Growing in your knowledge of God through studying the Gospel of Luke can change your life. Luke’s teaching about Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, fulfilled prophecy, the end times, and other topics is trustworthy and relevant. Bible commentaries on Luke explain and clarify Luke’s Gospel so you can understand its message and apply it to your life.
The Bible instructs Christians to seek wisdom (Prov. 1:7, James 1:5), and who better to learn from than pastors, theologians, and professors who have been studying and teaching Luke for decades?
10 Best Luke Commentaries
The best Luke commentaries are listed below. There are exegetical commentaries, scholarly and technical commentaries, as well as commentaries that are easy to understand. They are not suggested as a replacement for prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the reader’s own diligent study of Scripture. The “Top 10” list is based on aggregate reviews.
The “Top 10” list below is a starting point for learning about James commentaries. It is not intended to be the “final word” because of its limitations. Nevertheless, a list based on aggregate reviews will likely point you in the right direction to find the right resource for your purposes.
#1
Luke
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
by Darrell L. Bock
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Interview: Read Best Bible Commentaries’ interview with Darrell Bock on this volume
Reviews and Accolades:
• D. A. Carson: a “best buy” on Luke; “comprehensive, well written, and intelligent”
• Desiring God: #1 recommended commentary on Luke
• Tom Schreiner: recommended; “very helpful for pastors”
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on Luke
• Keith Mathison: #1 ranked commentary on Luke; “comprehensive,” “clear,” “reader-friendly”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Bock takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. Bock is a progressive dispensationalist. [1]
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
This volume is theologically conservative, moderately technical, and includes insights for pastors.
Bock is well-known for his Acts commentary in the same series, which is considered one of the best Acts commentaries.
The publisher notes that the aim of the BECNT series is to provide evangelical commentaries “that blend scholarly depth with readability, exegetical detail with sensitivity to the whole, and attention to critical problems with theological awareness.”
See more about the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series.
Please also see Best Commentary Series: The Top 50. Based on aggregate reviews.
#2
The Gospel of Luke
New International Commentary on the New Testament
by Joel B. Green
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tom Schreiner: recommended, “a useful exposition”
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on Luke
• D.A. Carson: “full of thoughtful interaction with contemporary scholarship”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Green takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is Arminian.
Green is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. He is an editor for the Common English Bible. Green teaches at Fuller Theological Seminary.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers. This volume minimizes historical discussion and maximizes literary insights.
The publisher notes that the NICNT series provides “earnest students of the New Testament with an exposition that is thorough and abreast of modern scholarship and at the same time loyal to the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God.”
See more about the New International Commentary on the New Testament series.
After browsing the commentaries below, also see the best one-volume Bible commentaries, based on aggregate reviews.
#3
The Gospel of Luke
New International Greek Testament Commentary
by I. Howard Marshall
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tom Schreiner: recommended, “careful treatment of the Greek”
• Keith Mathison: #5 ranked commentary on Luke, “a wealth of helpful material here for those willing to dig”
• D.A. Carson: “those with [Greek] skills will benefit greatly from reading it”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Marshall takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He was Arminian (d. 2015). Marshall identified himself as an Evangelical Methodist.
This volume is best for readers who can follow a technical Greek commentary. Its theology is conservative.
Marshall is well-known for his 1 Peter commentary in the TNTC series, which is considered one of the best 1 Peter commentaries.
About the NIGTC series the publisher notes, “at a time when the study of Greek is curtailed in many schools of theology, we hope that the NIGTC will demonstrate the continuing value of studying the Greek New Testament.”
See more about the New International Greek Testament Commentary series.
#4
Luke
New American Commentary
by Robert H. Stein
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tom Schreiner: recommended, “a lucid and clear commentary for pastors and scholars”
• Keith Mathison: #2 ranked commentary on Luke; “very helpful intermediate level commentary for pastors and teachers”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Stein takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is Baptist. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
This volume is known for being pastor-friendly.
Stein wrote the Mark commentary in the BECNT series. See best Mark commentaries for more.
The publisher notes that the NAC series bridges “the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.” It helps “pastors, teachers, and students to read the Bible with clarity and proclaim it with power.”
See more about the New American Commentary series.
#5
Luke
Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
by David E. Garland
Reviews and Accolades:
• D. A. Carson: a “best buy” on Luke; “strong at the exegetical level and helpful at the homiletical level”
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on Luke
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Garland takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is Baptist. Garland taught Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for 21 years.
This volume is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Garland is known for his 1 Corinthians commentary in the BECNT series, which is known as one of the best 1 Corinthians commentaries.
