Charles C. Ryrie (AD 1925-2016) lived to be four score and ten, was an outstanding Bible scholar, teacher, author, Southern Baptist. He taught for years at Dallas Theological Seminary and authored some 50 books. Multiplied thousands of preachers and Bible students are in his debt. Dr. Ryrie was an active member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas and good friend of pastors W. A. Criswell, O. S. Hawkins, Mac Brunson, Robert Jeffress.
He is perhaps best known for his Ryrie Study Bible, Basic Theology, and as a spokesman for Premillennialism (or Dispensationalism). Every pastor should have the Ryrie Study Bible as a reference.
On one of my fairly recent visits to SWBTS, Paige Patterson announced Charles Ryrie would be speaking in an upcoming chapel service. Wish I could have been there.
"If ever there lived a man whose life was immersed in the Bible it was Charles Ryrie. This is evident not only in the legacy he left in the Ryrie Study Bible, his amazing collection of rare and antique Bibles and books, but his passion to never stop studying even into his ninth decade of life.” -O. S. Hawkins, GuideStone.
Read more at:
Study Bible scholar Charles Ryrie dies
http://bpnews.net/46335/study-bible-scholar-charles-ryrie-dies
Farewell Faithful Solider: A Tribute to Dr. Charles C. Ryrie
http://sbctoday.com/farewell-faithful-solider-a-tribute-to-dr-charles-c-ryrie/
“The Bible is the greatest of all books, to study it is the noblest of all pursuits, to understand it, the highest of all goals.” -Charles Ryrie
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, February 22, AD 2016.
Commentaries and Bible Study
Deuteronomy 14:26 - Does it Commend Alcohol?
Basic Baptist Doctrines / Beliefs
More articles in lower right margin.
Showing posts with label Bible Study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible Study. Show all posts
Monday, February 22, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
Bilingual Bible And Other Christian Books
We have a new Spanish language Sunday School class meeting at our church. While we are an English speaking church, we have some attending our church who are bilingual, and some who only speak Spanish.
If you want to learn Spanish, or at least a few Spanish words -
If you want to learn English, at least a little -
What better way to learn either language than with the Bible and Christian literature? Books that have both Spanish and English side by side.
I went to a LifeWay Store a time or two and spent some time on their Spanish language aisles. I wanted to get a few supplemental books for the Spanish Bible Class. Among other things I found the following.
Bilingual Bible, Version Reina-Valera 1960, New King James Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers. On the same page one column is Spanish, the other column is English.
Down Through the Roof; Jesus sana a un Paralitico. Arch Books. The Bible story of the man being lowered down through the roof.
The Berenstain Bears; Los Osos Berenstain, Dios te ama!; God Loves You!, Living Lights.
Each of the above has other children’s bilingual books in these series.
There are also a number of Spanish language books by popular Christian writers.
I ordered the following books at LifeWay.
They are by Dr. Daniel Sanchez, professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
La Doctrina del Fin: La historia que cede el paso al orden eterno.
Evangelio en el Rosario: Estudio Biblico de lost Misterios ed Cristo.
Dr. Sanchez has authored other books as well, in both Spanish and English.
LifeWay also has Sunday School Literature in Spanish. Our class is using, Estudios Biblicos Para La Vida.
Years ago a lady from Portugal began attending our church. I did some checking and ordered a Portuguese language Bible from a Bible Society. She had never seen a Portuguese Bible. Even though she spoke English, she was thrilled to see, as well as read, the Bible in her own native language.
Just today a bilingual lady was looking through some of these new books mentioned above. She said she had no idea they were available and thought they would be helpful to her and some in her family. She borrowed two of them.
So, just a reminder that you can get the Bible and other Christian literature in most any language today. It can also be an effective way to witness to a friend.
Check out bilingual Christian literature at LifeWay Christian Stores, and other Christian Bookstores in your area. If they don’t have it, they can order it.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 25, AD 2016.
Articles:
Adrian Rogers on "Wit & Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow"
Lord's Supper, Questions & Answers
Israel, May They Prosper Who Love You
More articles in lower right margin.
If you want to learn Spanish, or at least a few Spanish words -
If you want to learn English, at least a little -
What better way to learn either language than with the Bible and Christian literature? Books that have both Spanish and English side by side.
I went to a LifeWay Store a time or two and spent some time on their Spanish language aisles. I wanted to get a few supplemental books for the Spanish Bible Class. Among other things I found the following.
Bilingual Bible, Version Reina-Valera 1960, New King James Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers. On the same page one column is Spanish, the other column is English.
Down Through the Roof; Jesus sana a un Paralitico. Arch Books. The Bible story of the man being lowered down through the roof.
The Berenstain Bears; Los Osos Berenstain, Dios te ama!; God Loves You!, Living Lights.
Each of the above has other children’s bilingual books in these series.
There are also a number of Spanish language books by popular Christian writers.
I ordered the following books at LifeWay.
They are by Dr. Daniel Sanchez, professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
La Doctrina del Fin: La historia que cede el paso al orden eterno.
