Customer Reviews

Ryken's Bible Handbook

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Are you overwhelmed at the thought of trying to read and understand the Bible? Maybe you've never read any of it and you don't know where to start. Or perhaps you have been reading the Bible for years, but you are ready to dig deeper and move to a new level of understanding. Either way, Ryken's Bible Handbook is the tool for you.

Ryken's goes book-by-book through the Old and New Testaments. A fact sheet--listing the format, purpose, author's perspective, audience, unifying theme, and special features--gives the reader a quick overview of each book. After that, the authors discuss the challenges of each book along with advice on how to meet those challenges. The literary form, the story, the characters, the key doctrines, and tips for reading, teaching, and applying each book are just a few of the other topics discussed.

The main purpose of Ryken's Bible Handbook is to teach students how to study the Bible for themselves. It is "not simply a summary of biblical content," but a "book of methodology." A major emphasis of this handbook is the importance of considering the genre of each book of the Bible: "[T]his book can accurately be called an introduction to the genres (types of writing, such as story, proverb, or genealogy) that make up the Bible, along with guidelines for interpreting each genre." Dispersed throughout the handbook are one-page articles on each of the major biblical genres and keys to understanding them.

Other helpful elements of Ryken's include: a one year Bible reading plan, articles on various biblical topics, full color maps and charts, and a terrific overview of the entire Bible in a chapter titled, "The Bible as a Book."

Ryken's is the best one-volume Bible study tool that I have found. As J.I. Packer said, "All who aim to be discerning biblical Christians will appreciate it enormously." I recommend it to students and teachers alike.

Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

This book was provided as a review copy from Tyndale House Publishers.

This book is for teachers and students of the Bible and I think it would also be good for parents to use with their kids. Even though it's over 600 pages long, it's a smaller sized reference book and isn't comprehensive or meant to be. It's a concise handbook on how to read and study each book of the Bible. Anyone familiar with studying the Bible will benefit from this book.

Each chapter is devoted to a book of the Bible and includes things such as Author's Perspective, Audience Perspective or Implied Audience, Special Features, Challenges Facing the Teacher or Reader of the Book, How to Meet the Challenges, Form, Genre, Structure, Outline, Timeline, Characters, How To Apply the Book, Key Verses etc. Don't let that overwhelm you. Each part is concise and very useful and not every chapter has every one of those.

I especially like The Most Common Misconceptions of the Book since this is one thing I've been working on for a few years now whether it's books, passages, verses, etc. I also like Perspectives which are quotes on the book at the end of each chapter by various authors and scholars and somewhere in each chapter there may be a quote dealing with a subject of the book. I also like various Did You Know? inserts which are short factual items related to the book that are helpfully shaded in gray (see below).

Also sprinkled throughout the book are one page articles on the major genres of the Bible and other topics anywhere from How We Got the Bible at the beginning to Apocalyptic Writing in the end. My one complaint is that these articles don't look different enough from the rest of the book. It's easy to keep reading and not always realize it's the start of the article. The typeface is different but that's the only thing that sets it apart other than the title. A border or shaded background would be helpful.

The very idea of a "Christless sermon" appalled Charles Spurgeon and in the same vein this handbook always looks for how OT books point to Christ but doesn't press the point too far if it's scant.

There has to be some interpretation in a book like this but as far as I can tell it's very neutral. Since my theological outlook is the same as the authors', I may not be able to discern that as clearly as others. In any case, I can't imagine anyone not benefiting from this book.

Part of the reason this review took so long is because I read each chapter before reading each book of the Old Testament this year (in addition to having surgery right in the middle). This was very helpful. It gave me a "heads up" on things to look for without telling me how to interpret it or without it being a commentary that I would want to read after reading that book of the Bible.

This is the only book that I can remember reviewing where I really don't have anything negative to say other than the formatting issue of the article inserts. I often even try to find something negative so that I don't sound like a shill for the publishers that provide review copies for me. I like it that much.

