Calvinist Study Bibles?

[Koontzy]

I would consider myself a KJV Independant Baptist, but have been checking into some Calvinist beliefs, and I am finding some of the info fasinating.. I heard John Macarthur and Rc sproul preach and liked them both, and I heard they both have study bibles...are both these guys calvinist? what about their study bibles? from a calvinist view? what other calvinist study bibles are there?

what are the bibles like??? thanks
God Bless
-Ryan

 

[calmcoolandelected]

I would consider myself a KJV Independant Baptist, but have been checking into some Calvinist beliefs, and I am finding some of the info fasinating.. I heard John Macarthur and Rc sproul preach and liked them both, and I heard they both have study bibles...are both these guys calvinist? what about their study bibles? from a calvinist view? what other calvinist study bibles are there?

what are the bibles like??? thanks
God Bless
-Ryan

Hi Ryan,

I have the NKJV Reformation Study Bible and I love it!

I have heard that the NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible is also very good (but I prefer the NKJV over the NIV).

An ESV (English Standard Version???) Study Bible is in the works and should be published soon.

CC&E

 

[McWilliams]

I have the NKJV John McArthur Study Bible and love it! There are many notes of his explaining background and/or other information that add much to the value. There are also additional articles on bible study. Yes, I would say both Sproul and McArthur are reformed and follow the scriptural teaching of the doctrines of grace!

 

[Proeliator]

I have, for reformed bibles:
NKJV MacArthur Study Bible
NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible
ESV Reformation Study Bible

They are all great tools. The 1 nice thing about the NIV is that it contains just about all of the historic Reformed confessions.

 

[synger]

I have the New Geneva Study Bible in NKJV. It has not only footnotes and study notes, but doctrinal essays on some of the core Reformed beliefs. Contributors include R.C. Sproul and J.I. Packer. I also find the NKJV very easy to read and understand.

Did you know that the original Geneva Study Bible of 1599 was the first Bible that could be called a "study Bible", with the types of notes and cross-references we think of when we think of a study Bible? Go, Go Reformed Team!!

 

[arunma]

I have the ESV Reformation Study Bible (which has already been referred to here). Sproul is a great Reformed theologian, and more importantly, the ESV is a great translation.

 

[edie19]

I have the NKJV Reformation Study Bible and the NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible. The helps are essentially the same - I prefer the NKJV for the translation over the NIV (it would be perfect if it were available in the NASB). The reason I purchased it in NIV also is because the NIV contains a lot of Reformation documents (Heidelberg Catechism, Westminster Confession, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, Westminster Larger Catechism). That allowed me to get a lot of resources without spending a lot of money on multiple books.

edie

 

[Elderone]

The Matthew Henry study Bible is KJV if you prefer that version.

 

[JM]

The Matthew Henry study Bible is KJV if you prefer that version.

Yes, Matthew Henry!

 

[Jon_]

I would consider myself a KJV Independant Baptist, but have been checking into some Calvinist beliefs, and I am finding some of the info fasinating.. I heard John Macarthur and Rc sproul preach and liked them both, and I heard they both have study bibles...are both these guys calvinist? what about their study bibles? from a calvinist view? what other calvinist study bibles are there?

what are the bibles like??? thanks
God Bless
-Ryan

Geneva Bible
Spirit of the Reformation (NIV)
Reformation Study Bible (ESV)

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

 

[s0journ3r]

I've been looking into purchasing another study bible & I've been having a hard time deciding. So, since some of you on here own some of them, I would like to pick your brain a little and see which one I should purchase for myself.

For starters, Im new to Reformed theology. I don't attend a Reformed church, but I like how Reformed folk treat the Word of God and contend for the faith with the same spirit as the martyrs. You don't find that very often. So, that's one of the appeals that draws me into wanting a Reformed study Bible. Currently, I have nothing but dispensational/baptist/pentecostal study Bibles that are okay, but since I'm not a fan of dispensational theology, I'm looking for something different in that area.

Here are the three Bibles that I'm looking at:

1.) The Reformation Study Bible (NKJV)

2.) The Reformation Study Bible (ESV)

3.) The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIV)

I hear that the NKJV Reformation Study Bible has a nice layout & is one of the best of the series. So, for those who have this Bible, can you share your thoughts? Would you recommend it to someone like me? How are the notes? Can you give me an example of some of them?

What's the difference between the NKJV & the ESV Reformation Study Bibles? Is it just the translation? Or, are the notes different as well? Is one more in-depth than the other? Which one would you suggest?

