Of all the books on the Sacred Scriptures that I have encountered, this is certainly one of the most beneficial that I have come across. A marriage of the Scriptural paraphrase (a type of Bible translation that paraphrases large portions of Scripture instead of rendering a literal translation) with commentary that is both orthodox and understandable to the lay person, this book should truly be considered a ‘pearl of great price’.
Used for years as the gold standard in teaching Scripture in Catholic Schools, A Practical Commentary can be read with benefit by adolescents as well as adults.
The book’s only limitation is the fact that it deals only with the ‘historical books’ of the Holy Scriptures (i.e. Salvation History). So, there will be no commentary on the Wisdom books, and a great deal of the Prophets will be left out. The epistles will also find no place here. However, an entire commentary on the entirety of Salvation History is no mean feat to say the least. This book comes most highly recommended, and is in my opinion, a must for every Catholic library.