Book Review: Gospel Transformation Bible

Five years ago, Crossway produced the most amazing study Bible that can ever be given to the body of Christ, the ESV Study Bible. For many church leaders, it has become their go-to study Bible when preparing a sermon or just studying the Bible. Five years later, Crossway produced another Bible that would loved and received by the church and that is the Gospel Transformation Bible.

This Bible is different from the ESV Study Bible for it applies the gospel to the believer as they read the study notes. This is not just for the New Testament but for the Old Testament as well. According to Bryan Chapell, the goal of the Gospel Transformation Bible is "twofold: (1) to enable readers to understand that the whole Bible is a unified message of the gospel of God’s grace culminating in Christ Jesus, and (2) to help believers apply this good news to their everyday lives in a heart-transforming way. Our hope is that, as Christians throughout the world learn to see the message of salvation by grace unfolding throughout Scripture, they will respond to God with greater love, faithfulness, and power."

Chapell goes on to say, "This is not a new way of studying the Bible. Rather, this approach honors our Lord’s own instruction to see the gospel in all of Scripture, so that his love empowers the transformation of our lives from the inside out.
" Where the ESV Study Bible is more for an academic and theological approach as if you were in a seminary class, the Gospel Transformation Bible is like a sermon. Yes, it is theological, but it not only gives you the gospel, but helps apply the gospel so the result can be transformation in the Christian. It has been said, we must go to the Bible for transformation not information and that is what this Bible does best.

Just like any study Bible, there is a book introduction along an outline of that particular book of the Bible. The study notes does not go verse by verse, but rather collects the meaning of the text with the purpose of showing you the gospel in those verses. What also makes this Bible amazing is the collection of scholars and pastors that help put this Bible together. Here are just a few of the contributors along with book they wrote the notes for:

Michael Horton-Joshua

Bruce Ware-Psalm 101-150

Darrin Patrick-Zephaniah

Scotty Smith-John

Justin Holcomb-Acts

Jared C Wilson-1 & 2 Peter

Here is the whole list of contributors.

It was a delight to read from this Bible and a joy to review it. I know this will benefit the body of Christ as they study the gospel throughout the Biblical text. Along with the ESV Study Bible, this is another Bible I can recommend for believers to get. One thing that I loved was the reading plan is near the end of the Bible, which is the one I will be planning to use next year. The Gospel Transformation Bible is now my number 2 Bible I go to for study and sermon preparation.

Thanks Crossway for letting me review this Bible.