You're right about having to apply standard interpretive practices to the reference tools themselves, and that they should be read in their historical context. And I would agree that there is value to be found even in obsolete works, as long as one is careful to balance them with more recent and up-to-date opinions. My point was not to exclude the use of older works altogether, but to offer a reminder that older works should not be used exclusively in Bible study because the person who only uses out-of-date material is going to miss a lot. I would also add that some of the best modern commentaries actually interact with the works of the past, correcting and updating their positions where necessary. My later post "Using commentaries in Bible study" also has more information on this topic.

Hall Harris