Spurgeon Commentary: Galatians

Spurgeon Commentary

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Elliot Ritzema (Editor)

Gain easy access to the best of Spurgeon’s writings on the book of Galatians. Spurgeon Commentary: Galatians collects his thoughts on the epistle in a commentary format, including sermon illustrations and applications culled from his sermons and writings. Illustrations are indexed by theme, enabling you to quickly find a fitting observation whether you’re searching by topic or verse. Each section of Scripture also includes at least one application from Spurgeon based on those verses. And updated language brings greater clarity to his teachings than ever before—allowing you to better understand and apply Spurgeon’s rich insights into Galatians.

Genres: Nonfiction

188 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2013

About the author

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was England's best-known preacher for most of the second half of the nineteenth century. In 1854, just four years after his conversion, Spurgeon, then only 20, became pastor of London's famed New Park Street Church (formerly pastored by the famous Baptist theologian, John Gill). The congregation quickly outgrew their building, moved to Exeter Hall, then to Surrey Music Hall. In these venues, Spurgeon frequently preached to audiences numbering more than 10,000—all in the days before electronic amplification. In 1861, the congregation moved permanently to the newly constructed Metropolitan Tabernacle.

Reviews

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A straightforward and in depth commentary by one of the champions of the faith, Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

This was my first time reading a Spurgeon commentary, and I was happily surprised to see how timeless and relatively easy to understand it was. Spurgeon takes us through Paul's letter to the Galatians, providing context, history, and insight along the way. I liked how the verses were examined bit by bit, breaking apart sentences, and then as a chunk, with illustrations and then application.

Well written and thoughtful commentary, it is easy to see why Spurgeon's sermons are still revered today. Compiled in a non-threatening, and accessible edition less than 175 pages.

I enjoyed learning more about the history as it applied, as well as more about Paul and his relationship with the Galatian people. Overall, a wonderful addition to your library, that you will come back to again and again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Amanda Geaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Charles Spurgeon’s work in many formats over the years, including sermons, biographies about him, and study Bibles. This volume gathers his writings on Galatians and presents them in commentary form. Although his sermons and writings touch nearly every book of the Bible, Spurgeon only wrote formal commentaries on Psalms and Matthew. For this series, the editors have organized material from his sermons and other works into a unified structure. Each section includes exposition, illustration, and application. The editors’ updated language improves readability while preserving his voice.

Each section begins with a portion of Galatians in the King James Version, followed by exposition and application, with a sprinkling of Spurgeon’s illustrations. Some were especially helpful. Others were less memorable. Even so, they reflect his tendency to draw lessons from ordinary work, daily life, and familiar experiences.

What stood out most to me was how consistently Spurgeon moves from explanation to response. He presses truth toward the conscience. Justification leads to self-examination. Grace leads to obedience. Assurance leads to service. Again and again, he calls the reader to think, repent, pray, and act.

This commentary reinforced why Spurgeon continues to be quoted so widely. He had a gift for expressing biblical truth in pithy, memorable statements. One line confronts. The next urges action.

Because Spurgeon did not set out to write a commentary on Galatians, I wish the editors had used footnotes instead of a general sources section at the back. There are also several fonts used throughout the book. The heading font is difficult to read against the black background. The main text, however, is set in a comfortable font size for extended reading.

This is not an academic commentary. It reflects the work of a preacher addressing the spiritual needs of his flock. Readers who value devotional depth and practical application will find this volume worthwhile.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Charles H. Spurgeon
C. H. Spurgeon
Prince of Preachers
Lexham Press

[Regency_Fan_ Michelle RegencyFanMichelleAndMore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thoughtful, Encouraging Commentary on Galatians

The Spurgeon Commentary: Galatians is a beautifully designed and spiritually rich resource that makes Charles Spurgeon’s timeless insights both accessible and practical for today’s reader.

Each section is organized around specific passages in Galatians and paired with illustrations and application. I found the entries ideal for daily devotional reading. The sections are manageable in length, allowing Scripture to speak clearly without feeling overwhelming.

The layout is especially well done. Helpful tools such as the scripture index, illustration index, and source material make this volume useful not only for personal study, but also for teaching and reference. The editorial work is evident throughout.

I appreciated using this commentary in both Kindle and paperback formats. While I prefer to keep my physical books pristine, the Kindle edition made highlighting and note-taking easy and enjoyable.

