I have read several Crossway Classic Commentaries and found each of them to be very useful. The latest one covers the book of James and is written by Thomas Manton. Like others in this series, it is a classic. Personally, I have found James to be one of the most practical, yet difficult books in the New Testament to follow. James includes a litany of pragmatic guidance to Christians, some which almost seem to contradict key Protestant theological concepts - such as salvation by grace, alone. Martin Luther and several others have struggled to determine where the practical advise that James includes should be placed in relationship to other key Christian doctrines.
Given the fact that James contains only five chapters, this commentary is actually pretty long (over 350 pages). But, it is well worth the read since Thomas Manton explains in great detail his understanding of each chapter and verse. I learned a lot from this commentary and feel that I have a much better feel for the book of James. Although this commentary was written hundreds of years ago, the content is still very relevant. Modern believers, like myself, need to know what James means when he writes about controlling our tongue (words), and putting our faith into action.
If you are a Christian who would like to gain a much deeper grasp of the book of James, and the wisdom contained within it, then I highly recommend this commentary.
