Building A Library

Building a Library Tecwyn Morgan
Contents
BuildingaLibraryTecwynMorgan ..........................................................................................................................................1 1 - Why should I?..................................................................................................................................................................2 1aWherefrom?....................................................................................................................................................................3 2 - Where do I start?.............................................................................................................................................................3 2a - More about those recommendations............................................................................................................................ 4 3Morerecommendations....................................................................................................................................................5 3a - Brother George's recommendation.............................................................................................................................. 6 4 - Non-Christadelphian writers..........................................................................................................................................8 4aBrotherHarry'srecommendations..................................................................................................................................9 5StartingBiblestudy..........................................................................................................................................................13 5aMoreabouttheStudyGuides........................................................................................................................................14 6Bibledictionaries ..............................................................................................................................................................16 6aMoreaboutBibledictionaries.......................................................................................................................................17 6bBibleharmonies.............................................................................................................................................................22 7Expositorydictionaries.....................................................................................................................................................23 7aMoreaboutwordstudies..............................................................................................................................................24 8 What is a lexicon?.........................................................................................................................................................27 8a - More about lexicons.....................................................................................................................................................28 9Biblicalgeography...........................................................................................................................................................29 Building a library................................................................................................................................................................31 9a - More geographical help...............................................................................................................................................32 10ThussaiththeLord....................................................................................................................................................34 10a - Lots more about the Bible.........................................................................................................................................35 11Distinctivedoctrine.......................................................................................................................................................38 11aEvenmoredistinctive ...................................................................................................................................................39 12Exhortoneanother....................................................................................................................................................42 12aExhortoneanotherdaily.............................................................................................................................................43 ...................................................................................................................................................................46 13Whoswho? 13a - What's what? ..............................................................................................................................................................47 14Biblicalhistory...............................................................................................................................................................49 14aLong,longago..............................................................................................................................................................50
BuildingaLibraryTecwynMorganPage1
15Biblicalarchaeology......................................................................................................................................................53 15a - More artefacts............................................................................................................................................................54 16 Bible prophecy.............................................................................................................................................................57 16a - More prophetic insights............................................................................................................................................58 17Israeltoday....................................................................................................................................................................61 17aAllaboutIsrael.............................................................................................................................................................62 18Biblecommentaries......................................................................................................................................................64 18aMoreaboutcommentaries..........................................................................................................................................65 19 One book at a time......................................................................................................................................................70 19a - What's available?.......................................................................................................................................................71 20Keepinganopenmind..................................................................................................................................................76 20a - Filling your open mind..............................................................................................................................................77
1 - Why should I?
IF you have ever had to fix something around the house without having a single tool available, you will know it can be done, but it isn't easy. A kitchen knife will double as a screwdriver, if there's nothing else; or a shoe can serve as a crude hammer. People buy tools because they want to get things done quickly and more efficiently, and it is just the same with reference books. You don't have to have any around the house to understand the Bible. Just read it and, in time, its meaning will become apparent: that's one of the wonders of the word of God. It is its own best interpreter, a point we like to make sometimes when referring people to 2 Peter 1:20: "No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation" or, as the Revised Standard Version translates it, "No prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation".
Self-interpretation
Let the scriptures interpret themselves and, if you follow the marginal references, you will begin to put together links and connections that will open up themes and topics right across the Bible. But already we have begun to use tools for Bible study. It might have been a concordance to find the verse in 2 Peter. Then, we consulted another translation (the RSV) and, thirdly, thought about the cross-references we might want to follow. These are all tools for Bible study and, as we often comment, the Bible itself is a library of sixty-six books, not just one book. So even if you've only got a Bible in the house, you have already started to build a library!
Book buying
On my notice board there's a placard that says: "Book collecting is an occupation, a disease, an addiction, a fascination, an absurdity, a fate. It is not a hobby. Those who do it must do it. Those who do not do it think of it as a cousin of stamp collecting, a sister of the trophy cabinet, the combination of a solid bank account and a weak mind." That was given me by a colleague at work who is a compulsive reader. At the end of every year he sends a note around to his friends telling them what he's read during the year, and what he recommends. His enthusiasm is infectious and he is amazingly well informed. He has a wider perspective than most of us, because he's better
read. As someone once put it, he's been "standing on other people's shoulders" and can thus see things from a better point of view.
This series
The aim of this series is not to encourage you to buy books, although a publishing company like The Christadelphian is always glad of your interest and support. We produce material which has been written to encourage and inform spiritual development and to assist with Bible reading. So, it's good for all the people who do that to know that the material is being read, not just bought! This series is intended to encourage you to read more, and to read more widely as a means of stimulating your interest in the purpose of God. It will offer some recommendations and will encourage you to submit your own ideas. Further material, outside the scope of what one page allows, will be lodged on the Christadelphian Office website, for readers who have access to the internet. Over the next few months, God willing, suggestions will be made about study aids and good books to read, and details will be given about where you might find them, both in print and in electronic format. So, keep reading!
1a - Where from?
KEEP viewing this site month by month and additional information will appear about the books referred to in the articles. While you're here, have a look at the website, if you're not familiar with it, and try out the search facility. Enter any author's name (like L G Sargent) and the titles available (both for new and second-hand books) will immediately appear. The way the software is designed, we are not able to list books alphabetically, enabling you to browse through a structured list of authors (the software indexes them according to our numbering system). But, if you know what you're looking for, searching for a particular title or author is much quicker anyway. We only have some of the available second-hand stock on the web (that takes time to build up, and we add more each month). So if you are looking for anything in particular, let us know and we'll see if we've got it.
Other sources
There are other sources within the brotherhood where second-hand books can be purchased.

EverymonthTheTestimonyincludesabooklist,ofChristadelphianandnonChristadelphianworks. BrotherMalcolmCross(ofDoncasterEcclesiaBI93intheCALSdiary)attendsmanyUKGatheringsandsome Conferences,withabookstallofsecondhandmaterialwhichhesellstoraisefundstohelpwithCBM correspondencework.
And there are many commercial websites where you can search for books, or leave your 'Wanted' lists. But expect to pay a lot more commercially than you would if you buy from a source within the brotherhood. And think about the financial help your purchase might give by buying from within the community, rather than elsewhere. You may know of other brotherhood sources, in which case please let us know so that we can include details. It is intended that these appendices will be an ongoing source of information, which can be updated from time to time.
2 - Where do I start?
DIY gurus always advise against buying a ready-made toolkit. You will end up with a spokeshave and tyre levers, they say, that you will never use; you may not even know what they are for! "It's far better to buy individual tools as you need them; then you will gradually accumulate the equipment you need and save a lot of money in the process." That's good news for readers too. Attractive though it might appear to buy a bundle of books, because they're at bargain prices, or would fill your empty shelf, it's far better to buy books you are going to read as you need
them, and get real benefit from them, there and then. Otherwise, when something really useful comes along, you will find yourself saying, "I'd really like that book, but I just haven't got any room left on my shelf!"
Why read?
Reading is an acquired habit, and lots of people have acquired it. Booksellers are having a boom time in many countries, and the evidence is all around. People sit on park benches, in trains, on buses, even sometimes walking along the street, with their heads buried in a book. We like to think of ourselves as 'the people of The Book,' so we know what they're experiencing. When first reading God's word it might have been a bit of a struggle to cope with all the detail, and to meet so many new characters. Then, as the scriptures got a grip on us, we found we were fascinated by the message, and those characters become part of our life experience. They started to live for us, and with us, and Bible reading became a pleasure and then a fascination. How grateful we should be to those people who first taught us and then encouraged us to read! And if that hasn't happened for you yet, just keep reading God's word. It will! We are a reading community: that's evident whenever anyone has a garage sale, or the ecclesia decides to hold a Jumble Sale. Books appear on all sorts of subjects, many of them works of fiction. But what should we be reading?
Recommendations
The best place to start is with a recommendation from someone you trust, and whose interest more or less coincides with your own. It's no good asking a history buff, or a mathematician, if you hate both history and sums! Very soon you will begin to get a taste for the sort of writers you like and then the books they recommend, or refer to, will be worth looking at. And if you enthuse about the latest book you've read to other readers, they are likely to enthuse back. That's how it works; and that's why people are buying so many books nowadays. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm! On your behalf, I have been asking keen readers to recommend half a dozen books they think a new reader would enjoy, and here they are (Christadelphian books first): The Genius of Discipleship by Brother Dennis Gillett; Moses My Servant by Brother Harry Tennant; Joseph the Saviour by Brother Harry Whittaker; A Life of Jesus by Brother Melva Purkis; Who Moved the Stone? by Frank Morison; Easter Enigma by John Wenham. All of these books are available from the Christadelphian Office, either new or second-hand. But it doesn't really matter which book you start with, as long as you start.
2a - More about those recommendations

THE six books listed as recommendations in the article are usually in stock at The Christadelphian Office when they are in print (which most of them are: there is some doubt about Wenham's Easter Enigma) and they appear occasionally as second-hand stock. (Chapter 1a included some details about locating second-hand titles, or you can search this website.) Here's a little more about the books in question:
The Genius of Discipleship by Brother Dennis Gillett
This is a book about discipleship and comprises 27 short chapters on subjects like: Being Called; Conviction; Trust; Surrender and Pardon. Written in Brother Dennis Gillett's carefully crafted style (he always spoke from a fully prepared text), the book is eminently readable and challenging to every disciple, young or old. If you haven't yet read it, you must!
Moses My Servant by Brother Harry Tennant
Character studies are a really easy introduction to good reading, for the Bible is all about people. Moses and his writings were widely studied by the Jews (Acts 15:21), and his prime role in the Old Testament makes him an excellent starting point. Brother Harry taught at many Bible Schools on this subject and the book was first published in 1966. The present edition is the third reprinting.
Joseph the Saviour by Brother Harry Whittaker
This book is deceptively small (just 89 pages long) but packed with good ideas. At the end of each short chapter there is a "Notes" section with some detailed comments and ideas for further study. That approach is quite typical of Brother Harry Whittaker's writing. It means that the character study reads very easily but there's plenty more to think about when you come to the book for a second reading, which you will!
A Life of Jesus by Brother Melva Purkis
This is a more substantial book than the first three recommendations, comprising 367 pages, including the Index. It is a detailed study of the life of the Lord, from his birth to his ascension and is properly devotional and has some helpful exposition. Brother Melva's writing is a little more complicated in style than the earlier books - this was a book first published in the 1950s. So a little more effort is required when reading it, but if you want to walk with the Lord and fill your mind with a contemplation of his character and his teaching, this is a book that will help you do that.
Who Moved the Stone? by Frank Morison
'Morison' is the pseudonym of Albert Henry Ross who was an advertising executive and who died in 1950. In the Preface, he explains that he set out to write a book that was to be critical of the Resurrection narratives. "Somehow", he says, "the perspective shifted - not suddenly ... but slowly, almost imperceptibly, by the very stubbornness of the facts themselves." This book traces that process as he looks, item by item, at the events as recorded in the Gospels and concludes that there is no other satisfactory explanation but that Jesus was raised from the dead.
Easter Enigma by John Wenham
John Wenham was living in Jerusalem at the time he wrote this book and was well placed to make a detailed examination of the people and places mentioned in the Biblical accounts of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. In 162 pages, he works out a way of harmonising the five accounts of the resurrection appearances, using a mixture of common sense and shrewd insight. This is a slightly more studious book in its approach, but very readable even so, and the text is helpfully broken up with some nice black and white diagrams. SOME of these books may be available second-hand, but they don't cost that much new. Remember that we only have some of the available second-hand stock on the web, so, if you are looking for anything in particular, ask us here. There are other Christadelphian sources for books in other countries like: The Detroit Christadelphian Book Supply The Thousand Oaks Christadelphian Library The Christadelphian Scripture Study Service Try putting "Christadelphian Books" in your search engine (without the quotes) and many other sites will appear. Meanwhile, if you would like your site or address added to this initial list, please apply and send us the details. Contact us here
3 - More recommendations
THE speaker who said, "This is a book which every Christadelphian should read" was both a keen reader and an enthusiast, a combination many people would regard as tricky! He was referring to a book by Martin Gilbert, presently out of print but which we hope to stock at The Office when available. But how do you know what's worth reading and what isn't? This article suggests one or two places where you can get recommendations, and more information is available on our website if you have access to the internet.
Tell us about your own recommendations and we shall include some of those on the web, or in the "Letters" page.
"A New Creation"
In 1989 Brother George Booker wrote this book which he subtitled A Manual for New Christadelphians, Young Christadelphians and Prospective Christadelphians. It includes some helpful ideas about how to start studying the Bible and has a chapter which lists some "Recommended Reading". In different categories, Brother George listed over sixty Christadelphian books that he considered useful - for First Principles, Bible Study, Living the Truth, Exhortation, Exposition and suchlike. Some are still available new, others can be found in the secondhand section. Recommendations from his list can be found on the website. If you haven't seen the book (which may be reprinting soon), and would like a copy of the recommended booklist, it's available on application (for 50p plus postage). We should want to read what brothers and sisters have written because we are interested in their point of view and want to learn from them. That's probably why you are reading this magazine and others like it. When Brother Thomas was writing works like Elpis Israel and Eureka he had no other works of the Truth to guide him: he was blazing a trail! But it is clear that he made good use of the reference works that were available like Rollin's Ancient History or Elliott's Horae Apocalypticae. They served to stimulate him and gave a point of view that sharpened his own perception of what was right.
Christadelphian writings
We live at a privileged time so far as available books are concerned. The present Christadelphian Office book catalogue (also available on request, or viewable on-line) lists over one hundred new books, many of them written within the last twenty years, and others originating from our early days as a community. This is a heritage we should value and the Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Association exists in part to keep those works available. But we don't keep our heritage alive by having a stockroom full of old stock. We each keep it alive by reading and appreciating the insights contained in those works. They ought to be our spiritual stock-in-trade. Some readers, including ecclesial librarians, have a standing order so that a copy of every new book which is published comes to them automatically. It's a real help to CMPA finances to know that several hundred books will be sold up-front, for it can be the case that it takes a while for new publications to be known about, and even longer before people get around to buying a copy. Nowadays cash flow is as important to organisations in the brotherhood as it is elsewhere. But it is not all about money, important though that is if we want to be part of a vibrant and effective brotherhood which can fulfil the Lord's work. It is about being stimulated by the things we believe and being motivated to try even better to love the Lord and to serve him effectively.
3a - Brother George's recommendation

THE book by Sir Martin Gilbert, referred to in the previous article, was Letters to Auntie Fori, published by Schocken Books, New York, in 2002. It is now out of print, but reprinting. Watch out for further details when it becomes available. Over many years Martin Gilbert has written and compiled excellent material about the history of Israel; especially helpful are his Atlases (such as his Jewish History Atlas and Jerusalem Illustrated History Atlas). This book is a bit different from his more scholarly works for it comprises a series of letters. Gilbert met Auntie Fori in 1958 in New Delhi and became her 'adopted nephew'. When, in 1998, on her 90th birthday, she told him she was in fact Jewish, but didn't know anything about Jewish history, he wrote her a series of letters to tell her the Jewish story. These 140 letters were published in a 460-page book.
A New Creation recommendations
Some of the recommendations from Brother George Booker's book A New Creation (published in 1989) are listed below. Bear in mind that personal recommendations are bound to differ from one person to another. You may not agree with everything Brother George suggests, but that's in the nature of reading. What appeals to one
person may not be that attractive to someone else. We shall be happy to consider your own recommendations if you send them (together with your name and ecclesia) here.
Recommended reading
The Bible as a whole Vox Dei (Collyer): "The Word, or Voice, of God" - a simple discussion of the grounds of faith in the Bible as God's word, with emphasis on prophecy fulfilled and fulfilling. God's Truth (Hayward): "A scientist shows why it makes sense to believe the Bible." Foundations and first principles Christendom Astray (Roberts): This book started as a series of first principles lectures, and has revolutionized the thinking of literally thousands of readers. Elpis Israel (Thomas): "The Hope of Israel". Written in 1848, it marked the beginning of the modern "Christadelphian" movement. The language is a bit difficult, but the insights are wonderful. Wrested Scriptures (Abel): An organized, in-depth analysis of Bible verses regularly misapplied by various denominations to prove their own special false doctrines. Very useful in all preaching work. John Thomas and His Rediscovery of Bible Truth (Fadelle): The story of Christadelphian beginnings told in a simple, concise fashion. Useful for introducing the faith to friends and family. Understanding the Bible (Norris): Bible proofs and a simple plan for first steps in Bible reading and study. The Devil - the Great Deceiver (Watkins): Analysis of the Bible teaching about sin, with special attention to the "wrested passages" about the Devil and Satan. Preaching the Truth (Brown), Desert Island Adventure (Wille), and At Last - True Christianity (Eyre): The "gospel" in light and entertaining story forms. Bible study Exploring the Bible and Enjoying the Bible (Whittaker): The benefit of such books is that the student - if he reads wisely and practices what he reads - will become, to a large extent, independent of the interpretations of other men. Our life in the Truth Freedom in Christ (Twelves): Advice on following Christ in an evil and permissive society. The Guiding Light, Conviction and Conduct, and Principles and Proverbs (Collyer): This fine writer had a knack for examining principles and philosophies of life in a very insightful and penetrating fashion. Reformation (Whittaker): Attempting to bring about a new "reformation", leading Christadelphians back to traditional standards of life in the Truth. Guaranteed to give the serious reader a guilty conscience! The New Life (Marshall): The "new and living way." Prayer - Studies in Principles and Practice (Purkis, Tennant): A book on a very private and personal part of each believer's life. Preaching the Word (Norris): Advice on how to become a true and effective preacher of the Gospel. The Genius of Discipleship (Gillett): "True discipleship involves the whole man, and its influence should be conspicuous in every department of daily living." Family Life in the Lord (Styles): A collection of articles designed to improve the quality of our family life, to the honour and glory of God. War and Politics - the Christian's Duty (Watkins): A small pamphlet discussing crucial areas in a new believer's life. General exhortations Diseases of the Soul (Gillett). Guided by the Star (Ladson).
A Sound Mind (Sargent). Minute Meditations (Lloyd). The Ways of Providence and The Visible Hand of God (Roberts). Biographies Abraham, Father of the Faithful (Whittaker). Wrestling Jacob (Whittaker). Moses My Servant (Tennant). The Man David (Tennant). Hezekiah the Great (Whittaker) and The Songs of Degrees (Booker): Two books with a related theme under one cover. Old Testament exposition The Law of Moses (Roberts) and Law and Grace (Barling): Two very good studies on the Law of Moses. Samuel, Saul, and David (Whittaker): The history of 1 and 2 Samuel. Isaiah (Whittaker): A serious study, not necessarily for the true "beginner". Something to look forward to after a few years! The Lamentations of Jeremiah (Booker, Haltom). From Hosea to Zephaniah (Pearce). Prophets After the Exile (Carter). New Testament exposition Studies in the Gospels (Whittaker). The Gospel of John (Carter). The Teaching of the Master (Sargent). Studies in the Acts of the Apostles (Whittaker). Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, and Hebrews (Carter): Studies in four different letters. Letters to Corinth (W F Barling), Philippians, and Colossians (T J Barling): Three books on various letters. Waiting for His Son (Booker): The letters to the Thessalonians. James (Smart). Eureka: An Exposition of the Apocalypse (Thomas): Five volumes, and 1,800 pages. Not recommended for the beginner; however, there are numerous shorter works that serve as useful introductions to the study of the Book of Revelation. Wait a few years before "graduating" to "Eureka"! Remember that these are some of Brother George's personal recommendations, written in 1989, and that a lot of other Christadelphian books have been published since then which might have been included. Remember too that preferences differ. Those of you who have read all those books may not like some of them, or may prefer others. Write and tell us about your own preferences, for we shall be featuring more recommendations on the website in due course. Contact us here.
4 - Non-Christadelphian writers
A lot of useful work has been done by Bible students who have understood some aspects of the purpose of God, without having had a full perception of everything we are privileged to understand. It may be their style of writing that brothers and sisters find helpful, or the way in which they dig out interesting details and facts.
Where to look
The recommendations contained in the Appendices from Exploring the Bible (editions 1 and 2), by Brother H. A. Whittaker, can now be found on the web; or you can send for a hard copy (50p plus postage). There are others suggestions in Preaching the Word by Brother Alfred Norris, though these are now rather dated (Brother Harry updated his suggestions in the second edition of his book). And there are lots more places to look. Bookcases are a first class resource when you are in pursuit of titles and authors, and if you can wheedle your way into a keen Bible students study, be sure to take a notebook to jot down some information. There is nothing to beat a personal recommendation and, if youre not sure about the author or the subject covered, there is usually a lending library where you can browse or borrow before buying. But if the book is going to be really useful, and something you will want to refer to again, getting a copy of your own is the next step.
Favourite authors
Over the years the libraries of several brothers and sisters have found their way into the Office of The Christadelphian, and have enhanced the Office library accordingly. That library is not a lending facility that would be too time-consuming and costly to manage. But it is a place well worth visiting if you want to browse or study a particular topic; just give some advance notice of your intention and that should be fine, provided the library is not being used for anything else that day. Judging by the book collections that have arrived, and the books that have readily sold from the second-hand lists over the years, here are two of the authors that have been widely read among us: William Barclay: One-time Professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism at Glasgow, Barclay was a prolific author. He wrote the Daily Study Bible on the entire New Testament, combining practical points and anecdotes with some insightful comments, especially about the Greek text. His Jesus as They Saw Him (in which he reflects on the various names and titles of Jesus) is excellent, and his New Testament Words is well worth collecting, containing helpful expositions on the meaning of Bible words like agape and parousia. F. F. Bruce: member of the Brethren, Bruce was Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at Manchester and had a more academic style than Barclay. He wrote The New Testament Documents Are they Reliable? in which he concluded they most certainly are. And his commentaries on New Testament epistles are well worth careful study. As with all non-Christadelphian writers, you have to read with discrimination, as their doctrinal position is different from ours. But the background information they supply can be invaluable. At a time when John Allegro (who was also in Manchester) was speculating about the origins of Christianity, and possible links with the Essenes, it was Bruce who published Second Thoughts on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Even today, now that all the material has been published, that remains a useful summary of some of the key issues.
4a - Brother Harry's recommendations

There are plenty of places to look if you want recommendations about non-Christadelphian books on various topics and when you start buying books about books, then you know you have really been bitten by the bug! How to Read the Bible for all its worth by Fee and Stuart is an IVP production which contains over 3 pages of recommendations of Old and New Testament Commentaries, but some of them are fairly technical and not all of them would be to our liking (for example, the recommendations about the book of Revelation). Recommendations by Christadelphians are a safer source of good advice, especially from people you know, or whose writings you enjoy and find helpful. There are reviews published in our magazines, which might help, and occasional series are written, like this one. Brother Mark Vincent wrote a series in The Christadelphian between 1995 and 1996 called A Christadelphians Bookshelf (if you have the Libronix software package The Christadelphian 1864-2000 its in Volumes 132 and 133, or just search for the title of the series). As promised in the article, here are the two sets of recommendations from Exploring the Bible. There are two because Brother Harry updated them as he thought, when the second edition was being printed, that secondhand books were becoming unobtainable. Since then, of course, the Internet has made a huge difference and books can now be tracked down from all over the globe, provided you are willing to pay what is asked.
Searching some of those sites, like abebooks.com gives you a good idea about the usual pricing structure and shows what good value you get when buying from Christadelphian sources. Here are Brother Harrys recommendations.
First edition: Worthwhile books
It has already been said in this volume and it must be said again. There is no Bible study to compare with what you do for yourself. Yet in spite of this, the truth of which every competent Bible student will vouch for, many rush to acquire big collections of books as an easy substitute for personal effort. This Appendix, then, is included with some reluctance, and only because the writer has been badgered many a time with the enquiry: What are the best books to get? It is assumed here that you have already had that question answered for you, and have already equipped yourself with a shelf-full of Christadelphian classics. It is a good idea always to keep one of these going as part of your normal reading. Two pages a day, year in, year out is the valuable prescription of a well-read Christadelphian veteran. But what other books? Personal judgement and enthusiasm vary so considerably that any students compilation is likely to provoke a good deal of disagreement from others both as regards titles included and titles omitted. One finds with experience that it is not titles or topics that matter most but authors. Once you become acquainted with a good writer or expositor, the best plan is to lay hands on as many of his works as possible. Most Christadelphian students of the Word are agreed that the modern commentators are by no means as helpful or stimulating as the Victorians. The reason is simple: the Victorians believed the Bible to be the Word of God, the modernists do not. This is not to say that modem scholars are useless. But it is certainly true that you will learn a more wholesome approach to the Bible from the Victorians (and the Puritans) than you will from most of the 20th century authorities. For the Christadelphian, then, the prince of Bible commentators is William Kay, of Lincoln College, Oxford. His Isaiah and Hebrews in the Speakers Commentary, his Psalms and Corinthians are all closepacked, and full of dependable scholarship. These are not works for beginners to browse in. Only when you have done a lot of Bible study for yourself do these books begin to have their true value. A close friend of Kays was John William Burgon who, if he had concentrated on writing expositions of scripture instead of abstruse tomes on textual criticism would have been the most readable commentator of all time. His Plain Commentary on the Gospels is not easy to get. Make due allowance for his doctrinal emphasis and he will teach you a lot, and especially a proper reverence for the Word of God. Burgon learned the art of Bible study from old John Forbes of Aberdeen whose books on Psalms, Isaiah and Romans should certainly be snapped up. And Burgon in turn inspired certain of his students at Oxford who listened to his sermons in St. Marys C. H. Waller, Griffith Thomas and Harrington Lees. All of these are really excellent in their handling of scripture. Others in the same generation or slightly earlier were Plumptre and Fausset. The former of these did the Synoptic Gospels, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Acts, 2 Corinthians in Ellicotts Commentary, and has some excellent contributions to Smiths Bible Dictionary. The latter wrote very stimulating studies on Judges and the Psalms, and was responsible for half (much the better half) of the Portable Commentary, the two-volume edition which is in horribly small type but well worth having all the same. Waller did Deuteronomy and Joshua in Ellicott, and also Joel and Hosea in the Bible Hour series. His Silver Sockets, Names on the Gates of Pearl, Moses and the Prophets are also very good. Griffith Thomas had the knack of simplicity. His Genesis and Romans and Apostle Peter are all first rate for beginners. Harrington Lees Joy of Bible Study is a little treasure, and all his other writings approach the same level, except in degree of concentration.
James William Thirtle, who was reared in a Christadelphian ecclesia in the north Midlands, wrote three very fine books: The Lords Prayer, The Titles of the Psalms, and Old Testament Problems. The last of these is packed with brilliant suggestions about the Psalms and Isaiah. Regretfully one has to add that nearly every one of the books and authors mentioned is now out of print. These stimulating aids are only to be found by patient ransacking of second-hand bookshops. It is almost useless to say to a bookseller: Look out for books by So-and-So for me, please. He will never find them. You must hunt them down for yourself. The present writer is greatly indebted to E.W., more widely read than himself, for enthusiastic help in the compilation of an immense list which with reluctance has been abbreviated to the following: Book Author Publisher RevelationandtheBible:TheInfallibleWord CarlP.H.Henry TyndalePressPres.Pub.Corp.,Philadelphia Saphir MorganandChase ChristandtheScripture BibleHandbook Angus R.T.S. Griffith ThomasMarshall MethodsofBibleStudy UndesignedCoincidences Blunt RendleShort I.V.F. ModernDiscoveryandtheBible TheChristianandhisBible Johnson I.V.F. Gore Murray TheReconstructionofBelief PocketCommentary(inseparateparts) Atkinson Walter Orr Nisbet TheProblemoftheO.T. TheHeartandHolinessofGod CampbellMorgan Marshall HartDavies Thynne Jonah Apocrypha Morison Faber WhoMovedtheStone? CampbellMorgan H.&S. ParablesoftheKingdom PaultheMasterBuilder Lock Methuen Edersheim R.T.S. TheTemple ActsoftheApostles Rackham Methuen Ramsay H.&S. PaultheTravellerandRomanCitizen TheFourthGospel HoskynsandDavey Faber Findlay H.&S. JesusintheFirstGospel TheDaysofHisFlesh DavidSmith H.&S. DavidSmith H.&S. LifeandLettersofPaul ColossianStudies Moule H.&S. Moule H.&S. PhilippianStudies EpistletotheEphesians J.A.Robinson Macmillan Moule C.U.P. Romans(CambridgeBible) Romans(ICCCommentary) SandayandHeadlarn Clark CampbellMorgan Pickering TriumphsofFaith RobertLaw Clark TheTestsofLife(1John) FellowshipintheLifeEternal Findlay H.&S. AndersonScott Ch.ofScotland(verysane) RomanismandtheGospel
InfallibilityoftheChurch
Second edition: Worthwhile books
Salmon
Murray
It has already been said in this volume and it must be said again. There is no Bible study to compare with what you do for yourself. Yet in spite of this, the truth of which every competent Bible student will vouch for, many rush to acquire big collections of books as an easy substitute for personal effort. This Appendix, then, is included with some reluctance, and only because the writer has been badgered many a time with the enquiry: What are the best books to get? It is assumed here that you have already had that question answered for you, and have already equipped yourself with a shelf-full of Christadelphian classics. It is a good idea always to keep one of these going as part of your normal reading. Two pages a day, year in, year out is the valuable prescription of a well-read Christadelphian veteran. Personal judgement and enthusiasm vary so considerably that any students compilation is likely to provoke a good deal of disagreement from others both as regards titles included and titles omitted. One finds with experience that it is not titles or topics that matter most but authors. Once you become acquainted with a good writer or expositor, the best plan is to lay hands on as many of his works as possible. Most Christadelphian students of the Word are agreed that the modern commentators are by no means as helpful or stimulating as the Victorians. The reason is simple: the Victorians believed the Bible to be the Word of God, the modernists do not. This is not to say that modern scholars are useless. But it is certainly true that you will learn a more wholesome approach to the Bible from the Victorians (and the Puritans) than you will from most of the 20th century authorities. For the Christadelphian, then, the prince of Bible commentators is William Kay, of Lincoln College, Oxford. His Isaiah and Hebrews in the Speakers Commentary, his Psalms and Corinthians are all closepacked, and full of dependable scholarship. These are not works for beginners to browse in. Only when you have done a lot of Bible study for yourself do these books begin to have their true value. By all means comb over any old issues of The Christadelphian and The Testimony which you may have access to. But read with discrimination. The oldest are not necessarily the best. You must certainly give concentrated attention to the miscellaneous articles by John Carter. If he had written in a more readable style, he would have been a world-beater. But what other books? There is no attempt here to catalogue the titles which you simply must have. The list would become endless and not necessarily useful, for all students of Holy Scripture do not have the same approach, the same bent. The following are almost random suggestions, dictated largely by the present writers own personal taste. First, a few standard books of reference. Josephus, of course. It used to be possible to pick up a good copy for a shilling. But, alas, those palmy days are gone for ever. You cannot do without a really good Bible Atlas and also a well laid-out Harmony of the Gospels (that published by Black is perhaps the best). One or two detailed volumes on Bible Archaeology should be acquired; e.g. Pfeiffers Cyclopaedia of Biblical Archaeology and Documents from Old Testament Times by D. Winton Thomas. That wee book: Modern Discovery and the Bible, by Rendle Short, is full of good material. John William Burgon, preaching at St. Marys, Oxford, in the middle of last century, begat some competent spiritual children, among them, C. H. Waller, Griffith Thomas, and Harrington Lees. Any books of theirs are worth getting hold of. The first of these was a contributor to Ellicotts Commentary. So also, very copiously, was Plumptre, Dean of Canterbury, whose articles in Smiths Bible Dictionary are also worth careful attention. Fausset was another stimulating expositor of that period. His study of Judges, lately re-printed in America, is the best that has been done on that subject. He also wrote a book on Psalms, and was responsible for half (much the better half) of the Portable Commentary, done in appallingly small print.
Here are a few more miscellaneous names to look out for. Ramseys Paul the Traveller is really good, but his other books dont compare in quality. The best commentary on Acts is by Rackham. He did nothing else worth talking about. Beginners will enjoy David Smiths The Days of His Flesh, but later on will realise how that volume suffers from neglect of the Old Testament. His Life and Letters of Paul is useful, but a bit superficial. Farrar, Dean of Westminster, was a man of astonishing scholarship. All his New Testament work makes useful contributions (especially in the footnotes), but his exposition of Daniel is appalling. Instead, on Daniel and Isaiah, get Boutflower if you can. There is lots of good scholarship in Puseys Minor Prophets and also in his Daniel, but this isnt so good. Some of the volumes in the Cambridge Bible are worthwhile (e.g. Farrar on Luke; Moule on Romans), but there is also a lot of rubbish. Can any good thing come out of Cambridge? Well., now and then. The Tyndale Commentaries are another patchy collection, but anything with Kidners name on it (Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs) is worth going for. Dont look for a decent commentary on Psalms. There isnt one. Do your own. And indeed, as you progress and increasingly mean business, regarding large areas of both Old and New Testaments you will be driven to this expedient of self-reliance and hard labour. Plummer on any of the gospels is useful, but a bit dull. Trench on Miracles and Parables is wordy but with lots of ideas. On the Sermon on the Mount, Martyn Lloyd-Jones is another wordy writer, but easy to read, whilst our own L. G. Sargent (Teaching of the Master), who was never appreciated at his true value, is too compressed and therefore hard work. Two pages a day! One or two other general works which are worth a place on your bookshelves: Get acquainted with the Apocrypha. It will fill you in fairly dependably between the Testaments, and will provide much other informative and stimulating reading. Also an Apocryphal New Testament, if only to learn the sudden and shouting difference between the inspired New Testament and the palpably uninspired stuff that followed. Anguss Bible Handbook is a mine of handy information. Edersheim (especially The Temple) and Girdlestone are both very useful. Bullingers How to Enjoy the Bible would be even more enjoyable if he had developed a more exhilarating style of writing. And of course Blunts Undesigned Coincidences goes without saying. Where does this name-dropping stop?
Availability
These titles and authors appear from time to time as books are donated, so they can be re-circulated within our Community. We only have some of the available second-hand stock on the web (that takes time to build up and we add more each month). So if you are looking for anything in particular, let us know and well see if weve got it. Dont forget, if you have recommendations to make, we should like to hear about them. Contact us here.
5 - Starting Bible study

