A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths

Bring together a group of people who want to study the Bible, and you might find unified interests, but highly diverse ways of reading what’s there.

From a Jewish perspective, for instance, the Bible reveals providential guidance while instructing God’s people on how to live a life of faith. 

From a Christian perspective, the Bible shows the ongoing relationship between deity and humankind. Again and again, we mess up, and each time, God redeems.

How the old and new come together (or not!) takes a whole book to discuss, which is what former Oxford professor and Anglican priest John Barton does in A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths.

Published as part of the Allen Lane Imprint by Penguin Books, who kindly sent me a copy to review, the “Notes,” “Further Readings,” “Bibliography,”  “Bible References,” and “Index” in the back matter confirm the extensive research involved, but then, that’s not surprising as Rev. Barton  previously co-edited The Oxford Bible Commentary, edited The Cambidge Companion to Biblical Interpretation , and wrote scholarly works on various aspects of the Bible. 

Reviewing such a comprehensive history can be daunting and, at times, disconcerting as I’m a believer in the Bible as Holy Spirit inspired and not just inspirational. Nevertheless, I hope to encourage you to discover the diverse conditions and religious mindsets surrounding the Bible before you come  to your own well-informed conclusions.

After leafing through a “List of Illustrations,” “Maps,” “Acknowledgements,” and “Introduction: The Bible Today,” you’ll find the book has been divided into four parts. In addition to the back matter previously mentioned, the “Content” page shows the topics addressed:

Part One

The Old Testament

1. Ancient Israel: History and Language

2. Hebrew Narrative

3. Law and Wisdom

4. Prophecy

5. Poems and Psalms

Part Two

The New Testament

6. Christian Beginnings

7. Letters

8. Gospels

Part Three

The Bible and Its Texts

9.  From Books to Scripture

10. Christians and Their Books

11. Official and Unofficial Texts

12. Biblical Manuscripts

Part Four

The Meanings of the Bible

13. The Theme of the Bible

14. Rabbis and Church Fathers

15. The Middle Ages

16. The Reformation and Its Readings

17. Since the Enlightenment

18. Translating the Bible

Conclusion: The Bible and Faith

Rev. Barton’s conclusions may or may not coincide with mine, but this comprehensive history can certainly expand understanding of the biblical text and the way we perceive what’s there.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, reviewer and lifelong student of God’s Word

A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths, quality hardback

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Amplified Study Bible, large print

If you’ve been following the Bible Reviewer blog for a while, you might wonder why I’m reviewing yet another edition of the Amplified Bible. Besides the fact I love it, each copy I’ve received to review has had unique features discussed in these posts:

Review of the Amplified Bible

Battlefield of the Mind Bible

NEW! The Amplified Study Bible

So what’s different this time? Well, I gave the first review copy (reader edition) to a family member who prefers this translation and the second to a friend who suffers from anxiety. The hardback copy of The Amplified Study Bible remains on my desk as a stand-up resource I use regularly in preparing for Bible study classes, but when it comes to just sitting down and reading the Bible cover to cover, I don’t like hardbacks. I prefer quality leather or paperback, but since I couldn’t find the study edition in either, I bought a leatherlike Amplified Study Bible to read from my favorite cushy chair.

This edition has all the features of The Amplified Study Bible reviewed a couple of years ago, but this time I ordered thumb-indexing, which I don’t usually have. Most of the time, I don’t need those little indented tabs that take me to the book I’m looking for, but I’ve been especially interested in the books of the minor prophets, who are “minor” only because they didn’t go on as long as, say, Jeremiah. With the small pages hard to find and my recall unreliable on who goes before whom in the arrangement of these books, I wanted index tabs to quicken the search.

