NIV Zondervan Study Bible: Too Much?

Update: This Study Bible has since be re-named the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible.

“English-speaking people have no shortage of study Bibles,” writes Dr. D.A. Carson in his preface to the NIV Zondervan Study Bible. But do these English speakers need another one? Does the NIV Zondervan Study Bible stand out in this crowded marketplace?

What it does

The NIV Zondervan Study Bible (ZSB) offers a library of resources in a single volume, focusing on biblical theology—”the ways in which many important themes work their way through Scripture and come to a focus in Jesus Christ.” The body of the book contains:

• the full text of the NIV Bible
• study notes (commentary) on the text
• introductions to all 66 books of the Bible
• section introductions (wisdom books, prophetic books, gospels, etc.)
• maps
• charts
• photos
• cross-references

Between Malachi and Matthew lies a very helpful article and timeline on “The Time Between the Testaments,” which brings modern readers into the cultural shifts that took place in Israel in the centuries before the Son of God entered history.

Following this body come further resources for the curious Bible student:

• 28 short articles on topics examined through a biblical-theological perspective
• a 160-page concordance
• 14 large maps indexed by location

What it does well

The ZSB has a lot of material. If you love swimming in large amounts of information about the Bible, you’ll love the ZSB.

• The commentary generally directs your attention to the text and not merely to what others have said about the text. Tremper Longman’s notes on Daniel stand out as a prime example.
• The book introductions have lots of historical, literary, and theological details. Along with the section introductions, they give much attention to the Bible’s storyline and historical context.
• The 28 articles tell and re-tell the single story of the Bible (creation, fall, redemption, consummation) through different filters: Temple, City of God, Holiness, Sonship, Worship, etc.

The charts in this study Bible are outstanding. Page 197 has a full-page chart of Old Testament offerings and sacrifices, tracing the 5 main types of offerings and their materials, associated offerings, blood manipulation, portions burnt on altar, portions eaten, and purpose. Between John and Acts, a 7-page chart lists the 186 enscripturated events of Jesus’ life and places them in chronological order, with probable dates, probable locations, and references to show which Gospel records the event.

What I find unique in this study Bible, however, is the photos. Perhaps other study Bibles include color photographs, but they haven’t hit my desk. Here I can see the ruins of ancient Laodicea, the massive theater in Ephesus, the shore of the Sea of Galilee, a preserved seal impression that mentions Baruch son of Neriah, a carved ivory of a chariot with horses, and a branch of hyssop. If you are a visual learner, you will love this study Bible.

I must also mention that Kevin DeYoung shines brightly over a sea of bland academese. One gets used to phrases like “The essential concerns,” “a regular part of life in ancient Israel,” and “among significant theological concepts, few are as fundamental and comprehensive in scope as….” But hitting DeYoung’s article on “Sin” is like voluntary shock therapy:

Sin is another name for that hideous rebellion, that God-defiance, that wretched opposition to the Creator that crouches at the door of every fallen human heart. Sin is both a condition, inherited from Adam, and an action—manifesting itself in thought, word, and deed—that when full-grown gives birth to death.

Would that more scholars wrote like this!

What could be better

The massive amounts of information may be this Bible’s greatest detraction. At almost 2900 pages, this is the largest study Bible I’ve handled. It’s huge and heavy, and unfortunately wordy.

• In a world of search engines, do folks still use concordances? This Bible could have dropped a quarter of an inch right there.
• The book introductions are long (usually 6-8 pages), and their length limits their usefulness. For example, you might want to know what 1 John is about. The answer is here to be found (“1 John was written to bolster their assurance by providing criteria they could use to evaluate the spurious claims of the secessionists and with which they could reassure themselves”), but it’s buried on the second page in the middle of a long paragraph.
• The 28 articles at the end are concise in themselves, but they get repetitive when read one after another. I’m not clear on the need for separate articles on “The Glory of God,” “Worship,” and “Mission.” Or “Holiness” and “Justice.” Or “Love and Grace” and “The Gospel.”

The ZSB’s Assistant Editor, Andrew Naselli, recently claimed this volume to be one of the two best study Bibles on the market. If you’re totally juiced by color photographs of ancient ruins and archaeological finds, go for this one. If not, I suggest you’re better off with the other one.

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Disclaimer beta: BookLook Bloggers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.