The current economic downturn does not seem to have slowed publication of Bibles and Bible reference materials, though it often has made it more difficult to obtain review copies! I know it has made most people more careful about their purchases, and my aim in this article is to give some explanation about the new resources available so you might be helped in getting the most for your money.
Study BiblesI think the most significant study Bible to come out in this past year was The Lutheran Study Bible, ESV (Concordia). It is a superb study tool written from a clear, conservative, evangelical perspective. Within the biblical text, it keeps a running chronology and has four types of notes. First, it has the regular study Bible notes explaining various portions of the text. Second, there are "Law and Gospel Application Notes," which summarize sections calling for application and praise as Bible reading is to be a devotional act. Third, quotes from church fathers are included in many places. Fourth, there are extended articles in various places.
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Each book also has an introduction. Additionally, it contains several items to help orient someone to reading the Bible, including a nice summary essay on Bible reading and interpretation, an essay on
Law & Gospel,
Luther's Small Catechism and an essay on the unity of Scripture. It also has a copy of the lectionaries, a two-year reading plan, a topical index and a significant "Biblical Chronology and World History." Lastly, there is a nice touch of historical art with occasional illustrations from engravings by 19th century Lutheran artist, Julius Schnorr von Carlsfeld (who was influenced by Dürer and Holbein). This is a very nice product.
Another tradition-specific study Bible to come out this year is
The Wesley Study Bible, edited by Joel Green and Will Willimon (Abingdon). The study notes are not drawn from John Wesley (as some might think) but are written by Wesleyan authors. I think this will be of most interest to those of the Wesleyan tradition. The study resources here are not as full as those in the
Lutheran Study Bible or in standard study Bibles such as the
ESV Study Bible or
NLT Study Bible.
Oxford Press has produced
The Scofield Study Bible, Centennial Edition as this highly influential study Bible first appeared in 1909. The study materials, however, are the same as in the 2003 edition.
Two new study Bibles fit more in the devotional realm.
The Oswald Chambers Devotional Bible, ESV (Crossway) intersperses 365 readings from Chambers (each about one page) throughout the biblical text. Mosaic is an edition of the
NLT with 340 pages of front matter, which includes artwork, meditations, suggested readings and quotes from authors from various times and places around the world. The biblical text is then uninterrupted. The value of the material in the front varies significantly.