A LIBRARY of books about the Bible will never be complete unless it leads on to Bible study. Its one of the pitfalls to avoid: that you read about the Bible rather than the word of God itself. Thats why we often encourage people to take our literature before adding Read it with the Bible, not instead of it! Earlier reference to the booklists in Exploring the Bible and Preaching the Word has so far failed to mention that both those books contain excellent suggestions for Bible study. This point was made by Brother Peter Hale recently in his letter to the Editor (April, page 124), in which he heartily recommended Preaching the Word. But you may need an easier way in.
Study Guides
Some years ago, the CMPA began a series of Study Guides to provide a gentler way to start Bible study, either individually or in groups. So far there are five, the most recent one on Revelation being reviewed after this article. The other subjects are Philippians, The Tabernacle, The Song of Solomon and one which gives an overview of the whole Bible, called The Sixty-Six Books of the Bible. More information about each of these is available on the website, as usual. These guides have a standard format. They are structured in a way which leads the reader gently through a Bible book or theme. Theres usually an overview of the subject, then a step-by-step analysis of the various issues. The language is clear and uncomplicated and any necessary definition, or background information, is given as the guide proceeds.
Illustrations
Pages of text can be a bit daunting if youre not a regular reader and a few illustrations can make a book a little more inviting. Thats partly why these guides use a lot of illustrations diagrams, charts, drawings, photographs and maps. The other reason is that we are now used to absorbing information visually. Being in landscape format (where the pages are wider than they are tall), the guides flop open nicely and present two pages of information, so you can have your Bible open and work your way though 600-700 words of text at a time, and make real progress. And its not just academic study that is being encouraged. The reader is prompted to think through some of the practical implications as well. For example, Paul was writing to the ecclesia at Philippi about the things God had graciously given them, so the reader of the Philippians guide is also encouraged to think about the various things that God has given us.
Remembering
Of course, you may not read much because you think that It goes in through one ear and out through the other! Many readers say they cant remember what they have read, and it would be a very unusual person who could remember everything he or she had read, and where to find it again. So the guides have one solution to this problem. At the end of each section, you are invited to Test Yourself, to see how much you remember and Outline Answers are provided at the end, with more detailed information again, and Bible references which can take you further into the various topics. Finally there are recommendations for more detailed books you could read, so that if your appetite has been whetted you can try reading something a little more challenging, with more confidence than you might otherwise have had.
5a - More about the Study Guides

HERE is a brief synopsis of the five Study Guides published so far, listed in the order in which they appeared.
Philippians
Written by Brother Michael Owen in 1988, this 50-page guide looks at the Letter to the Philippians. It is illustrated with black and white drawings (by Brother Gerald Newton) and maps (by Brother Paul Wasson) and works carefully through the epistle, starting with an Overview what the book is about, how the ecclesia was formed, and the circumstances of Paul when he wrote, imprisoned in Rome. By page 13 the guide has started to work through the epistle, section by section, offering brief comments on each verse and picking out salient details. For example the terms saints, bishops and deacons are explained and words like grace and peace are defined. Sometimes there are wider explanations about issues. For example, when construing Philippians 2:1-7 Brother Michael says a bit more about Atonement, and later in the same chapter he deals with the combination of Faith and Works. Each of the sections ends with an invitation to Test Yourself and the recommendations for Further Reading include the books on Philippians by Brethren Tom Barling (CMPA); Jim Luke (CSSS); and Paul the Apostle by Brother W H Boulton (CMPA).
The Tabernacle
Written by Brother Michael Ashton in 1989, this 71-page guide deals with the setting of the Tabernacle in the midst of the camp of Israel, the layout and structure of the building itself, its furniture, and the spiritual meaning of the various component parts and materials. It is nicely illustrated, again using black and white line drawings, this time by Brethren Stephen Ashton and Paul Wasson, the Tabernacle being depicted as a flat roof structure, not with a pitched roof as it is sometimes seen. (The question of roof construction is considered separately, on pages 38 and 39, and a flat roof is preferred.) The section headed Finding Your Way lists items like The Purpose of the Tabernacle or The Coverings and provides the relevant scriptural references, so the reader can track those passages down easily and look them up, item by item. For example, we are told about the construction of the laver both in Exodus 30:17-21 and 38:8. Later, when that item comes under close scrutiny the guide explains the spiritual significance of the bronze material used, its origin, and its typology pointing towards baptism and spiritual cleansing or sanctification. These guides do not claim to be exhaustive, but introductory, and the suggestions for further reading include Law and Grace by Brother W. F. Barling; The Law of Moses by Brother Robert Roberts; The Letter to the Hebrews by Brother F. E. Mitchell (all CMPA publications) and Let Them Make Me a Sanctuary by CSSS.
Song of Solomon
Written in 1990 by Brother Stanley Owen, this 69-page study guide is also illustrated by him, Stanley being an artist as well as a writer, with assistance from Brother Paul Wasson, who did the other graphics. An introductory section suggests Solomon as the inspired writer, and says something of his life and then the guide offers an interpretation of the Song based around a triangle of three characters: a beautiful country girl, a shepherd from Lebanon (whom she really loves) and King Solomon in his palace (who is seen as a charmer and beguiler, trying to lure the young girl into an affair). After a section which offers a division of the poem into 9 sections, the guides interpretation of the Song seeks to understand the initial meaning as well as its spiritual significance. As the Song makes extensive reference to the flora and fauna of Israel, these features are extracted and listed, and sometimes illustrated, which provides a helpful picture of contemporary rural life. Because all this looks forward to the relationship between Christ and his bride, the opportunity is taken to show how the language anticipates that and its consummation when at last the Bridegroom comes. This interpretation may not suit everyone, as the guide admits, but further reading suggested includes books which take a different approach, by Brethren R W Ask (CSSS); H. P. Mansfield (Logos) and articles in The Christadelphian by Brethren Roy Waddoup (1968-69) and Phil Hinde (1984). The latter are, of course, readily accessible using the CD-ROM The Christadelphian Magazine 1864-2000.
The 66 Books of the Bible
Written by Brother Norman Owen in 2002, this 96-page guide is based on a series which first appeared in Glad Tidings and was considered so helpful that it was brought together into a Study Guide. This is an excellent handbook for someone who is new to the Bible and wants a complete overview. After a few pages of introduction it begins to look at each Bible book, one page at a time, summarising its key message and adding snippets of information or helpful hints. Each page contains some interesting links with other parts of the Bible (a few cross-references) and it is nicely illustrated with a mixture of graphics, some of them by Brother Norman himself. Supplementary pages cover things like the world between the Testaments, Roman Provinces and Regions, or the timing of the various books. The guide ends with a Summary of Bible Teaching, an Index, and suggestions for some ideas about books for Bible study, like an Analytical Concordance or a Bible Dictionary, and, for background reading, books like The Christadelphians: What they Believe and Preach by Brother Harry Tennant or Gods Living Word How the Bible came to us by Brother Derek Banyard. This guide is especially useful for people who are new to the Bible and who need a handbook to get them started, or for Seminar or Sunday School students.
Revelation
Written by Brother Michael Ashton in 2007, this 87-page guide tackles the most demanding topic so far in the series and does so elegantly. By concentrating on key issues and by being very selective (i.e. not getting bogged down in unnecessary detail), Brother Michael offers a way into a book that fascinates many and confuses even more readers. The first half of the guide is introductory, for the symbology, setting and structure of the book need to be understood before any real progress can be made. This slow start makes the book useful for Seminar students, too, or for Sunday School use, for readers are not overwhelmed with details of Roman history or first century geography before they are ready. In due course the guide works right through the Revelation, chapter-bychapter, offering a continuous historic interpretation, although it acknowledges that there are alternative suggestions. It deals with the development of false Christianity and the opposition of such to the Lord Jesus in a measured and subtle way, but a depiction of the False Prophet makes it apparent that the corruption begun by Constantine has remained, making it unnecessary to expressly criticise other religious groups. Useful asides deal with such details as time periods, the number of the beast, the length of the Millennium and the contrast between the bride and the harlot. Throughout the exhortation contained in the book is referred to, as these guides try to be practical as well as expositional, and the graphics included by Brother Mark Norris, as well as a few photographs, make the book attractive, easy to read and very informative. Recommendations for further reading include Interpreting the Book of Revelation by Brother Alfred Nicholls, Notes on the Apocalypse by Brother C C Walker and, of course, Eureka by Brother John Thomas.
6 - Bible dictionaries
THERE are some Biblical reference books that serve the purpose we usually associate with a dictionary, in that they provide the meaning of words. They are usually classified as Expository Dictionaries, and we shall review those when considering language aids. Bible Dictionaries could equally be described as Bible Encyclopaedias, and sometimes they are. Heres an extract from two good ones, the first a twentieth century production, the second a nineteenth century one, to give you an idea of topic coverage. ANNA (Gk. form of Heb. hann, grace). An aged widow, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (Lk. 2:3638). Like Simeon, who also belonged to the remnant which waited for the consolation of Israel, she had prophetic insight, and was a regular attender at the morning and evening services in the Temple. On hearing Simeons words at the presentation of Jesus, she commended the child as the long-awaited Messiah, and praised God for the fulfilment of His promises. JDD (The New Bible Dictionary). ANNA (Luke 2:36-37). Daughter of Phanuel, of Asher; a widow of 84; a prophetess, i.e. guided by Providence, when the infant Jesus was being presented in the temple, to come in that instant, and enabled by the Spirit to discern and to announce to others the Messiah, and to render praises accordingly. After seven years of married life she had given up all other concerns to join the women who devoted themselves to a continual attendance at the temple services night and day; a widow indeed (1 Timothy 5:5). One of Gods own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, looking for the promised redemption unto which the twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come (Acts 26:7; contrast Revelation 12:10; Luke 18:7; compare Exodus 38:8). It is remarkable she is the only one of note mentioned in Scripture of the tribe of Asher, though the name means blessedness.A sample of an aged females waiting faith, as Simeon is of an aged mans (Faussets Bible Dictionary). By comparison, Smiths Bible Dictionary, has a short entry, for once, by B. F. Westcott which simply says, A prophetess in Jerusalem at the time of our Lords birth (Luke 2:36). So it is obvious that different contributors bring their own particular style and set of preferences.
Ancient or Modern?
One choice you might have to make is whether you would prefer an older Dictionary (which you could buy second-hand, or perhaps access in electronic format) or a more modern one. In general terms, the older ones
tend to be more conservative and usually include entries by scholars who accepted the full inspiration of the scriptures. Faussets Bible Dictionary is a one-man production: he was a co-author of the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary and wrote separate books on Judges and the Psalms. Smiths Bible Dictionary (published in 1863) has many different contributers including Henry Alford, C. J. Ellicott, J. B. Lightfoot and A. H. Layard; Hastings Bible Dictionary uses writers like James Orr, W. M. Ramsay and A. H. Sayce. Not all their contributions are of the same depth or usefulness, as we have seen, but with such Bible students you can expect some useful comment and information. More modern Dictionaries have the advantage that they include recent findings and developments in Bible study and interpretation. They vary however in their attitude to the authority of scripture and can be broadly grouped as conservative or more critical. In the former category is The New Bible Dictionary (published by Inter-Varsity Press) and the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (popularly known as ISBE, published by Eerdmans), which was revised in 1986 from an earlier version. In the modern but more critical Bible Dictionaries category would be the Anchor Bible Dictionary (published by Doubleday in 1992), which contains some excellent material, but which needs to be used with caution. That is true, of course, about any reference work or any book written about the scriptures. All need to be treated as secondary and subject to careful scrutiny. It is only the word of God which is divinely inspired.
Short or Long?
The other main choice to make when considering which might be best for you is the amount of space you have available. Dictionaries often come in several volumes. Smith has three volumes; Hastings, four (with an optional fifth); ISBE, four; Anchor Bible Dictionary, six. And the bigger the Dictionary, the more expensive it is. There are condensed (one volume) editions of Smith and Hastings which are still published and these may contain as much information as you want, or can cope with. The New Bible Dictionary is just one volume anyway (of 1,375 pages) and has been revised several times already. IVP are now also publishing a set of specialist Dictionaries, on designated topics like Jesus and the Gospels and Paul and his Letters. There are four New Testament ones and the publishers are now starting on the Old Testament. Some of these IVP publications can be obtained in electronic format, and they will all be made available eventually in a format which will integrate with the Libronix library software the search engine which gives easy access to much of our own material, including The Christadelphian (1864-2000). But its worth noting that the cost of electronic material is much the same as for a printed version. What you save is space, and what you get is a better and wider search facility.
Recommendation
If you have the space, a conservative publication like the three volume Smiths Bible Dictionary contains a vast amount of excellent material and can be a really worthwhile buy as a second-hand purchase. But it is not that easy to get, in good condition. If you want something more compact, the one volume version of Smith or Fausset contains a lot of good material. And if you prefer something more up to date, but still conservative in its approach, then The New Bible Dictionary takes some beating. Theres a fuller review here.
6a - More about Bible dictionaries

THERE wasnt room for a more detailed review of available material in the magazine, so here is some more information if you are looking for a good Bible Dictionary, together with some information about availability and formats. Some of the older ones are only available in print, and then only second-hand, but you can get them without too much searching and usually they are very good value for money in terms of the amount of useful reference
material they contain. In order of usefulness (bearing in mind that this is a personal view and that individual preference varies):
Smiths Bible Dictionary
The three-volume edition has small print and should not be relied upon for archaeological or textual findings after the mid-nineteenth century (it was published in 1863, remember), but its crammed full of good Biblical comment. For example, there are eight pages of tightly-packed text on Elijah and another eight on Elisha (both by George Grove) and both containing a careful analysis of the Biblical text. The one-volume edition selects and condenses this material but is still worth having and is available in printed and in electronic format. It is bundled with the Online Bible, can be purchased from Libronix and can be accessed online. But if you look at the articles on Elijah or Elisha, for example, you will soon see how condensed they are by comparison with the full edition.
Faussets Bible Dictionary
This has only ever been a one-volume production, but it was originally entitled Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia. This takes a conservative and evangelical approach to Bible exposition and is also available electronically. If you use e-sword then it is available as a free download; or it can be purchased with, for example, Biblesoft software.
New Bible Dictionary
Inter-Varsity Publications (IVP, who were originally IVF) can be relied upon to produce material from a conservative, if evangelical, viewpoint and this Bible Dictionary is no exception. Its contributors are almost entirely British evangelicals and it has been in existence since 1962; it is now in its Third Edition (available new from The Christadelphian Office). Earlier editions are often available second-hand, the condition sometimes showing how much use has been made of them. And its available for purchase electronically, from Libronix or from IVP as a stand-alone (but Libronix-compatible) product. Expect to pay as much for it electronically as you would for the book. IVP also produced a three-volume Illustrated Bible Dictionary which contained the text of the one-volume publication now fully illustrated with photographs, mostly in colour, and excellent coloured maps. This is now out of print, but can be got second-hand, and is a first class source of reference material for Sunday School or if you are wanting visuals for some other purpose - though there are many other sources now available. If illustrations are really important to you, perhaps because youre buying for a younger person or for use predominantly with teaching in mind, you might want to think about The Lion Illustrated Encyclopaedia of the Bible which is very nicely produced (like all Lion Books) and has a good way of conveying a lot of information without appearing heavy or stodgy. This is the sort of book you browse through more than you consult as the material is in categories rather than an alphabetical indexing system (Land of the Bible; Religion & Worship in the Bible; Work and Society in the Bible, and suchlike).
IVP Specialist Dictionaries
These are the volumes published to date: Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels; Dictionary of Paul and His Letters; Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments; Dictionary of New Testament Background; Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch; Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books. There are more to follow on the Old Testament, each of these volumes being in the region of 1,000 pages. They take a conservative approach to Bible studies and have a range of well-qualified contributors, but they are expensive (each volume costs in the region of 25-30). The New Testament ones are already available electronically (see The Essential IVP Reference Collection Version 2 on the Libronix site). The software package includes other specialist dictionaries, including The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery and two theological dictionaries, but these are outside the scope of this appendix.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (ISBE)
This multi-volume dictionary/encyclopaedia has been published in two different editions, both of which are available in print and electronic format. The 1915 edition was edited by James Orr and comprises four volumes totalling 3,100 pages. It is now in the public domain and can be accessed online, or as part of the Online Bible,
Biblesoft or Bibleworks. It contains some useful material, as ever, but as it is ninety years old you need to use it with care. The updated version (first published in 1972 with an additional volume in 1976) is based on the RSV, and comes in four volumes, this time with a total of 4,451 pages. It is illustrated, mainly with black and white photographs, maps and diagrams and those are also included in the electronic version which can be purchased from Libronix. It retains some of the material from the earlier edition but updates it as necessary.
Hastings Bible Dictionary
As mentioned in the article, this four-volume dictionary takes a slightly more critical approach to Biblical studies, although it contains some useful articles even so. An Extra Volume was also produced (making this a five-volume set), this one containing thirty-seven specialist articles on subjects like the Code of Hammurabi, the Didache and Roads and Travel; contributors include W. H. Bennett, Rendel Harris and W. M. Ramsay. Published in 1904, all five volumes have to be treated with caution as some things have moved on over the last 100 years, for example with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and other findings. The four volumes have been abridged into a one-volume edition (which was first published in 1963), so much of the useful material is available in a more accessible format. As with the IVP Dictionaries, there are four specialist volumes which were also edited by James Hastings and these can often be found second-hand. They are two-volume productions: A Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels (1901) and A Dictionary of the Apostolic Church (1916). Hastings was also the editor of a selection of sermons and general homilies, which he published under the general heading of Great Texts of the Bible covering every book in the Bible. If you have a huge amount of shelf space you want to fill with impressive volumes, these are just the job!
The Classic Bible Dictionary: Jay P. Green Sr., (Ed)
If you like the sound of several of these dictionaries but dont have the space for them, and dont want to access the material by computer, this compilation could be what youre looking for. This is what the publishers blurb says, but I have never seen the finished product: The best of the Bible dictionary articles now all in one volume, with articles by many famous authors, including B. B. Warfield, Franz Delitzsch, Patrick Fairbairn, E. W. Hengstenberg, W. H. Griffith Thomas, John Eadie, George Bush, Robert Girdlestone, Horatius Bonar, Robert Young, John Kitto, A. R. Fausset, James Orr, A. T. Robertson, Thomas Scott, A. S. Geden, W. L. Alexander, John Davis, William Smith, George L. Robinson, Robert Dick Wilson, Geerhardus Vos, John Brown, F. F. Bruce, Gordon Clark, John Murray, E. J. Young, Allan A. MacRae, Charles Pfeffer, R. Rushdoony, Leon Wood, Leon Morris, Colin Brown, R. L. Harris, J. G. Aalders, J. D. Douglas, and 130 others. You will find here outstanding articles on such important subjects as Inspiration (B. B. Warfield); The Trinity (James Orr, Morton Smith); etc. Yet, also here are those articles needing the latest scholarly information, such as the extensive articles on Animals and Birds of the Bible (B. L. Goddard), and Biblical Archaeology (Allan A. MacRae) both of booklet length. The object is to furnish a one-volume source of reliable, true-to-the-Bible information for those studying the Bible. Articles in this volume have been extracted from The Imperial Bible Dictionary; The International Standard Bible Dictionary (1915); Smiths Bible Dictionary; Faussets Bible Dictionary; Davis Bible Dictionary; Kittos Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature; Browns Bible Dictionary; Youngs Analytical Concordance; and for those subjects requiring up-to-date treatment, from The Encyclopedia of Christianity (1968-1972).
Anchor Bible Dictionary
Edited by D. N. Freedman, this six-volume set is very scholarly in its approach and sometimes critical in its coverage. It was published by Anchor in 1992 and if you are familiar with that imprint you will know not to expect a conservative or evangelical production. As ever, however, there is some good and useful reference material that can stimulate thought. To get an impression of the approach of this dictionary, here is part of the article on ANNA, which contrasts with the extracts given above, from the NBD and Faussets.
2. An elderly and especially devout Jewish widow portrayed in Luke 2:3638 who should not be confused with the Anna of Tobit, a deuterocanonical book. Strikingly, Anna is the only woman in NT called a prophetess (using the Greek noun form of the word). Thus, she is to be understood in the light of such OT figures as Deborah and Huldah. Comparisons should also be made with the intertestamental figure of Judith who, like Anna, was devout, lived to about the same age (105), and did not remarry after her husband died (Judith 16:23). The Lukan material raises the question of whether or not there was some sort of Jewish order of widows who had specific functions in the temple, for example, to pray (Witherington 1988: 14041). This might explain her apparently constant presence in the temple. It should also be noted that, according to Lukes portrait of Anna, she, unlike Simeon, goes forth to proclaim the good news about the Messiah (Plummer Luke ICC, 71). This foreshadows one of the roles assumed by female believers in Lukes 2-vol work (cf. Priscilla in Acts 18). It is also possible that Luke intends for the reader to see parallels between Luke 12 and Acts 12, in which case Anna anticipates what will happen when the spirit is poured out on all flesh, and both sons and daughters prophesy (Stahlin TDNT 9:451). There may also be some truth in the suggestion that Anna is portrayed by Luke as one of the anawim, i.e., the pious Jewish poor (Brown 1977: 446). Luke does seem to have a special interest in such people, and in view of his theme of reversal of fortunes (cf. Luke 4:1719), he seems to promote women like Anna as examples of how the gospel affects human lives. Anna may also be seen as a model of faith in action, one who responds positively and properly to the coming of the Messiah. Bibliography Brown, R. 1977. The Birth of the Messiah. Garden City, NY. Witherington, B. 1988. Women in the Earliest Churches. Cambridge. Ben Witherington III
Imperial Bible Dictionary
Edited by James Fairbairn, who wrote The Typology of Scripture, among other things, this six-volume dictionary was first published in 1889 so it is now well out of date and the illustrations are very dated. But it is regarded as particularly good at Biblical biography. Often available second-hand, and usually quite cheap, the real bonus here is the frontispiece to Volume 1, for C. H. Wallers work The Authoritative Inspiration of Holy Scripture is published there in full. Contributors to this dictionary include Horatius Bonar, Henry Constable, A. B. Davidson, J. Eadie and James Smith (who wrote A Treatise on the Voyage and Shipwreck of St Paul), but Fairbairn wrote a fair amount of it himself. Here, for the purpose of comparison, is the Imperial Bible Dictionary entry about Anna, written by Fairbairn: ANNA. daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and, at the period when she is mentioned in the gospel narrative, a widow of the advanced age of eighty-four. She is described as a prophetess, not probably from any regular or stated manifestation of prophetic gifts, but because she was one of those whose hearts were more steadfastly set on the expectation of Messiahs advent, and, by the superior grace conferred on her, was enabled to announce his presence when he actually appeared in the temple, and broke forth on the occasion in words of thanksgiving and praise, Lu. ii. 36, 37. That she should have been enabled at such a time to take this part, indicated the possession of a certain measure of the prophetic spirit. The more peculiar notice, however, which is given of this pious woman, is contained in the words, She was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity, and departed not from the temple, but served (God) with fastings and prayers night and day. The meaning of this statement plainly is, that Anna had lived but seven years in the married state; that having then lost her husband, instead of marrying again, or taking up with other things, she devoted herself to a life of fasting and prayer, continually attending upon the ministrations of the sanctuary. Not that she actually had apartments in the temple buildingsfor there is no reason to suppose that any females had such but that she statedly presented herself there among the worshippers, and took part in the services which were proceeding. Even from the earliest times there seem to have been pious females dedicating themselves thus to a sort of priest-like consecration and constant service; for at Ex. xxxviii. 8 the laver of brass is said to have been made out of the mirrors of the women who daily assembled at the door of the tabernacle; it is, literally, the serving-women who served. Anna, in her latter years, joined herself to this class; and in answer to her faithful
and devoted service, had the high honour conferred on her of becoming one of the immediate heralds of the Saviour of the world.
Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible
This is a five-volume set (now including a supplementary volume) which was published by the UK-based Abingdon Press in 1967, and which is still in print. Edited by George A. Buttrick and Keith R. Crim, this dictionary has a list of contributors that reads like a Whos Who of Biblical scholarship. It declares itself to be an illustrated Encyclopedia identifying and explaining all proper names and significant terms and subjects in the Holy Scriptures, including the Apocrypha, with attention to archaeological discoveries and researches into the life and faith of ancient times. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, so here is the article on Anna, and you will notice that this time the coverage is rather wider, including the Apocrypha. ANNA Anna or hnj grace. . The wife of TOBIT. During his blindness she supported him. The picture of her watching for and welcoming her absent son is not unlike that of the father in the parable of the prodigal son. 2. An aged prophetess, long a widow, mentioned in Luke 2:36-38 as witnessing the presentation in the temple of the infant Jesus. She is apparently presented as a counterpart to Simeon; no record of her words of thanksgiving is offered. 3. The mother of Mary and the grandmother of Jesus. Unmentioned in the NT, she is prominent in the Protevangelium of James (see JAMES, PROTEVANGELIUM OF) and in subsequent legends of the birth of the Virgin. Anna and her husband, Joachim, have long been childless, and this fact has brought sorrow and humiliation to both. Angels appear to both parents independently, announcing that their prayers have been answered. In joy Anna promises to dedicate the child to lifelong service to God. Mary is born. Anna gives thanks, rears the child until she is three, then takes her to the temple. The story is strongly reminiscent of that of Hannaheven the name is the samethe mother of Samuel. According to a late legend (quoted in Migne, Dictionnaire des Lgendes, vol. II, col. 105, and found in one MS of the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew [see PSEUDO-MATTHEW, GOSPEL OF]), after the death of Joachim she was married two more times, by angelic direction, first to Cleophas, to whom she bore a second Mary, subsequently the wife of Alphaeus; then to Salome (Salomas?), to whom she bore a third Mary, subsequently married to Zebedee. The legend may reflect the tendency in certain Coptic accounts to identify Mary the Virgin with all the Marys of the gospels. M. S. ENSLIN This Bible Dictionary is currently being revised (to become The New Interpreters Dictionary, again in five volumes of which Volume 1 has been published so far (in 2006). Abingdon Press says: The New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible (in five volumes) provides the best quality in contemporary biblical scholarship on a comprehensive range of topics from the Old and New Testaments, the Deuterocanonical books, and from contextual studies of the ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman worlds and their literatures. The dictionary contains maps, charts, and illustrations to clarify further the written material. Volume 5 will include a CD with full-colour illustrations and the entire text of the volume, fully searchable. The biblical text used is the NRSV translation. A diverse group of 900 scholars from 40 countries have contributed fresh new articles on 7500 topics including persons, places, things, theological concepts, and much more. These contributors were selected by the editorial board for their expertise in their field and for the quality of their scholarship in publication. Special care was taken to select authors who could provide a variety of perspectives from different theological traditions (Protestant, Catholic, Jewish), diverse theological trajectory (conservative and liberal), and from the social locations of gender, ethnicity, and race. The impending publication of the New Dictionary means that the older one can now be purchased electronically. It has recently been bundled with The New Interpreters Study Bible, which is a NRSV
compilation, and can be obtained from Abingdon Software or elsewhere. This setup uses the Folio View search engine, which not everyone likes. This review doesnt claim to be exhaustive, so if you use other Bible Dictionaries you would like to recommend, please contact us here.
6b - Bible harmonies
AT first glance you might expect to find harmonies in a Hymn Book, but these are Bible study aids of a rather different kind, which can be really helpful when you want to compare and contrast parallel passages of scripture. No singing or musical aptitude is required!
Kings and Chronicles
Have you ever wanted an easy way of seeing what the inspired writers of these two books had to say about various kings or happenings, without having to flick backwards and forwards? If so, look no further than the excellent compilation by W. D. Crockett (1974, Baker) called A Harmony of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. After an analysis of what is contained in the various books (sub-headings which look separately at the histories of Israel and Judah, once the kingdom is split), the compilation begins with the text of 1 Chronicles (the genealogies, tribe by tribe) and then works through 1 Samuel, splitting the text up into helpful sections with sub-headings to indicate the developing narrative. The real usefulness of a Bible harmony become evident as soon as the 1 Samuel 31:1-13 text is paralleled by an account in 1 Chronicles 10:1-14 (about the battle of Mount Gilboa). Here the two accounts are presented side-by-side, so you can see at once what the writer of Samuel chose to include and what the inspired writer of Chronicles was guided to insert. Whenever afterwards these accounts overlap (for example, the various accounts of the kings of Israel or Judah) they are to printed side by side, and after the division of the kingdom the histories of Judah and Israel are shown in separate columns. Where nothing is recorded about the other kingdom that column is left blank; but usually there is text from elsewhere in the inspired accounts, as scripture is compared with scripture. Whilst Crocketts is the most useful and clear harmony of these books, there are others. S. R. Somervell compiled A Parallel History of the Jewish Monarchy (1897,1901, Cambridge University Press) in two slim volumes. Andrew Wood wrote The Hebrew Monarchy (1896, Eyre & Spottiswoode) which is a commentary with a harmony of the parallel texts, as the commentary unfolds. And more recently J. D. Newsome Jnr. edited another compilation A Synoptic Harmony of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles (1986, Baker), which also includes related passages from Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezra.
The Gospels
Whilst Kings and Chronicles are obvious candidates for this sort of treatment, the gospels are even more suited, although the first three gospels are easier to bring together than the Gospel of John, which has a rather different approach in presenting the life of the Lord. H. F. D. Sparks produced A Synopsis of the Gospels (1964, 1974, A & C Black) in two parts. Originally published as two volumes, and later combined (in 1977), they comprised Part I: The Synoptic Gospels with the Johannine Parallels and Part Two: The Gospel according to John with the Synoptic Parallels. The RV text has been carefully arranged so that easy comparison can be made between the various gospel accounts, making this a very useful study aid. It contains no commentary, nor does it attempt any explanation where there are differences: the books merely present the text for the readers consideration. A. T. Robertson A Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ (1922, A & C Black) goes one step further. He integrates the RV text of the Gospel of John into the synoptic accounts, making his own judgement as to when the various events occurred. In footnotes and explanatory notes, he gives his reasons or attempts to solve apparent difficulties, where appropriate, and the volume also contains a list of the parables and miracles of Jesus, as well as a list of the Old Testament quotations to be found in the gospels. This is a really useful volume, but direct textual comparison is not as easy as in Sparks compilation. Once you start to look for these, there are plenty of gospel harmonies. There are volumes by Benjamin Davies, Newton Thompson, J. M. Fuller, O. E. Daniel (Based on the NIV text). If you want the RSV, there was Gospel
Parallels: A Synopsis of the First Three Gospels, by B. H. Throckmorton, Jr. (Camden, N.J.: Nelson, 1967). Available from the Christadelphian Office, this is now based on the NRSV. If you can read Greek, one of more recent harmonies is Kurt Alands, Synopsis quattuor evangeliorum: Locis parallelis evangeliorum apocryphorum et patrum adhibitis (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelstiftung, 1985; 1988), which is available in various formats including the Greek text with an English translation. Again, there is a vast choice, like the Harmony of the Four Gospels in Greek by Edward Robinson (1885, Houghton Mifflin, and many later editions). The best known are Alands (above) and Albert Hucks Synopse der drei ersten Evangelien (13th edition, 1981, Tbingen). All of these harmonies recast the text of the gospels so that the various accounts coincide, but they do not attempt to conflate the various accounts into one continuous narrative. People have attempted that too, like P. B. Jones who produced The Gospel of the Four (2002, New Millennium) including the authors explanation of why he has made various the choices. Bible harmonies are a much better option, giving the student more ability to make up his or her own mind about the timing of various events in the Lords life on earth.
Life of Paul
Once a new way of encouraging Bible study has been developed, writers and publishers are sure to look for ways of extending the genre. So you will not be surprised to know that you can also get a harmony of the life of the Apostle Paul. Piecing together the various accounts of his conversion and the data in the Acts and Epistles, Frank J. Goodwin has compiled A Harmony of the Life of St. Paul (1951, Baker) which is a useful compilation. Pauline Parallels, (1984, Philadelphia: Fortress Press), by Fred O. Francis and J. Paul Sampley takes a different approach in that each of the ten chief letters of the apostle are divided into thematic units and related passages are placed in parallel lines.
Electronic harmonies
If you have invested in one of the Logos Libraries (using the Libronix software) you may well have acquired electronic versions of these harmonies, which are bundled in the various collections from the Bible Study Library upwards (they ascend in price order!). They include the Analytical Outline of the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles (by Crockett), A Harmony of the Gospels (by A. T. Robertson), A Harmony of the Synoptic Gospels (Burton and Goodspeed), Pastoral Epistles (by Brannan) Jude - 2 Peter (by Jackson) and a Synopsis of Matthew, Mark and Luke (also by Jackson). Jackson has also compiled a Synopsis of the Old Testament, which is wide ranging, including extracts from the Law, as well as the Kings and Chronicles accounts, right up to some parallels with the Psalms and Prophets. If you dont want to incur that sort of expenditure, you can buy separately the Throckmorton Gospel Parallels (based on the NRSV), A Simplified Harmony of the Gospels by G. W. Knight or Frank Goodwins A Harmony of the Life of St Paul, none of which are bundled with the various libraries. One big advantage these electronic harmonies possess is that you can choose which Bible version you want to use for comparison purposes, depending of course upon which software versions you have purchased. Change the version and the comparisons change automatically; clever stuff! Even so, you may prefer a printed version which can be easier to access. Or, if you can afford them, why not get both?
7 - Expository dictionaries
A DICTIONARY tells you what a word means and, if its a weighty tome, it will give some details about the origin of the word from French, Greek, Latin, or whatever. If you want to find out when the word was first used and by whom, you can do that too, if you really want to! Its the same with Bible words. A Concordance will tell you where the word is. A Lexicon will tell you a lot more; and an Expository Dictionary will tell you everything you want to know, and sometimes a lot more besides!
W. E. Vine
If you havent used Vines Expository Dictionary yourself, the chances are that youve heard someone referring to it, for it is a very popular study tool and deservedly so. W. E. Vine was a recognised authority on Greek and
wrote several expository works. He is best known for his Dictionary and, to give you a sample of what it contains, here is one short entry: ALMIGHTY: pantokratr (pantokratwr, 3841), almighty, or ruler of all (pas, all, krate, to hold, or to have strength), is used of God only, and is found, in the Epistles, only in 2 Cor. 6:18, where the title is suggestive in connection with the context; elsewhere only in the Apocalypse, nine times. In one place, 19:6, the KJV has omnipotent; RV, (the Lord our God,) the Almighty. The word is introduced in the Sept. as a translation of Lord (or God) of hosts, e.g., Jer. 5:14 and Amos 4:13. This Dictionary was first published in 1939 and has gone through several changes. Originally there were four volumes, which were then consolidated and, more recently, entries have been linked to Strongs numbers (as in the above extract, where 3841 is the reference number in Strongs Concordance); that is something that has been happening with a lot of older reference works and it is something to look out for if you want to be able to follow through from one reference tool to another. In later editions, the New Testament Dictionary has been combined with Vines separate Expository Dictionary of Old Testament Words, which is a much more limited selection of Hebrew words and meanings. More recently still, the New Testament volume has been combined with yet another reference work, this time Nelsons Expository Dictionary, edited by Unger and White, which more nearly equates to Vines New Testament coverage in terms of depth and scope. So you need to be quite careful about what you are buying, if you plan to make such a purchase.
Words, words, words
This is only the beginning if you want to start a serious investigation of words, their usage, meaning and origin, in the scriptures and in secular use. Entire volumes have been written about just one word. Some wordbooks are readily accessible, like William Barclays New Testament Words. A little more technical are Girdlestones Old Testament Synonyms and R. C. Trenchs New Testament Synonyms. But we are still only scratching the surface of what is available if you are really keen to keep digging. We believe in the plenary inspiration of scripture, namely that every word from God matters, so we can place absolute reliance upon the use of particular words by the Holy Spirit during the process of inspiration. It follows that Bible words matter to us. But theres always the danger of not seeing the wood for the trees. If you want to know more, or if you have personal recommendations to make, write in with your views or recommendations.
7a - More about word studies

