The Bible is an important part of Christian life. It gives us insight into the thoughts of God. However, it can be challenging to understand sometimes. If you struggle to understand the book of Ezekiel, you’ve come to the right place. Or if you are a teacher or student who needs to learn more about the individual text, this article will help. Here is a list of some of the best commentary on the book of Ezekiel.
Commentaries can be a valuable reference work that can help you understand the Bible. They should reveal God’s glory through the text.
When it comes to our ranking process we take a few things into account. There are a number of highly-regarded commentaries, but some stick out as the best commentaries.
We pay special attention to if the authors make helpful comments throughout the book. We analyze reviews from real people to determine the validity of a commentary. With that being said, here are some of the best modern commentaries.
Best Commentary: The NIV Application Commentary: Ezekiel by Iaian M. Guguid
Duguid’s commentary on the book of Ezekiel is one of the best commentaries out there. It has been praised time and time again for its incredible insight.
The book focuses on a few important things. Original meaning, bridging context, and modern significance are the three pillars for this book.
Duguid’s volume brings the original text to life. Iaian shows the original meaning of the passages, and he clarifies the significance of it.
Furthermore, he gives bridging context. The bridging context is a tool that helps us discover what was significant in Biblical time and today.
Finally, Duguid gives contemporary significance. That section is all about bringing the Bible to life on a daily basis. He helps us to understand how to apply the text to daily life.
The reviews on this commentary are incredible. Audiences appreciate the simplicity and depth of this commentary. They consider it the best on the market. If you would like to read a full review, click here.
Exalting Jesus in Ezekiel by Dr. Landon Dowden
Another great option is Dr. Landon Dowden’s Exalting Jesus in Ezekiel. Dowden does a great job of teaching Ezekiel through the lens of the Gospel.
This is not a verse-by-verse commentary, but a chapter-based book that helps readers understand the full view of the Gospel.
Dowden was intentional about maintaining the idea that Jesus exists throughout scripture. He helps audiences to understand how the text invokes the story of Jesus.
Exalting Jesus in Ezekiel is an amazing tool. A few reviewers did recommend having another source to go along with this commentary. You can get both this commentary and another commentary to get a couple different perspectives on the meaning of the text.
Pros:
- Reformed Perspective
- Good Commentary
- Modern approach
Cons:
- Might want an extra commentary to go along with it.
Thru the Bible Vol. 25: The Prophets by J. Vernon McGee
J. Vernon McGee is a famous evangelist. He preached through the radio for many years.
Those years of experience, preaching and teaching, helped him to develop his series of commentaries. They are excellent commentaries.
McGee is able to draw on his experience and teach the book of Ezekiel with strong theological understanding. The way that he takes the Biblical text and uses it to teach Biblical theology is impressive.
This commentary is almost 30 years old now. It has been around for decades, and for good reasons. However, the other options on this list might serve as a more modern approach to the application of the book of Ezekiel.
People who prefer writings that have had more time to sit will love this volume. As stated before, it is an older commentary, but it withstands the test of time.
Pros:
- Experienced Author
- Meaningful commentary
Cons:
- Age of the commentary
Ezekiel: God Strengthens by Derek Thomas
The fourth choice on this list is an even older commentary than the previous one. However, it has just as much Biblical teaching as the others.
Written from the Presbyterian perspective, this commentary gives an interesting perspective on the book of Ezekiel.
One thing this commentary does incredibly well is putting the text into language that is common for today. Thomas explains Ezekiel’s situation in a clear way, based on terms we would use today.
Pros:
- Great teaching
- Has withstood the test of time
Cons:
- Not for Non-Presbyterians
Preacher’s Commentary, Vol. 20: Ezekiel by Douglas Stuart
The preacher’s commentary is a decent pastoral option. It delivers great insight to the historical importance of the text. The historical setting of the book and it’s importance are clarified here.
This might be a better choice for people who are new to the world of commentaries. This book is full of meaningful ideas, however for a few, it was not dense enough when it came to language study. The Hebrew language is important, and there are resources out there that create a better verse-by-verse experience.
Stuart’s commentary, however, does bring a lot of clarity to the meaning of the text. Although there is not much language study happening, there is great interpretation going on. If you want to understand the book of Ezekiel without fully diving into the Hebrew language, this commentary is for you.
Pros:
- Clarity
- Historical analysis
Cons
- Lack of Language analysis
Ezekiel by Leslie C. Allen
Leslie Allen’s Ezekiel might be the most detailed commentary on this list. Each section of this commentary is complete with verse-by-verse language analysis.
Furthermore, the commentary delivers on historical context and more. This commentary is dense, and brings a lot to the table for people.
Since this commentary is so in-depth it might not be for everyone. Ezekiel is already a difficult book to understand, so explaining it can be a tough task.
