The Lives & Theology of the Apostles

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New Testament Commentaries

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“The prophets prophesied by the Spirit of Christ – the apostles preached by the commission of Christ.”

John ‘Rabbi’ Duncan

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Order of Contents

Lives of the Apostles  6
Life, Letters & Theology of Paul  40+
Life & Theology of John  12
Life & Letters of Peter  13
Life of Matthew  1
Life of Doubting Thomas  1

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Lives of the Apostles

1700’s

Biscoe, Richard – History of the Acts of the Holy Apostles confirmed from other Authors and considered as Full Evidence for the Truth of Christianity  d. 1748  610 pp.

**  “Though not commentaries, the three works just mentioned are sources of information not to be neglected by the student of Acts.” – Spurgeon

Doddridge, Philip – ‘The Lives of the Apostles’  148 pp. in The Life of our Blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, pp. 300-448  d. 1751

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1800’s, Liberals

Farrar, F.W. – ‘Writings of the Apostles and Early Christians’, ‘St. Peter’, ‘The Lord’s Brother’, ‘Life and Character of St. James’, ‘St. John’, ‘Life of St. John after the Ascension’, ‘Legends of St. John’, ‘Characteristics of the Mind and Style of St. John’  being chs. 5,6,19,20,24-26 in The Early Days of Christianity  1882  690 pp.

Farrar (1831–1903)

Bruce, A.B. – The Training of the Twelve, or Passages out of the Gospels Exhibiting the Twelve Disciples of Jesus under Discipline for the Apostleship  1877  560 pp.  

Though Bruce was a liberal, this work is a classic.

Stanley, Arthur – Sermons and Essays on the Apostolical Age 1874  430 pp.

Some of the historical material is very valuable and conveniently laid out.

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1900’s

Jones, J.D. – The Glorious Company of the Apostles, being Studies in the Characters of the Twelve  Buy  1904  272 pp.  This was reprinted by Klock & Klock

Holden, John Stuart – The Master and his Men  Buy  1953

“Penetrating studies on the disciples of Christ by one of the memorable preachers of the early twentieth century.” – Cyril Barber

Mackay, William – The Men Whom Jesus Made: Studies in the Characters of the Twelve Apostles  Buy  1924

Macartney, Clarence – “Of them He Chose Twelve”  Buy  1927  140 pp.

“Indispensable studies of the apostles.” – Cyril Barber

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2000’s

MacArthur, John – Twelve Ordinary Men:  How the Master Shaped his Disciples for Greatness…  Buy  201 pp.

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The Life & Theology of Paul

The Life & Theology of Paul


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The Life and Theology of John  see also the works above

“John… with the eagle eye, is content to gaze, and to rest gazing, on the life which is the light of men.”

John ‘Rabbi’ Duncan

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Short

Evans, Robert Wilson – ‘St. John’  1834  14 pp.  in Scripture Biography, First Series, pp. 250-264

Evans was a fellow and tutor at Cambridge.

Robinson, Thomas – ‘St. John, the Apostle and the Evangelist’  1792  15 pp.  in Scripture Characters, or a Practical Improvement of the Principal Histories in the New Testament, vol. 2, pp. 253-268

Robinson (1749-1813) was an Anglican and fellow of Cambridge.

Schaff, Philip – St. John & the Last Stadium of the Apostolic Period, the Consolidation of Jewish & Gentile Christianity: The Johannean Literature, The Life & Character of John, The Apostolic Labors of John, Traditions Respecting John  in History of the Christian Church  3rd rev.  (1910), vol. 1, pp. 406-31

Whyte, Alexander – John  in Bible Characters

Whyte was a popular leader and professor in the United Free Church of Scotland.

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Books

1800’s

Gloag, Paton – ‘General Introduction’  1891  93 pp.  in Introduction to the Johannine Writings  

Krummacher, F.A. – The Life & Character of St. John the Evangelist and Apostle  1839  140 pp.

F.A. Krummacher (1767-1845) was the father of F.W. Krummacher.

**  “The author’s name is a sufficient guarantee.  He has also written on Cornelius and Stephen.” – Spurgeon

Luthardt, Christoph – St. John, the Author of the Fourth Gospel  1875  390 pp.  trans. Caspar Gregory of Leipzig

The translator was a student of Charles Hodge of old Princeton Seminary and dedicated the translation to him.  Luthardt (1823–1902) was an orthodox, Lutheran, German professor in Leipzig.

MacDonald, James – The Life & Writings of St. John  1877  413 pp.

MacDonald was of Princeton, New Jersey.

Stalker, James – The Two St. John’s of the New Testament  1895  280 pp.

Thomas, W.H. Griffith – The Apostle John: Studies in his Life & Writings  1881?  380 pp.

Thomas was a conservative, Anglican, Oxford principal, early dispensationalist and co-founder of Dallas Theological Seminary.

Trench, Francis – The Life & Character of St. John the Evangelist  1850  255 pp.

Trench was the older brother of R.C. Trench.

