"NIV Zondervan Study Bible" (w Commentary by D.A. Carson, et al)

TITLE: NIV Zondervan Study Bible, Hardcover, Full Color, Free Digital: Built on the Truth of Scripture and Centered on the Gospel Message
AUTHOR: Bible Translated by NIV Translation Team with D.A. Carson as General Editor
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015, (2912 pages).

This is the latest Zondervan study Bible based on the NIV translation. With Dr D.A Carson as the general editor, more than 60 contributors from the evangelical world have come together to create a study Bible packed with study tools, maps, notes, color diagrams, and commentaries centered on a biblical theology. The 28 articles are written by well known persons such as Kevin DeYoung, Tim Keller, Andreas J. Kostenberger, Douglas Moo, Andrew David Nasalli,  Moses Silva, etc. Commentaries are drawn from experts such as TD Alexander, Craig L. Blomberg,  Richard S. Hess, Tremper Longman III, Mark Strauss, Douglas K. Stuart, Robert W. Yarbrough, alongside Regent College professors, Rikk E. Watts, V. Philips Long, and Bruce K. Waltke. With nearly 3000 pages of commentaries, notes, maps, pictures, photos, introductory material, and extensive footnotes, every page is filled with information for the avid student to ponder and to learn. Just dealing with what is printed in front of us is enough to make us forget the things that are not there.


The Introduction to each Bible book is superb. It describes the author, the date, the audience, the place of composition, and the unique situations the writers were facing. This is quickly followed by a detailed outline with themes and theologies listed for easy reference. By the time the reader has finished the introduction, he/she would have a substantial amount of contextual material for reading and contextual comprehension. On top of that, verses are arranged in such a way that the footnotes and commentaries are easily accessible from the same page. Cross referencing is so easy to do. Compared to another popular edition of the NIV Study Bible, this book is denser, thicker, heavier, and had more contributors. Comparing the standard editions, the fonts for this Bible is a little smaller. Considering this study Bible has smaller fonts with more pages, in terms of additional study notes, this study Bible packs a wallop!

Perhaps the most unique in this study bible is the emphasis on biblical theology. With a list of formidable biblical scholars at the helm, the commentaries point readers back and forth to understand the historical themes as well as theological framework of the whole Bible narrative. While laypersons may not detect it straightaway, those schooled in biblical theology will quickly recognize how careful the commentators are to not just describe the texts but how the particular texts being read are linked to the overall Bible story. There is one more thing that this study bible can benefit modern readers. It is the free digital access available at www.NIVZSB.com as well as the Olive Tree app for mobile devices. The same access code per Bible can be used for both the BibleGateway web version and the Olive Tree app. With both the printed and the online versions, one can benefit practically access the NIVZSB anytime and anywhere. Create an account at BibleGateway and when reading the NIV verses, click the "STUDY THIS" icon and the study helps magically appear.

If you are considering a study Bible, I strongly recommend this.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.