Study Bible's ?

[Ireland]

List your favorite Study Bible's not in order .Mine are .
John MrArthur's
Life Application
NIV Study Bible
New Geneva
These seem to be the ones I use the most lately .
The Spirit Of the Reformation Study Bible
is better then the New Geneva according to my Pastor .I will probably buy one soon .

 

[cygnusx1]

Have some blessings Ireland
Now go pick yourself a cool Avatar or something.................

 

[Knight]

I tend to find myself drawn to simple reference Bibles lately.

However I do make use of the following:

NIV Study Bible
NASB Life Application Study Bible
NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible

I also own a copy of the RSV Harper Study Bible that was my Dad's. It's not too bad.

I will be purchacing a copy of NKJV MacArthur's Study Bible soon as there is a store in town offering it for an excellent price.

I am also considering a NASB Study Bible and/or a Thompson Chain Reference Bible. We'll see how the funds pan out.....

 

[frost]

Knight, how do you like the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible? I skimmed through it once - it looked to have really good notes (though I really like layout of the NIV Study Bible better especially with the notes in blue text, in-page maps, etc.) I've been wanting a Reformed study bible, but I really dislike the NKJV so that rules out the New Geneva Study Bible for me.

 

[Knight]

Knight, how do you like the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible? I skimmed through it once - it looked to have really good notes (though I really like layout of the NIV Study Bible better especially with the notes in blue text, in-page maps, etc.) I've been wanting a Reformed study bible, but I really dislike the NKJV so that rules out the New Geneva Study Bible for me.

The short answer to your question is, yes the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIVSOTR) is very good.

Here's the longer answer:
The notes are excellent in their scholarship and theology. The articles interspersed throughout the text are also good. They explain and defend Reformed Theology very well.

You also have the creeds and confessions at the back which are also very good resources. They are also referenced throughout the text.

How does it compare to the NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)? First of all, the notes in NIVSOTR are definately of the Reformed position while the NIVSB has Reformed leanings. No disrespect intended here to NIVSB. It treats RT with the utmost respect. (Unlike the Life Application Study Bible which flat out denies it....) Let me try and lay this out for you:

Listed are the features that each has over the other...

NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible
Reformed Creeds and Confessions
Reformed Commentary
Articles on Reformed Theology
Single Column text format
OT Book introductions include a description of how that book points to Christ

Sidebar:
One major complaint on this Bible is the quality of the binding. I have had a genuine leather edition since Feb. and the spine is already starting to bend inward. I thought this was maybe just mine but a friend of mine is having the same problem with her's. The pages are also incredibly thin. The spine on my NIVSB is fine though it shares the problem of thin paper.

NIV Study Bible
Classic two-column format with center column references
Subject index
Commentary "Note" Index
Biblical Timeline
More extensive Charts (The Proverbs chart in the latest edition is very good)

I tend to use both. If you want a strictly Reformed Study Bible then go with NIVSOTR. (If you decide to go this route PM me and I'll point you to an online store to get a good price.) If you simply want one for reading and study the go with NIVSB.

Question: I know of no notes in blue text in NIVSB. Where have you seen this?

 

[frost]

My mistake, I was referring to the Quest Study Bible, not the NIV Study Bible. It has side columns with comments on various passages with blue text. It's a very good format- easy to read and the font is not tiny as with some bibles. The commentary iteslf is not reformed per se but seems to be fair and on controversial issues they usually give the different positions and let you decide. Thanks for the info about the binding of the NIVSOTR, I'll be sure to look at that before buying one.

 

[Knight]

The hardcover is probably ok.

The leather is not bad, it's just a little disappointing for a suposedly top of the line Bible.

(However, I'm something of a perfectionist on this... )