Study Helps

Printable versions of most articles are available using the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click on the 'Printable' links to print. A free version of the Reader is available by clicking HERE. Articles without a 'Printable' link may still print, they may just be in other formats on other web sites, or they may already be in a format that the Reader will print.

Below is a free Bible search aid. While we do not agree with many of the teachings of this site, and we do not endorse any of the advertising, still this is a handy tool for those who may not have a software package of their own. We had to put the box in exactly like they have it or it wouldn't work (reasonable in view of the hacking attempts out there). To use it just pick your book, put a search word in the box, and pick the number of occurrences you want to see and hit the Search button. Use it with our blessings and our cautions.

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Some of the links above will take you to a place on this page, some will take you to other pages on this site, and some will take you directly to other sites. If you know of a study help that would be of benefit to us or other visitors to this site then please email us with the information.

All books and tapes have been reviewed by us and we rate them as very good. If we haven't directly reviewed the book or tape then it has been recommended to us by someone who's opinion we trust. Some books or tapes are very hard to categorize and might belong in under several headings. But we did the best we could to place them where they would be easiest to find.

A fun and informative tool to add to your study helps is the Whole Bible Forum. You must register by filling out a simple form, then the registration must be activated (we get an email then email you back) before you can post replies or topics. The forum community is a good group of people who are gentle and kind and want to help you learn and to learn from you.

When you decide to take the plunge and register, you will be able to read and reply to other's comments and post topics of your own. This is an excellent way to supplement your own study program and have your thinking challenged. Click HERE to find out what the Forum Rules are and a little about how to use the forum. The forum is a good way to practice community and get a broader insight into our Father's Word. We encourage you to register and participate.

Also known as the Parasha, which is Hebrew for portion, the Weekly Portion is a method of splitting up the first five books of the Bible (the Torah) into weekly sections or portions to help with reading the Word on a regular basis. There is a three-cycle and a one-year cycle. We like the one-year because we think we need to read as much as possible. Others like the three-year cycle because the portions are smaller and reduce the amount of material that is covered. Either way, it is a good idea to read the Word on a daily basis, and these schedules simply help with pacing.

We have a booklet that we make of the one-year cycle. It is only available to active, registered Whole Bible Forum members though. To register read the section above and go to the page explaining how. The chart is a pdf file (for Adobe Reader) which can be printed out.

You can also try the Whole Bible forum, which has a section called Reading Cycle for commentary on each part.

This is a list of the commandments found in the Torah according to one famous rabbi who is called Maimonides (my-moan-ee-des). Mitzvot is a Hebrew word for commandment. He compiled the list and grouped them into books or sections by subject. This is not the only list, nor is it perhaps the best list, but it is handy for a quick reference on what the Torah has to say on particular issues. The page is a little long so it might take a some extra time to download if you have a regular modem. But section headings are at the top if you just want to browse to a particular subject. Click below to connect to the page.

1,050Mitzvot (NT)

Oh, boy. As if 613 weren't enough, one person has found as many as 1,050 commandments in the New Testament. And some Christians think the Law was eliminated! Even if you don't agree with the person who compiled the list (Finnis Jennings Dake), it should nonetheless sharply change your perspective on whether or not there is more to the Christian life than merely raising your hand and saying "I believe in Jesus."

We started out with one command in the Garden and wouldn't do that. Then we got the list of 613 from Mt. Sinai and wouldn't do those. Now we have 1,050 and still refuse to obey. What next?

Hebrew Names for Bible Books

This table gives you the English names of each of the books in the Bible and their Hebrew equivalents. Many times when reading articles or books the authors use Hebrew names in an effort to reconnect the reader with the Hebraic origin of the Bible. Unfortunately, sometimes they get so used to using them they forget to provide the English translation. Some authors think the Hebrew names are more descriptive, and some are maybe a little too arrogant. Anyway, this table will help you learn the names or act as a reference if you need the translation and it wasn't provided.

Jewish Encyclopedia

This is a handy reference tool for a Jewish perspective on subjects in the Tanakh (OT), Jewish culture, and Jewish history. It is the online version of the printed edition that was last published about 100 years ago, so it doesn't have more recent information. But it still has a great deal of helpful articles, especially if you need to write a paper for a class. Click on the link to go to the index and begin searching.

If you have trouble with display or font problems, be sure to click at the link near the top of the page Having font/display problems? This will give you instructions on loading a free Unicode font that will help with displaying all the special characters they use.

