.
The church fathers offer more fruit than seeds, and the fruit is better than any that I’ve tasted from a modern commentator (though there are many good ones). They might see a few things that aren’t in the text, but they see many things that I’ve missed. They’ve also challenged my premodern presuppositions. I’ve found that what first appears to be careless is often the end result of sophisticated theological reflection. Be humble; they aren’t always right, but they’re called “church fathers” for a reason.
Right now, you can purchase individual volumes of the ACCS (e.g., on John 1–10) for $25, or buy the whole set for $500. But keep an eye out on Logos Bible Software for special sales. I was able to snag the entire set for nearly 50% off.