Evangelio en el Rosario: Estudio Biblico de lost Misterios ed Cristo.
Dr. Sanchez has authored other books as well, in both Spanish and English.
LifeWay also has Sunday School Literature in Spanish. Our class is using, Estudios Biblicos Para La Vida.
Years ago a lady from Portugal began attending our church. I did some checking and ordered a Portuguese language Bible from a Bible Society. She had never seen a Portuguese Bible. Even though she spoke English, she was thrilled to see, as well as read, the Bible in her own native language.
Just today a bilingual lady was looking through some of these new books mentioned above. She said she had no idea they were available and thought they would be helpful to her and some in her family. She borrowed two of them.
So, just a reminder that you can get the Bible and other Christian literature in most any language today. It can also be an effective way to witness to a friend.
Check out bilingual Christian literature at LifeWay Christian Stores, and other Christian Bookstores in your area. If they don’t have it, they can order it.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 25, AD 2016.
Articles:
Adrian Rogers on "Wit & Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow"
Lord's Supper, Questions & Answers
Israel, May They Prosper Who Love You
More articles in lower right margin.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Must A Preacher Know Greek And Hebrew?
Should a pastor, or any believer for that matter, study and be fluent in Greek and Hebrew, to really be able to study, understand, and teach the Bible?
Our Bible, God’s inspired, inerrant Word, originally was mostly written in Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament).
An English translation of the Bible is translated from Hebrew and Greek into our English language. Obviously the translators need to be Bible scholars fluent in the original biblical languages as well as English.
Clearly a knowledge of Greek and Hebrew would be a plus to anyone studying and teaching the Bible. It can open up new areas of fuller understanding. If you have the time and ability, by all means learn the biblical languages.
There are some areas where you will only be effective and respected if you have at least a basic knowledge of these languages. On the other hand, if you don’t know the languages, if it is a crucial point, you can rely on and quote those who do know Greek.
English translations are produced by some of the top scholars in Hebrew, Greek, and English. Therefore, when we study a good English translation, we are enjoying the fruit of their scholarly labor. We get much of the benefits of the original languages through their research and translation. Can they get it wrong? Yes. That is a good reason to sometimes consult a second or third English translation. We are privileged with the luxury of having multiple good English translations: KJV, NKJV (my favorite), NASB, HCSB, and others.
Just because you know Greek doesn’t mean you automatically have the corner on proper Bible interpretation. Even once you know exactly what a Bible verse says in Greek, there can still be more than one view. And, a Greek scholar can still be flat out wrong on a biblical issue. So, don’t be bullied by someone just because they know more Greek than you. Also, you can often find a Greek scholar that disagrees with the Greek scholar trying to bully you.
If you are fluent in biblical languages, don’t use it to excess in your preaching and teaching. Frankly, some preachers seem to want to show off their knowledge of Greek.
Unless it is a point that really makes a difference, most laymen are not too interested in how well you know Greek. Some get weary of hearing the Greek word of every word in a verse.
There is an old story of a pastor search committee who included two requirements for their next pastor. That he not know Greek and that he had never been to the Holy Land. A previous pastor had done both and talked of them excessively.
Greek and Hebrew word studies at times are interesting and instructive. But sometimes they can skew the truth. We do not necessarily consider the ancient root meaning of a particular word, every time we use that word. Maybe the biblical writers did not either.
For example, the origin of the English word “enthusiastic” comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “possessed by a god.” But when a preacher says we should be enthusiastic about a church program, I doubt he is saying we should be possessed by a pagan god. Rather, he is just using the common understanding of the word. He simply means we should “be excited” about the church program.
Often when you find out what a Bible verse says in Greek, you find it is the same thing as what your Bible translation said in English all along. And, that is the very purpose of a translation.
I’ve sometimes asked, do you know what John 3:16 says in Greek?” They usually get excited they are about to discover some new truth. I then answer, it says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Yes, that’s the jist of it in Greek!
You can do a competent study of Greek and Hebrew, even if you do not know the languages. Great Bible study books abound such as, Vines Word Studies, Young’s and Strong’s Concordances, A. T. Roberson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament, Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, Bible Commentaries, topical Bible study books.
Even a cursory knowledge of the biblical languages, though, can help you understand the differences in languages in general. Even a cursory knowledge of any second language can give you a better understanding of the original biblical languages, translation, transliteration.
Some preachers who know Greek are condescending toward those who don‘t know Greek. Yet, some of those same preachers who know Greek, do not know Hebrew, or only have a slight knowledge of it. Well, with that attitude, that preacher should never preach from the Old Testament until he is fluent in Hebrew.
A Greek scholar should never look down on a believer that does not know the biblical languages. Often, that humble believer may know more about a biblical passage than the scholar knows. And, the Greek scholar should show a healthy degree of humility. Perhaps we will all need a remedial course in Basic Bible when we reach Heaven’s shore.
I’ve always admired a Bible scholar who does not act like a scholar, and who can explain Bible truths so we all can understand.
