Commentaries

Attridge, Harold. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Hermeneia. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1989. A technical commentary that offers a wealth of information and a balanced treatment of the text at most points. This commentary has a strong orientation to issues related to background. After the two-volume work by Lane, this is the best technical commentary on Hebrews.

Bruce, F. F. The Epistle to the Hebrews, rev. ed. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990. Prior to the publication of the technical commentaries by Lane and Attridge, this volume, originally published in 1963, was the best English-language work available, with that by P. E. Hughes running a close second. The commentary follows Bruce’s pattern of outstanding evangelical scholarship in the task of elucidating the New Testament.

Buchanan, George W. To the Hebrews. AB. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1972. Sometimes peculiar in his interpretations, Buchanan understands Hebrews to be a sermon on Psalm 110. Not one of the more helpful commentaries to the average layperson.

Calvin, John. Commentaries on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews. Trans. by John Owen. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1949. Reprint Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984. Consistently sound theological reflection from the great Reformer.

Delitzsch, Franz. Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Trans. Thomas L. Kingsbury. 2 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1952. Originally published in German in 1857, this work has stood the test of time. The translation of a line toward the end of the author’s preface reads, “How far, indeed, does every human exposition fall short of the fulness of the unsearchable word!” How true! Yet, Delitzsch’s two-volume work has much to offer.

Ellingworth, Paul. Commentary on Hebrews. NIGTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993. This is an outstanding source of information that, with the technical commentaries of Lane and Attridge, should be consulted. However, Ellingworth’s treatment often misses important contextual concerns and shows too little sensitivity to the overall structure of Hebrews.

Guthrie, Donald. The Epistle to the Hebrews. TNTC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983. Another stalwart of modern evangelical scholarship, Guthrie offers a nontechnical commentary providing consistent insights into the text.

Hagner, Donald A. Hebrews. New International Biblical Commentary. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1990. This is a solid evangelical commentary that, although brief, offers consistently helpful insights to the book.

Hughes, P. E. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977. Not as detailed as Bruce in some respects but more inclined to deal with wide-ranging theological issues in the course of commentary. Prior to Lane and Attridge, with the exception of Bruce, Hughes offers the most helpful English-language commentary on the text of Hebrews.

Jewett, Robert. Letter to Pilgrims: A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. New York: Pilgrim, 1981. As the title suggests, Jewett reads Hebrews in light of the “journey” motif inherent in the book.

Kistemaker, Simon. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984. With a scholarly underpinning, this commentary is readable and more expositional than exegetical.

Lane, William L. Hebrews: Call to Commitment. Hendrickson, 1985. A popular treatment from one of the foremost scholars on Hebrews. Volume 1: Hebrews 1–8. WBC. Dallas: Word, 1991. Volume 2: Hebrews 9–13. WBC. Dallas: Word, 1991. These two volumes offer the best technical exegetical commentary available today. Lane presents an extensive and helpful introduction on the book, is consistently rigorous in his discussion of exegetical matters, and excels at theological reflection.

Moffatt, J. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. ICC. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1924. An older technical commentary on the book that has now been eclipsed by the more recent works of Lane and Attridge.

Montefiore, Hugh. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Black’s New Testament Commentaries. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1964. Clearly written and accessible to the nonspecialist.

Morris, Leon. “Hebrews.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981), 12:1–158. Part of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary, this volume offers sound, straightforward exegesis of most points. Bruce and Hughes provide greater depth with the same intention.

Westcott, Brooke Foss. The Epistle to the Hebrews: The Greek Text with Notes and Essays. London: MacMillan, 1929. An older work from the later nineteenth century that is rich in insight and worthy of consistent use in study.

Expositions of Hebrews

Barclay, William. The Letter to the Hebrews. The Daily Study Bible. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1957. A helpful little tool, especially in providing thought-provoking ideas on the application of the text.

Brown, Raymond. Christ Above All: The Message of Hebrews. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1982. A readable, nontechnical treatment of Hebrews.

Studies Related to the Book of Hebrews

Berkouwer, G. C. Faith and Perseverance. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1958. An important theological treatment on perseverance.

Caird, G. B. “The Exegetical Method of the Epistle to the Hebrews.” CJT 5 (1959): 44–51. Caird joined those suggesting that Hebrews, rather than a Christian treatment of platonic philosophy, expresses thoroughly Jewish-Christian concerns.

Filson, Floyd. “Yesterday”: A Study of Hebrews in Light of Chapter 13. Studies in Biblical Theology. Naperville, Ill.: Alec R. Allenson, 1967. Filson demonstrates that chapter 13, rather than an appendage, as some scholars suggest, is integral to Hebrews and provides helpful insights to the rest of the book.

Gundry Volf, Judith M. Paul and Perseverance: Staying in and Falling Away. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1990. Perhaps the most important recent work defending the idea of perseverance from a Reformed, evangelical perspective.

Guthrie, George H. The Structure of Hebrews: A Text-Linguistic Analysis. NovTSup 73. Leiden: Brill, 1994; reprint: Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998. My attempt to update the discussion on the structure of Hebrews, this book outlines the basis for the structural understanding of Hebrews given in this commentary. The work is technical and most suited to those with an understanding of Greek.

Hay, David M. Glory at the Right Hand: Psalm 110 in Early Christianity. SBLMS. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1980. An outstanding work on the Old Testament passage most quoted in the New Testament.

Hughes, Graham. Hebrews and Hermeneutics: The Epistle to the Hebrews As a New Testament Example of Biblical Interpretation. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1979. A stimulating treatment of the hermeneutical principles inherent in Hebrews.

Hurst, L. D. The Epistle to the Hebrews: Its Background of Thought. SNTSMS. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1990. The best recent discussion of the background for Hebrews’ thought. Hurst understands the author of Hebrews to be influenced by a number of communities, including Jewish apocalyptic.

Lane, William L. “Hebrews: A Sermon in Search of a Setting.” SwJT 28 (1985): 13–18. A helpful summary of the case for Hebrews as a sermon.

Lincoln, Andrew T. Paradise Now and Not Yet: Studies in the Role of the Heavenly Dimension in Paul’s Thought with Special Reference to His Eschatology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981. Lincoln’s monograph addresses the tension between salvation as already inaugurated in the Christian community and a promised reality of the age to come.

Lindars, Barnabas. The Theology of the Letter to the Hebrews. New Testament Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1991. A summary of the main theological motifs in Hebrews, this little volume is well executed and helpful as a supplement to commentaries.

Longenecker, Richard N. Biblical Exegesis in the Apostolic Period. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975. A treatment of the methods used by the rabbis and New Testament authors in the first century.

McCullough, J. C. “Some Recent Developments in Research on the Epistle to the Hebrews.” IBS 2 (1980): 141–65. This and the three sister articles that follow provide an excellent summary of research on Hebrews in the last four decades.

_____. “Some Recent Developments in Research on the Epistle to the Hebrews: II.” IBS 3 (1981): 28–43.

_____. “Hebrews in Recent Scholarship.” IBS 16 (1994): 66–86.

_____. “Hebrews in Recent Scholarship (Part 2).” IBS 16 (1994): 108–20.