Top 5 Commentaries on Colossians

This week at OBC we are concluding our study in the Letter of Paul to the Colossians.  For the last 6 months or so we have worked through the book verse by verse.  It has been such a rich blessing.

I have been asked many times which commentaries have been most helpful so I am providing a top 5 list here.  This is in order of priority or rank, in my opinion.

1. Peter O’Brien Colossians-Philemon (Word Biblical Commentary).  If you are familiar with O’Brien’s other commentaries you know that his exegetical precision and scholarly explanation are invaluable.  In this commentary O’Brien maintains his position as the ‘answer book’ for Colossians.  If you can only buy one commentary for this book…buy this one.  [Amazon]    [Westminster]
2. Douglas Moo  The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (Pillar New Testament Commentary).  This was actually a tough choice between Moo and O’Brien.  Moo’s commentary came out in August of ’08 after I had already started.  Like O’Brien, Moo is detailed in his exegesis and thoughtful in his explanation of critical issues.  As with his other commentaries, Moo is at his best when he is walking through difficult issues and weighing various views on the Scriptural scales.  You can’t go wrong with this one.  Highly recommended.  [Westminster]    [Amazon]
3. Sam Storms The Hope of Glory: 100 Daily Meditations on Colossians. I really enjoyed this book (as most often the case with Storms).  Devotional commentaries are invaluable to the expositor and Storms’ book is a gem for Colossians.  The great thing about this is that he keeps it short but doctrinally driven.  Storms loves Jesus Christ and helps you to see his greatness in the text and value him in your own affections.  This is a great resource even if you are not preaching through the book.  [Westminster]    [Amazon]
4. FF Bruce Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (NICNT).  Bruce is not as in depth nor as exegetical as O’Brien and Moo but he is still very helpful.  He is so good at stating complex truth in a simple, contextually consistent manner. [Westminster]    [Amazon]
5. R. Kent Hughes Colossians and Philemon: The Supremacy of Christ (Preaching the Word).  This expositional commentary is helpful for pastors.  Hughes’ ability to be concise is a lesson and a tool.  Additionally, Hughes salts his books with so many illustrations you almost have to have this just for this purpose!  [Westminster]   [Amazon]

honorable mention:

John MacArthur Colossians and Philemon: New Testament Commentary (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series).  As with the rest of MacArthur’s commentaries this volume publishes his sermons from the text.  This expositional commentary proves to be helpful in preparation. [Amazon]