IF word studies interest you, your library could expand rapidly once you start to collect Biblical books about words. Concordances and Lexicons are just starting-off points. Volumes have been written about single words and when some of these studies are brought together, into multi-volume collections, you are soon talking about a lot of shelf space and quite substantial purchase prices. This appendix works through some of the options and notes the availability of much of this material in electronic format as well, some of it available online.
Concordances
The main choice, for hardcopy reference is between Crudens Concordance (which merely lists the occurrences of key words) and Youngs and Strongs Concordance. It used to be said: Crudens for the crude; Youngs for the young; Strongs for the strong! and there are some fairly hefty-sized volumes about (of both Youngs and Strongs), as well as some very nice (and much sought after) India-paper versions of Youngs. But nowadays you can get the same facility electronically, for your handheld or laptop computer, and finding words and getting basic derivations is part of all the Bible software programs (like Biblesoft, Libronix, Online Bible, esword and suchlike). But you have to be careful about the definitions that are offered, which can be theologically skewed, and it is often much better to use a concordance to track usage and take your cue from the way a word is used throughout scripture. The key difference between Youngs and Strongs is the layout of the passages of scripture. Where a Hebrew or Greek word is translated differently in the KJV (both concordances use this version as their bedrock translation), in Youngs when you look up the word youre after you will find all the various uses of that English word listed together analytically. So, if its the word love (to make things easy), the entry will list all the
references in order under the subheadings of the Hebrew words that are so translated (ahabah, ahabim, ohabim and dod). It then does the same thing with the Greek words (in this case just agap). Then there is another listing headed Love, to , then Love, in and so on. Go to the back of the concordance and you find the original word (e.g. agap) and it will tell you that its translated as charity 27 times and love 86 times. Such statistical information gives you an idea about the most likely rendering, or another possible way of translating the same word in the passage you are studying. Strongs is less welcoming; for your first examination of the word will provide a list of all occurrences in the order in which they appear in the Bible together with a string of numbers (157, 160, 2836, etc). To follow up each number you have to refer to the back of the concordance where a concise dictionary (separately for Hebrew and Greek words) provides a brief definition. At first no statistical information was provided about word usage, but more recent versions have an expanded set of definitions and these are usually incorporated in Bible software packages (though there are different definitions in different places, which can be a bit confusing). For example, the entry for word 157 in the Libronix digital library reads as follows: 157 [ahab, aheb /awhab/] v A primitive root; TWOT 29; GK170; 208 occurrences; AV translates as love 169 times, lover(s) 19 times, friend(s) 12 times, beloved five times, liketh once, lovely once, and loving once. 1 to love. 1a (Qal). 1a1 human love for another, includes family, and sexual. 1a2 human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom. 1a3 human love for or to God. 1a4 act of being a friend. 1a4a lover (participle). 1a4b friend (participle). 1a5 Gods love toward man. 1a5a to individual men. 1a5b to people Israel. 1a5c to righteousness. 1b (Niphal). 1b1 lovely (participle). 1b2 loveable (participle). 1c (Piel). 1c1 friends. 1c2 lovers (fig. of adulterers). 2 to like. There are several different versions of Strongs available and you need to examine the specification carefully. Different publishers, like Nelson and Zondervan, have reset the original text. Zondervan call their version the Strongest Strongs and their publicity says that they have rebuilt Strongs from the ground up; using biblical research experts John Kohlenberger and James Swanson they have achieved unprecedented accuracy and clarity. Longstanding errors have been corrected; omissions have been filled in; word studies have been simplified and thoroughness and ease of use have been united and maximized. What Kohlenberger and Swanson have done is to allow theological bias to creep in to the definitions of this concordance. For example, notice how the definition of the word logos has altered from the original Strongs concordance: 3056. logos, log-os; from 3004; something said (including the thought); by implication a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specifically (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ): account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work. The definition in the Strongest Strongs now reads as follows: 3056 logos, n. GK: 3364 [3004]. word, spoken or written, often with a focus on the content of a communication (note the many contextual translations in NIV); matter, thing. The Word is a title of Christ (Jn 1:1), emphasizing his own deity and communication of who God is and what he is like:There are more examples given in the October 2006 edition of The Bible Magazine, pages 8-10, available online (see Back Issues). And the article highlights the fact that similar problems exist with some more recent software definitions, including the new definitions provided in the OnLine Bible. All these study aids were originally based only on the KJV (or AV), but some of them are now available for other versions, including the Analytical Concordance to the RSV (which only deals with the New Testament) and the Exhaustive Concordance of the NIV (by Goodrick & Kohlenberger). But if you are thinking of one of these, you need to check if they are analytical or just a listing of words without reference to the Hebrew or Greek originals.
Englishmans Concordance
If you decide you just want to see all the occurrences of the original word listed together, so that you can make up your own mind about the way the word is used in scripture, and you dont want to have to look them all up individually (under love or charity, for example), there are concordances which do just that, and they offer no definitions at all, right or wrong. The Englishmans Hebrew & Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament was compiled by George Wigram and has again been updated several times. Using this you find the original word you want to study (like the Hebrew word for love: aheb) and all the occurrences are listed together. In the original version, you had to be able to negotiate your way around Hebrew (or Chaldee) but the more recent edition is linked to Strongs numbers (this is usually called The New Englishmans Hebrew Concordance, and that is also linked by other reference numbers to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon/Dictionary. There is a New Testament version too, again by Wigram, which was originally titled, The Englishmans Greek Concordance and that has gone through the same process of being linked to Strongs numbers (The New Englishmans Greek Concordance) and a further expansion has taken place (titled The Word Study Concordance), to include numbering which cross-references to reference books like Moulton & Gedens, Arndt & Gingrichs Greek Lexicon and Kittels Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.
Theological dictionaries
These linkages from one reference work to another show the way in which you can find out more and more about a particular word. Theological Dictionaries come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and have varying usefulness. You need to be especially careful when using these to appreciate that the theology of the compilers is different from our understanding of Gods revealed truth. But, as ever, there will be useful information to be found there, if the work is used with discrimination. Heres an example. When we looked at the definition in Strongs for aheb (numbered 157), it contained the link TWOT 29. Thats a link to item 29 of the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, a two-volume compilation by Harris, Archer & Waltke, which begins to take you further into the subject. This is what you would see there, if you followed the linguistic link: 29 (hb) love, like, be in love, lovely. Derivatives 29a (ahab) love. 29b (hab) love. 29c (ahb) love. There is little variation in the basic meaning of this verb. The intensity of the meaning ranges from Gods infinite affection for his people to the carnal appetites of a lazy glutton. The verb appears in all moods of the Qal stem plus Niphal participle and Piel participle. The sixteen Piels are not intensive, but usually refer to illicit lovers. The prophets Jeremiah (22:20, 22; 30:14), Ezekiel (16:36; 23:5, et al.), and Hosea (2:513) use the word to speak of Israels adulterous relations. Zechariah has the word in the presumably messianic passage, I was wounded in the house of my friends (13:6). hb frequently describes love between human beings. The love of father for son is exemplified by Abraham and Isaac (Gen 22:2) and Israel and Joseph (Gen 37:3). A slave might love his master and wish to identure himself to him for the rest of his life (Ex 21:8). This is the word used in the rule love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:18). Love of the stranger is also incumbent on the faithful (Deut 10:19). Samson had apparently told Delilah that he loved her (Jud 14:16; 16:15). Ruth loved Naomi her mother-in-law (4:15), Elkanah loved his wife Hannah (1 Sam 1:5), and Rebekah loved her son Jacob (Gen 25:28). Hirams love for David illustrates international friendship or irenic politics between the two (1 Kgs 3:1). Notice that nowhere is the love of children toward parents mentioned. Rather. they are to honor. revere, and obey (and so on, and on) If you use the electronic version of Strongs, that expanded definition is only a mouse click away, otherwise you might have an interesting challenge decoding the Strongs numbers into the TWOT index numbers (theres a table of comparisons at the back of Volume 2). But were not finished yet, as you might expect. There is a fivevolume New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, edited by W A VanGemeren,
which has 22 pages about the same Hebrew word, starting with the word for love that was used in Egyptian and Sumerian, then tracing Old Testament usage and collating a lot of information from other writers and scholars. This work (known by its initials as NIDOTTE) is also available electronically and that makes the crossreference easier, as the indexes can be quite hard work between all these reference works, but as the text is lengthy, you might prefer the printed version. NIDOTTE is matched in the New Testament by The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, edited by Colin Brown, which comes in four volumes and covers much the same ground for the Greek New Testament. This work looks at a word or topic theologically and is easier to access because the English word is used as the reference point. So, to follow our working example, there is an entry for Love which is subdivided into a consideration of apaga and phile, a ten-page summary which concludes with an extensive bibliography, if you want to go further still and read books, like C. S. Lewiss The Four Loves or Nygrens Agape and Eros. One further compendious work deserves a mention as it is reckoned by some to be the ultimate authority when it comes to the meaning and usage of New Testament words. This is The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament edited by Kittel and Friedrich, commonly known as Kittel. This was published a volume at a time and, when complete, comprised ten volumes, although it was later abridged by Geoffrey Bromiley into one volume (known as Little Kittel), which is much more accessible. Well indexed, you can move from the English word to its Greek equivalent quite easily. The entry for apaga, for example, has been abbreviated to just five pages and traces the development of love in the Old Testament, its use in pre-biblical Greek, in Judaism, by Jesus and then by the apostles, subdividing between Paul, James and John, before concluding by a reference to the post-Apostolic period. Both the original Kittel and the abbreviated versions are available electronically, and can be purchased from Libronix as part of an electronic library that complements The Christadelphian 1864 to 2000 and other Christadelphian material which is available electronically.
8 What is a lexicon?
Having reviewed the use of some study aids we have not yet thought about a lexicon. If your library already includes expository dictionaries, you may feel that you have enough information at your fingertips when it comes to the meaning of words. What more could you need?
Word book
A lexicon is a book of Hebrew or Greek words, listed alphabetically, together with definitions, just as an English dictionary gives definitions of English words. The real advantage of this for the Bible student is that you can strip away theological or slanted interpretations and get back to the root meaning of a word based on objective scholarly analysis. For example, the recently revised version of Strongs Concordance (the so-called Strongest Strongs) now contains some material with an evangelical bias; some of the meanings given are interpretations, not straightforward definitions. Compare this Strongest Strongs definition with that found in Thayers Greek Lexicon. In the process you will get an insight into the information to be found in a lexicon: Strongest Strongs 3056 logos, n. GK: 3364 [3004]. word, spoken or written, often with a focus on the content of a communication (note the many contextual translations in NIV); matter, thing. The Word is a title of Christ (Jn 1:1), emphasizing his own deity and communication of who God is and what he is like. Grimm-Thayer Lexicon 3056 logos, logou, ho a collecting, collection (A) As respects speech: [1] a word which, uttered by the living voice, embodies a conception or idea; Heb 12:19; [2] what someone has said; a saying; (a) universally: Matt 19:22; (b) of the sayings of God (i) equivalent to decree, mandate, order: Rom 9:28; (ii) of the moral precepts given by God in the O.T.: Mark 7:13; (iii) equivalent to promise: Heb 4:2; (iv) through prayer in which the language of the O.T. is employed: 1 Tim 4:5; (v) an oracle or utterance by which God discloses, to the prophets or through the prophets, future events: Rev 1:2,9; (vi) what is declared, a thought, declaration, aphorism, Matt 19:11; [3] discourse (a) the act of speaking, speech: Acts 14:12; (b) equivalent to the faculty of speech: Eph 6:19; (c) a kind (or style) of speaking: 1 Cor 1:5;
(d) continuous speaking, discourse, Luke 4:32,36; (e) instruction: Col 4:3. [4] in an objective sense, what is communicated by instruction, doctrine: universally, Acts 18:15. [5] anything reported in speech; a narration, narrative: of a written narrative, a continuous account of things done, Acts 1:1. [6] a matter under discussion, a thing spoken of, an affair: Matt 21:24. [7] thing spoken of or talked about; event; deed Mark 1:45. (B) Its use as respects the mind, alone, (1) reason, the mental faculty of thinking, meditating, reasoning, calculating, Heb 4:12; (2) account, i.e. regard, consideration: Acts 20:24; (3) account, i.e. reckoning, score: Phil 4:15; (4) account, i.e. answer or explanation in reference to judgment: Rom 14:12; (5) relation: Heb 4:13; (6) reason, cause, ground: Acts 10:29. (C) the essential Word of God, i.e., the personal (hypostatic) wisdom and power in union with God, John 1:1,14. [abridged]
Analytical
A few things should be immediately obvious: 1. A lexicon gives much fuller and longer definitions than you will find in a concordance. 2. It gives a carefully structured look at how the Greek word is being used in scripture. Its not the writers view that prevails but the usage by the Spirit that is being analysed. 3. Unless these study aids are linked by Strongs numbers, you would have to find your way around the Greek or Hebrew alphabets. The older editions are not so linked, so you need to ask about that when thinking of a second-hand purchase. And if you prefer an electronic version, which will link automatically with the text you are studying, many different Greek and Hebrew lexicons are available.
8a - More about lexicons

THERE are many different Hebrew and Greek Lexicons available, some of them being more comprehensive and complicated than others. This Appendix gives a brief review of some of the more popular ones and some examples, so you can see for yourself what they offer and whether or not you could make good use of them. And, as a point of comparison, Vines definitions are given first, bearing in mind that his Old Testament expository dictionary is quite a slim volume which only covers a few topics.
Hebrew Lexicons
There are two main lexicons, namely Gesenius Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament and Brown, Driver Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. The earlier editions are not linked to Strongs numbers, but there is an Index to the latter which was compiled by Bruce Einspahr, which makes it more manageable. But its preferable to make sure the version you buy is Strongs linked or get one in electronic format. Here are some Old Testament comparisons, based on the word Belial: Vine W E Expository Dictionary of Old Testament Words Holladay, W. L., Khler, L., & Khler, L. (1971). A concise Hebrew and Aramaic lexicon of the Old Testament James Swanson A Dictionary of Biblical Languages Gesenius, W., & Tregelles, S. P. (2003). Gesenius Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures Brown, F., Driver, S. R., & Briggs Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon Whitaker, R., Brown, F., Driver, S. R., & Briggs, C. A. The Abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs HebrewEnglish Lexicon of the Old Testament This selection will give you an idea of the accessibility of the material for readers without any Hebrew. Vines work (as supplemented by F F Bruce) is the most accessible, but you will see how it includes theological content (Another view is that the primary meaning is the abode of the dead). It is also very limited in terms of coverage, dealing with about 200 words only and leaving out a lot of crucial ones. For example, there is no entry for Atonement, only for the Day of Atonement.
The Lexicons take you back to the source material, without theological comment, but they are a bit more difficult to handle. You can get Gesenius and Brown, Driver, Briggs (BDB as it is commonly referred to) linked to Strongs or in electronic format, both are available from Libronix, but there the linkages do not work through Strongs numbers but via the Hebrew words themselves. That is a little more difficult to manage but can be achieved with a bit of practice and one big advantage is that there are then explanations available for all the abbreviations (like infr and concr), if you need them. BDB is the standard Hebrew-English lexicon, and the one that is most often quoted in the more recent reference works and commentaries.
Greek Lexicons
There is just as much choice available for the New Testament, probably more, for you can also get lexicons which specialise in the usage of Greek works as found in the papyri documents that have survived from everyday correspondence going back to First Century times, the best-known of which is Moulton & Milligans Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament. Confining this consideration to standard lexicons, here is an extract from Strongs Enhanced Lexicon, as a point of comparison. This time we will look at the word Beelzebub. Strongs Exhaustive Concordance Swanson, J. Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Greek (New Testament) Abbott-Smith G. A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament Thayer J. H. Thayers Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature There are other Greek Lexicons, like Parkhursts Greek and English Lexicon (1851), often cited by Robert Roberts, but now a bit out of date; or E. W. Bullingers Critical Lexicon and Concordance (1877). This is organised by listing English words translated from Greek and each entry shows the English word with Greek origins and definitions, as well as Scriptural references. And there is Liddell & Scotts Greek-English Lexicon, which is said to be the worlds most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of ancient Greek. That includes the early Greek of authors such as Homer and Hesiod, Classical Greek, and the Greek Old and New Testaments. Each entry lists not only the definition of a word, but also its irregular inflections, and quotations from a full range of authors and sources to demonstrate usage. L&S is available electronically, in both full and abridged versions. If you think this extra information is going to be useful to you, and that you are going to be able to the Greek lexicon which is now most often cited in Bible commentaries is the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich (usually abbreviated to AG). It is available from Logos Bible Software in the Libronix software package, and from other Bible software suppliers, and is now available in a third enhanced edition (known by the abbreviation BDAG)
9 Biblical geography
If you want to find your way around somewhere new, a roadmap is essential, unless you like getting lost. So, if you really want to know whats happening in Bible times, both when and where the events are taking place, a good set of maps or a Bible Atlas is essential. Some Bibles include excellent maps, together with an Index that helps you locate place names, and they usually offer different snapshots of the land at different periods of Bible history such as when the twelve tribes were apportioned their territory, or when the Herods reigned. Those maps may tell you all you want to know, but if you want to dig a little deeper a Bible Atlas is the next step.
Maps and pictures
Straightforward Bible Atlases follow the same general trend as the maps at the back of a Bible. They show the various lands as they were occupied and configured at different times, starting with the Patriarchs and ending with the Romans. Then they illustrate those times with suitable pictures of the locality or relevant artefacts. That provides an overview of a particular period like the sojourn of the children of Israel in Egypt, or the conquests of Alexander the Great and can give you a taste of something you might want to look at in more detail. Atlases show the configuration of the land in different ways. The older ones, like the early editions of the Oxford Bible Atlas, just used colour to indicate the lie of the land at or below sea level, or how it rose to form the Hill Country of Ephraim or Judah. As printing and satellite mapping techniques have improved, the depiction of the land in later editions gives you a real sense of its topography. As you progress from the time of Abraham through to the time of the Lord Jesus, you can now get a real sense of the ups and downs of Israels progress! Both the Oxford Bible Atlas and the New Bible Atlas, published by IVP, have very clear maps, including some depictions of Jerusalem through the ages. The former has a lot more supplementary information, about the Wider World of the Bible and Biblical Archaeology, before and after the map section, whilst the latter has more individual maps for things like the Wars of Davids reign or Sennacheribs Campaign, with some annotations on the maps and quite a bit of supplementary information alongside. If you want a step-by-step analysis of particular events, perhaps to illustrate a Sunday School lesson, The Macmillan Bible Atlas, by Aharoni and Avi-Yonah, does just that. It has not got the coloured maps found in the Oxford or IVP ones, for most maps are greyscale. But what it lacks in pizzazz it makes up for in careful analytical detail. After an initial and rather understated assessment of the physical features of the land, it contains a series of small maps from Abrahams migration, his travels in the land, his battle with the Kings of the North, Jacob and his sons, and so on. Altogether there are 271 individual annotated maps. Like every Bible study aid, you have to check the suggested routes and comments for yourself, but these visual aids can bring the Biblical record to life. For example, if you are studying Zechariah chapter 9, seeing the way that Alexander the Great swept through Israel, en route to Egypt, can help a lot. The Bible Mapbook by Simon Jenkins does the same thing on a smaller scale, and in full colour and this is also available electronically, as are several atlas packages, some of which can be tailored to your specific visual requirements.
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Home Beliefs Magazines Books Pamphlets Shop Help Introduction Complete book list Book reviews Read books online
Building a library
This is a list of chapters in the book Building a library. Click on the links below to jump straight to the chapter you want. 1. Why should I? 1. Where from? 2. Where do I start? 1. More about those recommendations 3. More recommendations 1. Brother George's recommendation 4. Non-Christadelphian writers 1. Brother Harry's recommendations 5. Starting Bible Study 1. More about the Study Guides 6. Bible dictionaries 1. More about Bible dictionaries 2. Bible harmonies 7. Expository dictionaries 1. More about word studies 8. What is a lexicon? 1. More about lexicons 9. Biblical geography 1. More geographical help 10. "Thus saith the Lord" 1. Lots more about the Bible 11. Distinctive doctrine
1. Even more distinctive 12. Exhort one another 1. Exhort one another daily 13. Who's who? 1. What's what? 14. Biblical history 1. Long, long ago 15. Biblical archaeology 1. More artefacts 16. Bible prophecy 1. More prophetic insights 17. Israel today 1. All about Israel 18. Bible commentaries 1. More about commentaries 19. One book at a time 1. What's available? 20. Keeping an open mind 1. Filling your open mind Contact us 2008 The Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Association Limited (UK). For personal use only. Permission must be obtained from the copyright holder for any other purpose, or for multiple copies.
9a - More geographical help

A BRIEF assessment of the different Bible atlases might be useful before describing some of the more specialist ones you might want to know about, and then some details about the books that have been written about the geography (and history) of the Bible. General Bible Atlases In general, the older the atlas the less reliable it is likely to be and the poorer the printing techniques, but they still contain some useful information if that is all you have got. Atlas of the Historical Geography of the Holy Land Designed and edited by George Adam Smith, author of the classic work The Historical Geography of the Holy Land which was published in 1894, this atlas appeared in 1915 and was prepared under the direction of J. G. Bartholomew (of Bartholomew map fame). Based on the work of the Palestine Exploration Fund, these sixty large format maps are expressive of the knowledge then prevailing about Bible places and locations. Now hard to find second-hand, if you wanted access to that sort of data, for purely historical purposes, it can be purchased electronically from Todd Bolen. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible Published by the Westminster Press in 1956, this large format atlas contains eighteen coloured maps and seventy-seven black and white illustrations. Atlas of the Bible Lands Published by C. S. Hammond & Company in 1959, this atlas contains thirty-three brightly coloured maps which are often seen at the back of Bibles. They can be accessed in electronic format (under the tab for Maps).
The Moody Atlas of Bible Lands Published in 1985, this comprises 234 pages of maps, illustrations and comment. The first section deals with the Physical Geography of the Holy Land (pages 1-71) before proceeding to the Historical Geography (what happened and where). The maps are clear and uncluttered but are not very exciting graphically as the cartography is flat and lifeless. To give you an idea about detailed coverage, Davids life is covered in four maps his encounter with Goliath; his time as a fugitive; his later exploits and a map showing his extended kingdom. Ninety-five of the maps in this publication are available as an addon to the Biblesoft software package. Readers Digest Atlas of the Bible Typical of the RD publications, this atlas published in 1981 has some useful material and some welldrawn illustrations. The material is presented in a popular rather than a scholarly way, which is no bad thing, and there are some good drawings and photographs. The 256 pages also cover things like Animals of the Bible, Coins and Costumes, making this a useful collection of information which should be readily available second-hand, as a large number will have been printed. The New Atlas of the Bible Compiled by John Rogerson in 1985 and published by Macdonald, this atlas has three sections: The Bible & its Literature, The Bible and History and The Bible and Geography. There are forty maps altogether and many coloured illustrations, of excellent quality. The thirteen historical maps give some indications of where particular events occurred (using arrows rather than annotations) but in the geographical section the emphasis is upon topography and physical features and these are viewed location by location, in a somewhat dislocated fashion. Nelsons Complete Book of Bible Maps & Charts This is a 500-page paperback of which about only about seventy pages has maps, and all are greyscale. The rest of the book comprises charts and diagrams, some of them very informative and helpful. The maps are basic and useful if you just want a base for your own cartography; they can be easily developed using a good drawing program. Or the entire publication (charts, text and all) is available electronically in a format that is compatible with Libronix software. Bakers Bible Atlas This is organised to follow the Biblical narrative and is more of a book than an atlas, with nineteen full colour maps, over 100 illustrations (including many BW maps, a timeline, an Index and a Gazetteer). The Lion Atlas of Bible History If you want a full colour production with stunning graphics and isometric drawings of selected reconstructions of Bible scenes, The Lion Atlas of Bible History by Paul Lawrence should fill the bill. This is a large format production containing ninety-seven maps, seven panoramic reconstructions, seventeen site plans and over 150 photographs. It was reviewed in The Christadelphian in December 2006 (pages 457,458). The Bible Mapbook Simon Jenkins has produced a graphically exciting new way to experience the great events and places of the Bible (to quote the publishers blurb). It is highly coloured and follows a topical theme starting with a general overview of the Biblical world and then tracing through Bible history until the last journey of the Apostle Paul. Published by Lion in the UK as The Bible Mapbook, it has also been published as Nelsons 3-D Bible Mapbook by Thomas Nelson Publishers and the maps are available in electronic format as The Logos Bible Atlas which runs independently of the Libronix package. It features more than ninety subject maps covering the entire scope of Biblical history, as well as two highly detailed geographic maps (of Palestine and the Mediterranean region) and a 3D topographical map, built from satellite data. You can export this data in BMP or WMF format and edit it, to suit your personal needs, providing you have the necessary additional software. The maps are reasonably basic and dont provide the same detailed coverage as The Macmillan Bible Atlas. For example, the life of David is covered in just six
pages by Lawrence; eleven pages by Macmillan. But the latter is not available electronically and if you have both, and necessary skill, you can use the one as your visual template and add in further data by referring to the printed work. The Oxford Bible Atlas; the New Bible Atlas (IVF) and the Macmillan Bible Atlas These feature in the article above and represent three of the best available atlases. The Oxford one (4th Edition) has first class graphics, both the maps and the coloured illustrations and photographs. Earlier editions have good maps but the accompanying black and white illustrations are now a bit dated. The New Bible Atlas has a good reputation as a conservative piece of work and the Macmillan one is excellent if you want a blow-by-blow coverage of most significant Bible events. But these maps are heavily, although usefully, annotated and if you are after a source for visual presentations, which you can modify and develop, you may find these a little too heavily annotated. If you just want a small atlas, with only maps, try the Students Bible Atlas (edited by H. H. Rowley), which is twenty-four pages long. The Essential Bible Reference series covers lots of Bible-based topics, like the People of the Bible or the Story of the Bible. They are nicely illustrated throughout and are excellent value for money. The Bible Atlas in that series, by Tim Dowley, is just thirty-two pages long, well illustrated, with clear and uncluttered maps.
Electronic Bible Atlases
Several packages are available, apart from those already mentioned. Libronix have two products of their own: the Logos Basic Map Set and the Deluxe Map Set. The latter has a wide selection of specialist maps, more than 200 covering the whole of Biblical history. The maps are 3D views of the landscape with blow-by-blow, popup descriptions of Biblical events. They are organized into easy to use categories with thumbnail views of each map and there are also 3D models of the tabernacle and the various temples throughout Biblical history. If you want more information about available Bible mapping software packages, Todd Bolen, who lectures in Jerusalem, has a useful critique on his Bible Places website.
10 Thus saith the Lord

