Bible, Theology & Ministry

Before You Search

1. Identify keywords in your topic.
2. Choose the best database.
3. Use 1-2 words per search box.
4. Combine "keyword phrases" with AND.
5. Use limiters as needed (dates, scholarly (peer reviewed).
6. Evaluate your results by reading abstracts.
7. Look at subject terms assigned to a good article to focus search.
8. No full text? Use Journal Finder on Journals tab.
9. The Cite button will help with footnotes.

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   Database Tutorial 

Searching The Catalog

To help you with your search, consider these search options listed in the drop down menu:

• Keyword. This the default search option. Type in any words you want and click search. Ex.: homeless, Holocaust, pollution
• Author. Enter author's name: last name, first name. Ex. Patterson, James
• Title. Select this option when you have the title. Ex. 7 habits of highly effective people
• Subject. Enter one or two words that describes your topic. Ex. gun control or euthanasia
• Series. Enter the name of a series of books. Ex. Opposing Viewpoints or World Biblical Commentary
• Periodical Title.  Click here to find an article in a journal or periodical.

Library of Congress Classification

• BL - BX Religion 
• PA  - Greek language
• PJ - Hebrew language 

Scholarly vs. Popular Periodicals

Video Created by the Vanderbilt University Peabody Library

Picking Your Topic IS Research!

Video created by NCSU

Research Process

1. Choose your topic & isolate potential keywords. Use synonyms.
2. Use your textbook & reference sources.
3. Determine what types of sources are needed & begin searching.
4. Evaluate the quality, quantity & relevance of your sources.
5. Be sure to cite any ideas you have used that are not your own.
6. Assess your results & refine as needed.

Searching For Biblical Topics

Searching for Bible books as subjects in the library catalog is unique with any subject searches starting with Bible.

Ex. Old Testament is listed as Bible. Old Testament

Ex. Matthew is listed as Bible. New Testament. Matthew

Searching for Romans as keyword or subject results in the historical people of Rome.

Bible. New Testament. Romans is the subject listing for the Bible book.

Video created by the University of Arkansas Libraries.

Commentary Series Examples

Academic commentaries

Academic commentaries are meant to focus on the academic and detailed aspects of a passage such as context, literary meaning, translations, sources, etc. They discuss several possible interpretations weighing the different views. Their general approach is critical and attentive to detail. They are pitched on a high level for educated persons, especially seminarians and biblical scholars. They may or may not be theological or include practical comments for application in life (devotional).

Lay commentaries

Lay commentaries do much of the above but are not as critical and are pitched lower and intended for general audiences and ministers not interested in a critical approach. Their focus is on how to apply a particular passage for spiritual formation. They emphasize application and personal impact.

Other criteria for choosing a commentary

Type of commentary

Don’t choose from a series alone; many of the best commentaries are published outside a series, including multivolume and single-volume commentaries on the entire Bible. The particular commentator is more important than the series. What are his/her credentials? Your professor can help with these.

Publisher

Some publishers are more academic than others. (Zondervan and IVP can be academic but are less critical). Baker Academic Press is preferable to Baker. Some of the best are: Eerdmans, Anchor, Abingdon, Augsburg Fortress, Harper, Anchor, Eisenbrauns, Doubleday, Mercer, and Jewish Publication Society.

Date

Avoid commentaries more than 60 years old, though Keil / Delitzsch is an exception.

List of Academic Commentaries

• Abingdon New Testament Commentaries
• AB - Anchor Bible Commentary
• BECOT/BECNT - Baker Exegetical Commentary on the Old/New Testament
• Berit Olam
• Black’s New Testament Commentary
• College Press NIV Commentary NT/OT
• Continental Commentaries New Testament/OT
• Eerdmans Critical Commentary
• Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament
• EBC – Expositor’s Bible Commentary
• The Expositors Greek Testament
• Forms of the Old Testament Literature (a form-critical commentary)
• Harper’s Bible Commentary
• HERM – Hermeneia
• ICC – International Critical Commentary/New Series 
• Interpretation: A Biblical Commentary for Teaching and Preaching
• IVPNTC – IVP New Testament Commentary
• JPS – Jewish Publication Society Torah Commentary
• Keil/Delitzsch
• The Living Word Commentary (Sweet)
• NAC – New American Commentary
• New Century Bible Commentary
• New International Biblical Commentary
• NICOT/NICNT – New International Commentary on the Old/New Testament
• NIGTC – New International Greek Testament Commentary
• NIB – New Interpreter’s Bible/and old series
• New Testament in Context
• New Testament Library
• OTL – Old Testament Library
• Paideia
• Reading The New Testament Commentary Series
• Sacra Pagina
• Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentaries
• Transforming Word
• Tyndale
• WBC – Word Biblical Commentary

List of Lay Commentaries

• Barnes on the New/Old Testament
• Beacon Bible Commentary
• The Biblical Illustrator
• Bible Speaks Today
• Broadman’s Bible Commentary
• Daily Study Bible NT/OT
• Everyman’s Bible Commentary
• An Exposition of the Bible
• The Great Texts of the Bible
• Interpreting Biblical Texts
• The Layman’s Bible Commentary
• Maclaren’s Expositions of Holy Scripture
• MacArthur New Testament Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Commentary
• NIVAC – NIV Application Commentary
• New Testament Commentary
• PNTC – Pillar New Testament Commentary
• Preacher’s Complete Homiletic Commentary
• Preaching Through the Bible
• Pulpit Commentary
• Storyteller’s Companion to the Bible
• Text and Interpretation
• TOTC/TNTC – Tyndale Old/New Testament Commentaries
• The Treasury of the Bible
• The Wesleyan Bible Commentary
• Wycliff Bible Commentary

List of Historical Commentaries

• Ancient Christian Commentary Series NT/OT
• Brazos Theological Commentary of the Bible
• Calvin’s Commentary
• International Theological Commentary