The Banner of Truth is the publisher of The Westminster Confession: A Commentary by A. A. Hodge. Let me put my cards on the table right up front: of all the Banner of Truth books that I own and cherish, this is one of my all-time favorites!
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The Westminster Confession: A Commentary
Hodge’s work is exactly what the title tells us: it’s a commentary on the 33 chapters of the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1646. Before diving into the content of the commentary, I want to point out that there are two excellent introductory chapters in this book. The first chapter is on a short history of creeds and confessions. Given the lack of appreciation for the historic creeds and confessions of the church in American Christianity today, this chapter is much needed! It’s a short chapter, but it’s packed with wisdom. The second introductory chapter is a short historical account of the Confession and catechisms (larger and shorter). This, too, is a wonderful chapter for those who are subscribers to the Westminster standards, or for anybody who enjoys history.
I have four other commentaries on the Westminster Confession, and I love them all. Hodge’s may possibly be my favorite though. He is very clear and articulate. He writes rather concisely, and yet what he does write is powerful. He is very organized in his presentation. He is constantly dealing with Scripture to show why the Confession teaches what it does. Also, I don’t often say this, but I love his questions at the end of each chapter. They aren’t for the faint of heart. For instance, his chapter on justification by faith provides 44 questions at the end! I also like that Hodge interacts with both the shorter and larger catechisms throughout this commentary. It’s not that Hodge is saying something different than what other commentators are saying, but he’s saying it so beautifully, concisely, logically, and persuasively.
This is a book that I would recommend Christians to read from cover to cover. But more than just that, I would recommend Christians to keep this book as a resource that you constantly reference. If you are reading about adoption in the book of Ephesians, jump into chapter twelve of this book and check out Hodge’s remarks. Most of the chapters are not very long, and you’ll greatly benefit from taking a few minutes to grow in your understanding of the whole Bible’s teaching on the particular topic.
This Banner of Truth edition is aesthetically beautiful! It’s a black, hardcover, cloth-bound book with gold lettering on the spine. The dust jacket has a nice picture of London on the front. Banner produces the nicest books you’ll ever find, though that probably only matters to book lovers like myself.
Most importantly, this book is an amazing help for anybody wanting to understand Reformed theology. It’s under 500 pages, but it covers so much terrain! Hodge proves to be a master teacher in this work, and the reader is sure to benefit from his commentary. I recommend it highly! Tolle lege, take up and read!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Banner of Truth for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
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