I love the additional notes and commentary that accompany each passage ...
927675
I love the additional notes and commentary that accompany each passage and have found them to be very helpful and insightful. I do not like how long it takes to switch over to another part of the Bible, which requires more "clicks" than I care for.
2891467
This is the second Reformed Expository Commentary I have purchased (The Esther & Ruth volume is very good) and I find it to be easily accessible and well written.  I am a Presbyterian pastor and enjoy leading bible study.  I've never been one for preplanned curriculum.  I get more out of the study when I do the studying myself and lead discussion in that fashion.  This commentary offers a wealth of knowledge and can be picked up by anyone.  If you are looking for a detailed commentary that looks at great depth into the original language, this is NOT your book.  I imagine this commentary is useful from everyone from the preacher, to the teacher and curious reader.  Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase and would recommend it to anyone.
3604241
I bought the Kindle version of this study Bible. Having also a paper version of the Ignatius Study Bible, New Testament with commentaries by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, I had high expectations for the Exodus Study Bible. I was not disappointed. The RSV-2nd Catholic Edition text is a translation to love, to study and to use in one's private devotions. The editors provided great commentaries of their own and of the Fathers of the Church. This is one thing I love about the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: you get the benefit not only of modern scholarship but also of the wisdom and learned experience of Christian giants who lived for and shed blood in defense of the faith in times past- the Fathers of the Church, saints and martyrs. One can also look into the Catechism of the Catholic Church articles referenced in the Bible text for further guidance.

Navigation is good in my Kindle Touch. But I wasn't so excited about the formatting. The main text of the RSV-2nd CE is smaller than the commentaries. You can increase the size of the main text, but this will also increase the size of the commentaries. Did they make a formatting error here, like they switched the format? Navigating from the commentaries back to the main text sometimes produced two sizes of font on the page: one part the usual smaller font, and the other part as big as the commentaries. (Ignatius please provide an update on this and correct the formatting. You can just use the same size font for main text and commentaries.)

Speaking of the Fathers one thing that stood out were the essays on Mosaic Ceremonial Laws: Occasion and Purpose. These alone are worth the price of the study Bible! They are commentaries from some of the Fathers of the Church on the golden calf incident. It's quite a revelation what Saint Justin Martyr, Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, Lactantius, Saint Aphrahat, Saint Athanasius, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Agustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas had to say. I could not have imagined how they looked at the golden calf incident! There is now for me, a new perspective on the Lord Jesus's words "...my yoke is easy and my burden is light... come to me and I will give you rest..." The essays include two Church Apostolic Constitutions on the golden calf incident. They are no less sharp and incisive. I feel humbled and blessed at these gifts from the mind of the Church.

Highly recommended!
998284
While I already have a study Bible that I use and love, I was very interested in reviewing Max Lucado's newest study Bible. I've long been a fan of his writings, and I've also wanted to add another translation (the New King James Version) to my collection to enrich my personal Bible study.

I was impressed with this Bible. There are copious study notes to help make sense of difficult passages, as well as many devotionals to help guide one's quiet time. The typeface is clean and easy to read, while the graphic work is appropriately minimalist and provides just enough contrast and visual interest to the all-important text. I especially appreciated the introductions to each book. These help set the historical context and explain the key themes. This is especially useful with some of the Old Testament books which are not as frequently read by Christians today as their New Testament counterparts.

There were two items lacking from this Bible that disappointed me: a concordance and maps. These seem especially important for a study Bible; they can greatly enrich one's reading of the Word and the lack thereof seems odd to me.

In any case, I will enjoy using this as a resource alongside my other study Bible.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
1874930
This is fine addition to the Pillar Commentary Series.  I especially appreciate the introduction to the commentary.  The author develops the themes that are nesessary to understand this Gospel.  It is rewarding to work through the Biblical Story.  Edwards is a lucid writer who communicates important Biblical cuture insights to his audience.  I love to use it while preparing to teach on Mark especially to Jr. High and High school students.  He helps fill the questions around the 1st centery church.  I find it an important tool in Bible study.
3155431
This goes beyond typical commentaries, it is a "must have" for anyone who loves to study the Bible.
4408761
Anytime a commentary opens with these words, it is a commentary worth investigating:

I have probably preached more out of Ephesians than any other book of the Bible. Preaching is always a reminder that this book belongs to the church and not to the academic guild. (13)

Arnold acknowledges a crucial aspect of biblical commentaries which are often overlooked. The scriptures belong to the church. Any commentary must acknowledge this and equip pastors and elders to preach it more effectively.