Spurgeon’s reflections on faith and grace are Christ-centered, clear, and deeply encouraging. His emphasis on God’s initiative in salvation and the importance of faith as an expression of trust in God remains as relevant today as ever.

I received a complimentary copy from Baker Publishing Group and was under no obligation to leave a positive review. This commentary stands on its own merit and is a valuable resource for anyone seeking a faithful, accessible study of Galatians.

Highly recommended.

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A couple of my favorite quotes
“Are you trusting in God? are you believing His promises? Some think that this is a very little thing, but God does not think so. Faith is a better index of character than anything else. The man who trusts his God, and believes His promises, is honoring God “

“ We did not move toward the Lord, but the Lord moved toward us. I do not find that the world in repentance sought after its Maker. No, the offended God Himself in infinite compassion, broke the silence, and came forth to bless His enemies. see, how spontaneous is the grace of God all good things begin with Him.”

[Joe Collis]

This volume takes the sermons and writings of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (on Galatians) and organizes them into a clear, accessible commentary on Galatians. Known as the “Prince of Preachers,” Spurgeon only wrote two formal commentaries in his lifetime—The Treasury of David and The Gospel of the Kingdom—so this series offers a unique way to access his expositional work in commentary format.

Each textual unit includes verse-by-verse commentary/exposition, vivid illustrations (classic Spurgeon!), and pastoral applications drawn directly from his sermons. The editors provide structure and formatting, but the words are Spurgeon’s—largely unabridged and uses the KJV he preached from.

Who is this for? Bible students, pastors, and anyone who wants a guided entry point into Spurgeon’s vast body of work. Instead of hunting through volumes of sermons, this series places his insights in a format familiar to modern Christian readers.

If you’ve ever wondered whether Spurgeon can still serve as a faithful guide, the answer here is a resounding yes—marked by his commitment to study, careful exposition, and preaching Christ.

For Spurgeon lovers (and the Spurgeon-curious), this is a gift and the other series entries are as well. Fully recommend!
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Note: This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Brandon Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

My least favorite type of reviewer is someone who negatively rates something because the book wasn’t a good fit for them personally. This book is inarguably amazing, so I’m giving it a high review. But, I will say for me personally it was a little much. I’m not a pastor, I’m not writing sermons, I don’t have a doctoral dissertation to write. I was simply looking for a good commentary and Spurgeon would obviously offer up a good one. Apparently I just wasn’t prepared for exactly how good it would be. Spurgeon would write a paragraph about every two or three words in Galatians. Everything he said was wise and informative, it was just a little overwrought for my personal needs. Breaking it up into small sentence fragments instead of a verse at a time or a larger section of a verse also made it relatively hard to follow. I recognize this is how many thick commentaries are done though and I refuse to let my small brain power negatively effect my rating.

Spurgeon is brilliant, this book is great, I should have read a Veggie Tale commentary.

[Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is awesome. But I'm biased, because I edited it!

[Mark A Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A revised edition of a previous project that culls segments from Spurgeon’s writings and sermons and formats them as verse-by-verse commentary.

The result is a good distillation of Spurgeon’s trademark witticism and profundity, and a Christ-saturated well of encouragement and edification.

One obvious downside is that Spurgeon didn’t actually write these things as a commentary on Galatians, so there are times when certain interpretive aspects don’t get discussed, when other things are repeated, or when the flow of the text from verse to verse feels jerky.

Yet, despite these occasional issues, I am thankful for this compilation and grateful for Spurgeon’s unwavering love for Christ and his word.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of writing an honest review.

This is a commentary compiled from various sermons that Spurgeon gave on the book of Galatians. It's formatted in such a way that you can read through the commentary on a whole chapter or in sections, which is nice and allows you to use this book for devotions or deeper Bible study.

As someone who has never read any of Spurgeon's sermons or commentaries, this book was a good introduction to his writings. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in getting started in reading Spurgeon. I can't wait to read more from this series.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not so much a Spurgeon commentary as it in Spurgeon dissected. The chapters are a great model for expository preaching: read the text/explain the text/ apply the text. The chapter takes a few words and offers explanation. This is similar to a dictionary or glossary. The real meat is in the applications and the typical Spurgeon illustrations. Great resource but not the typical commentary.

[Visit Many · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of Spurgeons teachings into commentary format. My favorite part of the book are the Illustration and Application sections. They are full of so much wisdom. I am amazed by how timeless much of Spurgeons teachings are. If you are looking for a commentary style book on Galatians I highly recommend this one!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. My review reflects my honest opinion.