Articles
Bible Study Toolbox Pick Up a Good Survey Book
Bible Study Toolbox
Pick Up a Good Survey Book
Outside resources enhance our Bible knowledge. In this article, I’ll recommend good survey books. The word “survey” means “a general view, examination, or description of something.” Survey books are sometimes called “introductions” because they provide a bird’s eye view. They help us see the big picture of the Bible and how it all fits together. Good survey books provide introductions to each book of the Bible, common themes, dates, purpose, content outlines, introductions to main characters like scribes and Pharisees, and an introduction to ancient culture, customs, and political climate. Surveys help set the Bible in it’s original historical context, which is vital for proper interpretation. Below, I’ll recommend survey books for the Bible as a whole, and surveys for both the Old and New Testaments. These are books you can find online. I typically buy all my books used from amazon.com.
Whole Bible Surveys:
“Halley’s Bible Handbook, Deluxe Edition” by Henry H. Halley. 2007.
“The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook” by J. Daniel Hays and J. Scott Duvall. 2011.
Old Testament Surveys:
“A Survey of the Old Testament” by Andrew Hill and John Walton. 2009.
“Understanding the Old Testament: Fifth Edition” by Bernhard Anderson and Steven Bishop. 2006.
“A Popular Survey of the Old Testament” by Norman Geisler. 1996.
New Testament Surveys:
“New Testament Survey” by Merrill C. Tenney. 1985. (It’s older, but it’s a solid classic)
“An Introduction to the New Testament” by D.A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo
“A Popular Survey of the New Testament” by Norman Geisler. 2014.
Certainly, you don’t need all of these, but I recommend one from each category. Amazon.com has a “look inside” feature for most of these so you can see which one looks most appealing to you. As with all man-made works, read with a grain of salt and use God’s Word as the standard for truth. One final note: if you buy used, make sure to check the description from the seller. Some used books have sections underlined and highlighted from previous users. I can’t stand that. I like my books used, but notation-free.
