The New Interpreter's Study Bible...is it any good??

In this review, we take a look at a popular American mainline study Bible, the New Interpreter's Study Bible by Abingdon.
It is available at: tinyurl.com/44429pfz
-------The books mentioned at the end of the review were:
* Old Testament Ethics for the People of God - Christopher Wright tinyurl.com/4htf4pb8
* The Last Word - N.T. Wright tinyurl.com/6hbfjfxt
(Also revised and published as "Scripture and the Authority of God" tinyurl.com/cdr87afb )
* The Living Word of God - Ben Witherington III tinyurl.com/36vuxu9n
-------The Superhero Seminary episode "Aquaman Explains Biblical Imagery of the Sea" can be found at tinyurl.com/4u4km4v2
-------The course "Revelation: A Guided Tour of the Apocalypse" can be found at www.discipledojo.org/revelation
------- Subscribe to the Disciple Dojo podcast for more in-depth teaching and discussions:
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------- Disciple Dojo is a 501c3 Nonprofit organization. As such we rely on donor support to make this teaching available freely online. Please consider supporting this ministry if you benefit from the podcast at www.discipledojo.org All donations are 100% tax-deductible.

[@MycoKing]

I gave this bible to my friend when she entered the Catholic Church. I also have a copy. I did my MDiv in the mid 70s and you are right about them interpreting the bible from mid 20th century exegesis. I gave my friend this bible because it has the apocrypha. Not everyone who took bible studies in the 70's fell for the historical critical methods 100%. I think the crash in belief in the late 20th and early 21st centuries have their source in this type of hermenuetic. I am using your reviews to buy bibles. You do a great job! Thanks.

[@dhrevrogers]

Excellent thoughtful critique. Fair analysis and I agree with your criticisms, especially of Trible.

[@DiscipleDojo]

I lost brain cells reading that essay.

[@ste8912]

I had to get this bad boy during seminary! It's a great resource to have I still have on my desk today.

[@scrapjoy]

Thank you for the book recommendations at the end of this video.

[@sebeleg7835]

I love your way of explanation, may Lord bless you and thank you🙏🙏

[@3ggshe11s]

Appreciate the thoughtful assessment. I found this at a used-book store and mainly bought it for the study notes on the Apocrypha. Honestly, a lot of what you dislike about it are things I like. But what I do agree with is that it's not good for discipleship. As a cradle Catholic, I grew up with the New American Bible, whose study notes come from a sharply historical-critical perspective and are outright skeptical of some of the claims made in scripture. That's fine if you're coming at the Bible from a scholarly, historical, or literary perspective, but to put it in a Bible aimed at the average Catholic layperson is so tone-deaf that it absolutely beggars belief. There's a time and a place, and the NAB wasn't it. I mean, this is a Bible that Catholic churches give to kids for their confirmation and to catechumens coming into the church. You would think they'd want a Bible that would build people up in the faith. But if you were questioning your beliefs to begin with, I think it could lead to a crisis of faith for a lot of people. I'd put it in the same category with the NISB. But at least the NISB doesn't necessarily target itself to the average Christian in the pews. It seems to know its audience, which I think is fine -- though, again, I get why you're not a big fan of it. Thanks for the video.

[@cmar6461]

Oh man, the things you described as negatives sound great! You sold me. I will supplement it with the books you recommended in order to get a variety of perspectives.

[@DiscipleDojo]

My friend Richard Middleton loves it as well, so I get why some would want it.

[@mattwizy]

Wonderful sir

[@readingmybooksathome]

Have to admit. After watching your video, I immediately go to Amazon and order my own copy. I grow up in a society that most people are not Christian and that many people are familiar with the modern ethical critique of the biblical stories. So, I do love JEDP, source critique and all the editorial stories. These academic theories help me to know even all these modern / science / ethical critiques, there's still a way to access the text in faith. (Maybe you will have contrary conclusion. Just my opinion. ) Your critiques and explanation are very good. Sometimes I think the commentator just goes too far and put too much personal opinion on how reader should read the text (according to your note), and you make good points. This video is very great. Thanks a lot :D

[@DiscipleDojo]

Glad it was helpful. And there ARE some good insights in this Bible. I just find much of the scholarship presupposed by the contributors to be outdated and unhelpful in understanding the actual world of the text. But there are some excellent contributors, so hopefully you find some exegetical gems. Thanks for the comment!

[@ThriftStoreBibles]

32:08 Dust jacket returns! Thanks for this helpful review.

[@dayetonlarson8477]

Excellent!

[@dalecaldwell]

I confess that i find this book a bit tempting because I studied the OT with Walter Harrelson when he was working on the NRSV translation. However, I find that I have no memory of anything that he taught, only that he was a vert delightful human being. And, he I think he gave me extra credit because I brought the 1917 JPS translation to class, which truthfully I did because it was so light and easy to carry.