The best part of this book is that Ryken has written it as a literary guide to the Bible. He explains in detail the different types of literature found in the various books of the Bible. Knowing the hows and whys of the different literary genres deepens one understanding of the text...which is the whole point of Bible study in the first place.

The section on the Psalms and poetry is worth the price of this book! Highly recommended!

Studying the Bible can be a challenge. While the majority is relatively straightforward, there are many passages and books that don't make sense to the average reader. How do you properly interpret a book like Revelation? How do you apply the Proverbs, the Parables or the Song of Solomon?

And where do you start to look for answers?

Leland Ryken, Philip Ryken and James Wilhoit's Ryken's Bible Handbook is a great starting point. This book provides a book-by-book overview of the entire Bible, complete with notes on the context, the key themes and doctrines, key words and phrases, tips for teaching and even historical perspectives.

Much of this information is really a student or teacher's dream come true! Because I'm a bit of a geek about these kinds of things, I really appreciated reading the insights of the three authors, especially because they give a little different perspective than your average study Bible. While there is definitely some crossover, the authors have a little more space to go in-depth into the subject matter. The tips for reading & teaching are exceptional as they give little nuggets to direct the flow of application questions you might ask in a small group or points to bring up in a sermon. They also point out things for you to watch for in your reading.

Especially helpful for me, though, were the articles on reading each literary style. One of the great struggles I've had in teaching and preaching is making sure I'm honoring the text as literature. You don't preach the Psalms the same way you would a narrative passage of the Gospels or Acts. You don't teach a parable the same way you would Proverbs. But by understanding each unique style that appears in the Bible, I'm better able to communicate that and avoid coming up with interpretations that are completely off-base.

For example, by knowing that many passages contain satire (the exposure of human vice or folly, often accompanied by humor or sarcasm), you're better able to understand many of Jesus' own comments.

Take Matthew 19:24. Here, Jesus says that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." If you take that literally (as some commentators have), you end up in this kind of crazy place where you have to suggest that there was a tiny gate in the wall of Jerusalem called "the eye of the needle" that a camel could only pass through if it were crawling.

Or, if you read it as satire, you see the rebuke--that the love of money is a snare and it's easier for the impossible to happen (a camel fitting through the eye of a needle) than for one who is consumed with the love of material wealth to enter the kingdom of God. Understanding the literary style helps you better understand these passages and actually be able to see glimpses of Jesus' sense of humor.

Ryken's Bible Handbook is an invaluable resource to any student of the Bible. It's helpful, insightful and well worth the investment.

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A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review by the publishers

I love this! Now, obviously I haven't gotten through the whole Bible since I got the Ryken's Bible Handbook because I have only had it about a month. But I have loved what I have read. The Bible can be a hard read. Especially the old testament, at least for me. The new testament has always been easier for me to read and comprehend.

I love how the Ryken's Bible Handbook goes through the whole Bible. It starts out each book with the format - ie: Genesis has 50 chapters and 1,533 verses. Then it goes into the author's perspective, the implied audience, what unifies the book, special features (ie: Genesis tells us about Adam and Eve, noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.). It goes on to explian challenges that the reader might face in the book and how to meet those challenges. Then it goes into a timeline if you will of what you will find in the certain chapters, the history, the form of the book, key places and characters, unifying elements, , tips for reading, and then a quick overview of the book. It also tells you how to apply the book. I love this! It's in an easy to read and understand format.

I've looked at a lot of how to understand or read through the bible books and they all either are too challenging for me or too simplistic. This one is right in the middle. I think it's fabulous and I look forward to getting through the entire Bible with it's help. That's actually on my bucket list. Read the entire Bible. I will get it done.

Thank you to Tyndale Publishing for providing me with a copy of Ryken's Bible Handbook

Resources for studying the Bible are a dime a dozen, today. Every popular pastor or gifted teacher has his own study Bible or commentary set. Teacher's handbooks, small group study guides, commentaries of all kinds, and big thick dictionaries abound. Many of these resource tools aren't all that helpful, and some are outdated. Others are too bulky to be accessible, or too compact to be worth one's time.