There used to be a time when people took the authority of the Bible for granted. If it said Thus saith the LORD that was accepted as a message from God. Then everything changed. From the later Middle Ages onwards people began to treat the Bible as though it were any other book. They criticised its literature; analysed its form; traced its origins; challenged its historicity and concluded that they were a good deal cleverer than the people who had originally written it. Nowadays things have gone even further in that direction, for post-modernist man believes there is no such thing as absolute truth: everything is relative.
Biblical ignorance
This perverse scholastic approach to the Bible has now persuaded the man and woman in the street that the Bible is a collection of myths and fables. Coupled with the absence of Bible-based religious education in schools, there is both a deplorable lack of Bible knowledge and a complete ignorance about the evidence that upholds the claims made in the Bible to be the word of God. So, on quiz shows and the like, contestants know much more about Greek mythology than about the simplest Bible characters or situations. We can deplore this state of affairs and see it as another sign of the times, which of course it is, or we can try to set the record straight. As a community we aim to be the people of the Book and as its upholders we need to be well informed ourselves about the origin and authority of the Bible. This is especially so if we are engaged in public preaching, perhaps at a Bible Exhibition or an ecclesial event, when people might ask us to explain why the Bible should be believed.
Bible versions
If you want to start from scratch, and find out how the Bible came to us, there are a lot of good books which trace the process. Brother Derrick Banyards Gods Living Word is a nicely illustrated volume which traces the entire process through from clay tablets to the New Revised Standard Version, dealing with the various codices and the Dead Sea Scrolls en route. There are several books about William Tyndale which are easy to read and
very instructive, as he was the father of the King James Version. And if you want to delve further, F. F. Bruces two works titled The Books and the Parchments and The English Bible are very sound. The process of translation is a fascinating subject, if you like that sort of thing and, as with everything else in Bible study, if you decide to make that a speciality there is plenty of scope.
Bible truth
F. F. Bruce also wrote a slim volume, which has appeared in many editions, called The New Testament Documents. He examines the evidence for their reliability, explains how the inspired books of the Bible were distinguished from other contemporary works, writes about the Gospels and the miracles of Jesus (which some people find challenging), and shows how the New Testament has stood the test of time, its historical notations proving reliable as recent discoveries have unearthed the past. W. C. Kaiser Jnr. has written a companion volume The Old Testament Documents which covers much the same ground as well as considering the preservation of the text, and the reliability of the history, prophecy and wisdom literature. Both volumes give a good introduction to the general topic and will get you better informed. They also refer to many other works which relate to particular aspects of the subject and if you like the approach adopted, such recommendations can be helpful if you want to follow something up.
Old or new?
There is an interesting choice to be made at this point between older and more modern works. As a community we have been keen to uphold and defend the integrity of the Bible, so we have some useful writings to explore, like Brother Islip Collyers Vox Dei (1921) and Brother C. C. Walkers The Word of God (1926). More recent works include Brethren John Carters The Oracles of God (1966) and Alan Haywards Gods Truth (1973). All of these are useful and are available in print or second-hand. If you find the style and content of the older works to your liking, the nineteenth century and early twentieth produced some formidable works in defence of Holy Scripture. L. Gaussens Theopneustia was first published in 1841, with a long title which also read The Bible, its Divine Origin and Entire Inspiration, Deduced from Internal Evidence and the Testimonies of Nature, History, and Science. The title gives you a flavour of the writing style, but if you can cope with that it contains some good stuff. Internal evidence was the hallmark of J.J. Blunts Undesigned Coincidences, probably the only nonChristadelphian work to have been republished by the CMPA. Now out of print, it is still available second-hand from time to time, and there are plenty of other works, like William Paleys Horae Paulinae which look at the internal continuity of Gods word as an evidence that it all holds together wonderfully. There is much more information here about other works that could help if you want to explore this topic in depth and become an informed defender of the faith.
10a - Lots more about the Bible

ANSWERING questions about the Bible can take you in many different directions so this appendix is separated into various sections, each of them capable of filling your shelves with profitable material.
How we got our Bible
In a situation where someone has brought along an old Bible, or if you are acting as steward overseeing a collection of Bibles (old or new versions), its always helpful to know a bit about the origin of the Book of Books. Works by Brother Banyard and F. F. Bruce have already been mentioned and there are lots more such books which aim either at a popular readership, or a more studious one. J. Paterson Smyth wrote a lot of books about all this, with varying titles but much the same contents: How we got our Bible was first published in 1886 and it, like its companion volumes, has often been reprinted. They are now a bit dated (they precede the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, of course) but they give a generally helpful picture and are easy reading. There are plenty available second-hand, including the books listed elsewhere on this website. If you want something a bit more substantial, but from the same general era, try B. F. Westcott, A General View of the History of the English Bible (1868); H. W. Hoare, Our English Bible (1911); or W. F. Moulton, The
History of the English Bible (1878, but revised and enlarged by his sons in 1911). Sir Frederick Kenyon wrote Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts in 1895, but subsequent revisions (like the one in 1958, by A. W. Adams) do take account of the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls).
Manuscripts
If your interest is in the manuscripts (or parchments, as F. F. Bruce termed them, in his helpful book), Sir Frederick Kenyon also wrote The Text of the Greek Bible (which, once again, was revised by A. W. Adams, in 1975) and Bruce Metzger wrote The Text of the New Testament: its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration (1968). These are, however, a bit technical; but they explain the way in which textual criticism (as opposed to form criticism) works, to try to determine the most likely original reading. As you will have worked out in such matters, if you want to go further down the track of textual integrity, and see if doctrinal bias has played a part, try The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture by Bart D. Ehrman (OUP, 1993), which examines the work of the early transcribers of the New Testament and the anti-polemical world in which they lived. But these works are getting a bit complicated for the lay reader.
Biographies
Technical issues apart, the story of how the Bible has been preserved through the centuries is a fascinating one and the people who achieved this, under Gods guidance, were often colourful characters. Constantine Tischendorfs discovery of the Codex Sinaiticus, in St Catherines Monastery, Sinai, makes a good story and he wrote his own account of what happened (which is sometimes challenged) in a little work titled Codex Sinaiticus. There are many books about William Tyndale; perhaps the most carefully researched is by David Daniell, William Tyndale: A Biography. He also wrote a large volume called The English Bible, which concentrated overmuch on Tyndales work, given its intended scope, and Daniell has been involved in Yale Universitys reprint of Tyndales translation works, albeit in modern English. There are plenty more popular works about Tyndale, like Gods Outlaw by Brian H. Edwards and If God Spare My Life by Brian Moynahan. Then, of course, there are books about the Welsh lady Mary Jones and her quest to buy a Bible, which gave a huge impetus to the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society. So, if you like reading biographies, there are plenty of useful ones to choose from.
Dead Sea Scrolls
The finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls is another area which combines treasure trove and scholastic work (and delay!). F. F. Bruce wrote a short book, Second Thoughts on the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1956 which has stood the test of time remarkably well, as does his Biblical Exegesis in the Qumran Texts (1959). More popular treatments by Millar Burrows (1956), The Dead Sea Scrolls and Edmund Wilson (1955) are now somewhat dated. Geza Vermes has published several editions of The Dead Sea Scrolls in English, should you want to read the non-Biblical scrolls; and the Biblical texts are now available in The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible, published by Harper, San Francisco. For a comparison between pre-existing texts and those that came from the Judaean desert, try Harold Scanlins The Dead Sea Scrolls and Modern Translations, which is also available electronically in Libronix format. For a more recent assessment of the significance of the findings, try Randall Prices Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls (1996) or the collection of material edited by Hershel Shanks, Understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls (1992). BAR (The Biblical Archaeological Review) played a significant part in breaking the log-jam which had delayed the publication of the manuscripts, and had allowed unnecessary speculation to grow (it was being rumoured that the church authorities were delaying their release because the Scrolls undermined Christianity). If you want a simple but up-to-date review of where things are now, BAR have just published a large format 96page paperback: The Dead Sea Scrolls. Its obtainable from them direct.
Modern versions
Most of these books concentrate on the earlier part of the story of textual transmission and translation. There are also specialist books about particular modern versions. The New International Version, for example, often comes in for deserved criticism about its approach to issues of Christology. The Making of a Contemporary Translation, edited by Kenneth Baker, gives their published position about the purpose and method of translation and, if you look out for them, you can find other such explanations. Eugene Nida, for example, wrote
Good News for Everyone to explain the principles behind the Good News Bible (sometimes called the TEV). And J. B. Phillips wrote a nice little book about his translation work, simply called The Ring of Truth; though its worth noting that he doesnt believe in the plenary inspiration of the scriptures. People often ask what is the best translation of the Bible; based on the most reliable texts and with the most accurate method of translation (literal or dynamic equivalent). If you have read a little about the underlying manuscripts and the way in which the process unfolded, you will already be halfway there in answering such a question. But if you want an assessment of the various pros and cons, there are plenty of books to help you make a choice. The Testimony Committee published Which Translation? in 2000, a compilation of articles from the magazine; Jack Lewis wrote The English Bible from KJV to NIV, to give both a history and an evaluation and, more recently, David Deweys Which Bible? comes more up to date by including The Message, the ESV and The Net Bible. Thats stocked by the Office and gives a pretty balanced evaluation but, as in everything to do with books, it pays to have two or three translations so you can make your own assessment, and many more than that are available electronically either in standard Bible software packages or by logging on to a site like the Bible Gateway.
KJV-only views
There are strongly-held views about the received text (which underpins the KJV) along the lines of, If it was good enough for Erasmus it is good enough for me. J. W. Burgon was a fierce defender of its authenticity, believing that texts found later on, in the Vatican or in a Monastery, could not possibly be superior texts, especially as they were much corrected. His books The Revision Revised, The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels and The Last Twelve Verses of Mark have occasionally been reprinted or summarised. Counterfeit or Genuine is a compilation by D. O. Fuller, which includes the gist of Burgons arguments about Mark 16 and the pericope of John chapter 8. D. A. Carson, who is a prolific author on many Biblical subjects, has written a helpful little book, The King James Version Debate: A Plea for Realism, published by Baker Books in 1979. And James White wrote a much longer book called The King James Only Controversy, again to plead for a balanced and rational approach to the subject.
Is the Bible True?
Of course, none of this matters about texts and translations unless the Bible really is the inspired and inerrant word of God. Mention has already been made of Christadelphian works which support the authority of Gods word, to which could be added a small work by Brother Robert Roberts: Is the Bible True? (1931; reprinted from Good Company, 1890-1894); Believing the Bible, a short introductory work written by Brother Alfred Norris in the 1940s, and For the Study and Defence of the Holy Scripture by Brother Edward Whittaker, published by The Testimony Committee. That book starts with a couple of useful articles about revelation and the canon of scripture and then branches out into more general exposition of scripture. There are many older books about the authority of the Bible as a whole, apart from Gaussens treatise, Theopneustia (which has also been reprinted as Divine Inspiration of the Bible, and is still available). Here are some of them in descending order of general usefulness, though there is invariably something worth reading in all of them: 1. C. H. Waller: The Inspiration and Accuracy of the Holy Scriptures (1887, reprinted, and available in its entirety in Volume 1 of the Imperial Bible Dictionary 2. Benjamin Warfield: The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible 3. A. W. Pink: The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (available on the web or from Ages Software: you can buy a CD-ROM containing all his published works) 4. Henry Rogers, The Superhuman Origin of the Bible (1872) 5. R. D. Wilson A Scientific Investigation of the Old Testament (1926) 6. W. E. Vine (who also complied the Dictionary of New Testament Words): The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (at just 119 pages, this is an easy read) 7. John Urquhart: The Inspiration and Accuracy of the Holy Scriptures (1895)
8. W. E. Gladstone: The Impregnable Rock of Holy Scripture (1890, so his comments on recent archaeological findings are now a bit dated!) 9. C. H. Waller: Moses and the Prophets is an attack on higher criticism, including the writings of S. R. Driver 10. Sidney Collett: The Scripture of Truth (1905). Bear in mind that a lot of these books are criticisms of the changing attitude towards the Bible in the 19th century, so often the writers set out their own views in contrast to prevailing opinion. And they are all out of touch with more recent findings in other fields of study (like the Dead Sea Scrolls and archaeology). If you want more modern books along similar lines, other than those already mentioned, look out for a conservative publisher: like IVP (which used to be called IVF); Tyndale, or The Banner of Truth. Brian H. Edwards Nothing but the Truth (1978) is very accessible (published by the Evangelical Press). Edward Young wrote a nice little work: The Word is Truth (BofT); J. I. Packer: Fundamentalism and the Word of God (IVF); John Wenham: Christ and the Bible (Tyndale); Clark Pinnock: The Scripture Principle (H&S) and there are many collections of articles by various experts, like Scripture and Truth (IVP) and Revelation and the Bible (Tyndale). Kenneth Kitchen has just published a very significant work titled, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (2003) which, at 662 pages, gives you a lot to think about.
Specific books
Some of the books listed above concentrate upon the defence of specific issues which have come under criticism. For example, John Urquhart moves from the general to the specific defence of the historicity of the Books of Esther and Daniel. But you can get books which concentrate on defending the historicity and authority of specific books. It would make this Appendix over long to begin to list them, but if you are in difficulty about specific issues, try Oswald T. Allis or A. H. Finn on the Pentateuch; Margalioth or Allis (again) on Isaiah; Wiseman, Anderson, Whitcomb or McDowell on Daniel; and there are plenty of others who have sprung to the defence of the scriptures. You might want to send in your personal recommendations and we can add them to the list of books cited.
Final recommendation
If you do not feel able to plough your way through substantial works, but want something specific and accessible, which will also point you towards a lot of other conservative writers, try Josh McDowell. Evidence that Demands a Verdict is now published in a new and revised format (1999). We wouldnt agree with his views about Christology but, those apart, he has brought together a lot of useful information and quotes quite extensively from other writers, and those extracts give you a flavour of their prose so that you can decide if you would enjoy reading them more extensively. Remember that what appeals to one reader may be considered really hard going by another. The good thing is that theres plenty to choose from
11 Distinctive doctrine
As soon as you say, Im a Christadelphian you can expect to be asked what we believe or what makes us different. That can give an excellent opportunity to offer a summary of our distinctive beliefs, but where do you start? As ever, it all depends on who youre talking to, what the conversation has been about, and what degree of interest there really was, when the enquiry was made.
Tell me more
If the enquirer wants to know more about our beliefs, which books might you reach for in your library to further that interest and present a rational and structured explanation of what the Bible teaches? In the first place, you might want a booklet or two to whet the appetite and the standard pamphlet series produced by the office of The Christadelphian covers a wide range of subjects from Who are the Christadelphians? right through to Sunday and the Sabbath. Such pamphlets can also be useful if you are preparing a Bible talk on a first principle subject,
for the format has to be short and snappy and the writers have to condense their understanding of the subject into far fewer words than in a full-length book. Assuming the enquirer returns with a determined look, intent upon finding out more, what then? If they have a lot of Bible knowledge already and can cope with careful and detailed analysis, some of our stalwart publications like Christendom Astray or Elpis Israel might be useful. However, now that people have little Bible knowledge, they may need a gentler introduction, useful though those two pioneer writings most certainly are. To answer such an enquiry about our beliefs and practices, Brother Harry Tennant wrote a book in 1986 called The Christadelphians: What they Believe and Preach. Its 294 pages start with creation and finish with the importance of fellowship and the ecclesia, and signs of the imminent coming of Christ. It was revised in 2004 and re-titled What the Bible Teaches, to put the focus on the Bible as the origin of all that we believe, and both versions are still in print. That work is effectively an updated Christendom Astray, dealing with the same issues in a rather gentler manner, but also giving a lot of quoted scriptural support. It could be, of course, that the enquirer wants to know more about the Bible, rather than about us and our specific beliefs. A general overview is provided by the Study Guide, 66 Books of the Bible, mentioned in an earlier Library feature; but for a much more detailed review, Exploring the Bible by Brother David Evans starts in Genesis and goes step-by-step right through to the missionary journeys of Paul, before dealing with some specific topics and the challenges of discipleship. This exploration is structured into twenty-six parts, including questions for each lesson, so it can be used as a correspondence course or as the basis of a study class with interested friends. It ends with a fifty-point summary of Bible teaching.
Specific doctrines
If you want something that feeds your own interest in specific Bible doctrines, perhaps to answer queries about problem passages, or just to understand our doctrinal position more fully, there is a wide range of books to choose from. More advice is available here, including where you can get this material either in hard copy or electronic format.
11a - Even more distinctive

SHOULD you want to study our distinctive doctrines in more detail, here are some further recommendations.
General
You can do no better than starting with the Birmingham Amendment Statement of Faith (the so-called BASF) to see how our early brethren defined their understanding of the faith which was once delivered to the saints. In 30 short statements it seeks to describe what sets us apart from others and the subsequent 35 Doctrines to be Rejected remind the reader that there has been some contention over the years amongst ourselves about certain doctrines, and that widespread error still prevails in the established churches. The Commandments of Christ are also published in the same booklet, to remind us that faith and works have to complement one another. If you want a bit more explanation about this statement, in 1991 the CMPA published Studies in the Statement of Faith which, in 145 pages, gives some useful background and explanation. Should you want to delve more deeply into the reason why some of the wording took the form it did, the biography of Robert Roberts by Brother Islip Collyer, his autobiography My Days and My Ways, or his biography of Brother Thomas, Dr. Thomas: His Life and Works, could be useful background reading. And a perusal of early back numbers of The Christadelphian magazine would fill in any gaps. That is now available in Libronix format (The Christadelphian Magazine 1864-2000) and even earlier material is soon to become available on CD-ROM. But if you prefer bound volumes, far more second-hand ones have become available since the electronic version was published (as some readers have taken the opportunity to recover some shelf-space!), and CSSS have been regularly reprinting them; so far they have released volumes between 1864 and 1887. Mention was made earlier of Elpis Israel and Christendom Astray, both of which have been reprinted in recent years to make them a bit more readable. Some of the earlier editions were in rather small print, especially Christendom Astray, and the latest versions are much more accessible. There are plenty of secondhand copies
available, should you decide to start an Elpis Israel class, and very occasionally the original version of Christendom Astray can be found, entitled Twelve Lectures on the Teaching of the Bible (first published in 1862). If you want to access these pioneer works electronically, they are both on the Christadelphian Works CD-ROM (Vol. 2), in Libronix format, or, in pdf format, you can find them on The Christadelphian Bookshelf 2004, together with a lot of other doctrinal material. Brother John Carter wrote his own summary of Christadelphian beliefs in 1963. Called Gods Way it is subtitled A Restatement of the Full Christian Gospel and is typical of his careful and rational approach. It also demonstrates how widely read he was, as it contains many extracts from contemporary writers who set out their own doctrinal position. This provides an excellent model for todays speakers who might profitably read up a little about twenty-first century doctrinal views. The study of a standard evangelical book like T. C. Hammonds In Understanding Be Men, John Stotts Basic Christianity or Tom Wrights Simply Christian can be helpful in showing how little scriptural evidence there is to support erroneous doctrine. And that sort of examination will also concentrate the mind when identifying scriptures which might need to be correctly explained when dealing with particular doctrines. Of course, it will be come as no surprise to readers of this site, when I say that you can go more deeply into doctrinal matters if you wish. The last three books mentioned are lightweight summaries of standard evangelical views, but systematic theologies abound, in which people have attempted to explain their views in great depth. One of the more popular ones is Wayne Grudens Systematic Theology, published by IVP and Zondervan, which is also available in electronic format. We have no such in-depth consideration in one volume (the nearest is Elpis Israel, and that is not structured in the same way). But Alva G. Huffer has written a book simply called Systematic Theology, published by the Restitution Herald, and whilst his views are not entirely in accord with ours, it contains some really useful material. Much of this is accessible online, in correspondence course format. Over the years several other attempts have been made to explain our beliefs in a simple and straightforward way. A Declaration of the Truth Revealed in the Bible contains a straightforward presentation of 28 propositions, with the scriptural passages which support them set out in full. The Christadelphian Instructor, first written by Brother Robert Roberts in 1886, has a useful set of questions and answers which can serve as a checklist for someone who is learning about the things we believe. Sometimes controversy or uncertainty has produced some useful clarification. If youre never read it, the Unity Agreement which helped resolve problems in Australia is well worth reading, including the Bible Talks given by Brother John Carter about the person and work of the Lord Jesus, which are included in the booklet. Brother Harry Tennant wrote Back to the Bible in 1962 when, in just 82 pages, he set out his understanding of simple Bible truth, much as Brother Alfred Norris had done in 1948, when he published Understanding the Bible, a 159 page book which has just been reprinted by The Christadelphian Tidings. The Gospel Proclamation Society had earlier published What the Church Should Teach, edited by Brother Ernest Kendal, and that has stood the test of time surprisingly well. There were early attempts to present an overview of the Bible, at a time when Bible knowledge was reasonably good. Brother Robert Roberts wrote two such books, The Ways of Providence and The Visible Hand of God, in which he shows how God was at work in Bible times, providentially or evidently, to accomplish His gracious purpose. Brother W. H. Boulton wrote God-Spell in which he retold the story of the Bible in simple terms and the Christadelphian Mutual Improvement Societies Union published in 1946 an Outline of the Bible, again edited by Brother Ernest Kendal. Recently the CBM has tried a different approach, using the Letter to the Romans as the basis of a teachyourself book which, starting with the apostles statement of faith in Romans, shows how to read and understand the whole of the Bible. Structured as a set of lessons, including both questions and answers, this book works systematically through all our key doctrines and includes a summary of our understanding. Published in 2006, it is called Understand the Bible for yourself.
Pamphlets
Reference was made earlier to the availability of pamphlets on most of our key doctrines and, whilst a full set is available from the CMPA, other preaching organisations have different material. In Britain the CALS produces
a range of such booklets, as does the CBM. Whilst the latter are predominantly written for overseas use, and therefore use English which is as simple as possible, now that there is such mobility of movement around the world, the availability of such material should not be overlooked. Nor, of course, should the use of preaching magazines like Glad Tidings which are specifically written to introduce readers to the Bible in an attractive and readable way. An introductory subscription would have the benefit of keeping any early interest alive for a period of six-months. Go here and here for more information.
Problem passages
When presented with difficult passages of scripture, which are being misconstrued by others, help is at hand. Wrested Scriptures, written by Brother Ron Abel is available online (follow the links), and the printed version is now being revised and enlarged and should be available next year, God willing. That handbook deals with a lot of wrong doctrinal views held by other religious groups, and is an extremely useful compendium of information. Brother Harry Whittaker has written A Look at Those Difficult Passages, a short work which contains some useful exegesis and some explanations which may not appeal to everyone. Our standard commentaries on particular books (more details later) also deal with such passages (like John chapter 1) as the exposition proceeds, as do the books which deal in detail with specific doctrines.
Specific doctrines
As the need arises, books are written to explain our views about certain doctrines and to refute false ones. These have not always been written by members of the Central fellowship, and certain Dawn publications are now much used and appreciated. An exhaustive list of what is available would make this Appendix too long, but here is a summary and a brief review:
The Trinity
Brother Percy White wrote a nice general study of the topic The Trinity: Analytically Examined and Refuted which is still in print, and can be found online. Brother John Allfree has published a helpful booklet Trinitarian Texts Examined, which does just what it says, and if you like reading debates, the transcript of one he held with an evangelical is also available. Two more substantial works merit consideration. In 1995 Brethren Broughton and Southgate wrote The Trinity: true or false?, which contains over 400 pages of careful reasoning; and A. H. Buzzard and C. F. Hunting have produced The Doctrine of the Trinity Christianitys Self-Inflicted Wound. This is not a Christadelphian publication but we would agree with their views almost entirely. I have heard this declared The most useful book to refute the Trinity that has ever been written! One interesting feature is that it includes a wide range of views from within the academic and religious world in which doubt is expressed about the doctrine. (It is often the case that many religious people outside our community hold views on particular doctrines that accord with what we believe; Alva Huffers book makes that very clear.) If you want to delve into the history of how the doctrine of the Trinity was formulated, R. E. Rubenstein has written about it in an interesting manner in When Jesus Became God, a nice tongue-in-cheek title. That was written in 1999 and published by Harcourt, Inc.
The Holy Spirit
An upsurge of Pentecostal and neo-Pentecostal views in the 1970s led to a spate of publications about that time, as we tried to define our position in relation to the continuing work of God in our midst. The earliest attempt by Brother Alfred Nicholls, in 1976, was The Spirit of God and he followed that up with The Evangelical Revival, published in 1983. Six years later, Brother Fred Pearce wrote Gods Spirit in Work and Word in which he carefully examines every usage of the word spirit in both Testaments. Some people think that a very underused book and it certainly contains some very helpful analysis. Meanwhile the Testimony Committee contributed Spirit in the New Testament by Brethren Edward Whittaker and Reg Carr; Logos published The Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit Gifts by Brother Graham Pearce; and Brighton Ecclesia in South Australia contributed The Spirit by Brother Aleck Crawford. So, there is plenty to choose from and all those publications have something useful to contribute to an understanding of the subject.
The Devil
Brother Peter Watkins wrote The Devil: The Great Deceiver in 1971 a very helpful straightforward exposition of a difficult subject. In particular he shows how and why devil and demon terminology entered Jewish vocabulary. A study written by a Mr Epps titled The Devil has been reprinted by the Detroit Ecclesial Library, as his views are in agreement with ours. That was first published in Glasgow in 1899 and is in very small print, but it contains interesting argumentation and it is always encouraging to find people who agree with our understanding of the scriptures, at least on this issue. Several booklets have been written about the separate subject of Demons. One Demons in the Bible by Brother Tony Fitzgerald was published in 1996, and can also be tracked down online whilst John Allfree wrote Demon Possession. More recently, Brother Andrew Perry has published a 317 page book, Demons, Magic and Medicine.
Life after death
Here is just one more topic to illustrate the way in which specific doctrines can be examined in more and more detail. Brother Robert Roberts wrote Man Mortal as an answer to a book by F. W. Grant; and Brother C. C. Walker took a different approach to the same subject in his Old Testament Doctrine of Eternal Life. Brother Percy White (who wrote the Trinity book) also wrote The Immortality of the Soul, which has now been reprinted by CSSS. The belief in conditional immortality (which is the view we hold) is a subject which has obtained widespread support outside our community. J. Agar Beet was a Methodist, but his book The Immortality of the Soul accords entirely with our views and he is by no means alone in that respect. Henry Constable wrote Hades or the Intermediate State of Man and The Duration and Nature of Future Punishment; F. W. Farrar wrote Eternal Hope to explain similar views; G. Waller produced The Biblical View of the Soul and an accompanying Concordance of the Soul, the Intermediate State and the Resurrection; and in 1958 Oscar Cullmann published Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection of the Dead? in which he opted for the latter as the Biblical hope. And no review of these titles would be complete without a mention of the 1945 review of doctrine by the Anglican Church Towards the Conversion of England, in which it was declared that: Revelation and reason alike point to this inevitable consummation. The idea of the inherent indestructibility of the human soul (or consciousness) owes its origin to Greek, not to Bible sources. Doesnt that just gladden your heart? If you have recommendations about a particular book which has helped with a specific doctrine, please let us know.
12 Exhort one another

The word of exhortation is given to bring us to the breaking of bread in a suitable frame of mind but, forgetful creatures that we are, by lunchtime we may not be able to recall what it was all about! For that reason, among others, many ecclesias record exhortations, so they can be listened to again. In earlier times, before recording equipment was available, exhortations were taken down in shorthand and then transcribed, or the brother was prevailed upon to hand over his script, or to write it up if he was speaking from notes.
Christadelphian Synagogue
The Ambassador of the Coming Age magazine started to include a few pages of exhortation, from December 1867 onwards, under the heading Sunday Morning at the Christadelphian Synagogue, Birmingham. More often than not, Brother Robert Roberts was the exhorter. In June 1875 the series, which had by then been running for sixty-six issues, was changed to Sunday Morning at the Birmingham Christadelphian Ecclesia and continued thus for a further 225 issues. Exhortation, therefore, became an established feature of the magazine, and that is still the case today. An exhortation in each issue serves many purposes. It reminds readers that the Truth is all about application and conduct, not just about collecting and reading books! For small ecclesias, isolated brothers and sisters, and speaking brethren who are in need of material to use or develop further, a published exhortation gives them
something to work on. And when we need a bit of encouragement, or counsel, reading an exhortation can give us just that.
Changing styles
At a time when ecclesias are tending to encourage shorter exhortations (Not more than 20 minutes, please even if it did take you three hours to get there!), it is salutary to read those early exhortations. Sensing the need, in 1880 Brother Roberts published fifty-two of his in Seasons of Comfort and, five years later, another fifty-two, in Further Seasons of Comfort. If you want to compare the sort of encouragement being given to ecclesias 125 years ago with today, both books are still available, used and new. They heralded a range of similar productions, sometimes by a collection of brethren, sometimes by just one. In 1921, twenty-six more were published as Christadelphian Exhortations, including the words of Brethren W. H. Boulton, Islip Collyer and C. C. Walker. Another twenty-six appeared in 1942, entitled Sunday Morning, featuring brethren like C. A. Ladson and G. T. Fryer. In 1956 another twenty-six appeared, this time At the Breaking of Bread, including contributions from brethren like L. W. Richardson and T. J. Barling.
Abiding worth
If you have ever had to choose which taped exhortations to keep and which to discard, you will know that some are worth keeping long-term. Brother Dennis Gillett had a real way with words, and he always spoke from a carefully prepared script (though you would not have known that from his style of delivery). His exhortations were therefore readily publishable: May You Know it to Be True (being also one of his frequent catch-phrases), and Solemn Moments of Remembrance have been much sought after, and the same is true of Brother Harry Tennants collection, Comfort of the Scriptures. Those are the most recently published collections of exhortations, but it will not surprise you to know that there is much more of this sort of material available if you start looking for it.
12a - Exhort one another daily

