Great addition to your library of Bible study resources
936090
Great addition to your library of Bible study resources, particularly if you have an interest in women in the Bible.
3009208
This book has helped me tremendously in my biblical studies and in my teaching. I have found many topical reference resources out there today, electronic or otherwise, but in book form and for what it does, this one is outstanding. MacArthur is a man of Scripture who really focuses on details and categories, and you will find many quality references organized under headings and subheadings you probably have never thought of before. Looking for Angels, God's attributes, salvation, prayer, marriage, priests, or words like light, forgiveness, love: all are here.

The other great strength after its detailed categorization is that this book strives to reproduce the entirety of verses and passages on every topic. The vast majority of the time you will not get just a string of verse references that leave you with a load of grunt work. The cover says it contains over 100,000 Bible passages in full and over 20,000 Bible topics and subtopics listed.

This book has greatly helped me as a student in papers and as a teacher, expanding biblical ideas with cross references on the same topic. For these reasons it is worth having in your library. Also would be very useful in electronic form.
1979481
An excellent resource - written very clearly so that anyone from new believers to Bible scholars can read and gain valuable understanding from the text. I love that it includes the Bible passages at the top of each section as well.
3185216
This book is a great resource for any person interested in the deeper study of the Bible - both Old and New Testaments.  The material is scholarly and yet very easy to read and understand.  There is some reference to the original language, but it does not require a knowledge of Greek or Hebrew to understand the material.  Each book/letter of the New Testament begins with a very good introduction to its specific purpose in being written, with an emphasis on the links to the Old Testament Scriptures.  Major themes are presented that help the reader gain greater insight into overall thrust of the message of the book/letter.
For those who desire to dig deeper, there are many references to other Jewish commentaries and writings, as well as an extensive bibliography and the end of each article.

Mike Anderson
Pastor of Senior Ministries
MATS (Bethel Seminary 2008)
3764712
The Nelsons Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Thomas Nelson, 2014) offers an updated book of more than 7,000 entries filled with information on the people, places, things, and ideas of the Bible, accompanied by photos, charts, and maps for visual reinforcement.

I particularly love using a Bible dictionary when I need to understand cultural context of a term or object mentioned in the Bible.

If you haven't used a Bible dictionary much, they're organized like a dictionary  terms are listed in alphabetical order. Each entry offers a concrete explanation, followed by cultural and biblical significance and Bible verses to support. Many of the entries also offer thoughts on how this theology, place, person, etc. impacts current-day believers.

This revised edition of the Nelsons Bible Dictionary includes full-color in the photographs included, a cross-reference system for translations, outlines of the books of the Bible, maps, and more  all great resources to study the Bible in more depth. Some of the photos do seem a bit dated, but still show the intended object.

Besides being beautiful and interesting to look through, this dictionary has earned a spot on one of our often-used shelves.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher (BookLook program) in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
4761995
This is a great book to aid in your study of the bible. A must have for your reference library!!!
4376933
This Bible dictionary is a one volume source for nearly everything associated with or found in the Bible.  It covers the Bible cover to cover with personalities, places, themes, concepts, etc.  Anyone who needs a resource for Bible studies or just for general knowledge will want to own this book.  Church libraries should have it available for library users. This is an excellent resource.

The editors chose authors who can write succinctly and clearly when they write on their subjects.  Readers will appreciate the thoroughness as well as the readability of this book.

I can't emphasize it enough.  This book is a must have for anyone interested in the Bible.
241636
Excellent bible study resource.  J. Vernon McGee does a great job sharing his thoughts and stimulating interest in continuing to study the Bible on a daily basis.
4924063
Excellent compliment to your bible.  Explains some of the history of the Bible in a way that is much easier to read and understand.  Not a substitute for a Bible but a great supplement when doing Bible studies.
551937
Reading the Bible well can be a daunting task for many Christians, seasoned or young. That is why it is important to get the foundations of how the whole Bible fits together, how to read the different genres or kinds of Scripture, and how Jesus relates to it all.

Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well is a short, helpful new book published recently by Crossway that aims to help in this task.

To be sure, this book is a compilation of articles that would help readers in reading and interpreting the Bible. The individual chapter authors are renown biblical scholars.

Thankfully, the editors (Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, and Thomas R. Schreiner) have compiled one very cohesive and concise book to address all the basic kinds of hermeneutical issues. Part 1 of the book is on the Old Testament, part 2 is on the Background to the New Testament, and part 3 is on the New Testament itself.

*Helpful Time Lines
I found the last section of the book, Part 4, very helpful. These last few pages of the book contain Time Lines, and it gave me a really insightful look at the chronological history of the forefathers of the Jewish faith, the United Monarchy of the kings of Israel, the Divided Monarchy and exilic times, and the generations returning from exile.

Furthermore, the intertestamental events time line is a great resource for those Bible readers who did not know of the various historical and cultural events that predated the Bible, circumstances that affected the context of the New Testament. Consequently, the included New Testament Time Line is certainly an important chart to learn and be familiar with. When we understand the time of Jesus better, the more we can appreciate the significance of his atoning sacrifice for us and for our salvation.

*Biblical Backgrounds
Similarly, Part 2: Background to the New Testament is the most meaty and dense section of this book, and yet a section the seasoned Christian should consider studying carefully. The time between the testaments and the so-called "four hundred years of silence" is an era of Christian history that needs to be studied.

While in seminary at SBTS, I recall that this content was lectured and discussed in the first week weeks of my introductory New Testament class. I remember being very confused as to who the Sadducees were, and what the Esssenes were all about. Such historical facts were completely foreign to me, cultural artifacts that were never mentioned in my Christian life in the church. This is why every Christian will be aided in their understanding of Biblical history. When we develop greater perspective that the Holy Scriptures of our Christian faith came out of true, historical time periods and cultures, we get a better understanding of how amazing Jesus is. We will in turn discover why God's redemptive plan for all mankind is so amazing: Jesus is the fulfillment of the whole Scripture.

*Highly Recommended
I heartily recommend this small book to every Christian, young and old. If you are reading the Bible for the first time, or if you are reading through the Bible for the 40th time, you'll be sure to find that this book is an excellent assistant to your biblical interpretation.
50492
Great resource for anyone wanting a reference to use for small group bible study!  My only gripe is that I wish it came in different bible versions.
1859826
This is a wonderful and inspiring addition to your Christian Library. We used it for our Ladies' Bible Study and it was well received
4389203
Great textbook and resource for those who simply want to understand and study the Bible...as well as for those who are working/studying for the ministry!
1781502
A great resource to use with a book club or Bible study group. Really helps you think about your faith and what it means to you.
1341486
i have purchased thee copies of this book.  it is a marvelous source of material if you are in a bible study class and want to "score" with every bit of information all in one source!
3640524
What an excellent resource for those looking to grow deeper in the Word of God! The author explains the scriptures in a clear and precise way.  In doing so, this book becomes useful not only to those who have been studying the Bible for years but also to those who are just beginning.  I will be adding this book to my personal library and you should too.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from its publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
1944970
I read this book yesterday and loved it. It is an easy read, but has a lot of substance. I have grown children but am encouraged in my own life with this book. This book is a wonderful addition to a family bible study and would make a great baby shower gift. I encourage others who still have children at home or who are grandparents to buy this book and read it to your children/grandchildren. I also recommend this for anyone who may be witnessing to someone who doesn't have much knowledge of the Bible. This is just an all around terrific resource to add to your library of good materials to teach the next generations.