The Complete Jewish Study Bible REVIEW - by Pastor Max

Yeshua (Jesus) was Jewish, born under the lineage of David.  He was brought up in the Jewish culture.  It is believed he spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.  He fully understood the Torah (Moasaic Law) and he fulfilled the Law as prophesied by the prophets.  The Complete Jewish Study Bible is a compilation of these things along with many Jewish words spelled out in the English pronunciation.  This Bible fills in the gaps of Jewish understanding concerning the Messiah (Christ), the Anointed One.

Albeit, it is not in the traditional versions of today, such as KJV, NASB, NIV, and etc., the contributors of this version created a unique English written Bible through Jewish and Christian writers.  And, it allows for a serious student of the Bible to become very familiar to Jewish traditions, such as the famous “Born Again” among the Jews.  Jesus used this phrase because it was used among the Jews as six different levels of being “born again” in one’s growth and maturity among the Jewish men.  This Bible explains the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus, and the thought process of this rabbi (teacher).  I found the article very interesting, the content of which clarified the reason Yeshua referred to the phrase of being “born again.”

The Complete Jewish Study Bible comes in three different publications, a Hard Cover (under this review), the Blue Flexisoft, and a Black Calfskin Leather.  The Hard Cover is one of the best constructed I have encountered of various Bibles in my collection.  It seems to have something similar to a Smyth sewn binding as opposed to a glued-in pages.  The Bible has two ribbons, something one does not often see with other hardcover Bibles.  There is no outer index and no gilding.  The Blue Flexisoft and Black Calfskin Leather have gold gilding. Hendrickson published this Bible as all black lettering and no red-letter (sayings of Yeshua).  There are pros and cons to this approach, although I prefer the red-letter in my Bibles.  The font size is a good estimated 9.5 or 10. And the bottom notes are about a 6.5 or 7 font of a different style.

This Bible does not have any reference columns, but the bottom notes and articles are sufficient in the subject material on a particular page.  There is no concordance.  But this Bible is unique in that there is a Glossary of Hebrew words with the English pronunciation and a Glossary of English words with Hebrew pronunciation.  I found both Glossaries quite helpful and a nice touch for those who may want to learn Hebrew from the English language perspective.

The layout in this Bible is mostly in paragraph style.  The poetic portions are set in the same style as most Bibles, single line separation from verse to verse, such as found in Psalm and Proverbs.  The paragraph style is good for general reading but is difficult to find a verse within the paragraph even though the number of the verse is present with a smaller font.  The Old Testament is laid out in the same manner as the Tanakh with the books separated in divisions, and is not in the same order as the Christian Bible. The word “Tanakh” is an acronym made from the first letters of the three main divisions of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah or the Law (Pentateuch), the Prophets, and the final part is called the Writings.  The New Testament book order remains the same as all other Christian Bibles.

What I envisioned after reading and studying The Complete Jewish Study Bible is that this can be used for witnessing to one of the Jewish faith, those who don’t believe that Yeshua is the Messiah. Employing the Hebrew words concerning the Messiah, especially the prophecies and His announcement in Luke 4:18-19, whereby He read from Isaiah 61:1-2.  Again, The Complete Jewish Study Bible is very good for serious Bible students, those interested in learning some Hebrew, Jewish traditions, their fasts and feasts, culture, and other traditions and special days.

As we all well know Paul wrote in Galatians that we do not have to become Jewish and follow all their ways, such as the laws and more than 600 mandates of the Law and all the traditions of Jewish customs in order to become a follower of Jesus Christ.  May the God of Peace abide in you all (see Hebrews 13:20). שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם (shalom aleichem).

Pastor Ken "Max" Parks writes reviews for Hendrickson Publishing, established ETC Ministries so as to provide instruction to the saints of Ekklesia, Training so as to become prepared, and offers Courses soon to be on Vimeo and Youtube.  He is a Stephen Minister, and he's involved with Church of Christian Truth.