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Resource Review: The ESV Study Bible
The ESV Study Bible, published by Crossway, is one of the most helpful and handy resources available for Christians today. While the church is presently blessed with an array of useful and high-quality study Bibles on the market from a variety of good publishers, the ESV Study Bible constitutes a veritable “one-stop-shop” for a staggering breadth of information, helps, and insights for studying, understanding, and applying the Word of God.
The editors of the ESV Study Bible described their vision and purpose for the work in terms of both faithfulness to Christ and quality of scholarship and design. “The purpose and vision of the ESV Study Bible, then, is first and foremost to honor the Lord: (1) in terms of the excellence, beauty, and accuracy of its content and design, and (2) in terms of helping people come to a deeper understanding of the Bible, of the gospel, and of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior” (9). Independently of how well the editors and contributors achieved this aim, such a goal is certainly fitting and appropriate for Christians resolved to honor the Lord through the study of His Word and application of its truth to their lives in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The English Standard Version (ESV) Translation
The ESV Study Bible is published by Crossway, a gospel-centered, Bible-based, evangelical not-for-profit Christian ministry and publisher located in Wheaton, Illinois (and one of my favorite Christian publishers in operation today). As the name implies, the study Bible uses the English Standard Version (ESV), also published by Crossway. While several text updates have been issued for the ESV translation since its original publication in 2001, the text edition reviewed in this article and the images provided is the 2016 text update version, the latest edition of the ESV text published by Crossway.
Crossway describes the ESV as an “essentially literal translation that seeks as far as possible to reproduce the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer” (19). In doing so, the ESV Translation Committee adopted a “word-for-word” translation approach rather than the more dynamic “thought-for-thought” approach used by some other translations. While the ESV is introduced as a revision of the older Revised Standard Version (RSV), the translators evaluated their work in relation to the original biblical languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) to ensure faithfulness, accuracy, and clarity in the translation process (19). The resulting work is a magnificent translation with incredible beauty, accuracy, and readability that constitutes one of my favorite contemporary English translations.
Materials and Construction
The specific version of The ESV Study Bible reviewed and pictured here is the brown cowhide leather edition purchased directly from Crossway via Crossway.org. The Bible is beautiful in design and durable in construction. The cowhide leather cover is thick and durable but also supple and incredibly comfortable to hold in the hand. While some prefer goatskin over cowhide or calfskin leather covers, I am an enthusiast for both varieties of leather in finely-bound Bibles. The cowhide leather cover used in this edition is one of the most impressive and attractive cowhide bindings I have come across, especially as an original binding from the publisher.
In addition to the cowhide leather cover, the Bible is Smyth-sewn, meaning the pages are durably sewn together in blocks rather than simply glued together. Bibles with a glued binding are typically more economical but last a fraction of the time that a Bible with a Smyth-sewn binding will last. In addition, this version of the ESV Study Bible comes with two ribbon markers. The ribbon markers are a deep shade of brown, matching the color of the cowhide leather cover, and are surprisingly wide (one of my favorite features of the ribbon markers in this Bible).
Doctrinal Position and Editorship/Authorship of Study Notes and Resources
The theological and doctrinal perspective of the notes throughout the ESV Study Bible is evangelical, theologically conservative (my description), and reformed. In the introduction to the work, the editors noted, “The doctrinal perspective of the ESV Study Bible is that of classic evangelical orthodox, in the historic stream of the Reformation” (10). That is an important, if broad, description, matched by the broad and impressive array of scholars contributing to the study notes and resources of the ESV Study Bible. The scholars contributing to the study Bible represent an array of denominations, traditions, and theological institutions. However, they align in their identity as evangelical Christians who affirm the inerrancy and authority of the Word of God. As the editors also observed, “[t]he notes are written from the perspective of confidence in the complete truthfulness of the Bible. In passages where errors or contradictions have been alleged, possible solutions to these challenges have been proposed” (10).
