This list compiles 50 significant Bible commentaries and study tools published prior to 1940. They are categorized by era and type to help navigate the theological landscape of the time.
The Reformers & Puritans (16th – 17th Century)
These works focus on the literal sense of scripture, doctrinal purity, and piety.
Martin Luther – Commentary on Galatians (1535). A foundational text of the Reformation focusing on justification by faith.
John Calvin – Commentaries (c. 1540–1564). Covers almost the entire Bible; renowned for clarity, brevity, and theological depth.
The Geneva Bible Notes (1560). The marginal notes of the Bible used by the Pilgrims and Shakespeare; heavily Calvinistic.
David Dickson – A Brief Explication of the Psalms (1650s). A classic Puritan devotional commentary.
John Trapp – Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1662). Famous for its wit and "quotable" Puritan style.
Matthew Poole – English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1685). A scholarly summary of critical views of the day, less devotional than Henry but very precise.
William Gouge – Commentary on Hebrews (1655). A massive Puritan exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Thomas Manton – Commentary on James (1651). A classic practical exposition on the Epistle of James.
John Owen – Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews (1668–1684). A monumental seven-volume theological treatise.
The Great Awakenings & 18th Century
Works from this era often bridge the gap between heavy Puritan scholarship and practical application for the layperson.
Matthew Henry – Exposition of the Old and New Testaments (1706–1714). Perhaps the most famous devotional commentary in the English language.
John Gill – Exposition of the Whole Bible (1748–1763). The first major Baptist commentary; highly detailed and technical.
John Wesley – Explanatory Notes on the New Testament (1755). Concise and practical, essential for Methodist doctrine.
Philip Doddridge – The Family Expositor (1739). A paraphrase and commentary designed for family worship.
The 19th Century: The Golden Age of Commentaries
This era saw an explosion of resources, ranging from critical linguistic studies to homiletic (preaching) helps.
Whole Bible Sets
14. Adam Clarke – Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826). A Methodist scholarly work known for its linguistic depth (and eccentricities).
15. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown – Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871). A bridge between critical scholarship and conservative theology; still widely used.
16. Albert Barnes – Notes on the Old and New Testaments (1830s–1850s). Extremely popular in America; non-technical and designed for Sunday School teachers.
17. Keil and Delitzsch – Commentary on the Old Testament (1861). The standard conservative German Lutheran commentary on the OT for over a century.
18. John Peter Lange – Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (1860s). A massive work translated from German with additions by American scholars like Philip Schaff.
19. Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (1878). Edited by Charles Ellicott; a solid Anglican commentary.
20. The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919). One of the largest sets ever printed, designed specifically to help preachers with homilies.
21. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (1882). A standard academic series for students.
22. The Expositor’s Bible (1887–1896). Edited by W. Robertson Nicoll; focuses on exposition and theology rather than verse-by-verse exegesis.
New Testament & Greek Scholarship
23. Henry Alford – The Greek Testament (1849–1861). The standard critical Greek commentary of the Victorian era.
24. J.B. Lightfoot – Commentaries on Galatians, Philippians, Colossians (1865–1875). Unsurpassed historical and linguistic scholarship.
25. B.F. Westcott – Commentary on the Gospel of John (1881). Also wrote on Hebrews and Epistles of John; famous for precise Greek work.
26. F.J.A. Hort – Commentary on 1 Peter (1898). A fragmentary but brilliant Greek text scholar.
27. Charles Hodge – Commentary on Romans (1835). A distinctively Reformed/Presbyterian theological masterpiece.
28. Robert Haldane – Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans (1835). Credited with sparking a revival in Geneva; theological and doctrinal.
29. Frederic Godet – Commentary on Luke/John/Romans (1870s). A Swiss Reformed scholar known for spiritual warmth and insight.
30. H.A.W. Meyer – Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (1832). High-level German critical scholarship.
31. John Eadie – Commentaries on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians (1850s–1880s). Scottish Presbyterian scholarship.
32. R.C.H. Lenski – Interpretation of the New Testament (1920s–1930s). A staunchly Lutheran, literal translation and commentary.
Devotional & Specific Books
33. Charles Spurgeon – The Treasury of David (1865–1885). A 7-volume magnum opus on the Psalms, compiling comments from hundreds of authors.
34. J.C. Ryle – Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (1856). Simple, robust, and evangelical; written for the layperson.
