How to Choose a Good Study Bible | Choose the Best Study Bible

How to Choose a Good Study Bible: When I first decided to dive deeper into the Bible, choosing a study Bible felt overwhelming. There were so many options, and I wasn’t sure where to start. I wanted something that could guide me, help me understand God’s Word, and grow spiritually.

After some research, I found one with helpful explanations, maps, and space to jot down my thoughts. Over time, it became more than just a book—it turned into a trusted companion. Flipping through its pages now, I see the notes from moments when a verse spoke to me or when I found answers during tough times. It’s a beautiful reminder of how far I’ve come in my faith journey.

How to Choose a Good Study Bible: A Brief History of Study Bibles

We must go to Europe in the early and mid-1500s for our first Bible study. The goal of Queen Mary I of England at the time was to stop the English Reformation and reestablish Roman Catholicism as the dominant religion in her nation. Many Protestant pastors and academics went to Geneva, Switzerland, to avoid the queen’s oppression. These pastors and academics started their life’s work of writing a new English Bible for the public in Geneva. The Geneva Bible is the name given to this Bible.

Scholarly editions of the Hebrew and Greek New Testaments served as the foundation for the Geneva Bible’s translation. William Tyndale’s earlier translations were a major source of inspiration for many of the English translations. However, all of the translations of the Old Testament were done from the Hebrew original. As a result, it was the first English Bible to include the whole Old Testament translated from Hebrew rather than the Latin Vulgate or Greek Septuagint.

The Geneva Bible is unique and recognized by a number of qualities. This Bible is the first full modern Bible to have both chapter and verse divisions, as was indicated in a before tip. Numerous study tools, such as printed images, book introductions, maps, charts, cross-references, and indexes, were also included. All of those, however, are nothing compared to the Geneva Bible’s famous marginal notes. The doctrinal tenets of Roman Catholicism were challenged by these marginal notes, which were analyses of the Bible that were strongly Calvinist and Puritan. [How to Choose a Good Study Bible]

The initial publication of its kind was the Geneva Bible. It was the first mass-produced Bible made accessible to the general public, in addition to being the first genuine study Bible. It became the preferred Bible for English people of the Protestant faith, including John Bunyan (Pilgrim’s Progress) and William Shakespeare. The King James (Authorized Version) was published 51 years after the first edition, which was printed in 1560 (1611). Tolle Lege Press still sells an updated version of the Geneva Bible from 1599.

Scofield Reference Bible

For hundreds of years, the Geneva Bible’s format was not regularly copied despite the fact that it was an impressive accomplishment for its time. Cyrus Scofield’s Scofield Reference Bible, which was later revised in 1917, was the first widely used study Bible for Christianity.

We would refer to the Scofield Reference Bible as the first modern study Bible, and others have since copied it. Scofield supplied study notes, which amounted to a miniature commentary on Scripture, in addition to the KJV Bible text. A cross-referencing system that connected passages and guided readers through a variety of biblical themes from Genesis to Revelation was also provided.

The popularity of this Bible study contributed to the spread of dispensationalism. According to the interpretation of the Bible, known as dispensationalism, God has worked with his chosen people via various “dispensations” throughout human history. The separation of ethnic Israel and the Church—one as an earthly people and the other as a heavenly people in God’s plan—is its main point of differentiation. Dispensationalists maintain that while all promises made to the Church are heavenly, those made to Abraham’s descendants—particularly the promise of land—are earthly and will eventually be realized when Christ returns.[How to Choose a Good Study Bible]

During a period of cultural helplessness following World War I, Scofield’s Bible gained popularity. His interpretation of Scripture offered the hope that people were seeking. Therefore, when the country of Israel was established following World War II, his research notes seemed to be highly predictive. When considered collectively, Scofield’s teachings had a significant impact on core Christianity. The Scofield Reference Bible was the most widely used study Bible until the 1980s.

Although it has been replaced by other dispensational study Bibles like the Ryrie Study Bible, a revised edition of the Scofield Reference Bible is still published and accessible today.

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NIV Study Bible

When Zondervan released the NIV Study Bible in the middle of the 1980s, the market for study Bibles saw yet another shift. The goal of this study of the Bible was to do something new. Despite their respective popularity, the Geneva and Scofield Reference Bibles shared a common flaw: they prioritized one theological interpretation over all others. Seeing this, Zondervan brought together a group of academics from different denominations to create a study Bible that reflected the views of many evangelicals.

As of this writing, the NIV Study Bible is the best-selling study Bible, thanks to this strategy. This strategy has also been used by numerous study Bibles, making them marketable to the great majority of Christians.

Who uses ESV Bible?