Myths and Facts of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

This is so good and so appropriate that it deserves a heading by itself on our site. The title of this section is also the title of a book, and the publishers (AICE) have their own web site. Both are perhaps the single best references for information on the continuing conflict between Israel and the Arab countries. The information is organized under subject headings so you can read (or surf) according to whatever question is on your mind.

Below is the web site link, which presents new information all the time to supplement the Myths and Facts already covered, and which also has the book for sale. Buy the book and help to clear up the myths and simplify the facts of the conflict for your friends, neighbors, or church buddies. The author is Mitchell G. Bard.

The web site also has many other interesting books and programs to promote the already substantial benefits that America receives through our alliance with our Jewish brothers and sisters.

Talmud

This is essentially a commentary on the Jewish Oral Law, which in turn is a series of rulings and interpretations on the Torah (first five books of the Tanakh (OT)). It was put together by Jewish people over a long period of time, but was pretty much finished by about the fifth century. There are different parts but they are all generally referred to as the Talmud.

The Mishna (meesh-nah) is the section containing all of what was formerly called the Oral Law, and was put together by Rabbi Judah around the second century. It has 63 parts called tractates, which are grouped under six headings called Orders. The six orders include Zera'im (it means Seeds, and includes a famous tractate called Brakhot (or blessings), Nezakin (Damages), Nashim ( Women), including laws of Kiddushin or marriage and Gittin or divorce), Kodashim (sacrifices and ritual slaughter), and Taharot (laws of purity and impurity). One of the 63 tractates is Pirkei Avot (peer-kay ah-vote), meaning roughly 'Ethics of the Fathers,' which is a collection of the rabbi's most famous sayings and proverbs. You will hear this tractate referred to on occasion in your studies of Torah or the Law.

Jewish tradition holds that the Oral Law was given originally to Moses at the same time as Torah. It was subsequently handed down (you guessed it - orally) with the written Torah until is was also written down by Rabbi Judah. Many Jews still believe that the Oral Law is equal to the written Torah, and in some cases over-rides Torah, a position with which this ministry disagrees. We feel that the Oral Law should've stayed oral. If God had wanted everyone to know the material contained in the Mishna, He would've made sure it was included in the written Torah. However, there is much to be gained from the Talmud and we do not recommend throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

The Gemara (gay-mar-ah, the word means 'rabbinic discussions') is the section containing commentary on the Oral Law made by certain leading rabbis at various times. Talmud and Gemara are also used interchangeably. Part of the Gemara is called the Jerusalem Talmud and was finished around 400 A.D., and the other part is called the Babylonian Talmud and was finished around the 500 year-mark after the Christ. This collection of writings and opinions is an unparalleled study resource for the serious student, although a lot of it has to be patiently sifted through because of the time factor and an abbreviated writing style.

Below is a link to a site that discusses many of the erroneous impressions and quotations from the Talmud. It is a Jewish site and has many good articles on the often deliberate attempts to discredit the excellent teachings found in Talmud.

Software Recommendations

Click here to see our recommendation for upgrading to the best software of all! You will need the Macromedia Flash player (click here to get it for free).

If you have a computer, a good way to use it for study is to get one of the Bible software packages. There a number of good ones but we haven't tried them all. There are two packages described below that we have tried and we like really well.

The advantages to a software package are that it's cheaper than buying all the hardcover books separately, if you put the package on a laptop it is even more portable than hauling around your library with you, and once the package is installed you can search whatever books were included in your package all at once. The downside is if there is no electricity there is no study. Unless you have a squirrel on a wheel that runs a generator. But after a while he would probably get tired and then where would you be. Bruce has a Hewlett-Packard laptop in addition to his desktop and he uses the laptop as his Bible at studies and congregational meetings. Anytime someone is making a point from a commentary or the original languages he can check it out right away.

Some software packages are expensive depending on what you get, but most of them you can buy in pieces as you can afford them. Even if you just get the basic search program and a couple of books with three or four bibles it is phenomenal what you can do and how much it enriches your study time. If you can afford it, having the two packages below on a laptop gives new meaning to the Scripture that we should be "instant in season and out of season" or "be always ready to give a defense for the hope that is in you."

Logos

This software company makes a number of different products and they are adding more all the time. At the time of this writing they are for Windows based computers, not Macintosh (see below for the Mac product I recommend). For a review of three different software packages click this link:http://www.christianweek.org/stories/vol15/no18/ristau.html

One of the drawbacks of this company's packages is that they are oriented more towards English (it is hard to work in the original languages), and they have mostly a standard Protestant slant. If you want to use the original languages or consult some references that are other than Protestant (the Talmud for instance), these are not the packages to go with. However, for the English and for the standard Protestant stuff they are hard to beat. They have improved the ease of use since they first came out, and usually offer free upgrades (at least so far for me).

