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How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour
Reading the Bible need not be a haphazard journey through strange and bewildering territory. Like an experienced tour guide, How to Read the Bible Book by Book takes you by the hand and walks you through the Scriptures. For each book of the Bible, the authors start with a quick snapshot, then expand the view to help you better understand its message and how it fits into the grand narrative of the Bible. Written by two top evangelical scholars, this survey is designed to get you actually reading the Bible knowledgeably and understanding it accurately.
In an engaging, conversational style, Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart take you through every book of the Bible using their unique, progressive approach:
• Orienting Data--Concise info bytes that form a thumbnail of the book
• Overview--A brief panorama that introduces key concepts and themes and important landmarks in the book
• Specific Advice for Reading--Pointers for accurately understanding the details and message of the book in context with the circumstances surrounding its writing
• A Walk Through--The actual section-by-section tour that helps you see both the larger landscape of the book and how its various parts work together to form the whole. Here you are taken by the hand and told, "Look at this!"
How to Read the Bible Book by Book can be used as a companion to How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. It also stands on its own as a reliable guide to reading and understanding the Bible for yourself.
In an engaging, conversational style, Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart take you through every book of the Bible using their unique, progressive approach:
• Orienting Data--Concise info bytes that form a thumbnail of the book
• Overview--A brief panorama that introduces key concepts and themes and important landmarks in the book
• Specific Advice for Reading--Pointers for accurately understanding the details and message of the book in context with the circumstances surrounding its writing
• A Walk Through--The actual section-by-section tour that helps you see both the larger landscape of the book and how its various parts work together to form the whole. Here you are taken by the hand and told, "Look at this!"
How to Read the Bible Book by Book can be used as a companion to How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. It also stands on its own as a reliable guide to reading and understanding the Bible for yourself.
Audiobook
First published March 18, 2001
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About the author
Gordon D. Fee
71 books210 followersGordon Fee was Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Regent College, where he taught for sixteen years. His teaching experience also included serving schools in Washington, California, Kentucky, as well as Wheaton College in Illinois (five years) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts (twelve years).
Gordon Fee was a noted New Testament scholar, having published several books and articles in his field of specialization, New Testament textual criticism. He also published a textbook on New Testament interpretation, co-authored two books for lay people on biblical interpretation, as well as scholarly-popular commentaries on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus and on Galatians, and major commentaries on 1 Corinthians and Philippians. He is also the author of a major work on the Holy Spirit and the Person of Christ in the letters of Paul.
Gordon Fee served as the general editor of the New International Commentary series, as well as on the NIV revision committee that produced the TNIV. Besides his ability as a biblical scholar, he was a noted teacher and conference speaker. He has given the Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar lectures on fifteen college campuses as well as the annual NT lectures at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, North Park Seminary, the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, the Canadian Theological Seminary, Duke Divinity School, Golden Gate Baptist, Anderson School of Theology, Asbury Seminary, and Chrichton College. An ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, Gordon Fee was well known for his manifest concern for the renewal of the church.
Gordon Fee was married and had four married children.
Gordon Fee was a noted New Testament scholar, having published several books and articles in his field of specialization, New Testament textual criticism. He also published a textbook on New Testament interpretation, co-authored two books for lay people on biblical interpretation, as well as scholarly-popular commentaries on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus and on Galatians, and major commentaries on 1 Corinthians and Philippians. He is also the author of a major work on the Holy Spirit and the Person of Christ in the letters of Paul.
Gordon Fee served as the general editor of the New International Commentary series, as well as on the NIV revision committee that produced the TNIV. Besides his ability as a biblical scholar, he was a noted teacher and conference speaker. He has given the Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar lectures on fifteen college campuses as well as the annual NT lectures at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, North Park Seminary, the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, the Canadian Theological Seminary, Duke Divinity School, Golden Gate Baptist, Anderson School of Theology, Asbury Seminary, and Chrichton College. An ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, Gordon Fee was well known for his manifest concern for the renewal of the church.
Gordon Fee was married and had four married children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
June 5, 2016
Very helpful, book-by-book, resource. Recommended.
May 3, 2018
Super helpful to use as reference. And especially for those reading their Bibles for the first time.
March 10, 2017
The concern of this book is to help you read the Bible as a whole, and even when the "whole" is narrowed to "whole books," it is important for you always to be aware of how each book fits into the larger story.
First, this book is intended to be a companion to How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. Anyone who has read this book will see that familiar structure of it's guided overviews of the selected biblical books there. Essentially this is an application of the concepts shared in the first book.
