What is Your Favorite Study Bible? (Q&A #5)

A short introduction to Bible study through the lens of study Bibles.

Some more books available for free online:

I meant to mention in the video and plum forgot that the ESV Study Bible you see me holding in the video was a gift from my Aunt Juli and Uncle Tim – thank you so much!

Table of Contents:
0:00 Introduction
1:04 Bible Commentaries
5:54 Criteria
19:36 Catholic Study Bibles
19:54 Greek Catenae (c. 500)
24:19 Glossa Ordinaria (c. 1100)
26:20 Douay Rheims (1610)
27:23 Haydock (1814)
30:08 Confraternity NT (1941)
30:22 CCD NT Commentary (1942)
31:34 Orchard (1953)
33:48 New Orchard (1969)
36:47 Jerome (1968)
52:50 New Jerome (1990)
53:30 Collegeville (1993)
56:04 New Collegeville (2007)
56:28 JB (1966)
57:02 NJB (1985)
57:48 RNJB (2019)
57:58 NAB (1970)
1:00:07 NAB Catholic Study (1990)
1:02:00 Ignatius NT (2010)
1:05:06 New African (2012)
1:09:49 Didache (2015)
1:14:05 Great Adventure (2018)
1:17:19 Jewish Study Bibles
1:23:46 2nd Rabbinic Bible (1525)
1:25:53 Soncino Chumash (1983)
1:26:29 NJPS Jewish Study (2004)
1:27:12 Protestant Study Bibles
1:27:22 Geneva
1:28:01 Scofield (1909)
1:29:17 Thompson Chain (1908)
1:32:11 NIV Study Bible (1985)
1:34:01 MacArthur (2006)
1:35:28 ESV Study Bible (2008)
1:37:14 Conclusion

NOTE: There are some British scholars in mainstream academia who don't hold to the 2SH, but from where I'm standing it's mostly to stick it to the Germans.

(01/09/2021): I was just trying to find something in this video and gaped in disbelief as I heard myself saying that "'catena' is the Greek word for 'chain.'" No it's not!! It's the *Latin* word for 'chain.' What the ham, I knew that. Not sure what happened there – my current theory is I was hacked by Russians.

[sanskritprayers]

Without a doubt you are right there at the top in terms of trust, humor and *smarts among those of whom I am aware on YouTube when it comes to sharing thoughts on all things Scripture.

You are helpful, entertaining, knowledgeable, a good teacher and communicator. Thank you, its a gift.

[anupkurian]

Hi Ted, Thank you for your excellent talk... not sure how many time I watched it. Following your advice I bought an Orchard commentary book (second hand off course); thankfully, I didn't have to sell my bed to get it. It is a book that I am going to cherish for the rest of my life. If you are reprinting it (hopefully hardbound sewn binding; cant stand the amazon print-on-order quality), I will be keen on getting a new copy. Thanks once again for what you are doing through St. Irenaeus Ministries!

[decluesviews]

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite channels. The knowledge, the rhetoric (in a good sense), the directness: it is refreshing! I am a Systematic (i.e., Dogmatic and Fundamental) Theologian who believes that orthodox biblical scholarship is essential for authentic systematic theology. With a B.A., S.T.B., S.T.L., and S.T.D., my biggest regret has been a lack of decent scripture scholarship from which I could base my presentations. You're helping me discern where to aim my focus. Thank you!

[nandosanchez]

Thanks! God bless you! Incredible video

[everhappens]

I would love a reprint of Orchard, even though I finally tracked down an original copy.

[Cato_the_Christian]

Is the Haydock the original DRB or the Challoner revision?

[sherizaahd]

Dom Bernard Orchard, O.G. I laughed out-loud, in truth.

[jacobshepard]

Every time I hear “exegesis” my brain transliterates it to “exo Jesus”

[sharifmansour]

I would totally buy a reprint of the Orchard.

[philipwest]

Reprinting Orchard's commentary would be great. I vote for it. I'd buy it - provided it is not at some ridiculously high price.

[LuciusClevelandensis]

Yes, yes, yes. Please reprint Orchard.

[williamcrean]

This is such an incredible video that deserves wider circulation. The wealth of knowledge is edifying and in particular the guidance to orthodox sources. The authors faith and humble obedience to the magisterium of the church is the most impressive. Intellectual vigor grounded in sincere and obedient faith. Bravo!

[anmathunach]

31:34 Hey, you mentioned that if viewers only learned about the Orchard commentary, this video would have been worthwhile. Mission accomplished, thank you! Didn't even have to sell my bed to buy one.

[a.rgaspard]

Do you guys ever see yourselves reprinting Orchards Commentary? Absolutely brilliant catholic work.

[fanman]

This was excellent. Watched the whole presentation and I’m not even Catholic!

[Jeremy.Mathetes]

Coming back to this video for a second time. I’m taking a Hebrew Bible course at a secular university, and am being fed the documentary hypothesis and/or all the textual and literary inconsistencies of the Bible in every lecture. It’s like the class is designed to destroy faith. I absolutely love your take on this. My spirit is refreshed. Thanks again for all the content and please make more on the subject of modern critical scholarship and how we in the Church ought to respond. Or more videos on anything. I don’t care. 😅

[grunyonthoughtsfromagrunt]

Before I found your sight I already had several of the Study Bibles.
Questions on 2 more popular ones.
1. The Word on Fire Bible
2. The Navare Study Bible which I'm working my way through now.

[johnericpamintuan]

If there will ever be a part 2 you should include NCB/NCV, CCB/NCB, CCSS, Navarre, Paulist, Berit Olam and Sacra Pagina.

[fallingcrane]

Gotta admit, the Catholic Study Bibles section is an entire oral epic with as much emotion as the Iliad. Going from the fascination and reverence to the Greek Catenas and the Haydock Bible to the dark ages of Jerome and the NAB to the small glimmer of hope with the Ignatius NT was just so great to hear. The anecdote from your TA friend at Notre Dame really made it personal. May God bless and illuminate all biblical scholars!

[Paul]

Wow this video is good. Informative and entertaining. 😮
I find myself coming back to it every now and again. Wow