Initial Thoughts on the ESV Study Bible

It's been almost two weeks since the ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) was made available to the public. Much hype and publicity surrounded its publication. John Piper called it "a dream come true." Jerry Bridges heralded it as "the finest study tool I have seen in fifty years of Bible teaching." For Mark Driscoll, it is "the most important resource that has been given to the emerging generation of Bible students and teachers." Philip Ryken noted that it is "the world's best and most complete single-volume resource for reading, studying, and teaching the Bible."

That's a lot of hype. But does it live up? Well, below are some of my first impressions.

Aesthetics: I bought the Natural Brown Tru-Tone edition because I don't prefer the stiffness of most genuine leather Bibles. The Tru-Tone is softer, suppler, and easier to hang on to when you're preaching. The ESVSB itself is rather large, however, which will detract one from carrying it around very long in the pulpit (you might need a wagon). Nonetheless, the Bible is very attractive, accented with the distinctive E-S-V stamp down the spine.

Layout: The ESVSB begins with a few standard prolegomenal issues such as contributors, translation notes, and explanations before launching into the OT. Five essays are given before Genesis is presented. These include a Theology of the Old Testament and a chronological overview of the OT. Before each section of the OT (Pentateuch, historical, poetry/wisdom, prophets), a corresponding essay is also provided. Between the OT and NT are twenty pages of "inter-testamental" resources on historical events therein. The NT follows a similar format to the OT with introductory essays and guides for reading each genre. The ESVSB closes with a litany of what appear to be excellent theological and practical articles on doctrine, ethics, hermeneutics, and church history as well as 15 color maps based on cutting-edge satellite imagery. The ESVSB did well in displaying excellence in its visual presentation. All the maps and illustrations are accurate and colorful, a welcomed change from previous study bibles.

Substance: The English Standard Version is a well-known translation in the evangelical world. My own denomination (PCA) uses almost no other version for public worship and preaching. So the ESVSB is a trustworthy text. I was glad that it opted for the words of Jesus in black, much like the Reformation Study Bible which is also popular. This is a theological conviction more than an aesthetic one because by keeping the text monochromatic, we maintain that Christ's words are received by the apostolic tradition rather than from his own pen.

I have made a broad survey of the footnotes and they appear to be solid. They are rooted in the ancient linguistic and cultural "soil" of the biblical world. They are not, however, so academic as to befuddle the average reader, but yet they are not so obvious as to bore the pastor. The contributing scholars did well to relay this information to Joe the Plumber....and Joe the Biden. The contributors are virtually all of Reformed leanings, but the footnotes and essays don't have an axe to grind (as we find in the Reformation Study Bible). They are balanced and sensitive to a variety of positions on a variety of topics.

So does the ESVSB live up to the aforementioned hype? I believe that it does. It is certainly my "go-to" study bible, even though it is hard to let go of my well-worn and well-marked New Oxford Annotated Study Bible (RSV). For those of you out there in the market, I'd recommend the ESVSB. It will enhance your reading of God's Word and give you deeper and more profound insights into its beauty and complexity. All in all, I give it an A+.