New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament | Reviews

The New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament (NICOT, NICNT) is a biblical studies resource that Eerdman’s Publishing Company has printed since the 1950’s. It remains one of the most beloved Bible commentary series decades after its inception.

Many of its volumes have been well-reviewed for decades for their evangelical theology and their helpfulness to pastors and to serious students of the Bible. Volumes are neither introductory nor technical; they are considered a mid-level study resource.

new international commentary on the new testament
Cover design of the New International Commentary on the New Testament volumes

An evangelical accomplishment: Roger Nicole listed the NICOT and NICNT series in Christianity Today magazine in an article titled, “What Evangelicalism Has Accomplished” in the last half of the twentieth century, which highlights the high-quality biblical scholarship found in its commentaries. [1]

The theology of the NIC series

Theologically, though certain volumes reflect a moderately critical approach to Scripture, the series is broadly committed to evangelical theology. Generally, the more conservative volumes have received the best academic and pastoral reviews.

Controversy: The 2014 update on the Book of Psalms (link goes to Amazon) caused many devoted readers of the series to question its direction. One issue that resulted in widespread disappointment from readers is that the commentary authors referred to the Psalmist as “she” throughout the volume.

The series was originally distinctly Reformed. [2] However, under the editorship of F.F. Bruce, “the intentionally Reformed perspective of the series” began to subside. [3] An example of this is that William Lane, an Arminian scholar, was asked to write the Mark commentary (link goes to Amazon) in 1961, though the volume wasn’t published until 1975.

A more recent example of this is that, Arminian Methodists, I. Howard Marshall, who wrote the 1-3 John commentary, and New Testament editor, Joel B. Green, who wrote the Luke commentary, have contributed volumes to the series.

How does the NICOT and NICNT series compare to other Bible commentary series? See Best Bible Commentaries: Top 50. Based on aggregate reviews.

Target audience

NICOT and NICNT volumes are written for pastors and professors, though any serious student of the Bible would benefit from them.

Though authors provide their own English translations, and their exegesis is based on the original languages, the commentaries in this series are not considered technical.

Most volumes are accessible to bible-school or seminary-trained pastors.

new international commentary on the old testament
Cover design of the New International Commentary on the Old Testament volumes

Reviews and authors interviews

Several commentaries in the NICOT and NICNT series are well-reviewed for representing the top scholarship in their subject area.

Old Testament: In the Old Testament series, Victor Hamilton’s volumes are considered one of the best Genesis commentaries. Likewise, John Oswalt’s volumes are considered among the best Isaiah commentaries.

New Testament: In the New Testament series, Douglas Moo’s volume is considered among the best Romans commentaries and Gordon Fee’s volume is considered one of the best 1 Corinthians commentaries.

Zechariah volume: Mark Boda’s recently-released Zechariah commentary has high-praise. Iain Provan, Professor of Biblical Studies at Regent College, wrote about Mark Boda’s Zechariah commentary,

“This fine exposition of Zechariah represents a most welcome addition to commentary on this book. Mark Boda has a great eye both for the detail of the text and for its intertextuality.”

Boda interview: See Best Bible Commentaries’ interview with Mark Boda on this volume

Luke volume: Joel Green’s Luke volume has also been well-reviewed by the Stone-Campbell Journal,

An outstanding contribution to Lukan scholarship. The methodology is a refreshing alternative to several more familiar approaches…This book will be warmly received by scholars… This is a fine reference tool that will well serve the preacher or teacher in the pursuit of literary connections and theological meaning.

Green interview: See Best Bible Commentaries’ interview with Joel Green on this volume

Galatians volume: David deSilva’s Galatians volume has been well-reviewed by Robert W. Yarbrough, professor of New Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary, 

Laying special emphasis on the Spirit and the new era of salvation history in which Paul writes, deSilva has produced a work that will long rank among the most significant English-language Galatians commentaries.

deSilva interview: See Best Bible Commentaries’ interview with David deSilva on this volume

Series editors

Old Testament editor: The editor for Old Testament volumes is currently Robert L. Hubbard Jr., professor of biblical literature at North Park Theological Seminary, who authored the Ruth commentary in the series.

New Testament editor: The editor for New Testament volumes is currently Joel B. Green who is Dean of the School of Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, and author of the Luke commentary in the series.

Ned Stonehouse, F.F. Bruce, and Gordon Fee were previous editors.

Series purpose

From the publisher:

In order to keep the commentary fresh and contemporary, NICNT volumes are revised and replaced as needed. Newer volumes in the NICNT account for emergent emphases in biblical studies.

These include heightened attention to rhetorical features of New Testament texts, the cultural settings within which they were written, and their theological significance for God’s people. In this way, the NICNT series endures as an accessible, authoritative guide to the biblical text. [4]

Series volumes

The Pentateuch

The links below go to Amazon using each book’s exact ISBN.

