Just one year ago I emphasized the importance of a good Bible and the need to be a student of it. Above all other books the Bible stands alone in its authority and importance in our lives. But the Bible comes in a variety of styles, translations, and formats. I have 22 different Bibles on my desk and book shelves. That, of course, is more than I need, but I happen to enjoy collecting Bibles and find all of them useful in one way or another.
Let me introduce you to the world of study Bibles. In general there are five kinds — the doctrinal, the analytical, the informational, the topical, and the grammatical. These are my own designations and I would like to explain what I mean by each of them.
The first is doctrinal. It is best exemplified by the Scofield Reference Bible. Scofield’s notes are excellent in many ways and this Bible has been recognized for many years as the greatest exponent of dispensational theology. First introduced in 1917 it was revised in the mid sixties when the editors felt a need to “update” Dr. Scofield’s notes. While it may be considered an advantage by some, the notes are not now exclusively Dr. Scofield’s. Therefore, to get his notes, you must have the 1917 edition which by the way is only published in the KJV. All other translations have used the revised notes of the New Scofield Reference edition.
The second kind of study Bible is the analytical. This is best seen in the very good and popular Ryrie Study Bible. Dr. Ryrie comes alongside and helps explain the text. Word meanings, background information, and interpretations of the verses are all part of his notes and as a result he sheds a great deal of light on the Scriptures. By the way, his notes on I Corinthians 11 are very helpful and demonstrate that the headcovering is not a “brethrenism,” but a legitimate explanation of the text.
The third type of study Bible is what I call the informational study Bible. The most widely used example of this kind is the Open Bible, published by Nelson Publishers, although I have just been introduced to the Life Application Bible, published by Zondervan. It seems to be very good also and would fall into this category. These Bibles have maps, charts, outlines, key verses and key chapters listed alongside the text. They also have good discussions on the author, time, and circumstances in which the various books were written. With all of this right at your fingertips, your understanding of the text is greatly enhanced.
The fourth kind is topical, which is seen basically in the Thompson Chain Reference Bible. With over 4,000 topics listed in the index and coded in the margins, this helps you trace any topic through the Bible. This becomes especially helpful in character studies. This Bible also features a great number of charts in the back showing, in a graphic fashion, many related topics.
Last, but not least, is the grammatical study Bible which is the chief feature of the Newberry Bible. In a system of keyed notations, Mr. Newberry gives you some of the intricacies of the Hebrew and Greek languages which are not translatable into English. The good introductions in the front of both Testaments help the student, who does not know the original languages, come to a fuller understanding of the text. The understanding of the names of God in the Old Testament and the prepositions of the Greek language in the New, I have found especially helpful. This Bible is not currently in print in the United States, but I understand that it will become available again this year from Kregel Publications.
You don’t need all of these. But all of these will do you good. It is important that we read and understand the Scriptures. As Ezra the scribe gathered Israel together centuries ago, he “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” May each of us this year not only read the Book but be caused to understand what our God has to say to us.