Bible Study Tools
May 14, 2014
Study Bibles
The NIV Study Bible (Kenneth Barker, general ed.) Zondervan, 1999 — Full of helpful cross references, notes, introductions to individual books and major sections, index to subjects and charts, concordance, maps.
NRSV Harper Study Bible, Expanded Edition (Harold Lindsell, genl. ed.) Zondervan, 1991 — Full of helpful cross references, notes, introductions to individual books, index to annotations, concordance, and maps.
Websites
biblos.com — Excellent search capabilities in multiple translations, dictionaries, etc. Commentaries, atlas, and many other resources.
biblestudytools.com — Dozens of English translations plus some foreign languages. Search capabilities. Commentaries and many other resources.
biblegateway.com — Dozens of English translations plus many foreign languages. Search capabilities. Commentaries and many other resources.
net.bible.org — Uses the New English Translation, also called the NETBible. Search capabilities. Includes other translations for comparison. Hebrew and Greek text with mouse-over highlighting that corresponds to the English text (similar to an interlinear) and displays a lexical entry. Heavily annotated (several notes on each verse) often dealing with the translation process and textual criticism. Many other notes and articles related to introductory matters and typical commentary. Valuable to all; especially valuable to those with a basic knowledge of Hebrew/Greek. Major input from scholars at Dallas Theological Seminary.
whatthebibleteaches.com — An updated presentation of R. A. Torrey's 1898 systematic theology entitled What the Bible Teaches (using the NIV).
ronleigh.com/bible — Papers, books, etc. on various Bible passages and topics.
Online Interlinears
An interlinear is a specialized form of a polyglot. A polyglot can be any book which presents the same writing in two or more languages, often in parallel columns. However, an interlinear integrates two texts to a greater extent. Rather than merely placing them side by side, each line from the first language has corresponding words from the second language listed on the next line, immediately under the word from the first language. This, of course, is why it is called an interlinear.
Interlinears have long been helpful tools for detailed study of the Bible. A Greek-English interlinear, as the name implies, presents a line of the Greek text with a line of corresponding English words immediately below each Greek word or phrase. This description, of course, is an oversimplification since there are some Greek words which are not translated into English at all, and there are some Greek words which require more than one English word to be properly translated. And since Greek word order differs significantly from English, the resulting English text cannot really be considered a translation, although it can serve as an early step in the translation process.
In recent centuries many print interlinears have been produced, including:
- Jay P. Green, The Interlinear Hebrew-Greek-English Bible (New Testament based on Textus Receptus)
- George R. Berry, The Interlinear Literal Translation of the Greek New Testament with the Authorized Version (based on Textus Receptus)
- Alfred Marshall, Greek-English New Testament, (based on Nestle Greek text)
- Mounce, William, and Robert Mounce, Greek and English Interlinear New Testament (based on a compiled Greek text). This interlinear is very recent and perhaps the most helpful. It includes a format which allows the interlinear to read as standard English, two additional translations for comparison (NASB and NIV), parsing of each word, and a Greek-English dictionary.
Three online interlinears are described below. (The screen shots are of 1 Peter 3:18a.)
| biblegateway.com — Select the "Mounce Reverse-Interlinear New Testament" and enter reference |
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| biblehub.com — Select the "Interlinear" button and enter reference at top | |
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| nltinterlinear.com — Enter or select a reference | |
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(Interlinear) (Reverse-Interlinear)  | |
Annotated Bibliography on Theology in General
NOTE: The following are only a few of many good conservative theology books. Others worth reading include Louis Berkhof, and Charles Hodge. And don't forget the two famous reformers from the 1500s and 1600s, John Calvin and James Arminius.
Schaeffer, Francis A., The God Who Is There: Speaking Historic Christianity into the Twentieth Century, Inter-Varsity Press, 1968 — One of the earliest (and still one of the best) books explaining the devastating effects of the philosophical movements of the past two centuries – effects on belief in God and thus on all other biblical doctrine. Documents the intellectual ruin springing from the death of antithesis and absolutes and the rise of subjectivism and existentialism.
Lewis, Gordon R., Decide for Yourself: A Theological Workbook, InterVarsity Press, 1970. — Each topic is presented by briefly describing several different views. Then the relevant biblical passages are presented for the reader to evaluate the various views. Lewis makes it quite clear which view he holds. Excellent place to start.
Thiessen, Henry C., Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Eerdmans, 1949. — Excellent first reader in theology. Dense with scripture references. Dispensational, not Calvinistic. (Beware Doerksen's revision, published after Thiessen's death, which contains Calvinistic corruptions of Thiessen's views.)
Buswell, James Oliver, A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, 2nd edition, Zondervan, 1962. — Thoughtful and full of good insights. Somewhat conversational style. Deals with key passages in their extended context. Reformed.
Erickson, Millard J., Christian Theology, 2nd edition, Baker, 1998 (3rd edition "coming soon") — Although a seminary level text, this is a relatively easy read. Clearly written and comprehensive. Moderately Calvinistic. Fair treatment of others' views. An abbreviated version is available under the title Introducing Christian Doctrine (2nd edition).
Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Zondervan, 1994 — Comprehensive. Written in straight-forward, easy to understand language. Calvinistic.
Culver, Robert Duncan, Systematic Theology: Biblical and Historical, Mentor / Christian Focus Publications, 2005 — Thorough coverage of the various theological topics plus the history and literature related to those topics.
Strong, Augustus Hopkins, Systematic Theology (Revell, 1907) — Broad coverage of the entire field of systematic theology. Pages 829-848 discuss conversion, repentance, and faith and include some interesting thoughts on the content of the faith of those who have never heard of Christ. (The reader should be aware that some theologians find fault with Strong's theory of the atonement, labeling his views as "evolutionary pantheism" and claiming that he identifies Christ with the human race to such an extent as to make Christ responsible for human sin and under obligation to pay for sin. For one evaluation of Strong's theory of the atonement see James Oliver Buswell, A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, Vol 2, p. 97-100.)
Henry, Carl F. H., God, Revelation, and Authority (6 volumes), originally published by Word, 1983, (published in paperback in 1999 by Crossway) — Highly acclaimed in evangelical circles. Relevant to both theology and apologetics. An excellent antidote to neo-orthodoxy and other pseudo-christian systems.
Bruce, F. F. and W. J. Martin, The Deity of Christ, Manchester: North of England Evangelical Trust, 1964 — This original 24 page booklet has been retyped and placed online at theologicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/ffb/deity_bruce.pdf. Packed with solid information related to the trinity and the deity of Christ. Deals with a number of passages misinterpreted by Arians and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Boettner, Loraine, Studies in Theology, (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1947) — Strongly Calvinistic.