Rating: 
Summary: Explanation of a Must-Have Bible
Review: Amazon.com really should provide a better explanation of what this Bible is. I'll do it for them. :-)It's actually a Lutheran version (not just Missouri Synod--it's for all Lutherans, even ELCA like myself) of Zondervan's NIV Study Bible. There are quite a few study notes in Zondervan's NIV Study Bible that I didn't agree with, but this version fixes that. This is pretty much my favorite Bible. It has all the features of the NIV Study Bible, plus lots more, like quotes from Martin Luther, etc. It's a wonderful Bible, unless you're a Catholic. :-) They would do well to read it too, though. (Hey, I have two Catholic Bibles. Let's be ecumenical, people.) This Bible is an absolute must-have for all Lutherans, and would be great for any other Protestant as well. Honestly. (Also check out the New Oxford Annotated Bible.)
Rating: 
Summary: An honest Review
Review: As a Luthern Pastor, I use this bible as my main reading and study bible. It is the best bible out there for Lutherans. As a previous person noted, it has maps, extensive notes and Luther's thoughts about each book as a sort of mini preface.
The NIV is a good translation but it is definitely not a 'for Lutherans, by Lutherans' translation. On the one hand, this is good, since when we talk to other Christians we are 'on the same page' as them (I hate puns, but I couldn't resist). On the other hand, since it was not translated as a Lutheran bible, it does have some Reformed/Evangelical emphases reflected in the translation (the translation of the hapax in 1 Pet. 3:21 as 'pledge' is an example of one of these areas).
There are two areas in which this bible lacks though:
1. Not enough room in the margins for notes
2. While some of the study notes betray a distinctively lutheran perspective, there are many notes which were taken, unmodified, from the NIV self study bible. These notes have a distinctively non lutheran perspective. (The commentary on Hab. 2:4 and 1 Pet. 3:21 might be good examples. Lutherans believe that faith is a gift the Holy Spirit gives to us totally apart from our own decisions or actions through the power of God's word. The Commentary in these sections would lead one to believe that faith and Baptism are things I do for God, not things he does to me out of his grace)
Like I said at the beginning of this post, this is the best bible out there for Lutherans. Just buy it knowing the unique way in which this book was put together.
Rating:
Summary: A great resource
Review: I notice another reviewer recommended the New Oxford Annotated Bible. I already had that one, so I can say that the introductions, notes, and other study aids of the Concordia Self-Study Bible are much more in-depth. Even without the Aprocrypha, it's noticably larger. Modifications from the original NIV Study Bible are clearly marked, so I would recommend this for any Protestant, not just Lutherans. I do, however, wish they included the apocrypha in this Bible (as did Luther in his own translation).
Rating:
Summary: Worth the money if you're a Lutheran NIV user, but...
Review: I'll start off by saying that for Lutherans (or me, a nondenominational Protestant and former Missouri Synod Lutheran) who want a "scholarly" Bible with plenty of study aids, this is an excellent Bible. The NIV version is perhaps the best overall version when it comes to combining clarity of thought with faithfulness to the original texts. This Bible is loaded with plenty of center-column cross-references! It also has many helpful charts, maps, and timelines to aid study and increase understanding. The page margins are plenty wide for notetaking. A decent index and one of the most thorough back-of-the-book concordances are a huge plus! (I still recommend buying the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance, though.) The notes are pretty good, too, althought sometimes they seem to restate the obvious. Introductions to each book are great, including Martin Luther's notes on each book and how the theme of God's grace is in each book. This is essentially a slightly older version of the Zondervan NIV Study Bible, quite a nice Bible in itself. Now for the cons...The Missouri Synod never intended for the NIV to become the de facto Bible of choice. It has now adopted the English Standard Version (ESV) as its officially recommended translation. Although the NIV is perhaps a bit better in thought-for-thought expression, the ESV is readable and is a literal translation with much greater fidelity to the original manuscripts, which I believe is important in a "study" Bible. I believe we will see much wider use of the ESV in the years to come. The ESV also supports Lutheran sacramental doctrine better than the NIV. That said, though, I believe it's never right to use study notes that confer a denominational bias, as the Concordia Self-Study Bible does. The notes can even go so far as to say that Psalm 67:5 applies to the sacraments of baptism and communion, and that Lutherans are the only ones who correctly apply this! I also think that some more application-based notes, such as those found in the regular Zondervan NIV Study Bible, would be helpful. It would also be nice to have a slightly larger and/or bolder typeface. Overall an excellent Bible for someone who wants an easily readable one for reading, memorization, and study, without buying separate concordances and commentaries.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the money if you're a Lutheran NIV user, but...
