Have you ever found yourself at a Christian Book store, searching through the isles trying to find that perfect Bible in which you can just delve into and learn and build an intimate relationship with God? You walk through the doors and you are bombarded with big flashy signs of best selling Christian authors’ with books about how to get that relationship you always wanted, how to become a millionaire God’s way, or the Idiots guide through the Bible. You have to walk past all these books till you make your journey towards the back of the store to where you find that ever so dwindling section of Bibles. Now that you found the Bibles you are just sitting there searching through each one curious as which one is better than the other; wondering why there are so many different translations; what translation is the best; and then you start thinking you are in over your head; maybe I need one of those idiot guides to the Bible first before I get into the Word… Oh wait here I found the perfect Bible; it’s a study Bible and it has commentary that explains everything for me. It is like an idiots guide to the Bible in the Bible itself; PERFECT!
Now I am not trying to make fun of anyone, nor am I putting anyone down that has a Study Bible; it is one of the first Bibles I started out with and there are some that have handy geographical references in them. The problem I have found with Commentary Bibles is a lot of mans thoughts get brought into God’s word and I have even seen some that completely contradict the Bible.
I don’t know if people are familiar with what a page out of a commentary bible looks like but here is an example:
I don’t know if people are familiar with what a page out of a commentary bible looks like but here is an example:
This is what the average page looks like half of it is scripture and then the other half is a man’s interpretation of what the scripture is saying. The definition of commentary is “The expression of opinions or explanations about an event or situation.”
So is commentary good or bad? We can look at scripture to see.
Deut 4:1-6 – God gave Israel statutes and judgments to perform so that they may take possession of the land in which God had given them. In vs. 2 He tells them “ You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you”, those who held fast to the LORD God also staid alive. Verse 6 is neat too because it shows that by keeping the statutes and judgments (just as the Lord spoke them; not adding or removing anything) it was their wisdom and understanding.
Deut 12:32 “Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it”
If you ever read about Moses it is really neat because the Lord would speak to him and then Moses would go and speak to the people word for word what God told him too. None of Moses’ thoughts were intertwined with what God wanted him to speak to the people.
Proverb 30:6 “Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar”
Ecclesiastes 3:14 “I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him”
In Matthew 24:35 Christ says “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” so Christ’s word will never pass away, it will remain forever, we are not to add to it nor take away from it, but are to fear God.
Revelation 22:18-19 “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; (19) and if anyone takes away from the words of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book”
So is commentary adding to the Bible? I believe people need to make that judgment call on their own. I also believe people need to give themselves more credit than they do about their ability to understand the Bible. It is a mystery however; the neat thing about it if you are truly seeking after the Lord He will open your heart to act on the scripture. We can see an example of this in Acts 16:14 with Lydia. She was a worshipper of God and was listening and the Lord opened her heart to respond to things spoken by Paul. So God knows those that are truly seeking after Him and He will not disappoint. The Bible is written at the reading level of a 12 year old, it’s not a hard book to read; however, to really understand it you need to go to the Author of the Book. Just like any book out there to get what the author really meant its best to get the answers from the source.
2 Tim 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
2 Tim 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
2 Peter 1:20 “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, (21) for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
So I will end on this.
When you pick up your Bible next time to read; I encourage everyone to earnestly pray to God that His Holy Spirit would guide you into all truth and reveal His word to you. Start going to God for the answers and you will see the Bible like you have never seen it before. And remember this verse:
1 Peter 2:2 “Like newborn babies long for the pure (unadulterated) milk of the word, so that by it you may grow unto salvation”