Whether or not you choose this commentary is completely dependent on your needs. Do you need something for in-depth analysis of the book of Ezekiel? This is your book.
Do you need something for light study? This might not be the selection for you. With such insight, untrained audiences might get lost.
Pros:
- In-depth Analysis
- Complete with many features
Cons:
- Too dense for some readers
Ezekiel by Peter C. Craige
Peter Craige’s Ezekiel might be the opposite option as Leslie Allen’s. Craige’s edition is not as in-depth, and works better from the ground level. If you are just getting started in commentaries, this might be the best place to start.
This commentary serves as more of a study Bible than a complete deep-dive into the book of Ezekiel. Reviews recommended this commentary as a study Bible. It is a great addition and explanation, however, some believe it could have gone deeper into the text.
Pros:
- Accessible
- Great for Bible Study
Cons:
- Not in-depth enough for some
Ezekiel by John B. Taylor
John B. Taylor wrote a good commentary on the book of Ezekiel. It is a part of the Tyndale Old Testament Series.
The Tyndale series is highly reputable, and people love it. It has been around for decades, and it is a stamp of approval for many readers.
As far as this edition goes, it did have mixed reviews. Some people loved it’s alignment with other Tyndale volumes. However, others found the commentary to be less than insightful.
For many, this might be useful work, however for students it might not be best. People who want a complete understanding of Ezekiel might want to avoid this one.
It gives a general analysis of the text, and glides into the meaning of the text. This is another accessory option that is worth checking out.
The Message of Ezekiel: A New Heart and a New Spirit by Christopher J.H Wright
The general reader will appreciate The Message of Ezekiel. Wright takes a different approach than many other commentaries and delivers a theme-by-theme commentary.
Rather than analyzing the book verse-by-verse, Wright groups similar passages together. This makes for an easy read. He delivers God’s word with helpful insights for Christians to think about.
One major complaint is that the book misses some passages. Not going through the book Ezekiel chapter by chapter leaves some misses. Reviewers complained about the incomplete nature of this style.
The commentary that Wright does bring is incredibly useful. It is recommended for both teachers and pastors who want insight.
The Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 1–24 by Daniel I. Block
Block’s commentary on the book of Ezekiel is a good one too. The detail of Block is greatly appreciated.
Block gives two volumes of commentary on the book of Ezekiel. These volumes will help Christians to better understand Ezekiel.
One disgruntled reviewer griped about Block’s pre-millial view-point. However, Block’s commentary is not a salvation issue. If you have issues with Block’s theology, you can ignore it. However, he does offer some great detail and explanation within his commentary.
Jeremiah–Ezekiel by Tremper Longman
Longman released a great commentary on Jeremiah and Ezekiel. This commentary serves as a two for one. It covers both the book of Ezekiel and the book of Jeremiah.
If you are wanting to read commentaries, and want a lot of it, this might be the book for you. It is not incredibly deep, but it has tons of volume.
Some found this commentary to be easy but shallow. It is a long commentary, but certain reviewers did not find this as helpful as they wanted.
I would recommend this commentary to anyone who is just beginning the journey of commentary. I would also recommend this for people who want to do a group study. If a book is too in-depth, group studies can be hard, but this might be a good middle-ground.
Best Free Commentary: Dr. Fairbairn
Commentaries can be rather expensive, but Dr. Fairbairn’s is free. Even though it is free, it is not lacking. It fully covers the book of Ezekiel with explanation and more.
The one issue with this commentary is its age. The reason it is free is because it is old. Because it’s old, it might not apply as easily to culture today.
Through very careful reading of the book, Dr. Fairbairn reveals truth about the book. This might even be the most helpful commentary on this list.
As the author of a commentary, Dr. Fairbairn has done tons of research into Ezekiel.
Ultimately, Dr. Fairbairn gives us a great free option when it comes to commentary on the book of Ezekiel.
Word Biblical Commentary: Ezekiel 1-19 by W.H. Brownlee
W.H. Brownlee delivered another commentary on the Old Testament book of Ezekiel.
Many people found this commentary to be useful in their study, however, others were not as convinced. Some people found this commentary to be great for sparking ideas, but not great for delivering fully-fledged thoughts.
A partial reason for this is that W.H. Brownlee passed before the completion of this commentary. As such, he did not get to finish his vision for the commentary. A couple other writers helped to complete the text.
Ultimately, this might be a great tool alongside others to create a view of the book of Ezekiel from a fresh perspective.
Closing Thoughts
I hope that you have found this list of commentaries helpful in choosing a commentary. I hope that each one teaches you about God and God’s people. That is reveals the message of the prophet clearly.
As a Book of the Bible, Ezekiel is one of the more difficult to apply. That is why these authors have done the most important work of breaking down individual text.
Furthermore, if you’d like to check out the best commentaries on Luke check them out here.
