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I am always looking for new references and Bibles to help me dive deeper into God’s Word. I was so excited when I was offered the opportunity, from Bible Gateway, to receive The Thompson Chain Reference Bible in exchange for an honest review. A new Bible study tool for me to dig into God’s Holy Word? Yes, please!
About The Thompson Chain Reference Bible
What if you could study every passage in the Bible that relates to a specific topic? The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible System is an ideal tool for comprehensive topical research because it has thousands of references and covers 8,000 topics throughout the entire Bible.
The Bible has over 100,000 Chain-Reference System references that can be found all throughout the book’s margins. This makes it an ideal tool for comprehensive topical study and is a perfect companion to your regular Bible reading!
The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible includes an array of helpful study tools. The endnotes include indexes and cross references that can help readers to find passages relevant to their needs. For example, if one is looking for guidance on how the Old Testament relates to New Testament doctrine they have only a few seconds work with this resource at hand!
In addition to all of the in-text study materials, there are extensive indexing features available as well which will allow you quick access when seeking answers about any subject imaginable from within Scripture itself without having dig through your notes or turn pages endlessly searching in vain.
Whether you plan to use The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible for devotional reading, teaching children about the word of God, or preaching from it in church on Sunday mornings. You will find this bible easy and informative no matter what purpose you have when studying scripture with family members or friends.
The Thompson Chain Reference Bible has a wide variety of topics (over 4,000) that are arranged in chains, so the student can trace prominent scriptural texts from beginning to end. This allows for even more detailed analysis and understanding than before.
It is available in ESV, NKJV, KJV and NASB translations.
Take a look at this brief walkthrough on how The Thompson Chain Reference Bible works:
What You Can Study Using This Bible
Study by Theme
Thematic study is an efficient way to explore the Bible. The first step in studying a theme is locating the initial verse of the chain, which can be done by finding either Topic Number or Alphabetical Index at your fingertips on every page.
Once readers locate a topic of interest, they can start their topical study right from the margin. Readers follow the prompts in side columns and click on different passages which are referenced to find more information about that subject or idea.
If readers want to locate the first verse of the chain, they can look in the Numerical Index. Once the initial verse has been located, readers can again follow the chain within the text using the marginal reference system. The first verse in each chain is marked in the margin with the symbol of a triangle (^). The Thompson Chain Reference Bible makes studying a Bible theme so easy, yet in-depth!
Study by Book
The Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible has more than just the text of the bible, it includes a wealth of information for those who wish to have an all around view into each book. From what may be deemed as trivial details like date and author, this bible offers a bit more insight on things such as suggested recipients or key verse. But that is not where The Thompson chain reference study Bibles knowledge ends; in addition to these features there are also detailed outlines per books in which you can find important studies found within them along with notable people referenced throughout its pages
Study by Chapter
As mentioned above, each chapter begins with a synopsis of its contents. The primary divisions of each chapter are highlighted in bold print in the margins. This provides the teacher or the student with an excellent study tool. Essentially, the chapter is already in outline form. This is one of my favorite features of The Thompson Chain Reference Bible.
Study by Passage or Verse
Thompson’s passage and verse study system is a Bible given to us for the purposes of understanding its central messages. Students can break down every aspect of each word in any given scripture using Thompson’s marginal references, which work with the numerical index found within their text. This allows them not only insight into what they are reading but also provides significant guidelines on how to lead others through that particular passage or topic.
Study by Character
The Character Studies section in The Thompson Chain Reference Bible provides detailed outlines for 12 heroes from ancient history. Outlines detailing their lives accompany other important facts, but perhaps most helpful are the characteristics noted for each individual character. The student can then go to the Numerical Index, where Dr. Thompson has listed not just those individuals in The Character Studies section but also many more men and women from the Bible that have been studied throughout history.
Prominent Bible Characters (4300a) highlights the meanings of biblical names. The Outline History of the Apostles (4300b) provides a detailed analysis of Jesus’ 12 disciples. And an abundance more information on Moses, Christ and Paul is available along with journey maps to guide those who wish to delve into God’s Word through following their lives in detail. This is another great feature of The Thompson Chain Reference Bible.
How Did The Thompson Chain Reference Bible Come to Be?
The Thompson Chain Reference Bible is a beloved and time-tested reference work that was the lifetime labor of Bible scholar, minister, and teacher Dr. Frank Charles Thompson who received his PhD fromBoston University before beginning his ministry in a Methodist church in western New York back during the late 1800s. This timeless antique has been used by ministers for many generations to study daily devotionals together with their congregations as well as laypeople on their own personal spiritual journeys through life’s difficulties–encouraging them until they feel redeemed when facing death or simply need some guidance at any point along life path.
The Thompson Chain Reference Bible is now one of my go-to Bible study references. It makes a great gift for Bible study for a friend or family member seeking to go deeper into God’s Word.
What do you think about this Bible study tool? What do you think is the most helpful feature?
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Because He Lives,
Sue
#BibleGatewayPartner
S. Czar
Sunday 9th of June 2024
Maybe you can help me. I have looked all over the internet and in my TCR BIBLE and cannot find an answer. I am reading in Proverbs 8 and I noticed that verses 6, 10, 12, 18, and 22 are larger and red. Why? i’m noticing now there are verses all over that are like this but there is nothing in the beginning of my Bible that shows me how to use the chain reference that speaks to this. They’re not all heading up new thoughts or categories or subjects. There is nothing in the margins to indicate why they would be larger and red. And everything that I look at on the Internet is the same and gives the same information on how to use this Bible but nothing talks about the larger red verse numbers Do you know? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Susan Nelson
Sunday 9th of June 2024
Hello - thank you for writing. The red letters in the New Testament are the words of Jesus. But in my Thompson Chain Bible, those verses are not larger or red. Mine is ESV. Is yours a different translation?