For each book of the bible you are given the following: an overview of the themes of the book, advice for how to approach the book (what to watch for), and then a guided walk through the book itself. This tends to be less detailed than a dedicated commentary, but more than the brief introductions most bible's have in them. For me it is an opportunity to look at the bible with a fresh set of eyes, and a reminder that the bible wasn't necessarily meant to be read by the topic headings most bibles use.
In all I find this book to be a good companion book for study. I can check my own thoughts against someone else without having to dig into a commentary tome. It also helps in showing me if I am following the book correctly or even approaching my reading of the book in the in the proper perspective (i.e I understand the writing style being used, taking into consideration the intent of the original author). In all I recommend it to (and the first book) to anyone wanting to dig deeper into the Bible.
December 30, 2013
Fee and Stuart's follow up to their first book, How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth, is designed to help people become better readers of Scripture and build upon the process that is laid out in the first book. It provides overviews of each book, background information, etc.
This book is really helpful as a resource tool and guide. For that I would have given it four stars. But, it can become a cheat sheet for those who are learning how to read the Bible. Yes, it is good and valuable to have resources that survey Scripture, but I don't know how giving all the 'key' information is helpful for the novice Bible reader. This will seem knit-picky to some, but that knocked it to a three.
I studied under Fee and Stuart at GCTS. Great teachers of the Bible. This isn't a knock on their work and contribution. I simply wish their was a way to demonstrate the process of the first book better without giving all the answers. The first book is one of the most influential books in my entire Christian life; Bible is a given. I reread portions of it every year.
This book is really helpful as a resource tool and guide. For that I would have given it four stars. But, it can become a cheat sheet for those who are learning how to read the Bible. Yes, it is good and valuable to have resources that survey Scripture, but I don't know how giving all the 'key' information is helpful for the novice Bible reader. This will seem knit-picky to some, but that knocked it to a three.
I studied under Fee and Stuart at GCTS. Great teachers of the Bible. This isn't a knock on their work and contribution. I simply wish their was a way to demonstrate the process of the first book better without giving all the answers. The first book is one of the most influential books in my entire Christian life; Bible is a given. I reread portions of it every year.
August 24, 2012
This is a great book for an outline of each book of the Bible and simple commentaries. It's a really great companion if you're beginning to read the Bible--the Lord really used this to help me in understanding the purpose of certain books an to help simplify it in the beginning of my walk.
I've read some reviews where people said it was just a simple commentary or not in depth, but you have to remember the first time you read scriptures you didn't have a complete understanding of historical context and Jewish culture. For example how can you fully understand the message of Hebrews without being aware of Jewish religious traditions outlined in the Old Testament?
And of course if you are using this for reading scriptures for the first time, I highly recommend you get a brother or sister in Christ to disciple you and help you with questions you have.
I've read some reviews where people said it was just a simple commentary or not in depth, but you have to remember the first time you read scriptures you didn't have a complete understanding of historical context and Jewish culture. For example how can you fully understand the message of Hebrews without being aware of Jewish religious traditions outlined in the Old Testament?
And of course if you are using this for reading scriptures for the first time, I highly recommend you get a brother or sister in Christ to disciple you and help you with questions you have.
February 6, 2018
This is an excellent resource to which I regularly refer. It helps me to read the Bible more profitably by pointing out key themes, relevant organizational structure, etc. While I don’t necessarily agree with every conclusion, this book serves me well and is a key tool in my Bible study arsenal.
May 16, 2024
This wasn’t bad. It was just a little bit of a sleeper, and didn’t compare to it’s excellent companion volume. I love the Bible and it doesn’t take much to get me excited about scripture, but this one had me dozing off. Switching over to the ESV Study Bible book intros - which are much better.
July 27, 2011
This stands as a desk reference in my study. I use it regularly as a help in devotions (as does my wife). It is simply written and very helpful. Highly recommended to Bible students of any level.
April 12, 2019
A great introduction to commentaries. A chapter for each book of the Bible, each chapter around 10 pages. A good resource for people new to Bible reading.
December 24, 2022
Read this alongside my daily Bible reading this year. Really helpful in understanding the structure and flow of each book - and its place in the whole of God's story.
February 13, 2025
It is a decent short guide to every book of the Bible. It is for beginners.
Each book is broken down into a short breakdown of the book with authorship, audience, etc.
A short breakdown of relevant background. A short summary. A breakdown of the book per section (as per the authors breakdown). Then, a helpful sentence on how the book is part of the biblical meta-narrative.
Each book is broken down into a short breakdown of the book with authorship, audience, etc.
A short breakdown of relevant background. A short summary. A breakdown of the book per section (as per the authors breakdown). Then, a helpful sentence on how the book is part of the biblical meta-narrative.