[@DiscipleDojo]

I like the NRSV and have used it most of my life since it came out when I was in youth group. But this is not a study edition that I would personally recommend people get, for the reasons in the video...though my friend Dr. J.Richard Middleton actually likes a good bit of what's in it (one of the few areas where we disagree! Haha)

[@lastfanstanding999]

He's a people person undoubtedly, judging by his shelves and most memorable scene from the great escape !😂👍😏

[@kingdomm88]

You know what would be great, would be a video by you explaining how one can know they are born again. A lot of people apparently think they are, but are not. Maybe a deep dive into 1 John would be good. What do you think?

[@lastfanstanding999]

I'm a big "fan" and student of Bill Donahue (hidden meanings) and Neville Goddard's work for little ove 12yrs and I would like hearing someone's opinion on either of those two who has a minimum of two yrs of research into their work! And btw one of Bill's go-to books for "interpretations" (or opinions) is Gaskells dictionary of all scriptures and myths, also the Gita etc. Goddard uses exford's, Harold Bailey, and another earlier version of the hermetica that I can't recall etc. 🤯🤪😂☕

[@Vroomerz]

Great review. Curious as to your thoughts on Ignatius Press' New Testament Catholic Study Bible By: Scott Hahn, Curtis Mitch. It's a Catholic Study Bible based on the Revised Standard Version 2nd Catholic Edition. So, of course, the commentary comes from a certain point of view. Anyway, it's one of the 4 Bibles I use. The others being my NKJV, pre-2011 NIV Study Bible, and ESV. Again, great review.

[@DiscipleDojo]

I'm hesitant to review a Catholic study Bible because I don't know enough Catholic dogma or traditions to give too much of an educated opinion on the content. I guess if people wanted to hear what an evangelical Methodist/Wesleyan thought about a Catholic Bible and sent me one to look at I'd likely do it though. :-)

[@Vroomerz]

@@DiscipleDojo Oh that's perfect. I welcome your perspective. :) I'll hit you up over email. Thoroughly enjoyed this review. Thank you for biting the bullet on the essays for us all. It's important to know who is translating, their motives/agendas/beliefs/lack-of-beliefs about all things related to what they believe God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and what they believe the Bible to be.

[@lastfanstanding999]

Thank you, 😊 I'm researching and trying to decide on the oxford encyclopedia of interpretation or something less expensive ! any input would be appreciated 👍😀

[@DiscipleDojo]

@@lastfanstanding999 I'm not familiar with that, so I can't help I'm afraid.

[@belz2915]

Dr. Tribe is a rhetorical critic and I am of the opinion that one cannot understand a text without the cultural context and as a result I have not read her essay as of yet. I do like the further readings provided in some of the essays at the back. The paper used in this Bible is incredibly thin and difficult to page through.

[@DiscipleDojo]

I find her work in this essay to be almost entirely eisegetical.

[@lindadechow3703]

You saved me from making a mistake, thank you.

[@bigjohnhughes2744]

You give the best review of this bible. Is the 1950s edition any better? I have a older version. So far in exodus I see some helpful stuff. But I can’t trust a bible commentary that doesn’t believe in biblical authority

[@DiscipleDojo]

I haven't ever looked at the old edition, so I can't say with any certainty.

[@BillWalkerWarren]

Probably a odd question here. Out of mainline study Bibles you have reviewed which would you recommend for someone that is looking to see what they ( mainline folks ) believe. My thought is if I run across folks with theses opinions concerning scripture I would like to have a discussion and a response to what they believe. My experience is that even theologically mainline folks don’t even understand why the believe what they believe. Just as a side note most conservative evangelicals do not either. Your reformed brother Bill Blessings

[@DiscipleDojo]

I think this Bible and the New Oxford Annotated both provide a fairly good snapshot into how theologically liberal critics approach the texts in ways that differ from theologically conservative and orthodox critics' approaches.

[@BillWalkerWarren]

@@DiscipleDojo Ok thanks both are inexpensive I we’ll probably get the the interpreter’s . It looks like it came from a commentary set so their might be more depth. Great video and channel brother! Blessings

[@DrGero15]

30:45 I didn't know Jesus was Adam Savage. "I reject your -reality- _scripture_ and substitute my own!"

[@juanmiguelnextgr8artist175]

I bought this Bible Sunday 1/30/22 and saw this 1/31/22. I didn't buy this Bible to use it as a study guide, I have other Bibles for that, like 13 total. I bought it for the Apocrypha. I didn't have it yet, that and Enoch. Do you recommend a certain book for the Apocrypha? I'm not trying to study it on the level of the Bible, I just want to read it and Enoch all the way through.