Weekly exhortations
If you want to access exhortations on a regular basis, perhaps to use Sunday by Sunday, books apart, the best source of supply is the Christadelphian Isolation League, who can supply that material on an on-going basis. Contact their Exhortation Secretary, Brother Paul Rushforth or their Librarian, if you want taped exhortations to borrow or buy (theres a catalogue available). Contact details are on the CIL website or in the CALS Diary. In order to view this material you need to request access (click on the link on the left of the site). The access request form will allow you to set up your own user name and password to access the site with. The form requires the entry of a registration code (available from the Isolation League). The site contains five years worth of exhortations, as well as Bible Studies and Bible Talks, so its well worth accessing and browsing. If you prefer something in book format, other than those already mentioned, the Dawn Fellowship has published a series of books of exhortations for every month of the year, titled (not surprisingly) January Exhortations and so on.
Exhortational material
If you are preparing an exhortation, you dont necessarily want an exhortation to read but might prefer something that will help you to focus upon a theme that would be upbuilding and encouraging, and suitable for a breaking of bread. Brother John Roberts has written a booklet, Thoughts at the Breaking of Bread, in which he meditates upon the actual occasion in the Upper Room and its significance. That helpfully sets the scene. We have many published works which can get your mind thinking along the right lines, most of them still in print. Brother Dennis Gilletts two books of exhortations were a sequel to his earlier writings. His Genius of Discipleship is a gem and can be read over and over again with benefit. They are short studies on particular aspects of our life in Christ, but they are thoughtfully structured and beautifully written. Brother Dennis love of words was demonstrated in a series of short articles in The Christadelphian over several years, which were later published as Words and Weights. He has short chapters on But and And and Unless, and much more. His other book of exhortational material is He Healeth all Thy Diseases in which Brother Dennis considers the
spiritual health of the disciple and some of the problems we need to avoid if we are to remain fit and able in the Masters service. Another writer who expressed himself almost poetically at times was Brother L. G. Sargent and his various writings deserve more attention than they sometimes get. If you are new to his writing, his book A Sound Mind contains a mixture of articles, and editorials, all of an exhortational nature and designed to build up soundness of mind. Heres a short extract from his piece on The Implanted Word: If the word does not transform life, then it has not been born in us or at the least, it has had no chance to grow. Yet, true as that is, one thing may be affirmed with confidence: neither Peter nor James any more than Paul thought of the word as effecting only a moral reformation. For all of them faith is the ground of life. If faith without works is dead, works without faith are a delusion, and eternal life by works inconceivable. It is because faith is the ground of life that the word of truth is vital: and to be the word of truth it must be true, even Gods truth. Beyond all doubt it is the teaching of scripture that the true life is at every point and every stage Gods gift. It is receivable through faith, and faith in the Biblical sense is only possible in that which can be trusted as true. A man may say I believe and mean no more than I hold it as an opinion. In the Scriptural sense I believe means I put my whole life in trust in the conviction that this is true. Biblical faith is not a leap in the dark; it is a coming to the light. If you think that we are in need of reformation as a community, and in a way every exhortation is trying to achieve some degree of that change of behaviour, then you shouldnt miss Brother Harry Whittakers Reformation, but be ready to accept some opinions you may not entirely agree with. It will certainly make you think hard about your own attitudes and aspirations. His Letters to George and Jenny contain some hard-hitting advice to younger people too. Brother John Marshalls book The New Life, written in 1987, looks at all aspects of the disciples conduct, including things like the dangers of the world, preaching, our relationship to the State, courtship, marriage, service in the ecclesia. Full of good advice, it is now a little dated and is out of print. (It is still available occasionally second-hand: keep watching the list of whats available, which is updated each month.) Advice about serving in the Ecclesia is also available in Brother Harry Tennants Servants of the Lord, chapter seven having some advice for exhorting brethren: Acceptable matter for exhortation rarely comes out of the blue. Inspiration and genius are not the key. Four things are necessary: Gods exhortations His living word designed for our very need and revealing itself to the meditative, regular reader; prayer he who learns to lean upon a sympathetic Mediator in heaven will acquire a similar spirit toward others; self-examination let the exhorter examine himself, ferret out his every need and ask himself what would a good exhortation perform in him; an awareness of others fellowship revealing itself in being conscious of the joys and sorrows, trials and triumphs, pitfalls and upward helps of the many kinds of brethren and sisters. The quality of the good wine of exhortation is then sealed by careful preparation. Brother Islip Collyer was mentioned earlier as a contributor to the collected exhortations published in 1921 and 1942. Three books were published of these exhortations or studies, The Guiding Light (1945), Principles and Proverbs (1960) and Conviction and Conduct (1944). They are products of their time, but have continuing value and Brother Islip had a style all his own. Heres an extract from his piece about Self-Examination, which gives you an idea of his approach: This work [of self-examination] is necessarily an individual matter, and herein lies the difficulty. A man is his own accuser, his own defender, and his own judge. With the most complete facilities for knowing the full measure of his guilt, he unites a most unjudicial bias in favour of the accused. He perhaps possesses all the knowledge necessary to draw up an unanswerable indictment; but his talent is mainly employed to find extenuating circumstances. He has all the skill of a defending counsel to raise a false issue, but lacks the impartiality of a judge to expose the pretence.
Collected articles
Many of the books already reviewed began life as articles written in the magazine and were later published as collections which reflect the views of the writer over many years. Witness for Christ, published in 1943, just
after he had fallen asleep, was such a collection which brought together some of the writings of Brother C. C. Walker. And Guided by the Star, in 1948, was a reminder of the addresses given by Brother C. A. Ladson over many years. More recently, some of Brother Len Richardsons addresses and writings were published in two books, which are now out of print. Balancing the Book (1990) was a study of Biblical paradoxes and Biblical Browsing for Believers (1996) contains nine exhortations and a mixture of different studies, some of which were first written for the Christadelphian Isolation League. This helpful process of publishing material that first appeared in magazine format owes its origins to the work of Brother Roberts who was keen to preserve the writings of Brother John Thomas in book form. Works like Phanerosis and Anastasis first appeared as separate pamphlets, but have now been collected together and republished. They are available in various editions; most recently The Faith in the Last Days, a selection of Brother Thomass writings was published, with an introduction by Brother John Carter (who had also published the earlier works in memory of Brethren Walker and Ladson). A collection of his own writings Delight in Gods Law was recently republished by the CMPA and contains some of his exhortations, and much besides.
Meditations
If you just want something short and snappy with which to start your day, Brother Bob Lloyds Minute Meditations take about that long to read (if youre a quick reader!). They are full of neat ideas and helpful thoughts, presented in Brother Bobs inimitable way. These are also available online: just put his name and Minute Meditations in your search engine and they pop up from everywhere! The book written by Brother F. W. Turner, entitled Meditations, encourages spiritual reflection in the same way, but in a much less up-to-date style. And if you want something even gentler, which you might read at your bedside just before dropping off, The Bedside Watchman was published by the Year of Witness Committee (in 1976) and can still be obtained second-hand.
Non-Christadelphian writings
What we have been doing as a community, others have done as well. There are collections of addresses and articles available from countless writers and speakers. If you have found a favourite author, it might be worth trying to find out if some of their addresses were subsequently published, perhaps posthumously. These volumes fall into one of two categories: studies or sermons. In the former category would be works by people like F. F. Bruce, some of whose essays were collated in A Mind for What Matters (1990), or J. A. T. Robinson in his Twelve New Testament Studies (1962) and Twelve More New Testament Studies (1984). Collections of exhortations or sermons are a good deal less useful for our purposes in that these addresses are likely to be much more rhetorical and doctrinal. There are exceptions: H. E. Fosdick wrote some interesting essays, and his books like Twelve Tests of Character can be stimulating, albeit dated. Henry Drummonds The Greatest Thing in the World is a little gem, but his other sermons dont reach the same level of intensity or insight.
Preaching
Whilst it may not be immediately advantageous to be reading or listening to sermons delivered by nonChristadelphians, some help can be obtained by reading about the way they go about their sermon preparation, and the methods of presentation and delivery they have found useful. Bear in mind that sometimes the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. Mention has been made earlier in this series of Brother Alfred Norris Preaching the Word, but it merits another mention for it is full of good ideas for Bible study and presentation. W. E. Sangster wrote two little books, The Craft of Sermon Construction and The Craft of Sermon Illustration which give some helpful insights, the latter of course meaning illustration by anecdote rather than PowerPoint. Speakers who have developed the habit of putting their entire address onto the screen and then merely reading it to the congregation would benefit by going back to basics and asking what purpose illustrations are actually meant to achieve.
The most detailed and helpful analysis of the preachers task that I have come across is John Stotts I Believe in Preaching (1982). It contains a lot of good advice. But I expect you have come across other useful material which can help with the preparation of Exhortational material. If so, please write in and tell us.
13 Whos who?
IF our normal pattern of conversation is anything to go by, we are interested in people: who they are, who they are related to and what they are really like. You soon learn, when conversing with Christadelphians not to say anything untoward about anyone: youre probably talking to a relative! It was the same in Bible times: people were often closely related, and that was sometimes the reason why things happened, or didnt happen. David strongly disapproved of Joabs behaviour, but he took no effective action to remove him, for they were cousins. Have you wondered why Titus is never mentioned in the Book of Acts, although we know from the epistles that he was present? Perhaps he and Luke were brothers; some even think that Titus and Luke are different names for the same person!
Character traits
The Bible is a library of books all about people and that is what makes it so fascinating and instructive. We would soon get tired of reading lists of commandments, or recitals of national history. It can be hard to relate them to our own lives. Think what it would be like if we had forty two chapters of philosophical musing about suffering. Instead we have the Book of Job: a no-holds-barred argument between five self-opinionated men, with God Himself having the last word. So, if God, in His infinite wisdom, determined that we should learn about life by examining the experiences of others, we should take full advantage of the opportunity. We can talk about Bible people, of course, and learn from one another in the process; many of our exhortations and Bible Classes do just that. Or we can read about them, and compare our own impressions with the views of others. Thats why newspapers and magazines sell: because people like to know the inside story, even if it is mainly made up. Biblical biographies might be speculative at times, but the good ones will include a careful analysis of the text, and offer the writers own assessment of the whys and wherefores of a particular situation.
Easy way in
If you have been waiting for the opportunity to read something that will help you with your life in Christ, but didnt know quite where to start, character studies are the ideal opportunity. And there is no better time than when were reading the Book of Genesis. There are excellent Christadelphian books about Abraham, Jacob and Joseph and, if you can finish those during January, you will be ready for Moses My Servant and a cluster of others over the rest of the year. Brother Maurice Beales book Joshua: His Life and Work also contains a detailed commentary on the Book of Joshua; Brother Michael Ashtons Samuel the Seer does the same thing with the Books of Samuel; while his Chronicles of the Kings contains some very helpful character sketches, as it progresses through the two Bible books in question. The kings come in for detailed treatment, too. Brother Harry Tennants The Man David is supplemented by Brother Roy Standevens The Warrior Tamed, and Brother Harry Whittakers Samuel, Saul and David. A recent book has been published on Solomon Wise and Foolish (details on the inside front cover), and another new one by Brother Stephen Palmer on Josiah and his Children (advertised in last months magazine). That is by no means an exhaustive list of books about Old Testament characters. There are books by Christadelphian authors about Ruth, Elijah, Elisha, Hezekiah, and many more. There are also collections of character studies, like Women of the Bible, a picture gallery of forty different women written by present-day sisters, who take a sympathetic and insightful view of those from ages past, who shared the same hope. As always with this series, the Christadelphian website has much more information about what is available.
New Testament opportunities
In pole position for the New Testament is A Life of Jesus written by Brother Melva Purkis in 1953, and now reprinted in a very attractive format. This is an ideal gift for the newly baptized brother or sister, but you should never give something you havent read yourself! There is Brother Alfred Norris Peter: Fisher of Men and
Brother W. H. Boultons Paul the Apostle, which balances things up between the two apostles: just as Luke does in the Acts of the Apostles! Judging from The Christadelphian booklist, it seems that less attention has been given by our authors to New Testament characters, perhaps because we have concentrated more on its teaching and exposition. But there are plenty of non-Christadelphian studies to help out, provided you read them carefully and are ready to take a different view occasionally. William Barclay and F. F. Bruce have been mentioned earlier and they have both written useful books, like Barclays The Masters Men and Bruces The Pauline Circle, and other works he wrote about the Apostle Paul. Writers like F. B. Meyer were once much read by brothers and sisters, for they specialised in character studies. And there are several series of books, like those by Alexander Whyte, which deal with all the Bible characters you can think of, and others besides! Give the situation a little careful thought and you could be accompanied by a different Bible character all through the year, and be all the better for it. Why delve into the life of a worldly politician, or worry about celebrity gossip or their persistent tantrums? We could be learning instead about the life experiences of people with whom we are hoping to spend eternity, by the grace of God
13a - What's what?

HERE is a list of other helpful Christadelphian works about Bible people, given in chronological order, with a little more detail about some of them. Many of these works are still in print; all of them can be found secondhand, given a little patience. Some of them are available electronically.
Genesis:
Abraham: Father of the Faithful; Wrestling Jacob; and Joseph: The Saviour by Brother Harry Whittaker are highly recommended. The last one, at just 97 pages long, and really easy reading, is an excellent way of getting youngsters to start to read; though its good for older folk too! The notes at the end of each chapter are especially useful when you want to dig a little deeper.
Exodus-Deuteronomy:
Moses My Servant by Brother Harry Tennant began life as a series of Bible School addresses and carries the hallmark of his easy-to-listen-to style. All these books make excellent Sunday School prizes for youngsters, as they are easily accessible, and they contain some excellent material.
Joshua:
All three books that are available the one by Brother Maurice Beale, and others by Brother Roy Standeven, I Will be With You and Brother John Ullman, Joshua His Life and Times are more about the book of Joshua than the man himself. Even so, they all contain some interesting insights.
Judges:
Brother Harry Whittakers Judges and Ruth deals with the entirety of both books, in his typically interesting and provocative way. You can download it, but it is worth having in hardcopy too (available from Muriel Whittaker). There are two CSSS publications: The Judges, by Brother John Martin (which especially deals with Deborah and Gideon) and Better is He who Rules his Spirit by Brother Ron Abel, about Samson, both of them in Study Note format.
Ruth:
Brother Roy Standevens book Under Whose Wings deals with the whole of the book and has some interesting ideas, especially about the legal settlement associated with the estate of Elimelechs family. Sister Barbara Booker has also written Ruth A Love Story, which you can also download.
Samuel and David:
Mention has already been made of the excellent books by Brethren Michael Ashton, Harry Tennant and Harry Whittaker (Samuel, Saul and David). Brother Roy Standevens The Warrior Tamed is his third book (all three are available from the author; the latter also from Printland Publishers direct.
Kings and Chronicles:
In addition to the books already mentioned about Solomon and Josiah, and Brother Ashtons Chronicles of the Kings, CSSS have published Brother John Martins Elijah the Tishbite; Brother David Wood wrote Elisha the Neglected Prophet; and Brother Edmund Green, Elijah and Elisha. Brethren George Booker and Harry Whittaker wrote Hezekiah the Great and the Songs of Degrees, which includes an in-depth look at King Hezekiah, much influenced by J. W. Thirtles writings. There are character studies of the various prophets and people in works which expound individual books, like the CSSS one on Nehemiah (Let us Arise and Build), by Brother Ron Abel. Those apart, that about covers the Old Testament list of characters that get individual treatment.
New Testament:
Brother Robert Roberts wrote Nazareth Revisited in 1890, which reviews the life and work of the Lord Jesus, and that has since been reprinted in several different editions. It was originally published in The Christadelphian so it can be tracked down on the Libronix database, but it is much more readily available on the Christadelphian Works CD-ROM, and it is included on both Volumes 1 and 2. Mention has already been made of works about the Lord Jesus, and the apostles Peter and Paul. Brother Arthur Hall published The Twelve the Lords Men, in duplicated format; there is a work forthcoming on John the Baptist; and Brother John Mitchell (of Llandudno Ecclesia) has written a series of books about the Lord and other New Testament characters, which are available direct from the author.
Non-Christadelphian Works
Many books and collections of books have been published about the life and times of Bible people by other authors. A lot of useful information is available in Bible dictionaries (see chapter 6 in this series, and the accompanying appendix, for examples).
Collections:
Some excellent insights are available from books like: C. H. Waller: Names on the Gates of Pearl (1903) (now being republished in several parts); Isaac Williams: The Characters of the Old Testament (1870), which is a collection of sermons; Harrington Lees: St Paul and His Converts (1910) and St Pauls Friends (1916), which are matched by the more recent works of F. F. Bruce: The Pauline Circle (1985) and Paul and His Converts (1962). These books vary a lot in style and intensity, the older ones being rather more wordy; but you can usually find something that suits your own preference if you browse around. And once you find an author you like, stick with him or her, and watch out for the recommendations they make, in biographies and footnotes.
Series:
In addition to collections of character studies, there are series of volumes under a common title. Mention has already been made of Alexander Whytes series. Altogether he wrote six volumes, starting with Adam to Achan and finishing with Our Lords Characters; but they have been amalgamated in recent editions into two substantial volumes. F. B. Meyer was equally prolific; but whilst Whytes coverage is quite brief (14 pages on Adam, for example), Meyer usually wrote an entire book on the chosen character. He wrote volumes on Abraham, Jacob (he called him Israel), Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, Jeremiah, Peter and Paul. These are primarily devotional in their approach (concentrating on lessons for life) and Meyer has an appealing style. They are light reading, but expect to have to read the whole book to get a few helpful thoughts. When you are studying a particular topic, books like this can be a stimulus for your own thought: remember that sometimes a disagreement about something can be as helpful as complete agreement with the writers point of view! A useful series, by different authors, is badged under the general title The Men of the Bible, with the catchphrase: His Life and Times. Each volume is about 200 pages long, with quite small type, and there are 17 volumes altogether, starting with Abraham and ending with St Paul. These vary quite a lot in usefulness, depending upon the author; the intention is to deal in a comprehensive way with the character and circumstances of the particular subject, and their Biblical setting. Contributors range from W. J. Deane (who wrote Abraham and David), F. W. Farrar (who wrote Solomon and The Minor Prophets) to G. Rawlinson (who
wrote Moses, The Kings of Israel and Judah and Ezra and Nehemiah). These books are available second-hand from time to time, for just a few pounds, and are small enough to tuck into your briefcase or handbag for a long journey, or to while away the odd moment profitably.
Individual Works:
That Men of the Bible series illustrates the advantage of focusing upon particular authors who have made an indepth study of a character and his or her circumstances, rather than someone who sums up their life in just a few pages. A. W. Pink was a prolific writer, whose works are also readily available electronically. His entire library of publications can be obtained from The AGES Digital Library on CD-ROM or by download, and many of his writings can also be accessed elsewhere online. He wrote The Life of David and The Life of Elijah, as well as several studies he called Gleanings, from Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, Elisha and Paul. F. W. Krummacher certainly wrote in-depth studies, if length is anything to go by. His book David The King of Israel is 518 pages long, Elijah the Tishbite is 458 pages and he wrote two books about Elisha (251 plus 297 pages). Written in the 1850s and 1860s, and reprinted by Baker Book House, these are a product of their age in that the writer fully accepts the scriptural text and works his way through it, looking for lessons for life. Alfred Edersheim is well known for his Bible History series and other useful and thoughtful books. He wrote Elisha the Prophet in 1882 and this has been reprinted by Kregel in 1983 as Practical Truths from Elisha. James Stalker wrote two nice little studies: The Life of St Paul and The Life of Jesus Christ. The latter can be found electronically on a recent Libronix release, Selected Works on the Life of Christ, which also includes his Trial and Death of Jesus Christ. It also contains two works by F. W. Farrar, his Life of Christ and The Life of Lives, as well as G. Campbell Morgans The Crises of the Christ and S. J. Andrews The Life of Our Lord upon the Earth. You can look at some sample pages online. All these books are available second-hand from time to time, some of them more often than others. Like Stalker, T. R. Glover also wrote two volumes on The Jesus of History and Paul of Tarsus, both of which are worthwhile. John Stott wrote Christ the Controversialist in 1970, and The Incomparable Christ in 2001, both of them published by IVP. G. H. Dalman wrote two books about the life of Jesus Jesus-Jeshua and The Words of Jesus, which deal particularly with the Jewish background and circumstances, from a more scholastic point of view than these earlier works, and Emil Schrer wrote five volumes containing A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ (sometimes published in a three-volume edition). This is also now available from Libronix, if you want to dig deeper into the background of the life of the Lord. There have been more recent studies about the Jewish contemporary scene, like Geza Vermes Jesus the Jew, or E. P. Sanders Jesus and Judaism, but these are books that need to be read thoughtfully, as the authors are often pursuing an agenda of their own. Over the years, there has been a lot of speculation about the work and person of the Lord Jesus, the so-called Quest for Jesus, including his relationship with first century Judaism. If you want to find out about recent trends, Ben Witherington III offers a critique in his 1997 IVP publication, The Jesus Quest, which was recently made available electronically by Libronix. It includes a critical assessment of the volume by N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God. Mention has already been made of the collections of character studies by F. F. Bruce. This summary would not be complete without mentioning his larger work Paul: Apostle of the Free Spirit, published by the Paternoster Press in 1977, and also released for overseas as Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Bruce has written extensively about the Acts and his work ranks alongside the older classics, like Conybeare and Howsons Life & Epistles of St Paul, and Sir William Ramsays St Paul: The Traveller and Roman Citizen. The list goes on and on, and it still might not include your favourites. We are always glad to hear from you, so that we can include your recommendations.
14 Biblical history
THE historian Edward Gibbon, author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, once said, I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way of judging of the future but by the past.
It all depends
Those who think the only thing you learn from history is that you learn nothing from history ignore the past at their peril. They might make the same mistakes their predecessors made, and, if they do, have only themselves to blame. But to learn from the past we need to understand it, and when we have a working knowledge of what happened to Gods people, in their land and elsewhere, we can get further enlightenment by examining what was happening in the nations around. Sunday School is an excellent place to get a good understanding. But what if you didnt listen very carefully, or never went to Sunday School? How can you pick all that up easily? And, if you want to dig deeper and look at some of the finer points, where can you get more information?
Catch up
God-Spell by Brother W. H. Boulton was written to provide just such an overview of Bible History, starting In the Beginning and ending with the Revelation. Still in print and downloadable (details on the website), this is a retelling of the Bible story in simple and clear terms. Bible Beginnings (1978) by Brethren Richard Purkis and Ian Doveton was a similar attempt, with more illustration. Although out of print, it can still be found occasionally, new or second-hand. For more in-depth considerations, there are many sound works available, and some controversial ones which have become popular among us over the years, rightly or wrongly. Alfred Edersheims Old Testament Bible History has stood the test of time. Written between 1876 and 1887, it was first published in seven volumes (which are still available second-hand) and has more recently been published as one volume (1442 pages long!). Edersheim accepts the Bible text without question and offers some really useful insights, but this is hardly an overview its too long and too detailed for that. F. F. Bruce wrote two shorter books, Israel and the Nations and New Testament History, which can provide that, and there are plenty of similar works.
Other nations
We know only too well, in the twenty-first century, that world events affect us too. It was the same with Israel, given their strategic location. If Assyria wanted to invade Egypt, or vice versa, Israel was bound to know about it! Thanks to our understanding of Daniel chapter 2, we know all about the four world empires that dominated Israel: even our Sunday School scholars can recite them. Whilst there are many helpful books that look in depth at the individual happenings in Ancient Iraq or Ancient Egypt, a useful starting off point is Peoples of the Old Testament World (1994), edited by Hoerth, Mattingley and Yamauchi. In thirty pages or less the history of these nations is summarised, right up to Persian times. If you want to complete the process, with an overview of the Greek and Roman Empires, H. L. Ellison wrote From Babylon to Bethlehem (1976, Paternoster) and T. R. Glover The Ancient World (1961, Penguin Books). Getting to grips with this era of history is helpful for understanding the four hundred years between the Testaments and necessary if you want to see how Bible prophecy was fulfilled.
14a - Long, long ago

IT is helpful to differentiate between those books which survey the history of Israel as recorded in the Bible and those which fill in the gaps, whether between the Testaments or during the time of the epistles, when the emphasis changed from national to ecclesial affairs. Bear in mind that the Old Testament covers a much longer time period, with far more interaction from other nations, for good or ill, and that New Testament events were dominated by the Romans, whose control extended to all surrounding nations as well.
Bible history as a whole
Mention has already been made of Alfred Edersheims monumental work, Old Testament Bible History which comprises a retracing of the Biblical account. As mentioned, it was first published in seven volumes, but it also
appeared in four volumes, then two volumes, before appearing in its present single volume format (1982, Eerdmans). This is well worth acquiring, as are all Edersheims works, but it is a product of its time; his emphasis is much more Biblical than historical. This is now obtainable electronically from several software providers, like Biblesoft, Libronix and Ages software (the latter being by far the cheapest package, but not as well integrated into other Bible reference works). A. P. Stanleys Lectures on the Jewish Church is of similar vintage, but these two volumes are less concentrated and expositional: they were given as lectures. In addition to the two works by F. F. Bruce already mentioned, there are several other one-volume works which cover the same ground. John Brights A History of Israel is regarded as a standard work in this area (originally 1960, now in its fourth revision, SCM Press). It covers the period up to the New Testament, is readable and wide-ranging, but the writer can take a somewhat critical view of Bible events. For example, he thinks the Exodus occurred in the thirteenth century, holding that the 1 Kings 6:1 chronology has now been rather generally abandoned, and secular history can tend to be his preference whenever there is an apparent choice. But he is fair-minded and balanced in his general approach. Leon Wood in A Survey of Israels History (1970, Zondervan) takes a much more conservative approach for the same periods of time. This is scholarly and well researched and is matched by Eugene Merrills Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel (1987, Baker). Merrills book upholds the conservative, or fundamentalist, viewpoint and critiques the views held by authors like Noth or Bright before offering a solution that upholds the Bible text. Walter C. Kaiser Jnr., in A History of Israel: from the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars appears to be covering the entire span of Biblical history but only gets up to the arrival of the Romans (the Jewish Wars referred to in the title are those against the Seleucids, and they get only brief coverage 16 out of 540 pages). But this book takes a conservative approach and is very readable. Martin Noth in The History of Israel (1958, A&C Black, and subsequently SCM Press) does indeed cover the entire historical span, but takes a text-critical view. He does not, for example, believe in the Exodus as an event, but merely as a tradition developed by nomadic tribes.
Filling in the gaps: Old Testament to New Testament
Whilst these books give good coverage of Old Testament happenings, they are all fairly lightweight with regard to the Inter-Testamental period and the Roman occupation. There are several short works that cover this period well, all of which are available second-hand from time to time.
Inter-testamental
William Fairweather From the Exile to the Advent (1894, T&T Clark) is in textbook style; clear and concise and he sticks to the history. Norman Snaith The Jews from Cyrus to Herod (1949, Religious Education Press) covers the same ground but also traces the impact of Hellenism on Jewish thought. C. F. Pfeiffer Between the Testaments (1959, P&I) does much the same, while R. H. Charles Between the Old & New Testaments and D. S. Russell Between the Testaments (1960, SCM) concentrate almost entirely on the way that the regime changes affected Judaism, and their religious views (both Charles and Russell are specialists on apocalyptic literature).
Roman history
A vast number of books have been written about Roman history and you can take your pick. Find an author whose style appeals to you and who writes in an interesting way, like Professor Michael Grant. His History of Rome (1978, Faber & Faber) covers the entire period of Roman dominance, but he has also looked in more detail at The Jews in the Roman World (1973), The Climax of Rome (1968) and The Fall of the Roman Empire: A Reappraisal (1976). Grant wrote more than 50 books about the ancient world, including about Hellenistic times, From Alexander to Cleopatra (1982) and biographies, including Herod the Great (1971). Any mention of the fall of the Roman Empire reminds readers of Edward Gibbons multi-volume work The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which is now available in one-volume condensed form, in illustrated format, and electronically. This can now be found on the On-Line Bible, Libronix, and in many other electronic formats, including online.
Specialist works
These books by Grant and Gibbon are in-depth studies of a particular period (in this case Roman history), and it is possible to dig deep into any area that particularly interests you. Georges Roux wrote Ancient Iraq (1980, Penguin), for example, and Edwin Yamauchi Persia and the Bible (1990, Baker). There are volumes written about ancient Egypt, some of them very readable and lavishly illustrated. John Romer is an archaeologist with a flair for communication and his books, like People of the Nile (1982, Penguin) are attractive; and there are plenty of others, like Barbara Mertz, Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs (1999, Brockhampton). If you want a definitive statement of the conventional understanding of Egyptian History, Ian Shaw has written The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000, OUP). And if you want to relate Egyptian history to Israels emergence as a people, try J. K. Hoffmeiers Israel in Egypt (1996, OUP). Most of these books are not about Bible history per se; they are studies of secular history, but they read across to Bible times, if you can bridge between the different chronologies. The Egyptologist Kenneth Kitchen offers some useful guidance in his book On the Reliability of the Old Testament (2003, Eerdmans), where he offers key datum points between the nations around and Biblical happenings. Jack Finegans Handbook of Biblical Chronology (1998, Revised, Hendrickson) offers some alternative cross checks (e.g. for both a 1250 and 1446 BC Exodus). The chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah is notoriously tricky to sort out: one widely accepted scheme is that outlined by Edwin Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings (1985, Revised, Zondervan). There are critics of his work, and alternatives, especially now that Bishop Ushers chronology is coming back into favour in some quarters. See, for example, The Chronology of the Old Testament by Floyd Nolen Jones (2005, Revised, Master Books).
Original documents
If you feel confident enough to undertake some examination of the original documents from Bible times, they too are readily available, and it is always useful to check up on what specialists are saying when you can. The standard work for the Old Testament (usually abbreviated as ANET), edited by J. B. Pritchard, is The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures, available in various formats. Some key documents have been collected by D. W. Thomas, Documents from Old Testament Times (1958, Nelson) and if you want more detailed insights, for example, about The Amarna Letters, the whole collection has been translated and edited by W. L. Moran (1992, John Hopkins), and these are also available electronically from Libronix. The same thing has been done for post-New Testament times, in A New Eusebius, edited by J. Stevenson. But why stop there? The Works of Flavius Josephus, translated by W. Whiston, take you right back to first century times and mention has already been made of the Dead Sea Scrolls material (see the appendix to Article 10), which can now be read in an English translation. The writings of the Greek historian Herodotus, The Histories are available in the Penguin Classics series, and so are many other ancient writings, if you have the time or inclination to read them, as opposed to authors who are using that data to explain ancient events or circumstances.
Alternative explanations
As a community we have often been mistrustful of standard works and have an inbuilt preference for people who suggest alternative schemes, especially if they are said to support scripture. Immanuel Velikovsky was once widely read because of his suggestion in Ages in Chaos (1973) that the traditional alignment between Bible and secular history was out by some 400 years. According to his scheme of things, the Amarna Letters, for example, were written in Egypt during the time King Jehoshaphat reigned in Jerusalem, not at the time of the Conquest or the early Judges (Amenophis III to Tutankhamun). That displacement needs to be reconciled at some time, however. As the first book only considered the period of the Exodus up to King Akhnaton, another three books followed, adjusting historical alignments even further Oedipus and Akhnaton (1960); Peoples of the Sea (1977) and Rameses II and his Time (1978). That detail about Velikovsky is included as a reminder that more recently David Rohl has tried another scheme of historical reconciliation, this time adjusting history in a different direction. According to his alignment, the Amarna Letters would have been written during the time of the early kingdom of Israel (he thinks that King Saul features in one of them). He too has written several books to outline his theory, including The Test of Time
(1995), and so have others of a like mind, including Peter James, Centuries of Darkness (1991) and John Bimson, Redating the Exodus and the Conquest (1978). You can get plenty of evaluations of this alternative chronology, for and against, on the web. Decide for yourself if they help or hinder; I think that such attempted chronological adjustments confuse more than they enlighten.
A book to read!
You may have concluded that history books about Bible times, in Israel or elsewhere, are more for research than for enjoyment, but it need not be so. Some authors have the knack of writing about history in a fascinating way and these are books well worth looking out for when browsing in a bookshop, or when you get a personal recommendation. Tom Peters has written a book about Persia, Persian Fire (2005) and another about the Roman Republic (from 49 BC) called Rubicon (2005). Neil Faulkner has written a graphic account of the buildup to AD 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem, called Apocalypse: The Great Jewish Revolt Against Rome (2004). And Michael Wood wrote In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great (1997) as a follow-up to his documentary BBC-TV series. Books like this really make history accessible, even if it wasnt your favourite subject in school!
Atlases and graphics
Instead of thinking that a bit of in-depth exploration might be interesting, you may however be thinking, How about just an overview, in just a few pages, or even in a few pictures! Mention has already been made (in the appendix to article 9) of Atlases of World History, and there are specialist historical atlases too. Penguin published a two-volume Atlas of World History (1964) and atlases of Ancient History and Medieval History (1967), both edited by Colin McEvedy. These show graphically the way that history changed political boundaries and national configurations, and have a short accompanying commentary. Michael Grant has also produced an Ancient History Atlas. Graphics can also be used effectively to depict specific Bible events, like Battles of the Bible by Chaim Hertzog and Mordechai Gichon (1978), and these can be of great help when preparing an illustrated talk. Charts and maps are also available electronically in such packages as Nelsons Complete Book of Maps and Charts, which is available from Libronix. These are however in greyscale, not colour, but there are many fully illustrated books available, like The Lion Atlas of Bible History (2006) by Paul Lawrence, that may become available electronically in due course.
World history
When looking at Bible prophecy, it can be useful to get an overview of how things developed over hundreds of years, in the Middle East and elsewhere. H. G. Wells wrote A Short History of the World (1965, Penguin) to provide just that, though not with Bible prophecy in mind! More recently, J. M. Roberts has written a widely acclaimed History of the World (1976 and revised). At 952 pages it can hardly be called a short history, but it is very informative if you like that sort of thing! As ever, your own recommendations and suggestions will be welcome.
15 Biblical archaeology
THIS is a topic which presents several challenges to a Bible student, including how to spell archaeology correctly! It may be that you want to see artefacts from the past, either in a museum or in a book, or both. Or you may want to know what evidence exists from the past to support the Bible, and what we can learn about the living conditions and social circumstances that existed in Bible times. All of those requirements can be fulfilled up to a point. What complicates matters is the way that scholastic views and fashions change, leaving the reader unsure if the artefact is now considered genuine, and if anything more recent has been discovered to corroborate or challenge previously held views.
Changing times
Visiting a museum gives the impression that everything is very orderly and clear-cut. Exhibits are classified and grouped together and the labelling is precise and reassuring. One gallery leads logically to another and you get the feeling that history just happened in a very tidy manner. Should you be visiting the British Museum, be sure
to take with you the guidebook Through the British Museum with the Bible, by Edwards and Anderton, to get the most out of the visit. That offers a guided tour in Biblical chronological order, starting with Abraham in Ur and ending in the Roman era. It also gives a lot of useful information, like a timeline and a list of kings in Israel and the nations around. Its worth remembering, however, that behind the scenes museums have a lot more artefacts which have not yet been fully investigated. Only a short while ago, a curator at the British Museum came across a Babylonian tablet which verified the existence of Nebo-Sarsekim, the chief eunuch who is mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah, but whose existence had not previously been verified (see Signs of the times, September 2007, page 348). So we are certainly not seeing the whole picture, either when we visit somewhere or look at pictures of things that have survived the ravages of time.
Examining the evidence
Just as you get a thrill looking at the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III and viewing Jehu, it can be really satisfying to see good photographs of such exhibits. Earlier publications had poor illustrations, but full colour printing has changed all that and made such works affordable, and they can be a joy. The Lion Publishing company can now be relied upon to produce stunning quality photographs. Alan Millards Discoveries from Bible Times (1997) provides 346 pages of visual delight, ranging across both Testaments. So does the Picture Archive of the Bible (1987, Lion) edited by Masom and Alexander. These books are really excellent for Sunday School use and for private study. You will, of course, want more than a picture, and reading around the subject is always a good idea, especially if you are going to talk about this in an informed way. The appendix gives more information about useful books. Lion Books updated an old favourite, The Bible as History by Werner Keller when, in 1991, they printed a full colour version with entirely new photographs. That too is an attractive book, with an updated text. Then, in 1999, Ian Wilsons book The Bible is History updated that further. As new discoveries are made, and new theories emerge, it is helpful to keep in touch with the latest thinking. The internet can be a real help, but if you want to follow the twists and turns of scholastic opinion, a subscription to the bi-monthly Biblical Archaeological Review, or another similar periodical, would be useful.
15a - More artefacts