July 10, 2018
Like any good tour guide, Fee just points out some background and context, and then mostly gets out of the way. Extremely helpful, especially with difficult prophetic portions of the Bible. Don't imagine me "recommending" this book, imagine me shaking you by the shoulders and saying, "You have to get this book! Your Bible reading NEEDS it! TRUST ME."
July 17, 2018
The book begins with an overview that relates the overarching biblical themes that hold it together as a single story. In addition, prior to beginning each major section of the Bible, the authors provide an overview of the contents and interrelationships of those particular books.
The reader will undoubtedly find himself disagreeing on occasion, and in any event, consulting a good commentary is never a bad idea to get both more detailed discussion and the range of views. However, by focusing on the mission of providing key introductory and summary information for each book, the authors have provided an extremely useful Bible help.
The reader will undoubtedly find himself disagreeing on occasion, and in any event, consulting a good commentary is never a bad idea to get both more detailed discussion and the range of views. However, by focusing on the mission of providing key introductory and summary information for each book, the authors have provided an extremely useful Bible help.
January 13, 2022
A helpful guide to the 66 books of the Bible, though not as insightful as I'd hoped, given its length (20 hrs in audio). I think it'd be more useful as a reference than as a cover-to-cover read. The book is primarily about how each book fits into God's story (the Bible's metanarrative), and secondarily about how each book functions on its own.
For each book of the Bible, it gives the following:
• Orienting data (summary statement, author, date, recipient, occasion, emphasis)
• Overview (brief description of what the book is about)
• Specific advice for reading (points of emphasis, key themes, crucial background material)
• Walkthrough (going through the book beginning to end, showing how the parts fit together to make the whole)
Notes
Leviticus
Food, health, sanitation, and ritual laws were to help Israel show they belonged to God and reflected His purity.
Laws were partly for hygiene and partly symbolic obedience.
Bodily discharges were probably regarded as unclean because they're unsanitary.
Ezra-Nehemiah
Ezra and Nehemiah were originally a single book, as were the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles.
Esther
Haman was an Amalekite (Agagite). Mordecai was a Benjaminite as King Saul was. Their opposition reflects Amalek and Israel (Ex 17), Agag and Saul (1 Sam 15).
Ecclesiastes
The word "hevel," often translated "vanity," refers to the passing, transitory, unsubstantial nature of things, like vapor. It's used to show that human lives pass quickly and are out of our control.
Joy and satisfaction come from living the rhythms of life without trying to be in control, or to make gain of what's transitory.
Ecc reminds us of the brevity of life compared to eternity, emphasizes our need to fear God, and paves the way for the greater revelation of our resurrection.
Song of Songs
Song wasn't intended to apply only to Solomon, but to encourage every married couple to enjoy love and treat each other as king and queen. Lover in most of book isn't specifically Solomon. Solomon, as king, might not have invited love, but simply taken it. The primary role of the woman doesn't seem to match the fact that Solomon had a harem. 3:6-11 could mean that the man is Solomon. "Shulamite" could mean something like "Mrs. Solomon." Solomon's name in 1:1 could be possessive or a form of dedication to Solomon as the commissioner of the song.
Isaiah
Isa 65:17 - 66:24 are about future Zion in new heaven and earth.
Ezekiel
"Son of man" is a Hebraism emphasizing Ezekiel's humanity in God's presence.
Ezekiel's vision of huge temple symbolizes centrality of God's worship, and God's dwelling among His people, in the future.
Daniel
Coming tyrannical ruler likely represents Antiochus IV Epiphanes who desecrated Jerusalem and temple.
Christ's Kingdom is the only one worth mentioning after the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes' downfall is described against backdrop of the end, including resurrection of the dead and eternal reward of the righteous.
Mark
"Immediately" doesn't always refer to time, but to urgency of storytelling.
John
John's emphasis isn't on Kingdom of God, but Jesus Himself. John describes Jesus as he understood Him after Christ's resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians
Paul is correcting Corinthians on what it means to be a person of the Spirit. Corinthians apparently believed that by speaking in tongues they were speaking the language of angels (13:1) and had arrived at ultimate spirituality, so some had no use for a bodily resurrection (6:13-14; 15:12) and had a triumphalist view of present life. They saw Paul's weakness as evidence of his lesser spirituality (4:6-21). They had a low view of bodily activities (7:1-7) and cast aside traditional head coverings (11:3-16).
Head coverings in worship (11:2-16) most likely refers to women discarding a traditional loose-fitting shawl on the basis of being as the angels, which apparently brought tensions in marriages, because the husbands saw the women as being like men. Paul advised that women keep the custom so they don't appear like men.
