How to Build Your Theological Library
To better study God’s Word, here are five tools to deepen your understanding and experience.
I love nature, but I never learned about the holiness of God from a tree. No beautiful sight or sound tells me about my sinful condition or where to find salvation. Only in the Bible do I find clear knowledge that leads me to enter and enjoy a relationship with God. In other words, God’s Word is essential for the Christian life.
The Bible attests to its own necessity. Jesus answered the tempter, “It is written: ‘Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4, CSB). Jesus brilliantly argued the necessity of Scripture by the authority of Scripture, His response a quote of Deuteronomy 8:3.
A healthy, growing Christian life will be centered upon and fed by daily time in the Bible. Charles Spurgeon once said,
“Many books in my library are now behind and beneath me. They were good in their way once, and so were the clothes I wore when I was ten years old; but I have outgrown them. Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.”
For you to grow in Scripture, you must be able to understand what you read. We’re blessed to live in a time when there are many great resources available to aid our understanding of the Word; allow me to help you start filling your toolbox.
The clarity of Scripture
Pause with me for a brief theological reflection.
Every Sunday morning at my church, we teach Scripture through music and the sermon. Our church is filled with people from diverse backgrounds, education levels and ages. While the adults and teens listen to my sermon, the younger children are taught from the same Bible in another room. Every person leaves understanding the Bible better. Isn’t that interesting?
Not only at my church but at churches around the world, people are hearing and understanding the same Scripture. Throughout centuries and across cultures, people have been reading God’s words, understanding them, and being transformed by them. The Bible is a clear Word.
Compare the clarity of Scripture with other world religions that operate on hidden knowledge only available to a few. Some religions operate with inherent contradictions and their believers are left to embrace the incomprehensible. In contrast, God’s truth can be known and understood. God is not hidden or unknowable. He has revealed himself to humanity to be known by everyone who will listen. Therefore, the clarity of Scripture encourages us that we can read and understand the Bible — no matter who you are.
Let me give three qualifications. First, understanding God’s Word still takes time and effort. If we encounter difficult or complex texts, we ought not give up. Even Peter recognized the complexity of Paul’s letters.
Second, you will often need help and resources to aid your understanding. I’ll offer guidance on this in the next section.
Third, understanding God’s Word requires the illumination of the Holy Spiritand a willingness to obey. The truth of the Word ultimately leads us to the Person who is the Word. Jesus told us that the Spirit is the Counselor who guides us into deeper abiding with Him.
Developing the skills and gathering the tools
God speaks to us through His Word today. However, we must remember that the words we read were first spoken to another audience. Our task in faithful Bible interpretation is to discover the message that makes sense in both contexts. Discovering the meaning of a passage is like an archeologist digging to discover artifacts. If I insert my ideas into the text, it’s like the archaeologist burying an iPhone in the dirt. We must gather the appropriate tools for discovery. I recommend five tools to build your theological library.
1. Study Bible
As a pastor, I am frequently asked for book and resource recommendations. My first recommendation is always a high-quality study Bible. A great study Bible is the best, most concise resource you will find to help you research, learn and grow. Study Bibles include brief commentary under the biblical text, offering helpful insights. They usually have a short introduction to each book of the Bible that explains the historical context and theological themes. Many study Bibles also include articles, maps and other features to illuminate your study. I cannot emphasize enough the value of a high-quality study Bible. It’s the best place to start and will be the best bang for your buck.
Personally, I recommend either the CSB Study Bible or ESV Study Bible. Not only are these my favorite translations, but the study resources within them are written by world-class, trustworthy scholars. Both Lifeway and Crossway offer a variety of study Bibles that appeal to different niche groups such as men or women, students, apologetics-focused, etc.
2. Commentaries
The next step in building your theological library is selecting great commentaries. A commentary is a single volume typically devoted to an individual book of the Bible. In cases of very short books, you’ll sometimes seen a commentary volume cover a few of them, such as John’s letters. Commentaries are an expansion on what you find in your study Bible. The introduction will go into more detail and the explanation of the text is much more thorough. They are typically volumes in a series.
Commentary series are usually broken into three categories: academic, pastoral, and devotional. Unless you are familiar with Hebrew or Greek, you don’t need an academic commentary. These are written for students and scholars. Pastoral commentaries are aimed at teachers and preachers. They will touch on higher-level issues and include more practical application. Lastly, devotional commentaries are written for personal use and will be very light in historical and theological breadth.
My favorite commentary is The Bible Speaks Today (IVP). Originally spearheaded by John Stott, this series strikes a wonderful balance between the pastoral and devotional categories. It is profitable for both personal devotion and the preacher preparing a sermon. I have not read a weak volume in this series.
3. Bible dictionary
Bible dictionaries are exactly what the name implies, and they are awesome. Just as you would search Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary for the meaning of the word conspicuous, you can search a Bible dictionary to learn more about exile or parables and many other people, topics and issues. They are structured like an encyclopedia with short articles explaining each entry.
Like commentaries, Bible dictionaries range in technicality. I recommend the HarperCollins Bible Dictionary edited by Mark Allen Powell. This book is an amazing resource for when you are ready to dive deeper into your study.
You can also find more specialized dictionaries and encyclopedias, such as a theological one or one that focuses on Paul and his letters. My favorite specialized work is the Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics by Norman Geisler. In this book you read about topics ranging from the problem of evil to the resurrection of Christ.
4. Old Testament and New Testament surveys
If a commentary expands on what you’ll get out of a study Bible, then these surveys expand even more. They will not give commentary on the Psalms, for example, but they will give a more in-depth overview of the historical context of the book. Surveys tend to be broken into sections dealing with a general introduction to the textual, historical and theological issues followed by book-by-book chapters.
Surveys can be great for understanding more of the cultural and historical context of the biblical book you are studying. If you’re ready to dive into one of these surveys, I’d recommend “An Introduction to the Old Testament” by Tremper Longman III and Raymond Dillard and “An Introduction to the New Testament” by Don Carson and Douglas Moo. While you most likely won’t read one of these cover-to-cover, they are a great resource to have on your shelf for reference.
5. Systematic theology
Lastly, I think a theological library is incomplete without a good systematic theology. Systematic theology is the discipline of discovering what the entire Bible has to say about a topic. For example, the author will have a chapter on the Bible’s teaching about prayer that takes into account all the relevant texts.
These books are a phenomenal resource to keep handy. They are important. We don’t want to misread a passage with an interpretation that will contradict another passage. Systematic theology will help guide you in unifying what the Bible says about the topic you’re studying. My favorite book in this category is Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology. Grudem writes at a level that everyone can understand without sacrificing robust theology.
Just get started
What do you do now? Don’t be overwhelmed. Start with one of the study Bibles I recommended and get in the Word. Save this article for when your budget (or your mind!) is ready to add more to your library.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend one more resource: an apologetics book. While these aren’t necessarily Bible studies, I have found that apologetics has deepened my understanding, trust, and love for God’s Word. Moreover, apologetics will equip you with defenses for attacks against the Christian faith. In this category, I cannot recommend a better book than “Christian Apologetics” by my friend Douglas Groothuis. I love his book not only for the weighty arguments but also for the richness of his prose.
Friends, just get started. Open the book! “I will meditate on your precepts and think about your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word” (Psalms 119:15-16, CSB).
This article was originally published at Boundless on January 13, 2025.
Loved it, great advice!!