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New Interpreter’s Study Bible

By Joe Felim

I have my stable of study Bibles that I regularly consult and recommend to students. Three key ones are The Learning Bible (CEV) [TLB], the Oxford Study Bible (REB), and the New Oxford Annotated Bible (NRSV). Though I don’t use it regularly (there have to be some books I don’t read!), the HarperCollins Study Bible (NRSV) is also excellent.

Recently, however, I used a Christmas gift card at Barnes and Noble to pick up a copy of the New Interpreter’s Study Bible [NISB]. It has been around for some time (2003 copyright), but I’ve only glanced briefly at it in libraries. Now that I have a copy of my own, I’d like to comment on it.

It is 2298 pages, not including maps. The majority of that is a combined Bible text with notes. The notes are more extensive than either the Oxford Study Bible or the New Oxford Annotated Bible. In general they are a little bit more readable, so this Bible will be useful for people with less Biblical background. It is still not a “simple” study Bible, and doesn’t encroach on the audience of TLB. That is due both to the notes themselves, in which the NISB uses a heavier vocabulary and style, and the translation on which it is based (NRSV for the NISB). It does not take space with illustrations as does TLB either. The information is much more densely packed on the page.

There are some major positive points, however. If you find something like TLB a bit basic for you, these notes dig deeper into scholarly and critical issues. I am extremely impressed with the introductions to Biblical books, which seem balanced and complete. The notes themselves are extensive and clear, and yet manage to avoid simply telling you what the text means. They give an overview of why as well. The excurses are also excellent and provide valuable information. For example, one excursus in Isaiah 42 provides an introduction to the servant passages.

In terms of total size, I think the fairest comparison would be to the Oxford Study Bible [OSB], which is 1597 pages, also excluding maps. Its print also appears slightly larger. It has a total of 199 pages of general articles, compared to NISB’s 36 pages. The OSB also spends a greater amount of time on critical theories in the passages I have studied thus far. That point should not be overemphasized. Both discuss the issue, and I have not read all of the book introductions.

Another advantage of NISB is incorporating fairly recent scholarship. That is, of course, the hazard of aging books-new research is done, new commentaries are published, and theories fade and are replaced by new ones. On that, the NISB is nice just because it’s newer.

This is not a devotional study Bible. I think that many preacher’s will find it valuable. It will provide you with background and with suggestions for understanding and interpretation. In fact, much of that 36 page section of general articles deals not with technical stuff (Hebrew poetry, literary forms, ancient near eastern cultures), but rather with inspiration and authority, and the ways in which we interpret. This all suggests a practical intention for the book.

For me, NISB is not going to replace my trusty and severely word OSB, but I have added it to my primary shelf where I keep those materials I consult regularly in Bible study.

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Bible Study Tools

By Joe Felim

These days many Bible study resources are available online at no cost, such as Crosswalk Bible Study Tools (bible.crosswalk.com). You can also purchase excellent Bible study software for your computer. If you need advice on Bible study books, ask your pastor or the manager of a Christian bookstore.

Your Bible study can be very profitable by just reading and meditating on the Bible all by itself. In fact, such meditation is essential to spiritual growth. But to learn more, having the right tools is important.

Obtaining a study Bible is the place to begin. But as your Bible studies increase, you may want to invest in some more specialized books. Some to explore:

* Bible Handbook. Provides a great deal of information about each book of the Bible, life in Bible times, history of the English Bible, etc.

* Bible Dictionary. Brief articles on each significant subject, word, and person in the Old and New Testaments. You’ll often find helpful summaries of Bible teaching.

* Bible Concordance. While study Bibles provide an abridged concordance, you can find an unabridged concordance that helps you find every occurrence of a particular word in the Bible. The best-known of these is Strong’s Concordance (based on the KJV) which identifies each Greek and Hebrew word, and gives it a brief definition and a number. Now concordances are available for the NIV and NASB containing Strong’s numbering system.

* Bible Commentary. Bible commentaries provide an overview and running explanation of each book of the Bible. A good place to start might be with a fairly recent one-volume commentary on the whole Bible. There are also a number of inexpensive commentary series available that cover each book in the Bible, if you want to study a particular book in greater depth.

* Word Study tools include an interlinear New Testament that shows the Greek text on one line and a literal English translation below it. A Greek-English Lexicon provides clear, precise definitions for each Greek word in the New Testament. Some of these are keyed to Strong’s numbers so they can be used by students who haven’t learned to read Greek letters. Similar resources are available for Hebrew as well.

* Topical Bible. A topical Bible will give a great many scripture references listed by topic. Great if you’re doing a topical or thematic Bible study.

* Bible Atlas. An atlas contains more than detailed maps. It also describes the geography and places of the Bible, usually with fascinating illustrations and archeological details.

If you were to ask a carpenter to build a house with hand tools he could probably do it. But with power tools the job will go more quickly so that the carpenter will have time to spend on the details. Bible study books are tools that help cut the time you need spend on Bible learning, so you can get to the really important matters of your study — seeking after God himself.

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Start A Bible Study for Christian Youth

By Joe Felim

It may sound trite to tell you to pray about starting a Bible study, but a Bible study takes a huge commitment. You need to be sure that what you are doing comes from the Lord, otherwise you may not have the strength to get through some of the tough times.

While you may have a great idea to start a Bible study, you youth pastor may have some other ideas. He may also want you to have a certain focus or meet at certain times. You may also need to meet with your youth pastor regularly to discuss how the Bible study is going and student involvement.

Find out if there is interest. Most likely there will be a lot of interest in a Bible study, but you also need to find out preferred days of the week, whether mornings or evenings work better for students, etc.

What interests your students? What are the Christian youth around you struggling with in their lives? Where do you see the most spiritual need? These questions along with prayer should lead you to a list of good topics.

Usually a Bible study topic lasts about 4 to 5 weeks. If you make it too long the students get bored. If you are using a book as part of your Bible study, try to choose one that breaks up into sections. This way everyone stays interested. It also allows for youth to join in periodically and not feel lost.

If you are using a pre-made Bible study, a lot of the work is done for you. It should come with built-in questions and readings. However, you will want to go over the curriculum first so that you can add questions and make modifications if needed. If you are creating the curriculum on your own, you will want it completed ahead of time.

If you are ordering books or supplies, you will want to do so ahead of time, and the money should not come out of your own pocket unless you want it to. It also allows for you to determine interest and make youth feel as if they are committed to the Bible study. Having students sign up also allows you to see if you will have too many students. There should be no more than 15 students in a group, so you may need to recruit more leaders and break the students up into smaller groups.

Sometimes it is helpful to bring food to celebrate the start of the Bible study or even new units. Make sure everyone gets to know each other using icebreakers and go over the rules at the start of each unit. Then enjoy the time everyone has together in prayer and study of the Bible.