2 Thessalonians
Paul expected certain events to occur before Christ's return (2:1-12). Thessalonians had previously been informed about identity of man of lawlessness and what's holding him back, so Paul doesn't repeat himself here.
There's speculation about why Thessalonians weren't working. It probably wasn't because they expected Christ's soon return, because the idea was that the Day of the Lord had already come (2:2). It's more likely that Greek aristocrats disdained manual labor.
Philemon
Slavery in 1st century Greco-Roman world was based on economics and birth, not on capture and race. Slaves were at bottom of social ladder, with no rights under Roman law. Runaway slaves were often crucified.
Paul expected Philemon to wipe the slate clean for Onesimus.
Hebrews
Author is 2nd-generation believer (2:3), a skilled preacher and Scripture interpreter, with excellent command of Greek. This book entered canon with Paul's letters, but Paul didn't write it.
Author's only Bible was Septuagint, so citations don't always directly match our OT.
Jesus is compared to Melchizedek in 1) lack of genealogy (no predecessor or human successor) and 2) superiority to Levitical priests.
James
Both James and Paul agree that the 1st thing one does with one's faith is to live by it (see Gal 5:6).
Revelation
Apocalyptic imagery
• Imagery is primarily that of fantasy (beast with 7 heads, woman clothed in sun, etc.)
• John interprets most important images: Christ (1:17-18), church (1:20), Satan (12:9), Rome (17:9, 18).
• Some images are well-known and fixed (beast from sea represents evil empire; earthquake represents divine judgment); other images are fluid and used to evoke feelings and mental pictures.
• Visions are to be seen as wholes, not pressed regarding their details.
Beast's fatal wound (13:3, 12) alludes to AD 69 when world expected Rome to collapse after Nero's death, but it didn't.
Beast from earth represents priesthood of emperor cult.
For each book of the Bible, it gives the following:
• Orienting data (summary statement, author, date, recipient, occasion, emphasis)
• Overview (brief description of what the book is about)
• Specific advice for reading (points of emphasis, key themes, crucial background material)
• Walkthrough (going through the book beginning to end, showing how the parts fit together to make the whole)
Notes
Leviticus
Food, health, sanitation, and ritual laws were to help Israel show they belonged to God and reflected His purity.
Laws were partly for hygiene and partly symbolic obedience.
Bodily discharges were probably regarded as unclean because they're unsanitary.
Ezra-Nehemiah
Ezra and Nehemiah were originally a single book, as were the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles.
Esther
Haman was an Amalekite (Agagite). Mordecai was a Benjaminite as King Saul was. Their opposition reflects Amalek and Israel (Ex 17), Agag and Saul (1 Sam 15).
Ecclesiastes
The word "hevel," often translated "vanity," refers to the passing, transitory, unsubstantial nature of things, like vapor. It's used to show that human lives pass quickly and are out of our control.
Joy and satisfaction come from living the rhythms of life without trying to be in control, or to make gain of what's transitory.
Ecc reminds us of the brevity of life compared to eternity, emphasizes our need to fear God, and paves the way for the greater revelation of our resurrection.
Song of Songs
Song wasn't intended to apply only to Solomon, but to encourage every married couple to enjoy love and treat each other as king and queen. Lover in most of book isn't specifically Solomon. Solomon, as king, might not have invited love, but simply taken it. The primary role of the woman doesn't seem to match the fact that Solomon had a harem. 3:6-11 could mean that the man is Solomon. "Shulamite" could mean something like "Mrs. Solomon." Solomon's name in 1:1 could be possessive or a form of dedication to Solomon as the commissioner of the song.
Isaiah
Isa 65:17 - 66:24 are about future Zion in new heaven and earth.
Ezekiel
"Son of man" is a Hebraism emphasizing Ezekiel's humanity in God's presence.
Ezekiel's vision of huge temple symbolizes centrality of God's worship, and God's dwelling among His people, in the future.
Daniel
Coming tyrannical ruler likely represents Antiochus IV Epiphanes who desecrated Jerusalem and temple.
Christ's Kingdom is the only one worth mentioning after the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes' downfall is described against backdrop of the end, including resurrection of the dead and eternal reward of the righteous.
Mark
"Immediately" doesn't always refer to time, but to urgency of storytelling.