Acts 29, the Evangelical Free Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the Anglican Church in North America, and the Presbyterian Church in America [How to Choose a Good Study Bible]

The Reformation Study Bible

Shortly after, there was another significant change in the market for study Bibles. This change resulted in denominations and theological institutions producing their study Bibles rather than reaching evangelicalism as a whole. The popularity of the Scofield Reference Bible and the NIV Study Bible directly led to the creation of these study Bibles. As dispensationalism gained popularity in the 1980s, these study Bibles aimed to support adherents of their different churches and points of view.

The New Geneva Study Bible (1995), edited by the late R. C. Sproul, was one such Bible. It ultimately developed in the Reformation Study Bible. After not being seen in study Bible form since the Geneva Bible (hence the name), this study Bible signalled a return to the Reformed heritage. The teachings and scriptural understandings retrieved during the Reformation era were highlighted in its study notes.

Numerous other churches have produced their study Bibles in a similar manner, including the Orthodox, Lutherans, Charismatics, and Wesleyans.

Present Day

Study Bibles are quite popular right now; therefore, knowing “How to Choose a Good Study Bible” is essential. Nowadays, it’s hard to locate a Bible that isn’t a study Bible at your neighbourhood Christian bookshop. Numerous publishers offer a plethora of possibilities, with contributions from prominent pastors and educators such as Charles Swindoll, John MacArthur, Joyce Meyer, and David Jeremiah. Study Bibles based on the works of historical authors like A. W. Tozer, Matthew Henry, and Charles Spurgeon are also available. Bibles with themes catered to particular age groups, genders, and niches. [How to Choose a Good Study Bible]

There is nearly a Bible study for everyone these days.

What Makes for a Good Study Bible?

Having a large selection of study Bibles is fantastic, but it makes it more challenging to select the best one. There were very few options available to you in the 1980s. That decision has now become immensely more important. So, how can one pick the best study Bible? Thank you for asking.

I’ve used a lot of study Bibles throughout the years. As part of my work, I’ve even produced digital replicas of them. As a result, I have at least more Bible study experience than most people. Let me now discuss what I believe constitutes a quality study of the Bible.

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A Great All-in-One Resource

The majority of your study needs should be met by your study Bible, which should also serve as your first resource should you have queries concerning the text. Therefore, a good study Bible must be multifaceted and capable of many tasks. It ought to be a comprehensive Bible study tool.

When the ESV Study Bible was initially released, some ridiculed it due to its size. It was a workout to carry around. However, its vastness can be explained by the fact that it is a complete Bible study aid. Crossway wanted to make sure it was a good tool if it was the only one a person had. And it was, and it remains!

Let’s now discuss the specific components of a comprehensive study of the Bible.

Study Notes and Commentary

The most crucial component of a study Bible, aside from the Bible text, are the study notes, also known as commentary. You must ensure that the notes will aid you in understanding the Bible if that is the aim. Therefore, seek out a Bible that includes thorough annotations that clarify the passage. Examine the Bible’s notes to see how detailed (or brief) they are. The notes should be as detailed as possible.[How to Choose a Good Study Bible]

Here are some pages from my ESV Study Bible for your review. It would help if you were searching for this.

Book Introductions

You need to identify yourself with a new Bible book before you can begin studying it. You have to introduce yourself properly, just like when you meet a new buddy. When studying the Bible, you must follow suit. Usually, this entails learning a great deal of background information. Book introductions greatly aid this.

Effective book introductions will provide the following:

• An overview of the book
• The genre or genres
• The date and author
• Important individuals, places, and topics

You might also discover details like the book’s literary elements, important passages, the book’s purpose and occasion, a timeline, and how the book fits into the Bible’s overall story.

You should have a general comprehension of the Bible book you’re going to study by the time you’ve finished reading the introduction.

Outlines

One useful tool for learning “How to Choose a Good Study Bible” is the outline in the preface. It often includes 1) the book’s length, 2) key textual divisions, and 3) the narrative or topic flow, all at a glance. This outline serves as an aerial view, providing you with a thorough overview of the “forest” before you venture into its “trees.”

Planning your strategy can also benefit from using an outline. You can determine how much of Scripture you want to study at any given moment and estimate how long it will take to study a book or section by using an outline. Outlines are the next stop on the study train after reading the introduction. And in my opinion, the more specific the outline, the better. [How to Choose a Good Study Bible]

Maps

Maps are a must for any study Bible worth its weight. There is a lot of movement and place names in the Bible story. It’s easy to get lost in the language and not understand what’s occurring if you’re not familiar with the geography. Maps make it easier to understand what’s happening and where things are.

An excellent study Bible will feature maps throughout the study notes, even if most Bibles only have five or six maps in the rear. Joshua’s conquest of the Promised Land, for instance, is a complex story. The ESV Study Bible includes a number of maps that highlight what’s happening and where, together with arrows that indicate routes of travel to help you stay correctly oriented to all the activities.

