Alexander MacLaren was a Scottish Baptist minister and expositor. He was a prolific writer of sermons and expositions throughout a career that spanned more than sixty years. He could deliver his deep insights with a simplicity even the uneducated could comprehend. The complimentary study Bible I received from Thomas Nelson Publishing is their tribute to MacLaren's copious research and eloquent style.
The greatest struggle I encounter when reviewing any Bible is what to do with it when my review is complete. We have more than our share of Bibles in our home, and I generally pass them on to various friends and ministries. But when I receive an edition that is particularly unique and appealing or contains the wonderful discernment of a trusted spiritual leader, I find it hard to part. I was almost certain that would be the case with this Alexander MacLaren Study Bible. Sadly, not so.
There are many wonderful features of this edition. From Thomas Nelson's website:
- Book introductions exploring each book’s background and key themes with insights from Maclaren’s work
- 1,400 study notes that cover every chapter of the Bible
- 380 Christ Connection notes showing the relevance of Christ to all Scripture
- 380 Life Lesson application notes to help you live out the Bible’s principles
- 209 Passage Outlines based on Maclaren’s sermon outlines
- 8 essays addressing major doctrines of Scripture, personal devotion to Christ, and how to properly apply the Bible to your life
- Comprehensive concordance and index of features
- Bottom of page study notes
- Center-column cross-references
- Line-matched, double-column typesetting
- Clear and readable 9-point NKJV Comfort Print®
The cover of my copy is black and grey Leathersoft™ with silver gilt-edged pages, and two double-sided satin bookmarks (Each are of a different color so, if you are sharing your copy or are working on multiple topics or studies, having two distinct markers is a nice option.) I appreciate the "Christ Connection" notes as a way of tying all Scripture to Christ and drawing us back to the focus of our study. The "Life Lesson" notes are helpful as well, causing for us to pause and consider our response to Scripture. The "Passage Outlines" are interesting, but I would personally appreciate more in the way of study notes. As I mentioned, MacLaren was a prolific writer and expositor: I realize a single study Bible could come nowhere close to a set of his Expositions of Holy Scripture. However, in comparison with some of the other study Bibles I have reviewed (I'm thinking, specifically, of the MacArthur Study Bible) the commentary and expositions in this edition seem somewhat lean. The NKJV concordance is extensive, directing the reader to more than 6,200 words and phrases, almost 400 pages of entries. Again, I would have loved if that room had been given over to more of MacLaren's insights. As for the essays, unless I am really losing my touch, I could find no index with regard to the "8 essays addressing major doctrines..." I was able to locate five of the eight, and they were strategically positioned: How to Apply Biblical Law in Leviticus, How to Apply Biblical Wisdom in Proverbs, for example, but without so much as a list of titles, I could not begin to tell you where to look for the other three. I do love the cross-references in the center column of each page, but I do not love the way the graphics and font from one side of a page bleed through to the opposite side of the paper.
Overall, I was rather disappointed in this edition. Given the "hype" on the first few pages of the book (MacLaren's name on the presentation page, MacLaren's name on the endpaper, MacLaren's name on the title page), I expected more input from MacLaren's huge body of work. If, despite my opinion, you're interested in purchasing a copy, it's suggested retail is $69.99, but
Amazon is currently offering it for $47.98, and christianbook.com sells this edition for $41.99 (shipping is free with a code "FREESHIP50" on orders of $50 or more).
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