Those who do not know the biblical languages should respect those who do. Theirs is a monumental accomplishment. Often they can reveal biblical truths of which others are unaware. Sometimes either side can keep us from doctrinal error.
I’ve sometimes wondered if a part of the spiritual gift of tongues is the ability some have to quickly and easily learn another human tongue or language. This would, of course, include Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek. The Apostle Paul would have known these languages and probably others and is likely to what he was referring (1 Corinthians 14:18) when he said “I speak with tongues (languages) more than you all.”
Some seem to just not have an aptitude for learning another language, yet they excel in other areas. Some will disagree, but you can be a very capable preacher and teacher of the Word of God without knowing much about Greek or Hebrew. It would not be difficult to name a long list of outstanding preachers, pastors, evangelists, missionaries who do not know Greek or Hebrew.
We would all be diminished if we had no Greek and Hebrew scholars. We would all be diminished if we got rid of all those ministers who are not fluent in the biblical languages.
Wherever you fit in the spectrum of biblical languages, may we all read, study, and hide God’s Word in our hearts. May we believe Holy Scripture, then put it into practice in our everyday lives.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 18, AD 2016.
Articles:
Random Advice to Pastors, Part 1
Commentaries and Bible Study
SCRIPTURE INDEX for Ancient Wine and the Bible
Other articles in lower right margin.
Our Bible, God’s inspired, inerrant Word, originally was mostly written in Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament).
An English translation of the Bible is translated from Hebrew and Greek into our English language. Obviously the translators need to be Bible scholars fluent in the original biblical languages as well as English.
Clearly a knowledge of Greek and Hebrew would be a plus to anyone studying and teaching the Bible. It can open up new areas of fuller understanding. If you have the time and ability, by all means learn the biblical languages.
There are some areas where you will only be effective and respected if you have at least a basic knowledge of these languages. On the other hand, if you don’t know the languages, if it is a crucial point, you can rely on and quote those who do know Greek.
English translations are produced by some of the top scholars in Hebrew, Greek, and English. Therefore, when we study a good English translation, we are enjoying the fruit of their scholarly labor. We get much of the benefits of the original languages through their research and translation. Can they get it wrong? Yes. That is a good reason to sometimes consult a second or third English translation. We are privileged with the luxury of having multiple good English translations: KJV, NKJV (my favorite), NASB, HCSB, and others.
Just because you know Greek doesn’t mean you automatically have the corner on proper Bible interpretation. Even once you know exactly what a Bible verse says in Greek, there can still be more than one view. And, a Greek scholar can still be flat out wrong on a biblical issue. So, don’t be bullied by someone just because they know more Greek than you. Also, you can often find a Greek scholar that disagrees with the Greek scholar trying to bully you.
If you are fluent in biblical languages, don’t use it to excess in your preaching and teaching. Frankly, some preachers seem to want to show off their knowledge of Greek.
Unless it is a point that really makes a difference, most laymen are not too interested in how well you know Greek. Some get weary of hearing the Greek word of every word in a verse.
There is an old story of a pastor search committee who included two requirements for their next pastor. That he not know Greek and that he had never been to the Holy Land. A previous pastor had done both and talked of them excessively.
Greek and Hebrew word studies at times are interesting and instructive. But sometimes they can skew the truth. We do not necessarily consider the ancient root meaning of a particular word, every time we use that word. Maybe the biblical writers did not either.
For example, the origin of the English word “enthusiastic” comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “possessed by a god.” But when a preacher says we should be enthusiastic about a church program, I doubt he is saying we should be possessed by a pagan god. Rather, he is just using the common understanding of the word. He simply means we should “be excited” about the church program.
Often when you find out what a Bible verse says in Greek, you find it is the same thing as what your Bible translation said in English all along. And, that is the very purpose of a translation.
I’ve sometimes asked, do you know what John 3:16 says in Greek?” They usually get excited they are about to discover some new truth. I then answer, it says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Yes, that’s the jist of it in Greek!
You can do a competent study of Greek and Hebrew, even if you do not know the languages. Great Bible study books abound such as, Vines Word Studies, Young’s and Strong’s Concordances, A. T. Roberson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament, Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, Bible Commentaries, topical Bible study books.
Even a cursory knowledge of the biblical languages, though, can help you understand the differences in languages in general. Even a cursory knowledge of any second language can give you a better understanding of the original biblical languages, translation, transliteration.
Some preachers who know Greek are condescending toward those who don‘t know Greek. Yet, some of those same preachers who know Greek, do not know Hebrew, or only have a slight knowledge of it. Well, with that attitude, that preacher should never preach from the Old Testament until he is fluent in Hebrew.
A Greek scholar should never look down on a believer that does not know the biblical languages. Often, that humble believer may know more about a biblical passage than the scholar knows. And, the Greek scholar should show a healthy degree of humility. Perhaps we will all need a remedial course in Basic Bible when we reach Heaven’s shore.
I’ve always admired a Bible scholar who does not act like a scholar, and who can explain Bible truths so we all can understand.