When studying the Gospels and Acts or the Old Testament history writings, maps are essential. The quantity and calibre of maps should be a major consideration when choosing a study Bible, even if they are frequently disregarded.

Charts

There is a lot of material in the Bible, and sometimes it might be hard to understand it all. For this reason, any excellent study Bible will include tables and charts to help with comprehension.

What types of data am I referring to? Calendars, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, Jesus’ parables and miracles, the sermons in Acts, chronologies and timelines, and spiritual gifts are only a few examples. Sure, you could put all of this together yourself, but charts help people understand material better, especially when it’s a big study or topic. [How to Choose a Good Study Bible]


Using charts increases the effectiveness of your Bible study.

Concordance

Concordances are crucial for your Bible study, as we discussed in a recent Bible study tip. Fortunately, there is some sort of concordance at the back of almost every Bible nowadays.

When you are looking for a term in the Bible and are unsure of its location, your concordance is your helper. It’s also a fantastic tool for beginning a word study or topical research.

It should go without saying, but when you buy a study Bible, make sure it contains one. You have been defrauded if it doesn’t!

Articles & Essays

The final thing to consider is the study of the Bible’s extra features. To aid in understanding the Bible and acclimating to the faith, many study Bibles now come with extra articles and essays. These are not necessary, but they can be a great help for your spiritual development.

What types of items should you search for? What you can find in a few different study Bibles is as follows:

Articles about discipleship and discipleship groups can be found at the back of the disciple’s study Bible.

CSB Study Bible: As you come across significant words and topics, word studies and essays are interwoven throughout the text.

The CSB Worldview Study Bible contains essays that discuss many facets of Christianity and society and how, as Christians, we should respond to or defend them.

The Reformation Study Bible contains essays on Christian living, catechisms, and historical creeds and confessions.

Once more, although not necessary, they are unquestionably practical and helpful for studying, particularly if this is your main (or only) study aid. Additional materials for Bible study and spiritual growth are always a good idea. [How to Choose a Good Study Bible]

Despite all of their benefits, studying Bibles can sometimes become a crutch and a barrier to learning. Before purchasing a study Bible, you should think about the following potential risks.

Losing Focus on the Bible

The main issue with Bible study is how simple it is to focus more on things other than the Bible. There may not be much space on the page for Bible text because the study notes are so long. It can be distracting even though it helps you understand a section. While notes are useful when you need them, they are not as useful when you don’t.

This is one of the reasons my main Bible only has footnotes and cross-references. Too frequently, when I just wanted to read the Bible, I became sidetracked by the notes.

The Bible is diminished when study notes take up too much space on the page. We go on to our next issue, which was my constant glance down to the notes without first “wrestling” with the material on my own.

Study Bibles Can Produce Poor Study Habits

Studying the Bible can encourage indolent study habits because it is so simple to look down at the notes. Before using outside resources, we must first struggle with the text on our own during our study period. Yes, we should employ study aids to assist us in comprehending the Bible, but only after we have used up all of our mental resources.

This activity becomes challenging when using a study Bible. Shortcuts will confront you rather than requiring you to undertake the difficult job yourself. You’ll ask yourself, “Why fight with the text when an explanation is a mere glance away?”

The goal of Bible study is to immerse yourself in God’s Word until it becomes a part of you. If you always let other people tell you the answer, that’s difficult to do. Avoid making the mistake of depending too much on study notes without actually studying and struggling with the passage.

Study Bibles Can Have a Theological Bias

When purchasing a study Bible, you should be aware of what you’re entering into. Many study Bibles have a denomination or theological focus or attempt to be mainline evangelical, as mentioned in the history section. Therefore, you should do your best to determine where a particular study Bible falls on that spectrum.

What makes this significant? Because you don’t want to buy a study Bible that doesn’t support the teachings of your church or denomination. You won’t want to buy the Fire Bible or the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, for instance, if you don’t think that the remarkable spiritual gifts—such as speaking in tongues and performing miracles—will continue. Similarly, you should avoid using the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible if you are not Reformed.

Fortunately, it is simple to identify these features in the majority of study Bibles. However, the following indicators will assist you in identifying the theological bias.

Look for catchphrases or important terms in the title, such as “fire,” “reformation,” “spirit filled,” “orthodox,” etc., as these will frequently suggest a theological bent.

 Examine the editor, authors, and endorsements; similar to keywords, knowing who wrote or supported something makes it simple to identify theological prejudice.

 Verify the publisher because some have a certain ideological stance based on their past and frequently publish in that direction.

 Lastly, assume it adopts a balanced evangelical approach in the absence of any obvious indication, as this is the stance taken by the majority of study Bibles.

