Next Practices

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.