Those who do not know the biblical languages should respect those who do. Theirs is a monumental accomplishment. Often they can reveal biblical truths of which others are unaware. Sometimes either side can keep us from doctrinal error.
I’ve sometimes wondered if a part of the spiritual gift of tongues is the ability some have to quickly and easily learn another human tongue or language. This would, of course, include Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek. The Apostle Paul would have known these languages and probably others and is likely to what he was referring (1 Corinthians 14:18) when he said “I speak with tongues (languages) more than you all.”
Some seem to just not have an aptitude for learning another language, yet they excel in other areas. Some will disagree, but you can be a very capable preacher and teacher of the Word of God without knowing much about Greek or Hebrew. It would not be difficult to name a long list of outstanding preachers, pastors, evangelists, missionaries who do not know Greek or Hebrew.
We would all be diminished if we had no Greek and Hebrew scholars. We would all be diminished if we got rid of all those ministers who are not fluent in the biblical languages.
Wherever you fit in the spectrum of biblical languages, may we all read, study, and hide God’s Word in our hearts. May we believe Holy Scripture, then put it into practice in our everyday lives.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 18, AD 2016.
Articles:
Random Advice to Pastors, Part 1
Commentaries and Bible Study
SCRIPTURE INDEX for Ancient Wine and the Bible
Other articles in lower right margin.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
B. H. Carroll on Inspiration of Bible
Following are quotes from B. H. Carroll on biblical inspiration from his book, Inspiration of the Bible, Southwestern Library of Centennial Classics, 1930, 2008.
“It has always been a matter of profound surprise to me that anybody should ever question the verbal inspiration of the Bible."
"The whole thing had to be written in words. Words are signs of ideas, and if the words are not inspired, then there is no way of getting at anything in connection with inspiration. If I am free to pick up the Bible and read something and say, ‘That is not inspired,’ and someone else does not agree with me as to which is and which is not inspired, it leaves the whole thing unsettled as to whether any of it is inspired."
"What is the object of inspiration? It is to put accurately, in human words, ideas from God. If the words are not inspired, how am I to know how much to reject, and how to find out whether anything is from God? When you hear the silly talk that the Bible ‘contains’ the word of God and is not the word of God, you hear a fool’s talk. I don’t care if he is a Doctor of Divinity, a President of a University covered with medals from universities of Europe and the United States, it is fool-talk. There can be no inspiration of the book without the inspiration of the words of the book.”
“The inspired word is irrefragable, infallible; that all the powers of the world cannot break one ‘thus saith the Lord.’”
“Let me say further that only the original text of the books of the Bible is inspired, not the copy or the translation.”
“The inspiration means that the record of what is said and done is correct. It does not mean that everything that God did and said is recorded. It does not mean that everything recorded is of equal importance, but every part of it is necessary to the purpose of the record, and no part is unimportant. One part is no more inspired than any other part.”
“It is perfectly foolish to talk about degrees of inspiration. What Jesus said in the flesh, as we find it in the four Gospels, is no more His word than what the inspired prophet or apostle said.”
“What Jesus said after He ascended to heaven, through Paul or any other apostle, is just as much Jesus’ word as anything He said in the flesh.”
“Here are some objections: First, ‘only the originals are inspired, and we have only copies.’ The answer to that is that God would not inspire a book and take no care of the book. His providence has preserved the Bible in a way that no other book has been preserved.”
“We do not find that verbal inspiration stereotypes the style, even in the case of a single man. It is nothing mechanical like that, nor does it in the least destroy the individuality of the inspired man. When Paul writes, he writes in Paul’s style; when Peter writes, he writes in Peter’s style.”
“The Holy Spirit inspires the penman and not the pen, and we must not be disturbed when we find Paul’s style, when he is writing spiritual things in spiritual words, or Peter’s style in his writings. We should accept that fact as we go along.” -B. H. Carroll, Inspiration of the Bible, Southwestern Library of Centennial Classics, 1930, 2008.
Benajah Harvey Carroll (AD 1843-1914) was born in Mississippi, a veteran of the Civil War, and was pastor of First Baptist Church, Waco, Texas.
B. H. Carroll was founder and first president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. His book, Inspiration of the Bible, has been influential among Baptists. It was reprinted and promoted during the SBC Conservative Resurgence and was reprinted again in 2008 in a set of books commemorating the Centennial of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Note: Plenary Verbal Inspiration means every word of all 66 books of the Bible is inspired by God and is therefore the inerrant, living, authoritative, sufficient Word of God.
Plenary - all
Verbal - every word
Inspiration - God breathed. Divinely inspired in such a way that no other book is inspired by God.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, July 12, AD 2011.
Related Articles:
Southwestern Centennial Classics; B. H. Carroll, L. R. Scarborough, T. B. Maston...
B. H. Carroll on Hyper-Calvinism
B. H. Carroll on Pastors and Alcohol
See other articles in lower right margin.
“It has always been a matter of profound surprise to me that anybody should ever question the verbal inspiration of the Bible."
