{Book Review} A Commentary on the Old and New Testament

Soli Deo Gloria Publications (an imprint of Reformation Heritage Books) has republished (in 2022) John Trapp’s A Commentary on the Old and New Testament. The series is edited by W. Webster and Hugh Martin. It also includes a memoir by Alexander B. Grosart. 

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About the Author

First, a quick word about John Trapp (taken from RHB’s website): “John Trapp (1601–1669) was a star pupil and scholar who became headmaster of the Free School at Stratford upon Avon at the age of 24. One of his pupils, William Shakespeare’s son-in-law, described him as ‘second to none for his piety and learning.’ He served the school into old age while also ministering at local churches and for the Parliamentarian army. He labored on these commentaries (originally in ten volumes) in any spare time he had until their publication completed in 1662.”

A Commentary on the Old and New Testament

This is a five-volume hardcover set that includes: 

• Volume 1: Genesis-2 Chronicles
• Volume 2: Ezra-Psalms
• Volume 3: Proverbs-Daniel
• Volume 4: Hosea-Malachi
• Volume 5: Matthew-Revelation 

This publication is a phenomenal achievement, and one that the church ought to be very thankful for! Each of these volumes are over 700 pages (with some approaching 1,000 pages), and they are jam-packed with excellent exegesis. Every single verse in the Holy Scriptures is commented upon by John Trapp which is a magnificent feat.

Charles Spuregon, the prince of preachers, said this about Trapp’s commentary set: “Trapp is my especial companion and treasure; I can read him when I am too weary for anything else. Trapp is salt, pepper, mustard, vinegar, and all the other condiments. Put him on the table when you study, and when you have your dish ready, use him by way of spicing the whole thing.” 

Pros and Cons

I’d like to list some of the pros and cons of these volumes. Beginning with the pros: 

Pros:

• Every single verse in Scripture is commented on
• Although some verses contain a mere few words of exegesis (see con below), Trapp is a master of communicating deep truth in very few words 
• Trapp often provides cross-references, pointing the reader to other passages in Scripture that discuss similar points and doctrines
• A very useful index of texts of Scripture is provided in the back of each volume
• I love that Trapp refers to other scholars throughout church history as he deals with the text
• The reader is absolutely sure to grow in their understanding of the Bible by referencing this set
• It is very easy to find the verses that you’re looking for. The book name, chapter, and verse are all located at the top margin 
• The hardcover books are beautifully done! I love the gray cover with blue/gold imprint on the spine

Cons:

• There are some things left untranslated into English
• The font will be uncomfortably small for some folks
• The concise exegesis oftentimes left me wanting more (though this is to be expected in a whole-Bible commentary set; it wasn’t intended on being a long, technical commentary on just one book of the Bible)
• No dust jackets for these beautiful books (some people hate them and throw them away, so this is just a personal preference)  

I have already used these volumes on a daily basis as I’m studying God’s Word. It’s so easy to reach over, grab one of the volumes, and look up a verse that I’m desiring to learn more about. Trapp is especially helpful in this regard (Bible study). The content is always concise and clear and sure to help the reader in their Bible study. 

I have many bookshelves filled with commentaries, and I’m so glad to have this set among them. My hope is that Christians will take advantage of this wonderful publication and glean from a tremendous teacher of God’s Word. Tolle lege, take up and read! 

Disclaimer: My thanks to Reformation Heritage Books for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.