Bible Commentaries are line-by-line or section-by-section interpretations of the books of the Bible. Some are one-volume commentaries (the whole Bible covered in one book); some are commentaries on a particular book or books; and some very scholarly ones are commentaries on a few or only one chapter or even one pericope (story).
The commentaries on this page and the next should help you get an idea of how the particular passage, chapter or book of the Bible has been interpreted by scholars.
NOTE: Remember that many of the best commentaries may be ON RESERVE for your or another class; these are held at the Circulation Desk of the Library. Check the Location of the call number in LINUS, and/or check LINUS's Reserves to see which ones are there. Write down the call number, and bring it to the Circulation Desk to check out one or more of them. In-Library Use ONLY if on reserve!
If you'd like to physically browse the commentaries in the Main Stacks, take a look at the Bible Commentaries by call number .pdf below, which will give you the call number range for monograph commentaries on an individual book of the Bible (but not those combining different books, or multivolume commentaries).
Remember that some commentaries may be in the OVERSIZE stacks or BASEMENT STORAGE; you can browse them by call number in LINUS.
Note that, unless you are doing a historical or doctrinal study, some faculty for lower-division classes would prefer you avoid older commentaries, both those with the subject heading "Bible - Commentaries - Early Works to 1800" and the commentaries of the Church Fathers, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, etc. Others may want you to consult them. Ask your teacher!
New Jerome Bible Commentary
The HarperCollins Bible CommentaryThese are one-volume commentaries on the WHOLE BIBLE. See box below for volumes on a particular BOOK of the Bible.
To find books on an individual book of the Bible, use LINUS, our online Catalog.
LINUS is in transition to a new system of cataloging (called 'RDA') which will eventually make for a more complete searching experience. During this transitional period, most of the Biblical Subject Headings will be changing to the new, simpler system. However, some materials (chiefly e-books) are placed in LINUS by vendors outside LMU; for these outside entries, only the older system (Bible. O. T. .... and Bible. N.T. ...) will work.
NOTE: The LINK+ catalog is also in transition! Use both the older O.T./N.T. formulas and the new wording when searching LINK+!
Try these formulas as SUBJECT HEADINGS (use dropdown) in LINUS above to see the difference:
Bible [which book..(which chapter... which verses)] - Commentaries for the bulk of our holdings
Bible [which Testament...which book ... (which chapter ... which verses)] - Commentaries for only e-books entered into LINUS from outside LMU
Examples:
Bible. Genesis - Commentaries This heading will create a list of books and most e-books which are formal commentaries on Genesis.
Bible. O.T. Genesis - Commentaries This heading will list only those e-books that are entered into LINUS from outside LMU
Bible. Mark - Commentaries Gets over a hundred titles, including books and most of the e-books.
Bible. N.T. Mark - Commentaries Gets very few, if any titles.
Bible. Matthew I-Xiii - Commentaries Gets a title focused on Chapters 1-13 of the Gospel of Matthew.
Bible. N.T. Matthew I-Xiii - Commentaries Gets no hits.
Bible. Peter. 2nd - Commentaries Use this formula for numbered epistles, e.g. 1st Corinthians, 2nd Thessalonians, etc.
Bible. Luke - Criticism, interpretation, etc. Lots of results (Searches for books/e-books that critique the Bible that are not strictly commentaries)
Bible. N.T. Luke - Criticism, Interpretation, etc. A good number of e-books only. But not nearly all the books and e-books we have for you.
Multivolume works like the New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible [REF BS 491.2 .N484 1994] cover one or more Biblical books per volume. There are several multivolume commentary sets in the Main Stacks. Ask for help finding them.
St Mark
Modena Cathedral, High Altar apse
photo: T. Amodeo, 2010
