BarnesÂ’ Notes On The Old And New Testaments

Rating:
Summary: Good, but it has been done before, and better.
Review: Albert Barnes'is worth purchasing if you are a layman, or a Sunday School teacher. If, however, you have a more capable understanding of the Bible, I would highly recommend the entire set of New International Commentary on the NT. With a variety of authors, including F.F. Bruce, it is far superior to the set in question. Barnes does have a lot to offer his readers though. He has a brief, but rich history to every book, followed by his commentary. His commentary is somewhat superficial, and largely homiletical in nature, but this is what most Christians are interested in, and that's fine. For a more thorough look at the NT books' histories, purchase Donald Guthrie's Introduction to the NT. For those who consistently rely upon Matthew Henry, and have found him to be sufficient, then I think this set is a fair purchase. It is, however, out dated, and although the truths in the Bible are timeless, translations have been revolutionized by the papyri manuscripts. For evidence of this compare the change from the KJV "Peace on Earth and good will toward all men" to more contemporary translations' "Peace on Earth and good will toward all men on whom God's favor rests."

Rating:
Summary: Arminian
Review: Barnes is an Arminian, i.e. He does not believe in protestant reformed theology, as taught by Martin Luther, John Calvin and all the great names of the reformation. As such I can't recommend this book, I consider the commentary very biased against the truth.

Rating:
Summary: The Next Step
Review: Barnes' Notes is both an incredible and essential tool for the serious Bible student. Barnes sometimes overtranslates the Bible, but those times are few and far between. Barnes' Notes is a comprehensive reference that is difficult to put down. Barnes provides historical information at the beginning and an occasional note within the notes on the text itself about the people to whom the book was originally adressed. Barnes is not confined by the historical perimeters though. He still teaches that we are to apply the lessons to our lives and not seclude them to the times at which the documents were orignially written. In short, if you love Matthew Henry, you'll love Barnes. Barnes is definitely the next step.

Rating:
Summary: A response to Brian Davidson
Review: I dispute the reading that he has given (Peace on Earth and good will toward all men on whom God's favor rests)for it is incorrect.This reading is from the corrupt Alexander Manuscripts and should be approached with caution. All modern translations except the King James Version, New King James Version, Geneva Bible, Tyndale Version, Noah Webster Bible and Young Literal Translationare are based on these mss, and should be avoided as they do not contain the word of God; but heresy. (See my article on the Alexandrian Manuscripts at my website www.textcritic.org for more details). The correct reading is the one found in the Textus Receptus.

Rating:
Summary: Arminian
Review: I have found Albert Barnes' commentary to be quite good at times and very helpful in reconciling difficult passages of the scriptures.

Rating:
Summary: Best General Commentary
Review: It has been over 20 years since I finished my studies, but a few books still hold fond memories. Of the many different commentary authors I've read, Barnes' Notes has always stood heads above all others. His writing is mellow, easy to read, not prone to unsubstantiated conjecture, reasonably thorough, and was obviously written by a person more interested in what the Bible said, not in pushing some belief. I highly recommend this set of commentaries for everyone interested in studying the Bible. I have a personal enjoyment for Calvin's works, but Barnes is not to be skipped over. A must-have.