A READERS interest in archaeology may range from nothing more than a casual interest in the past, and a desire to know what happened then, to a fascination with a particular place and a need to know what has been discovered there. Or you may be about to give a talk about the subject and need to read up a bit about the items which you have seen illustrated. Nowadays it is easy enough to download an entire PowerPoint presentation about the subject, or find photographs and images that can illustrate one, but how sure can you be that these items are still well regarded, and that their provenance is not in dispute? For that purpose you need something reasonably up to date, which covers the ground in reasonable depth, is easily accessible and has some illustrations. The best one-volume book on archaeology which I have come across (it was recommended to me by Brother David Burges) is The Stones Cry Out by Randall Price, published by Harvest House Publishers in 1997, and it is just about still available. The illustrations are black and white, but are fine for identification purposes, assuming you have got better graphics elsewhere. Price takes a conservative (evangelical) position, which accords with how we would see things, and is very readable. His work also includes reference to Brother Leen Ritmeyers findings about the temple site (of which more later).
Choices, choices!
As usual with books (which is why we end up with so many of them!) there are many options available if you want something more than a straightforward summary of what has been found and what it might mean. It all depends how much interest you have in this fairly specialised topic, how much you want to spend, the sort of authors you want to read (critical, academic or conservative), and whether you are interested in the history of the things found, or just want the latest discoveries and the latest scholastic attitudes. Here are some options.
Good graphics
Apart from the Internet, which has a lot of visual material available, some of it in reasonably high definition, there are some lovely coffee table books which are both very attractive and informative. Alan Millards Discoveries from Bible Times (already mentioned) is an amalgamation of two earlier books, both by Lion, which often appear second-hand: Treasures from Bible Times (1985) and Discoveries from the Time of Jesus (1990 and 1993). The combined volume has over 300 photographs and over 70 maps and diagrams, so its a really useful resource, for just 20. Lion have just brought out another nicely illustrated and informative book by James K. Hoffmeier (who has also written an interesting book about Israel in Egypt). This one, published in February 2008, is called The Archaeology of the Bible and in about 200 pages follows the Bible narrative and illustrates it with artefacts and scenes as it progresses. Another visually attractive volume, also by Lion, is the Picture Archive of the Bible (1987) by Masom & Alexander (Editors), with archaeological notes again by Alan Millard. The photography is stunning, but this is more of a picture book than a textbook. There are plenty of books with visual material about the life and times of the Bible, like the Readers Digest Great People of the Bible and How they Lived (1974) which has a mix of colour photographs, drawings, sketches and suchlike, or Manners and Customs in the Bible, by V. H. Matthews. These can be useful background reading, as can the two books Everyday Life in Old Testament Times by E. W. Heaton and Everyday Life in New Testament Times by A. C. Bouquet. The accompanying line drawings in those books are only black and white, but useful even so, and both books are readily available second-hand. But they do not deal with artefacts or discoveries as such, just about everyday life situations. If black and white illustrations will suffice, and if your budget or interest is modest, Werner Kellers The Bible as History, which came out in many different versions and is still available now in paperback format, was also published as The Bible as History IN PICTURES (1964, Hodder & Stoughton) with 329 illustrations and 8 colour plates. The illustrations were not that sharp, however, and were surpassed by Illustrations from Biblical Archaeology by D. J. Wiseman (1966, Tyndale Press), his commentary also being authoritative, although it was written 40 years ago. Dont forget how useful illustrated encyclopaedias can be, like the IVP Illustrated Bible Dictionary, several of which are also obtainable electronically. The Biblical Archaeological Society have produced a CD-ROM The Biblical World in Pictures which has over 1,000 photographs of Bible scenes and findings, at a resolution which is adequate for PowerPoint presentations, but as many of these photographs are taken from previous slide sets, some of them are disappointing in visual terms.
More detailed studies
If you prefer words to pictures and want to do some serious investigation into the past, there are many books available. Pick up a copy of the Biblical Archaeological Review and you will see scores of them advertised, but beware! Few of them are written by people who would want to be called Bible archaeologists. Even as conservative a writer as William Devers fights shy of that sort of designation in a recent book What Did the Biblical Writers Know and When Did They Know It? (2001, Eerdmans). Examining the approach of the socalled minimalists (critics of the Bible who are also sometimes termed revisionists), he concedes many of their arguments, especially for pre-Monarchy findings, and only really becomes helpful for later findings. His aim is summed up in the conclusion of that book when he writes: What I have attempted to do throughout this book is twofold. First, I have focused on methodology, in order to unmask the revisionists ideology and the postmodern paradigm that lies partly hidden behind it, and in so doing to expose their faulty methodology in approaching the texts of the Hebrew Bible. Second, I have sought to counter the revisionists minimalist conclusions by showing how archaeology uniquely provides a context for many of the narratives in the Hebrew Bible. It thus makes them not just stories arising out of later Judaisms identity crisis, but part of the history of a real people of Israel in the Iron Age of ancient Palestine. If you want a more conservative approach, which uses the Bible as a basis and looks from that viewpoint to see what archaeology can tell us by way of confirmation, John McRay has written two volumes: Archaeology in the Old Testament (1998) and Archaeology in the New Testament (1991), both published by Baker. He is following the footsteps of Merrill Unger who also wrote two useful works, Archaeology and the Old Testament (1954)
and Archaeology and the New Testament (1962), both by Zondervan. Those are still available second-hand and are worthwhile, although dated. Another stalwart is J. A. Thompsons The Bible and Archaeology (1963, Paternoster). A good deal more detailed, but equally dated, is Jack Finegans Light from the Ancient Past (1959). These older works provide a helpful way of getting familiar with the history of Bible times, even if they cant inform you about the latest findings or the current criticisms. Amihai Mazar wrote Archaeology of the Land of the Bible 10,000 to 586BC (1990, Doubleday) as part of the Anchor Bible Reference series, and that is a fairly standard textbook, with a few drawings and black and white pictures, if you want to read something that starts with archaeological findings and works outwards. Mazar does not, for example, believe in the Exodus as it is recorded in the Bible, but he does provide some comparisons of how different historical interpretations line up. There are encyclopaedias of archaeology available, like Avraham Negevs Archaeological Encyclopaedia of the Holy Land (1996), also available in Libronix electronic format, or the Wycliffe Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology (2000), formerly The Biblical World, edited by Charles Pfeiffer. The New International Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology, edited by Blaiklock and Harrison (1983), is available in print and electronically from Zondervan, who also publish an NIV Archaeology Study Bible (go here for details and sample pages).
Older works
Not surprisingly, when people had more respect for the authority of the Bible as the word of God, their findings were more likely to accord with what is historically accurate, as recorded there. People like Dame Kathleen Kenyon challenged earlier findings, for example, the work of Garstang in excavating Jericho, but her studies have since been examined and found wanting. So, older works like John Garstangs Joshua-Judges (1931, reprinted by Kregel in 1978) are still useful, as are the two books by Sir Charles Marston, The Bible is True (1934) and The Bible Comes Alive (1937), and the classic work by Sir W. M. Ramsay The Bearing of Recent Studies on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament (1915). Some of Ramsays books are now available electronically, like Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? (downloadable from here), but not the earlier one mentioned above, at present. These older works need to be read in conjunction with later writings. For example, Edwin Yamauchi in The Stones and the Scriptures (IVP, 1973) puts the work of Ramsay in the setting of his time, contesting the Tubingen school of higher criticism. In the 19th and early 20th centuries people were really excited by findings which were seen to support the historicity of the Bible and many of those early works become available from time to time. Sir Leonard Woolleys findings at Ur of the Chaldees were published in popular format by Penguin Books, because of the public interest, though his findings about the flood now need to be treated with caution. Earlier the work of A. H. Layard at Nineveh was published as Nineveh and Its Remains (1849), in 2 volumes, and many books appeared with details of such findings, like Light from the East, C. J. Ball (1899) and The Old Testament in the Light of the Historical Records, T. G. Pinches (1908). Because Christadelphian readers closely followed such happenings, these works often appear in our second-hand selections and they are fascinating period pieces. And it has been possible to follow more contemporary discoveries also, by reading about Yigael Yadins excavations, for example at Hazor (1975) or Masada (1973).
Christadelphian works
This review would not be complete without mentioning Brother W. H. Boulton who wrote extensively about Bible Archaeology, his books also being intended for the general public. His general introduction to the subject was The Romance of Archaeology (1930) and he wrote more specialist books on Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt and Palestine. Much more recently, Brother Leen and Sister Kathleen Ritmeyer have published many works, most of which are still available. Both of them worked on a major excavation site in Jerusalem where Brother Leen developed a theory about the location of the temple, which is widely quoted and debated. First published in the Biblical Archaeological Review, his ideas were then made available in booklet form, Reconstructing Herods Temple Mount in Jerusalem (1989, BAS), then in study-note format, The Temple and the Rock (1996). More recently
they have been published as Secrets of Jerusalems Temple Mount (2006, BAS) and The Quest (2006, Carta). This last book, which comprises 440 pages, and is beautifully illustrated, is available here. In addition to this consideration of the temple mount, Brother Leen and Sister Kathleen have also produced 4 large-format paperbacks, as follows: From Sinai to Jerusalem (about the wanderings of the Ark of the Covenant); Jerusalem in the Time of Nehemiah; The Ritual of the Temple in the Time of Christ; and Jerusalem in the Year 30 AD. Again, all of these are available from The Christadelphian Office. Containing a mixture of photographs, diagrams and maps these are informative productions. Some of the photographs lack pin-point clarity, which is a pity, but the text and diagrams are excellent. Brother & Sister Ritmeyer have a website you might want to access.
Archaeology magazines
Reference has been made more than once to the bi-monthly Biblical Archaeological Review magazine, edited by Hershel Shanks. Beautifully illustrated, and also available electronically in Libronix format, this is not to everybodys taste. It can be obsessive, for example in pursuing the publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls material (which it effectively achieved), or in challenging the current attitude of the Israeli archaeological establishment, who are challenging the provenance of all items which were not found in situ, and are alleging that forgeries abound. But, if you can cope with that, and accept that it is not always going to publish material that accords with our belief in the inerrancy of scripture, it can help keep you up to date with findings and attitudes in our increasingly secular age. On the BAS website you can see samples of the most recent issue and find out about the books they publish. There are other magazines, and no doubt you can recommend helpful books other than those mentioned. Lets hear from you, please.
16 Bible prophecy
WHEN Brother John Thomas was urged to write down his understanding of Bible truth, in 1848, he did so in three parts: 1. The Rudiments of the World 2. The Things of the Kingdom of God, and the Name of Jesus Christ 3. The Kingdoms of the World in their relation to the Kingdom of God The third part of Elpis Israel began with the importance of Nebuchadnezzars Image, traced the growth of orchestrated opposition to the Truth, in all ages, and then looked at prophecies about the build-up to the coming of Christ and his millennial reign. Whilst the future had featured to some extent in the first two parts, the last part (thirty per cent of the whole book) was all about Bible prophecy. Should his readers have been left in any doubt about the importance of that subject, at their insistence and by their sponsorship, Brother Thomas made time between 1860 and 1868 to write Eureka, his three-volume treatise on the Apocalypse.
Two functions
We like to say about the prophets that: They were forth-tellers as well as fore-tellers. Their words contained a message from God about the here-and-now, as well as forecasting coming events, sometimes things that would only occur in the very distant future. It is the same with prophecy today: it fulfils two God-given functions. First, many believers have been persuaded about the truth of the Bible because it foretells future events with such remarkable accuracy: things like the return of the Jews to their homeland; the state of the world, including its moral decline; and the political alignment of nations, especially in relation to Israel. In all those respects fulfilled prophecy confirms Bible truth, as it has done through the ages. But prophecy is not just of help for the present: there are many prophecies still unfulfilled.
It was E. B. Pusey, in Daniel the Prophet (1885) who said about this aspect of prophecy, that: Prophecy is not given to enable us to prophesy, but as a witness to God when the time comes (page 80). Whilst many of us are fascinated by future events, whenever we are tempted to treat matters of interpretation as though they were first principles of the faith, it is good to remember the distinction made by Brother Roberts between True Principles and Uncertain Details (The Christadelphian, 1898, page 182). He urged us to keep a sense of proportion and an open mind about uncertain details that have not yet happened.
Fulfilled prophecy
If you want to find out about prophecies that have already been fulfilled, some books we have already considered about the authority of the Bible, and archaeology will contain useful material. Alexander Keith wrote Evidence of the Christian Religion Derived from the Literal Fulfilment of Prophecy (1837), and that has been reprinted often. Years later, John Urquhart wrote a helpful little book more snappily titled Wonders of Prophecy (1939), which covers topics like Tyre and Sidon, Egypt, Edom and Babylonia. Detailed information can be found in individual commentaries or books about the history of specific nations, for this is a subject area that naturally leads a reader to books about particular prophets, or books of the Bible. Likewise, should you want to look at the way that Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled in the life of the Lord Jesus, whilst you might start with Josh McDowells Evidence that Demands a Verdict (revised edition 1999), a more detailed study would require something like The Messiah in the Old Testament (1995) by Walter Kaiser.
Unfulfilled prophecy
As a community we have tended to concentrate on things that have not yet been fulfilled, because we are keenly expecting the return of the Lord Jesus and the establishment of Gods kingdom. Elpis Israel and Eureka have been mentioned already and there are many other well-established writings, especially about the Apocalypse, which merit a place in your library. Many of them are now available electronically as well. Details can be found here, as usual. If your interest is in current affairs and the way in which they are seen to be fulfilling prophecy, every year the Christadelphian Scripture Study Service publishes Milestones to the Kingdom in which Brother Don Pearce reviews world events. Over the years the series, which started in 1977 (when it was published by Logos Publications), has built up a comprehensive catalogue of events which are seen as signs of the times. There are other ways of viewing prophetic events, and some different schemes of interpretation, most of these having resulted in books interpreting the Apocalypse along rather different lines. Brother Graham Pearce, who started Milestones, wrote a helpful overview: Revelation: Which Interpretation? (1982, CSSS). If you decide to start collecting books about the Apocalypse, make sure you have plenty of shelf space!
16a - More prophetic insights

A HUGE number of books have been written about Bible prophecy, most of them by the evangelical community, about latter-day events. Some of those books, like Hal Lindseys The Late Great Planet Earth (1970) sold millions of copies. One measure of the fascination exerted by the future has been the success of the fictional series Left Behind, written by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. From 1995 onwards, this series of books about how things might work out before and during the Coming of Christ ran to sixteen adult titles, with total sales surpassing sixty-five million copies. Seven of those titles reached Number One on the bestseller lists for The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly. The series made less impact in the UK, and it is not mentioned here by way of a recommendation, but as an indication that there is a huge demand in certain circles for books about latter-day prophecy. It follows that you need to select and read with care, and be prepared for interpretations that do not accord with our understanding of Bible teaching, especially on topics like the Rapture and the Antichrist.
Starting thoughtfully
If you want to get a balanced view of what prophecy can and cannot achieve, try R. A. Redfords Prophecy: Its Nature and Evidence (1882, Religious Tract Society). As already indicated, E. B. Puseys lectures on Daniel the
Prophet (1885) contain some general observations about prophecy, before the book proceeds to defend the authenticity and historicity of the prophecy of Daniel. J. Barton Paynes Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy (1980, Baker) gives comprehensive coverage of nearly two thousand prophecies, starting in Genesis 1:26. In the detailed consideration of each passage, the author refers to very many works and writers, explaining their interpretations, so this compendium is useful as a pointer elsewhere. But the first 140 pages (of a 750-page book!) are about the nature of Biblical prediction, its form and its fulfilment. This is another indication that the topic needs to be approached systematically and with a degree of caution. Payne refers to the wise counsel given by T. H. Horne in his massive multi-volume Introduction to the Holy Scriptures (1839), where he wrote: PROPHECY, or the prediction of future events, is justly considered as the highest evidence that can be given, of supernatural communion with the Deity. The force of the argument from prophecy, for proving the divine inspiration of the sacred records, has already been exhibited; and the cavils of objectors, from its alleged obscurity has been obviated. Difficulties, it is readily admitted, do exist in understanding the prophetic writings: but these are either owing to our ignorance of history and of the Scriptures, or because the prophecies themselves are yet unfulfilled. The latter can only be understood when the events foretold have actually been accomplished but the former class of difficulties may be removed in many, if not in all, cases; and the knowledge, sense, and meaning of the prophets may, in a considerable degree, be attained by prayer, reading, and meditation, and by comparing Scripture with Scripture, especially with the writings of the New Testament, and particularly with the book of the Revelation.
In defence of Bible prophecy
This comment highlights another aspect of writing about prophecy, namely books that have been written to defend the writing of the prophets against critical attack. From Wellhausen onwards, it became fashionable to allege that any prophecy that had been fulfilled must have been written after the event in question. In particular, Daniels writing came under attack and has been very strongly defended. Earlier works include R. D. Wilson Studies in the Book of Daniel (1917); C. Boutflowers In and Around the Book of Daniel (1923); and Sir Robert Andersons Daniel in the Critics Den (1909). Under that same title, Josh McDowell has produced a book (1979, Campus Crusade) in which, typically, he collates comments from these writers and others, to answer the various criticisms that have been made. Two short but useful studies are by D. J. Wiseman and others, Notes on Some Problems in the Book of Daniel (1970) and J. C. Whitcomb, Darius the Mede (1975).
Prophetic interpretations
Brother Thomas was not alone in being fascinated by Bible Prophecy. At about the time he was writing, there were others trying to work things out from the Bible and some of their writings have become quite widely read and cited in our community. H. Grattan Guinness was a prolific author, who was frequently quoted by Brother Robert Roberts. His works include The Approaching End of the Age (1880), Light for the Last Days (1886) and The Divine Programme of the Worlds History (1892). These are often available second-hand and can be accessed electronically. Many of his calculations about the likely return of the Lord take account of the interaction between solar and lunar calendars and if you want to pursue that topic with a Christadelphian author then Times and Seasons (1961) by Brother W. H. Carter is available, having been reprinted a few years ago. Even though the detailed calculations made by both writers didnt work out quite as they expected, if you have a mathematical bent or are interested in prophetic time periods, these books are worth browsing through. Even earlier than Guinness, Thomas Newton had written his Dissertations on the Prophecies (1860), in which he systematically reviews prophecies by or about Noah, Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Balaam, Moses, Nineveh, Babylon, Tyre, Egypt, and so on. A book of 730 pages, this is not an easy read but it is the product of an age when the authority of the Bible was totally accepted. You can access the part of it which deals with the Lords Olivet prophecy online, and that will give you a taster of his style and approach. Extracts from Christadelphian writing about prophecy, mainly by Brethren John Thomas and Robert Roberts, were brought together by Brother Frank Jannaway in his (undated) book Christadelphian Key to the Prophecies. This shows the breadth and scope of the various writings about prophecy, either in books or magazines. Most of
these writings, like Chronikron Hebraikon or Clerical Theology Unscriptural have been reprinted several times, and are available electronically on the Christadelphian Works volume 2 CD-ROM, in Libronix format. Over the years there have been many vigorous defences of our long-held prophetic interpretations. In 1991 CSSS published a booklet by Brother Edward Farrar In Defence of the Year-Day Interpretation of the Prophetic Time Periods of the Bible, which commends the approach of Grattan Guinness and others, including Joseph Mede who wrote The Key of the Revelation, as far back as 1643. A booklet written by William and James Farrar in 1977 very helpfully rebuts the evangelical belief in a Satanic Antichrist, and suggests that such a view could result in a challenge being made to the Lord himself. The title says it all: The Coming Antichrist: Jesus of Nazareth? Alternative views about the likely outworking of prophecy have also appeared, usually being printed and circulated by the individuals who wrote them. Brother John Allfree wrote The Lords Mount Olivet Prophecy and A World Destroyed by Fire (1996), to argue that the prophecies in question were wholly fulfilled in AD 70. Brother Harry Whittaker wrote The Last Days, The Time of the End and Jews, Arabs and Bible Prophecy, to promote his view that the Arabs still have an important part to play in latter-day events, while CSSS published a booklet by Brother Don Styles which posed the question, Israels Defeat: by Gog or the Arabs? Provided you can keep an open mind and dont get upset by different ideas, these alternative views can be stimulating and encouraging. Incidentally, similar debates take place from time to time outside our community and if you want to see the scope of prophetic material available, much of it horrendous, have a look at the titles listed online.
Prophecy of Daniel
Two books are key to our understanding of Gods prophetic scheme, namely Daniel and the Book of Revelation. Isaac Newton knew that and wrote The Prophecies of Daniel and The Apocalypse in 1733, which has now been reprinted by Printland Publishers. Buy it from them direct. Most Christadelphian writers have concentrated on one or other book, except for Brother Thomas who appended his Brief Exposition of Daniel to the third volume of Eureka (although it has since been published separately). Brother Edmund Green wrote The Prophecy of Daniel (1988) and that gives a helpful straightforward exposition. Brother Islip Collyer wrote the shorter Daniel and Christ (1933), but that is now difficult to find. And Brother H. P. Mansfield included that work in his Christadelphian Expositor series. If you want a non-Christadelphian view of the prophecy, try E. J. Youngs Daniel (1949, Banner of Truth); Leon Wood, A Commentary on Daniel (1973, Zondervan) or J. G. Baldwin, Daniel (1978, Tyndale OTC).
The Revelation which interpretation?
Mention has already been made of the above work by Brother Graham Pearce, who classifies various Christadelphian publications into (a) Continuous Historic (b) Preterist (fulfilment began shortly after the book was written, at least in part) and (c) Futurist. Using those categories as a general guide (though accepting that some aspects of the interpretation overlap), here is a list of some of our writings on this book of the Bible (in alphabetical order).
1 Continuous Historic
Michael Ashton: Revelation Study Guide F. Bilton: The Apocalypse and the Gospels W. H. Boulton and W. H. Barker: The Apocalypse and History John Doble: The Kingdom, The Power and the Glory John Knowles: Hear What the Spirit Saith H. P. Mansfield: The Book of Revelation (Christadelphian Expositor) Alfred Nicholls: Interpreting the Book of Revelation Robert Roberts: Thirteen Lectures on the Apocalypse John Thomas: Eureka Geoff & Ray Walker: The Revelation of Jesus Christ
2 Preterist/Futurist
S. P. Clementson: The Day Approaches and The End of Time Nick Lunn: Alpha & Omega Alfred Norris: The Apocalypse for Everyman Peter Watkins: Exploring the Apocalypse Harry Whittaker: Revelation: A Biblical Approach Arthur Wright: The Apocalypse in the Last Days This list is not exhaustive, for there are other expositions like those by Brother Rudolf Rijkeboer: Jesus Last Message (1998) or by Brother David Pitt-Francis: The Most Amazing Message Ever Written (1983) which do not fit neatly into either category. And there have been countless booklets, study notes and seminar notes issued all of which goes to show our fascination with prophecy in general, and the Apocalypse in particular. Of course, if you want to widen your reading to non-Christadelphian writing, you will find a vast array of interpretations. I. T. Beckwith in his Apocalypse of John (1919) offers this comment about the various methods of interpretation: Futurists take some parts as directly historical, preterists transfer parts to the Last Days, adherents of the world- or church-historical method assign parts to each of the other systems; in other words the different theories are not in practical application made mutually exclusive throughout. And in fact the nature of the book is such that no one of the systems taken in its narrow limitations to the exclusion of the others can give a just conception of the Apocalyptists meaning. Every apocalyptic writing is grounded in the present and the past, but at the same time looks forward to the future. But not much argument is needed to show that neither the continuous-historical, nor the absolute futurist method can be adopted as the determining rule in the study of the Revelation. Richard Bauckham has written two books, The Climax of Prophecy and The Theology of Revelation; so has Austin Farrar, A Rebirth of Images and The Revelation of St John the Divine. William Hendricksen opts for a spiritual interpretation in More Than Conquerors. H. B. Swetes Apocalypse of St John has also become available electronically in Libronix format and J. A. Seiss The Apocalypse can be accessed in Biblesoft format as well as Ages software. And there are all the usual commentaries in the various publishers series of expository commentaries, which offer a range of interpretations. If you would just like to see how the various schemes of interpretation work out side-by-side, to compare and contrast them, Steve Gregg has done that in Revelation: Four Views A Parallel Commentary (1997, Thomas Nelson). Happy reading!
17 Israel today
BECAUSE the State of Israel is of such vital importance to us, both as a fulfilment of Bible prophecy and as a lead-in to coming events, your library will need to include some books about modern Israel. But remember that I am likely to say that about lots of other subjects too!
Israel: its land and people
Its importance to us as a community can be measured by the number of books published over the years about the emergence of Israel, which broadly coincided with the rediscovery of the Truth by Brother Thomas. Brother F. G. Jannaway was an early visitor to the land and chronicled its settlement in his books Palestine and the Jews (1914), Palestine and the Powers (1914) and Palestine and the World. This last work states in the preface: The Right Hon. D. Lloyd George found the authors previous book most interesting, that six Cabinet Ministers, many members of Parliament, well-known editors, incidental peers and Orientalists have thanked the author for facts incorporated in the present volume. The 1922 copy of The Christadelphian has a hard-hitting review, on page 557, which is ironically titled The Man Who Knows. Those books have long since gone out of print, but can be found second-hand and they make fascinating reading because they were being written as the events were unfolding.
Later Christadelphian books have the advantage of hindsight and offer some historical perspective. In 1988 Brother John Collyer wrote Israel Land and People of Destiny, which reviews matters as diverse as Jewish Religion, Dispersion, Zionism and Archaeology. This beautifully produced book, with lovely illustrations, is well worth reading. It replaced Brother Cyril Coopers Modern Israel (1973), and both have helpful bibliographies (the latter in the Foreword), should you want to dig deeper. In addition to these publications by the CMPA, CSSS produced Zion My Chiefest Joy (1979) and The Jewish Phenomenon (1986), the latter by Brother Dennis Elliott, though both deal mostly with Israel in Bible times.
The return
Should you want to follow the unfolding drama of the birth of Zionism and the events associated with the establishment of the Jewish state, there are some excellent accounts available. Barbara Tuchmans Bible and Sword (1956) chronicles the circumstances that brought the British to Palestine. She writes in a lively and interesting style and is very informative. In Paul Johnsons A History of the Jews (1987), nearly 300 pages of this 600 page book are about emancipation and resettlement. Should you prefer something illustrated, Martin Gilberts atlases are worth considering. They are black and white outline drawings, annotated with relevant details. His Atlas of Jewish History (2006) contains 146 maps which trace the history of Israel up to the present day and his other atlases include those on Jerusalem, the Holocaust and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Sir Martin Gilbert has written many other books about Jewish history. His Israel (now available in paperback) is 750 pages long and begins with events in 1862, so it is very much a chronicle of the reborn nation. His Letters to Auntie Fori (2002) deals with the Biblical and Historical eras, before summarising the Twentieth Century and Jewish Worship. All aspects are covered in letter format, as he explains Jewish life to a close friend who has asked for more information. If you want something light, which can be digested bit-by-bit (there are 140 letters), this might be just right.
17a - All about Israel

