Rusty Benson
AFA Journal associate editor
January 2008 – Three recently published study Bibles are unique and disparate resources to help Christians understand and apply the Scripture. One is aimed at connecting American Protestants to their Reformation heritage. Another helps Christians build a defense of their faith in a society that is growing more secular. A third teaches readers how literary forms used in the Bible impact meaning. All are aimed at serious students of the Bible and present the Scripture as the infallible and inerrant Word of God.
The 1599 Geneva Bible from Tolle Lege Press is a re-publishing of the first English Bible translated from the original languages. Originally published in 1560, it includes notes, annotations and commentaries by leaders of the Protestant Reformation. This is the version used by the Puritans and others to transform Western Europe in the 1600s.
In introductory comments, Dr. Marshall Foster, founder and president of The Mayflower Institute, writes that the Bible’s study notes opened the Scripture to the common man in such a way that entire societies and cultures were transformed.
“Ultimately, the knowledge and obedience of God’s written Word led to constitutional, limited government; the end of slavery and the caste system; free enterprise and the concept of private property; the so-called Puritan work ethic that fueled the scientific and industrial revolutions; wholesome, uplifting standards in the arts; and many other forms of progress,” Foster writes.
To learn more, visit www.genevabible.org.
The Apologetics Study Bible, recently published by Holman Bible Publishers, is a treasure trove of resources to help Christians proclaim and defend the faith against the claims of contemporary skeptics and critics.
The volume includes over 100 feature articles plus shorter notes appended at relevant points in the Scripture. Among the 100 plus contributors are Charles Colson, William Lane Craig, William A. Dembski, John M. Frame, Norman Geisler, Douglas R. Groothuis, Josh McDowell, R. Albert Mohler, J.P. Moreland and Ravi Zacharias.
Here’s a sampling of article titles: “Evolution: Fact or Fantasy?” “Is Psychology Biblical?” “Has the Bible Been Accurately Copied Down Through the Centuries?” “How Should a Christian Understand Postmodernism?” “How Does the Bible Relate to Islam?” and “What About Those Who Have Never Heard About Christ?”
The Apologetics Study Bible – subtitled Understand Why You Believe – uses the Holman Christian Standard Bible translation. For more information: www.apologeticsbible.com.
The Literary Study Bible is a one-of-a-kind resource aimed at helping students of the Bible understand God’s Word more fully by focusing on the Scripture as literature. Father and son general editors Leland Ryken and Philip Graham Ryken define literature as “anything having to do with how Biblical writers have expressed their content.”
This unique volume offers insights into the Bible’s story lines, characters, historical settings, literary genres, motifs, theological themes, imagery and key terms. For students of the Scripture who yearn to dig deep into the riches of the Word, The Literary Study Bible may prove to be among their most valuable resources.
The Literary Study Bible uses the English Standard Version text. More about this volume, including 30 days free access to the online version, can be found at www.esvbible.org. 
The Children’s Illustrated Bible from New Leaf Press may be aimed at children, presumably about 8-12 years old, but it includes illustrations and information that Bible students of any age will appreciate.
Reminiscent of the style of the popular “DK Eyewitness Books,” The Children’s Illustrated Bible features outstanding maps, photos, history, and illustrations that accompany paraphrased versions of selected Bible passages. Home school families that teach the Bible as history and literature may particularly find this volume useful.
Since the combination of paraphrase and illustration is suited to the retelling of narrative portions of the Scripture – as opposed to the poetic or teaching passages – parents may find that some parts of the text may not fully express their theological perspectives. The authors seem to have been sensitive to such limitations and have greatly summarized or skipped large teaching portions such as much of the New Testament epistles of Paul.
