Review: The Expanded Bible

I decided to read the entire New Testament in the month of September, so I was excited to see this new Expanded Bible available as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program. Much to my dismay, this is not a bible you would want to use when reading through the New Testament in a month. So while I read through The Message, I utilized The Expanded Bible as a reference, and for that it was great.

Based on the New Century Version, The Expanded Bible: New Testament reads exactly like The Amplified Bible by “expanding” the meaning of certain key words and offering alternatives. However, different in this bible is that the expanded text lies right in-line with the text. The original text is in bold, and the expanded meanings are in [brackets] in a standard weight. Another very helpful addition to this bible is the topic notes on the sidebars with text references for other places you can find that subject in the New Testament.

While I would never use this to read lengthy text, it’s a great resource for use in studying the bible, and a happy addition to my bookshelf!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program.

Filed under: Bible, Books, Reviews

NT Notes: Luke 1-24

** Notes taken during my goal of reading the New Testament in September. I’m reading from The Message version.

• I don’t think I’ve ever read the first 25 verses of Luke 1 in my life.

• I am however finally seeing a lot of the stories I heard growing up that I didn’t see in Matthew or Mark.

• “Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.” (6:46-47)

• I’m still confused why Jesus kept telling people not to say a word about his miracles.

• One of my favorite lines: “One of the religion scholars spoke up: “Teacher, do you realize that in saying these things you’re insulting us?” (11:45)

• It’s really hard to read these gospels and wonder where Christians are coming from when they claim that we should “teach a man to fish so he’ll never go hungry” vs. just “giving a man a fish” when he’s hungry. Jesus seemed pretty fine with give-to-others-at-the-expense-of-yourself system of giving. Encouraged it actually.

• “A lot of you are going to assume that you’ll sit down to God’s salvation banquet just because you’ve been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives.” (13:24-25)

• Another much repeated, confusing line… “Pregnant and nursing mothers will have it especially hard.” (21:23) I wonder what that means.

• Luke is the first to mention the healing of the ear. Wonder why the others didn’t mention it. (22:51)

Filed under: Bible, New Testament

NT Notes: Mark 1-16

** Notes taken during my goal of reading the New Testament in September. I’m reading from The Message version.

• There were a lot more demonic people back then. That or we just don’t attribute certain aspects of people to demonic inhabitance anymore.

• Demons respected Jesus’ powers more than we do.

• I love how Mark (or Jesus rather) is pushing the importance of story, considering I’m reading a great book on the subject right now.

• Interesting that Jesus told this Legion guy to tell his story since he’s been telling everyone else to keep it a secret. (5:18)

• A favorite line: “I believe, Help me with my doubts!” (9:24)

• The Apostles argued a lot. Good to know that it isn’t just today’s ministry leaders that go through that… and they were direct disciples of Jesus!

• Seriously, this fig tree story disturbs me. (11:12)

• I’d love to hear / read / watch the story behind the guy who’s house was used for the Last Supper (like the movie Rosencranz & Gildensteen are Dead, based on Hamlet). I’m sure it includes angel interaction. (14:13-15)

• This account seems awfully out of place and irrelevant. (14:51-52)

Filed under: Bible, New Testament

NT Notes: Matthew 1-28

** Notes taken during my goal of reading the New Testament in September. I’m reading from The Message version.

• Why is the lineage of Jesus so important considering that Mary was a virgin? There’s no blood lineage.

• Jesus means God Saves? (Message)

• Reminder: Satan knows scripture better than we do.

• I always trip up on 1:17, “I did not come to demolish the Law.”

• I thought this verse was interpreted interestingly by The Message:

(NIV) – 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”

(MESSAGE) – 7:6 “Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.”

• Interesting that people were more upset about the pigs than happy for the 2 men (8:32)

• “Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.” (10:6)

• My biggest sin: “If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.” (10:37)

• Confusing that John would inquire if Jesus was The One considering he gave him such lofty praise earlier. (11:2-3)

• 12:6-8 helps make 1:17 more bearable.

• 14:22-33 is my favorite story.