Webb, Mrs. J.B. – The Beloved Disciple: Reflections on the History of St. John  1848  236 pp.

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1900’s

Howard, Wilbert – Christianity According to St. John  Buy  (1943)

“A helpful survey of Johannine theology.” – Cyril J. Barber

Thomas, William Henry Griffith – The Apostle John: Studies in his Life & Writings  (1958)  210 pp.  ToC

“A lucid study of the Johannine writings which includes a biographical sketch of the apostle, and an extensive analysis of the Gospel, Epistles, and Revelation.” – Cyril J. Barber

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2000’s

Reymond, Robert – John, Beloved Disciple: a Survey of his Theology  Buy  2001  200 pp.

Reymond, known for his systematic theology, has been a conservative professor at Covenant and Knox Seminaries.

“Reymond is a significant scholar in the Reformed tradition but above all he is a Biblical theologian…  This book is the result of detailed and painstaking study and yet it remains accessible and useful to all who have a serious interest in Scripture.” – A.T.B. McGowan

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Latin

Lampe, F.A. – Of the Life of John the Evangelist  in An Analytical & Exegetical Commentary, even Literal of the Real Gospel According to John, vol. 1

Lampe (1683–1729) was a German Pietist pastor, theologian and professor of dogmatics. He was a Cocceian, and follower of Johannes d’Outrein. He is known as the first Pietist leader from a Calvinist rather than Lutheran background.

“Including a bibliographical account of authors who have written the life of St. John.” – James Darling

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German

Zahn, Theodore – The Acts of John  (Erlangen, 1880)  Containing the claimed accounts of Prochorus (1st century) & Leucius (200’s).


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The Life & Letters of Peter  see also ‘Lives of the Apostles’ above

Short

Evans, Robert Wilson – ‘St. Peter’  1834  24 pp.  in Scripture Biography, First Series, pp. 226-250

Evans was a fellow and tutor at Cambridge.

Robinson, Thomas – ‘Saint Peter’  1792  15 pp.  in Scripture Characters, or a Practical Improvement of the Principal Histories in the New Testament, vol. 2, pp. 237-252

Robinson (1749-1813) was an Anglican and fellow of Cambridge.

Whyte, Alexander – Peter   from Bible Characters

Ridderbos, Herman – The Speeches of Peter in the Acts of the Apostles  Buy  1962  31 pp.

“Comprises the Tyndale New Testament Lecture for 1961.  Provides a scholarly exposition of Peter’s speeches.” – Cyril J. Barber

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Books

1800’s

Birks, H.A. – Studies in the Life and Character of St. Peter  1889  300 pp.

“This series of messages on selected incidents in the life of Peter contains an analysis of the relationship of Peter and Judas as contenders for the position of leader of the apostles.” – Cyril J. Barber

Blunt, Henry – Nine Lectures upon the History of St. Peter  1830  230 pp.

**  “Printed in such large and widely-leaded type that a very little matter goes a long way.  Very good, but not striking.” – Spurgeon

Green, Samuel – The Apostle Peter, his Life and Letters  n.d.  195 pp.

***  “Contains a large amount of needful information, condensed and well arranged.  Dr. Green is the writer on Peter’s biography.” 

Macduff, John – The Footsteps of St. Peter: Being the Life and Times of the Apostle  Buy  1877  677 pp.

Taylor, William – Peter the Apostle  1876  365 pp.

Taylor (1829–1895) was a Scot born, , presbyterian educated, American Congregationalist minister in New York, USA.

“An excellent biographical study.” – Cyril J. Barber

Martin, Hugh – Simon Peter  Buy  167 pp.

Martin (1822-85) was a minister in the Free Church of Scotland.  This work is a classic.

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1900’s

Meyer, F.B. – Peter: Fisherman, Disciple, Apostle  1919  240 pp.

“An exposition of the humanness of the fisherman who became a pillar in the church.” – Cyril J. Barber

Robertson, A.T. – Epochs in the Life of St. Peter  Buy  1934

“A clear, chronological presentation of the life, ministry and writings of the apostle.” – Cyril J. Barber

English, Eugene S. – The Life and Letters of St. Peter: containing Landmarks in the Life and Expositions of the Epistles of the Fisherman-Apostle  Buy  1941

“Consists of a series of messages on the high points in the life of Peter, together with an exposition of his epistles.” – Cyril J. Barber

Thomas, W.H.G. – The Apostle Peter: Outline Studies in his Life, Character and Writings  Buy  1950

“Drawing heavily upon Peter’s natural characteristics the writer shows how these were transformed by the Holy Spirit.” – Cyril J. Barber

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The Life of Matthew

Whyte, Alexander – Matthew  in Bible Characters  †1921

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Life of Doubting Thomas

Whyte, Alexander – Thomas  in Bible Characters  †1921

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Related Pages

Bible Characters in the Gospels

New Testament Background, Survey, Authenticity & Introduction

New Testament Theology

Whole Bible Commentaries

Old Testament Commentaries

New Testament Commentaries