Besides tabs and the lap-reading-comfort of the softer-than-hardback cover, I bought this edition because of the large print in the text AND in the footnotes. That’s unusual. And, since the text itself includes alternate words choices, the informative footnotes can be concise. For example, in Genesis 1:1, this brief footnote says volumes:

“God. This standard Hebrew term for deity Elohim is in the form called the plural of majesty or plural of intensity. In contrast to the ordinary plural (gods), this plural means ‘the fullness of deity’ or ‘God – very God’. Furthermore, the use of the plural allows for later revelation of the Trinity (see 11:7; Mt 28:19, Jn 1:1-3).”

My only regret in ordering this excellent edition of God’s Word is that I didn’t get to review it sooner, but if you hurry, you might be able to get your copy – or a gift or both – during Easter week!

Mary Sayler, ©2019, poet-writer, reviewer

To order the purple leathersoft large print edition I have, click here. Or click on the picture ad in the left-hand column of this page.

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The NIV Action Study Bible

The NIV ActionStudy Bible, published by David C. Cook, who kindly sent me a copy to review, provides faith-building, character-building insights into God’s Word. The lively illustrations by comic-book artist Sergio Cariello will appeal to young readers, hopefully drawing them to read and reread this reader-friendly New International Version of the Bible.

Other special features in this small-print edition include:

Remember It – presents key Bible verses to memorize.

What About This? – responds to questions many young readers wonder about but might not know whom to ask. For example, “Why Did God Create People?” and “How Do I Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Unlock It! – adds insights to the surrounding passages.

Guess It! – helps young people recall what they've read.

Find It! – uses icons to help readers do just that.

Activate – shows how to apply what’s been read.

Ancient Archives – describe the peoples, cultures, and eras so readers can picture and “be there” too.

In addition, the concordance, dictionary, and index guides to the above features will help readers to find what they want and gain a better understanding of God’s Word.

Also, in the back matter, the inclusion of maps and brief guides to centuries of ruling powers will connect Bible stories to historical world events and their geographical locations  - places where only the names seem to change as people are people, no matter the era, and God is God.

Mary Sayler, ©2019, poet-writer, reviewer

To order, click  The NIV Action Study Bible, hardback

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The Catholic Youth Bible

Known for the spiritual depth, insight, and accuracy of their books, Saint Mary’s Press has revised and published a quality paperback of The Catholic Youth Bible and kindly sent me a copy to review.

The visually appealing cover not only encourages us to “Pray It! Study It! Live It!®” the contents and unique features help Christians of all ages to do just that.

Almost immediately, the front matter assures us, “This Bible can change your life!” And how could it not? As the very next page declares:

“God loves you and wants to be in a lifelong friendship with you. The Bible tells the story of God’s love, revealed most perfectly in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Through Christ, God offers you forgiveness, freedom, companionship, and new life. It is a wonderful gift!”

The page goes on to add:

“This Bible is like no other because it belongs to you! So personalize it… make it a reflection of who you are. You will discover countless places to   . Write     .Color     .Draw     . Highlight     . Journal”

The attractive color-washed illustrations and relevant sidebars on the inside pages and colored-on “tabs” to mark various sections of the Bible on the outer edges generate interest and make it easier to find what you want. In addition, a colorful “bookcase” shows “How the Bible is organized,” while introductory pages provide a “Quick Summary” and “Headline Highlights” for each book of God’s Word.

To young readers or novices of any age, all of this might seem like mere academics were it not for the inclusion of such introductory features as “How Is This Relevant to My Life Today?” In Genesis, for example, the text responds to that question with these words:

• ·       “God has the power to bring order out of chaos.
• ·         When we fail, God still cares for us.
• ·         Remaining faithful even when things seem impossible can lead to unexpected blessings.”

Or, if we feel the distance between ourselves and, say, The Book of Numbers, these responses to the relevancy of God’s Word will help to close the gap between the distant past and today:

• ·         “Patience and trust in God go hand in hand.
• ·         When things feel overwhelming, we must not give up on God.
• ·         God’s timing may be different from our timing.”

