Resources for Bible Study

Bible Dictionaries

*HarperCollins Dictionary of the Bible, Mark Allan Powell, ed., HarperCollins, (old version 1996, updated version 2011)

Anchor Bible Dictionary

Dictionary of the Old Testament Wisdom, Poetry, and Writings, eds Tremper Longman III, Peter Enns, IVP Academic Press 2008

*Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets, Mark Boda, IVP, 2012

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, David Noel Freedman, Ed, Eerdmans, 2000

*Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, J. D. Douglas, Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan, 2011

Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation (2 Volumes) John Hays, Abingdon Press, 1998

Bible Handbook

The Essential Bible Handbook, Abingdon Press, 2009

Bible Commentaries

HarperCollins Bible Commentary, James Mays, Gen. Ed., HarperCollins, 2000

International Bible Commentary, William Farmer, Ed., Liturgical Press, 1998 (Catholic perspective)

The International Bible Commentary, F.F. Bruce, Gen. Ed., Marshall Pickering/Zondervan, 1986

*New Interpreters Bible One Volume Commentary, Abingdon Press, 2010

Oxford Bible Commentary,    John Barton and John Muddiman, Oxford University Press, 2001

Mercer Commentary on the Bible, Mercer University Press, 1995. (Baptist perspective)

Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, Walter Elwell, Baker Books, 1989. (Baptist perspective)

New Bible Commentary,  D. A. Carson, P. T. France, J. A. Mottyer, G. J. Wenham, Intervarsity Press (IVP), 1994. (Evangelical/Orthodox perspective)

Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, 2003

*On Kindle

When reading commentaries or other resources, knowing the publisher tells you something about the point of view.  Baker Books and Mercer are both Baptist publishers, Abingdon is United Methodist, Liturgical Press is Roman Catholic, Chalice Press is Disciples of Christ, Westminster John Knox is Presbyterian, Augsburg/Fortress Press is ELCA, and Concordia is conservative Lutheran.  Intervarsity, Zondervan, and Word are “Evangelical” or “orthodox.”  Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Eerdmans, and HarperCollins are academic publishers.  There is quite a bit of overlap in terms of what authors they publish, but this will give you a basic concept of their underlying perspective.

Good Commentary Series

Word Biblical Commentaries

Sacra Pagina (Roman Catholic)

New International Commentaries on the Old Testament (NICOT) and New International Commentaries on the New Testament (NICNT)

Hermeneia Series (these are heavily form-critical)

New Interpreter’s Bible Commentaries (Abingdon Press)

Anchor Bible Commentaries (Yale University Press)

International Critical Commentaries (these are older and from a source and form critical perspective)

Continental Commentary Series (Fortress Press)