I have the Level 4 package, which is pretty expensive at around $500.00. But they have three levels below that for less money and of course fewer reference book selections. They also sell individual books, and they have a good selection of other packages, such as a package for helping a person put together a Bible study lesson.

Their website is www.logos.com and they are always easy to deal with. I think you can choose to order off the web or have them send the CD's to you. All my upgrades have come off of the web, so I'm not sure if they do it any other way. When I purchased I got CD's with all the books but they were locked. Logos gave me unlock codes for the books I purchased and I just unlocked what I bought. Customer Service has been first rate, and they have helped me several times when I got a new computer or had to re-format a hard drive.

Accordance

The people who make Accordance call their company Oaktree Software. Their web site is www.accordancebible.com but you can't order from the web, you have to call a toll-free number. You can, however, download some things from the site. Their web site has a description of everything, with pricing. Their packages are a little hard to understand, but if you call them you can get good help. They are a smaller company so Tech Support is a little harder to get sometimes, but they are very friendly and knowledgeable.

Accordance is for Macintosh computers only. If you have a Windows machine and want to run Accordance you must install an emulator. There are several Mac Emulators (this link is to one called Basilisk II) available for free on the web. I installed an emulator and after adjusting a couple of easy-to-fix items I was up and running. If you go with the emulator, however, Oaksoft cannot help with Tech support.

The place to go to for a more in depth review than I have done here is Review by Ken Ristau.

I bought the Scholar's 4 package and the Jewish 2 Advanced package, along with the Septuagint, the Septuagint database, and the NASB bible package for about $700.00. You can get just about any combination you want for less money, or you can buy a whole lot more and spend more too. You get a CD and some unlock codes for whatever you bought. I think to unlock everything on the Scholar's CD is something like $1,700.00, but all that stuff is way more than most people need.

I bought this package because it has other reference works than the standard Protestant ones and because I can work in the original languages easier. Not that I'm a scholar or computer whiz or anything. Accordance is real easy to use even for people who don't know everything (which is a good thing for me). If I had to pick one of these two packages (Logos or Accordance) I would pick the Accordance. It is more powerful than Logos because of the way the searches are structured and you can search the original languages easier.

Creation

Hovind, Ken. Video series "Creation Science Seminars," seven volumes, roughly 15 hours of material on VHS or DVD. Obtain on the web site www.drdino.com.

Hugely important series of videos for absolutely anyone's library. Dr. Hovind does a good job taking God at His Word. This ministry is not really from the Hebraic perspective, but extremely valuable anyway. If you home school you will want this information for your kids. He does not copyright the material, so you can get one set and copy for your friends if the budget is a problem. They cost about $105.00 for the set but well worth the investment. We have made about 40 copies ourselves for anybody who wants one.

Hebrew Language Learning

For materials connected with learning the Hebrew language, go to the web site for EKS Publishing. They have a number of excellent study helps for learning, such as the popular First Hebrew Primer. We have the Primer and a set of flash cards for the letters and vowels, both of which help a great deal for reading and speaking. We encourage everyone who studies the Bible to at least become familiar with Hebrew and Greek. Knowledge of the original languages will enhance your understanding of the Word of God in ways you might not expect.

It is said that English is the hardest language, of any, to learn, so learning Hebrew should be a piece of cake for all you English speakers out there!

History

Edersheim, Alfred. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Complete and Unabridged in One Volume, Peabody Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. July 1, 1993.

Not really a sit down reading type book but more of a reference. It is helpful to read sections at a time in order to slowly assimilate the information. Very complete and high quality.

We haven't read through this book yet but it was highly recommended by several people we can trust, so you probably can too.

Good sit down reading type book for beginners. Covers the history of the split between the synagogue and the Church starting in the first century.

Interpretation

Young, Brad H. The Parables - Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation, Peabody Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. August 1998. Obtain from Gospel Research Foundation.

Brad Young's books are very 'chewy.' Beginner's might have to slow down and read a few pages at a sitting in order to think through the information. But he has many excellent viewpoints and is a very bright scholar. Comes from the angle that Jesus' parables were meant to be understood. Like his other title below, "Jesus and His Jewish Parables" but with an emphasis on the comparison between Jewish and Christian.