And, looking into the future with the relevancy of Revelation, we find these encouraging words:

• ·         “Do not lose hope; evil will ultimately lose.
• ·         The magnificence of heaven that awaits us is unbelievable.
• ·         Through all the trials now and at the end of times, Jesus is and will always be there for us.”

In the back matter of the book, other relevant helps include “Core Beliefs,” a glossary, an “Overview of Salvation History,” a “Biblical History Time Line,” and illustrations you can color. In addition, the feature “When I’m Feeling” addresses typically encountered emotions with Bible responses to “Let the word of God guide and support you as you face life’s joys and challenges.”

May God help us to seek and find this guidance throughout our lives!

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, poet-writer, reviewer

Order a copy for yourself and the youth in your life, by clicking here: The Catholic Youth Bible.

NIV Giant Print Compact Bible

After reviewing Bibles I’d purchased over the years, Bible publishers began sending me review copies of new translations, study editions, children’s Bibles, and other biblical resources, but every now and then I buy one I want to fill a gap.

Although I have various editions of the New International Version (NIV), I wanted a large print reader edition – without the distraction of footnotes – to just sit down and read. For me, that necessitates either a paperback edition or a soft, flexible, yummy-to-the-touch leather binding, which this premium leather edition certainly has. (For study Bibles with lots of articles and footnotes, however, I prefer hardbacks to join the row along my desk, where they’ll stand at attention without slouching as leather or paperbacks are apt to do.)

When it comes to font sizes though, Zondervan and I do not see eye to eye (pun intended.) For them, the easy-on-the-eyes font in this edition is considered, “giant print.” For me, that’s a misnomer as I consider nothing less than 14-point “giant” with 17-point being super-sized. Yet this “giant print” edition has about 10-point type, which, fortunately, is just right for me.

The clear font, premium leather binding, and single column page layout encourage me to snuggle into my favorite chair (yeah, over-stuffed soft leather) and keep reading, as I would with any inviting text. With other books though, I’m apt to put the book away (often for years) or pass it on to someone else if I don’t expect to ever read it again.

Not so with the NIV Giant Print Compact Bible. Lord willing, I’ll read it again and again, which is why I appreciate the overall size and sewn-in pages able to withstand years of wear.

I also appreciate having two ribbon markers as my Sunday School class studies the Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament) while my Wednesday morning discussion group studies the New. In between though, I love to read the Psalms, so a third ribbon would have been nice, but one mustn’t be picky. Just having the Word of God in a conversational, thought-for-thought translation is a blessing that lasts longer than leather.

by Mary Harwell Sayler, © 2019, poet-writer, reviewer, pray-er

NIV Giant PrintCompact Bible, premium leather

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NRSV large-print leather Bible with or without Apocrypha

When I heard that Cambridge had published a large-print reader edition of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, I requested a review copy, and they generously sent two – one with the Apocrypha and one without.

As you might know or guess, Cambridge University Press is the world’s oldest publisher of Bibles, the first being the Geneva Bible printed years before the King James Version even existed.

The quality is immediately apparent – from the thin but strong pages sewn into a high-grade French Morocco leather binding to the Bible’s sturdy packaging – as though they’re working with something that needs to be treated with respect and care. And, when they say “large-print text,” that’s what they mean – a font of ample size that’s attractive and easy on the eyes.

If I’m going on a bit about the physical aspects of this Bible, it’s because some publishers seem to expect their Bibles to be throw-aways. But maybe that’s too harsh. Maybe some just want to offer inexpensive editions almost everyone can afford. Or maybe they want to draw young people to God’s Word with pages glued into lively, colorful covers meant to catch the eye.

It’s hard for me to know since I cherish the Bible I regularly took to church – from early childhood through my teen years. (When I graduated from high school, my home church gave me a Revised Standard Version bound in quality leather, which would have lasted forever had it not been for a young dachshund left alone while her peoples were at work.)

