NLT Study Bible: Introduction Features (2)

Harrison, Sean A., ed.

NLT Study Bible

Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2008. Pp. xl + 2486. Hardcover. $39.99.

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In this post I will give the NLTSB’s description of the remaining six features of the book introductions and offer my opinion on their quality/usefulness.

1. AUTHOR, DATE, AND OTHER HISTORICAL ISSUES
   

   What do we know about who wrote this book and when it was written? What are the difficulties in determining the historical facts? Even though these issues might not be familiar ground, they are important. Understanding these things can help us appreciate the complexity of the Bible. Far from undermining confidence in Scripture, however, the issues discussed here give us a greater appreciation of how magnificent Scripture truly is. At the same time, we learn to be humble in how we interpret God’s word.
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   Assessment: I like this feature because it seems pretty even-handed.  For example, in the introduction to Genesis they note that both tradition and Scripture attribute authorship to Moses, while the prevailing critical view is that of the Documentary Hypothesis.  For Job they acknowledge that we simply don’t know who wrote it and while the setting is patriarchal it appears to have been written later.  I was hoping to open up to Hebrews and see irrefutable proof that Paul really did write it, but alas, I was disappointed.  They acknowledge that we don’t know the author, but give brief mention to the reception history of Hebrews authorship, saying that certain Church Fathers in the East such as Origen and Clement of Alexandria believed Paul to have been the author, while others in the West didn’t, noting that the majority of scholars today agree that Paul was not the author.
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2. MEANING AND MESSAGE

   What is the message of each book of the Bible? What is its significance now? Here’s where the rubber meets the road. Everything in a book’s introduction—setting, summary, author, date, genre—is intended to prepare us to understand what that book of the Bible has to say, its message and significance. Reading these paragraphs carefully and reflectively will give us the keys to understanding that book of the Bible.
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   Assessment: It’s not that I don’t like this feature, but I wish it were placed at the end of the books in an outro.  My problem is that when reading the commentators’ opinion on the meaning and message of the book before actually reading through the book, it tends to color your reading.  Had this feature been included at the end of each book then the reader could see how much they agreed or disagreed with what the commentator had to say.
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3. SECTION INTRODUCTIONS

   For each major section of the Bible, the section introduction gives an overview of the books in that section and discusses issues that affect the interpretation of those books.
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   Assessment: This feature doesn’t actually fall into the “book introductions” but rather comes before the major sections of the Bible (i.e., Pentateuch, Historical Books, Prophets, Gospels, Pauline Epistles, etc.)  These introductions are good and pithy.  For example, in the introduction to the Prophets they give a little information on the setting of the prophetic books, as well as describing the task and message of the prophets.  They stress that: “The messages of the prophets must be understood first of all on their own terms.” [p. 1102]  But they don’t leave it there; to that they add:  ”It is also important to remember that the books of prophecy, like the rest of Scripture, have Christ as their central focus and theme (Luke 22:44-49)….We must read the prophets and hear their messages in light of all that God has done in Christ.” [p. 1102]
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4. CHRONOLOGY ARTICLES

   For each major period of biblical history, the chronology article provides a historical overview and discusses key issues regarding historical context. Each article includes a timeline of events during that period of history.
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   Assessment: This is another welcome feature.  As I said in the last review, it’s easy to get mixed up with the dates, and information like this makes it so much easier to keep things in perspective.  But much like the section introductions, these articles don’t technically fall within the “book introductions.”  In fact, I’ve counted only five such articles: (1) Abraham to Joshua [p. 118-121], (2) Time of the Judges [p. 414-415], (3) Israel’s Monarchy [p. 562-565], (4) Life of Jesus [p. 1564-1566], (5) Apostolic Age [p. 1818-1819].
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5. EPIGRAPHS
   

   Sometimes other authors say insightful things about a book of the Bible, or they make a poignant observation about something that a given book discusses. The editors have gathered some of the best quotations that they could find about each book and put them in the margins of the book introductions, to stimulate thinking and to stimulate meaningful interaction with each book of the Bible.
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   Assessment: I could have done without this feature.  It’s a nice thought, but there’s nothing really detailed enough about these little statements in my mind to justify their inclusion.
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6. FURTHER READING

   Where can we learn more about each book of the Bible? The NLT Study Bible has plenty of resources for a lifetime journey of reading, studying, and discovering the riches of Scripture. Some readers, however, will want to go even further. At the end of each book introduction, the editors have recommended some of the resources that have helped them the most in studying and understanding that particular book of the Bible. They’ve chosen materials that are available in the general market—no seminary required! Nearly all of these books are as close as a visit to a local or online Christian retailer.
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   Assessment: Without a doubt my favorite feature of the introductions.  I’m a bibliography junky, so any recommended reading for further study is much appreciated.  There’s between four to six works recommended for each book and obviously they’re mostly commentaries on the book in question, which is understandable, although I think that in subsequent editions they might like to consider including monographs on dominant themes of the books.  From the lists I surveyed the authors and works recommended tend toward conservative scholarship (e.g., in the Gospels we see Blomberg, Carson, Keener, Evans, Bock, Marshall, Bruce, etc.), which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Again, for the most part I have found the introductory features to be useful aids to study.  I don’t know if my suggestion to move the “meaning and message” feature to the end of each book in subsequent editions would be something that Tyndale House might consider, but I hope they would.  Stay tuned for more reviews of the NLTSB and while you’re waiting be sure to visit the NLT Blog and the NLTSB Blog.

B”H