Reformation Study Bible

The Reformation Study Bible is a series of study Bibles published and distributed by Ligonier Ministries. The most recent version to have been published is the English Standard Version. As with its predecessors, the RSB (ESV) remains under the supervision of R. C. Sproul, its general editor.

Apparatus
The main features of the RSB include:

*Thousands of comprehensive study notes interpreting passages, verses, and specific words.
*Introductions to the seven groups of Biblical books, an introduction to the intertestamental period, and book introductions and outlines which explain the background, structure, and intent of the Scriptural text.
*Sixty-one in-text maps.
*Forty-seven charts to enhance reading.
*A center-column cross-reference system from the English Revised Version (RV).
*A concordance to the ESV.

History

Four years after the Pennsylvania-based Ligonier Valley Study Center moved to Orlando, Florida, its founder and chairman R. C. Sproul met a group of publishers in 1988 who proposed the making of a study Bible in the tradition of the Geneva Bible. As Sproul himself noted during an advertisement for the RSB: "Several years ago, I had some publishers approach me with an idea that I thought was fantastic. They said there's so many study Bibles available in the book stores, but there's none out there that present the understanding of the Scriptures from the viewpoint and perspective of the historic Protestant Reformation." Enthusiastically, Sproul consented to being general editor of the work and was entrusted with assembling a team of contributors and editors to execute this project.

The study Bible's division of labor was as follows: when the contributors of the Old and New Testaments wrote the annotations, outlines, and introductions for the several books of the Bible, these annotations were in turn submitted to the editorial staff and finally to Sproul for editing and revision. Then, the contributors would adjust to the revisions, a practice which demonstrated not only the cooperation between the two parties, but also the oversight of Sproul.

Originally, the team anticipated that the NIV translation was to be the Bible text for the NGSB, but were forced to switch to the New King James Version in 1992 due to problems with the initial publisher Hyatt and Wolgemuth . Once under contract with Thomas Nelson Publishers, the venture was then detained for three more years conforming the annotations to the NKJV. In 1995, the New Geneva Study Bible was delivered to the publisher. The New Geneva Study Bible was later renamed The Reformation Study Bible in 1998, both of which used the New King James Version in their text.

Seven years later, Ligonier Ministries sought to produce, publish, and distribute a study Bible utilizing the only Bible translation yet to be published in the "Study Bible" format, the English Standard Version or ESV. Sproul has stated, "I believe that this is the most important projects that I have ever been engaged in or involved with in my entire life."

Editors

R.C. Sproul, Drs., Ph.D. as general editor (Ligonier Ministries); Keith A. Mathison, Ph.D. as associate editor (Ligonier Ministries).

Other associate editers are J. I. Packer, Roger Nicole, Bruce Waltke, James Boice (deceased), and Edmund Clowney (deceased).

Old Testament Contributors

Carl E. Armerding, Ph.D. (Schloss Mittersill Study Centre); Raymond Dillard, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary); William Dumbrell, Ph.D. (Moore Theological College); Mark Futato, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary in California); Graeme Goldsworthy, Ph.D. (Moore Theological College); J. Alan Groves, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary); R. Laird Harris, Ph.D. (Covenant Theological Seminary); Kenneth J. Howell, Ph.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); M. M. Kline, Ph.D. (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary); Gary Knoppers, Ph.D. (Penn State University); Donald Leggett, Ph.D. (Ontario Theological Seminary); V. Philips Long, Ph.D. (Covenant Theological Seminary); Tremper Longman III, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary); J. Gordon McConville, Ph.D. (Wycliffe Hall, Oxford); Allan A. MacRae, Ph.D. (Biblical Theological Seminary); Jeffrey Niehaus, Ph.D. (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary); Dirk H. Odendaal, Ph.D. (University of Stellenbosch); Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr., Ph.D. (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School); Gary Pratico, Th.D. (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary); Richard L. Pratt, Jr., Th.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); Elmer Smick, Ph.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); Marion Ann Taylor, Ph.D. (Wycliffe College); Willem A. Van Gemeren, Ph.D. (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School); J. Robert Vannoy, Th.D. (Biblical Theological Seminary); Bruce Waltke, Th.D., Ph.D. (Regent College); Barry Webb, Ph.D. (Moore Theological College); Gordon Wenham, Ph.D. (Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education); John Woodhouse, Ph.D. (Moore Theological College).

New Testament Contributors

Knox Chamblin, Th.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); Karl J. Cooper, Th.M. (Providence, RI); Sinclair B. Ferguson, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary); T. David Gordon, Ph.D. (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary); Wayne Grudem, Ph.D. (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School); Charles Hill, Ph.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); Kenneth J. Howell, Ph.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); Dennis Ireland, Ph.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); Dennis Johnson, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary in California); Peter Jones, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary in California); Reggie M. Kidd, Ph.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); Simon J. Kistemaker, Th.D. (Reformed Theological Seminary); W. Harold Mare, Ph.D. (Covenant Theological Seminary); Dan McCartney, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary); Leon Morris, Ph.D. (Ridley College); Vern S. Poythress, D.Th. (Westminster Theological Seminary); Moises Silva, Ph.D. (Westminster Theological Seminary); R. C. Sproul, Drs. (Ligonier Ministries); Frank Thielman, Ph.D. (Beeson Divinity School); Joseph Trafton, Ph.D. (Western Kentucky University).

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