John
John's emphasis isn't on Kingdom of God, but Jesus Himself. John describes Jesus as he understood Him after Christ's resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians
Paul is correcting Corinthians on what it means to be a person of the Spirit. Corinthians apparently believed that by speaking in tongues they were speaking the language of angels (13:1) and had arrived at ultimate spirituality, so some had no use for a bodily resurrection (6:13-14; 15:12) and had a triumphalist view of present life. They saw Paul's weakness as evidence of his lesser spirituality (4:6-21). They had a low view of bodily activities (7:1-7) and cast aside traditional head coverings (11:3-16).
Head coverings in worship (11:2-16) most likely refers to women discarding a traditional loose-fitting shawl on the basis of being as the angels, which apparently brought tensions in marriages, because the husbands saw the women as being like men. Paul advised that women keep the custom so they don't appear like men.
2 Thessalonians
Paul expected certain events to occur before Christ's return (2:1-12). Thessalonians had previously been informed about identity of man of lawlessness and what's holding him back, so Paul doesn't repeat himself here.
There's speculation about why Thessalonians weren't working. It probably wasn't because they expected Christ's soon return, because the idea was that the Day of the Lord had already come (2:2). It's more likely that Greek aristocrats disdained manual labor.
Philemon
Slavery in 1st century Greco-Roman world was based on economics and birth, not on capture and race. Slaves were at bottom of social ladder, with no rights under Roman law. Runaway slaves were often crucified.
Paul expected Philemon to wipe the slate clean for Onesimus.
Hebrews
Author is 2nd-generation believer (2:3), a skilled preacher and Scripture interpreter, with excellent command of Greek. This book entered canon with Paul's letters, but Paul didn't write it.
Author's only Bible was Septuagint, so citations don't always directly match our OT.
Jesus is compared to Melchizedek in 1) lack of genealogy (no predecessor or human successor) and 2) superiority to Levitical priests.
James
Both James and Paul agree that the 1st thing one does with one's faith is to live by it (see Gal 5:6).
Revelation
Apocalyptic imagery
• Imagery is primarily that of fantasy (beast with 7 heads, woman clothed in sun, etc.)
• John interprets most important images: Christ (1:17-18), church (1:20), Satan (12:9), Rome (17:9, 18).
• Some images are well-known and fixed (beast from sea represents evil empire; earthquake represents divine judgment); other images are fluid and used to evoke feelings and mental pictures.
• Visions are to be seen as wholes, not pressed regarding their details.
Beast's fatal wound (13:3, 12) alludes to AD 69 when world expected Rome to collapse after Nero's death, but it didn't.
Beast from earth represents priesthood of emperor cult.
May 16, 2020
An excellent guide to reading and interpreting scripture. Put this tool in your toolbox!
January 24, 2025
As a book, this is a useful guide that gives an overview of the Bible. Easy to read and understand, How To Read the Bible Book by Book gives a good overview of the Bible. Written from an unapologetic evangelical viewpoint, it gives readers an overview of each of the 66 books in the Protestant Bible canon, looking over the chapters and themes of these books.
What is good about the book is that it is generally open about dating different books, specifically in the New Testament. There was a lot of information on the different books and the authors were open about the authorship, dating and whether a book or letter had a disputed author. For example, Titus says that the author was Paul but states authorship is disputed. This shows that rather than sticking to an evangelical hermeneutic, there is honesty in interpretation.
The second good thing about the book is that it also is honest about when the Bible is talking about social justice. Many books the authors make it clear that such books were mentioning about social justice and this is rather bold and controversial, given how toxic American evangelicalism is. The fact there were potentially going to upset their readers shows they were brave in writing this.
There are criticisms about this book though. Firstly, the book has an inconsistent historical coverage and date of composition. In the "orientating data" section, many of the Old Testament books vary in whether they have a date of historical coverage or date of composition. This is either because the type of composition is different, the doctrine of inerrancy requires certain texts to be literal history or because there were conflicting ideas in what each of these representing are supposed to represent. Whatever it is, the book is confusing with how it jumps from historical date to date of composition.
Another criticism is that the evangelical hermeneutic limits potential interpretation and can distort the actual meaning that can be interpreted. For example, the book says the main theme in Genesis is the fall of humanity and yet to a Jewish view, this wouldn't be the case as The Fall doesn't exist in Jewish hermeneutics. The subplots of Genesis could be considered main plots depending on the interpretation of the text.
Another one is the interpretation of 1 Thessalonians in that the writers interpret Paul as having Jewish sexual ethics in opposing sex outside marriage, whilst other Bible commentators such as Dan McClellan argue that the sexual ethics of Paul was heavily shaped by Greek philosophy. This I tend to agree with, as many of the later Greco-Roman philosophies had sex negative views.
Overall a good overview of Bible.