Cambridge Bibles are made to last! So I'm happy to report they publish other versions in fine bindings, in case that interests you. However, when I want a translation that’s as close to the original languages as possible, I grab a NRSV.

When I want a translation that’s accurate and readable with a poetic flow, I go for the NRSV.

When I want a translation that renders the Epistles of the Apostle Paul with the profuse flow of thought he had in speaking and teaching, I go for the NRSV. (Note: Paul can get so long-winded, some translations chop his paragraph-long sentences into bits. The spiritual truths remain the same, of course, but the change of tone makes it hard to hear his unique voice.)

And, because I always want a Bible that incorporates linguistic and archaeological findings in an edition translated by an international, interdenominational team, who aims to provide an impartial, well-balanced edition, I go for the NRSV with the Apocrypha.

Be advised though: These NRSV reader editions from Cambridge focus on the biblical texts, period. If you want a study Bible, this isn’t it. I have a bunch of those anyway, and I’ve found that most have so many articles, maps, notes, and commentary, the biblical text itself gets squeezed into small print that’s barely readable. In addition, most study editions weigh several pounds, so I keep them on my desk to research a topic before writing a “Bible Talk” or preparing a class discussion.

Since these text-only editions have no study aids to weigh me down and almost no footnotes to distract me, I can easily carry them anywhere or curl up in my favorite chair to read. Indeed, I aim to read and re-read this reader edition of the NRSV as long as God, my eyes, and our family pets allow.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, poet-writer, reviewer

If you want one too, click here:

NRSV large-print text edition with Apocrypha, French Morocco leather 

NRSV large-print text edition, French Morocco leather

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New Testament TransLine: A Literal TRANSlation In outLINE Format

The NewTestament TransLine published by Wipf & Stock, who kindly sent me review copies of the two-volume set, is “A Literal TRANSlation in outLINE Format,” which, as author Michael Magill explains in the Introduction, is “not only to translate the words, but also visually display the flow of thought contained in the Greek words” in which the New Testament was written.

Although this TransLine edition probably isn’t one we’ll want to use to just sit down and read cover to cover, it’s an excellent resource for those of us who want greater clarity and deeper insight into God’s Word. As the Introduction tells us:

“Think of it this way. When you hear a foreigner first learning to speak English, you commonly hear such a person rendering the forms and sentence structures of their native language in English words. It sounds foreign to English-speakers. It is improper English. Sometimes it is difficult to understand. As the person learns more English, they adopt the commonly understood Englsh patterns of expression. In a similar way, since the NewTestament TransLine is seeking to give the English reader more insight from the Greek point of view, the Greek forms and structures are retained to a greater degree than proper in good English, but not to such a degree that the meaning is obscured.”

In addition to this approach to translation, the author provides outlines of the text to demonstrate the Greek way of thinking as one thought flows into another. For example, verses in the fourth chapter of Matthew show this thought process:

3B. “You are the light of the world

1C. “A city lying on a hill is not able to be hidden

2C. “Nor do they burn a lamp and put it under the basket, but on the lampstand – and it shines on all the ones in the house

3C. “In this manner, let your light shine in front of people so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens.”

Those verses also include references to corresponding footnotes on the adjacent page.  For instance, the note for “light” says, “That is, the source of spiritual truth, reflected from God, lighting the darkness. Note Phil 2:15.”

As that footnote clearly shows, we don’t light up ourselves, but God does. And our part is to refrain from hiding that light.

Then, if we think in terms of the “lamp” available during the time of Christ, we know such lighting fixtures had no electricity, unwieldy cords, switches, or breakable bulbs! And so, the word “burn” and its corresponding footnote remind us of the kerosene lanterns used between Jesus’ cultural era and ours, but with either type of “lamp” relying on fire, which brings to mind one of the symbols for the Holy Spirit. In this manner we’re to glow through the glory of the Lord where all can see and be drawn to the light of Christ.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, poet-writer, reviewer

To order, click here:

New Testament TransLine, Volume One, paperback

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