35. C.H. Mackintosh – Notes on the Pentateuch (1850s). The standard Plymouth Brethren typological commentary (signed as "C.H.M.").
36. William Kelly – Commentaries (1860s–1900). A prolific Plymouth Brethren writer known for intense detail.
37. Andrew Bonar – Commentary on Leviticus (1846). Finds Christ in the rituals of the Old Testament.
Early 20th Century (Pre-1940)
This period moved toward more accessible "Study Bible" formats and word studies.
C.I. Scofield – Scofield Reference Bible Notes (1909). Popularized Dispensational theology in America.
E.W. Bullinger – The Companion Bible (1909–1922). Ultra-dispensational notes emphasizing structure and numerology.
H.A. Ironside – Ironside Expository Commentaries (1920s–1940s). Transcription of his preaching; highly accessible and pastoral.
A.T. Robertson – Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930). Explains the nuances of Greek grammar for English readers.
Marvin Vincent – Word Studies in the New Testament (1887). Similar to Robertson, focusing on the history of words.
G. Campbell Morgan – The Analyzed Bible (1907). Focuses on the structural outline of biblical books.
Alexander Maclaren – Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910). A massive collection of expository sermons covering the whole Bible.
Arno C. Gaebelein – The Annotated Bible (1913–1924). A prophetic/dispensational commentary.
Arthur Pink – Gleanings in Genesis (1922). Pink wrote many commentaries in this era focusing on sovereignty and typology.
W.H. Griffith Thomas – Genesis: A Devotional Commentary (1907). Anglican evangelical scholarship.
Sir Robert Anderson – The Coming Prince (1881). A classic commentary specifically on the Book of Daniel.
Lewis Sperry Chafer – Major Bible Themes (1926). While a systematic theology, it served as a commentary foundation for many Dallas Theological Seminary students.
H.C.G. Moule – Romans (Cambridge Bible series) (1879). A highly regarded devotional and scholarly treatment of Romans.
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This list features 50 Bible study guides, commentaries, and devotional study tools published before 1940. These works largely defined the "Bible Student" era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by a focus on dispensationalism, expository study, and practical Christian living.
R.A. Torrey
Reuben Archer Torrey was a central figure in the fundamentalist movement and the second president of Moody Bible Institute.
How to Bring Men to Christ (1893) – A practical guide for evangelism and personal work.
How to Study the Bible for Greatest Profit (1896) – One of the most influential guides on methods of Bible study.
The Baptism with the Holy Spirit (1897) – A study on the work and power of the Holy Spirit.
The New Topical Textbook (1897) – A classic reference work organizing scripture by topic for study.
What the Bible Teaches (1898) – A comprehensive study of the great doctrines of the Bible.
How to Pray (1900) – A widely read guide on the theology and practice of prayer.
Revival Addresses (1903) – A collection of sermons used as study material for revivalism.
Difficulties in the Bible (1907) – Addressed alleged errors and contradictions for students of apologetics.
The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit (1910) – A systematic study of the Holy Spirit’s role.
The Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Faith (1918) – A core text outlining essential Christian beliefs.
G. Campbell Morgan
Known as the "Prince of Expositors," Morgan’s works were designed to help laypeople analyze the Bible chapter by chapter.
11. Discipleship (1897) – A study on what it means to follow Christ.
12. The Spirit of God (1900) – A theological examination of the Spirit.
13. God’s Perfect Will (1901) – A devotional study on discerning God's guidance.
14. The Crises of the Christ (1903) – A detailed study of seven critical events in the life of Jesus.
15. The Analyzed Bible (3 Vols) (1907–1908) – A massive project offering a telescopic view of the Old and New Testaments.
16. The Parables of the Kingdom (1907) – An exposition of the parables in Matthew 13.
17. The Study and Teaching of the English Bible (1910) – A pedagogical guide for teachers and students.
18. Living Messages of the Books of the Bible (1912) – Sermons summarizing the key message of each biblical book.
19. The Teaching of Christ (1913) – A systematic presentation of what Jesus taught.
20. Searchlights from the Word (1926) – A collection of sermon suggestions and brief studies.
H.A. Ironside
Ironside’s "devotional commentaries" were written to be accessible to the average reader and are still in print today.