What is good about the book is that it is generally open about dating different books, specifically in the New Testament. There was a lot of information on the different books and the authors were open about the authorship, dating and whether a book or letter had a disputed author. For example, Titus says that the author was Paul but states authorship is disputed. This shows that rather than sticking to an evangelical hermeneutic, there is honesty in interpretation.
The second good thing about the book is that it also is honest about when the Bible is talking about social justice. Many books the authors make it clear that such books were mentioning about social justice and this is rather bold and controversial, given how toxic American evangelicalism is. The fact there were potentially going to upset their readers shows they were brave in writing this.
There are criticisms about this book though. Firstly, the book has an inconsistent historical coverage and date of composition. In the "orientating data" section, many of the Old Testament books vary in whether they have a date of historical coverage or date of composition. This is either because the type of composition is different, the doctrine of inerrancy requires certain texts to be literal history or because there were conflicting ideas in what each of these representing are supposed to represent. Whatever it is, the book is confusing with how it jumps from historical date to date of composition.
Another criticism is that the evangelical hermeneutic limits potential interpretation and can distort the actual meaning that can be interpreted. For example, the book says the main theme in Genesis is the fall of humanity and yet to a Jewish view, this wouldn't be the case as The Fall doesn't exist in Jewish hermeneutics. The subplots of Genesis could be considered main plots depending on the interpretation of the text.
Another one is the interpretation of 1 Thessalonians in that the writers interpret Paul as having Jewish sexual ethics in opposing sex outside marriage, whilst other Bible commentators such as Dan McClellan argue that the sexual ethics of Paul was heavily shaped by Greek philosophy. This I tend to agree with, as many of the later Greco-Roman philosophies had sex negative views.
Overall a good overview of Bible.
June 2, 2024
I agree with the subtle: A Guided Tour. This book is a guided tour of all 66 books of the canonized Christian Bible. It's not a commentary, but a short synopsis of each book. It's referred to as How to 2 in the author's other book entitled How to read the Bible For All It's Worth.
I'm just starting to study scripture on my own, using resources to help me. A pastor at my church chose the author's other book as an introduction to hermeneutics, so that's how I found this resource. Overall, it's a quick reference with short paragraphs on historical background, comments as to literary context and devices used in the book referenced, and short summaries of the book from the author's perspective.
The problem I had was the author's biases. This is not a neutral book. The writing shows the author's biases for:
-dispensationalism or a theory that the old testament is past and doesn't apply to the current church and only the new testament or words of Jesus should be followed
-protestant reform theology
-replacement theology, which is an anti-Semitic belief that modern day day Christians or gentile believers replaced Israel as God's people and church. I think gentile believers are supposed to be grafted into Israel and join them in Messiah as it says in Ephesians 2.
I started with Jonah and found the summary to be helpful. I think the historical content was helpful and the author's insights seemed accurate with what the text said. Afterwards, I read through Micah. I think this author has a good understanding of literary devices so it helped me see the patterns in the passages.
However, when I used this resource to study the gospel of John, I was surprised at how off from the text it seemed. In John 5, it talks about the Father's work starting with healing a man at the Bethesda pool and ending with a denunciation of the blind leaders understanding of Sabbath and work. This author said God's work was birth, death and rain (pg. 310). This misses the point. Jesus did what he saw the Father doing which was restorative work like healing a sick man. In John 6, this author's summary seemed short, and tried to connect Jesus being the bread of life to Exodus, but I think it missed the original intention of the passage. John 6 is about the people being carnal and wanting food, not the Messiah, or the people crediting Moses for manna, not God. The people and the leaders weren't seeking God and can't without the Father choosing to draw them and grant them faith (John 6:65, 70). He speaks about giving his flesh to save the world (John 6:51), but that happens at the the final Passover, the day Jesus hung on the cross, not the Passover mentioned in John 6:4.
In Romans, the author's summaries seem true to the text, even though they're a broad overview of the book's themes, not specific chapter by chapter.
I think this is a good basic resource, but as in good hermeneutics, it needs to be read with context or biases in mind.
I'm just starting to study scripture on my own, using resources to help me. A pastor at my church chose the author's other book as an introduction to hermeneutics, so that's how I found this resource. Overall, it's a quick reference with short paragraphs on historical background, comments as to literary context and devices used in the book referenced, and short summaries of the book from the author's perspective.
The problem I had was the author's biases. This is not a neutral book. The writing shows the author's biases for:
-dispensationalism or a theory that the old testament is past and doesn't apply to the current church and only the new testament or words of Jesus should be followed
-protestant reform theology
-replacement theology, which is an anti-Semitic belief that modern day day Christians or gentile believers replaced Israel as God's people and church. I think gentile believers are supposed to be grafted into Israel and join them in Messiah as it says in Ephesians 2.
