May 2002 Post, Rector's Column

From time to time, parishioners and others have asked my advice on choosing from among the multitude of Study Bibles and Biblical Commentaries available on the market. Since summertime is fast approaching, with its opportunity to relax on the beach while soaking up some inspiration from Holy Writ, let me offer a few suggestions on how to navigate through the maze of choices when browsing through your favorite local bookstore (including that of our own Oscar Wells!).

First of all, if you are searching for a Bible, it is important to distinguish between a paraphrase and a translation. A paraphrase is a loose rendering into English of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words of the original biblical texts. Over the past few decades, several such paraphrases, including The Living Bible, have been enormously popular because they read so smoothly in English. The trade-off here, of course, is accuracy: because the original texts are simply summarized in the translator's own words, there is a greater potential for theological bias or other error to creep in. Consequently, serious students of the Bible stick with English translations, which attempt to given word-for-word renderings that still read well in our own language.

One of the earliest and still most popular translations is the King James Version (KJV), first produced under King James I of England in 1611. Although it is perhaps the most poetic of all English translations, the KJV suffers from a reliance upon copies of biblical texts that have since been superseded by earlier and more accurate copies uncovered by archaeologists and researchers over the past four centuries. As a result of these discoveries, the KJV has been updated by the Revised Standard Version and the more recent New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), which we use at Pohick. Either of these is a good translation choice, as are the New International Version (NIV), favored by Evangelicals, and the New Jerusalem Bible, which was the product of Roman Catholic scholarship.

While it is possible to purchase a Bible with only a few translation notes, most now come with attached commentaries, some of which are quite extensive. These annotations, along with introductory essays, chronological charts, and period maps, provide readers with historical and theological context for their studies. For adults, among the best of these "Study Bibles" are The New Oxford Annotated Bible (NRSV ) and The HarperCollins Study Bible (NRSV). So are the NIV Study Bible and The New Jerusalem Bible, Reader's Edition, which both contain extensive notes written by the translators themselves. For teens or pre-teens, The Student Bible (NIV) includes a useful set of introductions and "highlights" that are tailored for a Middle or High school audience. Similarly, The Golden Bible is a good Bible paraphrase for younger children.

Among commentaries, B. W. Anderson's Understanding the Old Testament and Raymond Brown's An Introduction to the New Testament are the best single-volume treatments of the two major divisions of the Bible. The Cadillac of commentaries, however, is the twelve-volume New Interpreter's Bible, which includes not only the NRSV and NIV translations in parallel columns, but also detailed historical commentaries, balanced theological reflections, and in-depth introductory essays to each biblical book. A good choice to start a collection in this series would be Volume I (General articles on the Bible and OT; Commentary on Genesis through Leviticus) or Volume VIII (General articles on the NT; Commentary on Matthew and Mark).

To supplement Study Bibles and Commentaries, Bible Dictionaries are helpful both in tracking down the meanings of unfamiliar biblical terms and in supplying more detailed information on important biblical facts and concepts. The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary is the best one-volume resource in this area: not only is it affordable (about $36), it is packed with informative entries and contains hundreds of photographs, illustrations and maps. If you have deeper pockets, the current gold-standard is the six-volume Anchor Bible Dictionary (about $360), which is also available on CD-ROM.

Finally, we must remember that the Bible should not only be studied, but prayed. A useful aid in this endeavor is the Daily Office Book (available individually or in two or four-volume sets), which consists of each of the services of the Daily Office (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, etc.) bound together with the scripture readings from the Daily Lectionary. Those who faithfully keep a daily prayer time with one or more of these Offices will read through most of the Bible after completion of the two-year lectionary cycle.

As you begin to make out your summer reading list, keep the foregoing volumes in mind. You may find them a deeper well of inspiration than the usual "beach book" fare!

I'd like to conclude this column by conveying my gratitude to the Reverend Susan Hazen for her devoted service to this congregation over the past two years. As expressed at her farewell reception, we wish her Godspeed in her new parish in Columbia, Maryland, trusting that her ministry there will continue to touch many lives and warm many hearts.

On the other end of things, the search for a permanent Assistant is drawing to a close, and we hope to have an announcement to the congregation in the near future. In the meantime, the Reverend Jane Piver, Vicar of Trinity Mission, will be assisting pastorally during the week, particularly on Monday, my day off. Various supply clergy will also be serving at Sunday services, as needed. When you see them, please extend to them a hearty Pohick welcome!

May God continue to bless our parish family during this glorious Easter Season as we set our eyes toward Pentecost (May 19), the birthday of the Church.

Faithfully,

The Reverend Donald D. Binder.