A short comment on one thing that has really helped my Bible study tremendously: Cross-references. It might seem like I'm pointing out the obvious, but it is often very much overlooked. In preparing my next article on Isaiah - chapter 60 - I noticed, for instance, 6 clear references to Rev. 21. It is this cross-tying that has helped me to come to a preterist understanding.
I encourage everyone to be extra diligent to ferret out all those cross-references. Don't go automatically to a commentary (whether Disp. or Pret or anyone) and get their slant. Don't let anyone explain away that faint red light in your awareness.
Study it out. It is time consuming, but it leads to a really solid foundation that will not easily be shaken.
Thanks. I should also add that some cross-references that are printed are not real ones. And some real other cross-refs are overlooked by our editors. An example of the first is a cross-ref for Revelation 6:2 in my NKJV Bible. They give Matt. 24:5, which I would strongly object to.
Ultimately there is no substitute for just saturating our minds and hearts with the Bible. The cross-references will then come to mind the more we do this.
Another key is having a Bible that indicates when the NT is quoting an OT passage. Critical for understanding the true interpretation of OT passages. Tom you would find this work well worth your money: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0801026938/?tag=baptis04-20
Yes, they certainly can be. Another form of commentary is subtitles that are insinuated into the text. Also, divisions of paragraphs should never be automatically accepted.
I like cross-references in a Bible and use them much. They are limited though because they are selected by the editors based their theological prespective.
Another resource the is Treasury of Scripture Knowledge by R A Torrey. This is a huge cross reference to supplement those in your Bible. But the grandaddy of them all is The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge by Jerome Smith. This is the one I have, it has been out of print for a while. Not only does it have a gizillion references, it ties in other reference works. Buy it if you can find it. If it has a fault, that would be that it is too big.
Off the top of my head, the NKJV and the NASB also give OT citations used in the NT. They both use different lettering (small caps on the NASB, not sure about the NKJV) to indicate quotes and marginal notes to advise the reader of what OT manuscript was used. This is probably true of most modern translations (NIV for example but I'm not sure how it is called out) --in those editions that have cross references.