I started with Jonah and found the summary to be helpful. I think the historical content was helpful and the author's insights seemed accurate with what the text said. Afterwards, I read through Micah. I think this author has a good understanding of literary devices so it helped me see the patterns in the passages.
However, when I used this resource to study the gospel of John, I was surprised at how off from the text it seemed. In John 5, it talks about the Father's work starting with healing a man at the Bethesda pool and ending with a denunciation of the blind leaders understanding of Sabbath and work. This author said God's work was birth, death and rain (pg. 310). This misses the point. Jesus did what he saw the Father doing which was restorative work like healing a sick man. In John 6, this author's summary seemed short, and tried to connect Jesus being the bread of life to Exodus, but I think it missed the original intention of the passage. John 6 is about the people being carnal and wanting food, not the Messiah, or the people crediting Moses for manna, not God. The people and the leaders weren't seeking God and can't without the Father choosing to draw them and grant them faith (John 6:65, 70). He speaks about giving his flesh to save the world (John 6:51), but that happens at the the final Passover, the day Jesus hung on the cross, not the Passover mentioned in John 6:4.
In Romans, the author's summaries seem true to the text, even though they're a broad overview of the book's themes, not specific chapter by chapter.
I think this is a good basic resource, but as in good hermeneutics, it needs to be read with context or biases in mind.
April 29, 2023
This book aims to do a more specific thing than might be immediately obvious: to tell you for each part of the Bible what (in the author's view) you should be focussing on.
So, the book breaks down the Bible into chunks, usually of around 3-5 chapters; and in each tells you to "Note that..." or "Watch for..." some thing. Usually the author will not attempt to identify the passage's main message. He will highlight a (usually literary) feature, presumably the perceiving of which will help you unlock (some important aspect of) the message for yourself.
In generaly the book will also not provide: a summary of what each book/passage says; contextual information that might be useful for understanding; an explanation of any difficult theological concepts.
Some examples:
- Exodus 3-6: "Watch for several important features in this narrative ..."
- 2 Kings 11-17 (deportation of Israel): "Note how Israel's kings are merely summarised ... until Israel is annexed... Notice how the author's summary in 17:7-23 tells the story in the way he has expected you to read it. The Assyrian resettlement of the land sets in motion the many difficulties that will be faced in Ezra and Nehemiah."
- John 1:1-18 (the Logos passage): "This wonderful passage you will want to come back to again and again. Here John emphasises both the prehistorical and historical aspects of Jesus, the Son of God..."
So, the book breaks down the Bible into chunks, usually of around 3-5 chapters; and in each tells you to "Note that..." or "Watch for..." some thing. Usually the author will not attempt to identify the passage's main message. He will highlight a (usually literary) feature, presumably the perceiving of which will help you unlock (some important aspect of) the message for yourself.
In generaly the book will also not provide: a summary of what each book/passage says; contextual information that might be useful for understanding; an explanation of any difficult theological concepts.
Some examples:
- Exodus 3-6: "Watch for several important features in this narrative ..."
- 2 Kings 11-17 (deportation of Israel): "Note how Israel's kings are merely summarised ... until Israel is annexed... Notice how the author's summary in 17:7-23 tells the story in the way he has expected you to read it. The Assyrian resettlement of the land sets in motion the many difficulties that will be faced in Ezra and Nehemiah."
- John 1:1-18 (the Logos passage): "This wonderful passage you will want to come back to again and again. Here John emphasises both the prehistorical and historical aspects of Jesus, the Son of God..."
June 18, 2024
I am ALWAYS returning to this book to get deeper comprehension of scripture.
It goes through every book of the Bible and gives short helpful explanation of each section of verses. Definitely more of an overview in terms of theology and context, but it’s bite-sized enough and very easy to read.
This is a perfect companion for the everyday Christian who wants to further understand scripture. All you do is flick to the book or scripture you’re reading and it will have a great explanation to help you understand it.
To be aware:
- If you are looking to discover more about a specific book or chapter from the Bible, you may be better off getting a book that is solely a commentary about that, instead of How to Read the Bible Book by Book.
- How to Read the Bible Book by Book does not provide you with multiple perspectives on particular sections in scripture. You may hear different interpretations in other commentaries or preachers/teachers. This is totally normal when it comes to delving deeper into scripture and does not take away from the value of what this book brings to understanding the Bible :)
- if you are looking for an entire Bible commentary that has chunky information on each book & verse, or looking for a commentary appropriate for formal education study I would go for a fuller commentary as this is just birds-eye-view.
