Introduction
J.W. McGarvey’s 1892 New Commentary on Acts of Apostles (as opposed to his original commentary on Acts written in 1863) is an excellent commentary on the book of Acts and continues to be a very worthwhile read even more than 125 years after its initial publication. McGarvey writes with a strong conviction of the total inspiration, infallibility, and sufficiency of the Bible and displays a vast knowledge of the Bible, history, and geography.
The commentary begins with brief introductory remarks regarding date, authorship, and chronology followed by the commentary proper which is split into two volumes: the first covering Acts 1:1-12:25 and the second Acts 13:1-28:31. There is an extended discussion on baptism at the end of volume one which is a very thorough and fair defense of the purpose of baptism – it’s worth reading by itself even if you don’t want to work through an entire commentary on Acts.
Writing Syle
The commentary is written in a narrative manner with the Biblical text woven throughout. This allows it to be read cover to cover naturally as opposed to an encyclopedic stye. The commentary goes into a surprising amount of detail without sacrificing its readability. The writing level is aimed at the non-specialist and would be accessible to anyone with a basic knowledge of the Bible. Discussions of the Greek text are kept to a minimum and are contained within footnotes. Interactions with the writings of other scholars are not excessive and, when the discussion would break the flow of the commentary, are sent to the footnotes as well.
The style and accessibility should not deter those who consider themselves to be past the beginner stage in their study of the Bible. McGarvey’s insights are superb, in depth, and will be beneficial to anyone, regardless of their level of Bible knowledge.
But it’s old…
It is true that McGarvey’s New Commentary on Acts of Apostles is not modern, but it has held up remarkably well and remains very relevant today. Having said that, here are a couple of things to consider regarding its age:
First, the base text of the commentary is the Revised Version, the official revision of the King James Version which was completed in the latter portion of the 19th century. While this was the latest and greatest translation of the English Bible in McGarvey’s time, it’s unlikely that many today will be familiar with it. If the translation of the Bible found within the commentary bothers you, it’s an easy fix: simply follow along in your preferred translation.
Second, McGarvey does interact with the work of other scholars and these will, obviously, be older sources and not necessarily as relevant today as they were at the time. If you’re wanting to read interactions with modern scholars then this commentary is not for you. If, on the other hand, you are primarily interested in the timeless truths of the Bible itself, then this commentary is definitely for you.
Third, it’s out of copyright! If you don’t want to buy a copy of the commentary that’s okay, it’s available online for free.
Verdict
McGarvey’s New Commentary on Acts of Apostles is an excellent and very accessible commentary on the book of Acts that would be beneficial for personal study as well as for preparing to teach Bible class or give a sermon. While there were some details where I was in slight disagreement with McGarvey, these are so minor that they’re not even worth going through. I personally learned a lot from reading this commentary and would recommend it to anyone without reservation.
Studies in the Bible 