The NLT Study Bible @ Amazon.com

Well, the NLT has certainly been making its way around the blogs lately. A good portion of this sudden notice being given is due, I’m sure, to the release of the NLT Study Bible in September. I have been looking forward to it ever since I heard the announcement, and was able to get my hands on a review copy thanks to Laura Bartlett and the folks at Tyndale House Publishing.
Sean Harrison, general editor for the NLT Study Bible, recently answered the question “what makes the NLTSB different from other Study Bibles?” with this:

“Some study Bibles focus on helping people to accept a particular doctrinal system, while others focus on “personal application.” Others simply provide interesting details about the context, language, grammar, etc., without asking how that information will impact people’s understanding of the text. Still others focus on a particular type of study methodology—topical study, word study, etc. Our goal, by contrast, was to provide everything we could that would help the readers understand the Scripture text more fully as the original human authors and readers themselves would have understood it.”
-Sean Harrison, How is the NLT Study Bible Different?”

Part of the way this was done was by “simply discuss[ing] what the text meant in the original context and let people extrapolate from there.” The goal then seems to be that the team behind this study Bible didn’t want to tell people what their Bible is saying, but provide them with the historical and cultural context necessary to actually study the Bible for themselves. What an idea! To actually give people aids to study the Bible for themselves! That was one of the reasons I was so attracted to the Bible in the first place, and where I think so many other Study Bibles fall short. The thrust of this review, then, will be a look at how the NLTSB lives up to that particular goal of the NLTSB team.

Design
Before I dig into that part of the review, however, I want to take a brief moment to discuss the aesthetics of the NLTSB itself. I know a lot of my readers are much more apt and understanding issues of typography and such, so I won’t pretend to know more than I do. First of all, the Bible itself is absolutely gorgeous. The dust-jacket is glossy, and contains all the spiels that attempt to sell the product, including a list of features and other information. The cover underneath has the exact same design, minus the features, endorsement, etc. It is just a straight-forward, yet elegant, design.

Second, the NLTSB is thick, clocking in at 2,560 pages. The pages, however, are very thin and allow text to bleed through from the other side. This is understandable as the Bible would be even thicker if the pages were thicker. The pages, in my opinion, are also well designed. At the top of each page is a running head of what verse begins or ends the page. For example, page 730 has 2 Chronicles 1:1, while page 731 has 2 Chronicles 2:14. The Scripture reference column is found on the inside edge of each page. If a verse contains a Hebrew or Greek word that is also highlighted in Hebrew/Greek word section, you will find it listed in this reference column as well. Each page is divided into two or three sections, including the main Scripture text, a ‘spotlight’ of a particular theme or person profile (if there is one on that page), and then the study notes. Each of the three are easily distinguishable from each other. The main Biblical text is in the common two column format, the themes and profiles section is in a single column, and the notes are found in a three column format, each divided with a horizontal rule that is not distracting. The pages are monochromatic, which also keeps the reader from being distracted by loud, flashy colors.

Third, the features (profiles, notes, etc) are unobtrusive, even when maps and graphs are used. Again, as someone easily distracted, I appreciate this a lot. Whenever the study notes quote directly from the Scripture, the quote is both italicized and made bold, making such quotes clear.

Though it is hefty, and suffers from thin pages, overall the NLTSB is a treat to look at. Everything is well distinguished, which keeps all of the features from running together. Some may have complaints about the monochromatic color-scheme of the pages, but I find this to be a positive thing. The thickness of the NLTSB will keep me from bringing it to a Sunday service, but it will do just fine whenever I am at my desk studying or out somewhere else with the same purpose. Of course, I would probably distract myself from the sermon by reading the notes and other features, so in the end that’s probably a good thing as well.

Features
So what are the features of the NLTSB? There are several.

1.Section Introductions. Each section of the Bible has it’s own Introduction. For example, there are articles introducing the four Gospels, Wisdom/Poetry books, the Letters of Paul, etc. These include information on various historical and cultural issues, and include a list of books for “further reading.”

The Wisdom/Poetry book introduction includes a section on setting, literary features of Hebrew poetry, the place of these books in the Hebrew Bible (“writings”), and more. The introduction is in a three-column format, and each section is brief, though informative.

2. Book Introductions. Each book of the Bible has its own introduction. These introductions are full of information including an overview of the book, information on the setting (What is the story behind each book? What was the need for each book in its setting?), a map if applicable, a summary of the book (“what is the structure and flow of ideas in each book?”), an outline of each book, information on author/date/other historical issues, and a list of books for “further reading.” In the margins, each book introduction also has quotes about the book from other authors, both ancient and modern, as well as a historical timeline that places the events of each book in history.

Mark’s gospel will serve as a fine example. The timeline lists the birth of Jesus (BC ~6-4), Jesus’ baptism (AD 28), Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection (Passover, AD 30 or 33), the Jerusalem Council (AD 49-50), Mark writes his gospel (AD 65-70), Jewish Roman War (AD 66-70), and the destruction of the temple (AD 70). While I generally date the Gospel of Mark a little earlier, it just shows one way how the NLTSB team has attempted to give each book its historical significance. Quotes from William L. Lane and James R. Edwards can be found in the margins, and there is a rundown of Mark’s meaning and message (including, the person of Christ, the death of Jesus, Christian Discipleship, the ‘messianic secret,’ and the coming of God’s kingdom).

