Ryrie Study Bible Review

[Ronald Frison]

Choosinga Bible can be a complicated task. With a plethora of versions and editions to choose from, with an equal number of study/reference editions, along with bindings. It seems like a daunting task.

There are other considerations as well which are minor but still merit consideration: (1) text format [verse v. paragraph], (2) binding [genuine leather v. bonded v. imitation leather v. hardcover v. paperback], and (3) other features.

1: In terms of translation, my highest preference and recommendations are for a conservative protestant, multi-denominational, formal equivalence translation [such as the NASB or NKJV]. While I will refer to other translations occasionally, such as dynamic equivalent translations like the NIV, ESV, or HCSB, my use of them is limited as more of a commentary and to examine how others may draw different conclusions of the meaning and application of a text based on their translational choices. I have absolutely no use whatsoever for paraphrases such as The Message, the Good News Bible, or the Contemporary English Version.

2: In terms of text format, I prefer a verse format over a paragraph format. Bibles which follow the verse format are becoming fewer as new editions of versions which appeared originally in a verse format [the NKJV and NASB] are now being issued in paragraph format. Unfortunately, these are getting harder to find. [See paragraph which follows]

CC = Center-column references, a system in which cross references and certain notes appear in a center column between two columns of text [as used in the MacArthur Study Bible and the NKJV Study Bible].

D = Dispensational, a theological perspective which teaches that God has revealed Himself successively via different covenants and has instituted different economies dictating how faith is properly demonstrated/expressed within those economies.

El = Evangelical liberal, a theological perspective which asserts that Scripture is authoritative based on church traditions and creeds, but questions/denies that Scripture is fully inspired by God. This perspective also asserts Scripture is infallible on matters related to faith, but may be in error in matters of history or science.

MacArthur Study Bible [Ec-D-Cs perspective]: This edition is more stridently cessationist than either Ryrie or Scofield. This is available in the ESV, the NKJV, the NASB(95), and the NIV. In addition, MacArthur is more polemical in his notes. On the plus side, the notes are more detailed and prevalent than in either the Scofield or Ryrie. MacArthur is also more consistently reformed in his soteriology, while remaining avowedly dispensational in his eschatology. I have to mark this edition somewhat lower on my evaluation because the abundance of notes, the small type and the paragraph format combine to create a somewhat crowded looking layout which can be overwhelming. The referencing system is CC. Also available in Spanish. Rating: 4.6.

Reformation Study Bible [Ec-R-Cs]: This is an updated and revised version of what was formerly known as the New Geneva Study Bible. While the former edition used the NKJV text, this uses the ESV. Stridently cessationist, Calvinistic and anti-dispensational, the tenor of the notes are not explanatory or expositional, but polemical. The goal of this edition appears not to be so much promoting growth in Christian character as it is arming amateur theologians with ammunition for debates with non-Calvinists and dispensationalists. As with the MacArthur Study Bible, the small type size, the format of the text, and the abundance of notes makes the page layout daunting and confusing. The referencing system is CC. Rating: 2.0

Life Application Bible [El]: Available in the KJV, the NASB(95), the NIV, the NKJV, and the NLT. Only the NASB(95) uses verse formatting of the text. The other versions use paragraph formatting. While acknowledging the authority of Scripture, the notes display a clear rejection of the doctrine of inerrancy by their denials of such events as a literal six-day period of creation and a global deluge. By inference, the editors suggest that Jesus was a liar for teaching that the creation and fall of man and the flood were historical events. My personal view is that Christians are better served without reference Bibles like these. Rating: 1.0

The NIV Study Bible [also the NASB Study Bible] [El]: Only slightly less liberal than the Life Application Bible, but the annotations still show a dismissal of key events in the Old Testament as not being historical events. Rating: 1.2

More importantly I wanted to check out a few theological points of the study Bible. I thought what said about the authorship of the Song of Songs, pointed out some (non-)issues about to authorship of Isaiah, and for example on chapter 42 and how it related to Christ. It has passed some my simple tests.

