Bible commentary for DS 8

[jedbel]

My son wants to study the bible along with a good commentary. He is 8 yrs. old. Any suggestions for a children's bible commentary? Is there such a thing for children? :confused: He reads at the high school level. TIA!

[PeterPan]

Well good for him! I was just a little bit older, 5th or 6th grade, when I got my first study bible. Mine was a Scofield, but I really like a Ryrie now. I think for an interested dc, it could work just fine. It probably comes in the translation you're used to, has the notes at the bottom of each page, making them easy to read, and comes in an affordable hardback version. Also, Victor Journey Through the Bible is interesting and age-appropriate. He might enjoy having access to a basic bible dictionary or commentary. I got one once, can't remember the author (started with a W?), that was small in size and only $5. It was very general, but general is fine for that age. A Bible dictionary is an interesting thing because he can look up anything in it, say a term he comes across (day of atonement, death angel, such and such feast, whatever) and learn all about it. There are lots of them at various price points, so trying CBD http://www.christianbook.com should get you one.

 

While you're at it, buy him the proper pens (I assume cbd sells them), something with a narrow tip that doesn't bleed at least, for making his notes. :)

[KellyGirl]

Does he know the basics of using a concordance, taking a word back to the Greek/Hebrew? It is really cool that he wants to go that in depth, but I am remembering from a "How to Study the Bible" course that I took the commentary should be the very last tool used to gain understanding.

 

As for what commentary...at first I was thinking "The Awesome Book of Bible facts" which is aimed at elementary kids, but if he reads on a high school level, he probably want a lot more depth than that! I personally (and dh) really like Matthew Henry's commentary. He offers some depth and explination but it is more or less in laymans terms...you don't have to be a scholar to read it. That might work for him.