21. Notes on the Book of Proverbs (1908) – Practical wisdom and exposition.
22. Notes on the Minor Prophets (1909) – A standard text on the final twelve books of the Old Testament.
23. Holiness: The False and the True (1912) – A study distinguishing between biblical sanctification and perfectionism.
24. Notes on Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther (1913) – Historical studies on the post-exilic period.
25. The Four Hundred Silent Years (1914) – A historical guide to the intertestamental period.
26. Lectures on the Book of Revelation (1919) – A dispensational approach to the Apocalypse.
27. Lectures on Daniel the Prophet (1920) – A key text for prophecy students of the era.
28. Notes on the Prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah (1928) – An exposition of the major prophet.
29. Addresses on the Song of Solomon (1933) – An allegorical study of the book as a picture of Christ and the Church.
30. Lectures on the Epistle to the Colossians (1929) – A study on the preeminence of Christ.
F.B. Meyer
Meyer was a Baptist pastor whose "biographical" Bible studies became templates for character studies.
31. Israel: A Prince with God (1887) – A character study of Jacob.
32. Elijah: And the Secret of His Power (1888) – One of his most famous biographical studies.
33. The Shepherd Psalm (1889) – A devotional study of Psalm 23.
34. The Way Into the Holiest (1893) – An exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
35. Christ in Isaiah (1895) – Looking for Messianic prophecies in the book of Isaiah.
36. The Secret of Guidance (1896) – A guide to understanding the Holy Spirit's leading.
37. Our Daily Homily (1898) – A 5-volume set providing a brief devotional commentary on every chapter of the Bible.
C.I. Scofield & James M. Gray
Leaders in the dispensational movement who provided tools for "rightly dividing" the scriptures.
38. Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth (C.I. Scofield, 1888) – A foundational booklet on dispensational distinctions.
39. The Scofield Bible Correspondence Course (C.I. Scofield, 1890) – A seminal distance-learning course for Bible students.
40. Synthetic Bible Studies (James M. Gray, 1900) – A guide to studying the Bible as a whole, rather than in fragments.
41. How to Master the English Bible (James M. Gray, 1904) – Encouraged repeated reading of whole books of the Bible.
42. Primers of the Faith (James M. Gray, 1906) – Basic instruction for new believers.
43. The Scofield Reference Bible (C.I. Scofield, 1909/1917) – While technically a Bible, its notes functioned as the primary study guide for millions.
44. Christian Workers' Commentary (James M. Gray, 1915) – A one-volume commentary designed for lay ministry.
Arthur W. Pink
A theologian whose works on sovereignty and grace became classics later in the 20th century.
45. The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (1917) – A defense of biblical authority.
46. The Sovereignty of God (1918) – His magnum opus on Calvinist theology (original unedited edition).
47. The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross (1919) – A devotional study of the crucifixion.
48. Gleanings in Genesis (1922) – A Christological study of the first book of the Bible.
49. The Antichrist (1923) – A detailed study on eschatology and the "Man of Sin."
50. The Attributes of God (1930) – A study on the character and nature of God.
Would you like me to find a digital copy or summary of any of these specific titles?
Most of these works are in the public domain and are widely available for free in digital formats (PDF, EPUB, Kindle, or plain HTML).
Here is a guide to the best digital repositories where you can locate these specific titles, organized by which site is best for each author.
1. The Best "All-in-One" Repositories
These massive libraries contain scans of the original physical books (good for verifying page numbers) as well as re-typed digital versions.
Internet Archive (archive.org): This is the single best source for 95% of the list. It holds the original scans of the 19th/20th-century printings.
How to use: Search for "[Book Title] [Author Name]" in the search bar. You can usually download them as clean PDFs or read them in the browser's "book reader" mode.
Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org): The gold standard for formatted, easy-to-read text versions. They don't just offer PDFs; they offer indexed HTML versions that link directly to Bible verses.
Best for: R.A. Torrey, G. Campbell Morgan, and F.B. Meyer.
2. Author-Specific Locations
For R.A. Torrey & C.I. Scofield
Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org): Excellent for How to Pray and The Fundamental Doctrines.1 These are high-quality, typed transcriptions (not just rough scans).
Blue Letter Bible (blueletterbible.org): Contains the full text of The New Topical Textbook and Scofield’s notes integrated into their Bible search tools.
For G. Campbell Morgan
StudyLight (studylight.org): This site hosts arguably the best collection of Morgan's commentaries, including the entire Analyzed Bible and Living Messages, formatted as a clickable commentary.
