A Bible that loves you and your family with Reformer zeal
As this is uniquely fit for purpose, I’m so enthusiastic about how just-different-enough it is that I can’t truly compare the RHSB to other Bibles—so if now you halt between two opinions, sorry, get both—but I will try.
On the bundle: each book here comes sealed, that you may open the one you’re more sure about and give away the other. Prices may change by the time you read this, but RHB presently offers the goatskin at a bargain compared to Bibles of similar size, materials, and high-quality build.
On the utility of the goatskin binding: You would be right to question a finely bound “study” Bible; most leather study Bibles are bound in coarser stuff. Premium Bibles usually provide value by containing an undistracted text and/or by having copious space and resilience for your marginalia, neither of which applies here. However, I will argue that your RHSB is still in the running for “family treasure”, if subjected to frequent wear and tear in its intended purpose of family worship, with a conservative visual cleanliness to it that even a child can appreciate as a temperate mark of the modest respect your family has for “the” Bible (again, for worship—it is good that a Bible for writing in appears adored in a different way!).
On the contents: The very first of the articles on “How to Live as a Christian” in back is “Coming to Christ”, a warm invitation to answer His call, gently but firmly refuting the all too common misconceptions of how one comes to Him, both the falsely easy and the falsely difficult. Now how many Bibles have you seen that have anything like this arresting yet pastoral touch? Many of the other articles succinctly cover subjects all too often neglected or misunderstood within or around today’s churches, especially suffering. This is the Christianity I wish I’d heard as a tormented child.
And so also the commentary under the KJV text (where it does not simply paraphrase for understanding, which is most wise to include, but I do wish was marked differently) does not stay in a lane as most study Bibles aim to do, but is in a classical tradition (true to the spirit of the Geneva and Dutch margin notes without duplicating them), sparing much of the worldly erudition found easily in other books and Bibles in favor of exhorting the believer to awe, encouragement, and righteousness. Also following in the footsteps of Geneva and KJV, the numbered chapters are given respect as subdivisions with their own headings (although a modern outline of headings is also provided, and both are mercifully left in the notes, not in the text). The provided “Thoughts” after each chapter are excellent, often posing open-ended questions that can turn into a good journal entry or a margin note. This is the Biblical thinking I pray you will share with your family at home.
One correction needed in the future is that the Scripture citations in the two Westminster catechisms are not formatted properly as in that of Heidelberg or in the Confession. I reckon this is a deal-breaker to no one; and one great in time and small in pen-stroke can conceivably emend this from a freely available copy, but still, it should be done.