Enter, Ryken's Bible Handbook (Tyndale). This handy, manageable volume stands apart in both its convenience and its worth. A wide variety of helpful material is arranged and presented in an attractive and accessible format.

Following the Bible handbook pattern, the information is arranged book by book through all 66 books of the Bible. The stress is on how best to read and understand the content of each particular book. Articles on Bible narratives, wisdom literature, prophecy, parables and more are placed at important positions throughout the handbook. And the book also cross-references these helpful articles often enough to ensure they remain useful (and not forgotten).

A fact sheet with information about the author, audience and special features of each book sets the stage. This is followed by an outline and a discussion of literary forms, key characters, doctrines and themes, and tips for reading or teaching the book. Next the flow of the book is traced so one can catch a sense of the whole. Interspersed throughout are helpful charts and a collection of quotes from Bible teachers and pastors. A discussion of the challenges to reading the book, and a guide to applying it are also included.

The handbook excels at keeping things simple yet providing real help. It manages to remain neutral on most theological controversies, aiming to equip one to read the Biblical book rather than actually teaching a theological position drawn from specific passages.

I found the article on parables to be particularly well done. That section makes the point that parables hint at something "alongside". "It is untrue that you can find only one theme or `point' in a parable. Most parables employ multiple themes or ideas." (pg. 447) This emphasis for me is especially important as I've seen other books on reading the Bible stress the opposite, which seems to contradict Christ's own interpretation of parables and leans to heavily on rationalistic scholarship.

Even if you disagree in a few places with the book, that won't take away from it's overall usefulness. Sunday school teachers, Bible students of all ages, pastors and parents will find this book very helpful. I heartily recommend it.

This book was provided by Tyndale House Publishers for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

While there are plenty of people who do not know about the Bible and do not care to know, there are many who really want to read the Bible and understand what it is saying. Many such persons experience difficulty when trying to make sense of the Bible-- it seems to be a foreign book to people in the twenty-first century. Many others labor under misunderstandings and misapprehensions about the nature of the Bible and the various books contained therein.

There is value, therefore, in having resources available that are easily accessible and yet clear about the nature of the Bible and the individual books that comprise it. Ryken's Bible Handbook, written by Leland Ryken, Philip Ryken, and James Wilhoit, is one such resource. The work presents an introduction to the Bible, a discussion of each individual book of the Bible, articles on issues related to the message of the Bible, a one year Bible reading plan, and many helpful maps.

Bible handbooks are nothing new, but Ryken's Bible Handbook is especially valuable because it focuses on the literary aspects of the Bible. The introduction explores how we got the Bible, why it was written, its form, its characters, and its overarching story. The discussion of each book features a general outline of the book, a fact sheet about the book, points of overview of the book, a short description of the substance or events of the book and how they flow and work together, suggestions on how to read, apply, and teach the book, and "perspectives" on the book-- quotes from various people regarding the book.

Thus, Ryken's Bible Handbook is a helpful accessory for Bible study-- it does present historical and contextual material, like other Bible handbooks, but the literary analysis and approach is rather unique and extremely beneficial for proper understanding of the various books of the Bible, how they are to be understood, and how they all work together.

The book suffers from some challenges. The authors promote Protestant and Calvinistic doctrines-- faith only, Augustinian-Calvinist views on predestination and election, and a lack of clarity about covenant distinction. Leland Ryken worked on the translation of the English Standard Version (ESV), and it is quoted in many places, but the main translation that is used is the New Living Translation because it is published by Tyndale. The ESV is preferable for its greater fidelity to the original Hebrew and Greek.

Yet there are other praiseworthy elements of the book. The authors recognize the dual nature of fulfillment of prophecies in the Old Testament, and advocate and practice contextual interpretation before finding Christological or soteriological interpretations of passages. The Psalms are recognized as presenting a range of human emotions that may go beyond what God specifically wills. While the authors promote the "Olivet Discourse" of Matthew 24-25/Mark 13/Luke 21 as referring to the "end times," their discussion of Revelation is bereft of dispensational premillenialism, instead focusing on the symbolic nature of the work and the use of the symbols therein, and declaring that at least part if not most of what John saw in the vision has taken place and/or continues to take place in cyclical patterns.