The Internet Archive: Morgan's books are massive (often 300+ pages), so the Archive's "Flip-book" viewer is often the best way to read The Crises of the Christ.
For H.A. Ironside
https://www.google.com/search?q=IronsideCommentaries.com: A dedicated fan-site that has transcribed almost all of his commentaries (Proverbs, Daniel, Revelation) into plain text.
Open Library (openlibrary.org): This is connected to the Internet Archive but allows you to "borrow" digital versions of his later works that might still be under copyright renewal, though most pre-1940 works are fully open.
For F.B. Meyer
Precept Austin (preceptaustin.org): A massive resource for students of expository preaching. They have aggregated almost all of Meyer’s "biographical" studies (David, Elijah, Paul) onto single pages.
StudyLight: Hosts Our Daily Homily and his "Through the Bible" commentary series.2
For Arthur W. Pink
Chapel Library (chapellibrary.org): This ministry specializes in A.W. Pink. They offer high-quality, professionally typeset PDFs of The Sovereignty of God and The Attributes of God for free download.
Monergism (monergism.com): Excellent for finding Pink's articles and essays that were later compiled into books.
3. Quick Links for the "Top 5" Essentials
If you want to start immediately, here are direct search queries for the most requested titles from your list:
Torrey's "How to Pray": Read on CCEL
Scofield's "Rightly Dividing": Read on Project Gutenberg
Ironside's "Revelation": Read on StudyLight
Pink's "Sovereignty of God": Download from Chapel Library
Morgan's "Analyzed Bible": View on Internet Archive
Would you like me to guide you on how to download these to a Kindle or specific e-reader device?
What is semantic search?
Semantic search captures user intent to deliver highly relevant results. Think faster, smarter search experiences and deeper insights from your data.
You can find C.I. Scofield’s Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth (1888) at the following locations. Because it is in the public domain, it is free to read and download.1
Best Digital Copies
For Printing or Tablet (PDF):
Wholesome Words (Clean PDF) – This is the best formatted version. It preserves the original structure of the 10 studies and includes the original charts.
Emmaus Bible School Version – A slightly modernized layout often used for study courses.
For Reading on a Phone (HTML):
BibleCentre.org – This version is just plain text on a webpage, making it much easier to read on a mobile screen than a PDF.
Blue Letter Bible – Useful if you want to click the Bible verses to instantly read the references.
Audio Version:
LibriVox (Free Audiobook) – Free MP3 download of the book being read aloud.
What to Expect
This is a very short book (often printed as a pamphlet) consisting of 10 outline studies.2 It serves as the primary "textbook" for the dispensational theology found in the Scofield Reference Bible.
Key Chapters to Look For:
The Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God: Scofield’s argument that the Bible addresses three distinct groups of people.3
The Seven Dispensations: The core framework of his theology (Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, Law, Grace, Kingdom).4
Law and Grace: A study arguing that these are mutually exclusive systems of divine dealing.
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Based on the screenshots you provided, you are looking for classic, mostly public-domain theological commentaries. While StudyLight.org provides excellent text-based versions of these, they usually do not offer downloadable PDFs of the original scanned books.
Because most of these works were published in the 19th or early 20th century, they are in the Public Domain. The best place to find the original PDFs (scans of the actual book pages) is the Internet Archive (archive.org) or the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org).
Here is the breakdown of where to find the downloadable PDF for each commentary from your list:
1. Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Heinrich Meyer)
This is a massive, multi-volume set (often 20 volumes). You generally cannot download the "whole" thing in one file; you have to grab the specific volume you need (e.g., "Meyer's Commentary Matthew").
Best Source: Internet Archive
Search Term:
Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary New TestamentNote: Look for the English translations (published by T&T Clark).
2. Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament (Philip Schaff)
Philip Schaff is a giant in church history. This set is usually composed of 4 volumes.
Best Source: Internet Archive
Search Term:
Schaff Popular Commentary New TestamentStructure:
Vol 1: Matthew, Mark, Luke
Vol 2: John, Acts
Vol 3: Romans - Philemon
Vol 4: Hebrews - Revelation
3. Mitchell's Commentary (John G. Mitchell)
Important Note: Unlike the others on this list, Dr. John G. Mitchell (founder of Multnomah) lived much later (died 1990). His works are likely still under copyright.