"The whole thing had to be written in words. Words are signs of ideas, and if the words are not inspired, then there is no way of getting at anything in connection with inspiration. If I am free to pick up the Bible and read something and say, ‘That is not inspired,’ and someone else does not agree with me as to which is and which is not inspired, it leaves the whole thing unsettled as to whether any of it is inspired."
"What is the object of inspiration? It is to put accurately, in human words, ideas from God. If the words are not inspired, how am I to know how much to reject, and how to find out whether anything is from God? When you hear the silly talk that the Bible ‘contains’ the word of God and is not the word of God, you hear a fool’s talk. I don’t care if he is a Doctor of Divinity, a President of a University covered with medals from universities of Europe and the United States, it is fool-talk. There can be no inspiration of the book without the inspiration of the words of the book.”
“The inspired word is irrefragable, infallible; that all the powers of the world cannot break one ‘thus saith the Lord.’”
“Let me say further that only the original text of the books of the Bible is inspired, not the copy or the translation.”
“The inspiration means that the record of what is said and done is correct. It does not mean that everything that God did and said is recorded. It does not mean that everything recorded is of equal importance, but every part of it is necessary to the purpose of the record, and no part is unimportant. One part is no more inspired than any other part.”
“It is perfectly foolish to talk about degrees of inspiration. What Jesus said in the flesh, as we find it in the four Gospels, is no more His word than what the inspired prophet or apostle said.”
“What Jesus said after He ascended to heaven, through Paul or any other apostle, is just as much Jesus’ word as anything He said in the flesh.”
“Here are some objections: First, ‘only the originals are inspired, and we have only copies.’ The answer to that is that God would not inspire a book and take no care of the book. His providence has preserved the Bible in a way that no other book has been preserved.”
“We do not find that verbal inspiration stereotypes the style, even in the case of a single man. It is nothing mechanical like that, nor does it in the least destroy the individuality of the inspired man. When Paul writes, he writes in Paul’s style; when Peter writes, he writes in Peter’s style.”
“The Holy Spirit inspires the penman and not the pen, and we must not be disturbed when we find Paul’s style, when he is writing spiritual things in spiritual words, or Peter’s style in his writings. We should accept that fact as we go along.” -B. H. Carroll, Inspiration of the Bible, Southwestern Library of Centennial Classics, 1930, 2008.
"The
modern cry: 'Less creed and more liberty,' is a degeneration from the
vertebrate to the jellyfish, and means less unity and less morality, and it
means more heresy. Definitive truth does not create heresy - it only exposes
and corrects. Shut off the creed and the Christian world would fill up with
heresy unsuspected and uncorrected, but none the less deadly."
-B. H. Carroll, An Interpretation
of the English Bible, Ephesians 4. Benajah Harvey Carroll (AD 1843-1914) was born in Mississippi, a veteran of the Civil War, and was pastor of First Baptist Church, Waco, Texas.
B. H. Carroll was founder and first president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. His book, Inspiration of the Bible, has been influential among Baptists. It was reprinted and promoted during the SBC Conservative Resurgence and was reprinted again in 2008 in a set of books commemorating the Centennial of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Note: Plenary Verbal Inspiration means every word of all 66 books of the Bible is inspired by God and is therefore the inerrant, living, authoritative, sufficient Word of God.
Plenary - all
Verbal - every word
Inspiration - God breathed. Divinely inspired in such a way that no other book is inspired by God.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, July 12, AD 2011.
Related Articles:
Southwestern Centennial Classics; B. H. Carroll, L. R. Scarborough, T. B. Maston...
B. H. Carroll on Hyper-Calvinism
B. H. Carroll on Pastors and Alcohol
See other articles in lower right margin.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Commentaries and Bible Study
So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.
-Nehemiah 8:8
What is a commentary? It is simply a book that attempts to explain what a book in the Bible has to say.
It will give a basic introduction to the Bible book. Things like the author of the book, time of writing, who it was first written to, the basic theme or purpose of the book.
A commentary will then go verse by verse, or chapter by chapter and explain the meaning of the text of the Bible. The commentary author will sometimes refer to the original biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew. It may give several possible interpretations of a passage, especially if that passage is controversial or hard to understand. I like a commentary that then gives the author’s view of which is the right interpretation.
Some commentaries are very lengthy and detailed. Some skip over many verses and just hit the high points. Some are very technical and scholarly. Some so scholarly that you need to know Greek and Hebrew and maybe another language or two to keep up with it. Other commentaries are more expositional and devotional in nature.
Some of the best commentaries are by pastors who have preached through that book in the Bible. They include the meaning of the passage, doctrine, as well as illustrations and practical application of Scripture. These are sometimes called expositional commentaries.
For laymen, Sunday School teachers, and most pastors, I think good expositional commentaries are the most helpful. Two or three expositional commentaries, along with a more scholarly, technical commentary or two can be a good combination. You can buy them yourself or check out your church library. You don’t have to buy all the commentaries; you can start out by getting two or three on a particular Bible book.
