Book Details
Hebrews 1-8
Hebrews 9-13
Reviews
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Lane's commentary is, indeed, the best commentary on Hebrews. Although O'Brien is more readable at times, Lane's scholarship is unmatched in contemporary commentaries on Hebrews. In his preface to this commentary, Lane writes that his work "has been an act of love and devotion to God and to the Church. May it serve the Church and the guild ewll by directing attention to the remarkable gift we possess in the discourse that we call Hebrews" (xiii). Having read this commentary, I can attest that Lane's desire for his commentary's usefulness has been met in at least one preacher and church. Doubtless it has served other churches well, too, as well as the "guild" of seminaries throughout the evangelical world. Though not infallible (no book but the Bible is), Lane's commentary deserves the highest recommendation.
This commentary demands full engagement, you cannot read it passively. It's riches lay within the scholarly/academic prose. The insights Dr. Lane provides are helpful in understanding historical background, difficult passages, word use, and tenses.
Again, it's hard reading, but the reader will gain a great reward by walking through the comments carefully. I was greatly helped.
This was not the best commentary I've ever read, but it was pretty decent. I think the entire Word Biblical Commentary series is pretty difficult reading, and the only one I'd ever say I "enjoyed" was Gordon Wenham's 2 volumes on Genesis.
Anyway, Lane does a fair job commenting on Hebrews 1-8 in this volume. I skipped all of the verse-by-verse comments, since I felt like he zoomed in a bit too much and lost the author's flow of thought. However, his sections on "Form/structure/setting" and "Explanation" for each section were very worthwhile.
This is clearly the top commentary on Hebrews. While Bruce is also helpful, Lane is aware of his work, and far surpasses it in most regards. Lane is quite thorough, often technical, but consistently helpful on interpreting this difficult book in light of background and setting, textual questions, and original languages (since Hebrews has many Septuagint references), and yet Lane frequently yields excellent pastoral insights. Preaching or teaching Hebrews without consulting Lane would be an exercise in neglect.
Of all the commentaries on Hebrews that I have looked at and used, I have found the two-volume set by William Lane to be the one I turn to first. While I may not agree with every exegetical conclusion Lane makes, he is always worth reading on a given passage. Very highly recommended. [Full Review]
Lane's two volumes are committed to addressing the various facets of Hebrews, but in places all the information keeps one from seeing the forest for the trees. I look forward to the other promising Hebrews commentaries on the way.