Review: I'll start off by saying that for Lutherans (or me, a nondenominational Protestant and former Missouri Synod Lutheran) who want a "scholarly" Bible with plenty of study aids, this is an excellent Bible. The NIV version is perhaps the best overall version when it comes to combining clarity of thought with faithfulness to the original texts. This Bible is loaded with plenty of center-column cross-references! It also has many helpful charts, maps, and timelines to aid study and increase understanding. The page margins are plenty wide for notetaking. A decent index and one of the most thorough back-of-the-book concordances are a huge plus! (I still recommend buying the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance, though.) The notes are pretty good, too, althought sometimes they seem to restate the obvious. Introductions to each book are great, including Martin Luther's notes on each book and how the theme of God's grace is in each book. This is essentially a slightly older version of the Zondervan NIV Study Bible, quite a nice Bible in itself. Now for the cons...The Missouri Synod never intended for the NIV to become the de facto Bible of choice. It has now adopted the English Standard Version (ESV) as its officially recommended translation. Although the NIV is perhaps a bit better in thought-for-thought expression, the ESV is readable and is a literal translation with much greater fidelity to the original manuscripts, which I believe is important in a "study" Bible. I believe we will see much wider use of the ESV in the years to come. The ESV also supports Lutheran sacramental doctrine better than the NIV. That said, though, I believe it's never right to use study notes that confer a denominational bias, as the Concordia Self-Study Bible does. The notes can even go so far as to say that Psalm 67:5 applies to the sacraments of baptism and communion, and that Lutherans are the only ones who correctly apply this! I also think that some more application-based notes, such as those found in the regular Zondervan NIV Study Bible, would be helpful. It would also be nice to have a slightly larger and/or bolder typeface. Overall an excellent Bible for someone who wants an easily readable one for reading, memorization, and study, without buying separate concordances and commentaries.
Rating:
Summary: it is a very good bible
Review: It is a very good bible but I should prefer it was made to new study bible totally annoted by lutherans. more dogmatic
Rating:
Summary: simple to read
Review: The best thing about this bible was there were a ton of footnotes to clarify what words or passages meant.
Rating:
Summary: I like it, but have reservatons.
Review: This Bible is a resource no one will outgrow. It has more than enough features with cross references, study notes, text notes, introductions to books of the Bible, tables and charts, an index of the study notes, and a concordance. I was disappointed that the study notes do not make a connection between the Tower of Babel (confusion of languages) and Pentecost (the bridging of languages). The Oxford Annotated makes the connection. The notes on Ephesians 4:9 assume "lower parts of the earth" refers to the incarnation when Kittel's TDNT presents a good case for understanding this phrase as hell as per ancient Greek usage. This is an important proof passage for Christ's descent to hell in the Apostles' Creed. The study notes in this Bible dismiss the meaning found in historic Greek usage without explanation. Notes on the communion sacrifice in Leviticus 3 overlook the way these type of sacrifices were common throughout the ancient world and had the effect of uniting God and people through a shared meal. The Jerusalem Bible with Notes recognizes the sacramental aspect of the communion sacrifice in Leviticus. If you can use the German language, check the very excellent Stuttgarter Erklaerungsbibel available from the German Bible Society (Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft) in Stuttgart. All in all, it is a more satisfactory study Bible. I seldom quote notes from the Concordia Self-study Bible, but often quote (in English) notes from the Stuttgarter Erklaerungsbibel.
Rating:
Summary: My best study Bible
Review: This Bible is my best study-Bible.The NIV text ,in my opinion , is the best biblical english text.The notes of study are exellent.I'm very satisfacted.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Study Bible and Well-Made
Review: This is, of course, the NIV Study Bible with the addition of Lutheran notes. The NIVSB is one of the best selling study Bibles in the world today, and these Lutheran notes only enhance it. I especially like the emphasis on the Eucharistic teachings of the Lutheran Church. Of course, there is some backlash from Lutherans on the NIV text; a lot of them are now using the ESV. Of course, the only important Lutheran bodies today are the Missouri and Wisconsin Synods which do not purport to "ordain" women, and hold to the infallibility of the Scriptures(may their tribe increase!!!!). The other group swings way left on most issues of the day, and is really just another mainline Protestant body. This Bible is an encouragement and can be a most helpful tool for anyone who studies it. Get the leather edition.
|