Below are some of my recommendations. But I’d advise you to check them out for yourself to see if they are a good fit for you. Even if we believe the same basic things, my favorite commentator may not be yours. Remember that some commentators are better with one book than the next. Also, some book editors have edited out the illustrations and personal stories to condense the book; in my opinion this seriously diminishes the book.
A set of commentaries cost more at first, but the set is usually cheaper than over time buying all the individual volumes. Will you always agree with the commentary author? Of course not, but the authors listed below are conservative and believe in the divine inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. Not all are Baptist, but all are conservative, evangelical, and helpful.
Some of my favorite expositional commentaries and authors:
The first commentaries I would recommend would be the Bible Exposition Commentary by Warren Weirsbe; Thru the Bible Series by J. Vernon McGee; and the volumes by H. A. Ironside. These are a great place to begin.
While they are not in a set, I would also highly recommend the commentaries on individual books in the Bible by John Phillips, R. L. Sumner, Paige Patterson, W. A. Criswell, Jerry Vines, Adrian Rogers.
Other popular commentaries you may want to check out:
Holman Bible Commentary, Herschel Hobbs, John MacArthur, James T. Draper, John F. Walvoord, Albert Barnes, James M. Boice.
A more scholarly, technical set of commentaries:
The New American Commentary by Broadman & Holman. While these are scholarly, they are fairly easy to understand. The entire set is expensive, but they can be purchased one at a time. Or, talk your church into buying these, as well as some of the above, for the church library.
For the study of LifeWay Sunday School lessons, the Advanced Bible Study; Herschel Hobbs, and some of their other lesson study tools are very helpful. Check out what LifeWay has to offer.
The above commentaries can be ordered through a local Christian Bookstore, LifeWay, Amazon.com, etc. There is no end to commentaries, even the good ones, but these can get you started.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, March 23, AD 2010.
Related Articles:
Bibles and Bible Study
Scofield Bible, First 100 Years
-Nehemiah 8:8
What is a commentary? It is simply a book that attempts to explain what a book in the Bible has to say.
It will give a basic introduction to the Bible book. Things like the author of the book, time of writing, who it was first written to, the basic theme or purpose of the book.
A commentary will then go verse by verse, or chapter by chapter and explain the meaning of the text of the Bible. The commentary author will sometimes refer to the original biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew. It may give several possible interpretations of a passage, especially if that passage is controversial or hard to understand. I like a commentary that then gives the author’s view of which is the right interpretation.
Some commentaries are very lengthy and detailed. Some skip over many verses and just hit the high points. Some are very technical and scholarly. Some so scholarly that you need to know Greek and Hebrew and maybe another language or two to keep up with it. Other commentaries are more expositional and devotional in nature.
Some of the best commentaries are by pastors who have preached through that book in the Bible. They include the meaning of the passage, doctrine, as well as illustrations and practical application of Scripture. These are sometimes called expositional commentaries.
For laymen, Sunday School teachers, and most pastors, I think good expositional commentaries are the most helpful. Two or three expositional commentaries, along with a more scholarly, technical commentary or two can be a good combination. You can buy them yourself or check out your church library. You don’t have to buy all the commentaries; you can start out by getting two or three on a particular Bible book.
Below are some of my recommendations. But I’d advise you to check them out for yourself to see if they are a good fit for you. Even if we believe the same basic things, my favorite commentator may not be yours. Remember that some commentators are better with one book than the next. Also, some book editors have edited out the illustrations and personal stories to condense the book; in my opinion this seriously diminishes the book.
A set of commentaries cost more at first, but the set is usually cheaper than over time buying all the individual volumes. Will you always agree with the commentary author? Of course not, but the authors listed below are conservative and believe in the divine inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. Not all are Baptist, but all are conservative, evangelical, and helpful.
Some of my favorite expositional commentaries and authors:
The first commentaries I would recommend would be the Bible Exposition Commentary by Warren Weirsbe; Thru the Bible Series by J. Vernon McGee; and the volumes by H. A. Ironside. These are a great place to begin.
While they are not in a set, I would also highly recommend the commentaries on individual books in the Bible by John Phillips, R. L. Sumner, Paige Patterson, W. A. Criswell, Jerry Vines, Adrian Rogers.
Other popular commentaries you may want to check out:
Holman Bible Commentary, Herschel Hobbs, John MacArthur, James T. Draper, John F. Walvoord, Albert Barnes, James M. Boice.
A more scholarly, technical set of commentaries:
The New American Commentary by Broadman & Holman. While these are scholarly, they are fairly easy to understand. The entire set is expensive, but they can be purchased one at a time. Or, talk your church into buying these, as well as some of the above, for the church library.
For the study of LifeWay Sunday School lessons, the Advanced Bible Study; Herschel Hobbs, and some of their other lesson study tools are very helpful. Check out what LifeWay has to offer.
The above commentaries can be ordered through a local Christian Bookstore, LifeWay, Amazon.com, etc. There is no end to commentaries, even the good ones, but these can get you started.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, March 23, AD 2010.
