BlogSpotting: Al Mohler on How to Read a Study Bible
Three principles for responsible use of study tools.
Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, shares some sound principles for using a study Bible:
1. Read the text of the Bible first. Meditate upon the text and read it with care. Apply your own knowledge of the Bible in order to understand the particular text within its context and place in the biblical story-line. Consider and note other texts that come to your mind as directly related to this text. Read the text with full attention and conviction.
This is crucial. A danger in using a study Bible is to lean so heavily on the tools provided that you don't exercise your own biblical understanding. If you just let the study notes think for you, you won't synthesize what you're learning with what you already know, and you might forget both. Don't treat them like a Wikipedia crutch. Let the Word be written on your heart, always there to be spoken to your neighbor or yourself in the right moment.
He goes on:
2. Look carefully at the cross-references that the study Bible links to the text you are reading. Do not look only to the citations, but read the actual passages. This assistance is still the main contribution of a study Bible -- making related and parallel passages more accessible. A first principle of interpreting the Bible is to interpret the Bible by the Bible. In other words, to allow the Bible to interpret itself text by text.
3. As a third step, take full advantage of the notes, articles, and other helps printed alongside the text. In some cases, short articles will help in understanding contested issues or matters that might otherwise require a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia. Where appropriate, maps can be very useful, along with tables of measurement and similar points of reference. The very best of the study Bibles will also offer some level of commentary within the notes.Of course, it is the Bible itself that is inspired, inerrant, and infallible -- not the study materials included in study Bibles. Therefore, judge the notes by the biblical text, and never the other way around. Where possible, use more than one study Bible in order to maximize this learning process.
And he closes with the recommendation of a few different study Bibles. I've been meaning to get the new ESV Study Bible myself (the publisher is just down the street from my house!).
What contexts do you think are best suited for using study Bibles? Is there a version that has proved most helpful for you?
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Comments
I co-lead a women's evening bible study on our Wed. family nights which hosts about 15 ladies, many newbies to Bible Study. We have always used the NIV & someone always has a KJV, but last year we added the Answer Bible to the mix. It is a "plain language" bible and many attendees at our bible study like it because they understand what passages are trying to say. It also contains many summary pages written by theologians (and others) on specific topics like "How does unforgiveness hurt me?", etc. which can be great way to further discuss various scripture topics.
Posted by: Mrs. Sigrid Anderson | December 25, 2008 8:24 AM
Unfortunately, Al Mohler's three principles contravene John's Revelation (Chapter 5) about the scroll (Holy Bible) divinely sealed with seven seals and the Lamb (Jesus Christ literally at His Spirit- granting, divinity-revealing, diacritical death on the cross or "the tree of life"). In brief, no other principles formulated in heaven or on earth or in the world below than the Lamb could be found worthy enough to open the scroll or look inside it.
This is confirmed by a second witness, Paul who writes that Jesus Christ is the only key that opens all the hidden treasures of God's wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3).
However, these witnesses are actually secondary compared to personal experience by verification of the standing revelation and its immense covenant benefits (Jer. 31: 31-34; Matt. 26: 26-29 ff)!
Posted by: Ephrem Hagos | December 25, 2008 12:21 PM
I rarely post on these things, but I thought a response to Ephrem was needed. The scroll of Rev. 5 isn't referring to the Bible. It's most likely referring either to the Lamb's Book of Life, or to God's plan for the completion of history, with a focus on the culminating events of history's end.
Posted by: Scott Little | January 6, 2009 3:50 PM
This is a wonderful opinion. The things mentioned are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone.I appreciate the concern which is been rose. The things need to be sorted out because it is about the individual but it can be with everyone.A very smart and diplomatic answer. It?s really appreciable and general.
Gordon
The Bible
Posted by: Gordon Fredricks | May 5, 2009 2:37 AM
By analysis the Bible you and I can get to know about our creator Jehovah. We can also learn a great deal of practical wisdom. The excellence of putting into practice useful facts. As a Bible proverb says: ?perception is the prime thing. Acquire insight; and with all that you acquire, acquire understanding.?
Cynthia Kurtz
The Bible
Posted by: cynthia | May 5, 2009 7:52 AM