Handbooks Vs. Commentaries: The Difference and Proper Use
There are many different Bible study tools that can be used to help make your Bible study time easier. When I first started studying the Bible, I was given this great big list of all these different resources. I didn’t even know what was what. That’s how it often is when you begin, but let’s fix that.
A Bible handbook provides a brief overview of each book of the Bible and discusses the overall theme, message, author, and background. While a Bible concordance covers the same information, they however, provide a more detailed discussion for a specific book in the Bible.
Let’s talk about two Bible study resources that are commonly used: a Bible handbook and Bible commentaries. They both have different purpose, function, and scope. So, let’s see exactly how they are different and how to use them.
Bible Handbook Overview
A Bible handbook is a great resource for beginners as it provides an overview of each book of the Bible. It offers a concise overview of each book’s content, context, themes, and events. Think of it like a more detailed book introduction that you would find in a study Bible.
The purpose of a Bible handbook is to be a quick reference for seeing the big picture story of an individual book in the Bible and the Bible itself. For each individual book the Bible handbook will provide information on,
- Historical Context
- Key Themes
- Theological Message, and
- Application Tips
These brief overviews for each book of the Bible makes a Bible handbook a great resource for quick Bible study. They also may include other articles on things like how the Bible came to be or how to study the Bible.
In general, Bible handbooks are brief and concise. But because they cover the whole Bible they are big books. They provide general information of the Bible and summaries of each book, offering a broad perspective on the Bible as a whole.
As such, Bible handbooks are great for beginners in BIble study who are looking for an overview or summary of the Bible or a particular book in the Bible. A Bible handbook also makes a great resource for those who may be more experienced in Bible study, but are looking for a quick reference guide.
Using A Bible Handbook
A Bible handbook is one of the easiest Bible study tools to use. It’s like a normal book. The Bible handbook I use is broken into three parts:
- Part I: God’s Story (and Your Story)
- Part II: How the Bible Came to Be
- Part III: Digging Deeper into the Bible
Part one takes up the most number of pages, as that is the section that summarizes each book of the Bible.
The second part discusses how the Bible came to be, covering not only the production, shaping, copying, and transmitting of the Biblical text, but various translations as well.
The last section provides some articles if you are interested in digging deeper into the Bible and cover topics like how to interpret various genres, archeology and the Bible, and the New Testament use of the Old Testament.
A Bible handbook can be used to orient you to the big picture of a particular book in the Bible. As such, it is a great resource when you are venturing out into Bible study for the first time or are looking for general information. A Bible handbook is also a great place to start when you want to understand Biblical themes.
| Aspect | Bible Handbook | Bible Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Offers a broad overview of the Bible’s content and themes. | Provides in-depth analysis and interpretation of specific Bible passages or books. |
| Depth | Concise and relatively shallow. | In-depth and scholarly. |
| Coverage | Covers the entire Bible with general information for each book. | Focuses on specific books or passages, offering detailed analysis. |
| Audience | Suitable for a general audience, including beginners and casual readers. | Geared towards serious students, scholars, theologians, and those seeking deep study. |
Bible Commentary Overview
A Bible commentary is an in-depth, and typically more scholarly, resource that provides more detailed explanations, interpretations, and insights into a particular book of the Bible. As such, they usually only cover one book or a small grouping of books.
There are three main types of commentaries available. They are,
- Exegetical: These types of commentaries are the highly academic textbook like commentaries. They will typically go in-depth on the historical and linguistic issues of a book of the Bible. They seek to help a reader better understand a passage in its original context.
- Expository/Homiletic: Expository commentaries, also called homiletic commentaries, are middle of the road commentaries. They provide a good balance between helping someone understand the original context while also being practical enough to help Bible teachers and pastors.
- Devotional: These types of commentaries are non-technical and focus heavily on practical application and spiritual growth. Often they will help readers apply a passage or book of the Bible to their daily lives.
If you are interested in knowing more about the different types of commentaries and which one is the best for beginners, then be sure to check out this article. And be sure to check this one out to help you choose the best commentary for you.
A Bible commentary is used for in-depth study such as preparing sermons or teaching lessons. They can also be used for more advanced Bible study, or are wanting comprehensive insights into a particular passage. As such, they can be helpful when you have questions you can’t find the answer to elsewhere.
Using A Bible Commentary
A Bible commentary is a really useful resource that is also easy to use. So, here are the steps to using a Bible commentary:
- Read the Passage of Scripture: First, you will want to read and understand the passage of the Bible on your own. This creates a very important foundation you can build upon later.
- Consult the Commentary: Second, you’ll want to read the corresponding section in the commentary.
- Compare Interpretations: See how the commentary aligns with your own understanding of the passage. It’s important to not automatically adopt what a commentary says, but they can be helpful in aiding our understanding of a specific passage.
- Examine Historical and Cultural Context: Commentaries will often provide historical and cultural context to a specific passage. This can help the Bible come alive and deepen your understanding.
- Apply Practical Insights: Many commentaries will also offer practical applications of the text. See how you can apply these to your life.
A Bible commentary is a great resource to use when you are wanting in-depth analysis, theological insight, or when preparing to teach a sermon or lesson.
I recently spent some time investigating how helpful Bible commentaries were in Bible study to determine when the best time to use them was, and I discovered some pretty amazing things.
For example, even though a commentary can be beneficial for spiritual growth, it has no impact on how close you are to God. If you are curious about the results or want to see how I did the experiment, then be sure to check out this article that discusses exactly when you should use a commentary.
If you are considering a Bible commentary, but want to look at some before you buy, then check out this article that lists the top free commentaries you can use. You can explore the different commentaries and see if that is what you are looking for right now. If it’s not, then consider a Bible handbook.
