"The Abingdon Commentary."
[posted prior to 10/12/02]
http://ichthys.com 
 
Question:  
Are you familiar with one-volume Abingdon commentary on the Bible? What is your opinion of it?
Response:  
Yes, I'm familiar with this commentary, but couldn't recommend it for personal study. The main problem with Abingdon from my point of view (besides being so general that any good study Bible is likely to just as insightful while more to the point) is that it is written from a theologically liberal point of view. By this I mean, the fine scholars that contributed to it by and large do not ascribe to a high view of inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. One case in point is the section on the Pentateuch which is filled with reference to "E" and "J". This acceptance of the so-called "documentary hypothesis" gives one a pretty fair idea of where this commentary is coming from: the Bible, while "important", is not really the result of "plenary verbal inspiration from God", in their misguided view, and such an approach is like the leaven which infiltrates the whole lump. Once again, a good study Bible (Scofield, Ryrie, NIV Study Bible, etc.) whose notes are done by those who respect what the Bible really is (i.e., the true Word of God) is likely to be of more help and do much less harm than something like Abingdon, which, while respectable and scholarly enough, doesn't really respect the Bible as God's absolute Word of Truth.
Yours in Christ,
Bob Luginbill
http://ichthys.com