Related Articles:
Bibles and Bible Study
Scofield Bible, First 100 Years
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Bibles and Bible Study
What are the basics of doing a credible Bible Study on your own? In several posts that may or may not be consecutive, I’d like to try and answer that question. Hopefully this information will be helpful to young pastors, laymen, Sunday School teachers, and those who teach new believers.
To study the Bible, the first thing you need is a Bible. That’s profound, isn’t it? :-) . The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek (and some Aramaic). But unless you are fluent in those languages, you need a good English translation.
Good modern English Bible translations include the New King James Version (NKJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), New International Version (NIV), Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). My favorite is the NKJV. That may be partly because I grew up using the old King James Version (KJV).
Once you get a good translation of the Bible, the next thing you need is a second translation of the Bible. Why? Because when one translation is not clear, another translation may be. It can help your understanding to occasionally read the passage under study in a different translation. So get at least two of the above translations. Most of these translations in hardback editions cost about $10 to $20.
Third, get a good Study Bible. A Study Bible has Bible Study helps built right into the volume. Study helps like: a brief introduction to each of the 66 books of the Bible, footnotes that explain hard to understand verses, cross references in the margins that tell you about similar or contrasting verses elsewhere in the Bible, brief glossary or dictionary, concordance to help you find Bible verses, maps, and short articles on major doctrines and themes in the Bible. A Study Bible can give brief, easy to understand explanations of many Bible subjects. While you will end up disagreeing with some of the Bible Study notes, they can keep you from getting too far off base in basic Christian doctrine.
There are many helpful Study Bibles. In my opinion, some of the best are the Scofield Study Bible, Ryrie Study Bible, and the Criswell Study Bible (Later editions called Believer's Study Bible, and Baptist Study Edition; all are good. I have the Believer's Study Bible).
The Criswell Study Bible (Managing Editor Paige Patterson), and its various editions, is unfortunately out of print, but can still be found in some bookstores or at amazon.com. Hopefully it will one day be republished; it is one of the best.
The above Study Bibles are available in several Bible translations. So you may want to kill two stones with one bird by getting two Study Bibles in different translations :-) . The drawback to a Study Bible is that it is more expensive. Study Bibles range in price from $20 to $50 dollars for a hardback edition, to $50 to over $100 for leather-bound editions. They can be purchased at LifeWay Stores (lifewaystores.com), other local Christian bookstores, or through amazon.com, christianbooks.com, etc. They make great birthday and Christmas gifts. (Be sure to give your local Christian bookstore some of your business. If they don‘t have it in stock, they can order it.)
Once you get a Study Bible, take some time to read the introduction and the explanation of their Helps and Notes. Many have a Study Bible for years without knowing how to take advantage of all the helps it offers.
Much of the above Bible Study information can also be obtained free on the internet at crosswalk.com and BibleGateway.com. They offer numerous Bible translations, concordance (word search), and other study helps. While these two sites are good, be cautious about the internet. Some websites are faithful to the Word of God, many are not.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, November 24, AD 2009.
To study the Bible, the first thing you need is a Bible. That’s profound, isn’t it? :-) . The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek (and some Aramaic). But unless you are fluent in those languages, you need a good English translation.
Good modern English Bible translations include the New King James Version (NKJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), New International Version (NIV), Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). My favorite is the NKJV. That may be partly because I grew up using the old King James Version (KJV).
Once you get a good translation of the Bible, the next thing you need is a second translation of the Bible. Why? Because when one translation is not clear, another translation may be. It can help your understanding to occasionally read the passage under study in a different translation. So get at least two of the above translations. Most of these translations in hardback editions cost about $10 to $20.
Third, get a good Study Bible. A Study Bible has Bible Study helps built right into the volume. Study helps like: a brief introduction to each of the 66 books of the Bible, footnotes that explain hard to understand verses, cross references in the margins that tell you about similar or contrasting verses elsewhere in the Bible, brief glossary or dictionary, concordance to help you find Bible verses, maps, and short articles on major doctrines and themes in the Bible. A Study Bible can give brief, easy to understand explanations of many Bible subjects. While you will end up disagreeing with some of the Bible Study notes, they can keep you from getting too far off base in basic Christian doctrine.
There are many helpful Study Bibles. In my opinion, some of the best are the Scofield Study Bible, Ryrie Study Bible, and the Criswell Study Bible (Later editions called Believer's Study Bible, and Baptist Study Edition; all are good. I have the Believer's Study Bible).
The Criswell Study Bible (Managing Editor Paige Patterson), and its various editions, is unfortunately out of print, but can still be found in some bookstores or at amazon.com. Hopefully it will one day be republished; it is one of the best.
The above Study Bibles are available in several Bible translations. So you may want to kill two stones with one bird by getting two Study Bibles in different translations :-) . The drawback to a Study Bible is that it is more expensive. Study Bibles range in price from $20 to $50 dollars for a hardback edition, to $50 to over $100 for leather-bound editions. They can be purchased at LifeWay Stores (lifewaystores.com), other local Christian bookstores, or through amazon.com, christianbooks.com, etc. They make great birthday and Christmas gifts. (Be sure to give your local Christian bookstore some of your business. If they don‘t have it in stock, they can order it.)
