Reviews and Ideas: The Scofield Study Bible III

The Scofield Bible has been around for nearly a century, having been published first in 1909. The original work by Cyrus I. Scofield has been revised or reformatted a number of times–in 1917, 1967, 1989, and now again in 2002. Its study notes provide a solid defense of the great fundamentals of the faith, doing so from a premillennial and dispensational point of view. Though no study notes are divinely inspired, used with caution and care, these can be a great help to the one searching the Scriptures and seeking to understand and apply what is found there. There are many study Bibles available today–some quite good, some very poor. This is an excellent study Bible.

I received my first Scofield as a boy of twelve, and have used one extensively in my study and teaching ever since. With great interest I obtained a copy of the most recent edition, wanting to see what had been done with “Scofield III.” The copy I have before me uses the text of the New King James Version (which is my usual translation). It includes the notes of the previous edition, with a few things added and changed.

a) Over a hundred of the notes, dealing with specific subjects rather than a passage found on the page, have been placed in boxes to highlight them.

b) There are also new biographical notes, and genealogical tables.

c) Some added notes do not seem particularly helpful. There are over 550 in-text definitions of Bible names–David, Abraham, Sodom, and so on. But since many of these names are used multiple times in the Word of God they are often not on the page where the reader will need them. Such things are better left to an index (where they are also found in this Bible, with a helpful guide to their pronunciation).

In addition, some of the name definitions are questionable. We are told, for example, that “Israel” means Soldier of God. But this is by no means certain. F. W. Grant suggests the meaning Prince with God; Keil and Delitzsch give us God’s Fighter. Another suggests He Who Struggles with God. Still others turn the meaning around to refer to God, rather than Jacob. The Bible Knowledge Commentary has God Fights. Other suggestions include: May God Strive; God Rules, and so on. A fuller note on such an important word would have been helpful.

d) The fonts used for the Bible text, the headings, and notes, are good. Very readable. However, the edition produced in 1989 by Thomas Nelson Publishers used bold verse numbers to indicate the beginning of new paragraphs. For some reason this practice was not followed in Scofield III, and it is a significant loss. Also, the 1989 Bible I have has two ribbons for marking one’s place in the Bible and I have found this extremely useful. Scofield III has only one.

e) There are about 70 useful in-text maps and charts to assist the reader, plus a number of full-colour maps in the traditional place at the back of the book.

f) The copy I obtained is also thumb-indexed. This is supposed to aid the individual in finding a particular book or passage more quickly. But it is an unnecessary feature. Anyone who uses the Bible enough to know the approximate location of the books will not need it. Further, it takes up to a half dozen little nicks out of each page, with more corners to catch and curl. Avoid this feature.

Though there are things I would not have done the way they have been, in general, this is a worthy variation on the great Scofield tradition. The content cannot help but enrich your understanding of God’s wonderful Word. Very much recommended. Scofield III (The Scofield Study Bible).