Many study Bibles these days come with a whole lot of study and very little Bible. This is why we typically recommend them only as tools for research and not as personal Bibles. The temptation to rely on the notes is too challenging to overcome when the notes and comments dominate the page.
However, I’m pleased to introduce you to a resource that upends these tables: the ESV Literary Study Bible. This study Bible is almost all Bible, with just the right amount of nudging to assist your study. Though this resource has existed since 2007, Crossway just republished in in March 2020 with updating and fresh typesetting.
Why Another Study Bible?
There are so many study Bibles on the market. What might interest you in this one?
First, the thrust of this study Bible is the literary analysis of the Scripture. Precious few resources exist to help us understand the Bible as literature, and this one does just that quite well. There is very little comment on theological questions or matters of historical interest. You won’t find any word studies or interpretive debates here. What you will find instead is a brief literary analysis of every passage of the Bible. That is, instead of debating what the text means, the editors help you to see not only what is said but how it is said.
Second, the book introductions are fabulous. They provide some of the best book outlines I’ve seen in print. They also walk through the various literary devices and literary intentions of the book, setting readers up to study that book on their own.
Third, the commentary is brief. On average, each chapter of Scripture gets only one paragraph. And that commentary is placed before the text. The commentary’s chief purpose is to summarize the chapter and outline the literary genres and devices found within the text.
Fourth, the best part of this study Bible is that it never presents itself as having done your study for you. It clearly pushes the reader toward further study of the text. The introductions and commentary only nudge us in the right direction, expecting us to build on those observations as we pursue our study.
Weaknesses
This study Bible fills a particular niche (literary analysis), and thereby won’t provide you with a one-stop shop for Bible study.
Also, at times the literary analysis comes across as pedantic, offering many labels for various devices without ever advancing into the practical benefits of recognizing such devices. For example, in the Psalms, we confront an incessant repetition of the components of lament (cry to God, definition of the crisis, petition, statement of confidence in God, and vow to praise God). But at times these components are presented in such a dry, academic way, that we are never moved toward heartfelt lament along with the psalmist.
Conclusion
This study Bible will not help you with either interpretation or application. The help it provides stays exclusively in the realm of observation. And only a few parts of observation at that (structure and genre).
But such specialization enables this study Bible to do what it does with speed and efficiency, and then get out of the way. I happily recommend it to you.
You can see how the Literary Study Bible compares to other study Bibles, with respect to how they help or hinder OIA Bible study, in my study Bible buying guide.
Disclaimer #1: Crossway offered me a complementary copy of the Literary Study Bible in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer #2: Amazon links are affiliate links. Clicking them and making a purchase will provide a small commission to this blog at no extra cost to yourself.