Once you get a Study Bible, take some time to read the introduction and the explanation of their Helps and Notes. Many have a Study Bible for years without knowing how to take advantage of all the helps it offers.
Much of the above Bible Study information can also be obtained free on the internet at crosswalk.com and BibleGateway.com. They offer numerous Bible translations, concordance (word search), and other study helps. While these two sites are good, be cautious about the internet. Some websites are faithful to the Word of God, many are not.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, November 24, AD 2009.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Scofield Bible, First 100 Years
C. I. Schofield; c. AD 1920
My dad used to say that Jesus would one day return to this earth riding a white horse with a sword in one hand, and a Scofield Bible in the other hand.
The Scofield Reference Bible or Study Bible is 100 years old. It’s been a remarkable century. The Scofield Bible was virtually as common as the King James Version itself in many churches. For anyone serious about Bible study, the first purchase was this standard Study Bible published by Oxford University Press. It has sold millions of copies. Arno C. Gaebelein even wrote a book on The History of the Scofield Reference Bible (1943, 1991).
Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921), better known as C. I. Scofield was a Civil War veteran, lawyer, politician, and an alcoholic, who was gloriously saved by the grace of God. Led to the Lord through the witness of a YMCA worker. He became a Congregational, then a Presbyterian preacher. He was good friends with D. L. Moody, Hudson Taylor, James Brooks, J. M. Gray, Lewis Sperry Chafer. D. L. Moody asked Scofield to continue his ministry at Northfield. Dr. Chafer gave Scofield significant credit in the founding of Dallas Theological Seminary.
C. I. Scofield was a leader in the emerging Bible Conference movement and was a popular speaker. These Bible Conferences, as well as the Scofield Bible, were designed for the common man rather than an exclusive scholarly audience; one of the reasons for their wide success. Scofield also wrote extensively for the Sunday School Times.
A Study Bible contains not only the text of the Bible, but study notes, concordance, cross references, introduction to each book in the Bible, maps, explanations, and short articles on major subjects in the Bible. There are many other Bible study tools, but a Study Bible is a great place to begin.
Some object to a Study Bible saying there is a danger that the reader may assume the study notes are inspired Scripture. But I think most folks easily understand that it is only the Scripture itself that is divinely, unerringly inspired. So when you get a Scofield Bible, study it, but feel free to debate the notations. We’re all going to disagree with it at some points, but it is a great resource.
The original Scofield Bible (1909, 1917) was revised in 1967, and there is a centennial edition. Each edition is still available. The Scofield Bible is available in several translations, including my favorite, the New King James Version (NKJV).
There are several reasons for the wide influence of the Scofield Bible:
First, it was a pioneer in providing study notes with the text of the Bible and was virtually the only such Study Bible for years.
Second, it presented study notes in an easy to understand form. Preachers and laymen could use it whether or not they had a formal education.
Third, it was influential in its conservative theology. In a century in which historic Christianity was under assault by theological liberalism, the Scofield Bible stood as a lighthouse for the basic doctrines of our faith. Doctrines like the Divine Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, Jesus’ Death for our sins and His literal bodily Resurrection , Jesus is God, the Return of Christ, Salvation by grace through faith, Resurrection and Judgment, Heaven and Hell.
Fourth, it was very influential in explaining the Premillennial Return of Christ. Premillennialism has been around for 2,000 years, but it rose to prominence in the 1900s due in part to the acceptance of the Scofield Bible.
With its conservative, Premillennial theology, some ministerial students enjoyed flaunting the Scofield Bible in front of their more liberal or Amillennial professors. Especially annoying to those professors was any student who dared use the Scofield Bible as a reference on a research paper. A favorite class comment, “But Dr. Cobb, that’s not what the Scofield Bible says.” And then there was that great old hymn, "My hope is built on nothing less, than Scofield's notes and Moody Press" :-).
So to the Scofield Bible I wish a Happy 100th Birthday! I still use it and pray it may have many more years of helping students better understand God’s infallible Word.
*******
Contributors to the original Scofield Bible (1909, 1917): C. I. Scofield, Henry G. Weston, James M. Gray, William J. Eerdman, A. T. Pierson, W. G. Moorehead, Elmore Harris, Arno C. Gaebelein, William L. Pettingill.
Contributors to the New Scofield Study Bible (1967): E. Schuyler English, Frank E. Gaebelein, William Culbertson, Charles L. Feinberg, Allan A. MacRae, Clarence E. Mason, Jr., Alva J. McClain, Wilber M. Smith, John F. Walvoord.
-by David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, September 14, AD 2009.
See related articles under Gulf Coast Pastor Articles (Labels) in lower right hand margin (Bible Study and Study Bibles).
Purchase at amazon.com the NKJV Scofield Study Bible III
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