Understanding the Bible can feel daunting at times. How do we make sense of stories that are three thousand years old, written in different languages, and under very different circumstances? Here is a list of resources that will help you read the words of the Bible but also understand the historical context of the words that were written.
Hopefully, with practice and knowing a few ground rules, you can be on your way to understanding 85%-90% of what you are reading in the Bible. If you struggle, know that you are not alone. That’s why we have scholars, historians, and pastors who dedicate countless hours to deciphering some of these texts so that you can understand those details that are more difficult to interpret. We believe that you have the capability to grow in understanding God’s truths, receiving his life from his word, and learning to walk in his ways.
1. Bible Translations
Having a Bible translation that is both readable and accurate is extremely important. The original biblical texts in Hebrew and Greek do not change. But the way that we translate them into English—in order to understand them—does change. Today, we are blessed with dozens of English translations of the Bible provided for free on apps like the Holy Bible app. Click here to read an article on Petra’s recommendations for a good Bible translation.
2. A Bible Concordance
A Bible concordance helps you to search for a word, or combination of words, used anywhere in the Bible. It will provide a list of how many times that word is used and all of the chapter and verse references so you can look each of them up. If, for example, you searched the word “redeem” in the NIV, you would find that it occurs 40 times, starting in Exodus 6:6 and ending in Titus 2:14. With digital technology, you can now find free Bible concordances on such websites or apps as Bible Gateway or Olive Tree.
3. A Bible Handbook
A Bible Handbook, like Halley’s or Zondervan’s, provides very broad insight and overview of the different books of the Bible, their focus, their themes, and an introduction to the historical background. A Bible Handbook is arranged in the order of the Bible’s 66 book entries. The latest copyrighted Handbooks are very friendly to look at. Filled with colored pictures, timelines, graphs, and easy-to-understand summaries of entire books or chapters of the Bible. This is a very helpful resource for people trying to understand the bigger picture.
4. A Bible Dictionary or Encyclopedia
A Bible dictionary, such as Nelson’s Illustrated or Eerdmans’s Dictionary of the Bible, is different from a Bible Handbook. A Handbook will focus on the text of the Bible. A dictionary or encyclopedia will provide the historical context of the Bible arranged alphabetically. For example, one entry might discuss the “Plants” found in the land of Israel. Another entry might focus on the “gods” worshipped by the Mesopotamian nations. The most recently copyrighted Bible Dictionaries are also filled with colored pictures, timelines, graphs, and photographs of archeological and Biblical artifacts that help the reader understand the historical time period in which the Bible was written.
5. Old Testament Survey or New Testament Survey
An Old Testament or New Testament survey is more specific than a Bible Handbook. Not only does it introduce the reader to the various books within the Bible, but it will also help the reader understand the different literary genres and how they move God’s truths forward in their various formats of poetry, law, historical narrative, etc. The Survey of the O.T. by Hill and Walton is fantastic and helps the reader understand the Bible in its ancient literary context.
6. Bible Commentaries
Commentaries are the most specific and diverse resource that teachers and pastors will turn to in order to understand the text of the Bible. Often, commentaries are offered as an entire set: either New Testament or Old Testament. Each volume focuses on one book or several small books, i.e., Titus and 1 & 2 Timothy.
Every commentary has a different objective. Some provide a line-by-line explanation of the meaning of the words of the text. Others, such as Luther or Calvin’s commentaries, may provide more of a theological explanation of texts. William Barclay’s commentaries are beloved because they combine historical background on the text but also provide pastors with some wonderful insights to applying the scripture portions. Some are historically focused, and others are textually focused. Some are extremely scholarly, and others are very approachable and easy for the average reader to understand. My advice is to walk into the local Lancaster Bible College Library and start looking through their various commentaries to find what you’re looking for. It’s a whole ‘nother world.
Here are a few noteworthy commentaries for the average Bible reader:
- The New Daily Study Bible series, by William Barclay
- Thru the Bible, by J. Vernon McGee
- Cornerstone Biblical Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Commentary
- The New Interpreter’s Bible
7. A Greek or Hebrew Lexicon
A lexicon provides the words and their definition from the original language. It's basically a dictionary within the original language and not the English language. Although it sounds hard to manage, it has become a lot simpler. Blue Letter Bible app and website, for example, provides an easy-to-follow interface so that you can investigate the original language word equivalent to the English word you are searching. For example, if you wanted to understand the word used for “love” in the Hebrew language, it would take you to the Hebrew word [‘ahavb]. It would give you a definition of how that Hebrew word was understood in the different passages that it appears in and where the word even originated from. In-depth stuff!
Conclusion:
Studying God’s word is a joy and privilege. Jesus said, “my words are life.” Don’t feel overwhelmed by all of the resources and all that you feel like you don’t know. That’s part of the fun! God is leading us on a journey of discovery. Little by little, we learn and grow, and in community, we help each other understand and practice God’s truths. What a promise that our heavenly Father has spoken to us and is still speaking to us through his Holy Spirit and through his Word.
Tags: truth, resources, bible, life, study, god's word, helpful, dictionary, translation, concordance
