Study Bibles

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Coram_Deo

Puritan Board Freshman
I'm attempting to help a friend out and find a good study Bible. I have the Reformation one edited by Sproul, Packer, &c., but she isn't into the reformed stuff like I am and she's not into the NKJV. So I was wondering if there were any good basic study bibles that ya'll know of. any help would be greatly appreciated.
Forever Christ's Servant,
CD
 
The problem created by speaking of a "basic" study Bible is that there is no "neutral" or "default" way to understand any themes or passages of Scripture. Rather, one's whole theology and worldview informs their hermeneutic and guides what they make of each passage. Furthermore, Reformed theology is a specific understanding of all the passages (collectively and individually), and thus a study or interpretation of any of them is inevitably either Reformed in substance or else internally in conflict with Reformed theology. In most study Bibles, that conflict would not be easy to always spot and single out like a cookie-cutter, since most evangelical teaching is a hodge-podge of stuff - a slant of Dispensationalism here, some good, sound talk of effectual grace from this passage, some mysticism there, some semi-Pelagian thought from that passage, etc. So if I were in your position, as "narrow-minded" as it would probably sound (and indeed is), I would not be able to recommend in good conscience a study Bible that was not specifically written from the Reformed perspective. That being said, I have the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIV) edited by Richard Pratt of RTS-Orlando and with Packer on the committee of theological editors. While I don't have Sproul's Bible, I've heard from many people online who have both say that this one is an improvement on it.

Also, CD, please see the "Signature Requirements" link at the bottom of my signature.

[Edited on 10-11-2004 by Me Died Blue]
 
the mac arthur study bible should be good. Not completely reformed per se but an excellent study bible in NKJV none the less.
 
Originally posted by Bladestunner316
the mac arthur study bible should be good. Not completely reformed per se but an excellent study bible in NKJV none the less.
Click to expand...

Not Reformed at all, as he is Dispensational to the core.
 
I have the New Geneva Study Bible (NKJV) and I recommended it a freind a while back. He wasn't reformed at the time but he became so later on, in part due to the references. The Reformed study bibles aren't that complicated. Unfortunately, the New Geneva is out of print now. But I heard it may come back with the ESV. I've heard good things about the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible but it's major flaw is that it is NIV.
 
Originally posted by puritansailor
I have the New Geneva Study Bible (NKJV) and I recommended it a freind a while back. He wasn't reformed at the time but he became so later on, in part due to the references. The Reformed study bibles aren't that complicated. Unfortunately, the New Geneva is out of print now. But I heard it may come back with the ESV. I've heard good things about the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible but it's major flaw is that it is NIV.
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Since most people seem to think that the English Bible only goes back to the KJV (Didn't Paul write in King James English? :bigsmile: ) , the context for "New" in the New Geneva Study Bible is lost. The NGSB is still in print but under a different name as the Reformation Study Bible.

Interestingly a couple of weeks ago in Sunday School, someone read one of the notes in the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible. What he read was the same as the note in the NGSB/RSB for the same verse.

[Edited on 10-11-2004 by jfschultz]
 
Originally posted by Coram_Deo
I'm attempting to help a friend out and find a good study Bible. I have the Reformation one edited by Sproul, Packer, &c., but she isn't into the reformed stuff like I am and she's not into the NKJV. So I was wondering if there were any good basic study bibles that ya'll know of. any help would be greatly appreciated.
Forever Christ's Servant,
CD
Click to expand...

How about the original NIV Study bible? It has a lot of good notes and is not anti Calvinistic as some other study bibles are. Our church used to use that one until the RSB came out. I use the RSB and the SRSB. Love them both and would recommend them both to anyone who wants to know Reformed Theology better.

Blessings.


Tom
 
Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible

I have the "Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible" and I would highly recommend it to her. One of the cool things about it is that in the back it has the "Westminster Confession of Faith", the "Shorter" and "Larger" Catechisms, the "Heidelburg Catechism", etc., etc.
Those Confessions and Catechisms serve as wonderful commentaries in their own right as they can often shed very clear, precise light on the meaning of different words and concepts in the Bible (is how I would explain it to her).
And even if she's not into Reformation thought, at least this Bible TELLS you where its coming from and is honest about it, instead of claiming some sort of neutral objectivity that is simply a smokescreen for a hodgepodge of ideas as noted by CD above.
 