BOOKS about Israel cover many different subject areas and some of these have already been discussed in Chapters 9a (Biblical Geography), 14a (Biblical History) and 15a (Biblical Archaeology). Inevitably some of these categories overlap, and one book may cover several interests, or one author may write about many different subjects. For example, Sir Martin Gilbert (whose family name was first Fichtencwajg, and then Goldberg) has written extensively about Jewish matters, and has produced some very usable atlases. Samples of the atlases can be viewed here, together with details of his 79 books (which cover very diverse topics). His books on Israel and Jerusalem are very helpful, and he has written ten of those books about the Holocaust.
Source material
If you want to track back to the birth of Zionism and read the original documentation that got the whole movement going, under the hand of God, you can still buy Theodor Herzls ground-breaking publication The Jewish State (1896) and his novel Altneuland (1902). This has been reprinted in many different editions over the years, including an illustrated one, using photographs of how things worked out, rather differently from how Herzl imagined in the novel. Jews love tracing their ancestry, and writing about it, so there is a vast choice of available material. You can download The Jewish State from several sites: try this one. One of the driving forces of anti-Semitism over the years has been the scurrilous World Conquest through World Government, sub-titled The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion. This forgery alleged that the Jews had a plot to achieve world domination. If you want to see the sort of propaganda that was being used to foster the hatred of the Jews, that can still be purchased or it can be downloaded here. This sort of material, which is now recognised as a forgery, serves as a warning that whilst the internet is a ready source of material, there are a lot of people who run websites for ulterior motives, political and otherwise. For basic information about Israel, her history and her people, try safe sites like the Israel Tourist Board; Zionism and Israel; or The Ministry of Foreign Affairs site. The latter produces an informative yearbook Facts about Israel which can also be viewed online at that site: as well as a lot of factual detail, there are also some downloadable maps (click on them to get higher resolution) which could enhance a visual presentation.
To make sure about the transformation that has taken place, the desert having begun to blossom as the rose, there are plenty of books written in the late nineteenth or early twentieth centuries that describe the conditions that then existed. Mention has already been made (in Chapter 16a) of Alexander Keiths Evidence of Prophecy (1837) in which the desolation of the land was seen as one fulfilment of Bible prophecy. In 1912, Sir Frederick Twelves described his tour of Palestine, as it then was, in a book entitled The Land that is Desolate. W. H. Bartlett wrote Jerusalem Revisited in 1867, and illustrated his account with sketches. There are lots of books like that, if you look out for them, and sometimes these travelogues have been reprinted, like Baedekers Jerusalem and Surroundings, which was reproduced by Carta publishers in 1973.
People
Another way into the subject is to read biographies or autobiographies, in which the unfolding story of Israels rebirth and resettlement is told through the experiences of those who were involved. Several books have been written about Theodor Herzl, like that by Josef Fraenkel (1946) or Herzl by Desmond Stewart (1974). Chaim Weizmann, the first President of Israel, wrote his own account Trial and Error (1949) and so did David BenGurion: Israel a Personal History (1971). That account is 862 pages long, so you might prefer his shorter Recollections (1970). Abba Eban also wrote an autobiography, called rather unimaginatively Abba Eban: An Autobiography (1977), and he also wrote My Country: The Story of Modern Israel (1972). Golda Meir wrote My Life in 1975 and if you want to read what life was like across the Egyptian border, Anwar Saddat wrote In Search of Identity in 1978. This list only scratches the surface, as many Israelis and others have written up their life experiences. Pick your politician or public figure and you can be sure that if they didnt write their story, somebody else wrote it for them. For example, Leah Rabin wrote about her husband: Our Life, His Legacy (1997) and Yael Dayan wrote of her father, Moshe Dayan: My Father, His Daughter (1985). The emergence of Modern Hebrew as the national language of Israel makes for a fascinating story. Robert St John has written Tongue of the Prophets (1952) to give a biographical account of the life and work of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda and that is a most encouraging read.
Pictures
Most of these biographical accounts are illustrated with black and white photographs, but there are also picture albums and illustrative accounts available. Among Sir Martin Gilberts 79 books is The Jews in the Twentieth Century: An Illustrated History (2001) which provides an excellent photographic record, with a detailed commentary. By contrast, The Jewish Family Album (1974), edited by M. & L. Kochan, is just a collection of old photographs with captions. Both these volumes and many like them, aid ones understanding considerably. Yigal Lossin wrote Pillar of Fire in 1983 in which he provides a visual history of the rebirth of Israel and here the pictures lead the way, with a substantial amount of accompanying commentary. By contrast, David BenGurion edited The Jews in their Land (1966) and, in view of the length of his autobiography, it should come as no surprise to know that it is mainly textual, although there are some interesting accompanying photographs: all of them black and white. If you want colour photographs, covering later events, try the Encyclopedia of Jewish History (1986), edited by Shamir and Shavit, one of the Facts on File publications.
Holocaust
Many books have been written about the horrors of Nazi Germany and Hitlers attempt at the final solution, which resulted in the extermination of some six million Jews. Sir Martins Gilberts book The Holocaust (1986) details those events in 956 pages, and he has produced an accompanying atlas. Many books record the sufferings of Jews in ghettoes (like Chaim Kaplans Scroll of Agony, which is about the Warsaw Ghetto); or The Diary of Anne Frank (1968). If you could bear, or need, a photographic record then The Yellow Star, by Gerhard Schoenberner (1960) provides a pictorial testimony of the Jews in Europe 1933-1945.
Fight for survival
There are many facets to Israeli life and experience and one of them has been their many wars, from 1948 onwards. These too have been chronicled and analysed in detail. A lively account about the 1948 war for the
survival of the infant nation is O Jerusalem! (1972) written by two journalists L. Collins and D. Lapierre. Jewish accounts, written by insiders, can be found in Road to Jerusalem by Barnet Litvinoff (1965) and Three Days by Zeev Sharef (1962), the days in question being the last three days of the British Mandate. These wars fall into another widely-read category, especially by people who work or worked in the armed forces, so it should be no surprise to know that Israels military might has been carefully studied and recorded. Books like Ian Hoggs Israeli War Machine (1983) analyse the men, machines and tactics. A more long-term look is provided by Duncan and Opatowskis War in the Holy Land (1998), which traces military engagements from Megiddo to the West Bank, with accompanying diagrams showing tactical manoeuvres. Some of the wars were recorded photographically, notably the so-called Holy War June 67, an album of photographs published by the Sunday Times in 1967. And many of them have been studied in detail in books like Chaim Herzogs The Arab-Israeli Wars (1982), or Randolph and Winston S. Churchills The Six Day War (1967). If conspiracy theories appeal to you, or you want a different perspective on what has really been going on, try Hoag Levins Arab Reach (1983), which details the way in which Arab power and influence has grown, or Foxbats over Dimona (2007) by Ginor and Remez, which is about the Soviets Nuclear Gamble in the Six-Day War. As you can see, reading about modern Israel can take up a lot of time, and the books a lot of shelf space, but we cannot underestimate the importance of what is happening there as a witness to Gods work in the world, and a preamble to the great events which are about to happen.
Novels
If you want some light reading, which will provide a flavour of what it has been like in Israel over the years, try Leon Uris Exodus; Herman Wouks two books The Hope and The Glory; or Kay Arthurs Israel My Beloved.
18 Bible commentaries
IF you cant understand a particular passage, or if you want more information, a Bible commentary can be a real help provided it is reliable and trustworthy. Some are; some are not. This article, and its accompanying website appendix, review useful material.
One volume works
If you were thinking of carrying a commentary with you to Bible Class or a Seminar (not a good idea!) you would need a large briefcase or handbag. One volume works are usually large format and bulky (although they are available electronically as well). They are better left at your desk or kept handy for when you are doing the daily readings. The New Bible Commentary, published by IVP, is one of the best available. This has been around since the 1950s, with revisions (more details in the appendix), and is soundly conservative. But as with all non-Christadelphian publications, you have to read with discrimination and allow for doctrinal bias. Three writers, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown combined to produce their Commentary, Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, which first appeared in 1871 and is still going strong. In these books of 1,300 or 1,500 pages respectively you cannot hope to have all your questions answered, but they will provide a lot of useful information and informed comment, which will get you started.
Older multi-volumes
When publishing just one volume, the editors have to limit their contributors in terms of length and space. That can focus the mind wonderfully, but you may want more detailed comment, especially on a particular verse or word. To meet that need, multi-volume commentary sets have been published, sometimes by one writer like Albert Barnes, Adam Clarke or John Gill; sometimes by many different contributors. But if space or cash is at a premium, buy selectively and choose the writer who has an established track record, or whose other works you have read and enjoyed. In 1863, the Speaker of the House of Commons consulted some bishops about producing a commentary on the whole Bible. The result was The Speakers Commentary, which extends to eleven volumes (plus two on the Apocrypha) and contains some excellent material, including works by William Kay, B. F. Westcott and J. B. Lightfoot. In 1877, C. J. Ellicott edited a similar collection, A Bible Commentary for English Readers, more
often known as Ellicotts Commentary, which can still be found second-hand in single book format, or as an entity in eight volumes. Look out for C. H. Waller on Deuteronomy and Joshua, among other contributors. It is often the case that older works are more conservative in upholding the inspiration of scripture and some of the available series, like Moffatts Commentary or The Interpreters Bible can be quite liberal and critical. Read carefully and go for writers you have learned to trust.
Modern commentaries
If you want to build up a set of Old and New Testament commentaries, one at a time as you work your way through the different books of the Bible, you can do no better than to collect the Tyndale Commentaries, published by IVP. These deal with exposition in some detail, but not overwhelmingly so. If you want more detailed commentary, and have deep pockets, the ongoing series of New International Commentaries on the Old and New Testaments (NICOT and NICNT) are both conservative and
18a - More about commentaries

NO Christadelphian commentary exists as yet which covers all the books of the Bible, although if all the individual volumes that have been written were to be assembled and published in a uniform format, we would be nearly there. The nearest overall coverage is provided by The Christadelphian Expositor series, published by Logos Publications, but that is still a work in progress. This appendix looks at well-established series of works by non-Christadelphians, and offers some pointers as to what is available and what is worthwhile. If you have recommendations of your own, please share them.
One-volume works
The New Bible Commentary (NBC) by Inter Varsity Press has now gone through four revisions. Originally published under that title, it then became The New Bible Commentary Revised (1970) and is now The New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition (2000). These are quite substantial revisions, each time under different editorial control (the present editors are D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer and G J. Wenham) with different contributors, but each of these editions can be useful. The updates tend to take account of recent findings and developments and new writers bring their own expertise, but all editions are solidly conservative. The present edition is available in Libronix format as part of the IVP Essential Reference Collection. The other single-volume work mentioned earlier, that by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, has gone through a variety of formats, but the content has remained the same throughout. Published in 1871 this was originally six volumes, but as printing techniques improved it became a single volume. A. R. Fausset is the key contributor and he wrote the sections covering Job to Malachi and 1 Corinthians to Revelation, a very substantial part of the whole. Known by its initials (JBF), this commentary is accessible online and is available in electronic format in several of the Bible software formats. Because of its age, it has now come into the public domain. Abridged editions of other multi-volume works have also appeared, notably Matthew Henrys Commentary (first published in six volumes in 1708-10) and that by Adam Clarke (this was originally eight volumes, published between 1810 and 1826). As the original expositions are quite wordy, the abridgements are helpful and these too are now accessible electronically, and online. To access Adam Clarke, go here. SPCK brought out A New Commentary on Holy Scripture in 1928 which has a range of contributors from the Anglican tradition. It was edited by Gore, Goudge and Guillaume and starts rather ominously with this sentence: This Commentary is written by Anglican scholars who, while holding their faith, are determined in approaching the books to give their critical faculty, instructed by all the means within their power, its full and rightful freedom. So beware! F. F. Bruce edited The International Bible Commentary first published by Zondervan in 1979. Bruce himself contributed several of the introductory articles, as well as commentaries on the books of Ezekiel and Revelation and the volume includes contributions from H. L. Ellison and D. J. Wiseman, among many others. Another useful single volume commentary is The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, edited by Pfeiffer and Harrison (new edition 1990). This time there are no background articles, as in the NBC, just exposition of the 66 books, with contributions from evangelical scholars like E. Earle Ellis, D. A. Hubbard and G. E. Ladd.
By far the easiest way to access these commentaries is to buy a software package like Biblesofts PC Study Bible, where you can readily access and compare comments by Barnes, JFB, Matthew Henry and Wycliffe. It is because these commentators say comparatively little about each verse that this is easy to accomplish. But that can help to get an across-the-board assessment of what a particular verse might mean.
Older multi-volume works
That brings us to the more lengthy and more considered works that are available and these are both numerous and extremely variable. The following review takes them in approximate date order and offers a few comments on each. Personal preference varies a lot, so I apologise if I trample upon your sensitivities. My overall recommendation is that it is better to be selective, and go for particular volumes in different series, rather than try to collect one series as if that was the definitive set. I would also suggest keeping your collection of books together in Bible book order (e.g. the Genesis collection together) rather than in sets of commentaries. This makes better visual sense too; for publishers keep bringing out revisions and new editions in different formats and colours, apparently just to try to get you to upgrade your previous volumes in order to get a matching set. One of the first collections to be published was that of John Gill who wrote An Exposition of the New Testament (three volumes 1746-8), and then his Exposition of the Old Testament (six volumes 1748-63). The value of that work can be seen in that it has now become available electronically, including in the Online Bible. Mention has already been made of Albert Barnes who brought out his Notes (Barnes Notes) on all the books of the Bible in the early 1800s. They are readily available second-hand and vary quite a lot in quality. One writer said about him: Placed by the side of the great masters, Barnes is a lesser light. The notes were originally written for Sunday School teachers, but that was an age when average Bible knowledge far exceeded present levels. Mention has also been made of The Speakers Bible Commentary (1863) and Ellicotts Commentary (1877). The former was published in America as The Bible Commentary (1871-81) and it is also available in a condensed form in The Students Commentary (1887), which was based upon Speakers. In 1863 The Gnomon of the New Testament was published, having been translated from Bengels native German into English, the editor being A. R. Fausset (of JFB fame). It was once very popular and has been printed in many different editions (originally in five volumes). Bengel sums up his approach by saying: Put nothing into the scriptures, but draw everything from them, and suffer nothing to remain hidden that is really in them. This is a somewhat technical work, but manageable for readers without Greek, as is Alfords Greek Testament, published in 1861 in four volumes. It was supplemented two years later by The New Testament for English Readers in which Alfords comments were reproduced alongside the English text, instead of the Greek. Alfords approach was marked by a shift from primarily theological, homiletic concerns to those of philology, historical studies, and textual criticism (i.e. to determine the most reliable available original text). In 1872 The Holy Bible with Notes and Introductions appeared, written by Chr. Wordsworth (then Bishop of Lincoln). Often quoted by Brother Harry Whittaker in his writings, Wordsworths Commentary also incorporates the Biblical text and extends to nine large-format volumes, the New Testament ones having the Greek (not English) text, whereas the Old Testament ones have just the English. It is a scholarly work with some interesting insights, but it is not readily available second-hand.
Commentaries: a book at a time
Multi-volume works written by one individual have a unity of approach and a consistency of style. By contrast, commentary series are the result of the efforts of many scholars and writers, the work being commissioned under specified guidelines and then edited to match the general approach and format. The resultant books are bound to be somewhat variable, meaning that you may enjoy and profit from some of them but not from others. (This is why I suggest you pick volumes with discretion rather than collect the whole series.) This time, rather than listing the various series in date order, the review starts with the ones which are most straightforward and least complicated and progresses to those which are highly academic and very specialist. It does not include every available series but is limited to the main ones.
The Century Bible Small format commentaries originally published 1901-03 in thirty-four volumes (some later editions combined various books). Based on the RV, and edited by W. F. Adeney, they have introductions to each book and short comments below the text. They are available cheaply second-hand and some of them can be useful. The Clarendon Bible Designed for schools, these are essentially textbooks and the prevailing attitude is that of higher criticism. But there is some useful information available in the series (thirty-four volumes in all), like Kirks Introduction to the volume on Romans. As has happened with many other commentaries, this series has been revised from the 1950s onwards (as stocks of the original version ran out). Based on the RSV, the New Clarendon Bible is more structured and has greater clarity than the original, and includes writers like D. S. Russell and C. K. Barrett. The Torch Bible Commentaries These are short books (typically about 150 pages) published by SCM Press in the 1950s. Each book gives a general introduction and offers brief comments on various aspects of a verse. They do not include the text of the Bible book in question, just comments, and again you will want to choose your writer with care. The series includes works by A. M. Hunter (Romans and Mark) and C. E. B. Cranfield (1 & 2 Peter & Jude). IVP New Testament Commentaries These are short and straightforward books, published in the 1990s and written by evangelical scholars. Some are worth having, like that by I. H. Marshall on 1 Peter, but generally the treatment is quite basic, non-technical and user-friendly. The Pulpit Commentary Originally published between 1880 and 1819, this series of twenty-three substantial volumes is designed to help speakers (hence the name) and includes brief homilies to help develop exhortational themes. In all it contains 26,512 pages, so it could keep you reading for a lifetime, but it is also now available electronically, and in Libronix format. Go here or here. A Devotional Commentary As the title of the series suggests, this is predominantly aimed at bringing out practical and thought-provoking ideas from the text, rather than being concerning primarily with matters of exegesis. If you want something easy and gentle to read which will offer you some meditative reflections, this series might suit. The sought-after volumes are by W. H. Griffith Thomas on Genesis and Romans. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Edited by Stewart Perowne, these were first issued in the 1880s-90s, the editorial policy being to let each commentary have its own individual character. The result is that, whilst dated, some of these volumes are still useful, whilst some are quite basic. A later series emerged, this time based on the RV text, in the early 1900s, with several different editors (including J. Skinner, T. K. Cheyne, A. F. Kirkpatrick, and S. R. Driver) and this revised version takes a somewhat more critical view than that originally taken (itself expressive of the shift in religious opinion with regard to the authority of scripture). The bindings of these two editions make them easily distinguishable, the former having a darker blue cover. A further refinement to this series was the publication in the late 1800s of the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges under the general editorship of J. A. Robinson. These too have an introduction to each book, the Greek text this time (as you would expect) and short comments on the various verses. These are more specialised and you might need Greek and Latin to get the full benefit from them. The covers of this series are brown. The Moffatt New Testament Commentary A product of the 1930s, this series was based on the Moffatt translation of the New Testament and was written with James Moffatt as the editor. It can be quite critical in tone, but the series includes useful works by C. H. Dodd and W. Manson, whilst Moffatt himself wrote two of the commentaries (1 Corinthians and the General Epistles).
Westminster Commentaries Under the editorship of Walter Lock, this series was first published in the 1890s. It set out to be less elementary than the Cambridge Bible for Schools, less critical than the International Critical Commentary, less didactic than the Expositors Bible. The series contains a few volumes that are worth collecting, like those by S. R. Driver on Genesis and R. B. Rackham on Acts. The New Century Bible Commentary Based on the RSV, this commentary came into existence in the 1960s and has been gradually appearing and being updated since. It is now published jointly by Eerdmans and Marshall Pickering under the general editorship of R. E. Clements (OT) and M. Black (NT). There are some useful volumes, including N. H. Snaith (Leviticus and Numbers, in the original format), F. F. Bruce (Corinthians), and E. Earle Ellis (Luke). One of the advantages of these shorter commentaries is that the writers get to the point faster and are thus less academic in their approach (On the one hand this, on the other hand that!). The Expositors Bible Originally completed in 1903, this series includes both conservative and critical writers, so you have as ever to choose and read with care. Originally published as individual volumes, the set has also been republished in sixvolume format, and can now be obtained electronically (in pdf format).Some of these volumes, like that by Kellogg on Leviticus are much sought after, and are quite scarce, although individual volumes have been reprinted. Or they can be accessed online: go here for Kellogg. The Expositors Bible Commentary This is not an update of the previous commentary but an entirely new production under the general editorship of F. E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas, with assistance in the Old Testament from Bruce Waltke and Walter Kaiser, and in the New Testament by James Montgomery Boice and Merrill C. Tenney. There are seventy-eight different contributors from many different evangelical backgrounds, and the approach is to offer general comments with more detailed footnotes to explain particular points. This was first published as a twelve-volume set, in large format, including introductory articles, but it is now available electronically from Zondervan at a much cheaper price. A product of the 1980s, this Commentary is now being revised and replacement volumes are beginning to appear. Daily Study Bible Originally covering just the New Testament, and wholly written by William Barclay, this series has now been extended to include the Old Testament. Barclays writing is deservedly popular, especially because of his helpful insights to New Testament Greek and his easy style of writing. He includes some helpful and practical illustrations and draws widely upon the writings of other scholars. The Old Testament volumes vary in quality and usefulness but, as ever, there is some helpful material to be discovered. New Testament Commentary Another series which began as the work of one man is that published by Banner of Truth which was written by William Hendricksen. Starting in 1954 with the Gospel of John, he wrote a series of commentaries until his death in 1982, since when the series has been completed by Simon Kistemaker. Readily recognisable by their gold-coloured dust jackets, this series has gone through several reprints, including consolidating individual books into larger volumes. As well as the usual introduction and general comments, the format includes sections on practical application, Greek words and phrases, and summaries of what a particular section has been saying. Tyndale Bible Commentaries This is an excellent and straightforward series of books covering the whole Bible (in twenty-eight Old Testament and twenty New Testament volumes) by trustworthy writers like F. F. Bruce, Leon Morris, Derek Kidner, R. K. Harrison and Joyce Baldwin. All the books are similar in approach and layout. The Introduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section-by-section, drawing out the main themes and dealing with individual verses and problems of interpretation. IVP, the publishers, are now completely re-typesetting the series (and producing different covers) but they are also replacing certain
volumes, the first on Esther by Debra Reid having been issued in February 2008. If that is typical of the updates, it is perfectly acceptable, but adds little to the earlier volume by the late Joyce Baldwin. The Bible Speaks Today This series, again published by IVP, began life as a series of individual volumes written with a common format but titled individually. Thus, for example, J. A. Motyers book about Amos, published in 1974, was titled The Day of the Lion and John Stotts book on Ephesians was named Gods New Society. When sufficient of these had been published, the decision was taken to reissue them under the common format of The Message of : in these two instances The Message of Amos and The Message of Ephesians. Compared with the Tyndale series, these books give rather less by way of introduction and background but provide more commentary, again of a non-technical nature. They are very readable, but vary in quality depending upon the author. The writings of Motyer, Stott and Kidner are first class, if read with discrimination. The New Testament series has recently become available in Libronix format: The Bible Speaks Today: New Testament. Pillar New Testament Commentary Series This is another work in progress, again by IVP, based on the Greek New Testament and using the NIV as a basis. It is designed for serious students and already includes works by Leon Morris (Matthew and Romans) and D. A. Carson (John). To date, nine volumes have been published and another series (Apollos Old Testament Commentary Series) is beginning. Of the writing of many commentaries by one publishing house, there is no end, or so it would seem. Blacks New Testament Commentaries Published by A & C Black, these volumes which first appeared in the 1960s are written for people with a more academic background and are a bit more technical than the ones considered so far. Under the general editorship of Henry Chadwick, the contributors include C. K. Barrett, F. W. Beare, J. N. D. Kelly and C. F. D. Moule. There is some excellent material here, if used with care, and whilst the approach is scholarly, they are readily accessible. Anchor Bible Edited by Albright and Freedman and published by Doubleday in the 1960s, this series is variable in character but includes excellent material from John Bright (Jeremiah) and Raymond Brown (Johns Gospel and Epistles). Contributors are drawn from a mixed background of Catholic, Protestant and Jewish; so read with care! Word Bible Commentary Published by Word Publishing, under the general editorship of D. A. Hubbard and G. W. Barker, some sixty volumes of this are presently available, with the remainder in the pipeline. This has a very distinctive approach, which you will either love or hate; in that each section of the text is followed by textual Notes, then observations about Form / Structure / Setting then comes Comment, then Explanation. It can make for somewhat tiresome reading, but the scholarly credentials of the various writers speak for themselves, including F. F. Bruce (Thessalonians), G. J. Wenham (Genesis), R. P. Martin (2 Corinthians; Philippians and James). New International Commentaries: Old Testament and New Testament Known by their abbreviations, NICOT and NICNT, this series is still being written and has already been revised in part. The Old Testament series began life in 1976 under the general editorship of E. J. Young and R. K. Harrison, published by Eerdmans. The New Testament series started in 1951 under the then editorship of N. B. Stonehouse and F. F. Bruce. Over the years the length of these books has increased substantially. For example, John Murray wrote the first exposition of Romans for the series which was published in two volumes, later combined, and the total length was 694 pages. In 1996 that was replaced by Douglas Moos work on Romans which consists of one volume of 1012 pages, and that expansion and enlargement is typical. Despite their length, and cost, these volumes are very detailed and helpful for the serious student and whilst textual and technical matters are dealt with, most of them are relegated to extensive footnotes. That keeps the text very readable and user-friendly. Recommendations about particular volumes will appear in a later appendix. International Critical Commentaries These volumes are intended for the more academic reader, especially those with a grasp of Hebrew and Greek, so if you can cope with that, these works offer detailed commentary. Older volumes in the series are readily
available, and the works of Sanday & Headlam (Romans) and Plummer (Luke) are highly regarded. A revised series has now been published (for example, Sanday & Headlams work has been replaced by Cranfields two volumes), but these are seriously expensive works. Available also in Libronix format, it is evident from the pricing that they are really intended for academic and institutional use. Commentary on the Old Testament Published by Eerdmans and now available in ten volumes, this commentary by Keil and Delitzsch, which was first written in German, expounds the Biblical text in considerable detail, including using a fair amount of Hebrew (which is also transliterated). The result is in-depth comment which is however accessible to an English reader, and this is now made more available because it can be obtained electronically from Ages software as part of the Biblesoft PC Study Bible package, or in Libronix format. Volumes are also available second-hand, but you may need several of them to get complete coverage of a Bible book, as the commentary was first published in shorter volumes, which have now been consolidated. New International Greek Text Commentary These are commentaries on the Greek text and are designed for the serious student. They are expensive and complicated but some of the writers might appeal, including F. F. Bruce on Galatians, Dunn on Colossians & Philemon and I. H. Marshall on Luke. They are available in Libronix format, at a price! This is not an exhaustive review of all the available material, but it offers some pointers towards what might be useful to you, and what you might want to avoid. Whichever commentary you choose to read, to help with a particular problem passage, or to widen your general appreciation, the message has to be read with care and think carefully! Remember that publishers are always wanting to get sales, and academic authors are under pressure to publish, so the process of updating work is ongoing and if you try to keep up with everything that is revised or re-issued you will need very deep pockets. There are other ways of keeping up with things like archaeological findings or historical reappraisals, including by reading our community magazines. As ever, your own recommendations or observations are welcome
19 One book at a time

ITS the easiest thing in the world to start reading a book or a magazine, but then get diverted part way through and leave it unfinished. That might have become your standard approach, if you are preparing an address or doing some personal Bible study. Perhaps you just look up a particular point, in a book or on the Internet, and then move on to something else. Some people eat like that as well: raiding the fridge when theyre peckish and never sitting down to a proper meal.
Balanced diet
It would be a strange way of reading a detective book or a thriller, just to dip in here and there. Imagine reading the end first, finding out who did it, then working backwards to see just how the author contrived the plot and built up the suspense. That would have some merit if you wanted to try writing the same thing yourself; but it is not how the book should be read. Gods word is the finest work ever written and it deserves our full and undivided attention. We would deplore anyone who suggested that you should only read those parts that take your fancy, and leave the rest alone. We believe in reading the whole Bible all year long, not dipping in here and there. But how can we get a better understanding of its message and come to terms, year by year, with the background to various parts, the meaning of particular passages, and the unifying themes that bind the sixty-six books together? Heres an idea which might improve your spiritual digestion, without overloading it. Decide on a short Bible book that you find difficult: something like Joel or Colossians; then track down a Christadelphian book that has been written to help you understand it. Read that book right through. By picking a short book, you wont have made life too hard for yourself. The available books on Joel, for example, comprise thirty-four and eighty-six pages respectively. Or, if you just wanted to read the twenty-two pages in Brother Fred Pearces From Hosea to Zephaniah (1979), you would have made a promising start. Brother Tom Barlings Letter to the Colossians (1972) is a bit longer, at 189 pages, the first fifty pages being an introduction to the letter; all of it written in an easy and elegant style by a brother who has made a lifelong study of the Apostle Paul. This months Appendix
details Christadelphian writings on different Bible books, many of which would be suitable for this way of reading a book at a time.
Remember, remember
There is a real advantage to be gained from reading the whole book, rather than just homing in on the comments on a particular passage. First, you get the full benefit of the authors insight, including knowledge of the background and circumstances. Second, by taking time to absorb the whole thing you stand a better chance of being able to remember what you have read and where you read it. Of course there are other ways of getting things to stick in your mind: 1. You can write comments in the margin of your Bible, with the author and page number attached. For example, alongside Colossians 1:17 you might find yourself writing Christ an integrating and cohesive force (Barling 87). 2. You might decide to draw a light pencil line alongside a significant passage in the book. (Try to avoid using fluorescent markers or coloured pencils, which spoil the book for future readers.) 3. Really interesting points can be indexed in blank pages at the back of the book, with the appropriate page number. For example, if you wanted to find the comment mentioned earlier, you might pencil in: Christ integrating and cohesive 87. Brother C. C. Walker was a very keen indexer and underliner (in ink). If you see a book advertised in the second-hand section Ex CCW, expect to find it annotated with his comments, including his disagreements. Sometimes they make entertaining reading. 4. Try summarising the main themes of the book when you have finished it. This is a tip suggested by Brother Alfred Norris in Preaching the Word, and he gives some examples. Its a wonderful discipline to ensure that you followed the writers main ideas, but do the summary soon, otherwise the next book you read will already be preoccupying you. 5. To ensure that you finish the book (unless it is so awful you have to abandon it!) try the discipline of jotting down the titles of those books you have read year-by-year, and compare how you are doing as the years pass. But bear this in mind: as your understanding improves there is every chance that you will get even more benefit from books that you have already read once. Be prepared to pull them out of the bookcase and re-read them (or scan the passages you identified as especially helpful). It was wise King Solomon who once said: Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh (Ecclesiastes 12:12), but it seems he was an old man at the time. His recommendation was that we should use our youthful energy to the full in seeking after those things and thoughts that really matter
19a - What's available?