I agree it is never what Man says but what the bible says. Thank you for the good discussion.It is hard to di-sect what happens at conversion, but I like what you said. For example I knew I was sinner since I was a child, I just did not understand what had been done for me. The moment I was made aware of what Christ had done for me and I trusted in his work alone, I have not been the same. Perfect? Oh not even close ? My goal now is to be pleasing to HIM, as a lost man it was to please ME. Now am I always pleasing to HIM? No! But that is my underlying desire. I remember after trusting Christ, a hunger for His Word etc.

I am daily amazed by HIS grace, that he would take the punishment I deserve.

God is amazing, his Grace is abounding to a sinners like us.

I found that you answered the NKJV and NASB question on your blog. Great insights.

You also answered the KJV issue as well. KJV Only-ism in an unnecessary yoke to put on a believer, especially a new believer and is overall dangerous at least, heretical at worst.

However for those attend a KJV church (Not KJV Only but a church that just uses KJV,) the Nelson KJV seems to help make the arachiac words easier in the maragins, that is helpful.

I do not agree with all the notes in ANY study bible, but the Nelson KJV Study Bible can be very helpful.

Not trying to be contentious, I just hate to see a good scholar like Dr Ryrie gets labeled falsely.

Perfect in his study notes? No! Then again no human expositor is.

Your need to move his Study Bible higher on the list if only for the excellent cross-referneces and nice size print. ?

I appreciate your blog and just wanted to make you aware.

Thank you so much for writing this. I became a believer in Christ 5 years ago and I am just now learning how to read and study the Word. I had no idea how many variations of the bible were out there. Your rating system and break down was incredibly helpful. I had already bought a new bible before I read this (NKJV Holman Study Bible) and I was questioning my purchase since I have been hearing wonderful things about the Macarthur Study Bible. After reading your post, I feel I made a good choice but I still plan on saving up to purchase the NKJV Macarthur Study Bible.

Thanks again.

Yes, the Holman Study Bible is the second bible listed in the reviews. It is an excellent study Bible and either it or the MacArthur Study Bible are the editions I recommend before any others as a general purpose study Bible. In terms of formatting and layout, I would rate the Holman Study Bible ahead of the MacArthur Study Bible. The theological content is very similar although the notes in the Holman probably lean to a moderate [4-point Calvinism] while notes in the MacArthur are consistent with 5-point Calvinism.

What it basically boils down to are two issues: cost, and which one facilitates Bible study?

The problem is that I already have the print version of the Crossway English Standard Version (ESV) Study Bible. The ESV Study Bible is really awesome, edited by a great team of evangelical scholars and loaded with helpful articles, maps, and extensive notes. When you purchase the ESV Study Bible, you also get access to the study notes via the website, which is even better, as all you would need is an iPad or other computer, instead of lugging around a heavy book. Internet access and the ESV Bible online account you get with your printed book registration is required.

What you could do to balance that is to get one Bible in print form, that you can use most of the time, and then get something else like an eStudy Bible with a more, well-rounded perspective. That is sort of the rationale I had in getting the NIV Zondervan Study Bible in eBook form, to complement the use of the ESV Study Bible in print form I already had, since I find it really difficult to choose between the ESV and NIV 2011 translations.

In brief, having the Kindle version of the NIV Zondervan Study Bible in eBook form is a mixed experience, at least for the Kindle Cloud Reader I am using on an Apple computer. For one thing, the Bible is big and it takes awhile to download, but once you have it on your local computer, it can be very convenient. On the positive side, working through cross references is really easy. One of the downsides of using a print Bible for looking up cross references is that it can be really painful to turn the pages. But on the Kindle version, cross references and study notes hyperlinked, so you can just click right through where you want to go. However, I have not been able to figure out how to easily go back to where I original started from, since not all of the cross references are linked in both directions, which can be frustrating. Zondervan should work with Amazon Kindle to fix that. Also, some of the wonderful maps that the NIV Zondervan Study Bible has are oriented sideways, which is really a stupid way of presenting the content. In fairness, from other reviews I have read, the ESV Study Bible eBook-version probably also has similar challenges.

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