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Not All Study Bibles Are Created Equal

Finally, keep in mind that not every study of the Bible is made equal. Each study of the Bible has advantages and disadvantages that should be taken into account. Numerous specialized study Bibles may have a lot of articles and devotions but few or no notes. For instance, due to its focus on word studies, the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible features extremely few study notes. Nonetheless, the ESV Study Bible is rather well-rounded and excels in almost everything.

Taking into account all of these issues, I think there are more advantages to studying the Bible than disadvantages. I would advise you to use a standard Bible if you are vulnerable to any of these risks, and then consult your study Bible just like you would any other study aid.

What Is a “Study Bible,” Anyway?

You were likely looking at a study Bible if you have ever been astounded by the size of someone else’s Bible. Almost all study Bibles are notably thicker, broader, and heavier than a standard Bible. However, they range in size from large to huge.

The reason for this is that a study Bible has a wealth of extra material that a standard Bible does not, in addition to the text of Scripture. It depends on the purpose of the study of the Bible. Some may include a lot of features (like the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible), while others may have only a few.

Key Study Bible Features

Study Guide : How to Choose a Good Study Bible

Though they add additional intellectual understanding to the text, study notes are comparable to footnotes. These can be anything from phrases that explain something to longer paragraphs that delve deeper into the topic. For instance, in Job 40:15, the word “Behemoth” is followed by the footnote, “or hippopotamus,” in several standard Bibles. However, the study note on the verse in the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible offers four distinct academic explanations for the enigmatic creature that God is describing to Job in this passage. It also explains how these different theories relate to the main idea of this specific text, which is that God’s wisdom greatly surpasses Job’s wisdom.

Articles

Finding “How to Choose a Good Study Bible” requires knowing the distinction between articles and study notes. With several hundred words on a particular subject, articles are more akin to in-depth study aids and can go extensively into historical, cultural, or religious topics. For instance, the **NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible** contains an article on ziggurats, which are ancient structures related to the biblical context, following the Tower of Babel myth. While study notes focus on a single word or phrase to elucidate its meaning, these articles provide you with a more comprehensive knowledge of the story’s cultural context. Articles in the correct Bible can enhance and enrich your study if you’re searching for a study Bible that provides both brief insights and thorough explanations.

Media: Maps, Timelines, Tables, Charts, and Illustrations

To help you better understand what’s happening, the majority of study Bibles come with visual aids. Photographs of actual archaeological sites, artists’ interpretations of lost artefacts, historical timelines, and family trees—the latter of which is useful when attempting to identify which of the numerous Herods is causing trouble at any given time in the New Testament—may be included, depending on the Bible study.

Margin and Whitespace

Study Bibles are jam-packed with useful ideas. However, another important distinction is the amount of space provided for your personal Bible study, which frequently entails taking notes and reflecting. It is beneficial to have ample margin space (or even specific pages and worksheets) for you to add your findings.

The Study Bible Matrix: How Do You Want to Study Scripture?

There are numerous options available for studying the Bible. However, there is a straightforward method you may employ to reduce the number of applicants. It all depends on your preferred method of Bible study. There is a helpful exercise you may take to determine your preferred method of approaching Bible study if you are unsure!

Two questions to ask yourself:
• Would you rather understand the meaning (interpretation) of a chapter of Scripture or how it should impact your life (application)?

• Which would you prefer: independent thought (autonomy) or expert guidance (authority) regarding the interpretation and application of Scripture?

The broad map that results from comparing the two groups of options is that practically everyone studies the Bible.

Conclusion

With so many alternatives available, selecting a decent study Bible can be overwhelming, but it all depends on your approach to Scripture study. I recall not knowing where to begin when I was searching for my study Bible. I was looking for something that would help me comprehend the meaning of the passages, not just their words. After looking through several Bibles, I discovered that a good study Bible is about finding one, not about fancy charts or well-known contributors. It works best for my study style. For instance, I selected a study Bible with additional margin room for notes because I wanted one that encouraged introspection. The first step in selecting a decent study Bible is to consider if you are looking for profound academic understanding or useful life applications. It completely changed the way I studied!

I was a little taken aback by the selection when I was attempting to decide which study Bible would be best for me. After doing some investigation, I concluded that the Bible’s extra features that allowed me to go further into the text were just as important as its translation. For me, the NIV Study Bible changed everything since it had useful book introductions that clarified the background information for each part. The New Inductive Study Bible’s large margins were another feature I adored; they provided me with lots of room to write down my ideas, queries, and discoveries. However, the Cultural Background Study Bible was the one that truly caught our attention. I had a completely different perspective on the Bible after learning about old traditions and customs, which helped me relate the stories to the lives of the original readers. The way you comprehend and relate to the Scriptures can be greatly impacted by the study Bible you choose, so it was worthwhile for me to take the time to locate one that genuinely met my needs.