The general editor of the ESV Study Bible is Dr. Wayne Grudem, a theologian teaching at Phoenix Seminary and the author of one of the most widely published and beloved systematic theologies available today. The ESV Study Bible’s theological editor was Dr. J. I. Packer, one of the most recognized and beloved voices in evangelical Christianity during the 20th and 21st centuries. While Dr. Packer passed away in July 2020, his life and legacy continue to impact countless lives in his many works, including what he considered to be one of his most important contributions: his theological editorship of the ESV Study Bible.1
Each of the contributors to the study notes and resources of the ESV Study Bible are credentialed and recognized scholars in the realm of biblical and theological studies, representing an array of respected evangelical institutions across a range of traditions. The overwhelming majority of study note contributors hold earned research doctorates (Doctor of Philosophy, or Ph.D.; Doctor of Theology, or Th.D., etc.) in biblical and theological studies disciplines. The seminaries, colleges, and universities represented among the authors, both in their degrees earned and the institutions they serve, lead, and teach at, include the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the University of Chicago, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Beeson Divinity School, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Aberdeen, Reformed Theological Seminary, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Dallas Theological Seminary (among others).
Features and Summary of Contents
The ESV Study Bible provides an array of resources, including comprehensive book introductions before each book of the Bible, additional larger sectional introduction for each major section of the Bible, comprehensive introductions to both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and a wealth of supplemental resources available towards the back of the study Bible examining topics related to theology, Biblical studies, church history, biblical languages, an overview of Christian ethics, and overview of world religions, cults, and sects, among other resources.
From a pastor’s perspective, it is hard to overstate the immense value and usefulness of the wealth of concise, yet incredibly informative, resources and supplements provided in the ESV Study Bible. Many of the resources provided in the large section of articles and helps located towards the back of the study Bible, such as the overview of Christian ethics or the overview of world religions, are so well-written and well-constructed that they would justify purchase as a separate, stand-alone resource unto themselves. Their placement in the context of a larger, comprehensive study Bible further adds to the incredible value of this resource for Christians in virtually all ministry contexts.
The ESV Study Bible includes more than 20,000 study notes located throughout the Old and New Testaments. The study notes are among the key strengths of this resource and include notes that provide an overview of major sections within individual books of Scripture, as well as commentary on particular verses or sections of verses. The notes strike an admirable and helpful theological balance, providing (in concise form) a summary of the different views on particularly complex or challenging passages while simultaneously advising and defending the study note authors’ particular views and positions on the text. As the editors mentioned in introducing the work, “At times the notes also summarize interpretations that are inconsistent with classic evangelical orthodoxy, indicating how and why such views are in conflict with Scripture. Written within that broad tradition of evangelical orthodoxy, the notes have sought to represent fairly the various evangelical positions on disputed topics…” (10). The editors list baptism, the Lord’s Supper, spiritual gifts, the future of ethnic Israel, and questions concerning the millennium and other events connected with the time of Christ’s return as particular examples of theological and Scriptural considerations where this approach is employed (10).
This approach provides the reader with an understanding of the various perspectives on complex passages while also guiding the reader through the process of understanding and reasoning through the issues involved by concisely taking and defending a particular position. While no reasonably concise and portable study Bible can provide an exhaustive, or even comprehensive, treatment of all of the complex issues involved in understanding particularly challenging passages of Scripture, the ESV Study Bible does a phenomenal job of striking a balance between detailed and helpful information and the brevity necessary for a study Bible.
Final Evaluation and Conclusion
The editors expressed the purpose of the ESV Study Bible as a noble and incredibly important mission: “to help people understand the Bible in a deeper way – that is, to encounter the timeless truth of God’s Word as a powerful, compelling, life-changing reality” (9). A critical evaluation of the work reveals that the editors and contributors to the ESV Study Bible have been enormously successful in achieving their stated aims.
The ESV Study Bible is an extraordinarily helpful resource that will be of immense value to pastors, church leaders, college and seminary students, and Christians all over the world seeking to understand, interpret, and apply biblical truth in faithfulness to the Lord Jesus. The work packs a stunning array of resources and helps into a relatively concise volume and does so with a well-designed, visually-pleasing, and user-friendly layout. The incredible wealth of resources and information packed into this volume in such a concise yet usable format is genuinely breathtaking. This achievement makes this work an exceedingly valuable addition to the library of any Christian seeking to read and grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Word of God – to “understand the Bible in a deeper way.“
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)
1Crossway, “ESV Study Bible Panel Discussion (Part 2),” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS9MAc7IyYk
Preacher Talk 