Posts Tagged ‘Bible study’

Book Review: The Spurgeon Study Bible

Posted: June 19, 2021 in Book Reviews
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I have read through many different study bibles over the decades, but none has been more inspirational to me than The Spurgeon Study Bible. Other study Bibles have all been educational and extremely worthwhile to read. They remain within arm’s reach of my desk for continuing Bible study and lesson planning when teaching. They all provide great context, historical facts, doctrinal truth, archaeological findings, language studies, and insights that help me better understand God’s Word.

Reading through The Spurgeon Study Bible, however, was a truly inspirational experience at a personal devotional level rather than the intellectual/educational experience that other study Bible readings have been for me.

Alistair Begg was the Editor for the The Spurgeon Study Bible. The best price for purchasing a quality leather copy ($30) is from Begg’s Truth for Life website (when available, which is not always) rather than from Amazon or elsewhere. Below is a partial list of the Bible’s features from Begg’s site.

  • Introductory Biography of Charles Spurgeon
  • Study notes crafted from Spurgeon sermons
  • Extracted sermon illustrations
  • Sermon notes and outlines in Spurgeon’s own handwriting, “Spurgeon Quotables”
  • Book introductions with book overviews in Spurgeon’s own words
  • Topical subheadings
  • Two-column text
  • Concordance
  • Presentation Section
  • Full-color maps

Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a 19th century English Baptist preacher who came to be known as the Prince of Preachers. He was a powerful speaker and prolific author who God still uses through his writings about 130 years after his death to teach others the timeless truths of God’s Word. I encourage interested readers to follow up by reading more about Spurgeon and more of his works. You will be blessed.

What was fascinating about my six-month journey reading every word of The Spurgeon Study Bible is that it exposed me to the richness and modern relevance of Spurgeon’s writings and his God-given understanding of Scripture far more so than I had previously understood. The study notes are all taken from Spurgeon’s sermons related to the passages. Each day’s reading was, therefore, a double illumination of truth – first from the Word of God which is always powerful by itself as it is illuminated by the Holy Spirit, but then there followed in the notes very practical explanations and applications from Spurgeon’s sermons that both strongly challenged and encouraged me. Occasional copies of Spurgeon’s own handwriting for sermon outlines and comments seem to connect the reader in a more personal way with Spurgeon that only makes the reader appreciate this edition more.

I read the edition that uses the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) as the biblical text (the only one available at the time I purchased it). This study Bible is now also available in a King James Version (KJV). I wish it was available in the English Standard Version (ESV), but to date that is not the case.

As someone who spent years in seminary and decades afterward continuing to learn more about the Bible through a host of authors and sources, I personally needed a walk through the entire Bible that wasn’t mostly about learning more head knowledge, but was far more about experiencing God and his truth through his Word. This walk through The Spurgeon Study Bible provided that much needed fresh personal encounter with the eternal Author of God’s Word. The readability of the Christian Standard Bible as the version used contributed to the simplicity and clarity of the experience.

I still have other study Bibles that will be my go-to editions for various purposes:

  • The Reformation Study Bible remains my overall favorite for the quantity and quality of doctrinal study notes.
  • The ESV Study Bible is a solid source of contextual educational content.
  • The MacArthur Study Bible provides unique and valuable insights from John MacArthur.
  • The Apologetics Study Bible instructs Christians eager to speak God’s truth to an unbelieving world.
  • The Gospel Transformation Bible can quickly provide practical application of biblical truth.
  • The Archaeology Study Bible gives a wealth of archaeological information not found in any other Bible.
  • The Evidence Bible is filled with notes and articles that help prepare the reader for evangelistic conversations.

Each of the above Bibles have blessed and benefitted me in multiple ways. I eagerly recommend all of them. However, if you need a reading through God’s Word where the notes are most likely to first grab your heart rather than your head, then I suggest you get a copy of The Spurgeon Study Bible (from TruthForLife.com if available, or Amazon) and see what wondrous things God has yet to teach you through his Word and through its timeless truth as written by C. H. Spurgeon.