IF you want a commentary written by a Christadelphian which will guide you through a book of the Bible, you might find what youre looking for in the list that follows. This is not a listing of every expository book ever written, nor is it a list only of recommended works. It is a selection of available books new or secondhand which have been written by Christadelphians and which you could find helpful if you want to do some detailed study of a particular book. Some of these books will appeal to you, some will not. It is impossible to select books which will please everyone and which will suit every students need, but this is what there is available: KEY: Title / Author / Publisher (Notes)
Old Testament Genesis Exodus
Genesis / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor Genesis 1,2,3,4 / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books Exodus / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor
Israel in the Wilderness / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books (some chapters in Exodus and Numbers) The Beauty of Holiness / M. Ashton / CMPA The Schoolmaster / J. Martin / CSSS The Law of Moses / R. Roberts / CMPA (deals with the law but not sequentially) Law and Grace / W. F. Barling / CMPA (deals with the law but not sequentially) Offerings Feasts & Sanctuary / F. E. Mitchell / CMPA (deals with a selection of topics rather than the book as a whole) Deuteronomy for Disciples / A. H. Nicholls / CMPA Joshua / M. Beale / CMPA Joshua His Life & Times / J. Ullman / CSSS I will be with you / R. Standeven / CSSU Judges & Ruth / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books Judges / J. Martin / CSSS (with special reference to Deborah & Gideon) Judges & Ruth / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books Under Whose Wings / R. Standeven / Roelian Books, 17 Over Hall Park, Mirfield, West Yorkshire, UK Ruth / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor Ruth A Love Story / Sis. B. Booker / Bible Books Samuel the Seer / M. Ashton / CMPA Samuel, Saul & David / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books The Peoples Choice / R. Standeven / Roelian Books (1 Samuel 1-15) Kings of Israel & Judah / J. Cowie / CSSS Chronicles of the Kings / M. Ashton / CMPA The Divided Kingdom / P. Hinde / Tamarisk Nehemiah / R. Abel / CSSS The Exiles Return / M. Ashton / CMPA Esther / J. Knowles / CSSS (Study Notes) The Book of Job / C. Tennant / CMPA The Book of Job / E. M. Spongberg / Printland Publishers Job / R. T. Lovelock / CMPA Job / C. C. Walker / CMPA (Booklet)
Leviticus
Numbers Joshua Judges Ruth Samuel Esther Job Deuteronomy
Kings & Chronicles
Ezra & Nehemiah
Psalms Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel
Sitting with Job / J. Balchin / Rhoswiel Books Ecclesiastes and Other Studies / L. G. Sargent / CMPA The Education of Job / D. Baird / CSSS Exploring the Psalms / M. Vincent / CMPA (Introductory material) Handbook to the Psalms / E. Wilson / CSSS (Introductory material) Hezekiah the Great & the Songs of Degrees / H. A. Whittaker & G. Booker / CMPA Psalms Studies / G. Booker / Bible Books (2 Volumes) Psalms / Various / CSSS (multi-volumes: ongoing) Songs of Degrees / P. Cresswell / CSSS Studies in the Psalms / C. Tennant / Tamarisk (2 Volumes) Proverbs / A. Crawford / CSSS (3 Volumes) Ecclesiastes and Other Studies / L. G. Sargent / CMPA Ecclesiastes and Other Studies / L. G. Sargent / CMPA Ecclesiastes / I. Collyer / Printland Publishers Ecclesiastes / R. Krygger / CSSS Song of Solomon / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor Song of Solomon Study Guide / S. G. Owen / CMPA Song of Solomon / R. W. Ask / CSSS Mighty to Save: The Message of Isaiah / R. Willetts / CMPA The Ministry of the Prophets: Isaiah / R. Roberts & C. C. Walker / CMPA and Dawn Isaiah / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books The Ministry of Jeremiah / C. C. Walker / CMPA Of Whom the World was not Worthy / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books Lamentations of Jeremiah / G. Booker & H. Troy / CSSS The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel / W. H. Boulton / CMPA Temple of Ezekiels Prophecy / H. Sulley / CMPA Ezekiel 1-39 / J. Allfree / CSSS An Exposition of Daniel / J. Thomas / CMPA Daniel / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor The Prophecy of Daniel / E. J. Green / CMPA Daniels Challenge / A. Taylor / CSSU Daniel & Christ / I. Collyer / Kenilworth Visions in Daniel / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Jeremiah
Lamentations
The Minor Prophets

Hosea Joel
From Hosea to Zephaniah / F. T. Pearce / CMPA Major Challenges from Minor Prophets / Various / CSSU The Prophecy of Hosea / C. Tennant / CMPA Joel / C. Parry / CSSS Joels Prophecy / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books Joel: Prophet of Gloom and Glory / H. P. Mansfield / Logos Joel: Teeth in the Wind / P. Robinson / Printland Publications From Hate to Hope: Obadiah / J. B. Pickering / CSSS Jonah & Nahum / H. P. Mansfield / Logos Mercy & Judgement / G. Henstock / CSSS Nahum the Comforter / D. Baird / CSSS The Prophecy of Jonah / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books Habakkuk / J. Luke & A. Johns / CSSS Upon the Watchtower / H. P. Mansfield / Logos Prophets after the Exile / J. Carter / CMPA The Second Exodus / G. & R. Walker / Bible Study Publications (Isaiahs & Zechariahs prophecies of the Return) Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor Malachi / J. Ullman / CSSS
Amos & Obadiah Jonah, Micah & Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi
New Testament Gospels Mark Luke John
Studies in the Gospels / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books The Teaching of the Master / L. G. Sargent / CMPA The Sermon on the Mount / J. Luke / CSSS Mark: The Gospel of the Son of God / L. G. Sargent / CMPA The Gospel of Mark / A. D. Norris / CMPA The Gospel of John / J. Carter / CMPA Eight Signs of John / J. Ullman / Logos Come and See / D. Nightingale / Biblia Books; Printland Pubishers
Matthew
Acts Epistles Romans James
Explorations in Johns Gospel / N. Smart / Pax Books Studies in the Acts of the Apostles / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books Acts and Epistles / A. D. Norris / Aletheia Books Acts / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor Seven Short Epistles / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books (Colossians, Philemon, James, 1-3 John, Jude) Pauls Letter to the Romans / J. Carter / CMPA Romans / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor Understand the Bible for Yourself / O. T. Morgan / CBM (The Gospel in Romans) From Faith to Faith / E. M. Spongberg / Printland Publishers The Challenge of Corinthians / M. Ashton / CMPA 2nd Corinthians / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books 2 Corinthians (1-5,8-9) / R. Abel / CSSS The Letter to the Galatians / J. Carter / CMPA The Letter to the Ephesians / J. Carter / CMPA Epistle to the Ephesians / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books Portrait of the Saint / John Marshall / CMPA The Letter to the Philippians / T. J. Barling / CMPA Philippians Study Guide / M. G. Owen / CMPA The Letter to the Colossians / T. J. Barling / CMPA Waiting for His Son / G. Booker / Tamarisk 2 Thessalonians: The Man of Sin / R. Abel / CSSS Letters to Timothy & Titus / A. H. Nicholls / CMPA Godliness with Contentment: 1 Timothy / G. Booker & T. Halton / CSSS 1 Timothy / B. Williams / CSSS 2 Timothy / A. Hill / CSSS Titus / W. Rosser / CSSS The Letter to the Hebrews / J. Carter / CMPA The Epistle to the Hebrews / W. H. Boulton / Maranatha Press Hebrews / J. Martin / CSSS
Corinthians
Galatians Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians Thessalonians
Timothy & Titus
Philemon Hebrews
Jude
The Epistle of James / N. Smart / CMPA James / J. Martin / CSSS James to Jude / H. P. Mansfield / Logos; The Christadelphian Expositor 1 Peter / J. Luke / CSSS Peters Epistles / H. A. Whittaker / Biblia Books First Epistle of John / M. Purkis / Printland Publishers The Epistles of John / N. Smart / CMPA Jude / J. Ullman / CSSS
1 & 2 Peter
1-3 John
Revelation
(See Chapter 16a for a list of many of the available interpretations available) Interpreting the Book of Revelation / A. H. Nicholls / CMPA Revelation Study Guide / M. Ashton / CMPA The Revelation Which Interpretation? / G. Pearce / CSSS Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia / L. Bedwell / CMPA Letters to the Seven Ecclesias / B. Luke / CSSS
20 Keeping an open mind

THIS series has been encouraging readers to build up a library of useful and profitable books and to read those books all the way through, and refer to them often. It has suggested works as diverse as concordances, lexicons, atlases, dictionaries, books about history, biographies and commentaries. Recommendations have been made in all of these different categories, and more have appeared in the appendices to each article, on the Christadelphian Office website. This time the concluding appendix recommendations are about nonChristadelphian commentaries on the Biblical text. Many other recommendations have been received by me as the series has progressed. Its heart-warming to hear a brother say, Ive just read Brother L. G. Sargents excellent book A Sound Mind; dont forget to give it a mention. But, of course, you cant mention everything! Thats why catalogues and booklists are produced by the CMPA, CSSS and other publishers. But remember, personal recommendations are invaluable, especially from someone you know and whose opinions you value.
Open book
The key thing is to be reading something all the time. Have a meaningful book by your bedside, near your favourite armchair, on your desk. I remember once visiting the home of two avid readers and discovering a very good selection of reading material in the bathroom! Once you get bitten by the reading bug you take every opportunity to enlarge your mind, provided you dont fritter your time away by always reading inconsequential stuff. It may be relaxing, but is it the best use of your time? Of course, people have differing views about what suits them best, and that is as it should be. What is right for one person may not be right for another. That too is what this series has been about: being willing to learn from everyone, including from books by non-Christadelphians, provided we read carefully and with discrimination. If you can, it is often worth reading about the writer before you read his or her writings, so you know their doctrinal position (or the lack of it). If they are academics, it is worth knowing if they are believers or sceptics. Sometimes, as with Birmingham-based Dr. Michael Goulder, they start off believing and lose their faith during their writing career. Despite writing some challenging books, especially about the Gospels, Goulder became a self-styled non-aggressive atheist as far back as 1981. Nowadays there are several sources available to keep
you informed about such things, including the flyleaf of the book and the Internet. Google the authors name and see what comes up.
Standing on anothers shoulders
Isaac Newton once said, in a letter to Robert Hooke, If I have seen a little further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. He meant that he owed a debt to the scientists who had preceded him, from whose writings and findings he had learned much. We too want to see as far forward as we can, especially as we try to anticipate events associated with the coming of the Lord. And we need to find every means of communicating with an increasingly self-obsessed world. Our early brethren set us a good example in this respect, for they were evidently well-read. Sometimes they were helped by what they read; sometimes they were provoked to find better answers. Brother Thomas starts Eureka with a Preface which refers critically to the four-volume work Horae Apocalypticae by E. B. Elliott, and later mentions the views of the Early Church fathers, Polycarp and Irenaeus. In Gods Way, Brother John Carter quotes extensively from the writings of contemporary theologians, to show how far Christendom has strayed from the true Gospel. The late Brother Edward Whittaker once told me that he regularly read the works of non-Christadelphians to keep abreast of modern theological thinking. There is always something to learn from conscientious people who have tried their best to explain what scripture means, and their findings can often be illuminating and thought-provoking. And it helps to know the new theological ideas so that we can challenge them as they develop. New books like The Da Vinci Code or The God Delusion offer another such opportunity to deal with topical and controversial issues in a positive and Biblical way, thus re-presenting the age-old Gospel message in a modern and appealing way. Political developments offer a similar opportunity, if we keep abreast of them. Invariably, the writing community also responds to controversy, producing much useful material, which can bring the reader up to date with Gnosticism, Evolution, or whichever human notion has become fashionable again. These are also shoulders upon which to climb if we want to look ahead with advantage.
Open not empty
There is an important difference between an open mind one which is open to different points of view and willing to learn and an uninformed mind. We need to read everything carefully and to weigh new ideas thoughtfully, in the light of our distinctive understanding of scripture. Make your mind up about things and stick to your committed beliefs, but always be ready to accept that other people can help you along the way, even if their doctrinal position is uncertain in some things. Be willing to learn, but always make the word of God your key instructor. As a final thought, read widely but read wisely! It was the Apostle Paul who made this enlightened comment: I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise (Romans 1:14).
20a - Filling your open mind

PLENTY of recommendations are available for non-Christadelphian expositions of scripture, if you look for them. Publishers catalogues, especially the glossy ones with coloured pictures, often contain a blurb encouraging you to buy. Reviews can be helpful, including by individuals on the web; but you need to know something about the doctrinal background of the people making the recommendation. And there are books which make nothing but recommendations. My wife would say: Its a sure sign that youve got the collecting bug when you buy books about books, and shes probably right! Sometimes books about Bible study will contain lists of recommended commentaries (we have already looked at two such lists, by a Christadelphian, in Chapter 4a). How to Read the Bible for all its worth, by G. D. Fee and D. Stuart (Scripture Union, 1982) contains a useful list from a conservative source. There is an Old Testament Commentary Survey by Tremper Longman III and a New Testament Commentary Survey by D. A. Carson, jointly published by Baker and IVP, on a regular basis, which tells you a little about the various books and authors and rates them in order of preference. And you can find many lists on the Internet. if you want to see a sample of what is available, try this, this or this.
Who are they?
To find out about the various authors, and their academic or other credentials, there are many books which tell you about their background and attitudes. There are biographies and autobiographies, like In Retrospect, by F. F. Bruce (whose religious affiliation was with The Brethren) or William Barclay: The Plain Uncommon Man by R. D. Kernohan. There are useful summaries in books like the Historical Handbook of Major Bible Interpreters, edited by D. K. McKim (IVP, 1998) or Bible Interpreters of the 20th Century (edited by W. A. Elwell and J. D. Weaver; Baker, 1999). There are abbreviated details of some of the older writers in dictionaries, like the New Dictionary of Theology by IVP, 1988, edited by J. I. Packer. Now to some recommendations of books by non-Christadelphians you might find helpful, in whole or in part. Remember that because their doctrinal stance is different from ours, you are not going to agree with everything. If you are uncomfortable about that, stick to Christadelphian writings and consult the list in Chapter 19a instead. KEY: Title / Author / Publisher (Notes)
Old Testament Genesis Exodus Joshua Judges
Genesis / D. Kidner / IVP, TOTC (for abbreviations see below) The Book of Genesis / V. P. Hamilton / Eerdmans, NICOT Genesis / G. J. Wenham / Word, WBC Exodus / B. S. Childs / Westminster, OTL Commentary on the Book of Exodus / U. Cassuto / Magnes Press Exodus / W. C. Kaiser Jr. / Zondervan, EBC The Book of Leviticus / S. H. Kellogg / Hodder & Stoughton, EB A Commentary on Leviticus / A. A. Bonar / James Nisbet Holiness to the Lord / A. P. Ross / Baker The Book of Leviticus / G. J. Wenham / Eerdmans, NICOT The Book of Numbers / T. R. Ashley / Eerdmans, NICOT Numbers / G. J. Wenham / IVP, TOTC Numbers / J. Phillip / Word, WBC Deuteronomy / J. A. Thompson / IVP, TOTC The Book of the Law / G. T. Manley / Tyndale Deuteronomy / C. H. Waller / Ellicotts Commentary Deuteronomy / D. Kidner / Scripture Union: Bible Study Series The Book of Deuteronomy / P. C. Craigie / Eerdmans, NICOT Joshua / R. Hess / IVP, TOTC Joshua / C. H. Waller / Ellicotts Commentary The Book of Joshua / M. H. Woudstra / Eerdmans, NICOT Commentary on the Book of Judges / A. R. Fausset / James Nisbet (reprinted James & Klock) Distressing Days of the Judges / L. Wood / Zondervan
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Ruth Samuel Esther Job Psalms
Judges & Ruth / A. E. Cundall & L. Morris / IVP, TOTC The Book of Ruth / R. L. Hubbard / Eerdmans, NICOT 1 & 2 Samuel / J. Baldwin / IVP, Tyndale OTC 1 Samuel / R. W. Klein / Word, WBC 2 Samuel / A. A. Anderson / Word, WBC The First Book of Samuel / D. T. Tsumura / Eerdmans, NICOT 1 and 2 Kings / D. J. Wiseman / IVP, TOTC Biblical Commentary on the Book of Kings / C. F. Keil / Eerdmans, K&D Kings / A. G. Auld / St Andrews Press, DSB 2 Kings / T. R. Hobbs / Word, WBC The Message of Chronicles / M. Wilcock / IVP, BST Chronicles / J. G. McConville / St Andrews Press, DSB 1 & 2 Chronicles / H. G. M. Williamson / Eerdmans, NCB Ezra and Nehemiah / D. Kidner / IVP, TOTC Biblical Commentary on Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther / C. F. Keil / Eerdmans, K&D Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther / D. J. Clines / Eerdmans, NCB The Books of Ezra & Nehemiah / F. C. Fensham / Eerdmans, NICOT Esther / J. G. Baldwin / IVP, TOTC Esther: Triumph of Gods Sovereignty / J. C. Whitcomb / Moody, EBC Character & Ideology in the Book of Esther / M. V. Fox / Eerdmans Job / F. I. Andersen / IVP, TOTC From Tragedy to Triumph / H. L. Ellison / Paternoster The Book of Job / J. E. Hartley / Eerdmans, NICOT Job / D. J. A. Clines / Word, WBC (3rd volume in preparation) Psalms 1-150 / D. Kidner / IVP, TOTC (2 Vols) The Psalms with Notes / W. Kay / Rivingtons (also see Speakers Comm) Studies in the CL Psalms / A. R. Fausset / Christian Book Society The Book of Psalms / J. J. S. Perowne / George Bell & Sons The Titles of the Psalms / J. W. Thirtle / Morgan & Scott Psalms / W. VanGemeren / Zondervan, EBC Psalms (1-50; 51-100; 101-150) / P. C. Craigie, M. E. Tate & L. C. Allen / Word, WBC (3 separate volumes) Proverbs / D. Kidner / IVP, TOTC Proverbs / D. A. Hubbard / Word, CC The Message of Proverbs / D. Atkinson / IVP, BST
Kings & Chronicles
Ezra & Nehemiah
Proverbs
Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel
Proverbs / C. Bridges / Banner of Truth Proverbs / R. E. Murphy / Word, WBC The Message of Ecclesiastes / D. Kidner / IVP, BST Ecclesiastes / M. A. Eaton / IVP, TOTC Ecclesiastes: Total Life / W. C. Kaiser / Moody, EvBC A Time to Tear Down & a Time to Build Up / M. V. Fox / Eerdmans Ecclesiastes / D. A. Hubbard / Nelson, TPC The Message of the Song of Songs / T. Gledhill / IVP, BST The Song of Solomon / G. Lloyd Carr / IVP, TOTC A Song for Lovers / S. C. Glickman / IVP Song of Songs / M. H. Pope / Doubleday, AB The Book of Isaiah / E. J. Young / Eerdmans (3 Volumes) Isaiah / W. Kay / John Murray, Speakers Commentary The Book of Isaiah (1-39) / C. Boutflower / SPCK The Book of Isaiah / J. N. Oswalt / Eerdmans, NICOT (2 Volumes) The prophecy of Isaiah / A. Motyer / IVP The Message of Jeremiah / D. Kidner / IVP, BST Jeremiah & Lamentations / R. K. Harrison / IVP, TOTC The Book of Jeremiah / J. A. Thompson / Eerdmans, NICOT Grief & Pain in the Plan of God / W. C. Kaiser Jr. / Christian Focus Publications Jeremiah & Lamentations / A. W. Streane / Cambridge, CBSC Studies in the Book of Lamentations / N. K. Gottwald / SCM Press Ezekiel / J. B. Taylor / IVP, TOTC The Book of Ezekiel / D. I. Block / Eerdmans, NICOT (2 Volumes) Daniel / J. Baldwin / IVP, TOTC A Commentary on Daniel / L. Wood / Zondervan Daniel / J. C. Whitcomb / Moody, EBC In and Around the Book of Daniel / C. Boutflower / Kregel Daniel / J. E. Goldingay / Word, WBC
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Jeremiah
Lamentations
The Minor Prophets
The Minor Prophets / E. B. Pusey / Oxford, Cambridge and London (Many of the studies listed below cover several Biblical books)
Hosea
Hosea / D. A. Hubbard / IVP, TOTC The Message of Hosea / D. Kidner / IVP, BST Hosea to Jonah / D. Stuart / Word, WBC
Joel
Hosea: The Heart and Holiness of God / G. Campbell Morgan / Oliphants Hosea / J. L. May / SCM Press, OTL Joel / C. H. Waller / Marshall Bros, Our Bible Hour Joel & Amos / D. A. Hubbard / IVP, TOTC The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah & Micah / L. C. Allen / Eerdmans, NICOT Amos / C. H. Waller / Marshall Bros, Our Bible Hour Amos / J. L. Mays / SCM Press, OTL The Message of Amos / J. A. Motyer / IVP, BST Jonah: Prophet & Patriot / D. E. Hart-Davies / Thynne & Co Micah / J. L. Mays / SCM Press, OTL Obadiah, Jonah & Micah / Baker, Alexander & Waltke / IVP, TOTC Nahum, Habakkuk & Zephaniah / O. P. Robertson / Eerdmans, NICOT Nahum, Habakkuk & Zephaniah / D. W. Baker / IVP, TOTC Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi / J. Baldwin / IVP, TOTC The Books of Haggai & Malachi / P. A. Verhoef / Eerdmans, NICOT The Visions & Prophecies of Zechariah / D. Baron / Morgan & Scott Zechariah: Prophet of Messiahs Glory / M. F. Unger / Zondervan Malachi: Gods Unchanging Love / W. C. Kaiser Jr / Baker
Amos & Obadiah
Jonah, Micah & Nahum
Habakkuk & Zephaniah
Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi
New Testament Gospels Mark Luke John

A Guide to the Gospels / W. G. Scroggie / Pickering & Inglis Four Portraits: One Jesus / M. L. Strauss / Baker Matthew / R. T. France / IVP, TNTC The Gospel of Matthew / R. T. France / Eerdmans, NICNT The Gospel according to Matthew / L. Morris / Eerdmans, PC Matthew / D. A. Carson / Zondervan, EBC Mark / R. A. Cole / IVP, TNTC The Gospel according to Mark / W. L. Lane / Eerdmans, NICNT The Gospel according to St Mark / C. E. B. Cranfield / Cambridge, CGTC Luke / L. Morris / IVP, TNTC The Gospel of Luke / E. E. Ellis / Eerdmans, NCB Luke / J. Nolland / Word, WBC St Luke / A. Plummer / T & T Clark, ICC (Old series) The Gospel of Luke / I. H. Marshall / Paternoster, NIGTC
Matthew
Acts Romans
The Gospel of John / F. F. Bruce / Pickering The Fourth Gospel / E. Hoskyns & F. N. Davey / Faber and Faber The Gospel according to John / L. Morris / Eerdmans, NICNT The Gospel according to John / D. A. Carson / IVP Readings in St Johns Gospel / W. Temple / Macmillan Press Acts / I. H. Marshall / IVP, TNTC The Message of Acts / J. R. W. Stott / IVP, BST The Book of the Acts / F. F. Bruce / Eerdmans, NICNT The Acts of the Apostles / R. B. Rackham / Methuen, WC The Message of Romans / J. R. W. Stott / IVP, BST The Epistle to the Romans / L. Morris / Eerdmans, PC Romans / C. E. B. Cranfield / T & T Clark, ICC (New series: 2 Vols) Romans / W. Sanday & A. C. Headlam / T & T Clark, ICC (Old series) The Epistle to the Romans / D. Moo / Eerdmans, NICNT 1 & 2 Corinthians / F. F. Bruce / Eerdmans, NCB 1 Corinthians / L. Morris / IVP, TNTC 2 Corinthians / C. Kruse / IVP, TNTC 1 Corinthians / C. K. Barrett / A & C Black, BNTC 2 Corinthians / C. K. Barrett / A & C Black, BNTC The Message of Galatians / J. R. W. Stott / IVP, BST Galatians: Pauls Charter of Christian Freedom / L. Morris / IVP The Epistle to the Galatians / F. F. Bruce / Paternoster, NIGTC Galatians / Richard N. Longenecker / Word, WBC The Message of Ephesians / J. R. W. Stott / IVP, BST Ephesians / F. Foulkes / IVP, TNTC The Epistles to Colossians, to Philemon and to the Ephesians / F. F. Bruce / Eerdmans, NICNT Philippians / R. P. Martin / IVP, TNTC The Message of Philippians / A. Motyer / IVP, BST The Epistle to the Philippians / G. D. Fee / Eerdmans, NICNT Colossians and Philemon / P. T. OBrien / Word, WBC Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians / W. Barclay / St Andrews Press, DSB Colossians and Philemon / N. T. Wright / IVP, TNTC 1 & 2 Thessalonians / F. F. Bruce / Word, WBC 1 & 2 Thessalonians / E. Best / A & C Black, BNTC 1 & 2 Thessalonians / L. Morris / Eerdmans, NICNT
Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians / Philemon
Thessalonians
James
The Message of Thessalonians / J. R. W. Stott / IVP, BST Thessalonians / H. C. Lees / Marshall Bros, Our Bible Hour The Pastoral Epistles / D. Guthrie / IVP, TNTC The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus / J. R. W. Stott / IVP, BST The Message of 2 Timothy / J. R. W. Stott / IVP, BST The Letters to Timothy & Titus / P. H. Towner / Eerdmans, NICNT Hebrews / D. Guthrie / IVP, TNTC The Epistle to the Hebrews / F. F. Bruce / Eerdmans, NICNT Hebrews / W. Kay / John Murray, Speakers Commentary Hebrews / W. L. Lane / Word, WBC James / D. J. Moo / IVP, TNTC The Epistle of James / S. Laws / A & C Black, BNTC The Epistle of James / C. L. Mitton / Marshall Morgan & Scott 1 Peter / J. R. Michaels / Word, WBC 2 Peter & Jude / R. J. Bauckham / Word, WBC 1 Peter / I. H. Marshall / IVP, NTC 1 Peter / E. P. Clowney / IVP, BST 2 Peter & Jude / M. Green / IVP, TNTC The Letters of John / J. R. W. Stott / IVP, TNTC 1,2,3 John / S. S. Smalley / Word, WBC The Epistles of John / I. H. Marshall / Eerdmans, NICNT The Epistles of John / F. F. Bruce / Pickering & Inglis The Letters of John / C. G. Kruse / Eerdmans, PC
Timothy & Titus
Hebrews
1 & 2 Peter & Jude
1-3 John
Revelation
Revelation / L. Morris / IVP, TNTC The Book of Revelation / R. H. Mounce / Eerdmans, NICNT These are the abbreviations used to identify the various series: AB: Anchor Bible BST: The Bible Speaks Today BNTC: Blacks New Testament Commentaries CBSC: Cambridge Bible for Schools & Colleges CC: Communicators Commentary CGTC: Cambridge Greek Testament Commentaries DSB: Daily Study Bible EB: Expositors Bible EBC: Expositors Bible Commentary EvBC: Everymans Bible Commentary
ICC: International Critical Commentary K&D: Keil and Delitzsch NCB: New Century Bible NICNT: New International Commentary New Testament NICOT: New International Commentary Old Testament NIGTC: New International Greek Testament Commentary OTL: Old Testament Library PC: Pillar Commentaries TNTC: Tyndale New Testament Commentaries TOTC: Tyndale Old Testament Commentary TPC: The Preachers Commentary WBC: Word Bible Commentary
Get Electronic Versions Free!
The majority of these books are still in print, or still available, at a price, but you don't always have to pay to get access to electronic versions. There are two really good options for books where the copyright has lapsed, and sometimes where the writers have waived their copyright. Here are the details:
1. PDF format
If you are happy to access books in Adobe Acrobat pdf format (you can download a pdf reader easily), then don't miss archives.org. This is an electronic library which caters for all tastes but several universities, notably in the US and Canada, have uploaded scanned images of a lot of theological works. The indexing isn't brilliant, so it's just like browsing in an old secondhand bookshop, for you never know what you might find! But, to whet your appetite, if you are after Bible Dictionaries, you can download all those by James Hastings, William Smith (the 3 volume one), Cheyne (the "Encyclopedia Biblica"), Kitto ("The Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature") and Fairbairn's ("Imperial Bible Dictionary" - though it's the edition without C H Waller's preface about the Inspiration of Scripture). If you're after commentaries, you can find all of the Speaker's Comentary (including the two volumes about the Apocrypha!), Ellicott's, Lange's, Keil & Delitzsch, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown and Alford and Meyer on the New Testament. Most of the (older) ICC ones can be found, as can the majority of the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges and the Cambridge Greek New Testament ones. And that's just the start. Track down individual authors that interest you, or particular titles you are looking for and you may find what you want. if you can't read from a computer screen, at least you can view the book to see if it would interest you, when you manage to buy a printed copy. That also means that you can check out a lot of the books mentioned on this website. The site offers a comprehensive search facility, so you can search by author or title, including Boolean searches (including command words like "AND" or "OR"). Be aware that the same author might be listed in several different ways. For example, seach for "Kitto" (a helpfully unusual name) and you will find "John William Burgon" and "John William Burgon, 1813-1888". Different titles are listed under both designations, but you get soon used to that and can check on the right hand margin to see if the author you have tracked down is listed in any other way. You don't have to download the books you find, but can read them online. Some of them are large files (for example, James Hasting's "Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels" (2 volumes) is 234Mb) and you should only contemplate downloading if you have a broadband connection and plenty of harddrive space. Again, downloading is not always straightforward. Some listings offer the book in pdf format stright off; just right click on the link and the downloading will begin. But the books captured on the google.com site are more difficult to download. With these, right click on the "All Books HTTP" link and then on "Open". When a list of files appears, highlight the pdf one and right click to "Save target as...". Then its just a matter of building up your own set of folders, devising an index system, and you have made a start of building your electronic library.
2. Libronix books
If you are a regular user of the various electronic Christadelphian works that are now available in Libronix format (like "The Christadelphian Magazine 1864-2000" or "Christadelphian Works") you will know all about the Libronix search engine. The software company Logos are very clever marketeers and have assembled a vast electronic library of theological books and journals and you may have been persuaded to buy one of their libraries (which is by far the cheapest way of getting your study material). If so, you will inadvertently have acquired a key with which to unlock any books which have been converted into this format by using the Libronix Personal Book-Builder facility. This enables people to convert books which they have written, or which they have acquired in pdf or other formats, into Libronix format, so they can be included in their copy of the Logos library. Full details can be found on the Logos site. So far, so good, but how does that benefit people who haven't got either the time, the money, the ability or the inclination to do the conversion; and how can this be described as "free", as you have to buy the Book-Builder package and licence it every year anew? Public-spirited people who have done such conversions very kindly make those books available freely and they can be downloaded and added to your own library, when they work almost as well as the ones you have purchased from Logos. That means that they can be searched and scutinised in just the same way as other material. The best site for downloading useful material is stilltruth.com but there are some difficulties to overcome: 1. You can only access these books if you have purchased a Logos library (details on the logos.com site) and thus acquired the necessary key, and 2. This facility will only work at present if you are still using Logos Version 3, or lower. Logos have now upgraded their search engine to Version 4 and are gradually resolving all the software problems that resulted from a major overhaul. The Book-Builder facility is not yet available for this version and, more especially, books that were privately formatted for Version 3 do not yet work in Version 4 although Logos say that they will remedy this situation sometime this year, God willing. Once those teething problems are over, and if you feel like investing in an electronic library, then look out for the free books that are already available (although they may need to be converted again) and teh new ones that become available week by week. As the situation changes I will update this note. Meanwhile happy searching!

Building A Library

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Building a Library Tecwyn Morgan

EverymonthTheTestimonyincludesabooklist,ofChristadelphianandnonChristadelphianworks. BrotherMalcolmCross(ofDoncasterEcclesiaBI93intheCALSdiary)attendsmanyUKGatheringsandsome Conferences,withabookstallofsecondhandmaterialwhichhesellstoraisefundstohelpwithCBM correspondencework.

2a - More about those recommendations

3a - Brother George's recommendation

4a - Brother Harry's recommendations

5 - Starting Bible study

5a - More about the Study Guides

6a - More about Bible dictionaries

7a - More about word studies

8a - More about lexicons

9a - More geographical help

Electronic Bible Atlases

10 Thus saith the Lord

10a - Lots more about the Bible

11a - Even more distinctive

12 Exhort one another

12a - Exhort one another daily

13a - What's what?

14a - Long, long ago

15a - More artefacts

16a - More prophetic insights

17a - All about Israel

18a - More about commentaries

19 One book at a time

19a - What's available?

Numbers Joshua Judges Ruth Samuel Esther Job Deuteronomy

Kings & Chronicles

Ezra & Nehemiah

Psalms Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel

The Minor Prophets

Amos & Obadiah Jonah, Micah & Nahum

Zephaniah Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi

New Testament Gospels Mark Luke John

Acts Epistles Romans James

Timothy & Titus

20 Keeping an open mind

20a - Filling your open mind

Ruth Samuel Esther Job Psalms

Kings & Chronicles

Ezra & Nehemiah

Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel

The Minor Prophets

Amos & Obadiah

Jonah, Micah & Nahum

Habakkuk & Zephaniah

Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi

New Testament Gospels Mark Luke John

Timothy & Titus

1 & 2 Peter & Jude

Get Electronic Versions Free!

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