Availability: While StudyLight has permission to display the text, a legal "free PDF" likely does not exist online unless the estate released it.
Action: You may have to rely on the text version on StudyLight or purchase the physical book/ebook. You can check
openlibrary.orgto see if you can "borrow" the digital version for 1 hour at a time.
4. Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible (Albert Barnes)
This is one of the most widely circulated commentaries in history.
Best Source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) or Internet Archive.
Search Term:
Albert Barnes Notes on the New TestamentDownload Tip: CCEL often has a neat "single PDF" for the NT or OT, whereas Internet Archive has the scanned original books.
5. Vincent's Word Studies (Marvin Vincent)
This is a 4-volume set focusing on Greek definitions.
Best Source: Internet Archive
Search Term:
Vincent Word Studies in the New TestamentStructure:
Vol 1: Gospels
Vol 2: John - Acts - Epistles
Vol 3: Epistles of Paul
Vol 4: Thessalonians - Revelation
6. Brown's Commentary (John Brown)
Known as "The Self-Interpreting Bible."
Best Source: Internet Archive
Search Term:
John Brown Self Interpreting BibleNote: Ensure you find the one by John Brown of Haddington (there are many "John Browns" in theology).
7. The Expositor's Greek Testament (William Robertson Nicoll)
This is a 5-volume set intended to succeed the older "Alford's Greek Testament."
Best Source: Internet Archive
Search Term:
Expositor's Greek Testament NicollStructure:
Vol 1: Synoptic Gospels
Vol 2: John - Acts
Vol 3: Second Corinthians
Vol 4: Thessalonians - James
Vol 5: 1 Peter - Revelation
8. Larkin's Study of the Prophetic Book (Clarence Larkin)
Clarence Larkin is famous for his intricate charts. Getting the PDF is actually better than the text version because you can see his original drawings.
Best Source: Internet Archive
Search Term:
Clarence Larkin Dispensational TruthorClarence Larkin The Book of RevelationNote: His most famous book is "Dispensational Truth," which covers most of his prophetic studies.
How to Download from Internet Archive
When you find the book on
archive.org:Look at the "Download Options" box on the right side of the page.
Click on "PDF".
Sometimes the "PDF" link downloads a small file with a link; if so, look for "PDF (IMAGE)" to get the actual scanned book.
Would you like me to find a direct link for a specific volume of one of these (e.g., "I need Barnes on the book of Romans")?
The Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) is one of the oldest and most significant digital libraries on the internet dedicated to classic Christian literature. It is a non-profit project that provides free electronic copies of hundreds of classic Christian texts.
Here is a breakdown of what the library offers and how it functions:
1. Mission and Purpose
The CCEL’s mission is to build up the church by making classic Christian writings widely available and promoting their use for edification and study. It serves as a major resource for students, scholars, pastors, and laypeople who want to read historical theological works without purchasing expensive physical volumes.
2. Key Collections and Content
The library focuses on works that are in the public domain. Its catalog spans thousands of years of church history, including:
Early Church Fathers: Extensive collections of writings from figures like St. Augustine (Confessions, City of God), St. Athanasius, and St. Chrysostom.
Medieval Mystics & Theologians: Works by St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica), Julian of Norwich, St. John of the Cross, and Teresa of Avila.
The Reformation: Major works by Martin Luther, John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion), and other Reformers.
Post-Reformation & Modern Classics: Writings by John Bunyan (The Pilgrim's Progress), Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and G.K. Chesterton.
Reference Works: It also hosts Bible commentaries (like Matthew Henry’s), dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
3. Key Features
Accessibility: Most texts are available in multiple formats, including online HTML, PDF, and ePub for e-readers.
Searchability: The site includes tools to search not just by title or author, but also by scripture reference (finding all texts that cite a specific Bible verse).
Hymnary: CCEL is closely affiliated with Hymnary.org, a massive database of Christian hymns and hymnals.
World Wide Study Bible: A collaborative project that organizes commentaries, sermons, and articles by scripture passage.
4. Background and Governance
Founder: It was founded in 1993 by Harry Plantinga, a professor of computer science.
Host: The project is owned and hosted by Calvin University (formerly Calvin College) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Funding: It is supported by donations, grants, and the sale of some premium formatted products, though the vast majority of the content is free.
Would you like me to help you find a specific author, book, or topic within their collection?
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