Kaiser, Walter and Silva, Moises, An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics, Zondervan, April 1994. Click on the link to go to Amazon for more info and reviews.

Excellent book on the subject of interpreting the Bible. College level but pretty easy to understand even so. Well written and thoughtful approach, using the concept of discussion between the two scholars (who don't agree on everything) to illustrate various truths. Highly recommended.

Jesus

Places the teaching style of Jesus in context with His contemporaries. Excellent book. See "The Parables" under Interpretation for a little more general information on Brad.

Judaism

Very readable, basic book on understanding Judaism. Or should we say Judaisms? Rabbi Blech does a good job presenting a fairly complicated subject in a straightforward, humorous manner. If you need to sort out some differences between sects and beliefs and so on this is your book.

Letters and Numbers

Bullinger, E.W., Number in Scripture - It's Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1967.

Munk, Rabbi Michael L. The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet - The Sacred Letters as a Guide to Jewish Deed and Thought, Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications, Ltd. Tenth Printing December 1998.

This book is best used as a reference rather than for reading straight through, but very good for helping to understand the deep significance of the Hebrew aleph-bet. A lot of beautiful information is included. Spends a lot of time on the background and development of each letter and why they are so important. There's a lot more meaning there than the English alphabet.

Paul

Hegg, Tim. The Letter Writer: Paul's Background and Torah Perspective, Israel, First Fruits of Zion, 2002.

Currently out of print, but the link above goes to Amazon and some copies are available used. Tim can get pretty in-depth when he wants to, and this is one of those books. He has some presentations under the Letters Conference above, and is an interesting speaker. This book will help to change some of the assumptions many Christians make about Paul. You will be surprised at how different he probably really was than the standard Church idea. Very dry and sort of hard to plow through, but worth the effort.

The Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)

New for December 2004. We were referred to a link that has many excellent articles and other academic information indexed for the Hebrew Bible, otherwise known as the Tanakh. It seems to be a good source for many quality works from a variety of authors, so now we share it with you. We have not checked this site or it's links completely, so let us know if you find anything squirrelly. The link is www.itanakh.org.

Theology

Many people nowadays are disparaging theology, proclaiming from the pulpit that it is not necessary for the believer. Considering that the meaning is 'theos' and 'logos' or 'God speaks' or even 'God's Word,' the attempt to eliminate it from the believer's walk is strange. Philosophy, on the other hand, which is merely men's opinions, could and should be suspect, including the philosophy that God's Word should be kicked out of the church. It is when theology moves away from the Word and into philosophical realms that theology looses its relevancy for any believer's life. Here are some books that put the relevancy back into 'God Speaking' and help the believer to understand basic issues.

This book was originally a series of lectures given by Beecher in 1902-1903. When it was first published the book title was 'The Prophets and the Promise, Being for Substance; The Lectures 1902-1903.' This shows that Promise Theology is not a new thing, and Mr. Beecher shows how the Prophets take up the theme of the promise given in the Pentateuch and reinforce it in many ways. A little dry, but it will help give you one of the keys for understanding the whole of the Word. Highly recommended.

Excellent, excellent book written around the idea that the promise of God is the central theme of the Bible. Of course, the promise is also the Messiah Jesus. Promise Theology is starting to replace the inadequate ideas of both Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism. Good starting point for rebuilding a believer's world view torn down by standard church dogma.

Translations

Here we present links that will help with looking at different translations and comparing them. The first link was referred to us by Shari F. and we thank her for her work in finding it and telling us about it. Click on www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Scriptures/IB.htm and look at the bottom of the page. There are articles on different issues with extensive comparisons and some commentary. This seems to be an excellent source for looking at what different versions say about the same section of biblical text.

Tzitzit(Tassels)

Kaplan, Aryeh. Tzitzith - Thread of Light, New York, NY: National Conference of Synagogue Youth/Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, 1984.

Written by an orthodox rabbi, but really interesting anyway. This is the book that we used to learn how to tie tzitzit (tseet-tseet) or tassels. You do not have to tie them this way, but there is a lot of meaning to the style he explains.

Study Helps

The Whole Bible Forum

The Weekly Portion

The 613 Commands (OT)

1,050Mitzvot (NT)

Hebrew Names for Bible Books

Jewish Encyclopedia

Myths and Facts of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

Talmud

Software Recommendations

Logos

Accordance

Creation

Hebrew Language Learning

History

Interpretation

Jesus

Judaism

Letters and Numbers

Paul

The Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)

Theology

Translations

Tzitzit(Tassels)

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