Truly, I can’t stress it enough, this book is so helpful, every Christian who wants to read the Bible could do with a copy of this book!!!
It goes through every book of the Bible and gives short helpful explanation of each section of verses. Definitely more of an overview in terms of theology and context, but it’s bite-sized enough and very easy to read.
This is a perfect companion for the everyday Christian who wants to further understand scripture. All you do is flick to the book or scripture you’re reading and it will have a great explanation to help you understand it.
To be aware:
- If you are looking to discover more about a specific book or chapter from the Bible, you may be better off getting a book that is solely a commentary about that, instead of How to Read the Bible Book by Book.
- How to Read the Bible Book by Book does not provide you with multiple perspectives on particular sections in scripture. You may hear different interpretations in other commentaries or preachers/teachers. This is totally normal when it comes to delving deeper into scripture and does not take away from the value of what this book brings to understanding the Bible :)
- if you are looking for an entire Bible commentary that has chunky information on each book & verse, or looking for a commentary appropriate for formal education study I would go for a fuller commentary as this is just birds-eye-view.
Truly, I can’t stress it enough, this book is so helpful, every Christian who wants to read the Bible could do with a copy of this book!!!
April 16, 2022
I picked up this book because I was reading through the Bible in 90 days without commentary, but as I got to Leviticus, I realized that I needed a “guided tour” as I was reading. So, I read alongside my Bible reading (which was a lot altogether but helpful). Sometimes there were brand new insights of motifs and explanations, but other times, I just skimmed through quickly. There were times I wanted more info and time when it all was a bit cumbersome. Overall, I’m thankful for this resource and for how it enhanced my Bible reading.
December 4, 2018
Tough to give this one a rating. I'd say 3.5 is honest, but I want to bump it up to 3.75 because I still believe it has more to offer. I was just disappointed because it didn't give what I was looking for: understanding context to better explain the crazy stuff in the old AND new testament.
Technically I haven't finished this book yet, but I read it whenever I want more context on a certain chapter. It really benefited me when I was abroad and away from my usual local church.
Technically I haven't finished this book yet, but I read it whenever I want more context on a certain chapter. It really benefited me when I was abroad and away from my usual local church.
March 5, 2020
This book is a excellent Bible reading and study resource. It is not the kind of non-fiction book your read all at once ; instead it is a companion to your reading plan. You read it section by section as you go through specific books.
My only complaint is that is quotes from the a NIV and I would prefer KJV. There is a section in the back that explains why the author has chosen it.
I will be adding this as a resource, in book form instead of Kindle, to supplement my Bible reading.
My only complaint is that is quotes from the a NIV and I would prefer KJV. There is a section in the back that explains why the author has chosen it.
I will be adding this as a resource, in book form instead of Kindle, to supplement my Bible reading.
December 13, 2018
Very helpful book. It gives an overview of every book of the Bible. It has the following format: 1) Introductory material (author/date/emphases etc.) 2) Overview of the book 3) Specific advice for reading that book 4) A walk through that book (broken into sections).
It's a great companion book to read before you start a new book of the Bible, especially if you are unfamiliar with it.
It's a great companion book to read before you start a new book of the Bible, especially if you are unfamiliar with it.
August 4, 2018
Great book to read before reading and studying specific books of the Bible. It's not necessary to read it in order, in fact, I encourage the readers to go to this book before reading and studying a book from the Bible.
August 13, 2018
We used this as a textbook for a course with Vineyard Institute - very technical in places but highly recommended! It helped us to understand the background, context, and foci of each book we studied.
November 2, 2022
If you want a condensed but comprehensive Bible commentary, this is a great choice. It covers a lot without feeling like an overwhelming amount of information. I like the way each book of the Bible is broken down in this commentary.
November 18, 2023
a handy, accessible resource
In typical fashion, the authors pack a lot of insight into a short number of pages. Each book of the Bible is summarized well with a variety of thought-provoking commentary.
In typical fashion, the authors pack a lot of insight into a short number of pages. Each book of the Bible is summarized well with a variety of thought-provoking commentary.
August 24, 2025
Absolutely perfect for students looking for concise yet detailed summaries for each book of the Bible, or for anyone looking for a Bible aid. Very well organized and easy to follow, while also breaking down different sections and topics of each book with helpful and doctrinally sound explanations.
March 26, 2018
This book explained so much! Things have finally started making sense! This is a must read if you are studying the Bible. I poured over every page :D
August 1, 2019
As a Theology Graduate this is a valuable resource for your personal library.
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