Book Review: “Reformation Study Bible”

Posted: July 20, 2020 in Book Reviews
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Since becoming a Christian in high school nearly 50 years ago, reading my Bible has been among the most important things I do daily. I wish I could say that I’ve never missed a day, but that but be woefully untrue. Still, by God’s grace I’ve been able to read the Bible cover to cover over 30 times in the past 40+ years. Each time I finish a reading, I choose a different translation or study Bible or edition I’ve never read before and then embark on the next trek through that new-to-me translation or edition. It is not at all surprising that each time I read it, the Lord teaches me things and reveals Himself to me in ways unique to where I am and what He knows I need at that point in my life.

Yesterday I completed reading through the massive, 2534-page Reformation Study Bible. Of all the study Bibles or other Bibles I have read through the decades, this is by far my favorite. I have loved and benefited from many others that I continue to use when prepping a Bible study class such as the ESV Study Bible, the MacArthur Study Bible, The Apologetics Study Bible, the Archaeology Study Bible, the Gospel Transformation Bible, The Spurgeon Study Bible and more, but for reasons I’ll share below, the Reformation Study Bible is the one I’d choose to have with me if I was stranded on that proverbial desert island if I could only choose one.

The late, great Dr. R. C. Sproul was the general editor of this Bible which was last released in 2015 with an update to its previous, somewhat smaller edition. With Sproul as the editor, you can be assured that the commentary reflected by the contributions of 75 theologians is soundly Reformed in its understanding of the Scriptures and of our faith. As one aligned with that tradition, it was a pleasure devoting about two years to praying my way through the ESV biblical text and studying my way through all the related commentary, theological articles, study aids, notes, confessions of faith, etc. Admittedly, as a Southern Baptist I have to disagree with the editors’ stand on infant baptism, but that one issue aside, I can honestly say I never encountered another topic in its pages with which I disagreed with the explanation. The notes are thoughtful, thorough, and defended from the whole of Scripture.

Each Bible book begins with ample introductory material about such matters as the book’s title, author, date, occasion, genre, literary features, characteristics and primary themes, theology, where that book fits in the larger story of the Bible, how Christ is reflected in that book, its history of interpretation, and any special issues noted. A generous quantity of commentary notes are provided at the bottom of each page with some pages having more commentary than biblical text, although that is not the norm. Major Bible sections such as the Pentateuch, historical books, poetry, wisdom literature, prophets, the Gospels and Acts, and the epistles have additional introductions. I loved reading through the 100+ pages of several creeds, confessions and catechisms. Sprinkled throughout the book are 70 helpful theological notes or articles and the detail notes on particular verses point you to those theological notes as appropriate. I have found many of those notes useful when preparing to speak or teach others on a host of subjects. As you would expect from most Bibles, you’ll also find plenty of cross references inside verses to related passages elsewhere and brief textual footnotes along with helpful maps, tables, a concordance, and other resources.

I have to say that the only real issue I had was with some of the print itself. The cross references in the margins and in the brief footnotes in between the biblical text at the top of the pages and the commentary at the bottom are of such a tiny size that it was difficult for my aging eyes to read them if I had my contact lens in which I need for distance due to being nearsighted. I never had an issue reading the biblical text, commentary, theological notes, etc. with or without my contacts, but when I was settling in for my hour a day of personal study I had to remove my contacts for the smallest print to be readable. Also, be prepared to carry some weight around with you if you intend to make this the Bible you take to church or elsewhere. My copy weighed in at a hefty four pounds and five ounces. It may result in a few strange looks from others on occasion.

There are many excellent study Bibles on the market. I hope you use a number of them regularly in your study of the Word as I do. I especially hope and recommend that you own the Reformation Study Bible for the excellent, thorough, biblically sound study notes in addition to the wonderful English Standard Version (ESV) translation it uses. It will be a source of help and insight worth using the rest of your life.

Check out the brief promotional video below by Dr. Sproul. Several options are available in terms of binding to fit a variety of budgets – all worth the cost many times over.