I have reviewed Tom Schreiner's commentary in this series on Galatians. In my mind the quality of this series has grown with the addition of Arnold's Ephesians commentary. There are two main reasons for my appreciation of this specific commentary and this series in general: structure and content.

I have found the structure in this commentary to be tremendously helpful. The sections are clearly demarcated. For each collection of verses on which he comments, there are sections that deal with the literary context, the main idea of the passage, translation and graphical layout, exegetical outline, commentary and theological contributions. Rather than combine all of these issues into one paragraph, each one is dealt with independently. The result is an easy to follow argument making a cumulative case for his position. The `Main Idea' section is tremendously helpful as is the graphical layout of the text. It's clear to me that the editors and authors understand the pedagogical purpose of commentaries.

Concerning the content, I found Arnold to be clear and easy to read. He explains the necessary elements without being unnecessarily technical. His applications are strong and helpful and the theological applications helped me to see the bigger picture of Ephesians. My favorite portion of this commentary is the concluding chapter on the Theology of Ephesians. He condenses all the details and information explained through the last several hundred pages into a succinct and helpful chapter on the big idea of Ephesians.

It is becoming clear to me that this new series by Zondervan is going to be excellent. This volume along with Schreiner's are two exceptional commentaries. I would recommend these for anyone who labors in preaching and teaching in the local church.

NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the Federal Trade Commission I would like to state that I received a complementary copy of the aforementioned text for the purposes of review. I was not required to furnish a positive review.
746128
I love the unlimited space that each page offers to those who like to take notes and elaborate on certain aspects of the text. The layout is such that your personal notes does not in any way take away from the text. It provides the serious bible reader a chance to add to what has been written in their own words and gives the reader a sense of owning the text. The writing is bold and the cover is beautiful.
735985
I've had a couple of English translations of the Tao in the past, but this one really brings it home. Love the additional commentary.
446418
This is an amazing Bible. The notes are fantastic and go well with my Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. This Bible helped me through my last year of college in my Biblical Studies. It showed me things that I truly didn't know, since I really didn't go to church (still looking for the right one). So far, it has fit in with my studies of history, especially concerning the Byzantine Empire and the Middle East. This Bible also contains a back section full of many insights into other things, like Islam. This is a well rounded Bible, which I much prefer to my Reformation Study Bible, Oxford Study Bible, NKJ Study Bible, and others. This is my favorite and also the heaviest.
3468592
study notes i'm actually interested in and i can understand.  a whole lot of extras for a great price.
3090748
The footnotes are so helpful to me, I love to read a passage and then read the footnotes in this edition to learn more depth. hear the background, and questions that are helpful for applying the passage to my own life. I think this is by far the easiest bible to read and use as someone who is new to the bible....
841075
I purchased the commentaries for both the Old and New Testaments.  I have found both to be valuable additions to my library and would highly recommend them to anyone who is interested in further clarification of a particular verse or passage in the Bible.  The Commentaries are based on the NIV, which I find to be easy to read and compatible with other versions.
976147
I enjoy the commentary attached to the verses as well as the subscripts on some verses that link you to corresponding OT and NT verses.
3308829
Excellent foot notes and commentary! I am privileged to lead a weekly, "verse by verse" men's bible study and as I prepare the lesson, this Bible is always open on the table, along with Bible commentaries by J. Vernon McGee, Dr. Henry Morris, and Pastor Chuck Smith. If your shopping for a study Bible, I believe this is one of the best.
3031717
Wonderful! I am fully enjoying the detail this study Bible has to offer. It gives useful insight that would otherwise take much research to accomplish. What a pleasure it is to be able to easily expand your knowledge of scripture. The reading is so much more enriched with the study aids and appropriately applied translation of the written word.
1322847
fabulous commentary. It gives both an historical perspective/explanation and a current relevant view. I used it for a recent sermon and felt that I really understood and was able to give meaning to that day's gospel reading. It helped me feel confident.