Comments on: Comparing notes on the NLT Study Bible

By: Sean Harrison

Sean Harrison — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:22:15 +0000

You and I both — haven’t written as much as I’d like, since the online edition has been sucking up all of my time. I’m hoping to get back to writing now that the online edition is going live.

By: ElShaddai Edwards

ElShaddai Edwards — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:08:56 +0000

Thank you, Sean, for the opportunity to look at the NLTSB early on. I haven’t gotten as much written as I’d like these past few weeks, but I’m hoping to revisit the different study features a few more times. I’m also looking forward to the online notes when they’re available!

By: Sean Harrison

Sean Harrison — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:57:43 +0000

ElShaddai, I enjoyed reading your review — thanks for your careful analysis and reflections.

By: ElShaddai Edwards

ElShaddai Edwards — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:59:29 +0000

Ask and ye shall receive…

By: Esteban Vázquez

Esteban Vázquez — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:56:18 +0000

ElShaddai, have you seen that Crossway has put online a .pdf of Ezekiel 1-3 from the ESV Study Bible? It might pay to put the notes side-by-side like this!

By: L. Wells

L. Wells — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:24:23 +0000

Thanks for the excellent review ElShaddai. I just don’t think I could get into the NLT no matter how good the study notes were. I tend to agree with Iyov when he states the following:

“I’m quite fond of the Oxford Study Bibles (Catholic NAB, New Oxford Annotated NRSV, New Oxfored Anotated RSV, and Jewish NJPS) as well as the HarperCollins, and I haven’t seen a study Bible yet that I think is better than those.”

I prefer the “jottings” style notes over and above the long drawn out commentary in a study Bible. I say keep it concise and relevant without a lot of space consuming chatter that is often not very useful. If I need something beyond this I will break out the commentaries on my bookshelves. As for those who don’t have, or can’t afford good commentary sets, there are some excellent one volume commentaries out there, such as The Interpreter’s One Volume, The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, and releasing next year The New Interpreter’s One Volume.

Iyov, I have just ordered the NRSV NOASB 3rd Augmented Edition, published in 2007 I believe. Is this the edition you are referring to? I already use the others you mentioned, with the exception of the Jewish NJPS. Do you have a preference among the Oxford Study Bible’s? I also agree concerning the Cambridge, it is the only study Bible I own that I never even bother to take off the shelf anymore.

BTW ElShaddai, I tend to be more of a cat person myself. LOL

By: R. Mansfield

R. Mansfield — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:48:06 +0000

See my comments at Iyov’s post.

By: Iyov

Iyov — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:20:43 +0000

I would also add that there is not a lot of overlap among the Oxford annotated SBs I’ve seen — with the exception of the NRSV New Oxford Annotated Bible and the NJPS Oxford Jewish Study Bible (which share a common editor and also some essays) they don’t have overlap (except for the color maps.)

I just think Oxford has high standards for its academic Study Bibles (not true of Cambridge, unfortunately.)

By: Iyov

Iyov — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:16:45 +0000

Actually, the REB Oxford Study Bible (and the earlier NEB Oxford Study Bible) are quite good — first, there was significant coordination with translators, so both of these are close to being “official” annotated editions. The notes are brief, but as your example points out, they are good and relevant. The trend in more recent SBs is for longer and more annotations, and these editions remind me of the earlier editions of the New Oxford Annotated (second edition and earlier).

I also think the REB is the best of the dynamic translations. The NEB is known for some wild interpretations, and now seems a bit dated, but it is good for stimulating thought.

It is a pity that the REB OSB is now out of print in hardcover. I think it has a market.

By: ElShaddai Edwards

ElShaddai Edwards — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:06:21 +0000

I’m quite fond of the Oxford Study Bibles [...] as well as the HarperCollins, and I haven’t seen a study Bible yet that I think is better than those.

Iyov, I’ve not had a chance to ask you this directly before, but where/how to do you “rank” the REB Oxford Study Bible’s approach to the other Oxford editions that you’ve noted?