How Exactly Are Study Bibles Supposed To Be Read?

naomanos

naomanos

I have the Esv version of the Lutheran Study Bible and I am having a difficult time figuring out how I should read it because of all the notes. Then again, I never really understood how a study Bible is supposed to be read in the first place.

Am I supposed to read a chapter and then read all the study notes that accompany the verse or do I only read the study notes when I need clarification of a verse?

I also would like to journal at the same time, but when I was in school I never really learned how to take notes, so I did without. So I get discouraged when trying to journal because my notes just don't seem like notes and are instead a jumble of words that don't mean anything.

Ugh... I need help.
 
In my opinion, do not read the notes while you do your study. That's why it's your study! If you get stuck in the meaning of a verse, consult the notes, but rememver, the Holy Spirit will guide you through scripture, the notes should really be a last ditch effort in trying to understand a verse. After you are done with your notes however, it is always nice to look back to the notes in your bible to see if there is anything you could add to your notes, or vice versa.

When taking notes, do it to whatever makes sense to you. The more you break each verse down, the more you will get out of it. I know that my notes wouldn't make sense to anybody else if they read them, but I understand them, and that's all that really matters. Dating things are really important for me, so when I look back, I can remember what I was going through at the time I wrote those notes.

Again, it's all your study, so organize it how you want, write what you want in your bible. I have a Scofield commentary bible that I have completely scratched some of his notes because they are wrong.
 
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