[B-Greek] Lenski's Commentary

B. Ward Powers bwpowers at optusnet.com.au
Fri Jan 9 08:15:10 EST 2004


Greeting Robert.

At 04:38 PM 040109, Robert M. Raphael wrote:
>Is anyone on the list familiar with Lenski's New Testament Commentary
>(twelve volume set)?
>Has anyone on the list used it?  Are there better NT commentaries
>available?  Is the set outdated?



I am one of those who has a complete set of Lenski. I bought it 30 years 
ago and have never regretted the outlay. It is a few years old all right. 
For example, the volume 1 and 2 Corinthians is copyright 1937 and 1963, and 
is dedicated to Lenski's "class of 1928". His whole project of commenting 
on the entire NT was (he informs us on p.5) completed on January 12 1934. 
But I have found numerous valuable insights in Lenski that other 
commentaries seem to have missed, and when there is a passage where I want 
a wide range of comments I certainly include Lenski in the ones I consult.

I guess I have a range of preferred "primary" commentaries on individual NT 
books, to which I would turn first, rather than one commentary set where 
all the volumes are of uniform value to me. So I would hesitate to 
recommend Lenski as a first choice if you are limited in what you can buy. 
But if you do find yourself able to pick up his volumes, I do not think you 
will regret it.



>I would appreciate comments from anyone on the list in this regard.
>I am also interested if the set can found free on the internet.
>
>I am asking these questions because just commencing my study of NT
>Greek.
>I am interested in purchasing a complete New Testament commentary set.



Lenski is well versed in Greek and good in handling his discussions of 
points from the Greek. I do not agree with many of his conclusions - but I 
guess there are few scholars who would find a commentary which they could 
agree with on all points! Some of the more modern commentaries which focus 
on the Greek may suit you better in this regard.

In sum: I would not recommend making Lenski your first or primary choice of 
a commentary set. But for all that, his volumes are well worth consulting 
if you can get access to them.

Good reading!

Ward Powers



                                http://www.netspace.net.au/~bwpowers
Rev Dr B. Ward Powers        Phone (International): 61-2-8714-7255
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AUSTRALIA.                         Director, Tyndale College




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