And I like the fact that the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible has the Reformed confessions....but, is that really the only difference between it and - say - the NKJV & ESV Reformed Study Bibles? Would you place the NIV's Reformed Bible over the NKJV/ESV Reformed Bibles?

Since Bibles are so expensive these days & I don't have a bookstore near me, I can't determine which one is good for myself. So, I'm depending on you good people to help me out!

So, hoping that I didn't confuse anyone...give me your thoughts!

P.S. Can you also share with me how each of the Reformed Study Bibles treat infant baptism & eschatology?

Thanks for the help!

Yours truly in Christ,
sojourner

 

[s0journ3r]

Hey again, saints.

Just jumping this up so it doesn't get lost in the fray.

Yours truly in Christ,
sojourner

 

[HiredGoon]

Hello sojourner, I missed your post before, so thanks for bumping it up.

I own an ESV Reformation Study Bible, and as far as I know the study notes for the ESV and NKJV Reformation Study Bibles are identical. The difference is just the translation. I don't know much about the notes for the Spirit of the Reformation NIV.

When choosing between these three Bibles, I simply chose my favorite translation, which was the ESV.

I'll try to answer more of your specific questions about the notes when I have more time.

 

[JM]

Here's one that you may enjoy, it's[FONT=&quot] with updated English. If I ever gave up my AV1611, it would be for this Bible.
[/FONT]
http://www.americanvision.org/store/pc-538-4-1599-geneva-bible.aspx

 

[s0journ3r]

HiredGoon, thank you for responding & thank you for the information you've provided thus far. I'm looking forward to your next post. Take your time.

JM, thank you for the link. I'm going to have to consider this Bible as an option as well. The price for the Genuine leather is pretty convincing, too. I'm going to read the Book of Romans pdf file they have & see how it is.

Anyone else heard about the new re-print of the Geneva Bible? Has anyone ordered one?

Thanks!

Yours truly in Christ.
sojourner

 

[GrinningDwarf]

Anyone else heard about the new re-print of the Geneva Bible? Has anyone ordered one?

I've heard of it and would like to get one eventually. They aren't due out until after November 10. Have you seen the website for it?

http://www.tollelegepress.com/gb/geneva.php

 

[HiredGoon]

The Reformation Study Bibles are a conservative Presbyterian venture of Ligonier Ministries with the two editors being R.C. Sproul and Keith Mathison; two well known, solid Presbyterian theologians. The original study bible published by Ligonier was the New Geneva Study Bible in NKJV. So most of the study notes if not all of them are the same as the NGSB. When it was recently published in the ESV translation, the name was changed to The Reformation Study Bible. Interspersed throughout the bible, in addition to the study notes are "Theological Notes," which are longer more exstensive treatments of various topics like baptism, providence, original sin, etc. On baptism the RSB takes the Presbyterian paedobaptist view. As far as eschatology I haven't found any explicit views stated, though I haven't read all the notes. I believe Mathison is a postmillenialist, and I'm not sure about Sproul. Eschatology isn't my strong point, but any view taken by the contributers would lean toward amillenialism or postmillenialism, the two views most prevelant in Reformed theology.

As for the Geneva Bible republishing, I'll probably get one. The Geneva Bible was the original study bible, with notes contributed by some of the top reformed theologians of the day. This new version looks really good.

 

[s0journ3r]

GrinningDwarf, thank you very much for the link to the website. I'll look into it.

HiredGoon, thanks for the in-depth information. You've really helped me narrow down my searches.

Yours truly in Christ,
sojourner

 

[Willo]

I am looking at buying the Matthew Henry Study Bible, has anyone got a copy, if so do you think its a good study bible?

 

[DiscipleOfIAm]

I would consider myself a KJV Independant Baptist, but have been checking into some Calvinist beliefs, and I am finding some of the info fasinating.. I heard John Macarthur and Rc sproul preach and liked them both, and I heard they both have study bibles...are both these guys calvinist? what about their study bibles? from a calvinist view? what other calvinist study bibles are there?

what are the bibles like??? thanks
God Bless
-Ryan

I used to think that about myself. I thought I was KJVO IFB. Too many initials! Anyway, I started reading Spurgeon and then that lead to various articles from others and then the articles about the renewed growth of Calvinism in SBC and other denominations. It got me thinking, too. The more I thought, the more I read, and the more I read, the more I am seeing God's Truth for what it is.

I think Spurgeon said if being a Christian is being labled a Calvinist, then he is Calvinist, but he would rather be called a Christian. That is probably not word for word, but the gist is there!

Anyway, I'm still on the learning journey and sponging it up best I can. Good luck on your journey and thanks for the question. Now I know what Study Bibles to pick up, too!

God Bless!