3. Visual Aids. The NLT Study Bible is full of interesting visual aids to help the reader understand their Bibles better. These range from charts to maps to illustrations, timelines, and diagrams. Obviously, the point of these is to give information in a nice visual format, and as I said above, they are not at all distracting.

4. Notes. The study notes are found at the bottom of each page in a nice three-column format. Each set of notes are set apart in paragraphs, leading with the scripture reference in bold. They cover single verses, multiple verses, paragraphs and whole sections, dealing with historical-cultural issues (e.g., the note on John 10:22, with an explanation of “Hanukkah, and the Maccabean revolt.), theological issues, and other information that is helpful to the reader. As I mentioned above, the notes are littered throughout with quotes from the Scriptures themselves. They are easy on the eyes, and easy to read.

5.Hebrew-Greek Word Study. This section features 100 Hebrew words and 100 Greek words. It includes an introduction that touches on the idea of word studies, as well as some common mistakes that are made in them (e.g. the idea that every instance of a word contains all of the possible meanings, determining the meaning of a word by its root, etc). Each word is listed in bold along with an English gloss. This is then followed by an actual definition, and a list of verses that contain the word.

Example:monogenes (3439): unique, one and only.
This word indicates something that is the only representative of its kind, with the implication that it is special or extraordinary in some way. It can refer to a unique child, special to the parents, whether or not the child is an only child.
SEE Luke 7:22, 8:42, 9:38; John 1:14, 18; 3:16; Heb 11:17; 1 Jn 4:9

6.Subject Index of Study Materials. This section is extremely thorough, ranging from page 2227 to page 2368 (141 pages!). It includes the page numbers of the various themes and profiles found throughout the study Bible along with Scripture references that they are found at. Maps and other various features are marked as such.

7.Dictionary/Concordance. I wasn’t expecting much from the dictionary and concordance, but even it has some nice touches. It is of course, a dictionary and concordance, but it also includes some words that are used in the KJV with where to find it in the NLT. This is a great touch and will allow those who are familiar with the KJV to use the NLT pretty easily.

Analysis
Let us remember the basic goal of the NLT SB: to give the “meaning and message of the text as understood in and through the original historical context.” Does it in fact do this? I think it absolutely does. This is what really shines through the study notes, theme and profile highlights, as well as the articles that can be found introducing a book, section, or testament. As I’ve stated before, all sections found on a given page are easily distinguished from one another, and none of them are any more distracting than the others (which is to say, not distracting at all). As stated various times by the NLTSB team, the study Bible does not seek to give a systematic theology- and though the various features of the Bible do get into theology (how could it not?), they do a great job of explaining the issues without really picking sides. A great example of this can be found in the dreaded 1 Timothy 2:11-15 passage. There is a thematic profile here, which serves to explain the various beliefs about “Women’s Roles in the NT Church.” After a brief explanation that Paul’s message was “intended to correct what was happen in Ephesus,” it describes the three major views (universal interpretation, polemical interpretation, and cultural interpretation) without committing to any of the three.

I was also particularly happy with the Hebrew/Greek word study section, and the dictionary/concordance. I was glad to see an explanation of what a word study is and isn’t, and some safeguards against abuse. We all know how word studies can be, and while this won’t stop the abuse fully, it might help educate readers into learning more. I was also happy to see that the Heb./Greek dictionary did not just offer up glosses, but attempted to give brief definitions. When only a gloss is given, it tends to perpetuate the idea that there is a one-to-one correspondence between languages. Also, as I mentioned previously, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the dictionary/concordance included some of the KJV’s word usage. This will help those who might be moving from the KJV (and other translations) to become more familiar with the NLT. An example of this is the word “abyss” from the KJV. Under it is listed several verses where the NLT translates the word as “bottomless pit,” including Revelation 9:1, 11. The dictionary/concordance runs from page 2369 to 2486 (117 pages).

The study notes fall right-in-line with the rest of the features, giving the reader a better understanding of how the original audience would have understood the Bible. The NLTSB claims to have over 1 million words within the notes, but I didn’t count to find out. I’m taking there word on that one. They even get into some textual criticism issues, showing different readings from other manuscripts. In line with this, both the issue of the long ending of Mark and the pericope adulterae (the story of the woman caught in adultery) are mentioned in the notes, though the ending of Mark gets far more attention. The notes also feature other possible translations in some areas where the greek is ambiguous to us today. The notes are really great- explaining just enough to allow the reader to still study their bibles, as opposed to some study Bibles that basically just tell the reader what to believe.

In the end, reflecting on the stated purpose of the NLTSB, I think that it delivers on its goal – it does not tell people what to believe, let alone give exegesis without reason, but instead explains the situations and issues in their historical cultural context to do just what it claims- helping people study the Bible for themselves. That is what a “study Bible” is supposed to do, right?

Of course, the NLTSB is not going to replace a commentary, but its not supposed to. It’s supposed to help those who might not have the technical commentaries available, or as a good reference guide as one reads through the Bible, so they don’t have to research something every other verse. The NLTSB has found a welcomed spot on my bookshelf, and on my desk. I think it should have the same in yours as well.

Purchase the NLTSB:
@ Amazon.com

Check out the NLT blog
See what general editor Sean Harrison is talking about.
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