The "New Jerome Biblical Handbook" remains one of the most important books to come out of religious publishing in some time. It is an absolute essential for the busy clergyman who does not have the time for the in-depth reading and studying required for the far more academic "New Jerome Biblical Commentary". It will also make a worthy addition to the personal shelf of any informed layperson who wishes to become more biblically literate. It should also be found in every parish library.

What the "Handbook" does, is condense and distill the dense and academic material in the "Commentary" and present it in an easily recoverable fashion. The reader will gain insights into every book of the Bible, as well as into the basics of modern critical methodology, without requiring the technical training of the academic or seminarian.

From a theological standpoint, the "Handbook" could best be described as "moderate", rejecting both the anti-intellectualism of the fundamentalist far right as well as the deconstructionist tendencies of the far left. The editors did their work well in presenting a balanced picture of the best of modern biblical scholarship in an easy to read and comprehend format.

Certainly worth 5 stars.

I heartily recommend this book to all those who wanted a quick reference about the Bible! Maybe viewed as a supplementary to the NJBC, I find this book a handy one to bring along during my theology classes, and a useful tool for easy reading. The best handbook made for the best bible commentary!It has charts and visuals not usually found in the NJBC, which I think helps summarize and condense the immense scholarly works found in the NJBC.A great Companion to NJBC!

This is the revised and updated version of the famous volume named for St. Jerome, the great Christian biblical scholar who insisted that "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." I am certain that he would be honored that his name graces the title of this commentary, which has been helping pastors and students for decades.

Inside this work you will find the books of the Bible listed individually, with detailed commentary on verses and even partial verses. Prior to the detailed commentary, a helpful historical sketch is given to assist the reader in situating the particular biblical book in its context. It includes maps and charts.

Though this volume comes highly recommended, it is not always on the "cutting edge" of biblical scholarship. If you choose to utilize this volume, you have made a wise choice, but you should not limit your library to this commentary alone.

This is one of the finest biblical commentaries available -- and is certainly unsurpassed as a one-volume commentary.

It is encyclopedic in its examination of the prevailing theories of 'higher biblical criticism.' If you want to know what scholars think about the development of a particular book of the Bible, this is a superb source to consult.

It is not a 'preaching commentary,' however. And though it will tell you a lot about theological ideas associated with particular texts, it is the text, not the theology, which is of principal interest to the authors. This commentary reads more like a technical manual than like Shakespeare -- but this is not a fault. Rather, this commentary fills a much-needed niche among commentaries.

The would-be reader and purchaser of this book should also know that it is born out of a Roman Catholic perspective and often provides critical insights into how the Roman Catholic Church has interpreted Scripture. Similarly, however, this perspective often leaves the reader without the contrasting Protestant and Orthodox perspectives. Again, this is not a fault -- simply something to keep in mind.

This is a superb work that deserves a place in the library of preachers, biblical scholars, and serious students of the Bible.

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary is a great reference book for scholars and pastors who need a single volume of biblical commentary near at hand. The articles are written by some of the greats of biblical scholarship, and offer remarkably in-depth analysis, considering that one volume covers the entire Christian Scriptures. Of special help to students and scholars are the bibliographies at the end of each article. While not up-to-the-minute (the most recent edition of the NJBC is 1991, I think), the bibliographies often point out the most important books and articles written on the Bible in the past 30 years. I heartily recommend this book!