Ryken's Bible Handbook is a useful resource in working to interpret the Bible, and has value for students, teachers, and preachers. As long as one is mindful of the Protestant perspective of the authors, one can find a lot of structures and ideas that make the message of the Bible make sense. If you have found it challenging to understand the nature, purpose, structure, and literary methods of the Bible, or find it challenging to teach regarding such matters, Ryken's Bible Handbook will be of great value to you!

*- book received from Tyndale as part of an early review program.

I had trouble deciding how to review this book, since it's not necessarily meant to be read cover-to-cover, but used alongside the Bible as a study guide. Flipping through the pages, it's apparent that nearly every aspect that I can think of regarding the Bible is addressed in the text, such as format, author, audience, theme, writing style, timeline, purpose, cast of characters, both general and specific topics highlighted in the Bible, flow, places, definitions, historical references, and even tips for reading and studying the Bible. Each book is addressed separately, quotes from other sources are scattered across the pages, and interesting factoids are made mention of in the margins. A One Year Bible Reading Plan is also found at the end of the handbook, followed by multiple maps and charts that correspond to information addressed in the handbook.
It is important to note that the Bible version that the writers use when quoting scripture is the English Standard Version (ESV), which I think is poor form. Bible versions now adays are a dime-a-dozen, and everyone thinks that their version is the best and easiest to understand. If a person is going to put out something of this nature, that claims a certain authority in the interpretation of Biblical scripture, they should either be willing to use a wide variety of Bible versions or stick with the version that servived centuries before this modern era of multiple Bible versions - the King James Version (KJV). Bible versions is a hot topic, so I'm not going to dwell on this.
I have been studying the Bible for most of my life, so anything that puts a fresh perspective on the text, I appreciate. I especially like the quotes and fact tidbits, since these are things that I won't get from the Bible alone. I will definitely be using this handbook alongside my Bible reading and study, as well as taking advantage of the One Year Bible Reading Plan, though I won't consider this my only source of Bible reference.

You will eventually figure out that , I enjoy discovering new ways to read and come to understand the Bible. For me, not just reading the Bible, but learning to unearth the layers upon layers of comfort, encouragement and coming closer to our Heavenly Father, is part of the joy and exercise of spending daily time reading the Bible.

It is like exercising, when you stop reading the Bible, you notice be it gradually or immediately, the effects and when you start reading the Bible, its about learning good habits and overcoming bad habits that may have happen.

One of the most popular reasons for not reading the Bible is the average person expresses a lack of understanding how, and Leland Ryken's book, "Ryken's Bible Handbook" is an encouraging and in depth but written at layman's terms, that provide the needed guide map to reading the Bible.

No handbook is ever meant to be a subsitute, and different styles of handbook, may appeal to different people, but this particularly handbook, has a very comforting, conversational style, filled with helpful side notes and maps at the ends, to help both new and maturing Christians in their walk.

It's often hard to find cons in Bible handbooks, because like travel guides, different people are looking for different things, but like all guides, "Ryken's Bible Handbook" provides a very indepth look at each individual book of the Bible.

Another plus about this, is that it is very compact, so it wouldn't take much space in your backpack or tote bag or even say a medium purse (hey these things are important when you're on the go).

This is something I strongly recommend for the newbie to the growing Christian to have one hand, both for the compactness of the book to the in depth, but conversational and easy to understand reading.

Picking up the Bible and beginning to read can be intimidating to anyone. Ryken's Bible Handbook is a book that can be helpful as it can be a guide for the reader before diving into the Bible.
This book provides background information on each book of the Bible and takes a literary approach with each book. Maps and charts are also included and also a topical guide. There is also a reading guide for those who wish to read the entire Bible in a year. This book is an invaluable tool for anyone who is just beginning to read the Bible or for anyone who is seeking for a deeper understanding of the many stories, truths and passages in the Bible.
Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of the book.