The publisher notes that the ZECNT series “was refined over time by an editorial board who listened to pastors and teachers express what they wanted to see in a commentary series based on the Greek text.”
See more about the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series.
#6
Luke
Word Biblical Commentary
by John Nolland
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tom Schreiner: recommended, “for those engaged in technical research”
• Keith Mathison: #4 ranked commentary on Luke; “seminary students will definitely find much of value in this work”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Nolland is an Anglican priest. He is Arminian. This volume is best for readers who can follow a technical Greek commentary.
In this volume, Nolland takes a critical approach to the text. This commentary consists of two volumes and is 1,300+ total pages.
Nolland also wrote the Matthew commentary in the NIGTC series. See best Matthew commentaries for more.
The publisher notes that the WBC series “delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation.” See more about the Word Biblical Commentary series.
#7
The Gospel According to Luke
Pillar New Testament Commentary
by James R. Edwards
Interview: Read Best Bible Commentaries’ seven-question interview with James Edwards on this volume
Reviews and Accolades:
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on Luke
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Edwards takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is Presbyterian. Edwards teaches at Whitworth University.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers. In this volume, Edwards argues that Luke utilized a “Hebrew Gospel”.
He also wrote the Romans commentary in the UBCS series. See best Romans commentaries for more.
The publisher notes that the PNTC series combines rigorous exegesis and exposition, with an eye alert both to biblical theology and the contemporary relevance of the Bible.”
See more about the Pillar New Testament Commentary series.
#8
Luke
Tyndale New Testament Commentary
by Leon Morris
Reviews and Accolades:
• Keith Mathison: #3 ranked commentary on Luke, “great introductory level commentary on Luke”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Morris takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He was an evangelical Anglican (d. 2006).
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Morris is well-known for his Revelation commentary in the same series. See best Revelation commentaries for more.
The publisher notes that the TNTC series is “designed to help readers understand what the Bible actually says and what it means…the aim throughout is to get at the true meaning of the Bible and to make its message plain to readers today.”
See more about the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series.
#9
Luke
Sacra Pagina
by Luke Timothy Johnson
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tom Schreiner: recommended, “clear exposition by a Roman Catholic scholar”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Johnson is Roman Catholic. He teaches a Emory University. Johnson has been an outspoken critic of The Jesus Seminar.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Johnson is known for his Hebrews commentary in the NLT series, which is considered one of the best Hebrews commentaries available today.
The publisher notes that this series is “written by an international team of Catholic biblical scholars, it is intended for biblical professionals, graduate students, theologians, clergy, and religious educators.”
#10
The Gospel According to Luke
The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries
by Joseph A. Fitzmyer
Reviews and Accolades:
• Tom Schreiner: recommended; “invaluable for interpreting Luke”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Fitzmyer was a Catholic priest (d. 2016). This volume is best for readers who can follow a technical Greek commentary. Fitzmyer takes a critical approach to the text.
The publisher notes that the Anchor series “vigorously pursues the goal of bringing to a wide audience the most important new ideas, the latest research findings, and the clearest possible analysis of the Bible.”
More Gospel of Luke Commentaries for Christian Ministry
Please read: Why are the Gospel of Luke commentaries below not in the “Top 10”? It’s not necessarily because they have received poor reviews or because people haven’t found them helpful. The reasons vary:
- Some are relatively new and haven’t been widely reviewed, read, or used yet.
- Others haven’t been widely distributed, so it is difficult to get enough information to aggregate.
- Still others may be outdated in relation to biblical scholarship or out of print and difficult to acquire.
The “Top 10” list is reviewed annually. Readers are encouraged to consider the volumes in this section before making a purchase. These 10 are not in any particular order.
Luke
Reformed Expository Commentary
by Philip Graham Ryken
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Ryken takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is Reformed.
This commentary is best for individual study, devotional reading, Bible studies, and adult Sunday school classes. This series reads like printed sermons. This commentary consists of two volumes and is 1.300+ pages.
Ryken also wrote the Galatians commentary in the same series. See best Galatians commentaries.
From the publisher: The REC series has four commitments. “First, these commentaries aim to be biblical… Second, these commentaries are unashamedly doctrinal… Third, these commentaries are redemptive-historical… Fourth, these commentaries are practical…”
See more about the Reformed Expository Commentary series.
Luke
NIV Application Commentary
by Darrell L. Bock
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Bock takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. Bock is a progressive dispensationalist [1].
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers. Bock also wrote the Luke volumes in the BECNT and IVPNTC series (see above and below).