Thanks for all of your input, it was very gracious of you. I'll check those Bibles out.

Mediedblue, sorry about the sig. didn't know that it changed.

Forever Christ's Unworthy Servant,
Michael
 
I second the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (can't wait till they do one in ESV) but I have yet to get that "warm, fuzzy, devotional 'feel' from it. The essays and notes in it are great, although I might take a different spin on some. The confessions in the back are an added bonus. Macarthur's notes are good on the doctrine of God; I can't recommend much else from his (although I am using it at the moment:p).
 
Originally posted by jfschultz
The NGSB is still in print but under a different name as the Reformation Study Bible
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It is? I just bought it today :S must be an old copy. I know I havnt got the names wrong this time because I actually have it sitting in front of me.
 
Originally posted by Abd_Yesua_alMasih
Originally posted by jfschultz
The NGSB is still in print but under a different name as the Reformation Study Bible
Click to expand...
It is? I just bought it today :S must be an old copy. I know I haven't got the names wrong this time because I actually have it sitting in front of me.
Click to expand...

There seems to be a significant surplus market of the NGSB. My church has enough that they have been available for a couple of years on the book rack. They are the burgundy leather covers for about $30.
 
Originally posted by jfschultz
There seems to be a significant surplus market of the NGSB. My church has enough that they have been available for a couple of years on the book rack. They are the burgundy leather covers for about $30.
Click to expand...
Thats what I got but it was $70NZD.
 
What do you all think of the Life Application Study Bible? I had one given to me a few years ago in the NLT text. I liked it pretty much but love the Spirit of the Reformation bible more.



Tom
 
Originally posted by Keylife_fan
If any here are interested, here is a good place to find the Geneva Study Bible of 1599.

http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html
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Finally an online version that is faithful! :banana:

The online versions that I have encountered before apparently used a common source for the text. The notes for Acts 2:38 and Acts 8:37 are modified to reflect a credo baptistic understanding. The Geneva Bible notes were clearly pedo baptistic.
 
Originally posted by Keylife_fan
Originally posted by Keylife_fan
If any here are interested, here is a good place to find the Geneva Study Bible of 1599.

http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html
Click to expand...

You will need to scroll down to read the versoin with footnote. Also you need acrobat reader to read it.


peace.
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And the irony of this is the fact that the guy who runs that site is a nonCalvinist. Go figure.

The teachings of Jesus are far more important than Calvinism or Aminianism.

Steve

[email protected]
Home Page
http://www.genevabible.org
1599 Geneva Bible Online
1 Corinthians 14:8 And also if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle?

"Let not Geneva be forgotten or despised. Religious liberty owes it most respect." John Adams, the second president of the United States

Yahoo Group Owner
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Watchmen-on-the-wall/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Geneva_Bible/
 
Originally posted by Keylife_fan
The teachings of Jesus are far more important than Calvinism or Aminianism.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming the guy who runs the site said that? I'm just wondering since you didn't put it into quotations.
 
Originally posted by Me Died Blue
Originally posted by Keylife_fan
The teachings of Jesus are far more important than Calvinism or Aminianism.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming the guy who runs the site said that? I'm just wondering since you didn't put it into quotations.
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Oops! :p

Yeah, those were his words alright. I wouldn't say such nonesense. ;)

Here's an example of an exchange I have had with him:

Me:
So Steve, You don't believe in the teachings of John Calvin or
consider yourself as being in the reformed faith.
Are you saying than the the teachings of Calvin are opposed to those
of the bible and Jesus Himself?
Curious.

--- In [email protected], "Stevez0629"
<stevez0629@v...> wrote:
> The teachings of Jesus are far more important than Calvinism or
Aminianism.
>
> Steve:

What I am saying is that Calvinism brings discord.



[email protected]
Home Page
http://www.genevabible.org
1599 Geneva Bible Online

Me:
ADVERTISEMENT
Well so does Jesus. You don't dismiss the teachings of Jesus than do you?


Luke 12
51 Suppose ye that I have come to give peace on earth? I tell you,
nay, but rather division.


John 7
43 So there was a division among the people because of Him.

When Truth is taught division follows. When Truth is compromised error reigns.

Tom

I have not heard anymore from him on this.
 
Does anybody know about the Thematic Reference Bible ed by Alister McGrath? Our school boookstore has it reallycheap.
 
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