[@DiscipleDojo]

I think the CEB translation of the apocrypha is good, as it's in modern English and easier to read than NRSV or other translations of the Apocrypha. As for Enoch, I'm not sure which edition of the Pseudapigraphical books is best.

[@indeepcontemplation]

Michael Heiser has a decent commentary for general readers on Enoch that I found insightful

[@jacobshepard654]

can you review the dead sea scrolls bible by martin abegg jr (one of the main overseers of the Dead Sea Scrolls)? i would love to see your take.

[@DiscipleDojo]

Nah, that's a bit outside of my wheelhouse. I haven't spent enough time studying the Qumran literature to have a worthwhile opinion on translations of it.

[@jacobshepard654]

@@DiscipleDojo neither did i but it is like a bridge between the Hebrew scriptures, septuagint, and the modern translations. honestly that book led me to your channel. because i wanted to learn more about the septuagint and its like the LORD Himself said “i know a guy.”

[@jacobshepard654]

@@DiscipleDojo either way still a good addition to your library

[@olegig5166]

Could you tell us how the new interpeter's study bible handles the contradiction in many modern versions between Num 14:30 and Heb 3:16? Or you might just take a shot at it yourself.

[@DiscipleDojo]

There is no contradiction. Normal use of language seems to have eluded your grasp. But keep posting this same question all you want as it helps me in the algorithm. 😉

[@olegig5166]

@@DiscipleDojo finally a response. Ok you mention “normal use of language” could you give an example?

[@DiscipleDojo]

Nah, I'll just make a video about it so others than benefit from correction and won't fall into the same error you are making.

[@olegig5166]

@@DiscipleDojo great maybe you can start with this verse: For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership? Heb.3.16 NET Let me note we're not looking for a doctrinal explanation of what it might mean for a Christian of today saved by the Gospel of Grace.

[@olegig5166]

@@DiscipleDojo you mention earlier that "Normal use of language seems to have eluded your grasp." I'm wondering if the following might pass your smell test: For which ones heard that God had preserved His inspired word, but rebelled against the idea? Is it not those who use the modern versions which have incorrect readings?

[@battlejitney2197]

As an "evangelical Methodist/Wesleyan", what is your preferred study bible?

[@DiscipleDojo]

See my video "Which Study Bible Should You Buy?" for my top picks and why. I personally use the Zondervan Archaeological Study Bible, but it's no longer in print and its notes focus on background rather than commentary, so it's not for everyone.

[@battlejitney2197]

@@DiscipleDojo Thank you. I just watched it, along with the Wesleyan Study Bible review. What I'm hoping to find is something to balance out the stilted/biased commentary of my ESV Study Bible. I have always enjoyed reading in my NLT bible - is the commentary in the NLT Study Bible more moderate (or less Calvinist) than the ESV?

[@DiscipleDojo]

Yes, much more. I reviewed it as well here on the channel. It would be a good counterbalance to the ESV Study Bible, IMO.

[@battlejitney2197]

@@DiscipleDojo Thanks again. I’ll check out that review too. It’s a pleasure to find your channel. Cheers!

[@SibleySteve]

Love this channel! My own list - Cultural Backgrounds SB for background, NLT for reading, Harper Collins SB for apocryphal notes, NIV study Bible for general layout, color, notes on text, and recently saw an anti-Calvinist plug for Apologetics SB so I might go there even though it’s got it’s knocks. I also own a ton of mainline NRSV bibles with Lutheran and Episcopal stuff. Would like to get Alter soon.

[@drmichaelshea]

This is one I think I’ll skip. Thanks for the review, though.

[@davidgagnon7806]

You make me spend too much money. My pile of study Bibles gets bigger and bigger.

[@holliecollier1523]

Me too, love all of my Bibles

[@youngrevival9715]

I have A few but have moved to commentaries

[@davidgagnon7806]

How can we be so sure that our 21ST century viewpoint is right and our forefathers were wrong? Is today's world so great?

[@Rubinobill]

This was the recommended study Bible for my Disciple 1 class. I was a very very new Christian when I signed up, literally zero knowledge of the Bible. I can’t tell you what a skewed view of biblical authority I began with while using this book as a study Bible. At the time I felt it really all was nothing more than a loosely cobbled together collection of man made (uninspired) ancient manuscripts that was to be read in the same spirit of something like the Iliad. And the author of the Isiah notes constantly referring to God as ‘the deity’ gets annoying. Thankfully my faith grew as did my bibles, commentaries, and other writings. Thanks for the video man I truly hope someone sees this before making the same mistake I did.

[@DiscipleDojo]

Yeah, the fact anyone would recommend this for Disciple Bible Study is something I will never be able to wrap my mind around, honestly. Whatever good notes it has are outweighed by the bad ones, IMO.

[@Nazarene_Judaism]

I love this because it has the apocrypha which IS the words of God.