• 15:26 is not my favorite Jesus quote.

• Jesus gets exasperated a LOT

• So that Withered Fig Tree story is a little disturbing. (21:18-21)

• After reading the story of the cross I went to Netflix to see if I had rated Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ yet (I had, 5/5). Then I read Roger Ebert’s review of the movie. It’s really good.

• I ran across the following cartoon on a blog this morning. Pretty good summary of what I read in Matthew.

Filed under: Bible, New Testament

Read The New Testament in a Month

I’m getting more and more pumped about my plan to read the entire New Testament in September. Although I was able to acquire a brand new bible, thanks to my friends at Thomas Nelson, I’ve decided to use The Message for this first go at it.

Also, during my research last night I came across a bunch of cool information.

» The New Testament has 260 chapters. If you read (a minimum of) 10 chapters per day you will only need 26 days to read it, leaving you a day off each week. However, most times you won’t want to stop at 10 chapters because you might be in the middle of a narrative and then you’ll plow through it even quicker.

» The Old Testament has 929 chapters. FYI.

» Some people like to read through the New Testament every month for 9 straight months, and then read through the Old Testament in the remaining 3 months.

» Someone even posted a plan to read the New Testament in a single week!

Monday: Matthew 1 – Mark 9
Tuesday: Mark 10 – John 6
Wednesday: John 7 – Acts 22
Thursday: Acts 23 – 1 Corinthians 14
Friday: 1 Corinthians 15 – 1 Thessalonians 5
Saturday: 2 Thessalonians 1 – 1 Peter 2
Sunday: 1 Peter 3 – Revelation 22

So here’s a basic outline for reading through the New Testament in a month:

1. Matthew 1-9
2. Matthew 10-15
3. Matthew 16-22
4. Matthew 23-28
5. Mark 1-8
6. Mark 9-16
7. Luke 1-6
8. Luke 7-11
9. Luke 12-18
10. Luke 19-24
11. John 1-7
12. John 8-13
13. John 14-21
14. Acts 1-7
15. Acts 8-14
16. Acts 15-21
17. Acts 22-28
18. Romans 1-8
19. Romans 9-16
20. 1 Corinthians 1-9
21. 1 Corinthians 10-16
22. 2 Corinthians 1-13
23. Galatians – Ephesians
24. Philippians – 2 Thessalonians
25. 1 Timothy – Philemon
26. Hebrews
27. James – 2 Peter
28. 1 John – 3 John
29. Revelation 1-11
30. Revelation 12-22

Anyone want to join me?

Filed under: Bible, Books, Reading

Back To The Basics

After a few years of manufacturing closeness to God, I took the year off from anything specific. In the past I’ve made resolutions to pray daily or to read scripture daily throughout the year, and it worked out great. The problem I encountered that made me change it this year was that it started to take on a punched timecard feeling, and I didn’t like that.

But now that we’re entering the fourth quarter of 2007, I can completely feel that closeness slipping away. It’s so easy to skip something one day, and then find yourself going multiple days without it. It’s a very slippery slope, and I’m finding that I need that built in system of checks and balances.

So with that, the rest of this year will be back to the basics—daily prayer and scripture reading … and daily brushing of teeth!

Filed under: Accountability, Basic Training, Bible, Faith, God, Prayer

Can You Dig?

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Everlasting God — Lincoln Brewster

Filed under: Bible, Encouragement

Russell the father of Tanner

… Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,
Abiud the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Akim,
Akim the father of Eliud …

Do you ever gloss over these sections of the Bible? In most cases they are trying to establish lineage lines for prophesies, but for those of us who already believe, what significance does it have? Try thinking about them in this light… we all are part of an ongoing story that has been going on since the beginning of time. How cool is that?

Filed under: Bible, Contemplation, Genealogy, Tanner

Memory Verse

The homework for our small group this week is to memorize a verse before next Sunday night. Here is the one I choose:

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

-Philippians 2:1-4

Filed under: Bible, Memory Verse, Small Group

Quick Question

Can you make it to heaven without ever reading the Bible?

Filed under: Bible, Heaven, Questions