So What About Study Bibles?

In my previous post, Alphabet Soup, I discussed the various translations of the Bible available and some of the considerations necessary in order to choose a bible that is right for you. I concluded that the best translation to purchase is the one that you will read and understand. But that's only part of the picture.

The next step is to determine what bells and whistles to add to the basic text. You can get everything from simple bibles with just the text to bibles that are cross-referenced, thumb-tabbed, red letter, interlinear, parallel, daily reading, devotional, chronological, study bibles with translation notes, historical data, archaeological information, biographical sketches, concordances, maps and language helps. A listing of some of the frequently used terms may be found at the Parable Christian Stores' website. Zondervan also has a nice glossary. The features and combinations available between the covers (not to mention the bindings themselves) make car shopping look easy. Taking inventory of the various bibles on my shelf, I note that some were gifts, one belonged to my grandpa, others I purchased for a particular reason or feature, some are worn out and a couple I never open.

Study bibles come in numerous versions and can be based on various theological positions and traditions. Some may be quite helpful to you and others chocked full of information that may be absolutely meaningless to you at this stage of life. In your search for a study bible, you may need to be as thoughtful and studious as in selecting a translation; maybe more so. The study notes may shape your thinking, or challenge it. I find that the more I read and study the Scriptures, the less important the study notes are for me because: 1) the notes in a study bible will generally be from a particular theological tradition filtered through a single editor or editing board, and 2) I use a variety of other sources including commentaries, language helps, bible dictionaries, topical studies, etc. Some of this is because of the extensive software library that I have, but mostly the various sources help me look at any topic from a number of theological traditions. I can then combine my current study with what I have learned and make a determination as to which perspective best aligns with the weight of Scripture. IMPORTANT NOTE HERE: The Scriptures should be the final authority in any theological discussions. Unfortunately, the Scriptures are not always so clear, thus the many differences in theological traditions such as the Catholic/Lutheran/Reformed debate on the presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper – a debate for another occasion.

One source of information that may be useful in selecting a study bible is Zondervan. According to their website, Zondervan is "the world’s leading Bible publisher;" a feat which is likely attributable in large part to their exclusive rights as the North American publisher of the NIV. I used information available from this source as part of my class on "How to Study Your Bible" a couple of years ago. The following are excerpts from Zondervan:

Study Bibles can have different emphases and purposes. For example, the Life Application Study Bible focuses more on answering practical questions, whereas the NIV Study Bible focuses on understanding the text.

Look up a few passages in both and compare the notes. You'll see very quickly how—and how much!—they differ. You may even want to consider buying both, since the two complement each other. Buying one in a different Bible translation will give you the added benefit of having two translations to work with.

Note that not all Bibles with added materials are study Bibles. Devotional Bibles contain a number of devotions in addition to the text of the Bible, but are designed for daily reading rather than for study of the text.

Further, Zondervan suggests a number of questions to consider when searching for a study bible. I think that this is a pretty good list:

ASK YOURSELF:

1. Do the notes that explain the text (usually at the bottom of the page) address the kinds of things I want to know?

2. How clear, detailed, and helpful are the introductions and outlines to each book of the Bible?

3. How many cross-references to other Scriptures are there? Are they easy to read?

4. How extensive is the dictionary? Are the definitions clear and helpful?

5. What kind of things are in the index? Are the topics in the topical Scripture index helpful for today's reader?

6. How long is the concordance? Does it list words I would want to look up?

7. How many maps are there? What quality are they? Is the index to them easy to use? Does it have charts? Do they contain relevant information? Does it have illustrations? Are they helpful, or are they simply “filler”?

8. Does it have a harmony of the gospels (a single, chronological summary of the four gospels)?

9. Do I prefer a “red-letter edition” (with the words of Jesus in red)?

I find that Zondervan's web site is helpful and fairly well-balanced. Remember though, that Zondervan is in the business of selling books and they would rather sell their's than someone else's. Other publishers' websites that may be helpful to you are Thomas Nelson and Kregel's Parable Christian Stores. The "Bible Search Assistant" from Oxford University Press is a menu-driven application to help you select a bible they publish, but you might find something of value in their user guide (please note that this link opens a .pdf file). I was unable to find helpful information at Eerdmans, Tyndale House or Moody Publishers.

So now the search for a Bible has become even more difficult than you had imagined. The simple question, "Which version should I read?" has a relatively simple answer. The question of which Bible is best has an answer that seems like a political campaign. My recommendation:

1. Pray. Ask God to guide you in your search for just the right bible. James writes, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

2. Spend some time looking at various translations and pick a couple that are easy for you to read (see Alphabet Soup).

3. Look at a variety of different bibles, even if they are not one of the versions you are interested in. You may find a feature that becomes a "must have" or you may find something you thought would be useful, but is not. Either way, keep an open mind.

a. Read the preface! There is a lot of useful information there.

b. Compare introductory comments; outlines, authorship, date and place of writing, target audience, and historical background. There is not full consensus among scholars on all of these details.

c. Look for maps, charts, timelines and other illustrations that will be beneficial to your understanding.

d. Compare notes for some passages which are familiar to you. Perhaps Psalm 23, or John 1.

e. Select a passage that you know has some widely differing opinions and read the notes. Perhaps here you choose 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 or another passage on the spiritual gift of tongues; 1 Corinthians 11:23-27 and cross references in the Gospels on the phrase "this is my body;" or Revelation 20:1-6 in regard to the "thousand years" of imprisonment of Satan. What is this particular bible's view on the seven days of creation in Genesis 1? Are they literal 24-hour days, or are they seven convenient divisions of an indefinite period of ages? What is it that John means when he writes "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world" in 1 John 2:2 (NASB)?

f. What sort of information is found in the appendices; concordance, language helps, maps, tables of weights and measures and is this information helpful?

4. Ask your friends, pastor, elders and other leaders in your church what they use and why. If you find something that you think is right for you, check it out with someone you trust.

Don't be afraid of your second choice in translations if the features of a particular study bible are just right for you. You can always get a copy of your preferred version in a simple reference bible without all the study notes.

Again, by doing your homework, visiting with the sales clerks at your local Christian book dealer, searching the internet, visiting with friends and prayer you can find a study bible that is a fit for you. It is not simply a coin toss or luck. You can make an informed choice that will effect your bible study for years to come. It is worth the extra effort to find what's right for you.