Review: Jonathan Edwards Study Bible

 Review: Jonathan Edwards Study Bible

 

I had originally planned to write up a review of Thomas Nelson's publication of the Jonathan Edwards Study Bible in the New King James Version after a year or so. . . . But, just this morning, I was SO blessed by one particular Edwardsean note on 2 Corinthians 12:9, (on pp. 1325-6), that, in my excitement and enthusiasm, I have decided to write it up (now).

 

It is not my intention to mention all the great features of the Study Bible that you may find online.  (The YouTube videos are good.  I would recommend them.)  Instead, I will try to give some other insights and observations, that I hope will be helpful for you.

 

First of all, absolutely; I would definitely recommend that anyone that has any appreciation for Jonathan Edwards, should get this Bible, for sure.  And how could any true saint of Christ's holy church not absolutely love Jonathan Edwards?!  Conversely, I totally understand how all those still in the flesh would be tempted to hate him, (as they do God Himself).  Jonathan Edwards is a gift to the church, and to the whole world.

 

Here is something that I really like about this Bible--and it is the fact that the NKJV text font and format is so attractive and easy to read.  If any of you are like me, you jumped on Thomas Nelson's publication of the (originally-named) "New Geneva Study Bible," back in the mid-1990's.  If you did, you probably noticed how hard it was to read the NKJV in that long-lined sentence format (in the prose sections of the Scriptures).  Because we were so committed to that Study Bible, some people (like me), were willing to endure the hardship. . . . But, you will NOT have that problem with the JESB.  The text is really nicely laid-out.  Some folks would prefer a bit larger font, but I am actually fine with it.

 

The articles on Edwards, his life, his doctrine, etc., are all good.  Some of them will seem a bit esoteric to some readers, (but Edwards was a bit esoteric in some ways).  I like the artwork, etc. . . . But it is going to be the text notes from Edwards, at the bottom of the pages of the Bible, that are going to be the biggest factor for me, as to how great the Study Bible actually is.  So far, so good.  Like I said earlier, that note from 2 Cor. 12, mentioned above, was such an encouragement to me.

 

You might be a bit surprised, that some eminent Scripture texts do not actually have any Edwards notes corresponding to them.  Just for one instance: I am a big fan of Psalm 27:4; but you will not find anything said about this verse by Edwards.  This is not a criticism of the editors--rather, it is probably just a matter of fact that either Edwards did not write (much) about the verse, or there was a necessary need to be selective.

 

I got the thumb-indexed version of the Leathersoft edition of the JESB; and I am very happy with that.

 

You might be asking, "What was that great note that blessed you so much this morning, Pastor Mark?"  Well, here it is, from the pages listed above: "God gives some saints much more grace than others, because some are designed for greater sufferings and trials than others, and so they have need of more grace. God gives his people grace according to their necessities. . . . God has too much love and tender care of his saints to appoint sore trials and dreadful afflictions for them to go through, and not to give them grace sufficient that they may not be overthrown in their trials."

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #139

22 September 2026

 

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com

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