Study aids

So now you have been fed commentators by every theological system known to mankind (welcome to the internet) and even including the osmosis system of theological study. (Where when you go cross-eyed from reading you simply press your face into your open Bible and magically by osmosis your understanding is increased by the Holy Spirit or insanity and it really doesn't matter which because it's now time to declare superior knowledge, God's divine favor and do battle with all those idiots on the internet)

Yeah....I know....I couldn't help myself. It was just hanging there so close to the ground I couldn't just let it get kicked.

Any study book video etc we use is designed to bring us to the same conclusion as it's author .

Iv certainly been given a lot to consider 🤣

There are certainly a LOT of resources to consider. It seems that people have been writing books ever since paper became cheap and vanity publishing has become really affordable for the common man.

And in the meantime....

I wasn't exactly certain what type of aids you were looking for which is why I gave you the resources I did...not a lot of theological conclusions to what I suggested. But it's impossible to even translate the scriptures without coming to some sort of theological conclusion of some sort.

And you were somewhat vague as to what you were looking for.

There are the "Idiot's guide to Christianity" type of commentaries that don't even really break down scriptures.

There are the theological systems type of commentaries. Everything from Church of England to Calvinism to extremely liberal to the psychological "you are a good guy" type of teachings. and these all use various scraps of scriptures to prove their points in some manner...even though often the points are sound but the scriptures they use are not congruent with the lesson they are teaching...which sets up bad theology later.

Then there is what I gave you which is more along the lines of Scholarly and scientific approach with mechanics (History, anthropology, topography, geology and ancestry), and some of the artists viewpoints thrown in describing some of the obvious symbolisms, hyperbole, syndoche, and etc.



There is literally a viewpoint for just about everyone in the world available and already printed in some fashion. All screaming "I want to help you....and if you could please send me a check so I can continue to help others hear this message"

And then comes time for the ugly truth:
99 times out of a hundred we surround ourselves with the teachings that we want to hear instead of what we need to hear. The prideful christian doesn't want to hear how he is failing God and himself with his enormous pride/ego...he wants to hear how he is a good guy doing exactly as God wants him to do...and maybe he could do a bit more with his surplus finances. The messages about giving up his mistress, to stop cheating others in business, to be kind to EVERYONE, to give up his vices of pleasure, to enjoy living a more servant lifestyle.....these things aren't exactly said from the pulpit these days or listed in the commentaries. They are taught by scriptures...but that isn't very profitable anymore...and we do have commentaries to sell after all.

It's true, in all honesty I was just hoping for someone to say ' oh iv read this it was good' if you know what I mean, but I certain appreciate everyone's time and effort answering me.

Well....if you wanted that....

How about "Knowledge of the Holy" by A.W. Tozer.
It's about the characteristics of God...
What it means when we say "God is Sovereign"
"God is Omniscient"
"God is Immutable"
I was somewhat doubtful until I actually read it....Then I decided it was a really good book that everyone should read. It's only slightly textbookish....KWIM? I skipped over the italic section that started each chapter...the book was plenty long enough.

A "fun" read is "That Printer of Udell's"
You would swear that the author was getting the material from eaves dropping inside your church. It's uncanny with the action in the story with things you have heard or said yourself.

Revelation Wellness is one my wife has read and really enjoyed...it's not exactly a diet book. But it discusses weight and food and health from a very pragmatic and logical frame of mind....and apparently it addresses how so many women (regardless of size or weight) have so many mental health issues surrounding basic diet and exercise. From having too much to having not enough. It comes at it from exposing unhealthy attitudes about it all. (Which apparently is a female thing...which I know nothing about)

These are wonderful books, but they are not books to aid us in bible study.

For years I mostly studied the new testament. It tells of how things are today, after Christ changed so many things. Then I was told that I couldn't truly understand the new testament unless I knew the old testament. They explained that it is the foundation for the new testament. But the people who God used to explain his ways lived a different life than we do today, so history that explained them was important.

I couldn't understand the old testament. How could a loving God tell Joshua to kill humans God had created? I needed help, and that help must come from a Christian who accepted Christ, and learned from scripture, not such as Luther or Calvin. I looked for help based only on scripture and facts. After an intense search, I found this guide to understanding the old testament, and also elated it to how Christ fulfilled it.

I found this free on the net at torahclass.com site, Tom Bradford. He spent eight years studying in Jerusalem.

Many people who have looked into this study help have said it is too deep, too involved, and beyond them. But those who persevere find tremendous growth through this study.

What was the guide to understanding the O.T.?

Tom Bradford wrote a commentary on the books of the torah after spending eight years in Jerusalem studying scripture and ancient history.
He explains the torah and his study is for free on this site: torrahclass.com