Hamilton, Victor P. The Book of Genesis: Chapters 1-17 | Published: 1990

Hamilton, Victor P. The Book of Genesis: Chapters 18-50 | Published: 1995

Wenham, Gordon J. The Book of Leviticus | Published: 1979

Ashley, Timothy R. The Book of Numbers | Published: 1993

Craigie, Peter C. The Book of Deuteronomy | Published: 1976

The History Books

Woudstra, Marten H. The Book of Joshua | Published: 1981

Webb, Barry G. The Book of Judges | Published: 2012

Hubbard, Robert L. The Book of Ruth | Published: 1988

Tsumura, David Toshio. The First Book of Samuel | Published: 2007

Fensham, F. Charles. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah | Published: 1982

The Wisdom Literature

Hartley, John E. The Book of Job | Published: 1988

DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy L.; Jacobson, Rolf; Tanner, Beth. The Book of Psalms. | Published: 2014

Waltke, Bruce K. The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1-15. | Published: 2004

Waltke, Bruce K. The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15-31. | Published: 2005

Longman III, Tremper. The Book of Ecclesiastes. | Published: 1998

Longman III, Tremper. Song of Songs. | Published: 2001

The Prophets

Oswalt, John N. The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1-39. | Published: 1986

Oswalt, John N. The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 40-66. | Published: 1998

Thompson, J. A. The Book of Jeremiah. | Published: 1980

Block, Daniel I. The Book of Ezekiel: Chapters 1-24. | Published: 1997

Block, Daniel I. The Book of Ezekiel: Chapters 25-48. | Published: 1998

Dearman, John Andrew. The Book of Hosea. | Published: 2010

Allen, Leslie C. The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah. | Published: 1976

Robertson, O. Palmer. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. | Published: 1990

Jacobs, Mignon R. The Books of Haggai and Malachi. | Published: 2018

Replaced Verhoef, Pieter A. The Books of Haggai and Malachi. | Published: 1987

Boda, Mark J. The Book of Zechariah. | Published: 2016

The Gospel and Acts

France, R. T. The Gospel of Matthew | Published 2007

Lane, William L. The Gospel of Mark | Published 1974

Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke | Published 1997

Replaced Geldenhuys, Norval. The Gospel of Luke | Published 1951

Michaels, J. Ramsey. The Gospel of John | Published 2010

Replaced Morris, Leon. The Gospel according to John | Published 1971

Bruce, F. F. The Book of the Acts | Published 1988

The Writings of Paul

Moo, Douglas J. The Epistle to the Romans | Published 1996

Replaced Murray, John. The Epistle to the Romans | Published 1959

Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians | Published 2014

Replaced Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians | Published 1987

Replaced Grosheide, F. W. The First Epistle to the Corinthians | Published 1953

Barnett, Paul. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians | Published 1997

Replaced Hughes, Philip E. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians | Published 1962

Fung, Ronald Y. K. The Epistle to the Galatians | Published 1988

Replaced Ridderbos, Herman. The Epistle of Paul to the Churches of Galatia. | Published 1953

Bruce, F. F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians | Published 1984

Replaced Simpson, E. K.; Bruce, F. F. Commentary on the Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians | Published 1957

Fee, Gordon D. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians | Published 1995

Replaced Müller, Jac J. The Epistles of Paul to the Philippians and to Philemon. | Published 1955

McKnight, Scot. The Letter to the Colossians. | Published 2018

Replaced Bruce, F. F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. | Published 1984

McKnight, Scot. The Letter to Philemon | Published 2017

Replaced Bruce, F. F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. | Published 1984

Fee, Gordon D. The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians | Published 2009

Replaced Morris, Leon. The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians | Published 1991

Towner, Philip H. The Letters to Timothy and Titus | Published 2006

The General Epistles

Cockerill, Gareth Lee. The Epistle to the Hebrews | Published 2011

Replaced Bruce, F. F. The Epistle to the Hebrews | Published 1997

McKnight, Scot. The Epistle of James | Published 2011

Replaced Adamson, James B. The Epistle of James | Published 1976

Replaced Alexander, Ross. The Epistles of James and John | Published 1954

Davids, Peter H. The First Epistle of Peter | Published 1990

1-3 John and Revelation

Marshall, I. Howard. The Epistles of John | Published 1978

Mounce, Robert H. The Book of Revelation. | Published 1997


References

https://web.archive.org/web/20090218140843/http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1996/september16/6ta030.html?start=2 (accessed 3/4/19)

From the “General Forward” found in the earliest volumes in the series, e.g. The Gospel of Luke by Norval Geldenhuys, published in 1951.

From the “Editor’s Preface” found in the latest volumes in the series, e.g. The Gospel of Luke (revised edition) by Joel B. Green, published in 1997.

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