Study bibles

Well, by my experience, all different kinds of denominations! When I was young and Arminian, I had the unhappy experience of purchasing a Bible which had notes in it. Presuming, I did not look at the notes, but after I had the Bible a while, I realized they were Calvinist notes. That Bible did not say this openly; if it had, I would not have bought it.

Disgusted, I strongly disliked the Bible and cut out the part I did like, throwing the Bible away when I purchased a new one. The part I cut out was a cyclopedic index, which I treasure highly. I placed each page in its own cover and put them in a 3-ring binder. Later when I found it and was a teensy bit wiser, I bought a specifically Arminian Bible.

I also have, in my possession and in good shape , uncut , a Bible which is decidedly anti-Semitic. The only reason it is in one piece and still in my possession is because it, also, has a wonderful section in the back. However, my intention is to soon cut that back portion out and make another notebook! :-D

I also have a Bible with Calvinistic notes, which is now much closer to my present theological thinking. I have also seen Bibles that were decidedly Charismatic.

It depends upon the Bible, not on the publisher of the Bible. Many publishers (Nelson, for example) will produce Bibles specific to beliefs, as they are asked to produce them and believe they can sell them.

 

Just off the top of my head:

Scofield: Classical Dispensational, closer to Arminian, used mostly by IFB types.

Ryrie: Sometimes called revised Dispensational (more modern yet still tradtional in its main points, NOT progressive), balanced between Calvinist/Arminian, balanced between Lordship and easy believism, mostly used by conservative baptist (and non-denom) who are dispensational in their thinking. Used to be my main study Bible.

MacArthur: Dispensatinal but with a emphesis on the New Covenant and the oneness of the people of God, definitly Calvinist, very scholaring if not often hiding debate from passages, used mostly by Calvinistic Baptists or in the more academic circles. One of my main study Bibles.

Reformation Study Bible: (used to be New Geneva Study Bible); Calvinist and Reformed with a capital R, written mostly by presbyterians with a few Reformed Baptists contributing (ie Grudem, etc), Covenant Theology and infant baptist and the whole works. Used mostly by Presbyterians, but Reformed Baptists churches also use (gets a lot of attention in my church which isn't even Covenant Theology but NCT). My other main study Bible.

NIV Study Notes: I have no idea. I am guessing it is baptistic.

Life Application Study Bible: More concerned with personal holiness and application then theological frameworks and debates, this Bible is used by the more devotional and mainstream crowd.

Harper Collins: The Liberal Study Bible if my memory serves me correctly, but still of some use for the patient student.

Drake Study bible: Haven't held this one in my hands myself but heard it is written from a charasmatic position.

 

Abiyah
"I also have, in my possession and in good shape , uncut , a Bible which is decidedly anti-Semitic."
Could you give us some details on this one.
Yes I'm curious. No I'm not in the market to join the Anti-Semite crowd.

 

Well, let me put it this way. This is a well-loved Bible, because of its superb "Condenced Cyclopedia of Topics and Texts" in the back of the book, along with other helps. However, the notes and section titles of the Thompson Reference Bible are decidedly anti-Semitic.

I will likely take heat for saying that, because of the high quality of this Bible (in spite of minor typos in mine), and I could hardly believe it myself. When I realized this, years ago, with trepidation, I approached one of the leaders of my synagogue with the question: Are the notes in this Bible realy anti-semitic, or is it my imagination? He quietly answered, "Yes, it is." We said nothing more about it, until a few days ago when I brought it up again at the end of a class. Once again, he quietly said it was, then the subject was dropped.

 

Can you post some examples of notes that are anti-semtic from the study bible?

I'm sorry, you probably don't have it anymore. Well anything off the top of your head.

 

NIV Study would fall into the general evangelical catagory, I think a good bible now in NASB and KJV with notes altered to reflect the verison

 

I have a Harper and wouldn't classify it as liberal

 

Oh, wow. It was a number of years ago, and while this Bible is still on my shelf, it is in the small print of youth.


If I remember correctly, I first noticed anti-Semitic notes added into the Prophets -- perhaps Isaiah. From there, I found several more similar notes in the apostolic writings. The notes were also decidedly into replacement theology as well.

My cursory glance at the notes written into Isaiah, regarding replacement theology, shows Isaiah 33 titled, "God's judgments against the enemies of the church," when the chapter has nothing to do with the church. The following chapter is similarly titled, as is chapter 41, 56, and others. Of these, I suppose some would say that the writer intended our God's eternal "church," but in using this term, the writer ignores Israel's very real place in both history and prophecy, using an anachronistic term which steers the reader toward replacement theology.

Some titles have been darkly inked-through in my disgust, but a few are readable. One readable and disturbing title is that for Isaiah 60, which reads "Glory of the church in the abundant access of Gentiles. . . ." What a horrible assessment! The "glory" is not because of the church or the Gentiles but because of our Lord and His wonderful glory. Amazing.

I was so shocked by these, that I hunted through the Bible for other similar titles and notes. Later, when I began attending my synagogue, I asked. The leader was not willing to talk about it or he would have done more than simply answer my question, so I did not press the issue with him.