The MacArthur Study Bible NKJV Second Edition Review
I’m pretty sure the first Study Bible I ever received was a MacArthur. It was a NASB that I still have and have even still referenced recently. Dr. MacArthur and his wisdom are a gift to the church. He’s been a faithful pastor and defender of the faith. He’s written an entire commentary series and this new edition of his Study Bible is his teaching distilled into more compact and affordable form.
Dr. MacArthur is and has been the pastor of Grace Community Church for 50 years. He is the author of many books, a conference speaker, the president of the Master’s University and Seminary, and the president of Grace to You Ministries. He and his wife, Patricia, live in Southern California and have four married children and fifteen grandchildren.
The incredible thing about Dr. MacArthur is his faithful leadership of the same church for 50 years. He graduated from Talbot Theological Seminary in 1969 and has shepherded the same church since. He emphasizes the careful study and verse-by-verse exposition of the Bible. His ministry reaches not just his congregation, but the world. All of this means that the work he has put into this Study Bible is a valuable resource for the church.
I’m reviewing the Premier Edition of The MacArthur Study Bible, which means I will pay attention to both the construction of the Bible as well as the content. This is certainly the nicest Study Bible I’ve ever owned. Thomas Nelson has created an incredible product that anyone would prize to have on their shelf. Having a previous version of this Study Bible, I’ll also compare some of the features between the older and newer edition and explore whether the new edition is worth the upgrade.
The Outside
The Premier Edition comes in a brown, goatskin leather. This is a really nice feeling goatskin. The brown is almost a tan and looks great as well. The inside cover is an edge-lined synthetic and has a gold gilt line. The spine has four raised ribs and says “The MacArthur Study Bible” in the center with “New King James Version” and “Thomas Nelson” at the bottom. The page edges have a red under gold art gilt and the Bible has three double-faced satin ribbon bookmarks in brown, red, and light blue. I will also add that I love the length of these bookmarks. They are longer than what are found on most Bibles and I think that adds to the elegance of this particular Bible.
This Bible is beautifully constructed and has a very premium feel. It is Smyth sewn, which means it’s going to be durable and stand the test of time. It looks great sitting on a shelf and truly looks like a display piece. It opens flat from beginning to end, which is incredible for a Bible of this thickness.
The Inside
Inside, you’ll find 39 gsm European Bible paper. The paper is slightly off white and may be the thickest paper I’ve handled on a Bible thus far. Ghosting is very minimal and the text is line-matched both for the Scripture and the notes. The font is a 9 point font that Thomas Nelson calls Comfort Print and it was designed specifically for them. A typical page has the biblical text in two columns, references in one column underneath, and then notes in 3 columns below that. The text is black with a blue accent on headings, chapter numbers, verse numbers, reference verse numbers, text quotations in the notes, and charts. The page design is very attractive.
This is a Study Bible so the content really matters. The MacArthur Study Bible is packed with rich content. Since this the second edition, all of the study notes, maps, and charts have been updated. There are almost 25,000 verse-by-verse study notes from Dr. MacArthur. You’ll find 190 maps, charts, and diagrams that illustrate meanings, themes, teachings, people, and places in Scripture. All of these are interspersed throughout the Bible. The Bible includes Thomas Nelson’s complete cross-reference system with over 72,000 references. All of this is this tip of the iceberg.
You’ll also find helpful articles including How to Study the Bible, The Progress of Revelation, A Brief Overview of Christ’s Life, Overview of Theology and the Holy Scriptures, and more. There are several articles on how to harmonize related books of the Bible including the Gospels. The Bible also includes a Table of Monies, Weights, and Measures, a Concordance, a reading plan for reading the Bible in a year, and maps. I’ve complained about maps in the past, but I truly believe they belong in a study Bible.
I’ve still not mentioned every feature you’ll find in this Bible, but it is absolutely packed. You are truly getting a great resource for your money with The MacArthur Study Bible. But before we conclude, let’s take a moment to examine how the second edition stacks up against the first edition of my 2006 MacArthur Study Bible and decide if it’s truly worth spending the money for an upgrade.
First vs. Second Edition
The first edition of The MacArthur Study Bible boasted more than 20,000 study notes. The new edition boasts of almost 25,000 so you’re getting almost 5,000 more study notes with the new edition. You’re also now getting the complete Thomas Nelson cross reference system that has over 72,000 references. Aside from these new study tools, you’ll also clearly notice a much more attractive layout in the second edition. The first edition was an all black print while the second edition includes the blue accents, which truly do help you navigate the pages during your study.
You’ll notice in the pictures that the first edition has lines running all over the pages. A line runs across the top of the page separating the page number and heading from the rest of the page. Two lines run down the center creating a third column for references and notes and then there is a line underneath the Scripture separating it from the notes. The first edition is very block and unattractive. All the lines have been removed in the second edition and the reference column has been removed so the focus can actually be on the Scripture.
Conclusion
All in all, the layout alone is enough to make me want to upgrade to the second edition. Combined with more notes and Thomas Nelson’s complete cross reference system, this upgrade is an easy choice. The second edition is far superior to the first and Thomas Nelson has created a really nice update.
Whether you agree or disagree with every aspect of Dr. MacArthur’s doctrine, The MacArthur Study Bible is a worthy resource for your shelf space because of his wisdom and faithfulness. Not many have served a church for as long as Dr. MacArthur and even less have taken their church through all of Scripture during their ministry. The MacArthur Study Bible is a valuable resource and the second edition is even better than the first.
You can purchase The MacArthur Study Bible at Amazon. (affiliate)
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this Bible from Thomas Nelson in exchange for a fair and honest review.
