Book Review: Colossians & Philemon Commentarty (Alan J. Thompson)

While we are working through the book of Colossians as a church, we want to provide resources for deeper learning for anyone looking for further study. We aim to recommend reputable commentaries by respected evangelical scholars that can provide guidance on more difficult passages and interpretive questions. Alan J. Thompson’s commentary on Colossians and Philemon is a great and trustworthy resource for this very need.

This commentary is part of the larger Tyndale New Testament Commentaries series, which covers every book of the New Testament. A good commentary is a great way to dive deeper into any book of the Bible, providing for deeper studies of the text. They are usually written by an expert or academic scholar, in which they explore all of the background and meaning of each passage. They will typically go through the book verse by verse, explaining difficult passages and tricky issues, and overall seeking to guide the reader through the book of Scripture. Some examples will be more academic and intended for scholars or seminary students, while others are more intended for everyday, lay audiences. This specific commentary is very approachable for general audiences and everyday church members.

Alan J. Thompson is a respected scholar who currently teaches at Sydney Missionary and Bible College in Australia, having written several well-regarded commentaries and theological works. This commentary actually covers both Colossians and Philemon, since both books are shorter letters. For each book, a very useful introduction is given that contains great background information and context. For both Colossians and Philemon, each verse is explained and laid out in a way that makes this resource very simple to use for looking up particular passages.

If you are desiring deeper study in the book of Colossians while we study through it as a church body, we highly recommend this book to help you. It can be an informational study boost while you read Scripture for your daily devotion, or a companion on Sunday mornings or City Group discussions. Anyone wanting helpful, accessible information on this book of the Bible will benefit from this commentary.