The publisher notes that the NIVAC series “not only focuses on application as a finished product but also helps you think through the process of moving from the original meaning of a passage to its contemporary significance.”
See more about the NIV Application Commentary series.
Luke
Expositor’s Bible Commentary Revised
by Walter L. Liefeld and David W. Pao
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: The authors takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. They both teach at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers. Originally published in 1984, this commentary was revised in 2007.
The publisher notes that the REBC series is “committed to the divine inspiration, complete trustworthiness, and full authority of the Bible.” See more about the Expositor’s Bible Commentary series, original and revised.
Luke
New Testament Library
by John T. Carroll
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Carroll graduated from a Presbyterian school and teaches at a Presbyterian seminary.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers. Carroll takes a critical approach to the text, focusing on literary construction.
The publisher notes that the NLT series “offers authoritative commentary on every book and major aspect of the New Testament, providing fresh translations based on the best available ancient manuscripts…”
Luke
The IVP New Testament Commentary
by Darrell L. Bock
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Bock takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. Bock is a progressive dispensationalist [1].
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers. Bock also wrote the Luke volumes in the BECNT and NIVAC series (see above).
The publisher notes that volumes in the IVPNTC series are “informed by the best of up-to-date evangelical scholarship, presents passage-by-passage commentary based on the NIV along with background information on authorship, setting, theme and various interpretive issues.”
See more about the IVP New Testament Commentary series.
Luke
Concordia Commentary
by Arthur A. Just
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Theology, Audience, Purpose: Just takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is evangelical and Lutheran. While not technical, the volumes in the Concordia Commentary series reflect seminary-level scholarship.
The target audience is pastors, professors, and teachers. The target audience is pastors, professors, and teachers.
According to the publisher, authors in the Concordia series “fully affirms the divine inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture as it emphasizes ‘that which promotes Christ’ in each pericope.”
Luke
Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible
by Justo L. Gonzalez
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Gonzalez is a Methodist. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that in this series “scholars focus less on traditional historical and literary angles in favor of a theologically focused commentary that considers the contemporary relevance of the texts.”
Luke
Brazos Theological Commentary
by David Lyle Jeffrey
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Jeffrey teaches at Baylor University. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that the Brazos series “enlists leading theologians to read and interpret Scripture for the twenty-first century, just as the church fathers, the Reformers, and other Orthodox Christians did for their times and places.”
Luke
Understanding the Bible Commentary Series
by Craig A. Evans
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Evans teaches at a Baptist University where he is the professor of Christian Origins.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that volumes in this series UBCS “break down the barriers between the ancient and modern worlds so that the power and meaning of the biblical texts become transparent to contemporary readers.”
See more about the Understanding the Bible Commentary Series.
Luke
Abingdon New Testament Commentaries
by Robert C. Tannehill
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Tannehill is Arminian. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers. This series focuses more on exegesis than exposition.
From the publisher: Volumes “are written with special attention to the needs and interests of theology students, but they will also be useful for students in upper-level college or university settings, as well as for pastors and other church leaders.”
Luke
Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament
by Alan J. Thompson
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Thompson is lecturer in New Testament at Sydney Missionary and Bible College, Croydon, New South Wales, Australia. This volume is best for readers who can follow a technical Greek commentary.
The publisher notes that the EGGNT series “makes interpreting any given New Testament book easier, especially for those who are hard pressed for time but want to preach or teach with accuracy and authority.”
Luke
Hermeneia
by Francois Bovon
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Bovan was the Frothingham Professor Emeritus of the History of Religion at Harvard Divinity School (d. 2013).
This volume is best for readers who can follow a technical Greek commentary. This commentary consists of three volumes.
The publisher notes that this volume “is justly renowned for its combination of judicious historical and literary treatment of the Evangelist’s context and for its theological sensitivity, informed by the wealth of the Christian interpretative tradition.”
Classic Luke Commentaries
Luke
Crossway Classics Commentary Series
by J.C. Ryle
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Ryle was an English evangelical Anglican bishop (d. 1900).
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that this series “presents the very best work on individual Bible books, carefully adapted for maximum understanding and usefulness for today’s believers.”
Luke
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
edited by Arthur Just Jr.
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From the publisher: “The ACCS is a post-critical revival of the early commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria, a text artfully elaborated with ancient and authoritative reflections and insights.”
Also see:
Compare 75 different commentary series on the Bible Commentary Series Comparison Chart
Footnotes: All dispensationalists view the dispensations as chronologically successive. Progressive dispensationalists, in addition to viewing the dispensations as chronologically successive, also view the dispensations as progressive stages in salvation history.
